bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Rapeseed Oil‐Based Oleogels With Sunflower Wax and Monoacylglycerols as Alternatives to Conventional Frying Fats and Oils for Deep‐fat Frying of French Fries
Authors: Nikolay Sharline , Schubert Madline , Erlenbusch Nelli , Weber Lydia , Smit Inga , Matthäus Bertrand
Published: January 2025

Rapeseed oil‐based oleogels structured with 5% sunflower wax (SFW) and 5% monoacylglycerols (MG), respectively, were used for deep‐fat frying French fries to optimize surface properties in terms of their oily perception. The resulting oleogels were compared to rapeseed oil. In a stress test, oleogel SFW was comparable to rapeseed oil after 20 frying cycles in total polar compounds (36.1 g/100 g, 34.0 g/100 g for rapeseed oil), polymerized triacylglycerols (PTAGs) (13.6%, 14.4% for rapeseed oil), and color. Oleogel MG resulted in higher contents of total polar compounds (40.9 g/100 g) and PTAGs (19.9%). Additionally, oleogel MG was less firm than oleogel SFW. This result was confirmed by rheology. Comparison of the sensory quality of the French fries showed that the products fried in oleogels had less oily haptic properties and a less oily mouthfeel. Lightness, aroma perception, and crispness were not significantly different to the rapeseed oil. Color and texture showed little to no differences between the samples. The total fat content of the French fries showed lower values for products fried in oleogel MG (9.2 g/100 g), whereas products fried in rapeseed oil (13.2 g/100 g) or oleogel SFW (12.1 g/100 g) showed no significant difference.

Practical Applications: Deep‐fat frying is one of the most popular methods of preparing food. One problem is that the deep‐frying media used either contain high levels of saturated fatty acids, which are unfavorable in terms of nutritional physiology, or that they are liquid vegetable oils that oil out during the storage of deep‐fried food. Therefore, the use of so‐called oleogels based on rapeseed oil could be a favorable alternative, which combines the techno‐functional properties of solid fats with the nutritional–physiological advantages of liquid rapeseed oil. This article shows as an example that the application of oleogels for the preparation of French fries results in products with advantages regarding oily haptics and oily mouthfeel without having disadvantages for most other parameters describing the frying oil quality.
Design and Synthesis of a Sialic Acid‐Derived Tracer for 18F‐PET Multiple Sclerosis Imaging
Authors: Siebold Kathrin , Göbel Lea , Konken Christian Paul , Faust Andreas , Gilmour Ryan
Published: January 2025

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a leading cause of nontraumatic neurological disability in young adults, and efforts to understand disease progression continue to be intensively pursued. This is essential in order to reconcile the societal impact of this condition with the conspicuous absence of effective treatment regimes. Whilst magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has revolutionized the field, enabling MS to be visualized in patients, distinguishing between other diseases that cause myelin sheath damage is a persistent challenge. Positron Emission Tomography (PET) holds great promise in differentiating neurological diseases, due to highly specific radiopharmaceuticals. To contribute to the growing interest in developing selective MS imaging agents, an 18F‐modified sialic acid‐based PET‐tracer candidate with high affinity towards myelin‐associated glycoprotein (MAG) is disclosed. Since numerous demyelination patterns are characterized by preferential MAG loss, this target scaffold is attractive in identifying lesion formation. A multi‐step synthesis of the tracer is disclosed, together with preliminary validation of the radio‐labeling process. In vitro experiments revealed promising properties that will inform future research.
Identifying the Factors That Drive Health Service Utilization Among Healthy and Non‐Healthy Agers in a Sample of Older Ethiopians: A Cross‐Sectional Study
Authors: Belachew Amare , Cherbuin Nicolas , Bagheri Nasser , Burns Richard
Published: January 2025

Background and Aims

Population aging is associated with the rising incidence of chronic illness. This presents a significant challenge to healthcare systems, particularly in developing countries, as untreated chronic conditions can lead to years of disability and loss of independence straining health budgets and resources. Promoting healthy aging can be one avenue for mitigating these challenges. This study aims to identify factors influencing health service use among healthy and non‐healthy agers, utilizing the Andersen‐Newman model that describes predisposing (including demographic characteristics, social structure, and health beliefs), enabling (related to the logistical aspects of obtaining care, such as personal and community resources), and need factors (referring to the individual's perceived and evaluated health status).

Methods

Older adults (n = 545) in Bahir Dar, Ethiopia were surveyed about their health and health‐seeking behaviors. Associations between risk factors and health service utilization were examined using Poisson regression with robust standard errors.

Results

A total of 79.3% of older adults utilized health services, with consistent usage between healthy and non‐healthy agers. Factors associated with increased health service utilization included severe (RR = 2.20; 95% CI: 1.56–3.09), and moderate (RR = 2.03; 95% CI: 1.44–2.85) disease severity, reporting comorbid conditions (RR = 1.14; 95% CI: 1.06–1.23), having health insurance (RR = 1.14; 95% CI: 1.05–1.23), not reporting loneliness (RR = 1.13; 95% CI: 1.02–1.26), and being financially independent (RR = 1.11; 95% CI: 1.00–1.22). Conversely, residing in rented housing (RR = 0.78; 95% CI: 0.62–0.98) and living greater than 30 min from a healthcare facility (RR = 0.62; 95% CI: 0.54–0.71) decreased health service utilization.

Conclusion

Health service utilization was low compared to developed countries. This could be due to newer and improved health services in developed countries. Improving financial independence, health insurance coverage, access to healthcare facilities, and encouraging peer or family support can enhance healthcare access in Ethiopians.
Clinical and Hematological Manifestation of Dengue Patients in 2022 Outbreak: A Tertiary Care Hospital‐Based Cross‐Sectional Study
Authors: Hossain Md. Jubayer , Das Manisha , Shahjahan Muhibullah , Islam Md. Wahidul , Towhid Syeda Tasneem
Published: January 2025

Background and Aims

Dengue is a mosquito‐borne viral disease that frequently causes seasonal outbreaks in Bangladesh, particularly during the monsoon months from June to September. Recent outbreaks have shown significant shifts in clinical manifestations, including changes in the timeframe and serotype mixing. This study focused on the clinical and hematological profiles of patients during the 2022 outbreak, which was notably severe.

Methods

This quantitative cross‐sectional study at Dhaka Medical College and Hospital classified 67 dengue‐positive patients as having dengue fever (DF), dengue fever with warning signs (DFWS), and severe dengue (SD). Fisher's exact test, Pearson's chi‐squared test, and Wilcoxon rank‐sum test were conducted for statistical analysis using the R software (version 4.2), with significance established at p < 0.05.

Results

Predominantly male patients (76%) aged 21−40 (63%) and middle‐class patients from Dhaka (57%) formed the majority. Most patients (45%) lacked a regular drainage system. Laboratory tests showed 63% NS1 antigen (nonspecific antigen 1) positivity, and 16% tested positive for both NS1 and IgM (Immunoglobulin M). Symptoms included headache (84%), retroorbital pain (51%), joint pain (75%), myalgia (72%), vomiting (75%), abdominal pain (69%), diarrhea (39%), and shock (48%). Thrombocytopenia was present in 61% of patients, with 79% showing elevated hematocrit (HCT) levels. Pedal edema, pleural effusion, and ascites were observed in DF and DFWS cases, while SD cases exhibited distinct HCT level variations.

Conclusion

Accurate clinical and laboratory assessments are vital for the treatment and prediction of dengue outcomes in Bangladesh, given the severe manifestations of dengue shock syndrome (DSS). It is characterized by headache, muscle pain, thrombocytopenia, anemia, leukopenia, and potential neurological complications or mortality. Severe cases involve critical plasma leakage, leading to DSS with fluid accumulation, respiratory distress, and potential multiorgan involvement. Enhancing physician awareness regarding dengue case detection and management, along with routine dengue testing, are recommended for early diagnosis and improved patient outcomes.
Automatic Measurement of Lower Limb Angles From Pre‐ and Post‐Operative X‐Ray Images Using a Variant SegNet With Compound Loss Function
Authors: Dheivya Iyyakutty , Saravana Kumar Gurunathan
Published: January 2025

This work envisages developing an automated computer workflow to locate the landmarks like knee center, tibial plateau, tibial and femoral axis to measure Femur‐Tibia Angle (FTA), Medial Proximal Tibial Angle (MPTA), and Hip Knee Ankle Angle (HKAA) from the pre‐ and post‐operative x‐rays. In this work, we propose a variant of semantic segmentation model (vSegNet) for the segmentation of the knee and tibia gap for extracting important features used in the automated workflow. Since femur tibia gap is a small region as compared to the complete x‐ray image, it poses severe class imbalance issue. Using a combination of the Dice coefficient and Hausdorff distance as a compound loss function, the proposed neural network model shows better segmentation performance as compared to state‐of‐the‐art segmentation models like U‐Net, SegNet (with and without VGG16 pre‐trained weights), VGG16, MobileNetV2, Pretrained DeepLabv3+ (Resnet18 weights), and Pretrained FCN (VGG16 weights) and different loss functions. We subsequently propose computer methods for feature recognition and prediction of landmarks at femur, tibial and knee center, the side of the fibula and, subsequently, the various knee joint angles. An analysis of sensitivity of segmentation accuracy on the accuracy of predicted angles further substantiate the efficacy of the proposed methods. Dice score of U‐Net, Pretrained SegNet, SegNet, VGG16, MobileNetV2, Pretrained DeepLabv3+, Pretrained FCN, vSegNet with cross‐entropy loss function and vSegNet with compound loss function are observed as , , , , , , , and respectively. Using the proposed network vSegNet and the automated workflow, we obtained an Intraclass correlation of 0.999, 0.994, and 0.997 for the FTA, MPTA and HKAA measurements, respectively, with the ground truth. FTA, MPTA, and HKAA measurements using the proposed automatic pipeline positively correlated with the expert's measurement. The proposed vSegNet with compound loss function handles the challenges posed by class imbalance and obtains the best results as compared to other networks and loss functions tested in the work and also in comparison with contemporary works described in literature.
Molecularly imprinted polyaniline‐modified electrode for quantitative detection of acetaminophen
Authors: Ahmadi Alireza , Masoudi Farid Mohammad , Masoumzadeh Khalkhali Sourena , Piri Farideh
Published: January 2025

In this work, a voltammetry sensor was prepared using the general molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) method based on polyaniline for detection of acetaminophen (ACT). The polyaniline molecularly imprinted polymer was made by electropolymerization of aniline in the presence of acetaminophen as a template using power supply, and then acetaminophen was separated from the polymer by solvent extraction method. Different concentrations of ACT were detected using cyclic voltammetry (CV) in water‐ethanol solution, and a calibration curve with a limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) of 0.43 and 1.42 ppm, respectively, was reported along with a linear equation. The sensor showed a linear range between 5 and 40 ppm for acetaminophen detection. To investigate the selectivity of the reported sensor, a copper electrode was used to detect ACT and an ibuprofen solution was used as analyte for detection by the ACT‐MIP sensor. Additionally, the nonimprinted polymer (NIP) did not show any significant peak in the presence of ACT. This sensor was able to detect acetaminophen dissolved in a real urine sample successfully. This novel sensor is prepared from polyaniline, which is a conductive polymer, and no other reinforcements are needed for the sensor's conductivity in the presence of template molecule, which in this paper is acetaminophen.
Bent Functions on Finite Nonabelian Groups and Relative Difference Sets
Authors: Xu Bangteng
Published: January 2025

It is well known that the perfect nonlinearity of a function between finite groups and can be characterized by its graph in terms of relative difference set in the direct product (cf. [4]). Let be the infinite set of complex roots of unity. A ‐valued function on an arbitrary finite group is associated with a finite cyclic subgroup in the multiplicative group of nonzero complex numbers. For a bent function on in general, its graph is not a relative difference set in the direct product . In this paper, we investigate the necessary and sufficient conditions under which the graph of a bent function on is a relative difference set in . Cyclotomic fields and their integral bases play an important role in our discussions.
Arthroscopic debridement followed by intra‐articular injection of micro‐fragmented adipose tissue in patients affected by knee osteoarthritis: Clinical results up to 48 months from a prospective clinical study
Authors: Bruno Andrea Antonio Maria , Anzillotti Giuseppe , De Donato Massimo , Basso Marco , Tamini Jacopo , Dupplicato Paolo , Kon Elizaveta , Di Matteo Berardo , Arnaldi Enrico
Published: January 2025

Purpose

Micro‐fragmented adipose tissue is emerging as a promising option for the treatment of various diseases including knee osteoarthritis (OA), though clinical trials are often limited by short follow‐up periods. Our aim was to evaluate the safety and clinical outcomes of an arthroscopic debridement followed by a single injection of micro‐fragmented adipose tissue in patients affected by knee OA.

Methods

From 2016 to 2020, patients affected by knee OA were enroled. Micro‐fragmented adipose tissue was obtained through the Lipogems® kit and intraarticularly injected after an arthroscopic debridement. Visual analogue scale for pain, Tegner score, Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome score subscales variations were assessed from baseline to 3, 6, 12, 24 and 48 months of follow‐up.

Results

Forty‐one patients were evaluated up to 6 months of follow‐up, 39 patients up to 24 months of follow‐up and 38 patients up to 48 months of follow‐up. Three underwent knee replacement surgery during the time of the study. All the clinical scores analyzed achieved statistically significant changes up to the last follow‐up.

Conclusions

A single intra‐articular knee injection of micro‐fragmented adipose tissue following arthroscopic debridement is able to provide significant clinical benefits in patients affected by knee OA up to 4 years of follow‐up.

The present clinical study was registered on clinicaltrials.gov (no. NCT06545266).

Level of Evidence

Level IV case series.
High Nutritional Conditions Influence Feeding Plasticity in Pristionchus pacificus and Render Worms Non‐Predatory
Authors: Piskobulu Veysi , Athanasouli Marina , Witte Hanh , Feldhaus Christian , Streit Adrian , Sommer Ralf J.
Published: January 2025

Developmental plasticity, the ability of a genotype to produce different phenotypes in response to environmental conditions, has been subject to intense studies in the last four decades. The self‐fertilising nematode Pristionchus pacificus has been developed as a genetic model system for studying developmental plasticity due to its mouth‐form polyphenism that results in alternative feeding strategies with a facultative predatory and non‐predatory mouth form. Many studies linked molecular aspects of the regulation of mouth‐form polyphenism with investigations of its evolutionary and ecological significance. Also, several environmental factors influencing P. pacificus feeding structure expression were identified including temperature, culture condition and population density. However, the nutritional plasticity of the mouth form has never been properly investigated although polyphenisms are known to be influenced by changes in nutritional conditions. For instance, studies in eusocial insects and scarab beetles have provided significant mechanistic insights into the nutritional regulation of polyphenisms but also other forms of plasticity. Here, we study the influence of nutrition on mouth‐form polyphenism in P. pacificus through experiments with monosaccharide and fatty acid supplementation. We show that in particular glucose supplementation renders worms non‐predatory. Subsequent transcriptomic and mutant analyses indicate that de novo fatty acid synthesis and peroxisomal beta‐oxidation pathways play an important role in the mediation of this plastic response. Finally, the analysis of fitness consequences through fecundity counts suggests that non‐predatory animals have an advantage over predatory animals grown in the glucose‐supplemented condition.
Review of Methods for Detection Helicobacter pylori in Kazakhstan
Authors: Alyona Lavrinenko , Aizhan Seisenbekova , Aidana Turemuratova , Alexey Shkreba , Yekaterina Yukhnevich
Published: January 2025

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection can cause a wide range of gastrointestinal disorders, including chronic nonatrophic gastritis, multifocal atrophic gastritis, peptic ulcer disease, gastric adenocarcinoma, and extra‐nodal B‐cell lymphoma. Although the prevalence of H. pylori infection has decreased among adults, it is still very common. Approximately 90% of gastric adenocarcinomas are associated with H. pylori infection. Despite the established link between H. pylori infection and noncardiac gastric cancer, and the increasing incidence of gastric cancer in Kazakhstan, there are limited data on the prevalence of H. pylori in the country. This may be due to the difficulty of detecting H. pylori and the unavailability of diagnostic methods. This review presents the current data of diagnostic tests for the detection of H. pylori in Kazakhstan with a focus on limitations and practical significance.
Rapid Generation of Reverse Genetics Systems for Coronavirus Research and High‐Throughput Antiviral Screening Using Gibson DNA Assembly
Authors: Zhou Xinrong , Liu Hongchao , Yang Sidi , Dong Xiaoran , Xie Cailing , Ou Weixin , Chen Jinwei , Yang Zixiao , Ye Yuzhen , Ivanov Konstantin I. , Liu Lihong , Zou Jie , Li Chunmei , Guo Deyin
Published: January 2025

Coronaviruses (CoVs) pose a significant threat to human health, as demonstrated by the COVID‐19 pandemic. The large size of the CoV genome (around 30 kb) represents a major obstacle to the development of reverse genetics systems, which are invaluable for basic research and antiviral drug screening. In this study, we established a rapid and convenient method for generating reverse genetic systems for various CoVs using a bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) vector and Gibson DNA assembly. Using this system, we constructed infectious cDNA clones of coronaviruses from three genera: human coronavirus 229E (HCoV‐229E) of the genus Alphacoronavirus, mouse hepatitis virus A59 (MHV‐59) of Betacoronavirus, and porcine deltacoronavirus (PDCoV‐Haiti) of Deltacoronavirus. Since beta coronaviruses including severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS‐CoV), severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2), and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS‐CoV) represent major human pathogens, we modified the infectious clone of the beta coronavirus MHV‐A59 by replacing its NS5a gene with a fluorescent reporter gene to create a system suitable for high‐throughput drug screening. Thus, this study provides a practical and cost‐effective approach to developing reverse genetics platforms for CoV research and antiviral drug screening.
A Review on the Applications of Quantum Dots in Sample Preparation
Authors: Rezaei Mahdie , Mehdinia Ali
Published: January 2025

In recent years, despite significant advances in preconcentration and preparation techniques that have led to efficient recovery and accurate measurement of target compounds. There is still a need to develop adsorbents with unique and efficient features such as high pore volume and surface area, reactivity, easy synthesis, low toxicity, and compatibility with the environment, which increase the adsorption capacity and increase extraction efficiency. Semiconductor nanocrystals called quantum dots (QDs) with a size of less than 10 nm are three‐dimensional nanoparticles with a spherical, rod, or disc structure that have significant potential in extraction as adsorbents due to their excellent properties such as low toxicity, reactivity, environmental friendliness, and hydrophilic and hydrophobic interactions. One of the most basic issues in the development of adsorbents is to increase the effective surface and, as a result, their extraction efficiency. QDs, having an effective surface much higher than conventional nanomaterials, are a suitable option for extracting target compounds in different environments. This work comprehensively reviews QD‐based extraction methods and surface modification strategies of QDs based on functional groups, ligands, and materials from 2013 to 2024. In addition, the applications of QD‐based composites for the extraction of organic and inorganic analytes (residues of drugs in human blood and plasma, toxins, pesticides, pollutants from chemical industries, heavy metals, etc.) in different matrices are investigated.
Eddy generation in a large, deep dimictic freshwater lake in ice‐free period
Authors: Kouraev Alexei V. , Zakharova Elena A. , Kostianoy Andrey G. , Hall Nicholas M.J. , Ginzburg Anna I. , Rémy Frédérique , Zdorovennov Roman E. , Suknev Andrey Ya
Published: January 2025

We address eddy generation in the middle part of Lake Baikal—a large freshwater dimictic lake in Siberia, where river discharge, wind influence and coastline shape impact horizontal water exchange. We use satellite remote sensing, historical observations and in situ data to follow the different stages of warm and cold anticyclonic eddy generation before and after vertical overturn; an aspect that has received little attention in previous works. Thermal satellite images for 1998–2022 indicate a stable repeating seasonal pattern which is classified into stage of eddy generation and development. Field observations complement satellite imagery to characterize the vertical structure of the eddies. The main source of eddy generation is the outflow from Barguzin Bay which interacts with the coastline. Subsequent eddy generation is driven by density gradients and geostrophic adjustment. In summer, this outflow is dominated by river inflow and lead to the formation of warm anticyclonic eddies. After autumnal vertical overturn, the outflow is forced by the wind bringing cold water from the bay to Middle Baikal and creating cold anticyclonic eddies. We suggest that in the autumn, when the surrounding water cools to a temperature below about 4°C, these cold eddies sink and transform into intrathermocline lens‐like eddies that persist under ice and can later create giant ice rings on the Baikal ice cover.
Groups weigh in on how the MH field will be impacted by new administration
Authors: Canady Valerie A.
Published: January 2025

As the 119th Congress gets underway and President Trump's second administration ushers in, the mental health community last week weighed in on what the new administration will mean in terms of mental health service access, parity, crisis services and Medicaid.
Review finds significant gaps in research on AOT outcomes
Authors: Enos Gary
Published: January 2025

Nearly every state authorizes some form of mandated outpatient mental health treatment through a civil court process, but the existing research into the effectiveness of these assisted outpatient treatment (AOT) programs has left a great deal unanswered, according to authors of a newly published review. Among the identified gaps, studies have looked into a limited number of jurisdictions and have largely failed to capture program participants' experiences in these programs.
Differences in Dental Size Among the Indigenous Population of the Canary Islands
Authors: García‐González Rebeca , Morquecho Izquier Aarón , Santana Jonathan
Published: January 2025

Nonmetric dental traits and odontometrics have demonstrated that pre‐European populations of the Canarian archipelago are closely related to Northwest Africans, revealing varying degrees of interisland diversity. However, a comprehensive study of differences across various islands has not yet been conducted. This study aims to analyze the differences in dental size among the island populations of the Canary Islands during the indigenous period. The mesiodistal (MD) and buccolingual (BL) diameters, along with the geometric mean of the permanent teeth (I1‐M2), were measured in 347 adult individuals from each of the Canary Islands, excluding Lanzarote. Statistical analyses were performed to identify interisland differences in tooth size and between island populations. Two distinct patterns emerged: the populations of Fuerteventura and Gran Canaria had the largest BL and MD diameters, respectively, whereas the populations of El Hierro and La Palma had the smallest values for most teeth. These differences are statistically significant, especially between Gran Canaria (largest teeth) and El Hierro (smallest BL and MD diameters). Our results indicate heterogeneity in dental size, suggesting genetic differences between the eastern and western islands and limited gene flow among islands after the initial settlement. Furthermore, subsistence practices seem to influence these differences. Overall, the findings provide insights into the interplay of genetic isolation, subsistence strategies, body size variations, and sexual dimorphism.
High‐Performance Bionic Architectures via 3D Printing of Recycled Kevlar: A Study of Laser Ablation and Mechanical Properties
Authors: Patadiya Jigar , Kandasubramanian Balasubramanian , Naebe Minoo , Yadav Ramdayal , Dhirhe Devnath , Deshmukh Niranjan , Saini Sahil
Published: January 2025

The study investigates the potential of 3D printing as an eco‐friendly and cost‐effective method to repurpose waste fabrics into valuable products. It explores the use of bio‐inspired structures in 3D printing to gain insights into sandwich structures' mechanical properties and laser ablation characteristics. By incorporating natural skeleton designs such as nacreous and foliated hierarchies and industrial waste material (KF), the research aims to enhance mechanical performance, laser ablation characteristics, and sustainable waste management. The study demonstrates the synergistic application of two distinct additive manufacturing techniques (FDM and DIW) at the micron scale to create nacre‐inspired sheet, columnar, and laminated structures, allowing for manipulation of rigid and pliant material phases within KF waste. The featured architectures are found in the Mollusk Seashell, which improves toughness and strength simultaneously for high‐end mechanical applications. During impact loading, the study highlights the enhanced energy dissipation and delamination properties of foliated structures compared to nacre‐like ones. The research emphasizes that the mass loss of NS + KF comprises the lowest value compared to NC + KF, then FL + KF, and pristine + KF at 375 mJ for 210 s. Ultimately, the findings hold promise for applications in aerospace, defense, automobile, thermal management, laser ablation, and structural components due to the demand for waste utilization, accessibility, environmental responsibility, and green manufacturing practices.
Machine Learning Enabling the Prediction of Activation Energies of SPAAC
Authors: Josephson Jason D. , Pezacki John Paul , Nakajima Masaya
Published: January 2025

This study leverages machine learning to predict the activation energies of strain‐promoted azide‐alkyne cycloaddition (SPAAC) reactions. Using DFT calculations, 631 sets of bond angles and Mulliken charges from two acyclic alkynes were collected. Multiple machine learning models were trained on these data, achieving high accuracy (R2 > 0.95). Both bond angle and charge were crucial for reliable predictions. The models successfully predicted activation energies for SPAAC reactions with unseen cycloalkynes, within certain limitations.
Reconstructing Random Pictures
Authors: Narayanan Bhargav , Yap Corrine
Published: January 2025

Given a random binary picture of size , that is, an grid filled with zeros and ones uniformly at random, when is it possible to reconstruct from its ‐deck, that is, the multiset of all its subgrids? We demonstrate “two‐point concentration” for the reconstruction threshold by showing that there is an integer such that if , then is reconstructible from its ‐deck with high probability, and if , then with high probability, it is impossible to reconstruct from its ‐deck. The proof of this result uses a combination of interface‐exploration arguments and entropic arguments.
Research Progress on Structural Modification and Biological Activities of Geniposide and its Derivatives
Authors: Yang Shaohua , Kong Yuanfang , Yang Bin , Dong Chunhong
Published: January 2025

Geniposide, a water‐soluble iridoid glycoside, has multiple pharmacological activities such as hypoglycemic, anticancer, anti‐inflammatory, neuroprotective, cardiac protection, and so on. However, geniposide has the disadvantages of poor fat solubility, short half‐life, and low bioavailability, which makes it unable to play a better role in clinical practice. At present, there is no systematic report on the biological activities and structural modification of geniposide and its derivatives at home and abroad. Through extensive literature research, structural modification and biological activities of geniposide and its derivatives were reported in this paper, providing a research basis for the development of new geniposide drugs in the future.
Halogenated Bis(donor)‐aza‐BODIPY System for Inducing NIR Excitation: Effect of Thiophene and Aminophenyl Donors on Optical Properties and in vitro Tests for Breast Cancer
Authors: Rodriguez‐Mayor A.Verónica , Rodríguez Mario , Ramos‐Ortiz Gabriel , Bañuelos‐Hernández Angel Ernesto , Pérez‐Hernández Nury , Santillan Rosa
Published: January 2025

A series of near‐IR absorbing BF2‐chelated aza‐boron‐dipyrromethene (AZBs) derivatives bearing aniline/thiophene electron donors were designed, synthesized, and characterized to study the effect of substitution on the photophysical properties. These molecules exhibit internal charge transfer (ICT) with a characteristic spectrum of dual absorption bands which allows electronic excitation in the wide spectral region of 500–820 nm. The ICT character was stablished by its inhibition upon protonation of the amino groups with trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) in CHCl3, observed as a visible colorimetric change from red to blue accompanied by an hypsofluoric shift of the emission band. Protonation of AZB‐4 in DMSO‐d6 upon the addition of TFA was monitored by 1H, 11B, and 19F NMR. Thiophene Aza‐BODIPY p‐(amino) phenyl derivatives also generated singlet oxygen (1O2) under the irradiation of laser light (532 and 800 nm). The 1O2 generation of these dyes was enhanced upon subsequent bromination of the molecule which favors intersystem crossing between singlet and triplet states. The aza‐BODIPY derivatives developed in this work have potential applicability as photosensitizers in photodynamic therapy, with sensibility in the window of biomedical interest (700 – 900 nm) and excellent photo and chemical stability even at high energy irradiation. Additionally, their dark and photoinduced cytotoxic activity was tested on a breast cancer cell line (MDA‐MB‐231 cells).
Unveiling the Interfacial Properties of Organic Single‐Crystal Hole‐Transporting Layers for High‐Performance Light‐Emitting Devices
Authors: Ye Gao‐Da , Li Su‐Heng , Ding Ran , Guo Runda , Zhang Hu , Liu Ze‐Qing , Yang Fangxu , Sun Lingjie , Li Yansong , Du Xiaobo , Wang Xi‐Bin , Wang Lei , Liu Yue‐Feng , Fang Hong‐Hua , Liu Yu , Xu Bin , Feng Jing
Published: January 2025

Organic single crystals with long‐range molecular periodic ordering ensure superior charge‐transport properties and low defect density, which have been considered promising candidates for charge‐transporting materials in organic light‐emitting devices (OLEDs). The functional interfaces of OLEDs play a critical role in charge‐transporting and light‐emitting behaviors, while the interfacial properties of organic single crystals in OLEDs and their impact on device performance have been rarely investigated. Herein, two typical organic single crystals, 1,4‐bis(4‐Methylstyryl)benzene (BSB‐Me) and 2,6‐diphenylanthracene (DPA) with different molecular formulas and packing structures, are introduced as the single‐crystal hole‐transporting layers (HTLs) for a systematic investigation of the interfacial properties between single‐crystal HTLs and active emissive layers. BSB‐Me single‐crystal HTLs offer satisfied surface wettability and enhanced interfacial interaction, which dominate the charge‐transporting and light‐emitting behaviors of the OLEDs. Such improved interfacial properties are responsible for the superior light out‐coupling efficiency of BSB‐Me single‐crystal OLEDs with efficient exciton recombination and minimal Joule heat loss. In consequence, BSB‐Me single‐crystal OLEDs exhibit a maximum luminance of 50,170 cd/m2 and a peak EQE of 8.78%, which are better than DPA‐based devices. Furthermore, BSB‐Me single‐crystal HTLs with favorable interfacial properties enable large‐area OLEDs with uniform EL emission over the whole light‐emitting area of 1 mm × 1 mm.
Tweetings from the farm: how birdsong can help assess biodiversity
Authors: Mills Georgina
Published: January 2025

Georgina Mills reports on new technology that allows farmers to track biodiversity on their land.
No Scottish snow patches survive until winter 2024/2025
Authors: Cameron Iain , Kish Attila
Published: January 2025

No patches of snow from winter 2023/2024 survived to winter 2024/2025, the last melting fully on 18 October. This is the ninth time such an event has occurred since reliable records were started in the mid‐1840s.
Accessing the Past: A Sediment Core Revealing Anthropogenic Impacts of Technology-Critical Elements on the Marine Environment
Authors: Wippermann Dominik , Klein Ole , Wolschke Hendrik , Zimmermann Tristan , Ebeling Anna , Pröfrock Daniel
Published: January 2025

One group of elements attracting more and more attention are so-called technology-critical elements (TCEs). In comparison with legacy pollutants, the anthropogenic impact of TCEs on the environment might still be minor, but various applications introduce them to the most remote places in the world including the marine environment. One area prone to pollution is the Baltic Sea, partly due to the lack of water exchange with the North Sea. In this study, a sediment core from the German Baltic Sea was used to analyze a total of 42 elemental mass fractions. Based on radiometric dating of 210Pb and 137Cs, results were classified in a recent (2020–2000) and a past period (< 1920), calculating background concentrations based on the Median + 2 Median Absolute Deviation (M2MAD) and the Tukey Inner Fence (TIF). Six legacy pollutants (Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Cd, Pb) and six TCEs (Ga, Ge, Nb, La, Gd, Ta) are discussed in detail. Anthropogenic impacts of both groups were assessed, and local enrichment factors were calculated showing an increase for the legacy pollutants (past period (≤ 0.8); recent period (≥ 1.2)), but also a minor increase for Ga, Ge and Nb (past period (0.9); recent period (1.1)). Values ≥ 1.5, indicating anthropogenic impact, were found for Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb, but also for Ge. Proposed background values may be considered as baseline for future studies.

Graphical Abstract
A taxonomy of literature reviews and experimental study of deepreinforcement learning in portfolio management
Authors: Rezaei Mohadese , Nezamabadi-Pour Hossein
Published: January 2025

Portfolio management involves choosing and actively overseeing various investment assets to meet an investor’s long-term financial goals, considering their risk tolerance and desired return potential. Traditional methods, like mean–variance analysis, often lack the flexibility needed to navigate the complexities of today’s financial markets. Recently, Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL) has emerged as a promising approach, enabling continuous adjustments to investment strategies based on market feedback without explicit price predictions. This paper presents a comprehensive literature review of DRL applications in portfolio management, aimed at finance researchers, data scientists, AI experts, FinTech engineers, and students seeking advanced portfolio optimization methodologies. We also conducted an experimental study to evaluate five DRL algorithms—Advantage Actor-Critic (A2C), Deep Deterministic Policy Gradient (DDPG), Proximal Policy Optimization (PPO), Soft Actor-Critic (SAC), and Twin Delayed DDPG (TD3)—in managing a portfolio of 30 Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) stocks. Their performance is compared with the DJIA index and traditional strategies, demonstrating DRL’s potential to improve portfolio outcomes while effectively managing risk.
Microemulsion synthesis of SnO2 nanoparticles and their integration in Au/n-Si/Al device structure
Authors: Orhan Zeynep , Daş Elif , Bozkurt Gamze
Published: January 2025

This study reports the synthesis of tin (IV) oxide (SnO2) nanoparticles (NPs) using the micro-emulsion method and its performance on n-type Si semiconductors under various operating conditions. The physical characteristics of SnO2 were examined using XRD, SEM, TEM, and UV–Vis analysis. XRD analysis revealed that SnO2 has a crystalline structure with an average crystallite size of 14.4 nm. The optical band gap energy of SnO2 was determined as 3.4 eV using UV–Vis analysis. Additionally, the current–voltage (I–V) characteristics of the Au/SnO2/n-Si/Al and Au/n-Si/Al devices were measured in darkness to explore the influence of SnO2 nanomaterial on their electrical parameters. From the I–V measurements, the rectification ratio, saturation current, ideality factor, and barrier height values for the SnO2/n-Si device were determined to be 4.35 × 104 (at ± 2 V), 1.96 × 10–9 A, 1.57, and 0.81 eV, respectively. For electro-optical characteristics of the SnO2/n-Si device, the I–V measurements were conducted under both visible light and UV light (365 nm) conditions. The SnO2/n-Si device, featuring a self-powered property, exhibited superior ON/OFF ratio, responsivity, and detectivity under UV light compared to white light illumination. Therefore, we can assert that the SnO2/n-Si device holds significant promise for sensitive light detection applications, particularly in UV-sensitive optoelectronic devices.
Resurrecting failed environment-recruitment relationships: Revisiting cod recruitment in light of the poor-recruitment paradigm
Authors: Gross Julie M. , Hoenig John M.
Published: January 2025

Numerous environmental drivers (e.g., temperature, salinity) have been proposed as controls to recruitment. However, these relationships often become discredited over time as further data become available. It remains unclear if these environment-recruitment relationships are spurious results of examining many variables or if environmental drivers’ influences on recruitment change over time as other variables exert control, e.g., with shifting climate. We propose that it is of value to re-examine discredited environment-recruitment relationships using the poor-recruitment paradigm (Gross et al. 2022, Fish. Res. 252, 106329). This approach examines whether extreme environmental conditions are associated with poor recruitment, the idea being that non-extreme conditions are uninformative in terms of predicting recruitment. This allows one to detect patterns of poor recruitment regardless of an environment-recruitment relationship’s perceived (lack of) significance. We apply the poor-recruitment paradigm approach to various stocks of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) in the North Atlantic for both historical environment-recruitment data from a meta-analysis (Myers 1998, Rev. Fish Biol. Fisher. 8, 285) and for recent environment-recruitment data from the 2023 stock assessments for stocks in the Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank in the northwest Atlantic Ocean. From re-examining nine historical data sets, we find poor recruitment can be predicted from previously discredited or uninformative environmental variables involving temperature, salinity and zooplankton abundance. For recent cod data, we examine three stocks each with six environmental variables measured during two seasons (spring and autumn). We find that temperature continues to have predictive value for poor recruitment, but zooplankton abundance is less informative and does not always follow the poor-recruitment paradigm. These findings suggest that (1) these predictors continue to be important over time for cod recruitment and (2) that for the recent regime, temperature may be a better predictor of poor recruitment than zooplankton abundance.
Identifying and describing generic, specific, and catalytic enablers of mathematical modelling
Authors: Geiger Vince , Galbraith Peter , Niss Mogens , Schmid Mirjam
Published: January 2025

In this article, we report on an Australian study in which generic, specific, and catalytic enablers of mathematical modelling are identified and described. The study adopted a design-based research approach involving six secondary teachers, and their intact classes, over three years. Data was generated from 60 pre/post-teacher and student (Years 9–11) interviews, which was subject to reductive thematic analysis, consistent with the principles of inductive category formation. This analysis led to the development of a Typology for Instructional Enablers of Mathematical Modelling which identifies and describes both enablers and un-enablers of modelling activity. These are related to external/internal/personal learning goals, classroom expectations and ways of working, management of the learning process, and instructional anticipation. Enablers/un-enablers are further categorised into generic, specific, and catalytic dimensions. Implications for both practice and future research are discussed, including the nature of catalytic enablers and the connections between enablers and specific aspects of the modelling process.
Boric acid impedes glioblastoma growth in a rat model: insights from multi-approach analysis
Authors: Turkez Hasan , Alper Fatih , Bayram Cemil , Baba Cem , Yıldız Edanur , Saracoglu Melik , Kucuk Muhammed , Gozegir Berrah , Kiliclioglu Metin , Yeşilyurt Mustafa , Tozlu Ozlem Ozdemir , Bolat Ismail , Yildirim Serkan , Barutcigil Muhammed Furkan , Isik Fatih , Kiki Özlem , Aydın Fahri , Arslan Mehmet Enes , Cadircı Kenan , Karaman Adem , Tatar Abdulgani , Hacımüftüoğlu Ahmet
Published: January 2025

Limited advancements in managing malignant brain tumors have resulted in poor prognoses for glioblastoma (GBM) patients. Standard treatment involves surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy, which lack specificity and damage healthy brain tissue. Boron-containing compounds, such as boric acid (BA), exhibit diverse biological effects, including anticancer properties. This study aimed to examine whether boron supplementation, as BA, can inhibit glioblastoma growth in a xenograft animal model. Using MRI-based tumor size measurement, survival rates, hematological, clinical biochemistry analyses, and genotoxicity parameters, we assessed the impact of BA. Histopathological, immunohistochemical, and immunofluorescence examinations were also conducted. All BA doses (3.25, 6.5, and 13 mg kg−1 b.w.) extended survival compared to GBM controls after 14 days, with a dose-dependent anti-GBM effect observed in MRI analyses. BA treatment improved hematological (WBC and PLT counts) and biochemical parameters (LDL-C, CREA, and ALP). Histopathological examination revealed a significant reduction in tumor diameter with 6.5 and 13 mg kg−1 BA. Immunohistochemical and immunofluorescence staining showed modulation of intracytoplasmic Ki67, cytoplasmic CMPK2, and GFAP expressions in tumor cells post-BA treatment. Additionally, BA did not increase micronuclei formations, indicating its non-genotoxic nature. In conclusion, targeting tumor suppressor networks with boron demonstrates significant therapeutic potential for GBM treatment.
Matrix Stiffness-Mediated DNA Methylation in Endothelial Cells
Authors: Taufalele Paul V. , Kirkham Hannah K. , Reinhart-King Cynthia A.
Published: January 2025

Purpose

Altered tissue mechanics is a prominent feature of many pathological conditions including cancer. As such, much work has been dedicated to understanding how mechanical features of tissues contribute to pathogenesis. Interestingly, previous work has demonstrated that the tumor vasculature acquires pathological features in part due to enhanced tumor stiffening. To further understand how matrix mechanics may be translated into altered cell behavior and ultimately affect tumor vasculature function, we have investigated the effects of substrate stiffening on endothelial epigenetics. Specifically, we have focused on DNA methylation as recent work indicates DNA methylation in endothelial cells can contribute to aberrant behavior in a range of pathological conditions.

Methods

Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were seeded on stiff and compliant collagen-coated polyacrylamide gels and allowed to form monolayers over 5 days. DNA methylation was assessed via 5-methylcytosine ELISA assays and immunofluorescent staining. Gene expression was assessed via qPCR on RNA isolated from HUVECs seeded on collagen-coated polyacrylamide gels of varying stiffness.

Results

Our work demonstrates that endothelial cells cultured on stiffer substrates exhibit lower levels of global DNA methylation relative to endothelial cells cultured on more compliant substrates. Interestingly, gene expression and DNA methylation dynamics suggest stiffness-mediated gene expression may play a role in establishing or maintaining differential DNA methylation levels in addition to enzyme activity. Additionally, we found that the process of passaging induced higher levels of global DNA methylation.

Conclusions

Altogether, our results underscore the importance of considering cell culture substrate mechanics to preserve the epigenetic integrity of primary cells and obtain analyses that recapitulate the primary environment. Furthermore, these results serve as an important launching point for further work studying the intersection tissue mechanics and epigenetics under pathological conditions.