bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Power in Middletown: Fact and Value in Community Research
Authors: Polsby Nelson W.
Published: June 2006

The recent reissue of the classic study of Middletown by Robert S. Lynd and Helen M. Lynd should serve as a suitable occasion for a partial re-examination of a great landmark in community research. It is not necessary to elaborate on the significance of the Middletown studies. Although more than twenty years have elapsed since they were completed, they are still widely cited in contemporary writing. Moreover, a closer examination of the Lynds' treatment of power distributions in Middletown discloses striking similarities between this early study and the most recent work in the field. Modern writers might disclaim the openly Marxist position espoused by the Lynds, but in fact many of them continue to be strongly influenced by the scheme of analysis employed in the Middletown books. In this paper I propose to examine the Lynds' discussion of community power in both its normative and descriptive aspects, not simply because it seems valuable from time to time to return for curiosity's sake to the wellsprings of modern social science, but also because many of the issues discussed by the Lynds, and many of their findings, have contemporary relevance to the study of community power.

Scattered through two large and meaty books, one can find at least two approaches to this subject. One approach suggests in unmistakable terms what the Lynds believe ought to be true of power in the community; the other describes what they believe is true. I refer to these incorrectly, but for convenience, as “theories” of community power.
The Canadian Parliament and Divorce
Authors: Beck J. Murray
Published: June 2006

The British North America Act is usually considered to go no further in guaranteeing fundamental rights than to provide some protection for the French Canadians of Quebec with respect to their peculiar property and social institutions, for Protestant and Catholic minorities in the provision of educational facilities, and for English and French minorities in the use of their languages. Yet subsection 26 of section 91, which authorized the Dominion Parliament and not the provincial legislatures to enact laws on divorce, was no less a protective device. For, as Georges Etienne Carrier pointed out in Parliament in 1870, the Protestants of Quebec would have been unable to secure divorces if the granting of them had been left to the legislatures, since the legislature of Quebec would not have established a court for that purpose or permitted them by special bills. According to Carrier, the bishops of his Church had accepted the subsection relating to divorce because Canada was a mixed community; he hoped, however, that, when Catholics petitioned for divorce, Protestant members of Parliament would remember that the provision was intended for Protestants. The inference was that Parliament was to give different treatment to petitioners of different religious faiths.
The Economic Elite and the Social Structure in Canada
Authors: Porter John
Published: June 2006

Elite groups, from the point of view of sociological theory, are composed of individuals who are the effective decision-makers and co-ordinators of the social system. These individuals occupy, as Professor Mills has put it, “the command posts” of the institutional hierarchies of modern complex society. Empirical studies of élite groups are concerned with at least three problems. The first is an attempt to discover the principles on which a social system allocates certain types of individuals to the élites, or positions of power, and thereby denies power to others. In all social systems the allocation of these roles is orderly, and supported by a widely held ideology. There need be no correspondence between the ideology held and the realities of power. In most social systems certain biological and social characteristics stand out as putting an individual in a preferred group for recruitment to positions of power. Power is not exercised by youth and rarely by women. Religion, ethnic affiliation, educational experience, social class and other social characteristics may form the basis of preference. Thus a study of preferred social types is an initial step in the analysis of the structure of power.
Monetary Policies in the United States since 1950: Some Implications of the Retreat to Orthodoxy
Authors: Miller Ervin
Published: June 2006

Monetary policy in the United States since 1950 has involved the abdication of fairly traditional powers by the authorities and a retreat to an orthodoxy reminiscent of the earlier years of this century. In the course of this retreat the monetary (and fiscal) authorities have sought to reduce federal debt to a quasi-private character, while, in contrast, the government has elevated vast amounts of private debt to a quasi-federal status. It will be argued here that in the light of the changing institutional environment, the drive to monetary orthodoxy plus an undue preoccupation with inflation are in large measure responsible for making exasperatingly difficult the maintenance of orderly Treasury finances and may be self-defeating with respect to the control of inflation.

For our purposes, modern Federal Reserve policy has its roots in the bond support policy of the Second World War. Actions taken after the War until 1950 showed an attitude of increasing restiveness with that policy and involved “chipping away” at individual items in the policy. With the outbreak of the Korean War in 1950, Federal Reserve relations with the Treasury, which sought to maintain a “pegged” market, reached a low point. In March, 1951, came the famous Accord, with virtually unconditional surrender by the Treasury in matters of the level and structure of interest rates. In 1952 came the revival of large-scale discounting and the fostering of its use by the authorities.
Policy for Crude Oil
Authors: Scott Anthony
Published: June 2006

The first report of the Borden Commission appeared in October, 1958. It dealt with the transmission, export and regulation of natural gas, and with the financing of Trans-Canada Pipe Lines Limited. Very little was said about the transportation and export of crude oil. This second report is designed to fill the gap. It deals with “the policies which the Commission believes will best serve the national interest in relation to the export of crude oil and the marketing of crude oil within Canada itself.”

On the model of their first report, the Commissioners start out by comparing reserves and potential output with future Canadian needs. But while they could regard natural gas as a limited stock of energy avidly desired by the United States market, they soon found that Canadian crude, like Canadian coal, had become excessively abundant. The United States and the rest of the world were so far from scheming to get hold of Canadian crude oil that they might even have been relieved if Canada had never found it. Even while the Commission sat, the situation deteriorated further. Those who sought approval of Canada's recently gained export markets along the Transprovincial pipeline in the American middle west, and in the Puget Sound area on the west coast, were replaced by those pleading for new Canadian markets to replace a falling export demand.
The Development of the Extractive Industries
Authors: Scott Anthony
Published: June 2006

I wish to consider how industries exploiting natural resources may be expected to develop. It is not my purpose to consider their entire relation with the economy of which they form a part. Rather, I wish to examine the logic of their own changes in technology and technique in response to stimuli from the rest of the economy. In tracing this development, I shall stress the changing technology itself; the adjustment of property and tenure concepts; some aspects of location and transportation; and the impact of all these changes on industrial and market organization.

As an analytical technique for tracing these changes, I shall make use of a “stages of development” approach. It will be shown that most industries working natural resources may be said to be in one of three, roughly consecutive stages. The precise dating of the transitions between the stages is highly arbitrary, but this defect is unimportant since the chief function of the stages approach in its present context is to bring out the successive impacts on resource exploitation of two outside forces. The first of these is a mechanical, capital-using technology. The second is the application of science to “control” the resource, biological or mineral, in the same sense that agricultural and manufacturing industries have control over their processes.

In the model, stress is laid on the industries that today are still extracting raw materials from nature: fishing, hunting, logging, oil and gas, metals, and water. Agricultural activity also properly belongs with these industries. However, since agriculture has already passed well into the third stage, it is referred to chiefly for purposes of example and comparison. The farmer no longer “hunts” his cattle, nor “collects” wild rice or fruit.
Keynes's Identity, Ricardian Virtue, and the Partial Dichotomy
Authors: Kuenne Robert E.
Published: June 2006

Ricardo offers us the supreme intellectual achievement, unattainable by weaker spirits, of adopting a hypothetical world remote from experience as though it were the world of experience and then living in it consistently. With most of his successors common sense cannot help breaking in—with injury to their logical consistency. (J. M. Keynes, The General Theory, p. 192.)

What was the contribution of Lord Keynes to the development of general equilibrium theory? It is becoming possible now, with the passage of a quarter-century, to view Keynes's General Theory as an (important) episode in the continuous development of general neo-classical systems. From one vantage point, it is paradoxical that his work should have been accepted as the Grand Departure from its neo-classical progenitors—even though Keynes presented it in that light—since his interpretations of these systems are almost always kept visible for purposes of comparison. On the other hand, Keynes's impact on economic policy, on the methodology and analytics of quantitative economics, and on the working economist's “vision” of reality, may be seen even today to be of that order of power rightfully termed “revolutionary.”
Regional Aspects of Canada's Economic Growth, 1890-1929
Authors: Green Alan G.
Published: June 2006

One of the most interesting periods of Canadian economic history is that which encompasses the years 1890 to 1929. During this period, the prairie provinces were largely settled, new staple exports emerged, and regional interdependence increased. Any explanation of national economic growth over these years, then, necessarily involves an examination of the different responses among regions to these new sources of growth. In essence, we are asking the question: what is the relation between the spatial reallocation of economic activity and the growth of the Canadian economy over this period? To answer this question and to look at some of its implications, regional (provincial) gross-value-added estimates for selected years were made.

Regional estimates of gross value added were made for the years 1890, 1910, and 1929. These three years were chosen to satisfy, as closely as possible, the condition that they represent a similar level of economic activity at each point of time. These years were chosen since they are all years of relatively high economic activity. The first two years faced the additional constraint that they had to coincide with census dates. The choice of years of high level economic activity was made in order to avoid biases in the trend rates of growth which would arise if the initial and terminal dates were at different phases of the business cycle. For example, if the initial year coincided with a year of high unemployment and the terminal year low unemployment, then an upward bias in growth rates might have occurred. Initial and terminal dates chosen at the trough of business cycles would also have avoided this potential slope bias.
A Theory of the Demand for Public Goods
Authors: Breton Albert
Published: June 2006

In their efforts to analyse the behaviour of households and firms, economists have traditionally assumed that each of these units maximizes an index, such as a utility function, a profit function, or a present value function, which is taken to characterize its own interest. However, in analysing government policies these same economists have generally shied away from the maximization-of-own-interest assumption and have instead assumed that governments maximize a social welfare function or the common good; or they have proceeded by developing ad hoc hypotheses for each different problem. This is regrettable, for the returns to the maximization-of-own-interest assumption in the analysis of household and firm behaviour have been impressive, even when due consideration is given to the simplification of reality that is involved. One cannot help suspecting that they might also be high in the analysis of government behaviour.

In consequence, in the present paper, following the lead of Schumpeter and Downs, I suppose that governments are not primarily interested in maximizing a social welfare function, or the common good, or the public interest—whatever these may be—but that instead they seek to maximize their own interest. Specifically, following Downs and Wilson, I assume that governments maximize the probability of their re-election, a probability which is dependent on the policies that are implemented as well as on the degree to which they are implemented. This relationship rests on the view that governments and their electorates are engaged in a sort of exchange in which policies are traded for votes; to maximize the probability of their re-election, governments endeavour to “produce” those policies which can be exchanged for the largest possible quid pro quo, that is, for the largest number of votes. Thus an analysis of government behaviour following a change in the preferences of consumer-voters, for example, would be to a large extent an analysis of changes in government policies. The potential number and variety of these policies, however, is so large that at first glance it seems impossible to proceed with a systematic analysis.
ProNGF processing in adult rat tissues and bioactivity of NGF prodomain peptides
Authors: Makoudjou Marie Anne , Fico Elena , Rosso Pamela , Triaca Viviana , De Simone Lucio , Rossetti Daniela , Cattani Franca , Allegretti Marcello , Tirassa Paola
Published: March 2024

The neurotrophin nerve growth factor (NGF) and its precursor proNGF are both bioactive and exert similar or opposite actions depending on the cell target and its milieu. The balance between NGF and proNGF is crucial for cell and tissue homeostasis and it is considered an indicator of pathological conditions. Proteolytical cleavage of proNGF to the mature form results in different fragments, whose function and/or bioactivity is still unclear. The present study was conducted to investigate the distribution of proNGF fragments derived from endogenous cleavage in brain and peripheral tissues of adult rats in the healthy condition and following inflammatory lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge. Different anti‐proNGF antibodies were tested and the presence of short peptides corresponding to the prodomain sequence (pdNGFpep) was identified. Processing of proNGF was found to be tissue‐specific and accumulation of pdNGFpeps was found in inflamed tissues, mainly in testis, intestine and heart, suggesting a possible correlation between organ functions and a response to insults and/or injury. The bioactivity of pdNGFpep was also demonstrated in vitro by using primary hippocampal neurons. Our study supports a biological function for the NGF precursor prodomain and indicates that short peptides from residues 1–60, differing from the 70–110 sequence, induce apoptosis, thereby opening the way for identification of new molecular targets to study pathological conditions.
Unique CoP Microflower Decorated with Phosphorous‐Enriched PtP2 onto Nickel Foam with Interfacial Electronic Interactions to Boost Alkaline Water‐Splitting
Authors: Yu Wenli , Li Qichang , Xiao Weiping , Wang Jinsong , Dong Bin , Chai Yongming , Wu Zexing , Wang Lei
Published: March 2024

The development of stable and efficient electrocatalysts for overall freshwater/seawater water‐splitting has received significant attention. In this study, the fabrication and electrocatalytic properties of phosphorus‐enriched PtP2 dispersed on CoP (PtP2/CoP) for HER and OER in both alkaline fresh/seawater media are described. Physical characterization and density functional theory calculations reveal that strong electronic interfacial interactions between PtP2 and CoP optimized the reaction kinetics by regulating the adsorption/desorption of intermediates and the cleavage of reactants. Additionally, operando electrochemical impedance spectroscopy reveals that PtP2/CoP significantly decreased phase angle with increasing applied potential compared with CoP, demonstrating that the construction of heterostructure provides a faster charge transfer on the surface and in the inner layer. Notably, the catalyst only requires overpotentials of 101 and 298 mV to achieve a benchmark of 100 mA cm−2 in alkaline freshwater for HER and OER. Moreover, the prepared catalyst featured overpotentials of 108 and 330 mV in an alkaline seawater electrolyte. Furthermore, a stable and high‐efficiency water electrolysis operation can be achieved using PtP2/CoP as both the anode and cathode (1.63 V@100 mA cm−2) coupled with satisfactory durability. This finding provides a deeper comprehension of the interaction of Pt‐less compounds and matrix in electrocatalysis for bifunctional electrocatalysts.
Spintronic Phenomena and Applications in Hybrid Organic–Inorganic Perovskites
Authors: Lu Ying , Wang Qian , Han Lei , Zhao Yuzhen , He Zemin , Song Wenqi , Song Cheng , Miao Zongcheng
Published: March 2024

The spin degree of freedom in hybrid organic–inorganic perovskites (HOIPs) has become a rapidly growing research topic in both HOIPs and spintronics fields due to its fundamental scientific significance and tight relevance with optoelectronics. The flourishing achievements of HOIP spintronics call for a timely review to summarize the key progress and guide future developments. In this review, classical spintronic phenomena based on spin‐orbit coupling (SOC) are discussed, especially Rashba splitting and related applications such as spin‐charge conversion. Owing to the unique chirality‐spin coupling, spintronics in chiral HOIPs are particularly focused on, including chirality‐induced spin selectivity (CISS). Based on the complex band structure and carrier/exciton, spin dynamics is also widely investigated and constitutes an indispensable part of HOIP spintronics. Aside from the three main threads, other spintronic phenomena such as magneto‐optical coupling and device exploration are involved as promising opportunities. Despite the continuous breakthroughs in HOIP spintronics, more efforts are required to expand material systems, explore new physics, and optimize device configurations for enhanced performance and high integration. A deep understanding of spin behaviors in HOIPs will create a new platform beyond conventional optoelectronic and photovoltaic applications.
Maskless Femtosecond‐Laser‐Processed Ionotronic Double‐Gate Transistor Array for Pattern Adaptation Emulation
Authors: Zhang Yi , Pei Jiaqing , Huang Zhuohui , Jiang Leyong , Yin Kai , Jiang Jie
Published: March 2024

Sensory adaptation is a very important function of the biological nervous system to maintain survival. It helps us to better perceive, understand, and adapt to the environment. Therefore, building artificial sensory adaptation systems through neuromorphic devices is a goal that humans have been continuously pursuing. Unfortunately, current research has either based on individual adaptive devices or employed complex processes. At present, a facile fabrication of adaptive device arrays is still a great challenge. Herein, a maskless ionotronic double‐gate oxide transistor array with pattern adaptation function is demonstrated using femtosecond laser process. Such process is a maskless patterning technology and free of chemical contamination, enabling a facile integration of device arrays. The as‐fabricated transistor exhibits a low subthreshold swing of 265 mV dec−1 and a reasonable current switching ratio of ≈103 under a low operating voltage of 1 V. Interestingly, it can achieve a transition from nonadaptive to adaptive behavior by the other gate terminal. Moreover, the desensitization behavior after adaptation can be realized for mimicking the self‐protection capability of biological sensory systems. Finally, a 2 × 2 transistor array is demonstrated for emulating the experience‐dependent pattern adaptation ability in the human brain. Therefore, this adaptive device array using femtosecond laser process may provide a good opportunity for the artificial sensory adaptation systems and the next‐generation bionic robots.
Two Birds with One Stone: Green Solvent Enabled High‐Stability and Durable Zn Anode in Both Non‐Aqueous and Aqueous Electrolytes
Authors: Naveed Ahmad , Ai Haoqiang , Li Teng , Ali Amjad , Moradian Jamile Mohammadi , Qureshi Waqar Ahmad , Su Mingru , Li Xiaowei , Zhou Yu , Guo Ruiqiang , Wan Tao , Lin Chun‐Ho , Chu Dewei , Liu Yunjian
Published: March 2024

Rechargeable zinc batteries are promising choices for eco‐friendly, safe and cost‐effective energy storage solutions. However, their commercial adoption faces challenges such as low Coulombic efficiency (CE) and poor reversibility of Zn anodes. To address these issues, a new green electrolyte based on N,N'‐Dimethylpropyleneurea (DMPU) has been developed, affording a robust, dendrite‐free Zn anode with over 5000 h of cycle stability and a high average CE of 98.49%. Zn anode in DMPU‐electrolyte significantly outperforms aqueous electrolyte with 67 times longer cycle life, demonstrating excellent anode stability. Moreover, ultra‐stable Zn anode in DMPU‐electrolyte cycled for over 10 000 cycles at 1.0 mA cm−2 showcases excellent reversibility. The Dimethylpropyleneurea‐triflate anion generated solid electrolyte interphase enables homogeneous and rapid Zn2+‐diffusion at the electrode interface, leading to a structured hexagonal Zn deposit. Furthermore, as electrolyte additive, DMPU significantly stabilizes Zn anode at severe conditions (5.0 and 10.0 mA cm−2) along with remarkable enhancement in CE (99.12%). This study offers valuable insights into the development of hybrid and organic electrolytes to advance Zn battery technology.
Microphysiological Blood‐Brain Barrier Systems for Disease Modeling and Drug Development
Authors: Mulay Atharva R. , Hwang Jihyun , Kim Deok‐Ho
Published: March 2024

The blood‐brain barrier (BBB) is a highly controlled microenvironment that regulates the interactions between cerebral blood and brain tissue. Due to its selectivity, many therapeutics targeting various neurological disorders are not able to penetrate into brain tissue. Pre‐clinical studies using animals and other in vitro platforms have not shown the ability to fully replicate the human BBB leading to the failure of a majority of therapeutics in clinical trials. However, recent innovations in vitro and ex vivo modeling called organs‐on‐chips have shown the potential to create more accurate disease models for improved drug development. These microfluidic platforms induce physiological stressors on cultured cells and are able to generate more physiologically accurate BBBs compared to previous in vitro models. In this review, different approaches to create BBBs‐on‐chips are explored alongside their application in modeling various neurological disorders and potential therapeutic efficacy. Additionally, organs‐on‐chips use in BBB drug delivery studies is discussed, and advances in linking brain organs‐on‐chips onto multiorgan platforms to mimic organ crosstalk are reviewed.
Non‐Invasive Skin Thermo‐Diagnosis Based on a Harmonic Wave‐Driven Wearable Sensor
Authors: Qiu Lin , Wang Xin , Ouyang Yuxin , Feng Yanhui
Published: March 2024

Skin thermo‐diagnosis, i.e., monitoring the skin thermal conductivity, can well indicate the body health status. Non‐invasive measurement is the direction of future development for skin thermo‐diagnosis. Here, a rigid and robust wearable sensor driven by the harmonic wave is developed, which can be comfortably wrist‐worn for a long time. Its big advantage is that it can extract both the thermal conductivities of epidermis and dermis (underneath the skin surface by 1 mm or 1–3 mm), which is not implemented by other techniques, and thus can more accurately indicate the possible diseases of the body. A 30‐subject population test shows that the epidermal thermal conductivity exhibits positive dependence on the body surface temperature and the water content, and thus slightly decreased in older subjects whose skin loses its elasticity, water content and nutrients with aging. In a menstrual cycle of women, the dermal thermal conductivity on the date of ovulation is noticeably lower, owing to the significant increase in transdermal water loss and a significant decrease in skin barrier resistance due to the reduction in the cutaneous estrogens. The progress made so far would be an important step toward non‐invasive and convenient monitoring of the human daily health.
Enhanced Amplified Spontaneous Emission from Perovskite Films by a Multifunctional 4′‐Aminoacetophenone Hydrochloride Additive Assistant Engineering
Authors: Huang Shuai , Zhu Liangliang , Dong Guifang , Liu Yue , Chen Yanzhong , Li Jing , Zhang Xinping , Li Ruixuan , Zhang Guangyin , Guan Baolu
Published: March 2024

Metal halide perovskites are considered as a prospective candidate as optical gain media for stimulated emission, and the advancement of amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) of perovskite materials is gradually becoming the key to realize the commercialization of perovskite lasers. Nonetheless, the ASE of solution‐processed polycrystalline perovskite films still experiences a high threshold and poor optical stability due to their high defect density and poor crystalline quality. In this scenario, a noticeably ameliorated ASE performance with decreased threshold and greater photo‐stability is demonstrated in solution‐processed (FAPbI3)0.85(MAPbBr3)0.15 polycrystalline perovskite films by introducing a neoteric 4′‐Aminoacetophenone hydrochloride (APCl) additive with cost‐effective fabrication. The ASE threshold of the APCl‐embedded perovskite films is prominently curtailed from 12.8 to 5.3 µJ cm−2, with an augmented optical gain, ASE output intensity, and optical durability. The ameliorated ASE performance can be credited to multifunctional effects of the APCl additive in the perovskite films, presenting a low defect density, an unambiguously elevated photoluminescence, a prolonged decay lifetime and thus enabling the easily achieved population inversion caused by the attenuated nonradiative carrier recombination in the optical gain media. These findings provide a significant foundation and pave the way for realizing the electrically excited lasing based on the perovskite materials.
Ball‐Milling to Access Dinucleoside Polyphosphates and Analogues
Authors: Navarro Valentin , Vasco Florian , Bantreil Xavier , Lamaty Frédéric , Peyrottes Suzanne , Roy Béatrice
Published: March 2024

Dinucleoside 5’,5’‐polyphosphates (NpnNs) play essential roles in various biological processes. Access to these high value‐added compounds, while avoiding the many drawbacks of solution phase synthesis, is a challenge that has been overcome thanks to mechanochemistry. A straightforward solid‐state synthesis based on activation of phosphate or pyrophosphate sodium salts to their diimidazolides, followed by coupling with commercially available nucleotides, under air conditions, gave symmetrical NpnNs. The scope ranged from Np3Ns to highly challenging Np6Ns. The methodology has also been implemented using medronic acid and imidodiphosphate to obtain NpnNs analogues, some of which are unprecedented.
Critical Conditions Regulating the Gelation in Macroionic Cluster Solutions
Authors: Xu Xiaohan , Yang Yuqing , Zhou Yifan , Xiao Kexing , Szymanowski Jennifer E. S. , Sigmon Ginger E. , Burns Peter C. , Liu Tianbo
Published: March 2024

The critical gelation conditions observed in dilute aqueous solutions of multiple nanoscale uranyl peroxide molecular clusters are reported, in the presence of multivalent cations. This gelation is dominantly driven by counterion‐mediated attraction. The gelation areas in the corresponding phase diagrams all appear in similar locations, with a characteristic triangle shape outlining three critical boundary conditions, corresponding to the critical cluster concentration, cation/cluster ratio, and the degree of counterion association with increasing cluster concentration. These interesting phrasal observations reveal general conditions for gelation driven by electrostatic interactions in hydrophilic macroionic solutions.
A Nanographene‐Porphyrin Hybrid for Near‐Infrared‐Ii Phototheranostics
Authors: Zhao Hao , Wang Yu , Chen Qiang , Liu Ying , Gao Yijian , Müllen Klaus , Li Shengliang , Narita Akimitsu
Published: March 2024

Photoacoustic imaging (PAI)‐guided photothermal therapy (PTT) in the second near‐infrared (NIR‐II, 1000–1700 nm) window has been attracting attention as a promising cancer theranostic platform. Here, it is reported that the π‐extended porphyrins fused with one or two nanographene units (NGP‐1 and NGP‐2) can serve as a new class of NIR‐responsive organic agents, displaying absorption extending to ≈1000 and ≈1400 nm in the NIR‐I and NIR‐II windows, respectively. NGP‐1 and NGP‐2 are dispersed in water through encapsulation into self‐assembled nanoparticles (NPs), achieving high photothermal conversion efficiency of 60% and 69%, respectively, under 808 and 1064 nm laser irradiation. Moreover, the NIR‐II‐active NGP‐2‐NPs demonstrated promising photoacoustic responses, along with high photostability and biocompatibility, enabling PAI and efficient NIR‐II PTT of cancer in vivo.
Blautia Coccoides is a Newly Identified Bacterium Increased by Leucine Deprivation and has a Novel Function in Improving Metabolic Disorders
Authors: Niu Yuguo , Hu Xiaoming , Song Yali , Wang Cunchuan , Luo Peixiang , Ni Shihong , Jiao Fuxin , Qiu Ju , Jiang Weihong , Yang Sheng , Chen Jun , Huang Rui , Jiang Haizhou , Chen Shanghai , Zhai Qiwei , Xiao Jia , Guo Feifan
Published: March 2024

Gut microbiota is linked to human metabolic diseases. The previous work showed that leucine deprivation improved metabolic dysfunction, but whether leucine deprivation alters certain specific species of bacterium that brings these benefits remains unclear. Here, this work finds that leucine deprivation alters gut microbiota composition, which is sufficient and necessary for the metabolic improvements induced by leucine deprivation. Among all the affected bacteria, B. coccoides is markedly increased in the feces of leucine‐deprived mice. Moreover, gavage with B. coccoides improves insulin sensitivity and reduces body fat in high‐fat diet (HFD) mice, and singly colonization of B. coccoides increases insulin sensitivity in gnotobiotic mice. The effects of B. coccoides are mediated by metabolizing tryptophan into indole‐3‐acetic acid (I3AA) that activates the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) in the liver. Finally, this work reveals that reduced fecal B. coccoides and I3AA levels are associated with the clinical metabolic syndrome. These findings suggest that B. coccoides is a newly identified bacterium increased by leucine deprivation, which improves metabolic disorders via metabolizing tryptophan into I3AA.
Activity‐Based Protein Profiling Identifies Protein Disulfide‐Isomerases as Target Proteins of the Volatile Salinilactones
Authors: Jerye Karoline , Lüken Helko , Steffen Anika , Schlawis Christian , Jänsch Lothar , Schulz Stefan , Brönstrup Mark
Published: March 2024

The salinilactones, volatile marine natural products secreted from Salinispora arenicola, feature a unique [3.1.0]‐lactone ring system and cytotoxic activities through a hitherto unknown mechanism. To find their molecular target, an activity‐based protein profiling with a salinilactone‐derived probe is applied that disclosed the protein disulfide‐isomerases (PDIs) as the dominant mammalian targets of salinilactones, and thioredoxin (TRX1) as secondary target. The inhibition of protein disulfide‐isomerase A1 (PDIA1) and TRX1 is confirmed by biochemical assays with recombinant proteins, showing that (1S,5R)‐salinilactone B is more potent than its (1R,5S)‐configured enantiomer. The salinilactones bound covalently to C53 and C397, the catalytically active cysteines of the isoform PDIA1 according to tandem mass spectrometry. Reactions with a model substrate demonstrated that the cyclopropyl group is opened by an attack of the thiol at C6. Fluorophore labeling experiments showed the cell permeability of a salinilactone‐BODIPY (dipyrrometheneboron difluoride) conjugate and its co‐localization with PDIs in the endoplasmic reticulum. The study is one of the first to pinpoint a molecular target for a volatile microbial natural product, and it demonstrates that salinilactones can achieve high selectivity despite their small size and intrinsic reactivity.
3D Host Design Strategies Guiding “Bottom–Up” Lithium Deposition: A Review
Authors: Wang Xi , Chen Zhen , Jiang Kai , Chen Minghua , Passerini Stefano
Published: March 2024

Lithium metal batteries (LMBs) have the potential to be the next‐generation rechargeable batteries due to the high theoretical specific capacity and the lowest redox potential of lithium metal. However, the practical application of LMBs is hindered by challenges such as the uncontrolled growth of lithium dendrites, unstable solid electrolyte interphase (SEI), and excessive volume change of Li metal. To solve these issues, the design of high‐performance lithium metal anodes (LMAs) with various 3D structures is critical. Targeting at realizing the “bottom–up” Li deposition to fully utilize the 3D architecture, in recent years, strategies such as gradient host materials construction, magnetic field modulation, SEI component design, and so on have attracted intensive attention. This review begins with a fundamental discussion of the Li nucleation and deposition mechanism. The recent advances in the aspects of construction strategies and modification methods that enable the “bottom–up” Li deposition within advanced 3D host materials, with a particular emphasize on their design principles are comprehensively overviewed. Finally, future challenges and perspectives on the design of advanced hosts toward practical LMAs are proposed.
Machine Learning Aided Optimization of P1 Laser Scribing Process on Indium Tin Oxide Substrates
Authors: Karade Vijay C. , Kim Saewoong , Jeong Inyoung , Ko Min Jae , Park Joo Hyung , Cho Jun‐Sik , Hwang Inchan , Gwak Jihye , Sutar Santosh S. , Dongale Tukaram D. , Yun Jae Ho , Kim Kihwan , Eo Young‐Joo
Published: March 2024

Present study employes a picosecond laser (532 nm) for selective P1 laser scribing on the indium tin oxide (ITO) layer and subsequent fine‐tuning of P1 scribing conditions with machine learning (ML) techniques. Initially, the scribing is performed by varying different laser parameters and further evaluate them via an optical microscope and two probe resistivity measurements. The corresponding scribing width and sheet resistance data are used as input databases for ML analysis. The classification and regression tree (CART)‐based ML analysis revealed that median pulse energy <5.7 μJ insufficient to separate the adjacent scribing regions. While pulse energy >5.7 μJ, APL > 35%, LSO > 46%, and processing speed ≥1250 mm s−1 gives ≥16 μm of scribing width. Further, the decision tree (DT) analysis showed that pulse energy of ≥8.1 μJ, and LSO ≥ 37% are required for electrically isolated lines. The feature importance score suggests that laser fluence and pulse energy determined the scribing width, whereas electrical isolation strongly depends on LSO and processing speed. Finally, the ML achieved conditions experimentally validated and reassessed via scanning electron microscope, and atomic force microscopy aligns well with optical microscope measurements.
Out‐of‐Plane Single‐Copper‐Site Catalysts for Room‐Temperature Benzene Oxidation
Authors: Che Wei , Li Pai , Han Gao‐Feng , Noh Hyuk‐Jun , Seo Jeong‐Min , Jeon Jong‐Pil , Li Changqing , Liu Wei , Li Feng , Liu Qinghua , Baek Jong‐Beom
Published: March 2024

Crafting single‐atom catalysts (SACs) that possess “just right” modulated electronic and geometric structures, granting accessible active sites for direct room‐temperature benzene oxidation is a coveted objective. However, achieving this goal remains a formidable challenge. Here, we introduce an innovative in situ phosphorus‐immitting strategy using a new phosphorus source (phosphorus nitride, P3N5) to construct the phosphorus‐rich copper (Cu) SACs, designated as Cu/NPC. These catalysts feature locally protruding metal sites on a nitrogen (N)‐phosphorus (P)‐carbon (C) support (NPC). Rigorous analyses, including X‐ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), validate the coordinated bonding of nitrogen and phosphorus with atomically dispersed Cu sites on NPC. Crucially, systematic first‐principles calculations, coupled with the climbing image nudged‐elastic‐band (CI‐NEB) method, provide a comprehensive understanding of the structure‐property‐activity relationship of the distorted Cu−N2P2 centers in Cu/NPC for selective oxidation of benzene to phenol production. Interestingly, Cu/NPC has shown more energetically favorable C−H bond activation compared to the benchmark Cu/NC SACs in the direct oxidation of benzene, resulting in outstanding benzene conversion (50.3 %) and phenol selectivity (99.3 %) at room temperature. Furthermore, Cu/NPC achieves a remarkable turnover frequency of 263 h−1 and mass‐specific activity of 35.2 mmol g−1 h−1, surpassing the state‐of‐the‐art benzene‐to‐phenol conversion catalysts to date.
Flow stirred by open turbine: A modal analysis of multiscale flow characteristics
Authors: Jin Jie , Bu Shaoyang , Fan Ying , Han Jianjun , Yin Kuangdi , Chen Wenyi
Published: March 2024

The turbulence observed in the stirred tank is a result of the superposition of flows at different scales, each exerting various influences on the operational processes. To understand the flow characteristics associated with stirring, this paper undertakes particle image velocimetry (PIV) experimental research on an unbaffled tank stirred by an open turbine featuring four distinct blade deflection angles. The flow field in the unbaffled tank manifests as a double‐circulation flow pattern; however, it is worth noting that the blade deflection angle exerts a significant impact on the stirring process. Specifically, when the blade deflection angle reached 90°, the flow discharge aligned closely with the radial direction, accompanied by pronounced fluctuations in the high‐velocity region. The Lagrangian coherent structures (LCS) formed were subsequently extracted and subjected to finite‐time Lyapunov exponent (FTLE) analysis. Notably, a more regular wake pattern emerged in proximity to the blade tip, while a larger scale flow structure persisted along the flow direction. To systematically analyze the flow field stirred by the open turbine, modal analysis was employed. By reconstructing the flow field based on the principle of 50% energy content, the decomposition of flows at different scales was achieved. The turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) generated by the various scale flows was subsequently calculated, revealing that the high TKE values primarily originate from the large‐scale flow structure. Conversely, the TKE generated by the small‐scale flow exhibits a uniform distribution across different regions. Notably, in regions characterized by higher velocities, the peak TKE associated with the small‐scale flow also manifests; however, it is significantly smaller in magnitude compared to that generated by the original flow or the large‐scale flow.
Molecular design and hygrothermal resistance of high‐toughness polysiloxane–polyurethane block copolymer composite adhesives
Authors: Yan Jinyuan , Li Rui , Jiang Ruihong , Yu Jie , Tang Qing , Song Dayu
Published: March 2024

With the development of new energy sources, the demand for aluminum composite films for power batteries is expanding; at the same time, higher requirements have been put forward for aluminum composite films and adhesives. Polyurethane, as the binder of aluminum composite films, strongly affects the performance of aluminum composite films when exposed to moisture and high temperature and can lead to delamination. This thesis prepares a polyurethane and silicone block copolymer composite adhesive by adjusting the ratio of hard and soft polyurethane segments to obtain polyurethane (PU) with excellent flexibility. On the basis of block copolymerization with bis‐amino‐terminated organosiloxane (ATPS), obtained excellent flexibility, high peel strength, moisture resistance, and heat resistance from a polysiloxane‐based polyurethane composite adhesive (PUSR). The properties are also tested using tensile tests and peel strength tests. The test results show that by adjusting the ATPS content, the flexibility and hydrophobicity of the PUSR composite adhesive further improved, with a tensile strength of 36 MPa, an elongation at break of 757%, and bonding performance of 11 N/15 mm. Additionally, the damp heat resistance of 6 N/15 mm, exceeding the international standard of 3 N/15 mm, in the power battery soft package aluminum–plastic film has potential application prospects.
Antibacterial hierarchical surface fabricated using nanoimprint lithography
Authors: Oopath Sruthi Venugopal , Martins Jarrod , Kakarla Akesh Babu , Petrovski Steve , Kong Ing , Baji Avinash
Published: March 2024

Antibacterial materials and surfaces play an important role in various applications, including healthcare, food packaging, and environmental protection. This study investigated the use of nanoimprint lithography for the fabrication of antibacterial hierarchical polymer film. The hierarchical structures were produced on poly(vinylidene fluoride‐co‐hexafluoropropylene) (PVDF‐HFP) films incorporated with silver (Ag) particles. The fabrication process involved an in situ chemical reduction method to synthesize the PVDF‐HFP/Ag film. Subsequently, a two‐step nanoimprint lithography technique was employed to create the hierarchical structures. Scanning electron microscopy images confirmed the uniform distribution of these structures across the surface of the PVDF‐HFP/Ag film. The antibacterial properties of the produced samples were assessed using two model bacterial species, Streptococcus agalactiae and Escherichia coli as representative bacteria models. Results demonstrated a significant improvement in antibacterial behavior, which is attributed to the presence of hierarchical structures on the surface of PVDF‐HFP/Ag films. This study offers insights into the development of antibacterial surfaces using nanoimprint lithography. These materials can be potentially used in various biomedical applications.
Additive manufacturing of 3D networks based on poly(lactic acid) and amine functionalized graphene oxide as a platform for scaffolds
Authors: Pinto Isabella Nayara , da Silva Medeiros Felipe , Nunes Fabio Caixeta , de Sousa Ricardo Geraldo , Albergaria Juliano Douglas Silva , Santos João Paulo Ferreira
Published: March 2024

In the present study, 3D networks were printed using the fused deposition modeling (FDM) technique. The purpose was investigate the printability of graphene oxide (GO)‐based composites for potential bone tissue engineering applications. Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) filaments containing GO and amine functionalized GO (N‐GO) were produced by melt extrusion and employed to print 3D networks. The cytotoxicity, morphological, rheological, and thermal behavior of the samples were compared. The morphological, rheological, and wettability analyses indicated an improvement in dispersion of GO throughout the matrix of PLA when GO was amine functionalized. The viscoelastic and flow properties, as determined by rheology, indicated that printed PLA samples containing freeze‐dried GO had lower viscosity than other composites, with a viscosity of 59.4 (Pa s), a decrease of nine times when compared with pure PLA, while the PLA containing N‐GO presented an improved viscoelastic interaction. PLA contact angle (108°) decreased by 87° and 84° for N‐GO and GO, respectively. The thermal analyses depicted that the incorporation of freeze‐dried GO and N‐GO had no effect on the crystallinity or thermal transitions of PLA matrix, maintaining its thermal stability. Finally, the cytotoxicity analysis indicated that the composites were not toxic throughout the cell culture assay and were found to promote cell viability, especially for the PLA/N‐GO network. Thus, these results revealed a vast horizon toward the use of GO/biodegradable polymers as platforms to print 3D networks to be applied as scaffolds.
Epitaxial silicon transition zone measurements by spreading resistance profiling and Fourier transform infrared reflectometry
Authors: Najbauer Eszter E. , Sinkó Lucza , Biró Szilvia , Durkó Zsolt , Basa Peter
Published: March 2024

Silicon epitaxy is an essential building block in the manufacturing of complementary metal‐oxide semiconductor (CMOS) devices. Accurate determination of epitaxial layer thickness is indispensable for a uniform and reproducible process. In this paper, we compare thickness values of the transition zone (TZ) in silicon epitaxial wafers obtained by two of Semilab's production‐compatible electrical and optical characterization techniques: Fourier‐transform infrared (FTIR) reflectometry and spreading resistance profiling (SRP). We demonstrate a high correlation between TZ thicknesses obtained from the optical modeling of FTIR reflectance spectra and SRP profiles. The dependence of TZ thickness change on the high‐temperature annealing steps is also examined. FTIR reflectometry thus offers a quick, contactless alternative for obtaining structural parameters of an epitaxial layer, and these values can be well matched to those given by SRP.
Bifunctional Sildenafil Diazeniumdiolates Acting as Phosphodiesterase 5 Inhibitors and Nitric Oxide Donors− Towards Wound Healing
Authors: Mas‐Roselló Josep , Tenor Hermann , Szabo Timea , Naef Reto , Sieber Simon , Gademann Karl
Published: March 2024

Inefficient wound healing poses a global health challenge with a lack of efficient treatments. Wound healing issues often correlate with low endogenous nitric oxide (NO) levels. While exogenous delivery with NO‐releasing compounds represents a promising therapeutic strategy, controlling the release of the highly reactive NO remains challenging. Phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5) inhibitors, like sildenafil, have also been shown to promote wound healing. This study explores hybrid compounds, combining NO‐releasing diazeniumdiolates with a sildenafil‐derived PDE5 inhibitor. One compound demonstrated a favorable NO‐release profile, triggered by an esterase (prodrug), and displayed in vitro nanomolar inhibition potency against PDE5 and thrombin‐induced platelet aggregation. Both factors are known to promote blood flow and oxygenation. Thus, our findings unveil promising prospects for effective wound healing treatments.
Low attenuation areas in necrotizing soft tissue infection
Authors: Kawataki Masanori , Oda Yuta
Published: March 2024

Key clinical message

Necrotizing Soft Tissue Infection can be challenging to differentiate from abscesses based on computed tomography imaging findings only, so it is crucial to perform surgical debridement as early as possible.