bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A low carrying angle is measured in elite tennis players just before ball impact during the forehand, suggesting a dynamic varus instant accommodation moving towards full extension
Authors: Arrigoni Paolo , Cucchi Davide , Beltrame Giulia , Ribolzi Romeo , Ceccarelli Claudio , Zaolino Carlo , Ellenbecker Todd , Randelli Pietro S.
Published: January 2024

Purpose

The goal of this study was to use image analysis recordings to measure the carrying angle of elite male tennis players during the forehand stroke, with the hypothesis that elite tennis players overstress their elbow in valgus over the physiological degree in the frontal plane just before ball contact on forehand groundstrokes.

Methods

The carrying angle of male tennis players ranked in the top 25 positions in the ATP ranking was measured on selected video frames with the elbow as close as possible to full extension just before the ball‐racket contact in forehands. These frames were extracted from 306 videos professionally recorded for training purposes by a high‐profile video analyst. All measures were conducted by three independent observers.

Results

Sixteen frames were finally included. The mean carrying angle was 11.5° ± 4.7°. The intraclass correlation coefficient value was 0.703, showing good reliability of the measurement technique. The measured carrying angle was lower than what has been observed in historical cohorts using comparable measurement methodology, suggesting a possible instant varus accommodation mechanism before hitting the ball.

Conclusions

The observed decrease in the carrying angle is a consequence of an increase in elbow flexion position dictated by the transition from a closed to open, semi‐open stances. As the elbow flexes during the preparation phase, it is less constrained by the olecranon and its fossa, increasing the strain on the medial collateral ligament and capsule structures. Moving towards full extension before the ball‐racket contact, the elbow is dynamically stabilised by a contraction of the flexor muscles. These observations could provide a new explanation for medial elbow injuries among elite tennis players and drive specific rehabilitation protocols.

Study Design

Descriptive epidemiology study.

Level of Evidence

Level IV.
Gait kinematics and knee stability 10‐years following posterior‐stabilised total knee arthroplasty comparable to healthy adults >55
Authors: Tawy Gwenllian F. , Biant Leela C. , McNicholas Michael J.
Published: January 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to compare the long‐term objective biomechanical and functional parameters of a high‐flexion total knee arthroplasty (TKA) design against healthy older adults to determine whether knee biomechanics are comparable in both populations.

Methods

One cohort of patients with a primary TKA, and a cohort of healthy adults over 55 years old with no musculoskeletal deficits or arthritis participated. Bilateral knee range of motion (RoM) was assessed with a goniometer, and gait patterns were analysed with a three‐dimensional‐motion capture system. An arthrometer quantified the anterior‐posterior laxity of each knee. Statistical analyses were performed in SPSS software (α = 0.05).

Results

Twenty‐three knees were replaced in 20 patients. At 9.8 ± 3.1 years postoperatively, patients' knees had a statistically significantly poorer RoM than healthy controls' knees (n = 23) due to limited flexion; p < 0.0001. Patients also failed to achieve the same degree of knee flexion as controls during downhill gait. No kinematic differences were observed during mid‐flexion in level nor downhill gait; a state that has been associated with instability (p = 0.614; not significant [n.s]). There were no differences between groups in knee laxity (n.s).

Conclusion

Patients in this study had similar gait patterns to healthy older adults during mid‐flexion and were no more likely than the healthy controls to exhibit anterior‐posterior translation of the knee > 7 mm; a known risk factor of instability. However, the knee flexion range was poorer. This likely led to bilateral pathological knee flexion patterns during downhill gait.

Level of Evidence: Level III.
Single‐ or two‐stage revision after failed ACL reconstruction: No differences in re‐revision rates and clinical outcomes
Authors: Nielsen Torsten Grønbech , Sørensen Ole Gade , Lind Martin
Published: January 2024

Purpose

The surgeons' choice of a single‐stage or a two‐stage procedure in revision anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLr) is based on the possibility of reuse of the tibia and femoral bone tunnels after primary ACLr. The purpose of this study was to compare failure rates and clinical outcomes following single‐stage and two‐stage ACL revisions in a cohort of patients from The Danish Knee Ligament Reconstruction Registry.

Methods

Patients identified from 2005 to 2022 with ACL revision and met the following criteria: minimum 2‐year follow‐up, isolated ACL revision and registered single‐ or two‐stage ACL revision. The primary outcome was ACL re‐revision rate. Secondary outcomes were arthrometer sagittal knee laxity (side‐to‐side difference) and pivot shift (rotational stability difference) evaluated at 1‐year follow up.

Results

One thousand five hundred seventy‐four ACL revisions were included in the study (1331 = single‐stage and 243 = two stage). Baseline characteristics showed no difference in relation to age, gender, knee laxity, pivot shift, meniscus injury, cartilage damage or injury mechanism between the two groups. Significant differences were found in relation to the type of graft. No statistical difference in 2‐years revision rates between single‐stage group 2.79 (95% CI 2.03−3.84) and two‐stage group 2.93 (95% CI 1.41−6.05) was found. No significant difference was seen in knee laxity and pivot shift between stage‐groups at 1‐year follow up. Both groups demonstrated significant improvements in knee stability from baseline to 1‐year follow‐up.

Conclusion

The present study found that ACL revision outcomes were similar in terms of rerevision rates and knee laxity for patients managed with a single‐ or a two‐stage surgical strategy.

Level of Evidence: Level III.
Economic impacts of land degradation: Evidence from Côte d'Ivoire
Authors: Angaman Kadio Valere , Mirzabaev Alisher , Niang Birahim Bouna
Published: January 2024

Land degradation poses major environmental and economic problems to Côte d'Ivoire because of the dependence of its economy on agriculture. There is a lot of literature measuring the effects of land degradation on crop productivity or qualitatively describing economic impacts on farmers' livelihoods. However, there is little knowledge available quantifying the economic losses in agriculture due to land degradation within a methodologically rigorous causal framework. Therefore, we evaluate the net farming income reduction caused by land degradation in the Trays ecosystem in Cote d'Ivoire using an instrumental variable two‐stage least square‐IV method and primary household surveys and soil sampling data collected from 780 farmers in this study area. The findings indicate that soil organic matter (SOM), education, property rights, and farm size squares positively influence the net farming income, while plot slope, erosion, and farm size reduce the net farmer incomes. Specifically, a reduction of 0.07 units on average of the net farming income is observed when the SOM decreases by 1 percentage point. These findings help us draw the attention of the farmers, government, and non‐governmental organizations to the necessity of adopting sustainable land management practices to deal with land degradation, and improve farmers' income and the population's welfare through maintaining fertile and healthy soils.
Flow field analysis and structure optimization of liquid sodium hybrid bearing
Authors: Song Fei , Yang Xuefeng , Zhang Zhiqiang , Dong Wenlong , Wu Min , Wang Zhiyuan , Zhu Yeqi
Published: January 2024

Liquid sodium hybrid bearing is mechanical pump shaft bottom key support components, that play a balanced radial force of the impeller by fluid effect, in order to improve the bearing performance, based on the calculation model, simulation analysis, structure improvement and other aspects of analysis, this paper based on the theory of fluid mechanics of bearing finite element model for numerical calculation and analysis of flow field. Under different eccentricities and vibration velocities, the influence of structure improvement on bearing capacity is analysed. The results show that the bearing capacity of the liquid sodium hybrid bearing is mainly the hydrostatic bearing capacity, and the hydrodynamic pressure only plays an auxiliary role. After the improvement of the load‐bearing structure, the load‐bearing capacity is increased by 4%–7.3%. And the leakage is reduced by 27%–38% when the depth of the annular groove is 0.6 mm.
Impact of patient position on cystometric parameters in pediatric patients with neurogenic bladder: A prospective study
Authors: Canmemiş Arzu , Aydöner Sinem , Kerem Özel Şeyhmus
Published: January 2024

Aims

Urodynamic studies (UDSs) play a crucial role in evaluating lower urinary tract function in pediatric patients with neurogenic bladder. However, the influence of patient position on urodynamic parameters in this population remains understudied. This study aims to investigate the effect of patient position on urodynamic results in children with neurogenic bladder.

Methods

A prospective study was conducted with 50 pediatric patients diagnosed with neurogenic bladder. Urodynamic recordings were obtained during a single session, with the first two fillings in the supine position and the third filling in the sitting position. Urodynamic parameters assessed included detrusor overactivity (DO), maximum detrusor pressure (MDP), cystometric bladder capacity (CBC), compliance (C), detrusor leak point pressure (DLPP), and bladder volume at the moment of incontinence (DLPV).

Results

Patient position did not significantly influence CBC, DO, C, and DLPV (p > 0.05). However, there were significant differences in MDP and DLPP between the supine and sitting positions (p < 0.05), with higher values observed in the supine position.

Conclusions

These findings highlight the importance of considering the patient's position when interpreting urodynamic results and making treatment decisions for children with neurogenic bladder. The higher MDP and DLPP values in the supine position may have clinical implications for assessing upper urinary tract integrity and treatment planning. However, further research is needed to understand the underlying mechanisms and generalize these findings to broader patient populations.
A feasible way to modify microcrystalline cellulose powder and its reinforcing effect for NBR composites
Authors: Yang Shuyan , Che Ronghui , Chen Jiaping , He Zhixiang , Lai Tongxing , Liang Yangfan , Bian Xiaofei
Published: January 2024

It has attracted tremendous attention for replacing petroleum‐based carbon black or mineral fillers with renewable, biology‐based and low‐cost cellulose. However, the reinforcing effect of cellulose, especially at the microscale, is still a great challenge in the polymer industry. In this work, a feasible surface modification method for microcrystalline cellulose powder (MCC) in all solid states is proposed by using rubber accelerators N‐cyclohexyl benzothiazole‐2‐sulphenamidee (CBS) and 2,2′‐dibenzothiazoledisulfide (DM). These accelerators not only accelerate the sulfur crosslink of nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR), but also graft to rubber molecular chains and form hydrogen bonds with MCC, resulting in good interfacial interaction and good dispersion of MCC in the NBR matrix. As a consequence, the tensile strength and elongation at break of NBR/10MCC reach up to 20.12 MPa and 511%, respectively, which are the highest values of NBR/MCC or cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) composites we can find in the world and are comparable to those of carbon black or mineral fillers. This provides a more effective and environmentally friendly way of using MCC or CNCs in the polymer industry.

Highlights

Microcrystalline cellulose powder can reinforce NBR.

Hydrogen bonds have been established between accelerators and MCC.

The tensile strength of NBR/10MCC composite reaches 20 MPa.

The reinforcing mechanism is ascribed to the immobilized rubber layer.
Preterm membranes are mechanically more resistant than term membranes
Authors: Vergote Simen , Robmann Serjosha , Van Der Merwe Johannes , Richter Jute , Deprest Jan , Mazza Edoardo
Published: January 2024

Objective

To compare the biomechanical properties of fetal preterm membranes (20 + 0 weeks to 30 + 0 weeks) to those of the term (37 + 0 to 41 + 0 weeks).

Method

Amnion and chorion were manually separated and samples were cut to the required geometry. Rectangular samples with (mode 1) and without (uniaxial) a notch, were tested for tearing energy, critical elongation, and tangent stiffness. Suture retention and inter‐suture distance testing investigated the effect of suture placement.

Results

From the 15 preterm and 10 term placentas studied, no notable differences were observed in uniaxial testing. Mode 1 fracture testing showed a difference in tearing energy between the preterm and term chorion (0.025 ± 0.005 vs. 0.017 ± 0.005 J/m−1; p = 0.027) but not in the amnion (0.030 ± 0.017 vs. 0.029 ± 0.009 J/m−1; p = 0.895). Both preterm amnion and chorion showed a higher critical elongation compared with term (1.229 ± 0.057 vs. 1.166 ± 0.046; p = 0.019 and 1.307 ± 0.049 vs. 1.218 ± 0.058; p = 0.012). Preterm amnion had a higher suture retention strength than its term counterpart (0.189 ± 0.065 vs. 0.121 ± 0.031 N; p = 0.023). In inter‐suture distance tests, no significant interaction was observed beyond 3 mm, but the preterm chorion showed less interaction at 1–2 mm distances.

Conclusion

Preterm membranes have equivalent or superior tensile properties to term membranes. The chorion appears to contribute to the mechanical integrity of fetal membranes, particularly in preterm stages.
Mikroskopieren ohne Mikroskop
Authors: Korn‐Müller Andreas
Published: January 2024

Mit einem handelsüblichen, leistungsstarken Laserpointer und einer Kunststoffspritze kann man Mikroorganismen und Zellen ohne ein Mikroskop als Schatten sichtbar machen. Dazu wird der Laserstrahl durch einen an der Spritze hängenden Wassertropfen geschickt, der Zellen oder Plankton enthält. Aufgrund der sphärischen Oberfläche des Tropfens kommt es zu einem Vergrößerungseffekt. Mit Hilfe dieser einfachen „Laser‐Tropfen‐Methode“ ist man in der Lage, in jedem verdunkelbaren Raum oder Klassenzimmer Mundschleimhautzellen, Blutzellen und Mikroorganismen, wie Grünalgen oder Ruderfußkrebse, abzubilden.
Mini‐Plasmaströme als Quelle des Sonnenwindes
Authors: Chitta Lakshmi Pradeep , Schühle Udo , Peter Hardi
Published: January 2024

Aufnahmen der Raumsonde Solar Orbiter der ESA und NASA bieten den bisher detailliertesten Blick auf eine Quellregion des Teilchenstroms von der Sonne. Das legt nahe, dass der Sonnenwind nicht als gleichmäßiger Teilchenstrom ausgestoßen wird.
Adaptive thresholds‐based leak detection using real‐time transient modeling of two‐phase flows
Authors: Vandrangi Seshu Kumar , Lemma Tamiru Alemu , Muhammad Mujtaba Syed
Published: January 2024

Pipelines are widely regarded as the most cost‐effective mode of transportation for oil and gas, particularly when it comes to covering long distances. Regrettably, pipelines are not impervious to accidents, which can result in colossal material damage and fatalities. As the demand for oil and gas rises, so does the need for pipelines. Therefore, issues in pipeline malfunctions cannot be overlooked. Leakage and blockage are the two main faults in pipelines that lead to pipeline incidents if not addressed timely. Detecting pipeline leaks is a major hurdle for industry, and various techniques have been developed to tackle this. This article focuses on the modeling of leakage detection in pipelines in two‐phase transient flows. Initially, OLGA, a multiphase software, is used for simulating the transient flows in a black oil case study. A leak was induced after 30 min of the simulation and leak cases were designed with varying parameters. Using the simulated data of mass flow rate, and pressure at the inlets and outlets, the model will be identified. The adaptive thresholds‐based model was able to predict the leaks accurately. The performance of the leak detection model was analyzed. The model was able to detect leaks of 2%–10% sizes successfully.
An adaptive dynamic programming method for observer‐based sliding mode control of connected vehicles subject to deception attacks
Authors: Xu Yangguang , Guo Ge , Yu Shuanghe
Published: January 2024

This article investigates the problem of optimal observer‐based sliding mode control (SMC) of connected vehicles subject to deception attacks and disturbances with adaptive dynamic programming (ADP) method. For a group of vehicles with unknown nonlinear dynamics term and disturbance, this article aims to give a control methodology to achieve secure tracking of the desired spacing, velocity and acceleration. A neural network (NN) and an observer are constructed to estimate the unknown nonlinear term and the states, respectively. Then, a SMC scheme incorporating NN approximation is developed and an off‐policy ADP method is used to implement the optimal control of sliding mode dynamics. The proposed method can ensure individual stability and string stability of the set of vehicles. Numerical simulations are conducted to demonstrate the validity of the proposed controller.
Saturated H∞ control of networked systems under stochastic transmission delays: The random sampling periods case
Authors: Chen Kai , Song Haiyu , Hu Zhipei , Deng Feiqi
Published: January 2024

In this paper, the saturated control problems of networked systems with random sampling periods and stochastic transmission delays are investigated. The main issue is to design an saturated controller such that the controlled close‐loop system is exponentially mean‐square stable with a desired performance. A matrix exponential which is different from some existing literature is used to reconstruct the discrete‐time stochastic system to an equivalent yet tractable augmented model without any additional conditional constraint. In virtue of reduced‐order confluent Vandermonde matrix approach and Kronecker product operation, the stability condition in terms of linear matrix inequality is derived and then the desired saturated controller is designed. It should be emphasized that the improved method can also be used for the stability analysis and controller design when the system matrix contains complex roots. Finally, two numerical examples and a three‐axis milling machine system are utilized to manifest the reliability and practicality of the designed strategy.
Tip position control of flexible single‐link manipulators in the frequency domain without model reduction
Authors: Mohsenipour Reza , Liu Guangjun
Published: January 2024

This article develops the fundamentals of the tip position control of flexible single‐link robotic manipulators in the frequency domain without approximating the model. Analytic transfer functions of the hub angle and tip position are derived without any model order reduction. Conditions for the stability of the transfer functions are presented by considering the payload mass change as an uncertain parameter. Using the D‐decomposition method, a simple procedure is introduced to design an output feedback controller which guarantees the stability and a desired tracking performance. The introduced design method leads to less conservatism comparing with design methods established upon model reduction. The controller structure includes two proportional‐derivative and integral loops and needs only two measurements of joint angle and tip position which are easily implementable. A numerical example is provided to demonstrate the merit of the achieved results.
An interplay of the consumption values and green behavior in developed markets: A sustainable development viewpoint
Authors: Chwialkowska Agnieszka , Bhatti Waheed Akbar , Bujac Andreea , Abid Sidra
Published: January 2024

Green products result from innovations aimed at designing products that cause less environmental harm, but they often come at a higher cost or are perceived as less effective. Therefore, there is a need to highlight the consumption values that trigger green product purchases. In our study, we conceptualize the consumer values, including social, conditional, and knowledge value, and investigate their effect on the green product purchase behavior among consumers in two developed countries. Our main contribution is that aside from looking at the direct impact of consumption values on purchasing behavior, we examine the mediating role of contextual factors that may strengthen or weaken this relationship. We consider the mediators such as environmental and health concerns, functional value, and social pressures. We compare how the mechanism underlying the interaction between consumption and green choices differs in masculine (USA) and feminine (Finland) countries. Our findings underscore the importance of integrating social and knowledge values into marketing strategies to foster green product adoption. Businesses should leverage advertising themes that resonate with customers' desire for social belonging and self‐improvement.
Powering a sustainable future: Does economic structure influence the ecological footprint?
Authors: Sahoo Malayaranjan , Kaushik Shreyasee , Gupta Mohini , Islam Muhummad Khairul , Nayak Priyanka
Published: January 2024

To achieve sustainable development goal (SDG) 7 the world needs a lot of catching up. India has been at the forefront of renewable and clean energy missions and its ecological footprint of 0.8 global hectares fares quite well vis‐à‐vis the world average. This study, spanning from 1990 to 2021, investigates the impact of structural changes, technological innovation, and renewable energy adoption on India's ecological footprint, utilizing a novel dynamic Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) simulation for both short and long‐term analysis. We find that agriculture exerts a significant increase in the ecological footprint, both in the long run and the short run. Similarly, industry value added has a positive and statistically related to the ecological footprint. However, the result of the service sector indicates negative influence on ecological footprint in the long run, but a positive and significant relation with ecological footprint in the short run. Technological innovation has shown a favorable effect on the environment by reducing ecological footprint. Renewable energy consumption has also enhanced environmental quality by reducing ecological footprint in both short run and long run. To reach SDG 7 goals and lower India's ecological footprint, policy implications include promoting renewable energy, sustainable practices in agriculture and industry, and encouraging technological innovation.
Preventing Agglomeration and Enhancing the Energetic Performance of Fine Ammonium Perchlorate through Surface Modification with Hydrophobic Reduced Graphene Oxide
Authors: Akbi Hamdane , Mekki Ahmed , Rafai Souleymen , Boulkadid Moulai Karim , Touidjine Sabri , Belgacemi Raouf , Chabane Houssem , Bekkar Djeloul Sayeh Zakaria
Published: January 2024

The combustion rate of energetic composite propellants (ECPs) is adversely affected by the agglomeration of fine ammonium perchlorate (AP), which is the most commonly used oxidizer. To address this issue, this study explores the use of hydrophobic reduced graphene oxide (R‐GO) for surface modification of fine AP particles. An intermittent spray coating technique was used to coat the fine AP particles with graphene oxide (GO) dispersion. Hydrophilic GO was transformed into hydrophobic R‐GO by gentle thermal annealing. Fine AP was then scrutinized for changes in hygroscopicity and thermal decomposition behavior before and after coating with R‐GO. The findings demonstrate that surface modification significantly reduces the hygroscopicity of fine AP, reducing the moisture adsorption rate from 0.28 % to 0.11 % after a 10‐day exposure to ambient humidity. Moreover, this surface modification markedly enhances its energetic performance, doubling the energy release from 717.5 to 1413.5 J ⋅ g−1 when incorporating a 0.3 % mass of R‐GO coating. This study suggests that surface modification of fine AP with R‐GO is a promising strategy for addressing its agglomeration issue and improving its performance in ECPs.
Rhodamine B Amide Derivatives with Anticancer Activity and Fluorescence Properties for Potential Theranostic Applications
Authors: Battula Himabindu , Reddy Bollareddy Srivarsha , Vamsi Krishna Venuganti Venkata , Jayanty Subbalakshmi
Published: January 2024

Rhodamine B (RHB) based derivatives are especially known for their dye characteristics. Nevertheless, very limited of such revealed promising in‐vivo and in‐vitro therapeutic potency; besides demonstrating great interest due to their excellent photophysical and structural proficiency. Therefore, novel RHB derivatives with significant biological activity are requisite. Hence, current work presents the contemporary design aspect, synthesis, characterization, and anticancer activity of five new RHB amides attained by reacting RHB specifically with simple small amines being side chains of existing anticancer drugs. Therefore, this strategy resulted in a dual effect i. e. fluorescence property and considerable anticancer activity among achieved RHB amides. Obtained fluorophores exhibited emission wavelength at ∼560 nm, a fluorescence quantum yield Φf=10 to 40 % in aqueous solutions, and showed operational stability in pH 4–10, conditions. Further, a study for in‐vitro cell‐based experiments was carried out, wherein AGS (Human gastric cancer) and B16F10 (Murine melanoma) cells were used to screen the compounds. Hydroxy phenyl piperazine substituted RHB amide showed greater growth inhibition than other compounds with an IC50 value of 1.18 μM and 9.07 μM in AGS and B16F10 cells. Fluorescence imaging was performed for the compounds in AGS cells with DAPI as the counterstain using confocal laser microscopy.
Plasma‐treated Ni‐Al‐O Catalysts with Variable Physicochemical Properties for the Oxidative Dehydrogenation of Ethane
Authors: Li Dong , Xie Zean , Zhao Jin , Bi Jingying , Chen Yanjun , Kong Lian , Zhao Zhen
Published: January 2024

Ni‐M‐O catalysts have demonstrated superior performance in the oxidative dehydrogenation of ethane (ODHE), but precise control over the content of active oxygen species is necessary to achieve optimal C2H4 selectivity. In this work, highly efficient Ni‐Al‐O catalysts were prepared by a plasma‐assisted strategy, and their catalytic properties were evaluated for ODHE reaction. Characterization results revealed that the working atmospheres (O2, H2 and Ar) can not only change the crystallite size of NiO, but also modulate the reduction properties of Ni‐Al‐O catalysts and the distribution of active oxygen species. Consequently, Ar and O2 plasma pretreatment increased the ODHE performance by increasing active surface oxygen, while H2 plasma‐treated catalyst showed a decrease in the catalytic performance compared to the original Ni‐Al‐O catalyst. Among them, O2‐Ni‐Al‐O exhibited 50.8 % ethane conversion and 70.3 % ethylene selectivity at 500 °C. It was accepted that the change in the ratio of defective oxygen to lattice oxygen (OV/OL) was the internal reason to illustrate its excellent performance. For series Ni‐Al‐O catalysts, C2H6 conversion increased linearly while C2H4 selectivity decreased with an increase in OV/OL value.
Lab‐on‐Paper Approach in lieu of Microfluidic Paper Assisted Platform: ‘ASSURED’ sensing through Modified Graphene Quantum Dots
Authors: Agrawal Neha , Baghel Doli , Prasad Dipti N. , Kohli Ekta
Published: January 2024

Microfluidic based sensors are one of the emerging alternatives for bringing solutions studies on paper platforms. Microfluidic paper assisted platform was developed over here through a simple, easy, cost effective and instrument free process. The self‐same method of waxing through crayoning, was estimated thoroughly on different paper platforms. Varied parameter including type of crayoning, way of patterning, color effect, wicking rate and channel optimization was performed on paper milieus. Optimized time of baking for obtaining controlled penetration ranges from 2 min to 8 min depending on the type of paper used. Wax crayoning was preferred over oil pasteling for making hydrophobic barriers uniformly, solid as well fully penetrated within paper inner layers. Fabrication through this easy cost‐effective route allows a formation of hydrophilic reaction or sensing zone of 0.25 cm2 with sufficient reactive area. Further sensing of dopamine on paper platform was carried using paper chip adsorbed with fluorescent modified graphene quantum dots as sensing material. The patterned paper showed advantage as only few microliter (5 μl to 10 μl) range of sample volume was required for testing. Fluorescence quenching with increase of concentration was witnessed where around 25–75 μM dopamine concentration was positively tested through naked eye; which for the first time was demonstrated here via robust wax crayoning method for developing paper based biosensor.
Use of Mechanochemical Methodology to Explore the Formation of a New Crystalline Phase in the Curcumin‐Quercetin System
Authors: D'Vries Richard F. , Pastrana‐Dávila Andrea , Pantoja Kriss Dayana , Ellena Javier , Santiago Pedro H. O. , Gomez Germán E. , Fernández‐Baldo Martín A.
Published: January 2024

This study addressed the formation of co‐crystals from Quercetin and Curcumin by mechanochemical treatment employing ball mill grinding. The binary system was initially studied using molecular complementarity and hydrogen bond propensity analysis structural tools available in Mercury software. This study was performed from CCDC reported structural data for Curcumin and Quercetin dihydrate used as starting reagents. Reaction conditions, such as Quercetin: Curcumin molar ratio, grinding time, and solvent‐assisted variables, were optimised to synthesise a new solid phase from the binary system. The synthesised product was characterised by differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and powder X‐ray diffraction techniques. Finally, to compare the anti‐oxidant capacities from the pure components, eutectic mixtures previously reported and the new crystalline phase was evaluated in vitro using the 1,1‐diphenyl‐2‐pycril‐hydrazylhydrate radical inhibition method. The co‐crystal phase and eutectic mixtures present higher anti‐oxidant activity with values around 5.0 mg/L compared to pure Quercetin (3,444 mg/L) and Curcumin (9,141 mg/L), using only half of the molecules. These results indicate Quercetin molecule is synergically active with the Curcumin molecule in the binary mixtures.
Discriminative detection of glucose and urea with a composite polymer nanofiber based matrix
Authors: Apetrei Roxana‐Mihaela , Guven Nese , Camurlu Pinar
Published: January 2024

Detection and quantification of glucose and urea are fundamental in medical analysis, real‐time monitoring, and point of care analysis. However, such analyses generally require sophisticated instrumentation and specialized personnel. Furthermore, discriminative detection of multiple analytes is often necessary for treatment and diagnosis. To address this challenge, this study describes a proof‐of‐concept for discriminative sensitive amperometric detection of both analytes. This was achieved by the fabrication of a polymer‐MWCNTs composite nanofiber matrix upon which glucose oxidase (GOD) and urease were co‐immobilized to allow detection of the corresponding substrates (glucose and urea). The (PAN(−MWCNTs)/Urease‐GOD) biosensor showed good performance in: (i) glucose biosensing with sensitivity of 31±5 μAmM−2cm−2 within an extended linear range (0.1–5.0 mM) and a limit of detection of 3.7 μM, and (ii) urea detection at very low concentration (4–30 and 30–90 μM) with sensitivity up to 350±19 μAmM−2cm−2 and very low LOD (0.1 μM). The analogous mono‐enzyme platform for urea detection (PAN(−MWCNTs)/Urease) showed very similar performance as the bi‐enzyme sensor, suggesting little to no influence of co‐immobilization on Urease activity, thus confirming that the two catalytic processes are independent of each other. The biosensors exhibited high accuracy in the detection of both analytes (at normal and pathological levels) in human serum, thus proving that the biosensor described herein can have practical applications in healthcare and remote patient monitoring.
Key Materials in Solder Mask Ink for Printed Circuit Board
Authors: Zhou Haihua , Song Yanlin
Published: January 2024

Solder mask ink (SMI) layer can avoid the short circuit between electronic component and land for the fabrication of printed circuit board (PCB). More importantly, the layer not only protects the board from the corrosion of moisture, mildew, or salt spray but also reduces the contamination of weld, and increases the degree of insulation by forming stable three‐dimensional net structure. Therefore, the SMI plays a decisive role for the service life of PCB. This review mainly summarizes three types of SMI including epoxy resin ink, acrylic acid resin ink, and phenolic resin ink for PCB. The focus is the effect of the changes of key materials, such as the design of the binder resin, the selection of the curable agent, and the variation of the colorant and initiator on the performances of epoxy resin SMI layer. Then other types of ink such as acrylic acid resin ink and phenolic resin ink have been discussed, especially about how the change of the binder resin influences the SMI film properties. At last, the development trend of the SMI is proposed. The review has significant meaning for the development and improvement of the SMI and the investigation is important for the application and exploitability of the high‐quality PCBs.
Semiconductor Enhanced rGO/Ag0/ZnO Ternary Hybrid Revealing Charge Transfer Enhancement in SERS Detection of Raman Reporter Molecules
Authors: Chundekatt Ummer Fadeela , Kalarikkal Nandakumar
Published: January 2024

In this work, we have investigated the role of the chemical enhancement mechanism in SERS detection on a ternary hybrid substrate fabricated by incorporating ZnO nanostructures into an in situ synthesized reduced graphene oxide/silver composite. The sensing performance of the ternary substrate at various ZnO concentrations is investigated using Raman reporter molecules (RRM) such as Rhodamine 6G and 4‐Mercaptobenzoic acid. The SERS signals show enhancement by adding varied amounts of ZnO, revealing a new way of SERS enhancement by incorporating semiconductor nanostructures rather than conventional hotspot engineering. To probe chemical enhancement, we kept the electromagnetic contribution constant by keeping the same concentration of Ag in all the substrates investigated in this study. The obtained enhanced SERS signals of the probe molecules reveal the contribution from the chemical enhancement mechanism with the addition of ZnO. This vital observation reveals a new gateway in the field of SERS detection for developing a semiconductor‐enhanced, economical, and sustainable SERS substrate.
Improved All‐solid‐state Z‐scheme Photocatalytic System Based on TiO2/Ag−Pd/CdZnS
Authors: Taylor Isimjan Tayirjan , Al‐Hazmi Mohammed H. , Maity Partha , Llorca Jordi , Ahmed Toseef
Published: January 2024

We present an innovative Z‐scheme photocatalytic system, TiO2/Ag−Pd/Cd0.8Zn0.2S, exhibiting remarkable stability in aqueous solutions containing benzyl alcohol/acetic acid. Its performance rivals that of the benchmark Z‐scheme catalyst, ZnO/Pt/Cd0.8Zn0.2S. Thorough characterizations were performed using XRD, XPS, TEM, and UV‐Vis techniques, examining both the entire Z‐scheme system and its individual components, namely Ag−Pd/TiO2 and Cd0.8Zn0.2S. The standout performer, TiO2/Ag−Pd/Cd0.8Zn0.2S, demonstrated an apparent quantum yield (AQE) of 7 % within the 350–650 nm range. In contrast, AQEs for Ag−Pd/TiO2 and Cd0.8Zn0.2S were 0.6 % and 2.1 %, respectively, under identical conditions. Furthermore, we propose a charge transfer mechanism supported by femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy (FTAS). This investigation not only introduces a stable Z‐scheme system with superior photocatalytic hydrogen production capabilities but also advances the FTAS technique for mechanistic exploration. In essence, our research paves the way for more efficient metal oxide/metal/Cd(Zn)S hybrid systems in the realm of photocatalysis.
Investigation of Drug Release Behavior of Cyclomatrix Polyphosphazene Microparticles Decorated with Gold and Silver Nanoparticles
Authors: Dilek Esra , Ozay Hava
Published: January 2024

In this study, p(CTP‐co‐MMCA) microparticles, a novel cyclomatrix polyphosphazene, were synthesized. Among the p(CTP‐co‐MMCA) polymeric structures, p(CTP‐co‐MMCA) (1 : 3) with a high surface amine group was found to be in the form of microparticles after detailed structural and morphological characterization. These microparticles were modified with Au0 and Ag0 nanoparticles using two different green reductants. The antimicrobial activities of p(CTP‐co‐MMCA) microparticles and their Au0 and Ag0 composites against P.Aeruginosa ATCC 27853, S.Aureus ATCC 6538 and C.Albicans were investigated. Metal composites were found to have better antimicrobial activity. Cyclomatrix p(CTP‐co‐MMCA) microparticles with antimicrobial properties and their Au0 and Ag0 composites were also used for the release of Ceftriaxone sodium and RNA. Cyclomatrix p(CTP‐co‐MMCA) microparticles and its Au0 and Ag0 composites retained 48.21±5.34 mg/g, 49.36±6.95 mg/g and 23.95±6.45 mg/g ceftriaxone sodium, respectively, while they retained 79.15±6.85 mg/g, 47.49±6.24 mg/g and 57.47±9.48 mg/g RNA, respectively. Release studies revealed that the presence of Au0 and Ag0 nanoparticles imparted a slower release behavior to p(CTP‐co‐MMCA) microparticles. The release studies revealed that the presence of Au0 and Ag0 nanoparticles imparted a slower release behavior to the p(CTP‐co‐MMCA) microparticles.
Efficient Pd‐catalysed Synthesis of 3‐Amino‐4‐indolylmaleimides and 3‐Amido‐4‐indolylmaleimides
Authors: Das Samarpita , Verma Kamal K. , Indurthi Harish K. , Saha Pallavi , Sharma Deepak K.
Published: January 2024

The Buchwald–Hartwig cross‐coupling reaction of 3‐bromo‐4‐indolylmaleimide with various anilines, aminopyridines and amides is described. A wide variety of 3‐amino‐4‐indolylmaleimides and 3‐amido‐4‐indolylmaleimides was prepared in good to excellent yields. We envisage that our protocol to access 3‐(amino/amido)‐4‐indolylmaleimides will find use towards constituting new potentially biologically active compounds.
Visualization of the Gas Spatial Distribution of the Odor Source by SERS Gas Sensor
Authors: Chen Lin , Guo Hao , Matsuo Takuya , Sassa Fumihiro , Hayashi Kenshi
Published: January 2024

Surface‐Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) technique is used to fabricate the gas sensor, which is developed for the visualization of the spatial distribution of gas evaporating from odor source. The 3 × 3 SERS sensor array is put on the odor source and then scanned by the home‐made detection system to obtain the Raman spectra of the odor. The intensities of the characteristic peaks from the collected spectra are used to draw a heatmap graph. After the heatmap graph is processed by the noise reduction, the localization of the odor source can be clearly identified through the resulting graph. © 2024 Institute of Electrical Engineer of Japan and Wiley Periodicals LLC.
Characteristics of Aged Silicone Rubber Insulators Used in Outdoor for 20 Years
Authors: Khaing May Thin , Yoshimura Kosei , Miyake Takuma , Sakoda Tatsuya , Kanenari Uki , Nishihiro Yusuke
Published: January 2024

To collect aged silicone rubber (SiR) insulators with different numbers of years in use, which is for developing a degradation diagnostic system of SiR, is difficult. Therefore, it is desired to make degraded SiR surface which has similar characteristics to the degraded surface in outdoor. To realize the fabrication, we characterized the surfaces of aged SiR specimens cut out from a 22 kV line post insulator used in the coastal area for 20 years. The results showed that to introduce fine particles into the surface is necessary for making degraded surface having the minute surface roughness. Additionally, it was found that to activate the dispersion of LMW with foreign matters is also necessary. © 2024 Institute of Electrical Engineer of Japan and Wiley Periodicals LLC.
Unit 6 Overview: The Practice of Neuroaesthetics
Authors: Borowicz Richardson Anja , Papuc Oana Teodora
Published: January 2024

This chapter explores the practice of neuroaesthetics research, highlighting its collaborative nature and its applications in both artistic and academic settings. It proposes problem-based learning (PBL) as a suitable technique for neuroaesthetics research, emphasising its value in transforming researchers' perspectives and interactions. The benefits and challenges of using PBL are examined in the context of collaborative artistic projects, as well as in the classroom and Humanities research. The chapter also addresses emerging issues concerning copyrights, ethics, and permissions in PBL collaborations.

Overall, the authors provide general considerations on PBL usage that will appeal to both specialists and non-specialists in the field. They present the technique of problem-based learning as essentially suited for neuroaesthetics research and point out the value of PBL principles in terms of lifestyles and social habits.
Deep Mining Authorship
Authors: Manninger Sandra , del Campo Matias
Published: January 2024

Considering the emerging field of architecture and artificial intelligence, it might be necessary to contemplate the remodeling of the concept of authorship entirely. The invention of authorship is a complex historical process that can be traced back to the emergence of print culture in Europe in the 15th century. Prior to this period, most literary and artistic works were created anonymously or attributed to collective or anonymous sources, such as folklore or religious traditions. However, with the rise of printing, texts became more easily reproducible and marketable, and there emerged a need for individual authors to take credit for their works. The notion of authorship was closely tied to the idea of originality and ownership, as authors sought to assert their exclusive rights to their works and to distinguish themselves from other writers. This was supported by the development of copyright law, which granted legal protection to authors and their works, and helped to establish a market for literary and artistic works. The idea of the author as a singular, autonomous figure gained further prominence in the 18th and 19th centuries, with the emergence of romanticism and the cult of the individual. This period saw the rise of the idea of the artist as a genius, whose works were the product of their own unique creativity and imagination. This idea was further reinforced by the rise of literary criticism, which focused on the interpretation and analysis of individual works and their authors. However, as Michel Foucault and other scholars have argued, the notion of authorship is not a universal or timeless concept, but rather a historically contingent and culturally specific one. Different societies ad cultures have different understandings of authorship, and these have shifted over time in response to changes in technology, culture, and social values. As it stands now, authorship in its traditional form can hardly be applied in a context where automated collaborations provide more than 50% of the generated material. This is true for multiple art fields. Visual Arts (Mario Klingemann, Sofia Crespo, Memo Atken, Ooouch, etc.), Music (Dadabots, YACHT, Holly Herndon), Literature, etc. Very soon this will also be true for Architecture. The consequence is also an entire rethinking of the concept of the sole genius. This notion, developed by German Romanticists in the early 19th century, is, in the current context of AI-assisted creativity, completely obsolete, as we are drawing from the genius of hundreds of thousands of artists and artworks in order to interrogate the latent space for unseen artistic opportunities. More akin to an archeological dig leading to the discovery of a next-generation jet fighter plane.
Efficiently evaluating loop integrals in the EFTofLSS using QFT integrals with massive propagators
Authors: Anastasiou Charalampos , Bragança Diogo P. L. , Senatore Leonardo , Zheng Henry
Published: January 2024

Abstract

We develop a new way to analytically calculate loop integrals in the Effective Field Theory of Large Scale-Structure. Previous available methods show severe limitations beyond the one-loop power spectrum due to analytical challenges and computational and memory costs. Our new method is based on fitting the linear power spectrum with cosmology-independent functions that resemble integer powers of quantum field theory massive propagators with complex masses. A remarkably small number of them is sufficient to reach enough accuracy. Similarly to former approaches, the cosmology dependence is encoded in the coordinate vector of the expansion of the linear power spectrum in our basis. We first produce cosmology-independent tensors where each entry is the loop integral evaluated on a given combination of basis vectors. For each cosmology, the evaluation of a loop integral amounts to contracting this tensor with the coordinate vector of the linear power spectrum. The 3-dimensional loop integrals for our basis functions can be evaluated using techniques familiar to particle physics, such as recursion relations and Feynman parametrization. We apply our formalism to evaluate the one-loop bispectrum of galaxies in redshift space. The final analytical expressions are quite simple and can be evaluated with little computational and memory cost. We show that the same expressions resolve the integration of all one-loop N-point function in the EFTofLSS. This method, which is originally presented here, has already been applied in the first one-loop bispectrum analysis of the BOSS data to constraint ΛCDM parameters and primordial non-Gaussianities [1, 2].
Dispersive analysis of B → K(*) and Bs → ϕ form factors
Authors: Gubernari Nico , Reboud Méril , van Dyk Danny , Virto Javier
Published: January 2024

Abstract

We propose a stronger formulation of the dispersive (or unitarity) bounds à la Boyd-Grinstein-Lebed (BGL), which are commonly applied in analyses of the hadronic form factors for B decays. In our approach, the existing bounds are split into several new bounds, thereby disentangling form factors that are jointly bounded in the common approach. This leads to stronger constraints for these objects, to a significant simplification of our numerical analysis, and to the removal of spurious correlations among the form factors. We apply these novel bounds to

$$ \overline{B}\to {\overline{K}}^{\left(\ast \right)} $$

B
¯

→

K
¯

∗

and

$$ {\overline{B}}_s\to \phi $$

B
¯

s

→
ϕ

form factors by fitting them to purely theoretical constraints. Using a suitable parametrization, we take into account the form factors’ below-threshold branch cuts arising from on-shell

$$ {\overline{B}}_s{\pi}^0 $$

B
¯

s

π
0

and

$$ {\overline{B}}_s{\pi}^0{\pi}^0 $$

B
¯

s

π
0

π
0

states, which so-far have been ignored in the literature. In this way, we eliminate a source of hard-to-quantify systematic uncertainties. We provide machine readable files to obtain the full set of the

$$ \overline{B}\to {\overline{K}}^{\left(\ast \right)} $$

B
¯

→

K
¯

∗

and

$$ {\overline{B}}_s\to \phi $$

B
¯

s

→
ϕ

form factors in and beyond the entire semileptonic phase space.
Characters of prime power degree in principal blocks
Authors: Martínez J. Miquel
Published: January 2024

We describe finite groups whose principal block contains only characters of prime power degree.