bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Single‐Source Precursor Synthesis of a Compositionally Complex Early Transitional Metal Carbonitride (Ti,Zr,Hf,Nb,Ta)NxC1−x
Authors: Teppala Dharma Teja , Bernauer Jan , Rashid Aasir , Pejic Milan , Zagorac Dejan , Matovic Branko , Ionescu Emanuel
Published: May 2024

Compositionally complex transitional metal nitrides are possible candidates for ultra‐high temperature usage and are known for their superior properties due to the high configuration entropy. It is often difficult to synthesize pure metal nitrides in bulk, due to significant oxygen contamination; hence, they are synthesized mainly as thin films through magnetron sputtering, chemical vapor deposition or surface nitridation of high entropy alloys. The present article reports on a single‐phase compositionally complex ceramic, i.e., (Ti0.2Zr0.2Hf0.2Nb0.2Ta0.2)NxC1−x, that is synthesized for the first time by employing an organometallic precursor route and using a double ammonolysis process. A multidisciplinary approach is performed to study these compositionally complex nitride and carbonitride systems, including experimental and theoretical investigations.
Flexible Low‐Voltage MXene Floating‐Gate Synaptic Transistor for Neuromorphic Computing and Cognitive Learning
Authors: Zhu Jiahao , Wang Zifan , Liu Dexing , Liu Qi , Wang Wanting , Wang Xinwei , Zhang Min
Published: May 2024

Neuromorphic computing, inspired by the functionality of biological neural networks, has emerged as a promising paradigm for artificial intelligence applications, especially in the field of flexible electronics. Among the various artificial synaptic devices, floating‐gate synaptic transistors exhibit long‐term synaptic plasticity, but they face the challenge of achieving flexible compatibility. In this work, the first demonstration of a flexible MXene floating‐gate synaptic transistor is reported, which uses multiple layers of MXene as floating gates and MXene nanosheets as charge state modulators. The device shows excellent mechanical flexibility and can operate at low voltages, which improves its suitability for wearable electronic devices. It can also emulate Pavlovian conditioned reflexes under external stress, suggesting its potential for cognitive learning. Moreover, the device is utilized for handwritten digit recognition by simulating a fully connected neural network, achieving a high recognition accuracy of 92.0%. This demonstrates its practical applicability in neuromorphic computing. Besides, this research achieves the patterning of MXene and its application in flexible floating‐gate transistors. It provides a new solution for the integrated fabrication of flexible artificial synaptic devices.
Enhancing Infected Diabetic Wound Healing through Multifunctional Nanocomposite‐Loaded Microneedle Patch: Inducing Multiple Regenerative Sites
Authors: Yu Daojiang , Chen Lei , Yan Tao , Zhang Yuanyuan , Sun Xiaodong , Lv Guozhong , Zhang Shuyu , Xu Yong , Li Changlong
Published: May 2024

Infected diabetic wound (DW) presents a prolonged and challenging healing process within the field of regenerative medicine. The effectiveness of conventional drug therapies is hindered by their limited ability to reach deep tissues and promote adequate wound healing rates. Therefore, there is an imperative to develop drug delivery systems that can penetrate deep tissues while exhibiting multifunctional properties to expedite wound healing. In this study, w e devised a soluble microneedle (MN) patch made of γ‐PGA, featuring multiple arrays, which w as loaded with core‐shell structured nanoparticles (NPs) known as Ag@MSN@CeO2, to enhance the healing of infected DWs. The NP comprises a cerium dioxide (CeO2) core with anti‐inflammatory and antioxidant properties, a mesoporous silica NP (MSN) shell with angiogenic characteristics, and an outermost layer doped with Ag to combat bacterial infections. W e demonstrated that the MN platform loaded with Ag@MSN@CeO2 successfully penetrated deep tissues for effective drug delivery. These MN tips induced the formation of multiple regenerative sites at various points, leading to antibacterial, reactive oxygen species‐lowering, macrophage ecological niche‐regulating, vascular regeneration‐promoting, and collagen deposition‐promoting effects, thus significantly expediting the healing process of infected DWs. Considering these findings, the multifunctional MN@Ag@MSN@CeO2 patch exhibits substantial potential for clinical applications in the treatment of infected DW.
Polymer Bioelectronics: A Solution for Both Stimulating and Recording Electrodes
Authors: Cuttaz Estelle A. , Bailey Zachary K. , Chapman Christopher A. R. , Goding Josef A. , Green Rylie A.
Published: May 2024

The advent of closed‐loop bionics has created a demand for electrode materials that are ideal for both stimulating and recording applications. The growing complexity and diminishing size of implantable devices for neural interfaces have moved beyond what can be achieved with conventional metallic electrode materials. Polymeric electrode materials are a recent development based on polymer composites of organic conductors such as conductive polymers. These materials present exciting new opportunities in the design and fabrication of next‐generation electrode arrays which can overcome the electrochemical and mechanical limitations of conventional electrode materials. This review will examine the recent developments in polymeric electrode materials, their application as stimulating and recording electrodes in bionic devices, and their impact on the development of soft, conformal, and high‐density neural interfaces.
Enabling Visible‐Light‐Charged Near‐Infrared Persistent Luminescence in Organics by Intermolecular Charge Transfer
Authors: Lin Cunjian , Wu Zishuang , Ueda Jumpei , Yang Rujun , You Shihai , Lv Anqi , Deng Wenting , Du Qiping , Li Renfu , An Zhongfu , Xue Jie , Zhuang Yixi , Xie Rong‐Jun
Published: May 2024

Visible light is a universal and user‐friendly excitation source; however, its use to generate persistent luminescence (PersL) in materials remains a huge challenge. Herein, the concept of intermolecular charge transfer (xCT) is applied in typical host–guest molecular systems, which allows for a much lower energy requirement for charge separation, thus enabling efficient charging of near‐infrared (NIR) PersL in organics by visible light (425–700 nm). Importantly, NIR PersL in organics occurs via the trapping of electrons from charge‐transfer aggregates (CTAs) into constructed trap states with trap depths of 0.63–1.17 eV, followed by the detrapping of these electrons by thermal stimulation, resulting in a unique light‐storage effect and long‐lasting emission up to 4.6 h at room temperature. The xCT absorption range is modulated by changing the electron‐donating ability of a series of acenaphtho[1,2‐b]pyrazine‐8,9‐dicarbonitrile‐based CTAs, and the organic PersL is tuned from 681 to 722 nm. This study on xCT interaction‐induced NIR PersL in organic materials provides a major step forward in understanding the underlying luminescence mechanism of organic semiconductors and these findings are expected to promote their applications in optoelectronics, energy storage, and medical diagnosis.
Suzuki‐Miyaura Reaction of Glycals with Base‐Labile Protecting Groups as a New Route to Glycoporphyrins
Authors: Godlewski Bartosz , Malinowski Maciej
Published: May 2024

Glycoporphyrins are considered promising photosensitisers of new generation. Herein, we describe a metal‐catalysed synthetic method towards porphyrin‐carbohydrate C−C conjugates. The protocol of Suzuki‐Miyaura reaction has been developed and it was compatible with peracetylated 2‐iodoglycals. The utility of the reaction was exemplified on 15 different (C‐2)‐arylated sugar derivatives. Then it was applied on more challenging starting materials, namely, porphyrin boronates in which we addressed the issues of difficult transmetalation step usually observed on palladium‐catalysed processes of porphyrin derivatives. The efficiency of the protocol was finally applied to synthesize the library of glycoporphyrins proving the versatile character of this strategy. Finally, the methodology was transferred onto A4‐type porphyrin to efficiently obtain an interesting example of a multivalent glycoconjugate.
Recent Advances on the Synthesis and Application of Tetrahydro‐β‐Carbolines
Authors: Du Youlong , Semghouli Anas , Mei Haibo , Kiss Loránd , Han Jianlin
Published: May 2024

Tetrahydro‐β‐carbolines (THβCs) also known as tryptolines serve as important structural elements in natural products and pharmaceutical compounds, and they are also utilized in drug discovery. They display diverse bioactivities, including anticancer, antifungal, antiparasitic, anti‐ischemic, anti‐inflammatory, and other activities. Besides their pharmacological and biological significance, these structural motifs are also extensively used in the production of other bioactive compounds. This review is intended to summarize recent advancements in the chemistry of this compound class, including the synthesis and the applications as organic synthetic intermediates and bioactive molecules.
Single‐Administration Self‐Boosting Microneedle Patch for the Treatment of Obesity
Authors: Singh Parbeen , Vinikoor Tra , Sharma Nidhi , Nelson Nicole , Prasadh Somasundaram , Oiknine Ralph , Nguyen Thanh Duc
Published: May 2024

Glucagon‐like peptide‐1 receptor agonists (GLP‐1 RAs) are one of the most effective treatments for obesity. The current therapy associated with repeated subcutaneous injections to maintain the drug therapeutic effect causes patient compliance issues and raises environmental concerns (due to sharp biohazard waste from disposed syringes/needles). Herein, a programmable scheduled release microneedles (PSR‐MNs) system is reported for delivering Semaglutide (a GLP‐1 RA agent with a half‐life of ≈7 days) to manage and treat obesity. A single skin administration of a PSR‐MNs patch (2 cm × 2 cm) that contains 4 programmable core‐shell microneedle (MNs) patches (1 cm2 each, so‐called pixels) enables the repeated release of Semaglutide every 7 days and sustains the drug efficacy for an unprecedented one‐month period, simulating the effect of using four bolus injections spaced 7 days apart. This PSR‐MNs system provides an advanced injection‐free platform to significantly enhance the current treatment of obesity with GLP‐1RAs, addressing concerns related to pain, needle phobia, high cost, and the need of medical facilities/personnel in traditional injections to administer the drug.
Recent Development of Phosphate Based Polyanion Cathode Materials for Sodium‐Ion Batteries
Authors: Ahsan Zishan , Cai Zhenfei , Wang Shuai , Moin Muhammad , Wang Haichuan , Liu Dongming , Ma Yangzhou , Song Guangsheng , Wen Cuie
Published: May 2024

Sodium‐ion batteries (SIBs) are regarded as next‐generation secondary batteries and complement to lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs) for large‐scale electrochemical energy storage applications due to the abundant availability, even distribution, and cost‐effectiveness of raw sodium resources. The phosphate‐based polyanions stand out of various cathode material owing to their high operation voltage, stable structure, superior safety, and excellent sodium‐storage properties. The undesirable electric conductivities and specific capacities limit their large‐scale industrialization. Herein, a recent research development of phosphate‐based polyanion cathodes including orthophosphate, oxyphosphate, pyrophosphate, and mixed phosphates is thoroughly reviewed. Subsequently, the effect of modification strategies including element doping, surface coating, morphology control, and electrode design toward high‐performance cathode materials for SIBs are systematically explored. Finally, the future research directions of phosphate‐based polyanion cathodes based on electrochemical performance including reversible capacity, voltage, energy density, rate capacity, cycling stability, and commercial applications are comprehensively concluded. It is believed that current review will present instructive perspectives into developing practicable phosphate‐based polyanion cathode materials for SIBs.
Chili crop innovation: Exploring enclosed growing designs for varied varieties—A review
Authors: Ahmad Farhan , Kusumiyati Kusumiyati , Soleh Mochamad Arief , Khan Muhammad Rabnawaz , Sundari Ristina Siti
Published: May 2024

This systematic review addresses the difficulties of cultivating under variable environmental conditions and explores the growing importance of chili peppers (Capsicum annum L.) in worldwide agriculture. It emphasizes the use of enclosed growing systems as a workable way to increase crop yields of chilies. The needs of various chilies in these systems highlighting the significance of sustainability and resource efficiency for the best possible yield, quality, and financial sustainability. Shading is a crucial tactic to mitigate the adverse effects of sunlight and high temperatures, supporting healthier plants and regular fruit development. The study also looks into greenhouse cultivation to shelter plants from the weather and achieve higher yields, better development rates, and better‐quality fruit. This thorough analysis fills a research gap, offers helpful recommendations for maximizing production, and is an invaluable tool for practitioners and scholars studying enclosed chili agriculture.
Deconstructing the sex gap in child undernutrition in India: Are Indian boys at elevated risk of anthropometric failure than the girls?
Authors: Ghosh Pritam
Published: May 2024

Backgrounds & Objectives

The privileging of boys in immunization coverage, breastfeeding, and other child care practices in Indian patriarchal society raises questions about whether there are sex differences in the prevalence of undernutrition among children. This study evaluates the sex gap in the prevalence of Composite Index of Anthropometric Failure (CIAF) among Indian children from 2015–16 to 2019–21. Additionally, it seeks to identify the sex‐specific determinants and persistent sex gap at national and subnational levels (social, economic, religious, and geopolitical regions) in anthropometric failure among the children from 2015–16 to 2019–21.

Materials and Methods

The study utilizes the 4th (2015–16) and 5th (2019–21) rounds of the National Family Health Survey data. Logistic regression models and the Fairlie decomposition technique were employed to explore the persistent and significant sex gap in the prevalence of CIAF, as well as the sex‐specific determinants of CIAF among children in 2015–16 and 2019–21.

Results

The study reveals a significant sex gap (approximately 4%‐points), with boy's disadvantage in the prevalence of CIAF from 2015–16 to 2019–21 at both the national and subnational levels (social, religious, socioeconomic groups, and geopolitical regions). The gap is more pronounced in the first year of life and decreases in later stages. A comparatively faster CIAF decline among girls from 2016 to 2021 has widened the sex gap in final year than the previous. Child, mother, household, community, and geographic backgrounds explains about 5%–6% of the sex gap in the prevalence of CIAF from 2015–16 to 2019–21. The remaining 94%–95% of the unexplained sex gap may be attributed to biological factors or other factors. Currently, a heightened boy's disadvantage in CIAF risk is observed in ST community, wealthiest families, and the northern India.

Conclusion

The findings suggest a special attention for boys under 3 years to offset biological disadvantages like greater disease sensitivity and fragility compared to girls early on.
Synthesis and characterization of mixed matrix membranes with graphene oxide‐impregnated zeolitic imidazolate framework‐8 for enhanced CO2/CH4 separation
Authors: Gawali Ajay V. , Jampa Surendra Sasikumar , Sinha Manish Kumar
Published: May 2024

For the in situ growth method, the reaction time is important because increasing the reaction time may make it possible for the crystallized ZIF‐8 to fully cover the GO sheets; the excess of ZIF‐8 particles reduces the aspect ratio of the GO sheet. The reaction time will significantly change the morphology, affecting the composite's ability to absorb selective gas and, in turn, affect the gas selectivity. The present work identifies the reaction time for in situ growth of ZIF‐8 nanoparticles on GO sheets. The composite was synthesized at different reaction times of 2, 4, 6, and 8 h and incorporated into the PSF matrix. The fabricated membranes were characterized by FTIR, TGA, SEM, and XRD. The novel synthesized reaction time (6 h) was identified for better enhancement of CO2/CH4 separation. For pure gas studies, the results investigated that the CO2 permeability and CO2/CH4 selectivity were increased by 223% and 98%, respectively, compared with plain PSF membrane. In mixed gas (CO2/CH4) studies, the CO2 permeability and CO2CH4 selectivity were increased by 349% and 854%, respectively, compared with plain PSF membrane. Hence, the in situ growth method helps synthesize MOF@GO composites in the application of gas separation.
Polyurethane nanofibers incorporated magnesium hydroxide followed by hydrothermal treatment using chitosan and silver nanoparticles to improve the biological properties
Authors: Rather Anjum Hamid , Khan Rumysa Saleem , Rafiq Muheeb , Tripathi Ravi Mani , Sheikh Faheem A.
Published: May 2024

The study aimed to explore the potential of magnesium hydroxide (Mg[OH]₂) nanoparticles (NPs) incorporated into polyurethane (PU) fibers, which were further coated with chitosan and silver (Ag) NPs. The hydrothermal approach was adopted to add the properties of chitosan and Ag NPs to the as‐spun fibers. These samples were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscope (FE‐SEM), EDS, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and contact angle measurements. The diameter of concocted fibers was found to be 0.79 ± 0.31 μm to 2.5 ± 0.9 μm. The presence of Mg(OH)2 decreased the fiber diameter from 2.05 ± 1.2 μm to 0.79 ± 0.31 μm; however, after hydrothermal coating, the diameter increased from 0.79 ± 0.31 μm to 2.5 ± 0.9 μm. The contact angle on pristine PU showed 105.53 ± 0.8°, that is, hydrophobicity, which was diminished to 9.3 ± 0.8° by the reorientation of PU with Mg(OH)2, chitosan and Ag NPs, that is, indicative of hydrophilic character. Biomineralization was evaluated by incubating in simulated body fluid, and the EDS and FE‐SEM indicated that composite fibers could induce apatite formation. Cell viability was measured using MTT assay, and cell adhesion/proliferation was confirmed by DAPI staining and FE‐SEM. The composite scaffolds promoted 3T3‐L1 to grow confluently.
Integrated plant conservation through the Global Conservation Consortia
Authors: Linsky Jean , Byrne Amy , Handley Vanessa , Coffey Emily E. D. , Alvarez‐Clare Silvia , Crowley Dan , Meyer Abby
Published: May 2024

The 2020 State of the World's Plants and Fungi report revealed that two in five plant species are threatened with extinction. Despite their diverse ecosystem services and myriad human uses, plants receive a fraction of the conservation resources directed at animal taxa. Several existing frameworks—including International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Specialist Groups, the American Public Gardens Association Plant Collections Network, and the Center for Plant Conservation National Collection of Endangered Plants—have spurred conservation action, but there remains an urgent need to scale up conservation efforts for the world's plants. Here, a new approach to coordinated conservation action for plant taxa is described: the Global Conservation Consortia (GCC). GCC catalyze institutions and experts to collaboratively develop and implement comprehensive strategies to prevent extinction of threatened plant groups. This review focuses on three tree‐focused, U.S.‐led consortia: cycads, magnolias, and oaks, but the GCC framework is applicable to other taxonomic groups. This review covers consortia design and implementation, provides conservation action case studies, and shares preliminary successes and challenges as this new and exciting approach to conservation is developed.
Population structure and genetic connectivity of the big blue octopus Octopus cyanea in the Ryukyu Archipelago, Japan
Authors: Kise Hiroki , Saito Naoki , Gibu Kodai , Asato Masaki , Kita Tomohiro , Matsuzaki Kenta , Iguchi Akira
Published: May 2024

Octopuses are an important fishery resource in the Ryukyu Archipelago, Japan, and Octopus cyanea is an important fishery resource in this region. Although a gradual downward trend in catches of O. cyanea in the Ryukyu Archipelago has been reported, no study has focused on the connectivity and genetic structure, which are important parameters for conservation strategies. We used partial sequences of mitochondrial COI and MIG‐seq, which can efficiently obtain single nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs) to evaluate genetic diversity and patterns of gene flow among three populations of O. cyanea in the Ryukyu Archipelago. We combined population genetic analyses with biophysical approaches to understand larval dispersal patterns and the regional connectivity. Although there was a tendency for the Yaeyama population to become isolated from the Okinawa‐jima populations, high genetic diversity was maintained overall, indicating frequent genetic exchange between populations. Population genetic analyses combined with larval dispersal simulations revealed that the contemporary migration of O. cyanea is asymmetric patterns among the three populations, suggesting that western coast of Okinawa‐jima Island functions as a source population among the three populations we examined. The potential implications of this study on the conservation management of O. cyanea were discussed, namely that future population assessment approaches are needed to include western coast of Okinawa‐jima populations. In addition, this study indicates that at least two different management units should be considered. This study is the first population genetic study of O. cyanea in the Ryukyu Archipelago and provides fundamental information on the genetic population structure of this species in this region.
Vegetation discrimination based on chlorophyll prediction in Marshy wetland using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
Authors: Mohanty Smrutisikha , Pandey Prem C. , Singh Prachi , Dugesar Vikas , Srivastava Prashant K.
Published: May 2024

Wetlands are an integral part of our global ecosystems and play crucial roles in ecological functions such as carbon sequestration, flood mitigation, water purification, and recreational activities. The Ramsar Convention is the most significant wetland protection pact and is doing tremendous work in conserving wetlands worldwide. However, the wetlands area is still under threat due to anthropogenic activity.

The current study utilized drone images, chlorophyll measurements and machine leaning to discriminate and map vegetation at marsh wetland area—the Ramsar site. The high‐resolution, multispectral imagery is acquired using a drone‐mounted MICAsense sensor.

Eight spectral indices such as Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI), Two‐Band Algorithm (2BDA), Normalized Difference Chlorophyll Index (NDCI), Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) Enhanced Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (ENDVI), Green Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (GNDVI), and Normalised Difference RedEdge (NDRE) were calculated on the acquired imagery in order to discriminate the different vegetation covers such as floating aquatic vegetation (FAV), open water, and other vegetations types. These include the following: Eichhornia, Nymphea, Oleracea, Paspalam, and Oryza from agriculture land at the study site.

Two models (viz., the Taylor plot and the Lek Profile methods) were employed to assess the sensitivity of the spectral indices for prediction of chlorophyll and vegetation discrimination. It is inferred from both methods that NDCI was most sensitive for chlorophyll prediction of vegetation followed by NGRDI/ ENDVI/ 2BDA and NDVI for chlorophyll prediction in wetland ecosystems. Further, three machine learning algorithms, support vector machine (SVM), random forest (RF), and gradient tree boost (GTB), were utilized for classification, and the performance accuracy of GTB was found to be the highest (0.893), followed by RF (0.851) and SVM (0.723). The GTB algorithm was applied over NDCI for vegetation discrimination.

The study revealed that Eichhronia sp. is abundantly present at the study site; hence, strategic management plans should be carried out for the eradication of invasive species and proper management of wetland vegetation.
Decadal‐scale regional variability in monitoring efforts significantly influences fish diversity trends in the Euphrates and Tigris catchments, Türkiye
Authors: Bayçelebi Esra , Kaya Cüneyt , Kurtul Irmak , Turan Davut , Haubrock Phillip Joschka , Soto Ismael , Aksu Sadi , Tarkan Ali Serhan
Published: May 2024

This study investigates the temporal and spatial distribution of species richness in the Turkish portions of the Euphrates and Tigris catchments in Mesopotamia, aiming to identify areas lacking sufficient research and inform future conservation and management efforts.

Data from 153 fish assemblages in the Euphrates catchment and 100 in the Tigris catchment, spanning from 1941 to 2022, were analysed using a combination of analytical occurrence, spatial and space‐for‐time mixed effect models.

Results indicate an increase in reported species over time, attributed to heightened sampling efforts, and reveal significant differences in spatial species richness distribution influenced by uneven sampling and environmental suitability.

Identification of areas with insufficient research, potential undetected species and biodiversity losses highlights the need for improved assessments to prevent unnoticed biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation.

Our results emphasize the importance of accurate biodiversity assessments for effective conservation and management interventions in these catchments.
Estimating the potential distribution range of the invasive South American suckermouth armoured catfishes Pterygoplichthys spp. in the Indo‐Burma biodiversity hotspot using MaxEnt
Authors: Marr S.M. , Patoka J. , Zworykin D.D.
Published: May 2024

The Indo‐Burma biodiversity hotspot has one of the world's most species‐rich inland waters. However, its freshwater biodiversity faces habitat loss and species extinction due to large‐scale development of water resources, pollution, exploitation of native biota, and introduced non‐native species.

These threats include the South American suckermouth armoured catfishes, Pterygoplichthys spp., that have invaded parts of this biodiversity hotspot. Pterygoplichthys spp. are among the most impactful introduced fishes globally and pose a ‘very high risk’ of becoming invasive once introduced.

This paper aims to compile a distribution database for Pterygoplichthys spp., map their current global distribution, and estimate their potential distribution extent in the Indo‐Burma biodiversity hotspot using MaxEnt.

In the Indo‐Burma region, Pterygoplichthys spp. have already been reported from China, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam, with populations also present in neighbouring India, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia. No populations were verified for Cambodia and Laos.

A maximum entropy model was developed based on the current global distribution of Pterygoplichthys spp. The species distribution model showed that the entire biodiversity hotspot, except the spine of the Arkan Mountains and the Hengduan Mountains from Three Gorges to the Hong River Valley, is suitable for Pterygoplichthys spp. An effective temperature of 15°C was identified as the lower limit of Pterygoplichthys spp. habitat suitability.

Pterygoplichthys spp. were identified as a high‐risk taxon for freshwaters of almost the entire Indo‐Burma biodiversity hotspot. A coordinated management plan for Pterygoplichthys spp. is required to safeguard the freshwater biota of the Indo‐Burma freshwater ecosystems.
Evaluating gender effect in the generic bioequivalence studies by physiologically based pharmacokinetic modeling – A case study of dextromethorphan modified release tablets
Authors: Gundeti Manoj , Murthy Aditya , Jamdade Shubham , Ahmed Tausif
Published: May 2024

The United States Food and Drug Administration guidelines for the bioequivalence (BE) testing of the generic drug products suggests that there should be an equal proportion of male and female population in the BE study. Despite this requirement, many generic drug companies do not maintain the suggested proportion of female population in their studies. Several socio‐economic and cultural factors lead to lower participation of the females in the BE studies. More recently, the regulatory agencies across the globe are requesting the generic drug companies to demonstrate the performance of their drug products in the under‐represented sex via additional studies. In this work, we describe the case of Dextromethorphan modified release tablets where the gender effect on the product performance was evaluated by physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) modeling approach. We have compared the drug product's performance by population simulations considering four different scenarios. The data from all‐male population (from in house Pharmacokinetic [PK] BE studies) was considered as a reference and other scenarios were compared against the all‐male population data. In the first scenario, we made a comparison between all‐male (100% male) vs all‐female (100% female) population. Second scenario was as per agency’s requirements—equal proportion of male and female in the BE study. As an extreme scenario, 100% male vs 30:70 male:female was considered (higher females than males in the BE studies). Finally, as a more realistic scenario, 100% male versus 70:30 male:female was considered (lower females than males in the BE studies). Population PK followed by virtual BE was employed to demonstrate the similarity/differences in the drug product performance between the sexes. This approach can be potentially utilized to seek BE study waivers thus saving cost and accelerating the entry of the generic products to the market.
Expanding the clinical phenotype and genetic spectrum of GEMIN5 disorders: Early‐infantile developmental and epileptic encephalopathies
Authors: Zhang Jing , Liu Xinting , Zhu Gang , Wan Lin , Liang Yan , Li Nannan , Huang Mingwei , Yang Guang
Published: May 2024

Background

Several biallelic truncating and missense variants of the gem nuclear organelle–associated protein 5 (GEMIN5) gene have been reported to cause neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by cerebellar atrophy, intellectual disability, and motor dysfunction. However, the association between biallelic GEMIN5 variants and early‐infantile developmental and epileptic encephalopathies (EIDEEs) has not been reported.

Purpose

This study aimed to expand the phenotypic spectrum of GEMIN5 and explore the correlations between epilepsy and molecular sub‐regional locations.

Methods

We performed whole‐exome sequencing in two patients with EIDEE with unexplained etiologies. The damaging effects of variants were predicted using multiple in silico tools and modeling. All reported patients with GEMIN5 pathogenic variants and detailed neurological phenotypes were analyzed to evaluate the genotype–phenotype relationship.

Results

Novel biallelic GEMIN5 variants were identified in two unrelated female patients with EIDEE, including a frameshift variant (Hg19, chr5:154284147‐154284148delCT: NM_015465: c.2551_c.2552delCT: p.(Leu851fs*30)), a nonsense mutation (Hg19, chr5:154299603‐154299603delTinsAGA: NM_015465: c.1523delTinsAGA: p.(Leu508*)), and two missense variants (Hg19, chr5:154282663T > A: NM_015465: c.2705T > A: p.(Leu902Gln) and Hg19, chr5:154281002C > G: NM_015465: c.2911C > G: p.(Gln971Glu)), which were inherited from asymptomatic parents and predicted to be damaging or probably damaging using in silico tools. Except p.Leu508*, all these mutations are located in tetratricopeptide repeat (TPR) domain. Our two female patients presented with seizures less than 1 month after birth, followed by clusters of spasms. Brain magnetic resonance imaging suggests dysgenesis of the corpus callosum and cerebellar hypoplasia. Video electroencephalogram showed suppression‐bursts. Through a literature review, we found 5 published papers reporting 48 patients with biallelic variants in GEMIN5. Eight of 48 patients have epilepsy, and 5 patients started before 1 year old, which reminds us of the relevance between GEMIN5 variants and EIDEE. Further analysis of the 49 GEMIN5 variants in those 50 patients demonstrated that variants in TPR‐like domain or RBS domain were more likely to be associated with epilepsy.

Conclusions

We found novel biallelic variants of GEMIN5 in two individuals with EIDEE and expanded the clinical phenotypes of GEMIN5 variants. It is suggested that the GEMIN5 gene should be added to the EIDEE gene panel to aid in the clinical diagnosis of EIDEE and to help determine patient prognosis.
LIZGAIRO: Improving learning experience through Scrum in telecommunications engineering curriculum
Authors: López‐Bravo Cristina , López‐Escobar Juan José , Fondo‐Ferreiro Pablo , Rodríguez Pérez Miguel , Gil‐Castiñeira Felipe
Published: May 2024

This article presents the LIZGAIRO project, which aims to promote students’ understanding of fundamental engineering concepts and their ability to apply them to solve real‐world problems through project‐based learning. The project was run over a 3‐year period, with students from the telecommunication degree at the Universidade de Vigo. The Scrum framework, an agile project management framework, was used to promote effective teamwork, active participation and ownership among students. The article describes the effectiveness of the project and its impact on students' learning success, delivered project quality and overall skills acquisition. After implementing LIZGAIRO, both teachers and students reported a positive impact on student learning, with high levels of essential skill acquisition and project quality. Although learning the framework fundamentals takes time for both teachers and students, the adaptability of Scrum and the use of continuous assessment were found to be beneficial.
Anti‐HBV Activities of Cembranoids from the South China Sea Soft Coral Sinularia pedunculata and Their Structure Activity Relationship
Authors: Huang Chao , Jin Yang , Sun Ruo‐Nan , Hu Kong‐Ying , Yao Li‐Gong , Guo Yue‐Wei , Yuan Zheng‐Hong , Li Xu‐Wen
Published: May 2024

Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) infection is a global public health challenge that seriously endangers human health. Soft coral, as a major source of terpenoids, contains many structurally novel and highly bioactive compounds. Sixteen cembranoids (1‐16), including a new one named sinupedunol B (16), were isolated from the South China Sea Soft coral Sinularia pedunculata. The structure of the sinupedunol B (16) was determined through a combination of spectroscopic analysis and X‐ray single‐crystal diffraction. In this study, cembranoids isolated from Sinularia pedunculata were found of anti‐HBV activity for the first time. Among them, flexilarin D (6) showed significant anti‐HBV activity with an IC50 value of 5.57 μM without cytotoxicity. We then analyzed the structure‐activity relationship (SAR). Furthermore, it is demonstrated that flexilarin D (6) can accelerate the formation of capsid, inhibit HBeAg, HBV core particle DNA, HBV total RNA and pregenomic RNA in a dose dependent manner. We also confirmed the anti‐HBV activity of 6 in HepG2‐NTCP infection system. Finally, we demonstrated the anti‐HBV mechanism of these compounds by inhibiting the ENI/Xp enhancer/promoter.
Kinetic Characterization and Identification of Key Active Site Residues of the L‐Aspartate N‐Hydroxylase, CreE
Authors: Johnson Sydney B. , Valentino Hannah , Sobrado Pablo
Published: May 2024

CreE is a flavin‐dependent monooxygenase (FMO) that catalyzes three sequential nitrogen oxidation reactions of L‐aspartate to produce nitrosuccinate, contributing to the biosynthesis of the antimicrobial and antiproliferative nautral product, cremeomycin. This compound contains a highly reactive diazo functional group for which the reaction of CreE is essential to its formation. Nitro and diazo functional groups can serve as potent electrophiles, important in some challenging nucleophilic addition reactions. Formation of these reactive groups positions CreE as a promising candidate for biomedical and synthetic applications. Here, we present the catalytic mechanism of CreE and the identification of active site residues critical to binding L‐aspartate, aiding in future enzyme engineering efforts. Steady‐state analysis demonstrated that CreE is very specific for NADPH over NADH and performs a highly coupled reaction with L‐aspartate. Analysis of the rapid‐reaction kinetics showed that flavin reduction is very fast, along with the formation of the oxygenating species, the C4a−hydroperoxyflavin. The slowest step observed was the dehydration of the flavin. Structural analysis and site‐directed mutagenesis implicated T65, R291, and R440 in the binding L‐aspartate. The data presented describes the catalytic mechanism and the active site architecture of this unique FMO.
Cyclodextrin‐Induced Suppression of PEG Crystallization from the Melt in a PEG‐Peptide Conjugate
Authors: Hamley Ian W. , Castelletto Valeria , Hermida‐Merino Daniel , Rosenthal Martin
Published: May 2024

The influence of alpha‐cyclodextrin (αCD) on PEG crystallization is examined for a peptide‐PEG conjugate, YYKLVFF‐PEG3k comprising an amyloid peptide YYKLVFF linked to PEG with molar mass 3 kg mol−1. Remarkably, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and simultaneous synchrotron small‐angle/wide‐angle X‐ray scattering (SAXS/WAXS) show that crystallization of PEG is suppressed by αCD, provided that the cyclodextrin content is sufficient. A hexagonal mesophase is formed instead. The αCD threading reduces the conformational flexibility of PEG, and hence suppresses crystallization. These results show that addition of cyclodextrins can be used to tune the crystallization of peptide‐polymer conjugates and potentially other polymer/biomolecular hybrids.
7‐amino carboxycoumarin 2 inhibits lactate induced epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition via MPC1 in oral and breast cancer cells
Authors: Umar Sheikh Mohammad , Dev Arundhathi J. R. , Kashyap Akanksha , Rathee Meetu , Chauhan Shyam S. , Sharma Atul , Prasad Chandra Prakash
Published: May 2024

Lactate is an oncometabolite that play important role in tumor aggressiveness. Lactate from the tumor microenvironment (TME) is taken up by cancer cells as an energy resource via mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (or OXPHOS). In the present study, by using an online meta‐analysis tool we demonstrated that in oral squamous cancer cells (OSCCs) glycolytic and OXPHOS governing genes are overexpressed, like in breast cancer. For experimental demonstration, we treated the OSCC cell line (SCC4) and breast cancer cells (MDA‐MB‐231) with sodium L‐lactate and analyzed its effects on changes in EMT and migration. For the therapeutic intervention of lactate metabolism, we used AZD3965 (an MCT1 inhibitor), and 7ACC2 (an MPC inhibitor). Like breast cancer, oral cancer tissues showed increased transcripts of 12 genes that were previously shown to be associated with glycolysis and OXPHOS. We experimentally demonstrated that L‐lactate treatment induced mesenchymal markers and migration of cancer cells, which was significantly neutralized by MPC inhibitor that is, 7ACC2. Such an effect on EMT status was not observed with AZD3965. Furthermore, we showed that lactate treatment increases the MPC1 expression in both cancer cells, and this might be the reason why cancer cells in the high lactate environment are more sensitive to 7ACC2. Overall, our present findings demonstrate that extracellular lactate positively regulates the MPC1 protein expression in cancer cells, thereby putting forward the notion of using 7ACC2 as a potential therapeutic alternative to inhibit malignant oxidative cancers. Future preclinical studies are warranted to validate the present findings.
Porous Organic Polymers (POPs) Based on Acridone as Heterogeneous Photocatalysts for Oxidative Dimerization and Cyclocondensation Reactions
Authors: Tamuly Parag , Sahoo Ajay Kumar , Yadav Navin , Moorthy Jarugu Narasimha
Published: May 2024

Porous organic polymers (POPs) are emergent tailor‐made materials, which can be accessed by covalent polymerization of diligently designed molecular building blocks in a bottom‐up fashion. Acridone, a well‐known chromophore that undergoes intersystem crossing (ISC) with near‐unity quantum yield akin to benzophenone, was structurally elaborated into a building block and subjected to Friedel‐Crafts polyalkylation to afford a series of POPs, namely, Ac‐MePOP, Ac‐OMePOP, and Ac‐CBPOP. These POPs exhibit remarkable porosity and significant absorption in the visible region. Of the three polymers, Ac‐CBPOP with the highest BET surface area of ca. 1027 m2/g is shown to serve as an excellent heterogeneous photocatalyst for visible light‐mediated oxidative transformations, that is, oxidative coupling of benzylamines to imines and cyclocondensation of o‐phenylenediamines with aldehydes to benzimidazoles under oxygen atmosphere. It is further shown that Ac‐CBPOP can be reused for several reaction cycles without any loss of catalytic activity with its stability intact. Mechanistic studies show that 1O2 serves as the key reactive oxygen species, formed by the energy transfer from Ac‐CBPOP to 3O2, in the photocatalytic oxidation reactions. The results demonstrate the development of stable photocatalytic POP materials with tailor‐made properties by a bottom‐up covalent polymerization of programmed molecular building blocks.
U(V) Stabilization via Aliovalent Incorporation of Ln(III) into Oxo‐salt Framework
Authors: Yu Yi , Hao Yucheng , Xiao Bin , Langer Eike , Novikov Sergei A. , Ramanantoanina Harry , Pidchenko Ivan , Schild Dieter , Albrecht‐Schoenzart Thomas E. , Eichel Rüdiger‐A. , Vitova Tonya , Alekseev Evgeny V.
Published: May 2024

Pentavalent uranium compounds are key components of uranium‘s redox chemistry and play important roles in environmental transport. Despite this, well‐characterized U(V) compounds are scarce primarily because of their instability with respect to disproportionation to U(IV) and U(VI). In this work, we provide an alternate route to incorporation of U(V) into a crystalline lattice where different oxidation states of uranium can be stabilized through the incorporation of secondary cations with different sizes and charges. We show that iriginite‐based crystalline layers allow for systematically replacing U(VI) with U(V) through aliovalent substitution of 2+ alkaline‐earth or 3+ rare‐earth cations as dopant ions under high‐temperature conditions, specifically Ca(UVIO2)W4O14 and Ln(UVO2)W4O14 (Ln=Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Yb). Evidence for the existence of U(V) and U(VI) is supported by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction, high energy resolution X‐ray absorption near edge structure, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and optical absorption spectroscopy. In contrast with other reported U(V) materials, the U(V) single crystals obtained using this route are relatively large (several centimeters) and easily reproducible, and thus provide a substantial improvement in the facile synthesis and stabilization of U(V).
Fault diagnosis for blast furnace ironmaking process based on randomized local fisher discriminant analysis
Authors: Zhou Jiawei , Wu Ping , Ye Hejun , Song Yunpeng , Wu Xianbao , He Yuchen , Pan Haipeng
Published: May 2024

Fault diagnosis plays a vital role in ensuring the operation safety of blast furnaces and improving the quality of molten iron in the ironmaking and steelmaking industry. The blast furnace ironmaking process (BFIP) is intrinsically nonlinear. To address the nonlinearity issue of BFIP, a novel fault diagnosis approach that combines the randomized method, local structure information, and Fisher discriminant analysis is proposed in this paper. Using a randomized feature map, the process data is first mapped onto a randomized explicit low‐dimensional feature space. Compared to kernel methods, explicit low‐dimensional random Fourier features considerably reduce the computational cost, particularly for real‐time fault diagnosis for a large training dataset or a large‐scale process. Additionally, the local structure information contained in the randomized low‐dimensional feature space is extracted. The fault diagnosis performance is improved through the exploration of the local structure of random Fourier features. Finally, the blast furnace iron‐marking process state is determined using Bayesian inference. Case studies on a real‐world BFIP are carried out to demonstrate the superior performance of the proposed method in comparison with other related methods.
New PID parameter tuning based on improved dung beetle optimization algorithm
Authors: Hu Chonggao , Wu Feng , Zou Hongbo
Published: May 2024

In this paper, a proportional‐integral‐derivative (PID) controller parameter optimization method based on the improved dung beetle optimization (IDBO) algorithm is proposed, which improves the balance between the global exploration and local exploitation capabilities of the dung beetle optimization (DBO) and significantly enhances the convergence speed and optimization accuracy. Initially, the dung beetle population is initialized using piecewise linear chaotic map (PWLCM) chaotic mapping in order to increase its variety and the DBO algorithm's capacity for global exploration. Furthermore, adaptive weighting in the DBO algorithm is now balanced between the capabilities of local exploitation and global exploration with the addition of adaptive weights. After that, in order to improve the DBO algorithm's capacity for local exploitation, a triangle wandering strategy is included during the dung beetle reproductive phase. Finally, using both Lévy flying wandering and greedy strategy (GS) together make it easier to take advantage of opportunities in both local and global areas. The outcomes of the traditional benchmark function test demonstrate a significant improvement in both convergence speed and optimization accuracy when the particle swarm optimization (PSO), DBO, grey wolf optimization (GWO), and sparrow search algorithm (SSA) algorithms are compared. The performance index function incorporates an overshooting penalty term to prevent the overshooting phenomenon in the control system. Simulation experiments are carried out for the DC motor control system, and the time domain performance, frequency domain performance, and robustness performance of the closed‐loop control system with ZN‐PID, Lambda‐PID, PSO‐PID, and IDBO‐PID rectified PID controller parameters are comparatively analyzed, which verifies the validity and practicability of the IDBO algorithm.
Copper‐Mediated Selective Multiple Inert Chemical Bonds Cleavage for Cyanation of Indoles via Tandem Carbon and Nitrogen Atom Transfer
Authors: Xie Shimin , Cai Fangfang , Liu Lixin , Su Lebin , Dong Jianyu , Zhou Yongbo
Published: May 2024

Comprehensive Summary

The activation of inert chemical bonds is an exciting area of research in chemistry because it enables the direct utilization of readily available starting materials and promotes atom‐ and step‐economic synthesis. Undoubtedly, selectively activating and transforming multiple inert chemical bonds is an even more intriguing and demanding task in synthetic chemistry. However, due to its inherent complexity and extreme challenges, this endeavour is rarely accomplished. We report a copper‐mediated complete cleavage and selective transformation of multiple inert chemical bonds of three easily available feedstocks, i.e., a sp2C—H bond in indoles, three sp3C—H bonds and one C—N bond in a methyl carbon atom in TMEDA, and the C≡N triple bond in CH3CN. This reaction proceeds via tandem carbon and nitrogen atom transfer, and allows for the direct and efficient cyanation of indoles, presenting a simple and direct alternative for synthesizing 3‐cyanoindoles.