bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Dynamically Restructuring NixCryO Electrocatalyst for Stable Oxygen Evolution Reaction in Real Seawater
Authors: Malek Abdul , Xue Yanrong , Lu Xu
Published: August 2023

In the pursuit of long‐term stability for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in seawater, retaining the intrinsic catalytic activity is essential but has remained challenging. Herein, we developed a NixCryO electrocatalyst that manifested exceptional OER stability in alkaline condition while improving the activity over time by dynamic self‐restructuring. In 1 M KOH, NixCryO required overpotentials of only 270 and 320 mV to achieve current densities of 100 and 500 mA cm−2, respectively, with excellent long‐term stability exceeding 475 h at 100 mA cm−2 and 280 h at 500 mA cm−2. The combination of electrochemical measurements and in situ studies revealed that leaching and redistribution of Cr during the prolonged electrolysis resulted in increased electrochemically active surface area. This eventually enhanced the catalyst porosity and improved OER activity. NixCryO was further applied in real seawater from the Red Sea (without purification, 1 M KOH added), envisaging that the dynamically evolving porosity can offset the adverse active site‐blocking effect posed by the seawater impurities. Remarkably, NixCryO exhibited stable operation for 2000, 275 and 100 h in seawater at 10, 100 and 500 mA cm−2, respectively. The proposed catalyst and the mechanistic insights represented a step towards realization of non‐noble metal‐based direct seawater splitting.
A Bio‐Inspired Trehalose Additive for Reversible Zinc Anodes with Improved Stability and Kinetics
Authors: Li Haoyu , Ren Yu , Zhu Yue , Tian Jiaming , Sun Xinyi , Sheng Chuanchao , He Ping , Guo Shaohua , Zhou Haoshen
Published: August 2023

The moderate reversibility of Zn anodes, as a long‐standing challenge in aqueous zinc‐ion batteries, promotes the exploration of suitable electrolyte additives continuously. It is crucial to establish the absolute predominance of smooth deposition within multiple interfacial reactions for stable zinc anodes, including suppressing side parasitic reactions and facilitating Zn plating process. Trehalose catches our attention due to the reported mechanisms in sustaining biological stabilization. In this work, the inter‐disciplinary application of trehalose is reported in the electrolyte modification for the first time. The pivotal roles of trehalose in suppressed hydrogen evolution and accelerated Zn deposition have been investigated based on the principles of thermodynamics as well as reaction kinetics. The electrodeposit changes from random accumulation of flakes to dense bulk with (002)‐plane exposure due to the unlocked crystal‐face oriented deposition with trehalose addition. As a result, the highly reversible Zn anode is obtained, exhibiting a high average CE of 99.8 % in the Zn/Cu cell and stable cycling over 1500 h under 9.0 % depth of discharge in the Zn symmetric cell. The designing principles and mechanism analysis in this study could serve as a source of inspiration in exploring novel additives for advanced Zn anodes.
Flame retardancy and smoke suppression effect of an organic–inorganic hybrid containing phosphaphenanthrene‐modified magnesium hydroxide/zinc borate on epoxy resin
Authors: Li Ping , Li Lijuan , Ji Lianmin , Dang Li , Lan Shengjie , Zhu Donghai
Published: August 2023

To improve the flame retardancy and smoke suppression effect of epoxy resin (EP), a new organic–inorganic hybrid (MH@ZB‐ODOPB) was fabricated. First, hierarchical‐structured particles (MH@ZB) were prepared by gradually depositing zinc borate (ZB) on the surface of magnesium hydroxide (MH) via a heterogeneous deposition process. Second, MH@ZB was modified with 10‐(2,5‐dihydroxyphenyl)‐10‐hydro‐9‐oxa‐10‐phospha‐phenanthrene‐10‐oxide (ODOPB) to obtain MH@ZB‐ODOPB. Finally, the chemical structure and form of MH@ZB‐ODOPB were analyzed via X‐ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. The characterization results show that ZB was loaded onto the surface of MH, and ODOPB was grafted on the surface of MH@ZB. The cone calorimetry test results show that when 7.5 wt% MH@ZB‐ODOPB was added into EP, the peak heat release rates, total heat release, total smoke production, and peak smoke production rates decreased by 51.8%, 42.4%, 58.1%, and 66.1%, respectively. Moreover, EP/MH@ZB‐ODOPB exhibited a limiting oxygen index of 33%. These results show that the incorporation of MH@ZB‐ODOPB into EP composites considerably improved the flame retardancy and smoke suppression properties of EP composites. The double action of MH@ZB‐ODOPB in condensed and gas phases was investigated by analyzing the carbon residue and pyrolysis gas. Furthermore, the implementation of ODOPB improves the mechanical properties of EP composites.
Spatial priorities for freshwater fish conservation in relation to protected areas
Authors: Miqueleiz Imanol , Ariño Arturo H. , Miranda Rafael
Published: August 2023

Freshwater habitats are vital for both humans and nature owing to their exceptional biodiversity and valuable ecosystem services, but they are currently facing serious threats. The designation and management of protected areas have been proposed as the most feasible way to ensure conservation objectives for the future. However, traditional approaches have not protected freshwater fauna effectively, especially freshwater fish.

Previous studies have identified the most irreplaceable terrestrial places to achieve conservation goals. Here, the aim was to investigate how the present network of protected areas preserves irreplaceable rivers for freshwater fish.

The irreplaceability of the world's river basins was calculated using International Union for the Conservation of Nature Red List distribution maps, considering the rarity, richness, and conservation status of their freshwater fish fauna. The overlap between irreplaceable basins and the present network of protected areas was also calculated.

The results highlight the conservation significance of tropical rivers, particularly those in the Neotropics. The subset of the basins covering 30% of the most irreplaceable land surface (in line with the United Nations 30by30 target) encompasses 99% of freshwater fish species. However, protected areas do not seem to provide sufficient protection to these basins, as 89% of their surface area lies outside protected areas. Only 7% of freshwater ecoregions meet the United Nations 30by30 target.

Given the context of climate change, allocating new protected areas becomes crucial in providing better survival opportunities for freshwater fish species. Despite the limitations inherent to the absence of total knowledge of freshwater fish biogeography and the irreplaceability index itself, this study identifies priority sites for their conservation that may help inform decision‐making in the future to establish more effective protected areas.
Mung bean as a potent emerging functional food having anticancer therapeutic potential: Mechanistic insight and recent updates
Authors: Sehrawat Nirmala , Yadav Mukesh , Kumar Sunil , Devi Ashwanti , Singh Rajbir , Sharma Varruchi , Dhama Kuldeep , Lorenzo Jose M. , Sharma Anil Kumar
Published: August 2023

Cancer is still a major challenge for humans. In recent years, researchers have focused on plant‐based metabolites as a safe, efficient, alternative or combinatorial, as well as cost‐effective preventive strategy against carcinogenesis. Mung bean is an important nutritious legume, and known for providing various health benefits due to various bioactive phytochemicals and easily digestible proteins. Regular intake of mung bean helps to regulate metabolism by affecting the growth and survival of good microbes in the host gut. Mung bean has also been reported to have anti‐inflammatory, antioxidant, antiproliferative, and immunomodulatory properties. These properties may possess the preventive potential of mung bean against carcinogenesis. Bibliographic databases for peer‐reviewed research literature were searched through a structured conceptual approach using focused review questions on mung beans, anticancer, therapeutics, and functional foods along with inclusion/exclusion criteria. For the appraisal of the quality of retrieved articles, standard tools were employed. A deductive qualitative content analysis methodology further led us to analyze outcomes of the research and review articles. The present review provides recent updates on the anticancer potential of mung bean and the possible mechanism of action thereof to prevent carcinogenesis and metastasis. Extensive research on the active metabolites and mechanisms of action is required to establish the anticancer potential of mung bean. Keeping the above facts in view, mung bean should be investigated for its bioactive compounds, to be considered as functional food of the future.
Conditional survival in breast cancer up to 10 years in the Nordic countries
Authors: Zitricky Frantisek , Försti Asta , Hemminki Akseli , Hemminki Kari
Published: August 2023

Background

Survival in breast cancer (BC) has developed favorably but late recurrences are still a problem.

Methods

We model survival data from the NORDCAN database and analyze 1‐, 5‐, and 10‐year relative survival and 5/1‐ and 10/5‐year conditional survival in BC from Denmark (DK), Finland (FI), Norway (NO), and Sweden (SE) between 1971 and 2020. Conditional survival measures survival in those who had survived year 1 to reach year 5 (5/1), or in those who had survived year 5 to reach year 10 (10/5).

Results

Almost all survival metrics were best for SE but survival in all countries improved in the course of time approaching the SE levels which were 98.3% for 1‐year, 92.3% for 5‐year, and 87.8% for 10‐year survival. Conditional 10/5‐year survival, covering 5 years, was better than 5/1‐year survival, covering 4 years. A contributing factor is most likely the high rate of recurrence in period 2–5 years. The difference was observed for all countries but for DK 10/5‐year survival approached 1‐year survival and for NO and SE 10/5‐year survival was only barely better than 5/1‐year survival. The explanation to this was the excellent 10/5‐year survival in DK compared to SE and particularly to NO. Literature search suggested that the reason for the relatively low 10/5‐year survival in NO might be stagnant survival development in old patients.

Conclusions

We assume that late mortality is critically limiting survival in BC and either interference with the late metastatic process or effective treatment will be key to future improvements in BC survival.
Immigrant collective civic action: Integrating group resilience into the social identity model of collective action
Authors: Verbena Serena , Procentese Fortuna , Gatti Flora , Ciavolino Enrico , Mannarini Terri
Published: August 2023

Based on the social identity model of collective action (SIMCA), this study examined factors associated with immigrant collective civic action, while also testing the role of group resilience. A convenience sample of 226 first‐generation immigrants (58.6% female) of different nationalities completed a self‐report questionnaire. Partial least squares path modelling was used to test a model assessing the relationship between national and ethnic identity and collective civic action, mediated by collective efficacy, perceptions of collective unfair treatment, and group resilience. Results confirmed the identity–efficacy pathway to collective civic action for both national and ethnic identity, but not the ethnic identity–injustice or the ethnic identity–group resilience pathways. Implications for research and practice are discussed.
Synthesis and Computational Exploration of Morpholine Bearing Halogenated Sulfonamides as Potential Tyrosinase Inhibitors
Authors: Abbasi Muhammad Athar , Raza Hussain , Aziz‐ur‐Rehman  , Siddiqui Sabahat Zahra , Muhammad Shabbir , Khan Farhan Mehmood , Shah Syed Adnan Ali , Al‐Sehemi Abdullah G. , Kim Song Ja
Published: August 2023

In the presented work, a new series of three different 4‐((3,5‐dichloro‐2‐[(2/4‐halobenzyl)oxy]phenyl)sulfonyl)morpholines was synthesized and the structure of these compounds were corroborated by 1H‐NMR & 13C‐NMR studies. The in vitro results established all the three compounds as potent tyrosinase inhibitors relative to the standard. The Kinetics mechanism plots established that compound 8 inhibited the enzyme non‐competitively. The inhibition constants Ki calculated from Dixon plots for this compound was 0.0025 μM. Additionally, computational techniques were used to explore electronic structures of synthesized compounds. Fully optimized geometries were further docked with tyrosinase enzyme for inhibition studies. Reasonably good binding/interaction energies and intermolecular interactions were obtained. Finally, drug likeness was also predicted using the rule of five (RO5) and Chemical absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity (ADMET) characteristics. It is anticipated that current experimental and computational investigations will evoke the scientific interest of the research community for the above‐entitled compounds.
HPLC and GC Characterization of Dicliptera bupleuroides Aerial Parts and Evaluation of Its Anti‐Inflammatory Potential in Vitro, in silico and in Vivo Using Carrageenan and Formalin Induced Inflammation in Rat Models
Authors: Akbar Shehla , Ishtiaq Saiqa , Youssef Fadia S. , Elhady Sameh S. , Belaid Amal K. , Ashour Mohamed L.
Published: August 2023

The current study aimed to evaluate the anti‐inflammatory activity of Dicliptera bupleuroides Nees aerial parts methanol extract and its different fractions namely hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate and butanol in vitro using cyclooxygenase inhibitory assay (COX‐2). In vivo anti‐inflammatory evaluation was performed using carrageenan and formalin induced inflammation in rat models followed by molecular docking. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and gas chromatography coupled with mass chromatography (GC/MS) analyses were used for chemical analyses of the tested samples. The tested samples showed significant inhibition in COX‐2 inhibitory assay where methanol extract (DBM) showed the highest inhibitory potential at 100 μg/mL estimated by 67.86 %. At a dose of 400 mg/kg, all of the examined samples showed pronounced results in carrageenan induced acute inflammation in rat model at 4th h interval with DBM showed the highest efficiency displaying 65.32 % inhibition as compared to the untreated rats. Formalin model was employed for seven days and DBM exhibited 65.33 % and 69.39 % inhibition at 200 and 400 mg/kg, respectively approaching that of the standard on the 7th day. HPLC revealed the presence of caffeic acid, gallic acid and sinapic acid, quercetin and myricetin in DBM. GC/MS analysis of its hexane fraction revealed the presence of 16 compounds belonging mainly to fatty acids and sterols that account for 85.26 % of the total detected compounds. Molecular docking showed that hexadecanoic acid followed by decanedioic acid and isopropyl myristate showed the best fitting within cyclooxygenase‐II (COX‐II) while nonacosane followed by hexatriacontane and isopropyl myristate revealed the most pronounced fitting within the 5‐lipoxygenase (5‐LOX) active sites. Absorption, metabolism, distribution and excretion and toxicity prediction (ADMET/ TOPKAT) concluded that most of the detected compounds showed reasonable pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic and toxicity properties that could be further modified to be more suitable for incorporation in pharmaceutical dosage forms combating inflammation and its undesirable consequences.
Segmentation of X‐ray coronary angiography with an artificial intelligence deep learning model: Impact in operator visual assessment of coronary stenosis severity
Authors: Nobre Menezes Miguel , Silva Beatriz , Silva João Lourenço , Rodrigues Tiago , Marques João Silva , Guerreiro Cláudio , Guedes João Pedro , Oliveira‐Santos Manuel , Oliveira Arlindo L. , Pinto Fausto J.
Published: August 2023

Background

Visual assessment of the percentage diameter stenosis (%DSVE) of lesions is essential in coronary angiography (CAG) interpretation. We have previously developed an artificial intelligence (AI) model capable of accurate CAG segmentation. We aim to compare operators’ %DSVE in angiography versus AI‐segmented images.

Methods

Quantitative coronary analysis (QCA) %DS (%DSQCA) was previously performed in our published validation dataset. Operators were asked to estimate %DSVE of lesions in angiography versus AI‐segmented images in separate sessions and differences were assessed using angiography %DSQCA as reference.

Results

A total of 123 lesions were included. %DSVE was significantly higher in both the angiography (77% ± 20% vs. 56% ± 13%, p < 0.001) and segmentation groups (59% ± 20% vs. 56% ± 13%, p < 0.001), with a much smaller absolute %DS difference in the latter. For lesions with %DSQCA of 50%–70% (60% ± 5%), an even higher discrepancy was found (angiography: 83% ± 13% vs. 60% ± 5%, p < 0.001; segmentation: 63% ± 15% vs. 60% ± 5%, p < 0.001). Similar, less pronounced, findings were observed for %DSQCA < 50% lesions, but not %DSQCA > 70% lesions. Agreement between %DSQCA/%DSVE across %DSQCA strata (<50%, 50%–70%, >70%) was approximately twice in the segmentation group (60.4% vs. 30.1%; p < 0.001). %DSVE inter‐operator differences were smaller with segmentation.

Conclusion

%DSVE was much less discrepant with segmentation versus angiography. Overestimation of %DSQCA < 70% lesions with angiography was especially common. Segmentation may reduce %DSVE overestimation and thus unwarranted revascularization.
Outcomes of transcatheter edge‐to‐edge repair for atrial functional mitral regurgitation: A meta‐analysis of observational studies
Authors: Hamada Seiji , Ueyama Hiroki , Aikawa Tadao , Kampaktsis Polydoros N. , Misumida Naoki , Takagi Hisato , Kuno Toshiki , Latib Azeem
Published: August 2023

Background

Transcatheter edge‐to‐edge repair (TEER) may have potential benefits in the treatment of atrial functional mitral regurgitation (AFMR), but robust evidence is currently lacking. We conducted a systematic review and meta‐analysis to investigate the clinical outcomes of TEER for AFMR, including comparisons to ventricular functional MR (VFMR).

Methods

MEDLINE and EMBASE were searched through January 2023 to identify studies eligible for analysis. The primary outcome was postprocedural MR severity. Postprocedural New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class classification and all‐cause mortality were also evaluated. Outcomes were stratified into short term (postprocedure to 6 months) and long term (6 months to 2 years).

Results

A total of eight observational studies met the inclusion criteria, enrolling 539 AFMR and 3486 VFMR patients. Postprocedural MR grade ≤2 in the AFMR group was observed in 93.7% (454/491 patients; 95% confidence interval (CI), 91.1%–96.2%, I2 = 24.3%) and 97.1% (89/93 patients; 95% CI, 92.9%–100%, I2 = 26.4%) in short‐ and long‐term follow‐up, respectively. There was no difference in the rates of postprocedural MR grade ≤2 between AFMR and VFMR either in short‐term (risk ratio [RR], 1.00 [95% CI, 0.95–1.06]; p = 0.90; I2 = 53%) or long‐term follow‐up (RR, 1.08 [95% CI, 0.89–1.32]; p = 0.44; I2 = 22%). Similarly, no difference was observed between AFMR and VFMR in the rates of postprocedural NYHA class ≤2 or all‐cause mortality.

Conclusion

TEER provides similar clinical outcomes for AFMR and VFMR. A high rate of MR grade ≤2 was observed in patients at both short‐ and long‐term follow‐ups. Further prospective studies with TEER versus medical therapy and/or rhythm control for AFMR are warranted.
An Overview of α‐Aminoalkyl Radical Mediated Halogen‐Atom Transfer
Authors: Sachidanandan Krishnakumar , Niu Ben , Laulhé Sébastien
Published: August 2023

The merging of photocatalysis with halogen‐atom transfer (XAT) processes has proven to be a versatile tool for the generation of carbon‐centered radicals in organic synthesis. XAT processes are unique in that they generate radicals without requiring the use of strong reductants necessary for the traditional single electron transfer (SET) activation of halides. Pathways to achieve XAT in synthetic applications can be categorized into three major sections: i) heteroatom‐based activators, ii) metal‐based activators, and iii) carbon‐based activators among which α‐aminoalkyl radicals have taken the center stage. Access to these α‐aminoalkyl radicals as XAT reagents has gained significant attention in the past few years due to the robustness of the reactions, the simplicity of the reagents required, and the broadness of their applications. Generation of these α‐aminoalkyl radicals is simply achieved through the single electron oxidation of tertiary amines, which after deprotonation at the α‐position generates the α‐aminoalkyl radicals. Due to the wide scope of tertiary amines available and the tunable nucleophilicity of α‐aminoalkyl radical formed, this strategy has become an attractive alternative to heteroatom/metal‐based radicals for XAT. In this minireview, we focus our attention on recent (2020–2023) developments and uses of this robust technology to mediate XAT processes.
Pyrolysis of Spherical Wood Particles in a Packed Bed – Comparison between Resolved and Unresolved Discrete Element Method/Computational Fluid Dynamics
Authors: Jaeger Bo , Illana Mahiques Enric , Wirtz Siegmar , Scherer Viktor
Published: August 2023

The combined discrete element method/computational fluid dynamics (DEM/CFD) approach allows for the description of reacting granular assemblies passed by a gas flow. Especially for thermally thick particles, the spatial resolution of the solid object volumes, their surfaces, and of the interstitial flow domain controls the quality of results while at the same time driving computational costs. To evaluate the differences between resolved and unresolved DEM/CFD approaches, pyrolysis of a bulk of spherical wood particles enclosed by a cylindrical heating surface and passed by hot nitrogen is numerically examined. The unresolved simulation is based on the averaged volume method (AVM). For the resolved simulation, the so‐called blocked‐off (BO) method is applied. The results show that the total mass conversion rate of solid particles into gaseous volatiles is faster when employing the resolved BO approach. The better spatial resolution of local flow field and particle surface representation leads to a more detailed prediction of convective and radiative heat transfer to the particles, but is associated with the penalty of a six‐fold computing time.
Quantifying Catalysis at the Origin of Life**
Authors: de Graaf Ruvan , De Decker Yannick , Sojo Victor , Hudson Reuben
Published: August 2023

The construction of hypothetical environments to produce organic molecules such as metabolic intermediates or amino acids is the subject of ongoing research into the emergence of life. Experiments specifically focused on an anabolic approach typically rely on a mineral catalyst to facilitate the supply of organics that may have produced prebiotic building blocks for life. Alternatively to a true catalytic system, a mineral could be sacrificially oxidized in the production of organics, necessitating the emergent ‘life’ to turn to virgin materials for each iteration of metabolic processes. The aim of this perspective is to view the current ‘metabolism‐first’ literature through the lens of materials chemistry to evaluate the need for higher catalytic activity and materials analyses. While many elegant studies have detailed the production of chemical building blocks under geologically plausible and biologically relevant conditions, few appear to do so with sub‐stoichiometric amounts of metals or minerals. Moving toward sub‐stoichiometric metals with rigorous materials analyses is necessary to demonstrate the viability of an elusive cornerstone of the ‘metabolism‐first’ hypotheses: catalysis. We emphasize that future work should aim to demonstrate decreased catalyst loading, increased productivity, and/or rigorous materials analyses for evidence of true catalysis.
The role of intrinsic disorder in binding of plant microtubule‐associated proteins to the cytoskeleton
Authors: Gonzalez Jordy Perez , Frandsen Kristian E. H. , Kesten Christopher
Published: August 2023

Microtubules (MTs) represent one of the main components of the eukaryotic cytoskeleton and support numerous critical cellular functions. MTs are in principle tube‐like structures that can grow and shrink in a highly dynamic manner; a process largely controlled by microtubule‐associated proteins (MAPs). Plant MAPs are a phylogenetically diverse group of proteins that nonetheless share many common biophysical characteristics and often contain large stretches of intrinsic protein disorder. These intrinsically disordered regions are determinants of many MAP–MT interactions, in which structural flexibility enables low‐affinity protein–protein interactions that enable a fine‐tuned regulation of MT cytoskeleton dynamics. Notably, intrinsic disorder is one of the major obstacles in functional and structural studies of MAPs and represents the principal present‐day challenge to decipher how MAPs interact with MTs. Here, we review plant MAPs from an intrinsic protein disorder perspective, by providing a complete and up‐to‐date summary of all currently known members, and address the current and future challenges in functional and structural characterization of MAPs.
Post‐Synthetic Modification of Zr‐based Metal‐Organic Frameworks with Imidazole: Variable Optical Behavior and Sensing
Authors: Prakash Biswal Dibya , Singha Dipankar , Panda Jagannath , Kumar Rana Malay
Published: August 2023

UiO‐66‐NH2‐IM, a fluorescent metal‐organic framework (MOF), was synthesized by post‐synthetic modification of UiO‐66‐NH2 with 2‐imidazole carboxaldehyde via a Schiff base reaction. It was examined using various characterization techniques (PXRD, FTIR, NMR, SEM, TGA, UV‐Vis DRS, and photoluminescence spectroscopy). The emissive feature of UiO‐66‐NH2‐IM was utilized to detect volatile organic compounds (VOCs), metal ions, and anions, such as acetone, Fe3+, and carbonate (CO32−). Acetone turns off the high luminescence of UiO‐66‐NH2‐IM in DMSO, with the limit of detection (LOD) being 3.6 ppm. Similarly, Fe3+ in an aqueous medium is detected at LOD=0.67 μM (0.04 ppm) via quenching. On the contrary, CO32− in an aqueous medium significantly enhances the luminescence of UiO‐66‐NH2‐IM, which is detected with extremely high sensitivity (LOD=1.16 μM, i. e., 0.07 ppm). Large Stern‐Volmer constant, Ksv, and low LOD values indicate excellent sensitivity of the post‐synthetic MOF. Experimental data supported by density functional theory (DFT) calculations discern photo‐induced electron transfer (PET), resonance energy transfer (RET), inner filter effect (IFE), or proton abstraction as putative sensing mechanisms. NMR and computational studies propose a proton abstraction mechanism for luminescence enhancement with CO32−. Moreover, the optical behavior of the post‐synthetic material toward analytes is recyclable.
Identification of quantitative trait loci and candidate genes for seed sucrose and soluble sugar concentrations in soybean
Authors: Liu Changkai , Chen Heng , Yu Qintan , Gu Haidong , Li Yansheng , Tu Bingjie , Zhang Hengyou , Zhang Qiuying , Liu Xiaobing
Published: August 2023

This study aimed to investigate the genetics of sucrose and soluble sugar accumulation in soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merrill.] and the impact on food quality. A recombinant inbred line population, constructed from ZD27 and HF25 with parents having significantly different levels of sucrose and soluble sugar content, was used. Using the QTL‐Sequencing method, we identified 16 QTLs affecting sucrose and soluble sugar, including a major sucrose‐associated QTL, qSU1901, with 10.6%–13.2% phenotypic variation for sucrose. To narrow down the list of candidate genes, we analyzed the polymorphisms within the major QTL interval. We further explored the temporal expression patterns of key genes involved in sucrose and soluble sugar transport and metabolism through dynamic transcriptome analysis. We generated a gene regulatory network that correlated with sucrose and soluble sugar content using weighted gene co‐expression network analysis. By combining QTL‐Seq and RNA‐Sequencing data, we narrowed down 233 candidate genes. In conclusion, our findings provide a better understanding of sucrose and soluble sugar regulation in soybean.
Lymph node metastasis in oral squamous cell carcinoma: Where we are and where we are going
Authors: Cao Lei‐Ming , Zhong Nian‐Nian , Li Zi‐Zhan , Huo Fang‐Yi , Xiao Yao , Liu Bing , Bu Lin‐Lin
Published: August 2023

Background

Oral cancer is a common malignant tumour in the head and neck region, with over 90% of cases being oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Lymph node metastasis (LNM) is a significant adverse prognostic factor in OSCC; however, the mechanism of LNM in OSCC remains unclear, while the strategies for managing cervical lymph nodes (CLNs) in OSCC continue to evolve. At present, neck dissection is necessary for the vast majority of OSCC patients, but complications of surgery can significantly impair patients’ postoperative quality of life. A recent clinical trial discovery indicates that immunotherapy can activate anti‐tumour T cells in nearby lymph nodes, leading to vibrant discussions among clinicians about the importance of preserving lymph nodes during surgical treatment.

Aim

This review aims to provide an overview of where we are: the current knowledge of OSCC LNM patterns and management strategies, and where we are going: prospects for clinical and basic research on the issue of OSCC LNM in the era of cancer immunotherapy.

Result

We summarize the general patterns and management strategies of OSCC LNM. The process of LNM in OSCC encompasses four stages: Preparation, Unleash, Migration, and Planting (‘PUMP’ principle). We propose adopting the ‘PRECISE’ model, an overall workflow that includes seven elements—prevention, radiology, preoperative evaluation, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, surgery, and postoperative evaluation—for neck management in OSCC, promoting personalized precision medicine augmented by neoadjuvant therapy. We further discussed recent advances in clinical and basic research on OSCC LNM and provided an outlook on future research directions.

Conclusion

Over the past two centuries, our understanding and management strategies of LNM in OSCC have evolved, seeking more precise and personalized approaches to reduce patient burden and enhance survival and quality of life. Further research should explore lymph nodes’ role in cancer immunotherapy and OSCC interactions, leading to better, less invasive treatments and improved outcomes.
Age of error information and throughput for truncated and layer‐coded HARQ‐based satellite‐IoT systems
Authors: Zhao Yuhua , Jia Xiangdong , Xie Mangang , Hao Zhenchao
Published: August 2023

The work focuses on the simultaneous improvement on the throughput and information freshness of the promising satellite‐based Internet of Things (S‐IoT). To this end, we first propose a method based on the adaptive modulation coding (AMC) and truncated layer‐coded hybrid automatic repeat request (L‐HARQ) strategies by especially considering the difference in the channel state information (CSI) between the transmitter and receiver. On account of the large signal delay of the S‐IoT systems, this paper establishes the channel model based on the correlation of the signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR) under the outdated channel and the ideal channel. Secondly, considering the fact that the improved backtrack decoding is used in the L‐HARQ, the classical definition of age of information (AoI) is insufficient to quantify the status update freshness, we propose the age of error information (AoEI), which is defined as the elapsed time since the generation of the lastly successfully backtrack‐decoded status update. Thirdly, we characterize the statistical descriptions of the maximum wait time of the successfully recovered status updates and the interdeparture time between the two consecutive status update packets that are lastly successfully received. Then, the closed‐form expression of average AoEI is derived under the assumption of independent and identically distributed fading channels. Finally, the Markov decision process (MDP) framework is used to optimize the packet parameters in each round of L‐HARQ process under the general fading scenario. Thereby, the optimized transmission scheme that minimizes AoI with throughput constraint is solved. The simulations investigate the effect of system parameters on the average AoEI.
Laser assisted direct ink writing of multi‐material bismuth molybdate—silver artificial dielectrics for radio frequency applications
Authors: Gheisari Reza , Zhang Shiyu , Whittow William , Engstrøm Daniel Southcott
Published: August 2023

Additive manufacturing of co‐fired low temperature ceramics offers a unique route for the fabrication of novel 3D radiofrequency (RF) and microwave components, embedded electronics and sensors. This study demonstrates the fabrication, materials analysis, and RF characterization of a multi‐material bismuth molybdate—silver (Bi2Mo2O9—Ag) artificial dielectric fabricated by laser assisted direct ink writing. The proposed fabrication technique enables 3D printing of dissimilar materials while minimizing inter‐material diffusion through the liquid phases. The permittivity of the artificial dielectrics increased up to 99% over the investigated frequency range (8–12 GHz) compared to the fabricated pure ceramic sample.
Surface morphology and corrosion behavior of pure aluminum and its alloys in aqueous sulfuric acid medium
Authors: Alam Md. Ashraful , Jahan Aklima , Suzuki Eiichi , Yashiro Hitoshi
Published: August 2023

Aluminum and aluminum alloys are light materials with some of the preferences such as lightweight, high specific strength, good elasticity, and good workability that play an important role in today's modern and industrial world. The economic loss and environmental and safety problems are also the most concerning aspects of these materials. As a result, numerous studies are performed by the researchers to improve the overall environment throughout the materials world. That is why, in this study, the surface morphology and corrosion behavior of pure aluminum and its alloys, such as 7S10 and 7003H, were investigated in aqueous sulfuric acid medium through immersion process at different temperatures. Open‐circuit potential and potentiodynamic polarization techniques were used to evaluate the resistance to corrosion of pure aluminum and its alloys 7S10 and 7003H. The current density increased with increasing temperature in the case of the alloys, and pure aluminum showed the highest corrosion resistance properties. The surface roughness measurement was performed using atomic force microscope to find out the amount of roughness of the used materials before and after the immersion process. Surface roughness was higher on the alloys than in pure Al, which indicates that less corrosion was formed in pure Al than in the alloys. The surface morphology analysis was also carried out using scanning electron microscopic data. The results revealed that the alloy 7003H undergoes more corrosion than pure aluminum and 7S10 in sulfuric acid medium, which clearly indicates that pure aluminum has higher corrosion resistance than the alloys 7S10 and 7003H. The corrosion rate of the test materials decreased with increasing immersion time.
New technology for ship bilge and oily water separation
Authors: Malakhov Oleksiy Vladimirovitch , Palagin Oleksand Mukolaiyevitch , Naydyonov Andrii Igorevitch , Lykhoglyad Konstantin Andreevitch , Bondarenko Andrii Vladimirovitch
Published: August 2023

Bilge and oily water (BOW) during vessel's operation are the most large‐tonnage type of waste and for their treatment all ships, in accordance with international regulatory requirements, have to be equipped with special equipment—oily water separators. At sea vessel's operating conditions three main directions of BOW cleaning are now used: physical, chemical and biological. The analysis of BOW separation methods based on these three directions has shown that it is very difficult to obtain secondary petrochemical products. In the article authors offer a new method for BOW separation which is based on the use of a hydrodynamic process of supercavitation with artificial ventilation of the cavitational cavern. With local origin in the flow of a supercavitating cavern, there will always be saturated water vapor inside of it. The process of permanent water vapor selection from the cavern will ultimately contribute to the production of highly concentrated mixture of secondary petroleum products from initial mixture of BOW. During the study of BOW separation process it was found that decreasing of the working pressure inside the working chamber of the cavitation separator have to be always compensated by an increase in the temperature of the processed multiphase flow.
Structural Transformation of PEDOT on Si/PEDOT:PSS Hybrid Solar Cells by Doping Hydroquinone
Authors: Yuan Xibin , Zhang Guijun , Peng Hua , Wang Juan , Wei Qianwen , Wang Rongfei , Yang Yu
Published: August 2023

The PEDOT:PSS/Si hybrid solar cells (HSCs) have aroused wide concern due to their many unique advantages such as simple device structure and advantages of economic processing. Herein, the PEDOT:PSS/Si hybrid solar cells with extremely high open circuit voltage (Voc) are fabricated, novel hydroquinone (HQ) is blended as a dopant to improve the performance of HSCs. The results show that the structure of PEDOT changes from benzoid to quinoid, and than convert back into benzoid when PEDOT have more quinoid structure, the conductivity of PEDOT: PSS films is higher. The experimental results show that when doping the hydroquinone concentration is 2 wt%, the performance of the device is the best, power conversion efficiency is 13.12%, and Voc is 669.9 mV. In addition to improving the electrical properties of PEDOT:PSS films, HQ doping retains the work function of pure films and achieves a high Voc of HSC, which makes it different from the modified methods employed in previous reports.
Evaluating the effect of using nanofluids on the parabolic trough collector's performance
Authors: Moosavian Seyed Farhan , Hajinezhad Ahmad , Fattahi Reza , Shahee Arash
Published: August 2023

Solar collectors utilize solar energy, a sustainable and renewable source, to cater to both household and industrial needs. This paper investigated the usage of mono and binary nanoparticles in parabolic trough collectors. This paper used multiwalled carbon nanotube/Fe3O4 nanoparticles as the additives to the collector heat transfer fluid (in Syltherm 800 oil) and also evaluated the performance implications of energy systems in six scenarios. A MATLAB‐based computational model is provided to investigate the influence of employing binary nanoparticles on a solar collector's performance. The influence of nanoparticle modifications and volume percentages on energy, exergy, economic, and environmental aspects is studied. Finally, the impact of nanoparticles on each of the four mentioned areas is examined. At the same total energy rate, in the best case, adding 4% by volume of Fe3O4 (Case 2) to the base fluid increases the valuable energy rate absorbed from 7.32 kW in the base state to 7.50 kW (2.5%). The carbon dioxide produced in the system life cycle by using useful energy is called EnergoEnvironmental, and the carbon dioxide produced in the system life cycle by using useful exergy is called ExergoEnvironmental. At last, the calculation of the parameters EnergoEnviroEconomic and ExergoEnviroEconomic are done, the penalty policy is considered, and the calculations are generalized to solar collector power plants due to the carbon dioxide cost policies.
Electricity theft detection for energy optimization using deep learning models
Authors: Pamir  , Javaid Nadeem , Javed Muhammad Umar , Houran Mohamad Abou , Almasoud Abdullah M. , Imran Muhammad
Published: August 2023

The rapid increase in nontechnical loss (NTL) has become a principal concern for distribution system operators (DSOs) over the years. Electricity theft makes up a major part of NTL. It causes losses for the DSOs and also deteriorates the quality of electricity. The introduction of advanced metering infrastructure along with the upgradation of the traditional grids to the smart grids (SGs) has helped the electric utilities to collect the electricity consumption (EC) readings of consumers, which further empowers the machine learning (ML) algorithms to be exploited for efficient electricity theft detection (ETD). However, there are still some shortcomings, such as class imbalance, curse of dimensionality, and bypassing the automated tuning of hyperparameters in the existing ML‐based theft classification schemes that limit their performances. Therefore, it is essential to develop a novel approach to deal with these problems and efficiently detect electricity theft in SGs. Using the salp swarm algorithm (SSA), gate convolutional autoencoder (GCAE), and cost‐sensitive learning and long short‐term memory (CSLSTM), an effective ETD model named SSA–GCAE–CSLSTM is proposed in this work. Furthermore, a hybrid GCAE model is developed via the combination of gated recurrent unit and convolutional autoencoder. The proposed model comprises five submodules: (1) data preparation, (2) data balancing, (3) dimensionality reduction, (4) hyperparameters' optimization, and (5) electricity theft classification. The real‐time EC data provided by the state grid corporation of China are used for performance evaluations via extensive simulations. The proposed model is compared with two basic models, CSLSTM and GCAE–CSLSTM, along with seven benchmarks, support vector machine, decision tree, extra trees, random forest, adaptive boosting, extreme gradient boosting, and convolutional neural network. The results exhibit that SSA–GCAE–CSLSTM yields 99.45% precision, 95.93% F1 score, 92.25% accuracy, and 71.13% area under the receiver operating characteristic curve score, and surpasses the other models in terms of ETD.
Policy uncertainty and stock market volatility revisited: The predictive role of signal quality
Authors: Salisu Afees A. , Demirer Riza , Gupta Rangan
Published: August 2023

This paper provides novel insight into the growing literature on the policy uncertainty‐stock market volatility nexus by examining the out‐of‐sample predictive ability of the quality of political signals over stock market volatility at various forecast horizons. Specifically, we examine whether or not accounting for the signal quality in forecasting models within a mixed frequency framework can improve forecast performance and help achieve economic gains for investors. Both in‐ and out‐of‐sample tests, based on a GARCH‐MIDAS framework, show that the quality of the policy signal matters regarding the predictive role of policy uncertainty over subsequent stock market volatility. While high economic policy uncertainty (EPU) predicts high volatility, particularly when the signal quality is high, the positive relationship between EPU and volatility breaks down when the signal quality is low. The improved out‐of‐sample volatility forecasts obtained from the models that account for the quality of policy signals also help typical mean–variance investors achieve improved economic outcomes captured by higher certainty equivalent returns and Sharpe ratios. Although our results indicate clear distinctions between the US and UK stock markets in terms of how market participants process policy signals, they highlight the role of the quality of policy signals as a driver of volatility forecasts with significant economic implications.
MRAβ: A multimodal MRI‐derived amyloid‐β biomarker for Alzheimer's disease
Authors: Zhang Yu , Li Xi , Ji Yi , Ding Hao , Suo Xinjun , He Xiaoxi , Xie Yingying , Liang Meng , Zhang Shijie , Yu Chunshui , Qin Wen
Published: August 2023

Florbetapir 18F (AV45), a highly sensitive and specific positron emission tomographic (PET) molecular biomarker binding to the amyloid‐β of Alzheimer's disease (AD), is constrained by radiation and cost. We sought to combat it by combining multimodal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) images and a collaborative generative adversarial networks model (CollaGAN) to develop a multimodal MRI‐derived Amyloid‐β (MRAβ) biomarker. We collected multimodal MRI and PET AV45 data of 380 qualified participants from the ADNI dataset and 64 subjects from OASIS3 dataset. A five‐fold cross‐validation CollaGAN were applied to generate MRAβ. In the ADNI dataset, we found MRAβ could characterize the subject‐level AV45 spatial variations in both AD and mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Voxel‐wise two‐sample t‐tests demonstrated amyloid‐β depositions identified by MRAβ in AD and MCI were significantly higher than healthy controls (HCs) in widespread cortices (p < .05, corrected) and were much similar to those by AV45 (r > .92, p < .001). Moreover, a 3D ResNet classifier demonstrated that MRAβ was comparable to AV45 in discriminating AD from HC in both the ADNI and OASIS3 datasets, and in discriminate MCI from HC in ADNI. Finally, we found MRAβ could mimic cortical hyper‐AV45 in HCs who later converted to MCI (r = .79, p < .001) and was comparable to AV45 in discriminating them from stable HC (p > .05). In summary, our work illustrates that MRAβ synthesized by multimodal MRI could mimic the cerebral amyloid‐β depositions like AV45 and lends credence to the feasibility of advancing MRI toward molecular‐explainable biomarkers.
Numerical investigation of the shell configuration effect on the melting of various phase change materials in the presence of porous medium and non‐Newtonian fluid
Authors: Azarbarzin Touraj , Javaherdeh Kourosh
Published: August 2023

By considering the ability of phase change materials (PCMs) in the storage of energy, the melting of four types PCMs including RT22, RT26, RT35, and RT41 in a heat exchanger is examined in this research. The impact of various shell cross‐sectional configurations on the complete melting time of materials, temperature changes, and liquid fraction throughout the melting process are presented. It is assumed that the main heat transfer fluid in the tube is non‐Newtonian and the tube is filled with a porous medium. The enthalpy porosity manner is applied for simulating the process of phase change and the heat natural convection and conduction cases are discussed. On the basis of the obtained results, the decrease in complete melting time is about 20% compared with the absence of a porous medium in the circular cross‐section configuration. The shell configuration has a noticeable impact on the reduction of the required time for melting. In the square cross‐section configuration, RT22 has the lowest melting time, as well as RT41 has the longest melting time in the inverted triangular cross‐section configuration in which the maximum time difference for RT22 is about 77% less. So, the best cross‐section for the shortest complete melting time is square.