bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Modeling‐Guided Design of Semitransparent Organic Photovoltaics with Improved Energy Harvesting and Saving Capabilities
Authors: Zhang Nan , Zhou Zhisheng , An Yidan , Qi Feng , Xia Ruoxi , Du Gengxin , Xia Tian , Ke Lingyi , Li Ning , Lin Francis R. , Jen Alex K.‐Y. , Yip Hin‐Lap
Published: December 2024

Integrating semitransparent organic photovoltaics (ST‐OPVs) into building structures is a promising technology that serves aesthetic purposes while retaining window functionality, and it also facilitates solar energy harvesting and heat insulation. However, balancing power conversion efficiency (PCE), visible light transmittance (VLT), infrared radiation rejection (IRR), and color rendering index (CRI) for window applications remains a significant challenge. In this study, ST‐OPVs are developed that feature innovative near‐infrared‐absorbing materials. These devices are further coupled with an optical layer optimized through high‐throughput optical modeling to fine‐tune and enhance the different properties of the ST‐OPVs. Specifically, ST‐OPVs are achieved with a VLT of over 30%, a PCE of 12.5%, an IRR of over 90%, and a CRI of over 80. Furthermore, higher PCE of over 14% and IRR of over 95% can also be achieved, demonstrating the tunability of these photovoltaic properties. These figures highlight the exceptional performance of specialized ST‐OPVs for window applications, demonstrating their dual function of generating electricity and energy saving. Additionally, simulations show that replacing traditional heat insulation films with the ST‐OPVs can reduce annual energy demand by up to 60%, using Hong Kong as an example, underscoring their significant potential in sustainable building‐integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) applications.
Bicyclic Sultams: From Organic Chemistry to Pharmaceutical Science
Authors: Chen Yifan , Wang Xiaobing
Published: December 2024

Cyclic sulfonamides (sultams) widely distributed in pharmaceuticals due to their abundant biological activities. Currently, many pharmaceuticals with bicyclic sultam scaffold have been approved, some of them even have become first‐line medicines. In this concept, representative synthetic methodologies towards bicyclic sultams were selected and discussed. Construction of bicyclic γ‐ and δ‐sultams were the focus due to their pivotal role in medicinal chemistry. Most of the methodologies were focus on the construction of the sultam ring, including intramolecular N‐central cyclization (INC), oxidative cyclization (OC), carbanion‐mediated sulfonamide intramolecular cyclization (CSIC), transition‐metal catalyzed cyclization (TMCC) and ring closing metathesis (RCM). Name reactions such as Michael addition and Heck reaction were also applied to the construction of bicyclic sultams. In addition, this concept also discussed the enzyme‐catalytic reactions and some special reactions due to their unique properties.
Bulk Stereoselective Cationic Polymerization of Vinyl Ethers by the Coordination of ZrCl4 with Tunable Spirocyclic Phosphoric Acids
Authors: Wu Yinong , Liu Xiong , Zhang Chengjian , Zhang Xinghong , Lin Xufeng
Published: December 2024

Control over stereochemistry in poly(vinyl ether)s leads to a notable change in their physical properties, yet remains a grand challenge. Here, we demonstrate the bulk stereoselective cationic polymerization of vinyl ethers using ZrCl4 coordinated with a spirocyclic phosphoric acid (SPA). The widely variable substituents in SPAs exert a profound impact on the stereochemical and activity outcome of the polymerization: the % m of poly(vinyl ether)s linearly increases with the Hammett substituent constant (σ) of SPAs; the catalytic activity increases with the σ; the large steric hindrance groups lead to decreased polymerization activity. Mechanism studies suggest that the coordination of ZrCl4 with three equivalents of SPAs generates the chiral complex. The complex can abstract chlorine from the initiator/chain end to form the chiral ion pair allowing the selective facial addition of incoming monomers. The catalyst system features characteristics of no solvent, low loads, high tacticity control, high monomer scope, and recyclability.
Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis: Taurine and Its Association With Colorectal Carcinoma
Authors: Sinha Akshat , Griffith Liam , Acharjee Animesh
Published: December 2024

Background

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common cancers. Various options are available for treatment, but prognosis is still poor in the more advanced stages. Current screening methods are not as accurate for distinguishing between benign and malignant growths, resulting in unnecessary invasive procedures. Recently a focus has been placed on identifying metabolites. Of these, taurine has frequently been detected, and this particular compound has a multifactorial role in human physiology.

Methods

We conducted a systematic review of studies up till November 2023. Searches were done in three databases‐ MEDLINE, CINAHL‐Ebsco, and PubMed. Three independent reviewers filter titles, abstracts, and full‐texts according to selection criteria. Ten studies (samples = 1714) were identified showing a differential level of taurine in CRC patient samples. Quality assessment accounted for the risk of bias of each study using the ‘robvis’ tool. Where meaningful comparisons could be made, meta‐analyses were carried out using the ‘R' program for precalculated effect sizes with ‘metagen’ in R. The ‘meta’ package was utilised for creation of forest plots.

Findings

Taurine was shown to significantly increase odds of CRC. It was also significantly associated with being a discriminator for CRC as a diagnostic metabolite. This was maintained at various stages of CRC. Taurine had increased expression in CRC patients, especially when the matrix utilised was blood. Nevertheless, there was significant heterogeneity for some outcomes.

Interpretation

In conclusion, these findings highlight the potential of using taurine as well as other bile acid metabolites (lithocholic and ursodeoxycholic acid) to diagnose CRC and illustrate the link with microbiome interactions. Overall increased taurine concentration are associated with significantly increased odds for CRC. There was mostly an increase in relative expression of taurine in CRC samples, excluding results from Wang et al.
Novel Bail‐Out Strategy for Pigtail Catheter Entrapment During TAVI: A Case Report
Authors: Bentakhou Elias , Cocoi Mihai , Santos Ignacio Amat , Claudiu Ungureanu
Published: December 2024

Device entrapment during Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI) is a rare but significant complication, particularly in cases involving calcified aortic anatomy. This case report presents a novel bailout strategy to address pigtail catheter entrapment during a TAVI procedure. An 86‐year‐old female undergoing TAVI with an Acurate neo2 prosthesis experienced pigtail catheter entrapment between the valve frame and calcified non‐coronary cusp during valve deployment. Initial attempts to retrieve the catheter failed, leading to concerns about valve displacement and potential complications. The innovative solution involved inflating a post‐dilation balloon within the valve to stabilize the prosthesis while simultaneously retrieving the trapped pigtail catheter. This technique ensured safe extraction without compromising valve integrity or necessitating surgical intervention. The report emphasizes the importance of preemptive measures, including confirming the catheter's free movement and retracting it before final valve release, to prevent similar complications.
Developing bio‐carbon matrices for the encapsulation of silicon nanoparticles for high‐performance lithium‐ion battery anode materials
Authors: He Wei , Su Zihao , Qu Meizhen , Peng Gongchang , Liu Wenjing
Published: December 2024

Silicon (Si) is considered to be one of the most promising anode materials for next‐generation lithium‐ion batteries because of its abundant reserves, low discharge potential, and most importantly, its high theoretical specific capacity. However, the practical application of Si‐based anodes is mainly hindered by the low intrinsic conductivity of Si and the large volume change upon lithiation/de‐lithiation. In order to improve the electrochemical performance of Si‐based anodes, we prepared a composite material consisting of Si nanoparticles (NPs) and coconut silk bio‐carbon (CSC) skeleton. The porous carbon skeleton derived from coconut silk with natural through‐holes and ample micropores on the wall, which was used as the carrier of Si NPs. The continuous through‐holes and well‐distributed oxygen‐containing functional groups of the CSC provided sufficient space and abundant adsorption active sites for Si NPs, what‘s more, the good dispersion of Si NPs in the through‐holes increased their contact with the surrounding carbon materials, which was conducive to electron transport. Meanwhile, the pore structure also provided buffer space for the volume expansion of Si. The rich oxygen‐containing functional groups can form a certain chemical force with silicon particles, and further stabilize the nano silicon particles. Hence, the CSC/Si electrode revealed an excellent capacity retention of 82.8 % at 1 A g−1 after 100 cycles. This study provides a simple universal high‐throughput method to obtain anode materials with outstanding electrochemical properties and promotes the further development of Si/C composites.
A Water Channel‐like Structure Self‐Assembled by Nucleosides
Authors: Wang Zheng , Li Changfu , Yin Yijia , Zhao Yuxi , Bai Ding , Zhao Hang
Published: December 2024

As artificial water channels have received widespread attention, various types of artificial water channels have been reported. However, apart from I‐quartet channels, the development of 1D water channels with water wires constructed from small molecules has rarely been reported, because of the difficulty in precisely tuning the dipolar water molecules. Inspired by G‐quartet functionalization strategies, this study explored C8 modifications of our previously reported molecule, 2‐amino‐2’‐fluoro‐2’‐deoxyadenosine (2FA), known for its strong hydration properties and self‐assembly capabilities, and investigated its potential for constructing nucleoside‐based water channel‐like structures. Among all derivatives, 2‐amino‐8‐(4‐aminophenyl)‐2’‐deoxy‐2’‐fluoro‐D‐adenosine can form an S‐shaped channel as a tetramer, incorporating water wire arrays in the solid state. Such water channel‐like structures in nucleoside self‐assemblies provide new insights into the development of novel nucleoside‐based supramolecular water channel materials.
Unjamming Transition as a Paradigm for Biomechanical Control of Cancer Metastasis
Authors: Cai Grace , Rodgers Nicole C. , Liu Allen P.
Published: December 2024

Tumor metastasis is a complex phenomenon that poses significant challenges to current cancer therapeutics. While the biochemical signaling involved in promoting motile phenotypes is well understood, the role of biomechanical interactions has recently begun to be incorporated into models of tumor cell migration. Specifically, we propose the unjamming transition, adapted from physical paradigms describing the behavior of granular materials, to better discern the transition toward an invasive phenotype. In this review, we introduce the jamming transition broadly and narrow our discussion to the different modes of 3D tumor cell migration that arise. Then we discuss the mechanical interactions between tumor cells and their neighbors, along with the interactions between tumor cells and the surrounding extracellular matrix. We center our discussion on the interactions that induce a motile state or unjamming transition in these contexts. By considering the interplay between biochemical and biomechanical signaling in tumor cell migration, we can advance our understanding of biomechanical control in cancer metastasis.
Biochemical response to neoadjuvant androgen deprivation therapy before radiation therapy and the risk of death in patients with unfavorable‐risk prostate cancer: A secondary analysis of a randomized clinical trial
Authors: Sayan Mutlay , Chen Ming‐Hui , Wu Jing , Leeman Jonathan E. , Moningi Shalini , King Martin T. , Orio Peter F. , Nguyen Paul L. , D’Amico Anthony V.
Published: December 2024

In a secondary analysis of a randomized clinical trial including 350 participants, a prostate‐specific antigen level >0.5 ng/mL after 9 to 10 weeks of neoadjuvant androgen deprivation therapy was significantly associated with an increased risk of all‐cause mortality. The prostate‐specific antigen level after neoadjuvant androgen deprivation therapy may identify patients at higher risk of mortality who could benefit from treatment escalation in future randomized trials.
Dynamic Load Balancing in Kubernetes Environments With Kubernetes Scheduling Extension (KSE)
Authors: Moritz de Carvalho Neto Pedro , Castro Márcio , Siqueira Frank
Published: December 2024

Kubernetes is a flexible and reliable container orchestrator that has been employed to maintain massive cloud infrastructures worldwide. The task of allocating “Pods” (deployable units of computing that have one or more containers) to cluster nodes in Kubernetes is done by the Kube‐Scheduler module, which determines which nodes are valid placements for each Pod according to constraints and available resources. Since it only acts at Pod creation, it does not take any action when the load of the system becomes uneven. In imbalanced scenarios, overloaded nodes can compromise the performance and availability of services hosted by them, whereas underloaded nodes may be a waste of financial resources, especially when using public clouds. In this paper, we propose an extension to the Kubernetes scheduler, called Kubernetes Scheduling Extension (KSE), which allows users to implement dynamic load‐balancing algorithms that can migrate Pods between nodes at runtime. We also provide the implementation of two well‐known load‐balancing algorithms (KSE‐GreedyLB and KSE‐RefineLB) in KSE, which can balance the load of system nodes using CPU and memory consumption metrics. We carried out several experiments to assess the effectiveness of KSE‐GreedyLB and KSE‐RefineLB and compared their results with Kube‐Scheduler. Overall, we evaluated 32 different scenarios using synthetic and realistic applications. Our results showed that KSE‐RefineLB achieves better results than Kube‐Scheduler when the workload is highly imbalanced while keeping similar performance when the load imbalance is low.
An Efficient Services Placement for Optimizing the Energy Consumption in Volunteer Cloud Computing
Authors: Maaouia Omar Ben , Fkaier Hazem , Cerin Christophe , Jemni Mohamed
Published: December 2024

Volunteer Cloud computing, like traditional Cloud computing, has gained significant importance due to its ability to harness resources from individual personal machines, contributed voluntarily by their owners. In this paradigm, personal machine resources are shared voluntarily by their owners. This approach is particularly valuable for handling data‐intensive computations and storing Big Data. However, managing the potential unavailability of volunteer machines is crucial. Additionally, in Volunteer Cloud environments, energy consumption is becoming increasingly significant alongside execution time and cost. However, optimizing energy consumption remains a critical challenge, particularly in environments with dynamic and unpredictable availability of volunteer resources. This paper investigates the problem of energy‐efficient services placement in Volunteer Cloud environments. Specifically, we address the challenge of optimally deploying and running independent applications to minimize energy consumption while ensuring that physical machines are not overloaded and avoiding redundant deployments on the same machine. We propose two heuristic strategies to tackle this problem: the Dynamic Shortest Path Strategy (D‐SPS‐VC) for dynamic service placement and the Static Shortest Path Strategy (S‐SPS‐VC) for static service placement. These strategies are designed to optimize energy efficiency by considering constraints such as machine availability, capacity, and application duplication. The main contribution of this study is the development of these heuristic strategies, which are validated through a series of experiments that demonstrate their effectiveness in reducing energy consumption in Volunteer Cloud environments.
Beyond profit: Exploring CEO tenure, social value risk‐taking, and competitive dynamics in savings banks
Authors: Lee Steve Kyungjae
Published: December 2024

Existing research overlooks the possibility that firms may engage in risk‐taking for social value beyond profit. Drawing on the community embeddedness literature, we propose that firms engage in risk‐taking for social value to enhance their local standing and acceptance. We examine the microfinance lending activities of 79 South Korean savings banks from 2013 to 2022 to test our hypotheses. Contrary to previous findings that longer CEO tenure decreases corporate risk‐taking, our results show that longer CEO tenure is associated with increased corporate risk‐taking for social value, suggesting that the impact of CEO tenure on risk‐taking depends on the firm's goals. Additionally, our results indicate that when neighboring firms in the same community engage in legitimacy‐enhancing behaviors, this triggers a corresponding increase in the focal firm's efforts to enhance local legitimacy. This implies a competitive “race for legitimacy” among firms within the community. We discuss these findings' implications and explore future research directions.
Maternal Prenatal Stress and the Offspring Gut Microbiome: A Cross‐Species Systematic Review
Authors: Graf Michelle D. , Murgueitio Nicolas , Vogel Sarah C. , Hicks Lauren , Carlson Alexander L. , Propper Cathi B. , Kimmel Mary
Published: December 2024

The prenatal period is a critical developmental juncture with enduring effects on offspring health trajectories. An individual's gut microbiome is associated with health and developmental outcomes across the lifespan. Prenatal stress can disrupt an infant's microbiome, thereby increasing susceptibility to adverse outcomes. This cross‐species systematic review investigates whether maternal prenatal stress affects the offspring's gut microbiome. The study analyzes 19 empirical, peer‐reviewed research articles, including humans, rodents, and non‐human primates, that included prenatal stress as a primary independent variable and offspring gut microbiome characteristics as an outcome variable. Prenatal stress appeared to correlate with differences in beta diversity and specific microbial taxa, but not alpha diversity. Prenatal stress is positively correlated with Proteobacteria, Bacteroidaceae, Lachnospiraceae, Prevotellaceae, Bacteroides, and Serratia. Negative correlations were observed for Actinobacteria, Enterobacteriaceae, Streptococcaceae, Bifidobacteria, Eggerthella, Parabacteroides, and Streptococcus. Evidence for the direction of association between prenatal stress and Lactobacillus was mixed. The synthesis of findings was limited by differences in study design, operationalization and timing of prenatal stress, timing of infant microbiome sampling, and microbiome analysis methods.
Influence of messaging and party affiliation on energy conservation behavior: An evaluation from the US
Authors: Curley Cali , Xu Corey Keiwei , Orlove Ben , Forster Hale , Harrison Nicky
Published: December 2024

Governments have numerous avenues available to them to leverage energy consumption reductions. Low‐cost policy options may be as simple as incorporating information related to energy consumption reduction. Despite the viability of these low‐cost options, there is little understanding of how individual characteristics influence the viability of messaging strategies. This study fills the research gap by investigating how residents' political affiliation may affect their response to utility messaging for reducing energy consumption. We use the City of Tallahassee, Florida, as a testbed to investigate how informational messages alter customers' energy consumption behavior. We examined the effects of monthly messages on a random sample of 3000 households from 2011 to 2015. Our analysis reveals that pro‐environmental and cost savings frames result in different levels of energy conservation according to political affiliation. This study helps resolve previous studies' inconsistent findings by expanding the information analysis to fine‐scale data observed in actual energy consumption behavior. For practitioners, our results shed new light on how to effectively alter customers' energy conservation behavior through messaging by strategically accounting for the characteristics of customers.
“Here and now, by us”: Co‐production of climate action pathways in forest landscapes
Authors: Reimerson Elsa , Hallberg‐Sramek Isabella , Priebe Janina
Published: December 2024

Climate change requires locally tailored solutions that consider diverse environmental and cultural contexts. This study situates climate action within Sweden's forest landscapes, exploring how local forest stakeholders prioritize and motivate climate action targets for immediate implementation. By engaging in knowledge co‐production processes in local communities, we sought to develop place‐based climate action pathways, rooted in stakeholders' visions for their communities' futures. We identified three main climate action pathways: forest‐based bioeconomy, localism, and global systemic change. These pathways varied in policy targets, governance directions, focus of change, and preferred economic systems. We found that while the pathways generally aligned with the underlying assumptions of overarching scenario archetypes, their ideological differences regarding governance and policy levels and directions were less distinct. Moreover, despite differing foci and perspectives, forest management strategies were similar in all pathways. The ideological dimensions of the climate action pathways became less visible when considering the management of forests. Our findings underscore the embeddedness of local climate action within broader environmental, social, and political structures, and the challenges of linking local landscape understandings to global environmental processes. While practical, locally specific solutions can transcend ideological debates, they may also obscure necessary ideological and political considerations for effective land use and management strategies for climate change adaptation and mitigation.
The role of trust in the international climate negotiations
Authors: Schroeder Heike , Beyers Felix , Schäpke Niko Alexander , Mar Kathleen A. , Wamsler Christine , Stasiak Dorota , Lueschen Tim , Fraude Carolin , Bruhn Thomas , Lawrence Mark
Published: December 2024

In this paper, we examine the role of trust in the international climate negotiations. We (1) identify forms of trust inferred from institutional designs, (2) analyse effects of institutional design on social and political trust and (3) describe the relationship between social and political trust in international climate change negotiations. We do this by combining document analysis, literature review and interviews. We find that the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement imply different forms of trust and thereby produce different levels of trust. Social trust is generally medium to high, political trust rather low. Our analysis illustrates tensions and contradictions between human agency and intention, on the one hand, and political agency and process, on the other. These tensions and contradictions are such that, although delegates at the international climate conferences do at least partly trust each other, they meet in an institutional context that is marked by lack of political trust. Moving forward, we discuss whether this lack of trust is well‐founded or not given the current institutional and organisational structures of the UNFCCC and its subsequent agreements and what it is highlighting in terms of specific flaws or omissions in the UNFCCC's design.
Tuneable Phosphaamidinate Ligands: Alkyl‐Magnesium Complexes Responsive to Increased Ligand Bulk
Authors: Urwin Stephanie J. , Stanford Martin W. , Nichol Gary S. , Garden Jennifer A. , Cowley Michael J.
Published: December 2024

We describe the synthesis of five new phosphaamidine ligands of formula RNC(R’)P(H)(R’’), featuring a hindered tert‐butyl‐bearing backbone and variable steric bulk at both the nitrogen and phosphorus centres. Crystallographic and heteronuclear NMR studies indicate the geometry of the phosphaamidine is dependent on the steric bulk of the peripheral substituents, and in one case multiple isomers were observed in solution. Ligand deprotonation by reaction with 0.5 or 1 equivalents of nBu2Mg respectively forms heteroleptic (LMgnBu) or homoleptic (L2Mg) complexes, with the most bulky phosphaamidinate ligand generating a monomeric, unsolvated three‐coordinate magnesium centre. Three LMgnBu complexes were isolated and show excellent activity for the ring opening polymerization of rac‐lactide (<99 % conversion in two minutes), with a uniform polymer chain length (Đ=1.02–1.37).
Diamonds in Chemical Space: The Synthesis of Brexazine
Authors: Rebhan Leon , Buehler Ye , Reymond Jean‐Louis
Published: December 2024

Here we searched chemical space for small and novel diamond‐like, 3D‐shaped building blocks, which are very rare but highly valuable for medicinal chemistry because they can increase the natural product likeness of drug molecules and improve their selectivity, water solubility and metabolism. We explored the Generated DataBases (GDBs), which list all possible organic molecules up to a defined size, identified 162 norbornane containing ring systems related to the known trinorbornane, and took inspiration from its simpler substructure brexane to design brexazine as a new chiral and 3D‐shaped piperazine analog. The synthesis of brexazine was realized in 11 steps and 11.5 % overall yield from a commercially available norbornene building block. These experiments illustrate the value of exploring chemical space from first principles to design new building blocks for drug discovery.
Extensive epigenomic dysregulation is a hallmark of homologous recombination deficiency in triple‐negative breast cancer
Authors: Chen Youdinghuan , Salas Lucas A. , Marotti Jonathan D. , Jenkins Nicole P. , Cheng Chao , Miller Todd W. , Kettenbach Arminja N. , Christensen Brock C.
Published: December 2024

Triple‐negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most aggressive breast cancer subtype with substantial disease heterogeneity, limited treatment options, and dismal clinical outcomes. Some TNBCs display homologous recombination deficiency (HRD), a phenotype with elevated genomic burden and worse prognosis if left untreated but chemotherapeutic sensitivity. While the molecular landscape of TNBC is distinct from other breast cancer subtypes, the TNBC‐specific link between HRD and epigenome‐wide methylation has not been established. This study reports two independent cohorts of TNBC tumors (n = 32 and n = 58) with HRD and epigenomic landscapes measured by the Multiplex Ligation‐dependent Probe Amplification assay and the Illumina MethylationEPIC arrays, respectively. Genome‐wide copy number and methylation alterations were significantly higher in HRD (all p <.05). Methylation of genome‐wide repeat element Alu and transcriptional regulatory regions were significantly lower in HRD (all p <.05). An age‐adjusted epigenome‐wide association study of the continuous HRD probability scores revealed significant loci (all FDR <0.05) that were depleted from the CpG‐rich “island” regions often seen in gene promoters but enriched in the CpG‐poor “open sea” regions localized to gene enhancers. The significant loci implicated well‐known candidate genes involved in the epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition, Wnt signaling, and DNA damage response. Supervised machine learning of HRD with nucleotide‐specific methylation as the input enabled clinically relevant tumor stratification. Taken together, this study provides novel biological and translational insights into HRD in TNBCs.
Does Central Bank Independence Reduce Economic Vulnerability in Africa?
Authors: Messono Omang Ombolo , Zambo Fabrice Assoumou , Bouebe Alexandre Turpin Iroume A.
Published: December 2024

While many studies have highlighted the influence of the degree of central bank independence on economic and financial dynamics, less is known about its importance for economic vulnerability. The objective of this paper is to examine, for the first time, the effect of central bank independence on economic vulnerability in Africa. Based on the hypothesis that countries with more independent central banks are less vulnerable to external shocks, we estimate a dynamic panel model using the system generalised method of moments in a sample of 44 African countries between 1990 and 2017. Our results show that an independent central bank can significantly reduce the economic vulnerability of African countries by allowing monetary policy decisions to be made outside political influence, promoting financial stability, and strengthening the credibility of economic policy. These results remain robust to alternative measures of the main variables. Furthermore, the analysis of transmission mechanisms reveals that central bank independence has a negative effect on economic vulnerability in Africa through channels such as GDP growth, financial development, exchange rate misalignments and budget balance. We suggest that policymakers promote central bank independence in the development of public policies to address economic vulnerability in Africa.
Protective Effects of NRF2 Activator Sulforaphane in Polyinosinic:Polycytidylic Acid‐Induced In Vitro and In Vivo Model
Authors: Matsagar Shailesh Vilas , Singh Rakesh Kumar
Published: December 2024

NRF2 is a nuclear transcription factor involved in the cellular protection against oxidative stress and inflammatory signaling. Sulforaphane is a known NRF2 activator used for its strong antioxidant and anti‐inflammatory activity through regulation of Keap‐1‐HO‐1 pathway. However, there is a limited exploration about the role of NRF2 activator, sulforaphane in regulation of poly(I:C)‐induced oxidative stress, inflammation and injury in lung. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the therapeutic effect of sulforaphane in poly(I:C)‐induced responses using in vitro as well as in vivo model. We evaluated oxidative stress and inflammatory cytokines in poly(I:C)‐induced RAW264.7 cells. We also employed in vivo animal study to evaluate tissue oxidative–antioxidative balance along with expression of NRF2, Keap‐1, histopathological assessment by hematoxylin–eosin staining and picrosirius red staining to explore the protective mechanisms of sulforaphane in poly(I:C)‐induced mouse model. Our results indicated that sulforaphane increased the expression of NRF2 and its downstream proteins. In addition, sulforaphane alleviated poly(I:C)‐induced activation of the oxidative and pro‐inflammatory pathways, histopathological changes, depleted expression of GSH and superoxide dismutase in lung tissue. This study suggested that sulforaphane may be one of the useful therapeutic alternatives for poly(I:C) induced lung injury and inflammation.
Evaluating the impact of patient–staff interactions on sleep opportunities using the electronic health record
Authors: Kadura Sullafa , Pink Lisa , Mazzotti Diego R. , Fear Kathleen
Published: December 2024

Background

Hospitalized patients often experience disrupted sleep due to nighttime patient–staff interactions (PSIs). This study evaluates how PSIs impact sleep opportunities in neurology inpatients using electronic health record (EHR) data and introduces surrogate measures of sleep such as longest uninterrupted sleep opportunity (LUSO) and interruptive episodes.

Objective

To develop a methodology leveraging time‐stamped EHR data to quantify and visualize the impact of PSIs on inpatient sleep opportunities.

Methods

We analyzed 3305 patient nights in an inpatient neurology unit, categorizing PSIs into six types: vital signs, neurological checks, medication administration, bedside diagnostic testing, off‐unit diagnostic testing, and bed changes. We calculated LUSO and interruptive episodes and used a linear mixed model to assess the relationship between PSIs and LUSO.

Results

PSIs occurred in 92% of patient nights, averaging 2.81 interruptive episodes and 4.06 h of LUSO per night. Vital signs and medication administrations were the most frequent PSIs. Neurological checks and off‐unit diagnostic testing were associated with the largest reductions in LUSO (approximately 40 min), followed by bed changes (−33.79 min).

Conclusion

This study demonstrates the utility of LUSO and interruptive episodes as EHR‐based measures to link PSIs to sleep opportunities. While vital signs and medications were the most frequent PSIs, neurological checks and off‐unit testing were associated with the largest impact on reducing LUSO. The predominance of single‐PSI interruptive episodes underscores that the bundling of PSIs is not occurring. These findings highlight that PSIs impact sleep opportunities in distinct ways, supporting the use of this methodology to evaluate and address EHR‐linked disruptions to patient sleep.
Without Humility, There Can Be No Peace Leadership
Authors: Sowcik Matthew , Johnson Ashley
Published: December 2024

Humility is an essential foundation for peace leadership, serving as a critical lens through which leaders can navigate the complexities of peacebuilding and conflict resolution. The article Without Humility, There Can Be No Peace Leadership explores the indispensable connection between humility and peace leadership, positing that without humility, effective peace leadership is unattainable. Drawing on Sowcik's (The H‐Factor: The Intersection Between Humility and Great Leadership. New Degree Press) definition of humility as “a proper perspective of oneself, one's relationship with others, and one's connection to something bigger,” the article integrates existing research on humility with the Integral Peace Leadership Model, which emphasizes self‐awareness, interpersonal connection, and systemic awareness. The paper underscores how humility fosters self‐reflection, adaptability, and resilience, while enabling leaders to engage in inclusive, relationship‐centered practices essential for trust and collaboration. It also emphasizes humility's role in counterbalancing power dynamics, mitigating ego‐driven behaviors, and anchoring leadership in a commitment to collective well‐being. By examining diverse perspectives, including non‐Western and spiritual frameworks, the paper highlights how humility transcends cultural boundaries to support transformative peacebuilding.
Temporal Trends in and Patient Characteristics Associated with Surgery for Otitis Media
Authors: Dedhia Kavita , Maltenfort Mitchell , Briddell Jenna , Horn David , Li Carol , Pattisapu Prasanth , Preciado Diego , Pritchett Cedric V. , Wine Todd , Forrest Christopher B.
Published: December 2024

Objectives

To evaluate temporal trends and identify patient characteristics associated with otitis media (OM) surgery.

Methods

A retrospective cohort study performed using electronic health record data from seven large pediatric medical networks from January 1, 2009, to December 31, 2022. Children <6 months old cohort entrance time and OM history were included and followed longitudinally.

Results

The database included 1,448,390 children entering at age <6 months of which 5.3% underwent tympanostomy tube insertion (TTI). Inclusion criteria was met by 454,924 children. Age at first OM was 1.6 years (standard deviation [SD]: 1.1), with mean follow‐up of 6.3 years (SD 3.7), and 249,818 (54.9%) were male. Among children with OM 64,950 (14.3%) underwent only TTI, and 13,188 (2.9%) had TTI with adenoidectomy (TTI‐A). Over time, TTI only rates exhibited seasonal fluctuations with a drop in 2020, TTI‐A rates were flat. The following patient characteristics greatly increased TTI: sensorineural hearing loss (adjusted hazard ratio, aHR 4.0, [95% confidence interval, CI] 3.9–4.1), chronic adenoiditis (aHR 3.4 [95% CI 3.0–3.5]), and cleft palate (aHR 1.9 [95% CI 1.8–2.0]). Children 4–8 years old (aHR >11.7 [95% CI 10.6–16.4]), history of chronic adenoiditis (aHR 6.4 [95% CI 5.4–7.7]), or sleep disorders (aHR 4.9 [95% CI 4.7–5.2]) greatly increased TTI‐A odds.

Conclusions

Overall TTI rate was 5.3%, which increased to approximately 20% in children with OM. Aside from the COVID‐19 pandemic, surgical rates have been stable. Though multiple characteristics increase the risk of TTI, sensorineural hearing loss for TTI only, and older age in the TTI‐A subset carried the highest risk.

Level of Evidence

3 Laryngoscope, 2024
Melatonin‐Mediated Vacuolar Compartmentalization in Solanum nigrum L. Under Cadmium Stress
Authors: Yang Yan , Guan Wenjie , Li Zhishuai , Liu Yixuan , Yang Lan , Yu Hongyan , Zou Luyi , Xu Hai , Teng Yue
Published: December 2024

Melatonin has been identified as a potential mitigator of cadmium (Cd) stress in plants, though its precise cellular mechanisms remain poorly understood, particularly regarding its role in detoxification processes within the protoplast and vacuole. This study examines the effects of exogenous melatonin on Cd concentration and vacuolar compartmentalization in the leaf cells of
Solanum nigrum
L., a recognized hyperaccumulator plant. Employing subcellular separation techniques, we quantified levels of total Cd, Cd2+, ascorbic acid–glutathione (AsA‐GSH), and reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the protoplasts and vacuoles of leaf cells. Results reveal that vacuolar compartmentalization serves as a dynamic mechanism, balancing strategic sequestration and continuous metabolic activity in the cytoplasm, with 72.19%–79.89% of the Cd retained within the vacuole. Melatonin enhanced the effective allocation of these resources, contributing to the preservation of cellular homeostasis. In particular, outside the vacuole, melatonin treatment maintained relatively higher levels of glutathione/oxidized glutathione (GSH/GSSG) and ascorbic acid/dehydroascorbate (AsA/DHA) under 50 μM Cd stress. At this concentration, the AsA/DHA ratio increased from 0.71 to 2.20, and the GSH/GSSG ratio increased from 2.20 to 4.28 outside the vacuole, in comparison to treatment with Cd alone. These findings enhance our understanding of melatonin‐mediated cellular tolerance mechanisms, offer insights for improving plant Cd stress tolerance, and could inform genetic strategies for developing more efficient hyperaccumulator plants.
Flexible and Compact PVDF/PMMA‐Based Gel Polymer Electrolytes for High‐Performance Sodium Metal Batteries
Authors: Li Xiangfei , Zheng Zhuoyuan , Guo Weilong , Fu Genggui , Zhu Yusong
Published: December 2024

Sodium is gaining recognition as a promising alternative to lithium for battery applications, particularly in sodium metal batteries (SMBs), where the performance is critically influenced by the choice of electrolyte. Although conventional organic liquid electrolytes are widely used, they pose significant issues. Gel membrane (GM)‐based electrolytes have demonstrated enhanced reliability and stability. Nevertheless, there remains a pressing need to improve their electrochemical and mechanical properties to fulfill the demands of next‐generation batteries, which require extended lifespan, rapid charging capabilities, and excellent flexibility. To address these challenges, a compact and flexible GM is developed by gelating a cast Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF)/Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) blend film. The resulting GM possesses a suitable sodium ionic conductivity of 0.507 mS cm−1 and an impressive ion transference number of 0.47, enabling dendrite‐free reversible sodium plating and stripping for up to 300 h at a current density of 0.8 mA cm−2. Furthermore, the effectiveness of sodium dendrite suppression is demonstrated in Na/GM/Na3V2(PO4)3 cells, which exhibit a high discharge capacity and excellent cycling stability. The flexible SMB retains stable voltage output and continues to function even when bent or twisted. This study introduces a novel strategy for creating gel electrolytes for high‐performance flexible SMBs.
The ZFHX3 GGC Repeat Expansion Underlying Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 4 has a Common Ancestral Founder
Authors: Chen Zhongbo , Alvarez Jerez Pilar , Anderson Claire , Paucar Martin , Lee Jasmaine , Nilsson Daniel , Macpherson Hannah , Scardamaglia Annarita , Montgomery Kylie , Hardy John , Singleton Andrew B. , Tucci Arianna , Mathews Katherine D. , Fu Ying‐Hui , Engvall Martin , Laffita‐Mesa José , Nennesmo Inger , Wedell Anna , Ptáček Louis J. , Blauwendraat Cornelis , Gustavsson Emil K. , Svenningsson Per , Ryten Mina , Houlden Henry
Published: December 2024

Background

The identification of a heterozygous exonic GGC repeat expansion in ZFHX3 underlying spinocerebellar ataxia type 4 (SCA4) has solved a 25‐year diagnostic conundrum. We used adaptive long‐read sequencing to decipher the pathogenic expansion in the index Utah family and an unrelated family from Iowa of Swedish ancestry. Contemporaneous to our discovery, other groups identified the same repeat expansion in affected individuals from Utah, Sweden, and Germany, highlighting the current pivotal time for detection of novel repeat expansion disorders.

Methods

Given that the pathogenic repeat expansion is rare on a population level, we proposed a common ancestor across all families. Here, we employed targeted long‐read sequencing through adaptive sampling, enriching for the chr16q22 region of interest.

Results

Using phased sequencing results from individuals from Utah, Iowa, and Southern Sweden, we confirmed a common ~2000‐year‐old ancestral haplotype harbouring the repeat expansion.

Conclusion

This study provides further insight into the genetic architecture of SCA4. © 2024 The Author(s). Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.
Harnessing quantum power: Revolutionizing materials design through advanced quantum computation
Authors: Guo Zikang , Li Rui , He Xianfeng , Guo Jiang , Ju Shenghong
Published: December 2024

The design of advanced materials for applications in areas of photovoltaics, energy storage, and structural engineering has made significant strides. However, the rapid proliferation of candidate materials—characterized by structural complexity that complicates the relationships between features—presents substantial challenges in manufacturing, fabrication, and characterization. This review introduces a comprehensive methodology for materials design using cutting‐edge quantum computing, with a particular focus on quadratic unconstrained binary optimization (QUBO) and quantum machine learning (QML). We introduce the loop framework for QUBO‐empowered materials design, including constructing high‐quality datasets that capture critical material properties, employing tailored computational methods for precise material modeling, developing advanced figures of merit to evaluate performance metrics, and utilizing quantum optimization algorithms to discover optimal materials. In addition, we delve into the core principles of QML and illustrate its transformative potential in accelerating material discovery through a range of quantum simulations and innovative adaptations. The review also highlights advanced active learning strategies that integrate quantum artificial intelligence, offering a more efficient pathway to explore the vast, complex material design space. Finally, we discuss the key challenges and future opportunities for QML in material design, emphasizing their potential to revolutionize the field and facilitate groundbreaking innovations.
From High Dimensions to Human Insight: Exploring Dimensionality Reduction for Chemical Space Visualization
Authors: Orlov Alexey A. , Akhmetshin Tagir N. , Horvath Dragos , Marcou Gilles , Varnek Alexandre
Published: December 2024

Dimensionality reduction is an important exploratory data analysis method that allows high‐dimensional data to be represented in a human‐interpretable lower‐dimensional space. It is extensively applied in the analysis of chemical libraries, where chemical structure data ‐ represented as high‐dimensional feature vectors‐are transformed into 2D or 3D chemical space maps. In this paper, commonly used dimensionality reduction techniques ‐ Principal Component Analysis (PCA), t‐Distributed Stochastic Neighbor Embedding (t‐SNE), Uniform Manifold Approximation and Projection (UMAP), and Generative Topographic Mapping (GTM) ‐ are evaluated in terms of neighborhood preservation and visualization capability of sets of small molecules from the ChEMBL database.
Viscoelastic‐Elastoplastic Analysis of Overconsolidated Structural Soft Soils
Authors: Ai Zhi Yong , Gu Gan Lin , Jiang Yuan Hao
Published: December 2024

Soft soils exhibit significant time‐dependent effects during long‐term deformation. To precisely describe the long‐term behavior of soft soils, it is necessary to employ elastoplastic theory and rheology principles for investigating the stress–strain relationship of the soils. In this paper, a super‐subloading modified Cam‐clay model is initially derived. Subsequently, by introducing the Kelvin model to describe the creep behavior of soils, and combining it with the modified Cam‐clay model, an overconsolidated structural viscoelastic‐elastoplastic model is further presented. After converting the equation into matrix form and programming it in Fortran, the proposed model is implemented by ABAQUS. Then, the accuracy of the developed model and program is verified through comparison with existing literature and experimental results. Finally, parametric analysis is conducted to explore the impact of viscoelasticity, structure, and overconsolidation on the responses of soft soils.
Maximum Principle for Optimal Control of Fully Coupled Mean‐Field Forward‐Backward Stochastic Differential Equations With Teugels Martingales Under Partial Observation
Authors: Saranya G. , Muthukumar P. , Hafayed Mokhtar
Published: December 2024

The necessary conditions for the optimal control of partially observed, fully coupled forward‐backward mean‐field stochastic differential equations driven by Teugels martingales are discussed in this paper. In this context, we make the assumption that the forward diffusion coefficient and the martingale coefficient are independent of the control variable, and the control domain may not necessarily be convex. For this class of optimal control problems, we derive the stochastic maximum principle based on the classical method of spike variations and the filtering techniques. The adjoint processes that are related to the variational equations are determined by the solutions of proposed forward‐backward stochastic differential equations in finite‐dimensional spaces. Further, the Hamiltonian function is used to obtain the maximum principle for the optimality of the given control system. Our results are then applied to the mean‐field type problem of linear quadratic stochastic optimization.