bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Response of Sulphur and Zinc on Growth and Yield Components of Cluster Bean
Authors: Banothu Deepthi , Mehera Biswarup
Published: August 2023

Field test carried out during Zaid 2023 at Crop Research Farm, Department of Agronomy, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences (SHUATS), Prayagraj (U.P). The soil in the field was found to be sandy loam, neutral in soil reaction (pH 7.10), natural carbon (0.50%), accessible N (183.40 kg/ha), accessible P (37.56 kg/ha) and accessible K (200.06 kg/ha). The experiment was a randomized block design as the experiment consisting of nine treatments each repeated three times. The treatment combinations are 1: Sulphur 10 kg/ha + Zinc 3 kg/ha, 2: Sulphur 10 kg/ha + Zinc 6 kg/ha, 3: Sulphur 10 kg/ha + Zinc 9 kg/ha, 4: Sulphur 20 kg/ha + Zinc 3 kg/ha, 5: Sulphur 20 kg/ha + Zinc 6 kg/ha, 6: Sulphur 20 kg/ha + Zinc 9 kg/ha, 7: Sulphur 30 kg/ha + Zinc 3 kg/ha, 8: Sulphur 30 kg/ha + Zinc 6 kg/ha, 9: Sulphur 30 kg/ha + Zinc 9 kg/ha, 10: Control 20:40:25 (N:P:K) kg/ha are used. The important findings of the experiment have been summarized and concluded here under the objectives taken. The application of Sulphur 30 kg/ha + Zinc 6 kg/ha, observed maximum Plant height (104.00 cm), highest number of nodules per plant (16.93) Plant dry weight (26.56 g/plant). Maximum pods/plant (41.07), Seeds/pod (10.00), Test weight (4.45g), Seed yield (2.03 t/ha), stover yield (3.98 t/ha), Harvest index (33.76%) were noted with the treatment combination of Sulphur 30 kg/ha + Zinc 6 kg/ha.
Effect of Herbicide (Propaquizafop and Imazethapyr) on Weed Flora Associated with Blackgram in Central India
Authors: Malviya Shreya , Saini Mukesh Kumar
Published: August 2023

An experiment was conducted at Product Testing Unit, Department of Agronomy, JNKVV, Jabalpur to study the effect of application of propaquizafop and imazethapyr herbicide on weeds associated with blackgram. The experimental field was having mixed weed flora comprising of grassy as well as broad leaved weeds. Nine treatments comprised of four rates of application of propaquizafop+ imazethapyr at 47+70, 50+75, 53+80 and 56+85 g/ha and alone application of propaquizafop (100 g/ha), imazethapyr (100 g/ha), pendimethalin (1500 g/ha) and hand weeding twice at 20 and 40 DAS including weedy check, were laid out in Randomized Block Design with three replications. All herbicide treatments were applied in 500 liters of water per hectare, using flat fan nozzle as per the treatments. The dominant weed flora, species wise weed density, weed biomass, Weed control efficiency and weed index were recorded at different interval. The study revealed that the Echinochloa colona (29.39%) and Dinebra retroflexa (24.30%) were the found as dominant weeds in the field whereas, other monocot weeds like Cyperus iria (18.19%) and dicot weeds like Mullugo pentaphylla (12.23%), Eclipta alba (7.58%) and Alternanthera philoxeroides (8.31%) were also present in less numbers in blackgram under weedy check plots. Among the herbicidal treatments, activity of propaquizafop+imazethapyr mixture at the dose 53+80 and 56+85 g/ha emerged as effective control for the weeds associated with blackgram.
Growth Characteristics, Yield Components and Yield of Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) as Affected by Integrated Nutrient Management on under Central Plain Zone of Uttar Pradesh
Authors: Tiwari Abhishek , Kumar Anil , Pathak R. K. , Kumar Ravindra , Sachan Ravindra , Suryabhan  , Verma Himani
Published: August 2023

Field experiments were carried out at Chandra Shekhar Azad University of Agriculture & Technology, Kanpur, to investigate the influence of integrated nutrient management on wheat growth metrics, yield components, and yield during the rabi seasons of 2021-22 and 2022-23.The trial included 11 treatment combinations in a randomised block design with three replications and each treatment combination likely involves different combinations of inorganic fertilizers, organic manure, and biofertilizers. Wheat variety HD-2967 was grown with the using prescribed agronomic practices. According to investigation results the maximum plant height at maturity is 99.85 cm and 102.79 cm, the maximum number of effective tillers is 101.45 cm and 104.83, and the maximum ear length is 11.29 cm and 11.76 cm are associated with the treatment T10 [100 % NPK + S40 + Zn5 + Fe10 + Azotobacter + PSB + 5 tonne FYM] during both years of experimentation. Similarly, among the yield components and productivity parameters maximum values with regard to the number of spikelet ear-1 (22.64 and 22.95), grain ear-1 (43.11 and 46.03), 1000 grain wt. (41.17 and 42.13 gm), grain yield (48.60 and 49.93 q ha-1) and straw yield (63.15 and 67.53 q ha-1) have been observed in the treatment T10 [100 % NPK + S40 + Zn5 + Fe10 + Azotobacter + PSB + 5 tonne FYM] during both the years of the experimentation. The objective of the study to understand how different combinations of inorganic fertilizers, organic manure, and biofertilizers affect the growth and productivity of wheat, specifically the HD-2967 variety, when grown using recommended agronomic practices.
Synthesis, Crystal Structure Determination and Magnetic Study of a New [2 × 2] Grid Tetranuclear Fe(II) and Ni(II) Complexes Derived from the Ligand 1, 5-Bis(1-(Pyridin-2-Yl) Ethylidene) Carbonohydrazide)
Authors: Traoré Bocar , Seck Thierno Moussa , Sall Mohamed Lamine , Kama Antoine Blaise , Diouf Ousmane , Thiam Ibrahima El-Hadji , Gaye Mohamed
Published: August 2023

Complexes of nickel (II) and iron (III) are easily synthetized using the symmetrical ligand 1,5-bis(1-(pyridin-2-yl)ethylidene)carbonohydrazide) (H2L) and metal nitrate salts. Square [2x2] grids structure of one tetranuclear iron and one tetranuclear nickel complex were isolated. X ray diffraction analysis reveals that the crystal structures of the two complexes are similar. The asymmetric unit of each complex consists of four cationic ligand molecules and four metal ions. Each ligand acts in its monodeprotonated form through five coordination sites such as two pyridine nitrogen atoms, two azomethine nitrogen atoms and one oxygen atom. Each of the four ligand molecules acts as a bridge between two metal ions yielding a square 2 x 2 grid structure. Each of the metal ion is hexacoordinated and is situated in a N4O2 core and the environment is best described as a severely distorted square bipyramidal geometry. Electrochemical studies show two electrons process for complex 1 and one electron process for complex 2. Variable temperature magnetic study shows that antiferromagnetic coupling is stronger in the nickel(II) than in the iron(II) complex. Perfect correlation between the magnetic properties and the crystallographic data are observed in both complexes.
Prophylactic and Antidiabetic Effect of Andrographis paniculata and its Combination with Allium sativum on Blood Glucose Level and some Biochemical Indices in Wistar Rats
Authors: Nonso Okwuenu Gift , Ejike Igbokwe Gabriel , Obinna Ezenwelu Chijioke
Published: August 2023

Diabetes Mellitus is a chronic health problem with devastating effect that is characterized by high blood glucose levels resulting from faults or flaws in insulin production or action. The unaffordability and adverse effects of conventional drugs in the treatment and management of many diseases has spurred the interest of scientists to the use of herbal medicine to treat and manage many ailments. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prophylactic and anti-diabetic effects of Andrographis paniculata and its combination with Allium sativum on the blood glucose level and on some biochemical indices of wistar rats. The bodyweight, fasting blood glucose level, lipid profile and lipid peroxidation were determined using standard biochemical methods. All the treatment groups indicated gradual increase in their body weights which was not above normal control and significant reduction in fasting blood glucose level was also observed in all groups but with far greater reduction seen in the pretreated groups with a percentage reduction of 61.25%. The result of the lipid profile showed that varying doses of A. paniculata and A. sativum significantly reduced the LDL, TCHOL, TRIG and VLDL levels of diabetic rats. However, the pretreatment of A. paniculata gave a higher reduction in the LDL, TCHOL, TRIG and VLDL levels. The MDA level of all the test groups decreased when compared to the diabetic untreated group and the standard drug group with significant (p< 0.05) reduction seen in the groups treated with 100mg/kg and 200mg/kg of A. paniculata. The findings from this research showed that Andrographis paniculata has the potential to be used as a remedy for the treatment and management of diabetes mellitus and its complications, however pretreatment with A. paniculata is highly recommended as it gives better results in reducing the complications associated with diabetes mellitus.
A UAS-Based Hyperspectral Solution for Vegetative Remote Sensing
Authors: Wing Michael G.
Published: August 2023

The use of unoccupied aircraft systems (UAS) for remote sensing applications of both natural and human-produced features has become relatively common. Advances in technology over the last decade have led to a variety of UAS platforms and sensors becoming available to consumers. This review describes a recently available hyperspectral sensor that is capable of being mounted on a mid-size UAS platform which should result in at least a 30-minute flight time. An RTK GPS is also available that can add precise positioning to collected imagery. The sensor has 164 bands and should be particularly useful for remote sensing of vegetation.
In silico Molecular Docking Study of Some Novel Chalcone Derivatives as Anticancer Agents
Authors: Devi Meena , Dahiya Devprakash , Sharma Nitika , Soni Abhishek , Kumari Chinu , Yamini
Published: August 2023

We were encouraged to design and produce a new series of chalcone derivatives since there is a critical need for novel anticancer drugs with high selectivity for cancer cells. Chalcones are members of the flavonoid family that act as precursors in the production of flavonoids, which are plentiful in plants. Chalcones are significant starting points for synthetic modifications and serve as mediators in the synthesis of critical therapeutic compounds. Cancer is one of the leading causes of death globally. New compounds still need to be found to cure cancer. In certain cancer cells, chalcone and its derivatives have anticancer potential. Modern medication design frequently uses molecular docking to understand drug-receptor interaction. Docking studies are a crucial technique for enabling the organised use of the structural variety of natural products. The Molegro Virtual Docker 6.0 was used in this work to conduct docking investigations on natural anticancer drugs that contained chalcone. Using the software Molegro Virtual Docker 6.0, we docked the protein crystal structure of human T-cell leukaemia virus protease (2B7F) with several chalcone-based derivatives (AMP-1-56) for our study project. Among the compounds AMP-56, compounds AMP-40, 44, 45, 48, 49, 52, 55 and 56 exhibit good anticancer activity with human T-cell leukaemia virus protease (PDB-2B7F) as compared to the reference drug (Camptothecin). The results are still preliminary, and an experimental evaluation will soon be performed.
Preventing HIV With PrEP
Authors:   US Preventive Services Task Force
Published: August 2023

In this JAMA Patient Page, the US Preventive Services Task Force provides a guide to determine patient risk for HIV, who should take PrEP, and which PrEP strategies are recommended.
Preexposure Prophylaxis for the Prevention of HIV
Authors: Chou Roger , Spencer Hunter , Bougatsos Christina , Blazina Ian , Ahmed Azrah , Selph Shelley
Published: August 2023

Importance

A 2019 review for the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) found oral preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) associated with decreased HIV infection risk vs placebo or no PrEP in adults at increased HIV acquisition risk. Newer PrEP regimens are available.

Objective

To update the 2019 review on PrEP, to inform the USPSTF.

Data Sources

Ovid MEDLINE, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Embase (January 2018 to May 16, 2022); surveillance through March 24, 2023.

Study Selection

Randomized clinical trials of PrEP vs placebo or no PrEP or newer vs older PrEP regimens and diagnostic accuracy studies of instruments for predicting incident HIV infection.

Data Extraction and Synthesis

Dual review of titles and abstracts, full-text articles, study quality, and data abstraction. Data were pooled using the DerSimonian and Laird random-effects model.

Main Outcomes and Measures

HIV acquisition, mortality, and harms; and diagnostic test accuracy.

Results

Thirty-two studies were included in the review (20 randomized clinical trials [N = 36 575] and 12 studies of diagnostic accuracy [N = 5 544 500]). Eleven trials in the 2019 review found oral PrEP associated with decreased HIV infection risk vs placebo or no PrEP (n = 18 172; relative risk [RR], 0.46 [95% CI, 0.33-0.66]). Higher adherence was associated with greater efficacy. One new trial (n = 5387) found oral tenofovir alafenamide/emtricitabine (TAF/FTC) to be noninferior to tenofovir disoproxil fumarate/emtricitabine (TDF/FTC) in men who have sex with men (RR, 0.53 [95% CI, 0.23-1.26]). Two new trials found long-acting injectable cabotegravir associated with decreased risk of HIV infection vs oral TDF/FTC (RR, 0.33 [95% CI, 0.18-0.62] in cisgender men who have sex with men and transgender women [n = 4490] and RR, 0.11 [95% CI, 0.04-0.31] in cisgender women [n = 3178]). Discrimination of instruments for predicting incident HIV infection was moderate in men who have sex with men (5 studies; n = 25 488) and moderate to high in general populations of persons without HIV (2 studies; n = 5 477 291).

Conclusions and Relevance

In adults at increased HIV acquisition risk, oral PrEP was associated with decreased risk of acquiring HIV infection compared with placebo or no PrEP. Oral TAF/FTC was noninferior to oral TDF/FTC, and injectable cabotegravir reduced the risk of HIV infection compared with oral TDF/FTC in the populations studied.
Spatial targeting of woodland creation can reduce the colonisation credit of woodland plants
Authors: Hughes Samuel , Kunin William , Ziv Guy , Watts Kevin
Published: August 2023

Colonisation credit refers to the temporal lag between positive conservation actions and species' responses and may be one of the reasons we fail to meet short‐term conservation targets. This is particularly evident in woodlands which take decades to develop and harbour slow colonising species. Given global objectives to increase woodland cover, it is important to know the timeframe within which colonisation credit will be fulfilled.

The colonisation of woodland plants was examined in recent woodlands, created between 15 and 80 years ago, and located adjacent or isolated from existing ancient woodlands. Colonisation credit was calculated as the proportion of understory woodland plant species in the nearest ancient woodland which had not colonised recent woodlands. Looking at individual species traits also allowed us to tease apart their impact on the species colonisation and establishment ability.

Spatial adjacency between created and ancient woodland reduced colonisation credit by an average of 28%, and more mature created woodlands (50–80 years old) had fulfilled 24% more of their colonisation credit on average than younger created woodlands (15–21 years old). However, mature woodlands created adjacent to ancient woodlands had still only been colonised by an average of 72% of the available species pool.

Plants which had reached adjacent created woodlands were dispersed by a range of mechanisms, where those that had reached more isolated sites were largely dispersed by birds or mammals. Low community weighted mean shade tolerance, high community weighted nutrient affiliation, and the dominance of Hedera helix suggest that competition from dominant natives may be preventing certain species establishing in new woodlands.

This research demonstrates the need to account for appropriate time‐lags when setting biodiversity targets, with most sites still displaying colonisation credit decades after they were created. The results also indicate that spatially targeting woodland creation adjacent to species‐rich mature woodlands should be prioritised. Still, poor local habitat conditions may lead to the dominance of specific competitors which prevent a range of other species from establishing. Local management interventions such as translocations and tree thinning may ameliorate this but further research is needed.
Sampled‐data control for cyber physical systems via identifying false data injection attacks
Authors: Yu Peng , Wei Jingliang , Jia Ruizhe , Wang Jimin , Guo Jin
Published: August 2023

In this paper, we discuss the security control problem of cyber physical systems based on identifying false data injection attacks. First, the unknown adversary randomly attacks the measurement output, a mechanism is set in the sensor to update the measurement output to the constant, called the one‐valued quantized mechanism. Then, the Bienayme–Chebyshev inequality and the one‐valued quantized mechanism are utilized to design an identification algorithm, the estimated value of the false data injection attack and the minimum identification time can be obtained. Furthermore, based on the LMI theory, sampled‐data control gains with and without attacks are obtained to ensure the system mean‐square exponential stable, respectively. And the corresponding maximum sampling period of the controller is obtained. Finally, numerical examples verify the correctness and effectiveness of the theory.
Natural Compounds Derived from Plants on Prevention and Treatment of Renal Cell Carcinoma: A Literature Review
Authors: Yin Zhenjie , You Bingyong , Bai Yuanyuan , Zhao Yu , Liao Shangfan , Sun Yingming , Wu Yongyang
Published: August 2023

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) accounts for roughly 85% of all malignant kidney cancer. Therapeutic options for RCC have expanded rapidly over the past decade. Targeted therapy and immunotherapy have ushered in a new era of the treatment of RCC, which has facilitated the outcomes of RCC. However, the related adverse effects and drug resistance remain an urgent issue. Natural compounds are optional strategies to reduce mobility. Natural compounds are favored by clinicians and researchers due to their good tolerance and low economic burden. Many studies have explored the anti‐RCC activity of natural products and revealed relevant mechanisms. In this article, the chemoprevention and therapeutic potential of natural compounds is reviewed and the mechanisms regarding natural compounds are explored.
Study Transportation of Drugs within Newly Established Murine Colon Organoid Systems
Authors: Davoudi Zahra , Atherly Todd , Borcherding Dana C. , Jergens Albert E. , Wannemuehler Michael , Barrett Terrence A. , Wang Qun
Published: August 2023

The development of 3D organoids of the small intestine is a tremendous breakthrough in drug development and biological research. However, the development of colonic organoids (i.e., colonoids) is particularly challenging due to a lack of simple, cost‐effective protocols for colonoid cultivation. Here, intestinal homogenates are described as a supplement to the culture medium for maintaining and replicating colonic stem cells. Colonoids generated by this cultivation protocol demonstrate substantial proliferation and differentiation (3 months). There is a similarity between cultured colonoids and primary colon tissue regarding structure and functionality. To evaluate the functionality of colonoids, permeability testing is performed with suspensions of 4 and 40 kDa fluorescein isothiocyanate‐dextran (FITC‐DEX). It is observed that neither can permeate the healthy epithelial barrier. The P‐glycoprotein receptor, a vital drug efflux pump mitigating potential drug toxicity, is functionally manipulated, as evidenced by its inhibition function by verapamil and monitoring uptake of Rhodamin 123. In addition, Forskolin treatment which affects chloride transport results in organoid swelling; this confirms the functional expression of the CFTR transporter in the colonoids. This protocol to generate colonoids is promising for high‐throughput drug screening, toxicity testing, and oral drug development.
Short‐term wind power prediction based on the combination of firefly optimization and LSTM
Authors: Zhang Rui , Zheng Xiu
Published: August 2023

With the development of social resources, people's consumption of energy is huge, so renewable energy, such as wind energy, has been widely concerned and developed. Although there has been sufficient development of wind power generation, its output has some problems such as uncertainty, which leads to insufficient utilization of wind energy resources and uneven power output quality level, which brings great challenges to the grid connection. To solve this problem, a short‐term wind power prediction model combining firefly algorithm and long term memory network is proposed. The main motivation of the research is to improve the accuracy of wind power prediction and thus improve the utilization of wind energy resources. Compared with the existing methods, the innovation of FA‐LSTM model lies in the integration of the two algorithms, making full use of the advantages of FA in global search optimization and LSTM in time series data processing, and improving the accuracy and stability of prediction. During the experiment, we used different wind farm data to train and test the model. The results show that the FA‐LSTM model can improve the optimal fitness by more than 50% compared with other algorithms, and the iterative prediction error is smaller. Standard root mean square error (RMSE) and mean absolute error (MAE) were used to evaluate the model. The accuracy of RMSE and MAE reached over 97% and 98% respectively. When the test data is highly volatile, the data accuracy of FA‐LSTM model reaches 92% and 94%, and the FA‐LSTM model drops to the stable value faster. FA‐LSTM model has the best fitting degree with the true value curve, and the fitting degree reaches more than 90%. Comparing the actual power and predicted power of different units, the actual power of Unit 1 is 34.875, and the predicted power obtained by FA‐LSTM model is 34.935, with an error of only 0.06. The key finding of this study is that the prediction model combining FA and LSTM has high accuracy and stability in wind power prediction, and can effectively deal with the uncertainty and volatility of wind energy resource utilization. FA‐LSTM model provides an effective solution for wind power prediction, which is helpful to improve the utilization rate of wind energy resources.
Flow field analysis of combustion fallout propensity test system based on CFD
Authors: Sang Yaoshuo , Dong Hao , Ye Shizhu , Guo Chaohao , Zhang Long , Li Zhigang , Liu Yong
Published: August 2023

The flow field of the environment plays a crucial role in cigarette combustion cone fallout propensity test, with air velocity exhibiting a positive correlation with combustion volume. In order to minimize the impact of the environmental flow field on the test results, it is necessary to control the air speed within the range of 200 ± 30 mm/s in the test area of each tobacco test channel. To address this concern, which used the Realizable k‐ε model to develop a mathematical model of the testing environment. The uniformity of air speed in each channel and its relationship with structural parameters were then analyzed. Based on these findings, the key structural parameters of the ventilation hood are optimized. After restimulated the optimized model, the results demonstrate a higher level of uniformity in the environmental flow field of the optimized section. To validate the accuracy of the simulation results, measurements indicated that the maximum air speed value at all points is 225.6 mm/s, while the minimum value is 178.44 mm/s. These values fall within the specified range of 200 ± 30 mm/s, thus meeting the design requirements. This study ensures that the cigarette can burn in a steady state during the cigarette combustion fallout propensity test and improves the stability of the cigarette combustion cone drop tendency test results.
Non‐Lignin Constructing the Gas–Solid Interface for Enhancing the Photothermal Catalytic Water Vapor Splitting
Authors: Li Jinghan , Ding Lingling , Su Zhiyuan , Li Kun , Fang Fan , Sun Ruixue , Qin Yalei , Chang Kun
Published: August 2023

The progress of solar‐driven water‐splitting technology has been impeded by the limited light response capability of semiconductor materials. Despite attempts to leverage nearly 50% of infrared radiation for photothermal synergy and catalytic reaction enhancement, heat loss during liquid phase reactions results in low energy conversion efficiency. Here, the photothermally driven catalytic water‐splitting system, which designs K‐SrTiO3‐loaded TiN silica wool at the water–air interface. Photocatalytic tests and density functional theory calculations demonstrate that the thermal effect transforms liquid water into water vapor, thereby reducing the reaction free energy of catalysts and improving the transmission rate of catalytic products. Hence, the hydrogen evolution rate reaches 275.46 mmol m−2 h−1, and the solar‐to‐hydrogen (STH) efficiency is 1.81% under 1 sun irradiation in this gas–solid system, which is more than twice that of liquid water splitting. This novel photothermal catalytic pathway, which involves a coupled reaction of water evaporation and water splitting, is anticipated to broaden the utilization range of the solar spectrum and significantly enhance the conversion efficiency of STH.
Superhydrophobic Photocatalytic Self‐Cleaning Nanocellulose‐Based Strain Sensor for Full‐Range Human Motion Monitoring
Authors: Yin Zuozhu , Chen Xiaoxiang , Chen Zongbao , Song Huaitong , Lv Pengyu , Xue Mingshan , Li Hongyuan
Published: August 2023

Nanocellulose‐based strain sensor (NBSS) have been a subject of growing interest for wearable electronics. However, these electronic devices are susceptible to damage when they come into contact with water and organic contaminants. Recently, researchers have developed a superhydrophobic NBSS. Unfortunately, it does not treat organic pollutants in water when used in an underwater environment. In this paper, a new solution: a superhydrophobic photocatalytic self‐cleaning NBSS created through scrape coating and dip coating methods is proposed. This new method shows outstanding self‐cleaning capabilities against water and organic contaminants due to the synergistic effects of the superhydrophobicity and photocatalysis of MnO2 nanoparticles. Furthermore, the superhydrophobic photocatalytic self‐cleaning NBSS has an exceptional response time of 0.66 s, a fast recovery time of 0.81 s, a sensitivity ≈66.53 at a strain of 0.5%. It is expect that the superhydrophobic photocatalytic self‐cleaning NBSS can monitor human movements, including finger twists, wrist movements, elbow bends, and knee movements. Not only is the fabrication method cost‐effective and scalable, but the new NBSS holds great promise in a wide range of fields, including human‐machine interactive systems, smart systems, and human‐body monitoring. Overall, the study provides significant guidance for future designs for wearable strain sensors.
Vertically‐Aligned Ag Nanowire Array‐Based Metamaterial with High Refractive Index and Low‐Dispersion in the Infrared Band
Authors: Chen Zhilin , Gao Junhua , Wang Xinpeng , Jiang Yuxin , Wu Haichen , Tang Shiwei , Xin Jian , Yuan Guangcai , Cao Hongtao
Published: August 2023

To open new vistas for designing nanophotonic systems, exploiting high refractive index (RI) availability is now drawing attention worldwide, especially in the visible‐infrared range. Based upon the nanoscale close‐packed arrangement of metallic nano‐units, few optical‐frequency metamaterials with high RIs have been demonstrated. However, there are still significant challenges in their RI promotion, tuneability, and integrated preparation for practical applications. Herein, a novel Ag nanowire‐based metamaterial scheme is put forward, in which vertically aligned Ag nanowire (NW) array embedded‐Si or ‐Ge composites are made. Thanks to flexible control on microstructure parameters of Ag NWs (meta‐unit) and their dielectric environment, the synergistic effect of enhanced capacitive coupling and weakened diamagnetic response is created, leading to a recorded near‐infrared high‐RI of ≈7.2, low‐dispersion from 2 to 10 µm, and customizable RIs. Further, an air nanohole array‐Si composite layer, acting as an impedance matching layer, is utilized to realize the transmittance increase of the metamaterial film by ≈50% at specific wavelengths, along with the bulk plasmon‐polariton (BPP) modes resonances in the interwire nanocavities. This approach to increasing the infrared refractive index can circumvent physical effect conflict in high RI metamaterials and pave a basis for future scalable and on‐demand photonic applications.
Space‐Confined Growth of Co9S8 Nanoparticles in Covalent Organic Framework‐Derived Porous Carbon for Efficient Bifunctional Oxygen Electrocatalysis
Authors: Wang Jingyun , Li Wei , Li Yanhong , Huang Aisheng
Published: August 2023

Fine regulation of the physicochemical structure of carbon‐based electrocatalysts to optimize the adsorption energies of oxygen intermediates is critically important to enhance the reaction kinetics of the oxygen evolution/reduction reaction (OER/ORR) but remains a huge challenge. Herein, nano‐space confined growth of Co9S8 nanoparticles (NPs) in porous carbon is realized through an in situ confined growth strategy by using thiol‐chains functionalized COF (COF‐S‐SH) as a confined template. COF‐S‐SH is used as binding sites to immobilize Co ions to improve the interaction between metal nanoparticles (NPs) and carbon skeletons, and simultaneously serves as a confined void to avoid the aggregation metal NPs. Impressively, as an efficient bifunctional catalyst, the resulting Co9S8/COF‐S800 shows significantly enhanced oxygen electrocatalysis with a small OER‐ORR voltage gap of 0.76 V, vastly superior to that of pristine COF‐S800. Furthermore, the assembled Zn–air battery with Co9S8/COF‐S800 catalyst displays a high peak power density of 181.5 mW cm−2 and great durability over 60 h charge–discharge cycles.
The Effect of Chemical Environment and Temperature on the Domain Structure of Free‐Standing BaTiO3 via In Situ STEM
Authors: O'Reilly Tamsin , Holsgrove Kristina M. , Zhang Xinqiao , Scott John J. R. , Gaponenko Iaro , Kumar Praveen , Agar Joshua , Paruch Patrycja , Arredondo Miryam
Published: August 2023

Ferroelectrics, due to their polar nature and reversible switching, can be used to dynamically control surface chemistry for catalysis, chemical switching, and other applications such as water splitting. However, this is a complex phenomenon where ferroelectric domain orientation and switching are intimately linked to surface charges. In this work, the temperature‐induced domain behavior of ferroelectric‐ferroelastic domains in free‐standing BaTiO3 films under different gas environments, including vacuum and oxygen‐rich, is studied by in situ scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM). An automated pathway to statistically disentangle and detect domain structure transformations using deep autoencoders, providing a pathway towards real‐time analysis is also established. These results show a clear difference in the temperature at which phase transition occurs and the domain behavior between various environments, with a peculiar domain reconfiguration at low temperatures, from a‐c to a‐a at ≈60 °C. The vacuum environment exhibits a rich domain structure, while under the oxidizing environment, the domain structure is largely suppressed. The direct visualization provided by in situ gas and heating STEM allows to investigate the influence of external variables such as gas, pressure, and temperature, on oxide surfaces in a dynamic manner, providing invaluable insights into the intricate surface‐screening mechanisms in ferroelectrics.
Direct Printing of Ultrathin Block Copolymer Film with Nano‐in‐Micro Pattern Structures
Authors: Park Tae Wan , Kang Young Lim , Kang Eun Bin , Jung Hyunsung , Lee Seoung‐Ki , Hwang Geon‐Tae , Lee Jung Woo , Choi Si‐Young , Nahm Sahn , Kwon Se‐Hun , kim Kwang Ho , Park Woon Ik
Published: August 2023

Nanotransfer printing (nTP) is one of the most promising nanopatterning methods given that it can be used to produce nano‐to‐micro patterns effectively with functionalities for electronic device applications. However, the nTP process is hindered by several critical obstacles, such as sub‐20 nm mold technology, reliable large‐area replication, and uniform transfer‐printing of functional materials. Here, for the first time, a dual nanopatterning process is demonstrated that creates periodic sub‐20 nm structures on the eight‐inch wafer by the transfer‐printing of patterned ultra‐thin (<50 nm) block copolymer (BCP) film onto desired substrates. This study shows how to transfer self‐assembled BCP patterns from the Si mold onto rigid and/or flexible substrates through a nanopatterning method of thermally assisted nTP (T‐nTP) and directed self‐assembly (DSA) of Si‐containing BCPs. In particular, the successful microscale patternization of well‐ordered sub‐20 nm SiOx patterns is systematically presented by controlling the self‐assembly conditions of BCP and printing temperature. In addition, various complex pattern geometries of nano‐in‐micro structures are displayed over a large patterning area by T‐nTP, such as angular line, wave line, ring, dot‐in‐hole, and dot‐in‐honeycomb structures. This advanced BCP‐replicated nanopatterning technology is expected to be widely applicable to nanofabrication of nano‐to‐micro electronic devices with complex circuits.
Relationships among apparent electrical conductivity and plant and terrain data in an agroforestry system in the Ozark Highlands
Authors: Ylagan Shane , Brye Kristofor R. , Ashworth Amanda J. , Owens Phillip R. , Smith Harrison , Poncet Aurelie M. , Sauer Tom J. , Thomas Andrew L. , Philipp Dirk
Published: August 2023

Minimal research has been conducted relating apparent electrical conductivity (ECa) surveys to plant and terrain properties in agroforestry systems. Objectives were to identify: (i) ECa–forage yield, –tree growth, and –terrain attribute relationships within ECa‐derived soil management zones (SMZs) and (ii) terrain attributes that drive ECa variability within a 20‐year‐old, 4.25‐ha, agroforestry system in the Ozark Highlands of northwest Arkansas. The average of 12 monthly perpendicular (PRP) and horizontal coplanar (HCP) ECa surveys (August 2020 to July 2021) and 14 terrain attributes were obtained. Tree diameter at breast height (DBH) and height (TH) measurements were made in December 2020 and March 2021, respectively, and forage yield samples were collected during Summer 2018 and 2019. Apparent EC‐tree property relationships were generally stronger within the whole site (averaged across tree property and ECa configuration, |r| = 0.38) than within the SMZs (averaged across tree property, ECa configuration, and SMZ, |r| = 0.27). The strength of the SMZs’ terrain‐attribute‐PRP‐ECa relationships were 9% to 205% greater than that for the whole site. In whole‐site, multi‐linear regressions, slope length and steepness factor (10.5%), mid‐slope (9.4%), and valley depth (7.2%) had the greatest influence (i.e., percent of total sum of squares) on PRP ECa variability, whereas valley depth (15.3%), wetness index (11.9%), and mid‐slope (11.2%) had the greatest influence on HCP ECa variability. Results show how ECa relates to plant (i.e., DBH, TH, and forage yield) and terrain data within SMZs in agroforestry systems with varying topography and could be used to precisely manage agroforestry systems.
Immune checkpoint status and oncogenic mutation profiling of rectal cancer after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (KSCC1301‐A2)
Authors: Miyashita Yu , Oki Eiji , Kamori Tomohiro , Akagi Yoshito , Mori Shinichiro , Hattori Norifumi , Kobayashi Kazuma , Shimokawa Mototsugu , Oda Yoshinao , Mori Masaki
Published: August 2023

Aim

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are less effective in mismatch repair (MMR)‐proficient (pMMR) colorectal cancers (CRCs) than in MMR‐deficient CRCs. Here, we investigated changes in the tumor microenvironment after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) without radiotherapy in locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) and the potential of ICIs as therapeutic agents for pMMR CRCs.

Methods

This was an ad hoc analysis of a KSCC1301 randomized phase II trial in which patients with untreated resectable LARC were randomly assigned to receive S‐1 and oxaliplatin or folinic acid, 5‐fluorouracil, and oxaliplatin as NAC. Forty‐nine patients were studied in this ad hoc analysis. As a reference cohort, we assessed 25 rectal cancer patients who underwent surgery without NAC outside the randomized trial. Immune checkpoint molecules (ICMs; PD‐1, PD‐L1, CTLA‐4, LAG3), tumor‐infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs; CD8, FOXP3), and other related proteins were evaluated by immunohistochemistry. Next‐generation sequencing (NGS) using Oncomine™ Comprehensive Assay version 3 was conducted in 23 patients.

Results

The expression levels of PD‐1, CTLA‐4, and LAG3 in the NAC group were significantly higher than in reference patients (p < 0.001). Additionally, the infiltration of CD8+ and FOXP3+ T cells, and the CD8/FOXP3 ratio were significantly higher in the NAC group than in reference patients (p < 0.0001). NGS analysis revealed no specific gene alteration related to TILs or ICMs.

Conclusion

We demonstrated changes in the tumor immune microenvironment after NAC in pMMR rectal cancer. NAC was associated with increased expression of ICMs and TILs. Rectal cancer could be susceptible to combined immunotherapy with chemotherapy.
Atomization of metal and alloy powders: Processes, parameters, and properties
Authors: Soong Shaun Zhang , Lai Wing Lam , Kay Lup Andrew Ng
Published: August 2023

Additive manufacturing (AM) has been intensively studied over this decade due to the increasing demand of functional and precise materials in various industries. AM process leverages on the concept of layer by layer deposition or joining of a material at micro‐ or nano‐scale to produce the final products. As such, AM technology is widely used to manufacture products of complex geometries with high precision in a short time. As the quality and the performance of AM manufactured functional products depend on the quality and the cost of the atomized metal or alloy powder used, the use of powders of high size uniformity, high purity, high sphericity, high flowability, low cost, and no trapped gas bubble porosity is necessary. To this end, various metal production technologies were investigated and one of the popular technologies is atomization. This article reviewed the working principles of the various atomization technologies for the production of fine metal and alloy powders. The key atomization conditions discussed in this article include atomization type, material feed rate and temperature, atomizing fluid flow rate, type and temperature, cooling rate, and atomization pressure. In addition, several outlooks on the prospect and the optimization of atomization technologies were also discussed in this article.
Prenatal androgenization (2D:4D) predictions of tennis match‐play success in junior players: A search for physiological explanations
Authors: Ribeiro Evaldo , Neave Nick , Marsili Birgit Keller , Figueiredo Eduardo Carlos Gonçalves , Martino‐Andrade Anderson Joel , de Moraes Rosana Nogueira
Published: August 2023

Aim

This study aims to investigate the possible association between digit ratio (2D:4D) and match‐play success (MPS) in junior tennis players. In addition, we consider the possible explanatory pathways of these associations in relation to psychological, strength, power, and hormonal parameters.

Methods

We performed a cross‐sectional study, with a sample comprised of 64 male junior tennis players (11–18 years old). Digit ratio was calculated from direct finger measurements. In addition, we measured the ratio of wins by number of matches played in 5 years of official competition (MPS), handgrip strength (HGS), standing long jump (SLJ), training (in weekly hours), and expertise (number of years in official competition). Salivary testosterone and cortisol levels were measured before and after physical “challenge” tests.

Results

The 2D:4D correlated negatively with HGS and SLJ. MPS was also negatively associated with 2D:4D, but was positively correlated to HGS, expertise, training, and self‐confidence (SC). Multiple linear regression showed 2D:4D and expertise were associated with MPS (43%–54%). None of the physical, or hormonal variables tested explained the links between 2D:4D and MPS.

Conclusion

Therefore, the specific fitness components influenced by prenatal androgenization that moderate sports success remain unknown. Future studies should explore the interaction of 2D:4D, with tennis exercises as a challenge to induce hormonal change, the effect of pubertal stage, and the influence of aerobic endurance in determining MPS.
Rh(III)‐Catalyzed C−H Annulation and Spirolactonization of 2‐Aryl‐1H‐benzo[d]imidazoles with 4‐Hydroxy‐2‐alkynoates via C−H bond activation
Authors: Siva Sankaram G. , Sahoo Tanmoy , Madhu Myadari , Sridhar B. , Subba Reddy B. V.
Published: August 2023

Rh(III) catalyzed C−H bond annulation and spirolactonization of 2‐aryl‐1H‐benzo[d]imidazoles with 4‐hydroxy‐2‐alkynoates has been developed for the first time for the synthesis of a diverse range of 2’,2’‐dimethyl‐2’H‐spiro[benzo[4,5]imidazo[2,1‐a]isoindole and fused dimethylbenzo[4,5]imidazo[2,1‐a]furo[3,4‐c]isoquinoline derivatives. This method is a versatile and atom‐economical to produce polycyclic frameworks in a single‐step.
Familial Mesial Temporal Lobe Epilepsy: Clinical Spectrum and Genetic Evidence for a Polygenic Architecture
Authors: Harris Rebekah V. , Oliver Karen L. , Perucca Piero , Striano Pasquale , Labate Angelo , Riva Antonella , Grinton Bronwyn E. , Reid Joshua , Hutton Jessica , Todaro Marian , O'Brien Terence J. , Kwan Patrick , Sadleir Lynette G. , Mullen Saul A. , Dazzo Emanuela , Crompton Douglas E. , Scheffer Ingrid E. , Bahlo Melanie , Nobile Carlo , Gambardella Antonio , Berkovic Samuel F.
Published: August 2023

Objective

Familial mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (FMTLE) is an important focal epilepsy syndrome; its molecular genetic basis is unknown. Clinical descriptions of FMTLE vary between a mild syndrome with prominent déjà vu to a more severe phenotype with febrile seizures and hippocampal sclerosis. We aimed to refine the phenotype of FMTLE by analyzing a large cohort of patients and asked whether common risk variants for focal epilepsy and/or febrile seizures, measured by polygenic risk scores (PRS), are enriched in individuals with FMTLE.

Methods

We studied 134 families with ≥ 2 first or second‐degree relatives with temporal lobe epilepsy, with clear mesial ictal semiology required in at least one individual. PRS were calculated for 227 FMTLE cases, 124 unaffected relatives, and 16,077 population controls.

Results

The age of patients with FMTLE onset ranged from 2.5 to 70 years (median = 18, interquartile range = 13–28 years). The most common focal seizure symptom was déjà vu (62% of cases), followed by epigastric rising sensation (34%), and fear or anxiety (22%). The clinical spectrum included rare cases with drug‐resistance and/or hippocampal sclerosis. FMTLE cases had a higher mean focal epilepsy PRS than population controls (odds ratio = 1.24, 95% confidence interval = 1.06, 1.46, p = 0.007); in contrast, no enrichment for the febrile seizure PRS was observed.

Interpretation

FMTLE is a generally mild drug‐responsive syndrome with déjà vu being the commonest symptom. In contrast to dominant monogenic focal epilepsy syndromes, our molecular data support a polygenic basis for FMTLE. Furthermore, the PRS data suggest that sub‐genome‐wide significant focal epilepsy genome‐wide association study single nucleotide polymorphisms are important risk variants for FMTLE. ANN NEUROL 2023;94:825–835
CCNK Gene Deficiency Influences Neural Progenitor Cells Via Wnt5a Signaling in CCNK‐Related Syndrome
Authors: Dai Weiqian , Wang He , Zhan Yongkun , Li Nan , Li Fei , Wang Jingmin , Yan Huifang , Zhang Yu , Wang Junyu , Wu Lingqian , Liu Huili , Fan Yanjie , Tao Yue , Mo Xi , Yang Jian‐Jun , Sun Kun , Chen Guiquan , Yu Yongguo
Published: August 2023

Objective

Rare variants of CCNK (cyclin K) give rise to a syndrome with intellectual disability. The purpose of this study was to describe the genotype–phenotype spectrum of CCNK‐related syndrome and the underlying molecular mechanisms of pathogenesis.

Methods

We identified a number of de novo CCNK variants in unrelated patients. We generated patient‐induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and neural progenitor cells (NPCs) as disease models. In addition, we constructed NPC‐specific Ccnk knockout (KO) mice and performed molecular and morphological analyses.

Results

We identified 2 new patients harboring CCNK missense variants and followed‐up 3 previous reported patients, which constitute the largest patient population analysis of the disease. We demonstrate that both the patient‐derived NPC models and the Ccnk KO mouse displayed deficient NPC proliferation and enhanced apoptotic cell death. RNA sequencing analyses of these NPC models uncovered transcriptomic signatures unique to CCNK‐related syndrome, revealing significant changes in genes, including WNT5A, critical for progenitor proliferation and cell death. Further, to confirm WNT5A's role, we conducted rescue experiments using NPC and mouse models. We found that a Wnt5a inhibitor significantly increased proliferation and reduced apoptosis in NPCs derived from patients with CCNK‐related syndrome and NPCs in the developing cortex of Ccnk KO mice.

Interpretation

We discussed the genotype–phenotype relationship of CCNK‐related syndrome. Importantly, we demonstrated that CCNK plays critical roles in NPC proliferation and NPC apoptosis in vivo and in vitro. Together, our study highlights that Wnt5a may serve as a promising therapeutic target for the disease intervention. ANN NEUROL 2023;94:1136–1154