bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Emergency awareness in Italy: The State of Art in Public Health Postgraduate Schools
Authors: Zotti Nunzio , Granvillano Giuseppa , Mormile Maria E , Iagnemma Annalisa , Spatari Gloria , Valle Diana Dalla , Noviello Chiara , Scarpaleggia Marianna , Rizzo Caterina , Tafuri Silvio
Published: October 2024

Objective

Italy frequently experiences major events like earthquakes, floods and migrant shipwrecks. Global concerns include climate change, pandemics and wars. We would assess the role of public health experts and the current state of Italian post-degree Public Health schools towards these challenges.

Methods

A cross-sectional online survey was conducted in Italy in June 2023, among all Italian Public Health residents enrolled in SItI. The study investigated the presence of trainings and updates about emergencies. It also explored interest and importance of topic, impact of Covid-19 pandemic and sources of information.

Results

Out of 289 respondents, 86.2% deemed the topic important and 74.4% expressed interest (both p<0.001). 90.1% pointed out the lack of dedicated courses and 93.1% as for specialized master’s programs (both p<0.001). Perceived importance in the topic correlates with the desire to attend dedicated conferences (p<0.001). For COVID-19, 24.6% recognized the importance of topic pre-pandemic, while 50.9% raised awareness during (both p<0.001).

Conclusions

A discussion is needed for enhanced training programs in public health emergency prevention and management across Italy, pledging for uniformity within different training networks. In this way, a more robust response to future emergencies may be ensured.
Prehospital Care Standards in the Federal Wildland Fire Service
Authors: Carr Kyle W , Geracci Jamison , Givens Melissa
Published: October 2024

Objective

Defining the role of federal wildland firefighters (WFF) in the context of emergency medical services (EMS) is a gap in the literature. Our work highlights the importance of standardizing and enhancing the EMS capabilities of federal WFF for their own occupational safety and well-being, while emphasizing their potential for responding to all disasters and providing medical safety net in rural communities.

Methods

A comprehensive academic literature review on the topic returned one non-peer reviewed manuscript. Study members analyzed National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) EMS policy to assess current EMS standards within the WFF service.

Results

The study reveals a lack of standardized, comprehensive support for EMS capabilities among federal WFF, despite need for their expertise in wide-ranging emergency situations. There are few incentives for individuals to obtain and maintain EMS certification. Various innovations, such as the Alaska Fire Medic Program and the BLM Operational Medical Support Program, are potential models for improving EMS across the entire NWCG.

Conclusions

To enhance the safety, professionalization, and efficiency of WFF, the NWCG should consider standardizing EMS guidelines, especially in providing consistent support for medical certifications. EMS certified WFF could contribute to nationwide disaster response capabilities if supported by NWCG.
On the intensification of thermal drift
Authors: Floryan J.M. , Wang W. , Bassom Andrew P.
Published: October 2024

Consider the flow through a channel with grooved edges on one (or both) side(s). If heating is applied to the boundaries, thermal drift is the flow generated by the interaction of the groove and heating patterns. It is known that, if one side of a channel is smooth while the other is grooved, the application of heating forms a so-called ‘thermal drift engine’. Two thermal drift engines are activated if both surfaces are grooved, and these may reinforce or oppose each other. Carefully choosing these engines can lead to an intensification of the thermal drift. The interplay of two drift engines is explored using a horizontal slot with grooves that have a sinusoidal profile with a prescribed wavenumber

$\alpha $

. It is shown that the strength of the flow decreases proportional to

$\alpha $

as

$\alpha \to 0$

and proportional to

${\alpha ^{ - 1}}$

as

$\alpha \to \infty $

. We determine the value of

$\alpha $

corresponding to the strongest flow and characterize how the conclusions should be modified if a uniform heating component is added to the heating pattern.
Small but Salient: The Securitization of Ukraine’s Ethnic Hungarian Minority
Authors: Balogh Péter , Kovály Katalin
Published: October 2024

This article analyzes the key factors behind the securitization of Ukraine’s small ethnic Hungarian minority in recent years and how they affect local interethnic as well as interstate relations. It draws on elite interviews conducted in the Ukrainian-Hungarian borderland, and other sources including speech acts. Four underlying factors were identified. The first two are Hungary’s kin-state aid and dual citizenship law, which have empowered Ukraine’s ethnic Hungarians, with the community appearing larger and potentially more threatening in the eyes of the majority population than its mere size justifies. The other two factors are Ukraine’s language policy and Transcarpathia’s future being subject of conspiracy theories in light of Russia’s invasion of eastern Ukraine, which have negatively affected interethnic ties, although somewhat less in the borderland than between Hungary and Ukraine at large. In Transcarpathia, our different informants had diverging perceptions of who is stirring tensions but agreed that actors from outside their region were to blame. Overall, what has emerged is a clash of Hungary’s kin-state politics and Ukraine’s nation-state-building efforts. The article ends with more general implications for kin- and host-state relations in times of conflict.
“War is destructive, but it reconstructs anew…:” Refugee Education and State Consolidation in Imperial Austria during the First World War
Authors: Cretu Doina Anca
Published: October 2024

This article explores aspects of the organization of refugee education in imperial Austria during the First World War. Authorities in charge of refugees’ control and their eventual assistance interpreted access to education in two ways. First, it was an avenue of relief through schooling, aimed to counter the effects of uprootedness and, thus, safeguard some continuity in refugee children’s lives. Second, it was a way to ensure the making of productive and loyal citizens. In this context, this article looks at various policies regarding organization of schooling for displaced children. Moreover, it analyzes the ways language entered the realm of the refugee-focused classroom. Officials used schooling in refugee students’ vernacular to relieve the effects of their displacement and to reinforce ethnonational classifications of imperial subjects. At the same time, education through refugee children’s growing exposure to German language courses became a measure of a gradual inculcation of an imperial consciousness. Furthermore, it was a civilizing dimension of displacement management and, in this way, it became an avenue to consolidate a war-feeble state.
TORTURING THE EARTH: MASCULINITY AND VIOLENCE IN COLUMELLA'S DE RE RUSTICA 10.68–74
Authors: Grant Mark
Published: October 2024

Writing in the first century ce, Columella delineates farming practice based on personal experience and observation. Roman attitudes towards slavery, truth, and torture are highlighted in a particularly graphic description of preparing the soil for sowing.
INDIVIDUALS FACING DEATH: THE EVIDENCE OF VERSE EPITAPHS
Authors: Parker Robert
Published: October 2024

Verse epitaphs are our main and very abundant source for responses to individual deaths. We can almost never know exactly whose attitudes or values they express, but we can assume that they embody attitudes and values that it was acceptable to express publicly. Many at all dates seek merely to commemorate the dead person or convey grief, but, from about 400 bce onwards, others adopt a position on the fate of the dead person, though often hedged with a cautious ‘if’. Very many possibilities emerge: they range from a plain denial that anything survives death, via claims that the dead person is now (e.g.) in the aither/in the home of the blessed/on Olympos/with the heroes, to, very rarely, declarations that s/he is now actually a god. Strangely enough, support for such claims is never sought in the fact of the dead person being an initiate in a cult that promised advantage in the afterlife. In all this we see not so much individual choices as the range of options available for individuals to believe in. But we must also suspect that belief in the more optimistic options can seldom have been as firm as in a society where such options were authoritatively endorsed and alternatives not publicly countenanced.
Philosophy
Authors: Vázquez Daniel
Published: October 2024

Paul Woodruff, who sadly passed away last year (28 August 1943–23 September 2023), left us an extraordinary and timely gift in his book Living Toward Virtue,1 a masterpiece on practical ethics that engages with and goes beyond the Socratic philosophy found in Plato's dialogues. The book is a tour de force of scholarship, intellectual humility, and philosophical acuity. It offers a neo-Socratic approach to virtue ethics – often contrasting it with neo-Aristotelian virtue ethics – based on the Socratic idea of taking care of our souls, which entails relentless self-examination that maintains us aware of our cognitive limitations and could help us avoid moral injury.
Manufactured crisis
Authors: Papi Mostafa , Teimouri Yasser
Published: October 2024

Based on correlational and factorial analysis of data collected from 384 middle and high school students in South Korea, Al–Hoorie et al. (2024) claimed the existence of a discriminant validity crisis within the L2 motivational self-system research tradition and advocated for abandoning research in this area. In this response, we critically examined the evidence presented, re-analyzed their data, and argued that their findings actually support the discriminant validity of the target scales. We also discussed issues related to the design and implementation of their study and refuted their assertion regarding a discriminant validity crisis in this field. Finally, we emphasized the necessity of prioritizing definitional validity in the ongoing methodological reforms of L2 motivation research.
The Study of Intraparty Frictions: Conceptual Reflections on Preference Heterogeneity, Disagreement, and Conflict
Authors: Bolleyer Nicole , Kölln Ann-Kristin
Published: October 2024

Every complex organization is sometimes marked by preference heterogeneity, disagreement, and conflict. Within political parties, such frictions are traditionally viewed negatively, while recent research has started to perceive them more positively. How might such contradictory evaluations be explained? Through a three-step conceptual analysis we (1) identify two analytical perspectives on intraparty friction, one rooted in a primarily structural conception of parties, one in a primarily behavioral conception; and (2) specify a minimal definition of intraparty friction, which underpins a hierarchical concept structure to (3) suggest a way to resolve contradictions in the consequences attributed to intraparty frictions. Structuralist accounts often view frictions as negative due to a more demanding conceptual threshold, suggesting different types and levels of risk taking by conflict partners. Conversely, behavioralist perspectives see friction more often as beneficial because they focus on expressed disagreement without necessitating an organizational response. Our conceptual tools have important implications for research on membership organizations generally.
Emerging specialty crop farmer perspectives and educational needs related to soil health and nutrient management in the Upper Midwest
Authors: Hoidal Natalie , Fernandez Adria , Kubovcik Katie , Berry KaZoua , Andreasen Anna , Ispache Damaris , Grossman Julie
Published: October 2024

Emerging farmers, including immigrant farmers, play an increasingly important role in the food system of the Upper Midwestern United States but face significant barriers to success. One important barrier is the lack of culturally relevant and system-specific training and technical assistance, particularly related to soil health and nutrient management. A team of researchers and farm support professionals was convened to conduct a farmer engagement process consisting of a survey and focus groups to better understand the experiences and wisdom that emerging farmers already have, and their educational needs related to soils. The broader goal was to inform the development of culturally relevant tools and training. Here we identify key takeaways related to content needs and learning style preferences. While emerging farmers are already skilled in assessing physical and biological aspects of soil health, they often need support in understanding chemical properties of soil, how to do soil testing, and how to translate soil test results into actionable practices. Additionally, many emerging farmers have experience in other countries and in agricultural systems based on practices such as shifting cultivation. Supporting farmers as they adapt these practices to a Midwest context requires educators to learn about these systems and value the expertise of farmers from diverse farming backgrounds. There is a particular need for more nuanced and farm scale-specific training about inputs in highly diversified, mostly organic systems, especially related to compost and manure management. In terms of learning styles, farmers preferred hands-on training opportunities with as much mentorship and peer learning as possible. Many Midwestern emerging farmers participate in incubator farm programs for beginning growers. While such programs provide valuable access to land and infrastructure, they often lack the capacity to provide tailored participant mentorship. This leaves program graduates unsure about how to utilize soil health and nutrient management practices when they start their own farms. To improve soil health and nutrient management outcomes for emerging farmers, we propose investing in train-the-trainer type programs for farmer leaders and staff with beginning farmer organizations. These programs should include tailored one-to-one mentorship and peer learning with an emphasis on organic inputs, chemical aspects of soil health, and diversified production systems.
Preemption in the Intergovernmental Trenches: Explaining Gubernatorial Preemption Style during COVID-19
Authors: Artiles Alexandra
Published: October 2024

During the COVID-19 pandemic, governors preempted local governments at unprecedented levels. A rich literature examines state preemption of local governments, but gubernatorial preemption – and the strategies governors use to do so – remain understudied. This paper examines what institutional and political factors influenced governors’ preemption style during the pandemic by analyzing a dataset of over 1,200 COVID-19 executive orders, classified by their style of preemption: ceiling, floor, or vacuum. Governors in states with high local autonomy rely on ceiling and floor preemptions. Republican governors are likelier to issue ceiling preemptions that bind local governments’ hands. Governors in states with ideologically dissimilar local governments tend to issue vacuum preemptions. When non-preempting previsions are dropped from the analysis, local autonomy does not significantly affect issuing one type of preemption over another. On the other hand, Republican governors are more likely to issue both ceiling and floor preemptions over vacuum preemptions. Governors in states with high ideological asymmetry are less likely to issue ceiling and floor preemptions over vacuum preemptions. These findings provide insight into gubernatorial behavior, interactions between state and local governments, and how theories of federalism can teach us more about how governments respond to crises.
Strengthening of the Equatorial Pacific Upper‐Ocean Circulation Over the Past Three Decades
Authors: Tuchen Franz Philip , Perez Renellys C. , Foltz Gregory R. , McPhaden Michael J. , Lumpkin Rick
Published: October 2024

Thirty years (1993–2022) of concurrent satellite and in‐situ observations show a long‐term strengthening of the equatorial Pacific upper‐ocean circulation. Enhanced southeasterly and cross‐equatorial winds have caused an annual mean, basin‐wide acceleration of the equatorial westward near‐surface currents by ∼20% and an acceleration of poleward flow north (south) of the equator by ∼60% (∼20%). Additional moored velocity data reveal a deepening of the Equatorial Undercurrent (EUC) core at 170°W and significant shoaling at 140°W and 110°W, but no significant changes in EUC core velocity. The strongest subsurface zonal velocity trends are observed above the EUC core in the central to eastern Pacific and occur before and after the seasonal maximum of EUC core velocity, causing enhanced upper‐ocean vertical current shear. Consistent with trends of the 20°C isotherm depth along the equatorial Pacific, a significant basin‐wide steepening of the equatorial thermocline is observed. Both the accelerating equatorial current system and the enhanced thermocline slope are consistent with an observed steepening of the zonal sea surface height gradient due to increased wind‐driven westward mass transport at the surface. During February‐March, both surface and subsurface currents along the equator show eastward velocity trends, in contrast to westward near‐surface current trends during the remainder of the year. The trend reversal is attributed to both a long‐term shift in equatorial Kelvin wave activity and to the impact of strong interannual variability due to El Niño Southern Oscillation and other modes of natural variability on decadal to multidecadal time scales.
Intersecting social and environmental determinants of multidrug-resistant urinary tract infections in East Africa beyond antibiotic use
Authors: Keenan Katherine , Papathomas Michail , Mshana Stephen E. , Asiimwe Benon , Kiiru John , Lynch Andy G. , Kesby Mike , Neema Stella , Mwanga Joseph R. , Mushi Martha F. , Jing Wei , Green Dominique L. , Olamijuwon Emmanuel , Zhang Qing , Sippy Rachel , Fredricks Kathryn J. , Gillespie Stephen H. , Sabiiti Wilber , Bazira Joel , Sloan Derek J. , Mmbaga Blandina T. , Kibiki Gibson , Aanensen David , Stelling John , Smith V. Anne , Sandeman Alison , Holden Matthew T. G. ,   HATUA Consortium, Aduda Annette , Elliott Alison , Kansiime Catherine , Maina John , Stelling John
Published: October 2024

The global health crisis of antibacterial resistance (ABR) poses a particular threat in low-resource settings like East Africa. Interventions for ABR typically target antibiotic use, overlooking the wider set of factors which drive vulnerability and behaviours. In this cross-sectional study, we investigated the joint contribution of behavioural, environmental, socioeconomic, and demographic factors associated with higher risk of multi-drug resistant urinary tract infections (MDR UTIs) in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. We sampled outpatients with UTI symptoms in healthcare facilities and linked their microbiology data with patient, household and community level data. Using bivariate statistics and Bayesian profile regression on a sample of 1610 individuals, we show that individuals with higher risk of MDR UTIs were more likely to have compound and interrelated social and environmental disadvantages: they were on average older, with lower education, had more chronic illness, lived in resource-deprived households, more likely to have contact with animals, and human or animal waste. This suggests that interventions to tackle ABR need to take account of intersectional socio-environmental disadvantage as a priority.
The dual life of disordered lysine-rich domains of snoRNPs in rRNA modification and nucleolar compaction
Authors: Dominique Carine , Maiga Nana Kadidia , Méndez-Godoy Alfonso , Pillet Benjamin , Hamze Hussein , Léger-Silvestre Isabelle , Henry Yves , Marchand Virginie , Gomes Neto Valdir , Dez Christophe , Motorin Yuri , Kressler Dieter , Gadal Olivier , Henras Anthony K. , Albert Benjamin
Published: October 2024

Intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs) are highly enriched in the nucleolar proteome but their physiological role in ribosome assembly remains poorly understood. Our study reveals the functional plasticity of the extremely abundant lysine-rich IDRs of small nucleolar ribonucleoprotein particles (snoRNPs) from protists to mammalian cells. We show in Saccharomyces cerevisiae that the electrostatic properties of this lysine-rich IDR, the KKE/D domain, promote snoRNP accumulation in the vicinity of nascent rRNAs, facilitating their modification. Under stress conditions reducing the rate of ribosome assembly, they are essential for nucleolar compaction and sequestration of key early-acting ribosome biogenesis factors, including RNA polymerase I, owing to their self-interaction capacity in a latent, non-rRNA-associated state. We propose that such functional plasticity of these lysine-rich IDRs may represent an ancestral eukaryotic regulatory mechanism, explaining how nucleolar morphology is continuously adapted to rRNA production levels.
Machine learning-assisted DFT-prediction of pristine and endohedral doped (O and Se) Ge12C12 and Si12C12 nanostructures as anode materials for lithium-ion batteries
Authors: Egemonye ThankGod C. , Unimuke Tomsmith O.
Published: October 2024

Nanostructured materials have gained significant attention as anode material in rechargeable lithium-ion batteries due to their large surface-to-volume ratio and efficient lithium-ion intercalation. Herein, we systematically investigated the electronic and electrochemical performance of pristine and endohedral doped (O and Se) Ge12C12 and Si12C12 nanocages as a prospective negative electrode for lithium-ion batteries using high-level density functional theory at the DFT/B3LYP-GD3(BJ)/6-311 + G(d, p)/GEN/LanL2DZ level of theory. Key findings from frontier molecular orbital (FMO) and density of states (DOS) revealed that endohedral doping of the studied nanocages with O and Se tremendously enhances their electrical conductivity. Furthermore, the pristine Si12C12 nanocage brilliantly exhibited the highest Vcell (1.49 V) and theoretical capacity (668.42 mAh g− 1) among the investigated nanocages and, hence, the most suitable negative electrode material for lithium-ion batteries. Moreover, we utilized four machine learning regression algorithms, namely, Linear, Lasso, Ridge, and ElasticNet regression, to predict the Vcell of the nanocages obtained from DFT simulation, achieving R2 scores close to 1 (R2 = 0.99) and lower RMSE values (RMSE < 0.05). Among the regression algorithms, Lasso regression demonstrated the best performance in predicting the Vcell of the nanocages, owing to its L1 regularization technique.
Party preferences for climate policy and the renewable energy transition in Spain’s multilevel democracy
Authors: Enguer Joan
Published: October 2024

The growing influence of regional governments in shaping climate policy and driving the renewable energy transition in multilevel democracies like Spain provides incentives for parties in favor of decentralization to emphasize these issues. Recent research has shown that such parties act as climate pioneers at the regional tier of government, driven by their desire to assert stronger subnational authority. To investigate these dynamics at the national level, this article examines the manifestos of the parties that won seats in the 2016, 2019, and 2023 Spanish national elections. The empirical findings suggest that parties are more likely to prioritize climate change and the renewable energy transition if they are pro-decentralization. By emphasizing how multilevel governance strengthens these priorities through party competition and the quest for regional autonomy, this article fills an important gap spanning decentralization and policy preferences related to climate and renewable energy.
Leishmania protein KMP-11 modulates cholesterol transport and membrane fluidity to facilitate host cell invasion
Authors: Sannigrahi Achinta , Ghosh Souradeepa , Pradhan Supratim , Jana Pulak , Jawed Junaid Jibran , Majumdar Subrata , Roy Syamal , Karmakar Sanat , Mukherjee Budhaditya , Chattopadhyay Krishnananda
Published: October 2024

The first step of successful infection by any intracellular pathogen relies on its ability to invade its host cell membrane. However, the detailed structural and molecular understanding underlying lipid membrane modification during pathogenic invasion remains unclear. In this study, we show that a specific Leishmania donovani (LD) protein, KMP-11, forms oligomers that bridge LD and host macrophage (MΦ) membranes. This KMP-11 induced interaction between LD and MΦ depends on the variations in cholesterol (CHOL) and ergosterol (ERG) contents in their respective membranes. These variations are crucial for the subsequent steps of invasion, including (a) the initial attachment, (b) CHOL transport from MΦ to LD, and (c) detachment of LD from the initial point of contact through a liquid ordered (Lo) to liquid disordered (Ld) membrane-phase transition. To validate the importance of KMP-11, we generate KMP-11 depleted LD, which failed to attach and invade host MΦ. Through tryptophan-scanning mutagenesis and synthesized peptides, we develop a generalized mathematical model, which demonstrates that the hydrophobic moment and the symmetry sequence code at the membrane interacting protein domain are key factors in facilitating the membrane phase transition and, consequently, the host cell infection process by Leishmania parasites.
NIR-II Bioimaging
Authors: Li P. , Tang B.
Published: October 2024

Fluorescent probes that emit in the second near-infrared region (NIR-II, 1000–1700 nm) possess unique advantages, including low photodamage and deep penetration into biological samples. Notably, NIR-II optical imaging can achieve tissue penetration as deep as 5–20 mm, which is critical for biomedical sensing and clinical applications. Many researchers have developed NIR-II dyes to meet the needs of modern biomedicine. This chapter will review the NIR-II fluorescent probes for biomolecules and for therapeutic applications.
Lanthanides for Luminescent and Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Authors: Amoroso Angelo J. , Pope Simon J. A.
Published: October 2024

Over recent decades, the lanthanide elements have become vital to the development of bio-analysis and bioimaging technologies. In this chapter we give a brief overview of two important areas of imaging applications using lanthanide-based probes with luminescence or magnetic resonance properties. Both molecular- and nanoparticle-based materials are considered, and context is provided on the design of such systems. Selected examples are provided to show the breadth of utility within bioimaging applications, including both in vitro and in vivo examples, as well as information on the development of responsive probes for real-time bio-analysis.
Multiphoton FLIM and PLIM: Emerging Imaging and Sensing Tools for Probing Metal Complexes and Nanohybrid Materials in Complex Cellular Environments
Authors: Calatayud David G. , Arrowsmith Rory L. , Waghorn Philip A. , Botchway Stanley W. , Faulkner Stephen , Dilworth Jonathan R. , Pascu Sofia I.
Published: October 2024

Fluorescence and phosphorescence lifetime imaging microscopies (FLIM and PLIM) have found applications at the interface between life and physical sciences with relevance to biomedicine. This chapter outlines a facet of the broader optical imaging landscape, by exploring the applications of FLIM and PLIM that can help elucidate the fate of molecular probes when located within specific cellular environments. We highlight several case studies of advances in microscopy using FLIM and PLIM, with a focus on the detection of chemical probes within living cells, encompassing selected recent published work over the past decade and with a particular focus on metal complexes and related molecular materials, including carbon-based nanoparticles. We also aim to show how variations in fluorescence lifetimes can be applied to gain a deeper understanding of molecular interactions in the quest to pinpoint both static and dynamic cellular processes, as well as the cellular environment. There are prospects in the applications of the technology in the near-infrared (NIR) spectrum: this extension of current lifetime imaging capabilities by employing detectors and probes suited to address the NIR technologies has several advantages and could revolutionize the biomedical imaging, sensing and diagnostics domains, by enabling deeper tissue penetration and mitigating autofluorescence. This approach to imaging NIR-emitting probes using lifetime imaging could open new avenues for cutting-edge research and applications at the interface between physical, life and biomedical sciences.
AIE-based Fluorescence Imaging
Authors: Dong Lei , Han Hai-Hao
Published: October 2024

The aggregation-induced emission (AIE) effect has emerged as a promising strategy to overcome the fluorescence quenching observed in traditional fluorescent probes in aggregate states (known as the ACQ effect). This breakthrough phenomenon holds great significance for enhancing fluorescence bioimaging techniques and advancing chemical biology. In this chapter, we present a concise overview of the working mechanism underlying the AIE effect. Furthermore, we highlight the applications of AIE-based fluorescence imaging in biomolecular sensing, as well as in cellular and subcellular bioimaging. The primary objective of this chapter is to provide the reader with a fundamental understanding of AIEgen construction and the selection of suitable AIE probes for specific bioimaging purposes. By arousing the reader’s interest, we aim to facilitate collaborative efforts in promoting the development of AIE techniques in chemical biology.
Photothermal Imaging
Authors: Yuan Jie , Yang Hanxue , Huang Wenhui , Zhang Hua
Published: October 2024

As a non-destructive imaging technique, photothermal imaging mainly relies on local temperature changes to generate imaging signal responses. The technique has advantages, such as low background noise, and is therefore widely used in the fields of life science, medicine, nanoscience and materials research. This chapter will introduce photothermal imaging, photothermal conversion materials used in imaging, and applications of photothermal imaging.
High throughput electronic detection of biomarkers using enzymatically amplified metallization on nanostructured surfaces
Authors: Zhang Hanhao , Rafat Neda , Rudge Josiah , Peddireddy Sai Preetham , Kim Yoo Na , Khan Taaseen , Sarkar Aniruddh
Published: October 2024

A high-throughput portable electronic biomarker detection systesm was developed using enzymatic silver metallization on nanostructured surfaces created using gold nanoparticles and used to measure antibody titers from COVID-19 patient serum.
Early colorectal cancer detection: a serum analysis platform combining SERS and machine learning
Authors: Zhu Miao , Han Yubin , Qiu Yitong , Shen Yang , Xu Qingcheng , Huang Ya , Li Tiantian , Sun Mei , Pu Weiyu
Published: October 2024

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the deadliest malignancies globally, with high incidence and mortality rates.
Effect of laser wavelength on the quantitative analysis performance of indirect ablation LIBS for analyzing the metals in lubricating oil
Authors: Yang Xinyan , Li Dongdong , Zhang Zhuangzhuang , Zhang Xu , Zhu Peng , Liu Chang , Hong Tao , Ren Hongmei , Hua Zefeng , Sun Zhongfa , Qin Zhengbo , Zheng Xianfeng
Published: October 2024

The quantitative analysis performance of indirect ablation LIBS was affected by the laser wavelength. A high transmittance laser wavelength for transparent viscous samples is the best choice for indirect ablation LIBS.
Facets of click-mediated triazoles in decorating amino acids and peptides
Authors: Bag Subhendu Sekhar , Banerjee Aniket , Sinha Sayantan , Jana Subhashis
Published: October 2024

Decorating amino acids and peptides with triazole as an integral part to afford desired and tuneable photophysical/biophysical properties would allow chemical biologists to use them for several biotechnological and biosensing applications.
Ambient-stable and lead-free Cs3Bi2I9−xBrx (0 ≤ x ≤ 9) perovskite films for memristor devices
Authors: Li Siyuan , Qian Jing , Ma Jiaxin , Zhang Xianmin
Published: October 2024

In this work, we prepared lead-free Cs3Bi2I9−xBrx (x = 0, 1, 2, 3, 6, and 9) thin films using a green anti-solvent method under air conditions and used them to fabricate memristors with an Al/Cs3Bi2I9−xBrx/ITO structure.
A molecular dynamics simulation study of thermal conductivity of plumbene
Authors: Mohammadi Rafat , Karimi Behrad , Kieffer John , Hashemi Daniel
Published: October 2024

Lattice thermal conductivity of plumbene: molecular dynamics simulations and parametrization of Tersoff and Stillinger–Weber potentials.
Sorption and biodegradation of stormwater trace organic contaminants via composite alginate bead geomedia with encapsulated microorganisms
Authors: Tanmoy Debojit S. , LeFevre Gregory H.
Published: October 2024

We quantified sorption of stormwater relevant trace organic contaminants and dissolved phosphorus to a novel composite-alginate geomedia. We demonstrated coupled sorption and biodegradation of a representative tirewear compound via the geomedia.
In vitro gastrointestinal digestion of marine oil emulsions and liposomal solutions: fate of LC-PUFAs upon lipolysis
Authors: Amara Sawsan , Gerlei Maureen , Jeandel Carole , Sahaka Moulay , Carrière Frédéric , Linder Michel
Published: October 2024

Marine liposomes are more resistant than triacylglycerol emulsion to lipolysis under gastric condition. They can protect LC-PUFA (EPA and DHA) and are a better gastric-stable delivery system for their intestinal absorption than TAG.
A high-performance broadband organic flexible photodetector from a narrow-bandgap thiazolo[5,4-d]thiazole containing conjugated polymer
Authors: Mathew Sanjana , Halder Sayan , C. J. Keerthi , Hota Saurjyesh , Suntha Maitreyi , Chakraborty Chanchal , Pal Subhradeep
Published: October 2024

A high-performance flexible organic photodetector (OPD) with broad-spectrum capabilities utilizing a high-mobility conjugated polymer P-TZTZ is demonstrated. Using the OPD, a visible lightwave communicating link is also exhibited.
Patternable, high-precision, controllable wettability copper layers for 3D resin-based weather-resistant electronics and 3D liquid manipulation
Authors: Luo Pengan , Xu Haoran , Lu Hao , Zhao Huaiyu , Li Siying , Zhou Tao
Published: October 2024

3D patterned copper layers with spontaneously formed biomimetic structures and controllable wettability are prepared on different 3D-printed resin parts, which can be used for 3D droplet manipulation or 3D weather resistance electronics.
Knitting-stitching bifacial metafabrics with switchable thermal and moisture transmissibility for multimodal dynamic personal thermoregulation
Authors: Li Benhui , Wang Mengdi , Ao Shuyu , Lyu Kuan , Su Xuzhong , Sun Fengxin
Published: October 2024

A hierarchically structured metafabric featuring asymmetrical spectral emissivity and wettability was developed by integrating the tuck knit and rib knit stitches for efficient personal thermal and moisture management.
Engineered thin film nanocomposite membranes with a polyethyleneimine interlayered sulfonated MXene for superior groundwater desalination
Authors: Yogarathinam Lukka Thuyavan , Baig Nadeem , Younas Hassan , Falca Gheorghe , Aljundi Isam H.
Published: October 2024

MXenes, advanced 2D layered nanocomposite materials, have exhibited significant potential for enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of thin film nanocomposite (TFN) membranes in desalination applications.
Enhancing the efficiency of PVDF-based piezoelectric catalysis through water-induced polarization and a micro-nano-composite strategy
Authors: Li Haitao , Zhang Yingying , Dai Han , Pereir Veronica , Zhao Junfeng , Lee Hiang Kwee
Published: October 2024

A self-polarized rGO/PVDF composite, engineered by water-induced polarization and micro-nano-composite, effectively reduces dye pollutants and yields H2O2 under mechanical force.
Stretchable photosensors with InN nanowires operating at a wavelength of 1.3 μm
Authors: Shin Jaehyeok , Noh Siyun , Jhee Seunghwan , Kang Sumin , Lee Yumin , Kim Jin Soo
Published: October 2024

Stretchable photosensors, which operate in the wavelength window of 1.3 μm, were fabricated with InN nanowires (NWs) and graphene to serve as a light-absorbing medium and carrier channel, respectively.
Control over membrane fluidity and biophysical properties of synthetic terpolymer stabilized complex coacervates
Authors: Novosedlik Sebastian , Cook Alexander B. , Voermans Tim J. F. M. , Janssen Henk M. , van Hest Jan C. M.
Published: October 2024

Cell membranes are vital barriers that regulate the composition of the intracellular environment and facilitate communication processes essential for cellular function and survival.
A novel cerium-based metal–organic framework supported Pd catalyst for semi-hydrogenation of phenylacetylene
Authors: Zeng Xiangdi , Wang Zi , He Meng , Lu Wanpeng , Huang Wenyuan , An Bing , Li Jiangnan , Li Mufan , Spencer Ben F. , Day Sarah J. , Tuna Floriana , McInnes Eric J. L. , Schröder Martin , Yang Sihai
Published: October 2024

The doped metal-organic framework Pd@Ce-bptc catalyses the semi-hydrogenation of phenylacetylene to styrene with 93% selectivity under ambient conditions with excellent reusability.
HANNA: hard-constraint neural network for consistent activity coefficient prediction
Authors: Specht Thomas , Nagda Mayank , Fellenz Sophie , Mandt Stephan , Hasse Hans , Jirasek Fabian
Published: October 2024

We introduce HANNA, the first hybrid neural network model that strictly complies with all thermodynamic consistency criteria for predicting activity coefficients and outperforms current benchmark methods in terms of accuracy and applicability.
Enhanced efficiency in plastic waste upcycling: the role of mesoporosity and acidity in zeolites
Authors: Singh Saideep , Martínez-Ortigosa Joaquín , Ortuño Nuria , Polshettiwar Vivek , García-Martínez Javier
Published: October 2024

By optimizing zeolite pore confinement, polymer diffusion and up-cycling efficiency in hierarchical catalysts are significantly enhanced, reducing plastic degradation temperatures and providing a suitable route to sustainable plastic-to-fuel pathways.
An ultrasensitive 2,4,6-trinitrophenol nanofluidic sensor inspired by olfactory sensory neurons in sniffer dogs
Authors: Li Xin , Liu Zhanfang , Yang Linsen , Zhou Shengyang , Qian Yongchao , Wu Yuge , Yan Zidi , Zhang Zhehua , Li Tingyang , Wang Qingchen , Zhu Congcong , Kong Xiang-Yu , Wen Liping
Published: October 2024

Inspired by sniffer dog olfactory sensory neurons, an ultrasensitive TNP detection sensor was developed by in situ growing UiO-66-NH2 layers on AAO. It exhibits a limit of detection with 6.5 × 10−16 g mL−1, offering a new method for rapid detection.
Differentiating carrier protein interactions in biosynthetic pathways using dapoxyl solvatochromism
Authors: Miyada Matthew G. , Choi Yuran , Rich Kyle , La Clair James J. , Burkart Michael D.
Published: October 2024

A highly sensitive solvatochromic system was developed to monitor the loading and interactivity of carrier proteins associated with fatty acid, polyketide and non-ribosomal peptide biosynthesis.
A highly conducting tetrathiafulvalene-tetracarboxylate based dysprosium(iii) 2D metal–organic framework with single molecule magnet behaviour
Authors: Manna Fabio , Oggianu Mariangela , Auban-Senzier Pascale , Novitchi Ghenadie , Canadell Enric , Mercuri Maria Laura , Avarvari Narcis
Published: October 2024

By self-assembling the redox-active TTF-tetracarboxylate linker with the DyIII ion, a 2D MOF, showing a rare topology and coexistence of a record conductivity and SMM behavior, has been obtained.
Chiral longitudinal forces in dielectric photonic waveguides
Authors: Martínez-Romeu Josep , Diez Iago , Golat Sebastian , Rodríguez-Fortuño Francisco J. , Martínez Alejandro
Published: October 2024

Chiral optical forces exhibit opposite signs for the two enantiomeric versions of a chiral molecule or particle. If large enough, these forces might be able to separate enantiomers all-optically, which would find numerous applications in different fields, from pharmacology to chemistry. Longitudinal chiral forces are especially promising for tackling the challenging scenario of separating particles of realistically small chiralities. In this work, we study the longitudinal chiral forces arising in dielectric integrated waveguides when the quasi-TE and quasi-TM modes are combined, for enabling the separation of absorbing and non-absorbing chiral particles. We show that chiral gradient forces dominate in the scenario of beating of non-degenerate TE and TM modes when considering non-absorbing particles. For absorbing particles, the superposition of degenerate TE and TM modes can lead to radiation pressure chiral forces that are kept along the whole waveguide length. We accompany the calculations of the forces with particle tracking simulations for one specific radius and chirality parameter and show that longitudinal forces can separate chiral nanoparticles suspended in water even for relatively low values of the particle chirality.
Graphene-boosted ultra-wide band reconfigurable optical switch for SOI-based telecom applications: A numerical study
Authors: Crisci Teresa , Hashemi Babak , Mammeri Mohamed , Vergari Stefano , Gradassi Fabrizio , Casalino Maurizio , Della Corte Francesco Giuseppe
Published: October 2024

In this work, we propose the design of a compact optical switch featuring a wide bandwidth of 360 nm, suitable for telecom operations. The switch is a passive 3dB splitter realized through a Y-branch, electrically activated via a graphene/insulator/graphene (GIG) capacitor embedded within the rib waveguide (WG). The capacitor itself is embedded within an SOI-based hybrid WG composed of crystalline (c-Si) and hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H), with the GIG between the two layers. Such a photonic structure optimizes the light-matter interaction and enables a compact device with a length of only 100 μm. By applying a voltage bias to the graphene layers, we achieve the condition necessary for efficient data transmission through the WG. Indeed, the electrical doping of graphene enables the modulation of optical losses within the waveguide, ranging from total light absorption to up to 70% transmission. The simplicity and ease of fabrication of this innovative design offer significant advantages for integration into existing photonic circuits. Its wide bandwidth allows compatibility with a variety of telecom wavelengths, providing flexibility in network configurations. Consequently, this compact optical switch presents a promising solution for modern data communication needs, demonstrating a balance between efficiency and scalability.
Structural and optical characterization of hole-doped Ge/SiGe multiple quantum wells for mid-infrared photonics
Authors: Faverzani Marco , Calcaterra Stefano , Impelluso Davide , Giani Raffaele , Bae Jin-Hee , Buca Dan , Virgilio Michele , Chrastina Daniel , Biagioni Paolo , Frigerio Jacopo
Published: October 2024

The structural and optical properties of p-doped Ge quantum wells separated by SiGe barriers are presented. The composition profile was determined by atom probe tomography and X-ray diffraction measurements. The energy and broadening of the fundamental intersubband transition were studied by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy which revealed a strong absorption peak around 8.5 μm making this or similar heterostructures suitable for the realization of optoelectronic devices working in the fingerprint region.
In-flow tomographic imaging for single cells analysis
Authors: Miccio Lisa , Pirone Daniele , Giugliano Giusy , Schiavo Michela , Licitra Fabrizio , Wang Zhe , Borrelli Francesca , Bianco Vittorio , Memmolo Pasquale , Ferraro Pietro
Published: October 2024

Gold standard imaging modalities in biological field are based on fluorescence signals providing high specificity and high resolution. Recently, Fluorescence Microscopy has been combined with microfluidics to develop instrumentations called Imaging Flow Cytometers, high-throughput tools that supply bright-field, darkfield and multiple-channels fluorescence images of each single cell passing in the Field Of View (FOV). Nevertheless, Fluorescence Microscopy has some drawbacks as phototoxicity, photobleaching, expensive costs for sample preparations and also the a-priori knowledge of the tags to be used. For these reasons label-free imaging methods greatly increase in the recent years as the Quantitative Phase Imaging (QPI) technologies for microscopy. One of the optical techniques to achieve QPI is Digital Holography. DH in microscopy has several advantages such as the possibility to numerically scan the focal distance, a properties that open to the integration of DH in microfluidics. Indeed DH combined with microfluidic circuits allows to image particles or cells flowing into the FOV at different depths. Here the capabilities of label-free single-cell imaging by DH are presented and their implications on next future biomedical applications discussed. Static or in-flow configurations will be showed describing recent results and perspectives also in combination with Artificial Intelligence architectures for future applications in biomedical and clinical fields.
An integrated exposure and measurement tool for 5-DOF direct laser writing
Authors: Belkner Johannes , Leineweber Johannes , Hein Georg , Barth Alexander , Kissinger Thomas , Fröhlich Thomas , Manske Eberhard
Published: October 2024

Accurate and uniform fabrication of microstructures on highly curved substrates requires exposure with the waist of a focused laser beam at every point. In order to realize this, the exposure beam must be held perpendicular and focused onto the local substrate. Here we present an optical tool for our developed 5-axis nano-positioning and nano-measurement machine based on the chromatic differential confocal microscope.
Principal component analysis of refractive index spaces: From glass properties to residual colour prediction
Authors: Münz Holger , Peschka Martin
Published: October 2024

Traditionally glass dispersion is described by Abbe numbers and partial dispersions, and colour correction is explained and visualized e.g. with Pg,F- and Herzberger diagrams. We have recently developed an alternative approach to colour analysis and colour correction based on principal component analysis of normalized refractive index data. The resulting diagrams can be used not only for glass selection, but also for quantitative prediction of partial refractive powers and residual colour aberrations. The method is intrinsically model-free, robust to the choice of dataset and wavelengths, and transfers easily to any spectral range.
Revolutioning Lens-Based Systems Design: Showcasing the power of OptiMat
Authors: Bethencourt de León Nauzet , Sola La Serna Paula , Sánchez-Capuchino Revuelta Jorge
Published: October 2024

OptiMat, by Sagittal Optics, is a tool developed to generate spherical designs for color-corrected lens-based systems. OptiMat analytically achieves optimum optical materials selection, key to correcting chromatic aberration. However, this tool extends beyond material selection; it is also used to establish initial systems in the design process, which optical designers can further refine. By selecting from a catalog of materials and specifying the number of lenses in the system, optical designers receive ideal assemblies correcting chromaticity, spherical and field aberrations, together with a set of parameters to further improve the provided systems. Additionally, engineers can filter combinations based on different metrics, such as chromatic and monochromatic aberrations. By handling material selection and lens shaping at the project's outset, OptiMat significantly streamlines optical system design times.