bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Contact calls in woodpeckers are individually distinctive, show significant sex differences and enable mate recognition
Authors: Węgrzyn Ewa , Węgrzyn Wiktor , Leniowski Konrad
Published: November 2021

Vocal communication of woodpeckers has been relatively little studied so far, mostly because majority of species use drumming to communicate. Our recent study on the Middle Spotted Woodpecker revealed that a call which is specific for floaters is individually distinctive and functions as a vocal signature of unpaired individuals. The aim of the current study is to investigate whether a contact call of paired territory owners of the same species enables discrimination of individuals and their sex. Acoustic analyses revealed that the call is individually distinctive and experimental approach confirmed that woodpeckers are able to distinguish between a contact call of their partner and a stranger. We also found that the contact call shows significant sex differences. Interestingly, the acoustic parameter enabling sex identification is different than the parameters coding individual variability of the call. The design of a call so that its first part would code the identity of an individual and the second part would code its sex presents an effective and fine-tuned communication system. The results of our study also suggest that the contact call of paired Middle Spotted Woodpeckers may be useful for conservation biologists as a tool supporting other census methods.
Quantum computational speed of a nanowires system with Rashba interaction in the presence of a magnetic field
Authors: Mohamed Rabie I. , Eldin Manal G. , Farouk Ahmed , Ramadan A. A. , Abdel-Aty M.
Published: November 2021

The present research is designed to examine the dynamic of the quantum computational speed in a nanowire system through the orthogonality speed when three distinct types of magnetic fields are applied: the strong magnetic field, the weak magnetic field, and no magnetic field. Moreover, we investigate the action of the magnetic fields, the spin-orbit coupling, and the system’s initial states on the orthogonality speed. The observed results reveal that a substantial correlation between the intensity of the spin-orbit coupling and the dynamics of the orthogonality speed, where the orthogonality speed decreasing as the spin-orbit coupling increases. Furthermore, the initial states of the nanowire system are critical for regulating the speed of transmuting the information and computations.
Design and analysis of Maxwell fisheye lens based beamformer
Authors: Abbasi Muhammad Ali Babar , Ansari Rafay I. , Machado Gabriel G. , Fusco Vincent F.
Published: November 2021

Antenna arrays and multi-antenna systems are essential in beyond 5G wireless networks for providing wireless connectivity, especially in the context of Internet-of-Everything. To facilitate this requirement, beamforming technology is emerging as a key enabling solution for adaptive on-demand wireless coverage. Despite digital beamforming being the primary choice for adaptive wireless coverage, a set of applications rely on pure analogue beamforming approaches, e.g., in point-to-multi point and physical-layer secure communication links. In this work, we present a novel scalable analogue beamforming hardware architecture that is capable of adaptive 2.5-dimensional beam steering and beam shaping to fulfil the coverage requirements. Beamformer hardware comprises of a finite size Maxwell fisheye lens used as a scalable feed network solution for a semi-circular array of monopole antennas. This unique hardware architecture enables a flexibility of using 2 to 8 antenna elements. Beamformer development stages are presented while experimental beam steering and beam shaping results show good agreement with the estimated performance.
Stiffening the human foot with a biomimetic exotendon
Authors: Riddick Ryan C. , Farris Dominic J. , Brown Nicholas A. T. , Kelly Luke A.
Published: November 2021

Shoes are generally designed protect the feet against repetitive collisions with the ground, often using thick viscoelastic midsoles to add in-series compliance under the human. Recent footwear design developments have shown that this approach may also produce metabolic energy savings. Here we test an alternative approach to modify the foot–ground interface by adding additional stiffness in parallel to the plantar aponeurosis, targeting the windlass mechanism. Stiffening the windlass mechanism by about 9% led to decreases in peak activation of the ankle plantarflexors soleus (~ 5%, p < 0.001) and medial gastrocnemius (~ 4%, p < 0.001), as well as a ~ 6% decrease in positive ankle work (p < 0.001) during fixed-frequency bilateral hopping (2.33 Hz). These results suggest that stiffening the foot may reduce cost in dynamic tasks primarily by reducing the effort required to plantarflex the ankle, since peak activation of the intrinsic foot muscle abductor hallucis was unchanged (p = 0.31). Because the novel exotendon design does not operate via the compression or bending of a bulky midsole, the device is light (55 g) and its profile is low enough that it can be worn within an existing shoe.
Staphylococcus aureus iron-regulated surface determinant B (IsdB) protein interacts with von Willebrand factor and promotes adherence to endothelial cells
Authors: Alfeo Mariangela J. , Pagotto Anna , Barbieri Giulia , Foster Timothy J. , Vanhoorelbeke Karen , De Filippis Vincenzo , Speziale Pietro , Pietrocola Giampiero
Published: November 2021

Staphylococcus aureus is the cause of a spectrum of diseases in humans and animals. The molecular basis of this pathogenicity lies in the expression of a variety of virulence factors, including proteins that mediate adherence to the host plasma and extracellular matrix proteins. In this study, we discovered that the iron-regulated surface determinant B (IsdB) protein, besides being involved in iron transport and vitronectin binding, interacts with von Willebrand Factor (vWF). IsdB-expressing bacteria bound to both soluble and immobilized vWF. The binding of recombinant IsdB to vWF was blocked by heparin and reduced at high ionic strength. Furthermore, treatment with ristocetin, an allosteric agent that promotes the exposure of the A1 domain of vWF, potentiates the binding of IsdB to vWF. Both near-iron transporter motifs NEAT1 and NEAT2 of IsdB individually bound recombinant A1 domain with KD values in the micromolar range. The binding of IsdB and adhesion of S. aureus expressing IsdB to monolayers of activated endothelial cells was significantly inhibited by a monoclonal antibody against the A1 domain and by IsdB reactive IgG from patients with staphylococcal endocarditis. This suggests the importance of IsdB in adherence of S. aureus to the endothelium colonization and as potential therapeutic target.
Diffuse terahertz spectroscopy in turbid media using a wavelet-based bimodality spectral analysis
Authors: Khani Mahmoud E. , Osman Omar B. , Arbab M. Hassan
Published: November 2021

Current terahertz (THz) spectroscopy techniques only use the coherent light beam for spectral imaging. In the presence of electromagnetic scattering, however, the scattering-mitigated incoherent beams allow for flexible emitter-detector geometries, which enable applications such as seeing through turbid media. Despite this potential, THz spectroscopy using diffuse waves has not been demonstrated. The main obstacles are the very poor signal to noise ratios of the diffused fields and the resonance-like spectral artifacts due to multiple Mie scattering events that obscure the material absorption signatures. In this work, we demonstrate diffuse THz spectroscopy of a heterogeneous sample through turbid media using a novel technique based on the wavelet multiresolution analysis and the bimodality coefficient spectrum, which we define here for the first time using the skewness and kurtosis of the spectral images. The proposed method yields broadband and simultaneous material characterization at detection angles as high as 90° with respect to the incident beam. We determined the accuracy of the wavelet-based diffuse spectroscopy at oblique detection angles, by evaluating the area under the receiver operating characteristic curves, to be higher than 95%. This technique is agnostic to any a priori information on the spectral signatures of the sample materials or the characteristics of the scattering medium, and can be expanded for other broadband spectroscopic modalities.
Apelin-13 in septic shock: effective in supporting hemodynamics in sheep but compromised by enzymatic breakdown in patients
Authors: Coquerel David , Lamoureux Julie , Chagnon Frédéric , Trân Kien , Sage Michael , Fortin-Pellerin Etienne , Delile Eugénie , Sainsily Xavier , Fournier Justin , Dumont Audrey-Ann , Auger-Messier Mannix , Sarret Philippe , Marsault Eric , Praud Jean-Paul , Fülöp Tamàs , Lesur Olivier
Published: November 2021

Sepsis is a prevalent life-threatening condition related to a systemic infection, and with unresolved issues including refractory septic shock and organ failures. Endogenously released catecholamines are often inefficient to maintain blood pressure, and low reactivity to exogenous catecholamines with risk of sympathetic overstimulation is well documented in septic shock. In this context, apelinergics are efficient and safe inotrope and vasoregulator in rodents. However, their utility in a larger animal model as well as the limitations with regards to the enzymatic breakdown during sepsis, need to be investigated. The therapeutic potential and degradation of apelinergics in sepsis were tested experimentally and in a cohort of patients. (1) 36 sheep with or without fecal peritonitis-induced septic shock (a large animal experimental design aimed to mimic the human septic shock paradigm) were evaluated for hemodynamic and renal responsiveness to incremental doses of two dominant apelinergics: apelin-13 (APLN-13) or Elabela (ELA), and (2) 52 subjects (33 patients with sepsis/septic shock and 19 healthy volunteers) were investigated for early levels of endogenous apelinergics in the blood, the related enzymatic degradation profile, and data regarding sepsis outcome. APLN-13 was the only one apelinergic which efficiently improved hemodynamics in both healthy and septic sheep. Endogenous apelinergic levels early rose, and specific enzymatic breakdown activities potentially threatened endogenous apelin system reactivity and negatively impacted the outcome in human sepsis. Short-term exogenous APLN-13 infusion is helpful in stabilizing cardiorenal functions in ovine septic shock; however, this ability might be impaired by specific enzymatic systems triggered during the early time course of human sepsis. Strategies to improve resistance of APLN-13 to degradation and/or to overcome sepsis-induced enzymatic breakdown environment should guide future works.
Variability in biopsy quality informs translational research applications in hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Weinfurtner Kelley , Cho Joshua , Ackerman Daniel , Chen James X. , Woodard Abashai , Li Wuyan , Ostrowski David , Soulen Michael C. , Dagli Mandeep , Shamimi-Noori Susan , Mondschein Jeffrey , Sudheendra Deepak , Stavropoulos S. William , Reddy Shilpa , Redmond Jonas , Khaddash Tamim , Jhala Darshana , Siegelman Evan S. , Furth Emma E. , Hunt Stephen J. , Nadolski Gregory J. , Kaplan David E. , Gade Terence P. F.
Published: November 2021

In the era of precision medicine, biopsies are playing an increasingly central role in cancer research and treatment paradigms; however, patient outcomes and analyses of biopsy quality, as well as impact on downstream clinical and research applications, remain underreported. Herein, we report biopsy safety and quality outcomes for percutaneous core biopsies of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) performed as part of a prospective clinical trial. Patients with a clinical diagnosis of HCC were enrolled in a prospective cohort study for the genetic, proteomic, and metabolomic profiling of HCC at two academic medical centers from April 2016 to July 2020. Under image guidance, 18G core biopsies were obtained using coaxial technique at the time of locoregional therapy. The primary outcome was biopsy quality, defined as tumor fraction in the core biopsy. 56 HCC lesions from 50 patients underwent 60 biopsy events with a median of 8 core biopsies per procedure (interquartile range, IQR, 7–10). Malignancy was identified in 45/56 (80.4%, 4 without pathology) biopsy events, including HCC (40/56, 71.4%) and cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) or combined HCC-CCA (5/56, 8.9%). Biopsy quality was highly variable with a median of 40% tumor in each biopsy core (IQR 10–75). Only 43/56 (76.8%) and 23/56 (41.1%) samples met quality thresholds for genomic or metabolomic/proteomic profiling, respectively, requiring expansion of the clinical trial. Overall and major complication rates were 5/60 (8.3%) and 3/60 (5.0%), respectively. Despite uniform biopsy protocol, biopsy quality varied widely with up to 59% of samples to be inadequate for intended purpose. This finding has important consequences for clinical trial design and highlights the need for quality control prior to applications in which the presence of benign cell types may substantially alter findings.
Highly divergent karyotypes and barcoding of the East African genus Gonatoxia Karsch (Orthoptera: Phaneropterinae)
Authors: Warchałowska-Śliwa Elżbieta , Grzywacz Beata , Kociński Maciej , Maryańska-Nadachowska Anna , Heller Klaus-Gerhard , Hemp Claudia
Published: November 2021

East Africa is a hotspot of biodiversity of many orthopteran taxa, including bushcrickets.GonatoxiaKarsch, 1889 species are fully alate Phaneropterinae, which are perfectly adapted to the foliage of forests. We examined five species using combined cytogenetic and molecular data to determine the inter- and intraspecific genetic diversity. The variation in the diploid number of chromosomes in males ranged from 2n = 28 + X0 and 26 + X0 to 2n = 6 + X0. Fluorescence in situ hybridization showed from one to many 18S rDNA loci as well as interstitial sequences, especially inG. helleri. 18S rDNA loci coincided with active NOR and C-banding patterns. The isolation of populations of the species explains differences in the number of chromosomes (G. maculata), chromosomal polymorphism and chromosomal heterozygosity (G. helleri). Our molecular phylogeny based on the COI locus supported the monophyly of the genusGonatoxiaand separateness of the five examined species in accordance with their morphological features and chromosome numbers as well as the species’ distribution.
Developmental features of sleep electrophysiology in family dogs
Authors: Reicher Vivien , Bunford Nóra , Kis Anna , Carreiro Cecília , Csibra Barbara , Kratz Lorraine , Gácsi Márta
Published: November 2021

Age-related differences in dog sleep and the age at which dogs reach adulthood as indexed by sleep electrophysiology are unknown. We assessed, in (1) a Juvenile sample (n = 60) of 2–14-month-old dogs (weight range: 4–68 kg), associations between age, sleep macrostructure, and non-rapid eye movement (NREM) EEG power spectrum, whether weight moderates associations, and (2) an extended sample (n = 91) of 2–30-months-old dogs, when sleep parameters stabilise. In Juvenile dogs, age was positively associated with time in drowsiness between 2 and 8 months, and negatively with time in rapid eye movement (REM) sleep between 2 and 6 months. Age was negatively associated with delta and positively with theta and alpha power activity, between 8 and 14 months. Older dogs exhibited greater sigma and beta power activity. Larger, > 8-month-old dogs had less delta and more alpha and beta activity. In extended sample, descriptive data suggest age-related power spectrum differences do not stabilise by 14 months. Drowsiness, REM, and delta power findings are consistent with prior results. Sleep electrophysiology is a promising index of dog neurodevelopment; some parameters stabilise in adolescence and some later than one year. Determination of the effect of weight and timing of power spectrum stabilisation needs further inquiry. The dog central nervous system is not fully mature by 12 months of age.
Increased activation in the bilateral anterior insulae in response to others in pain in mothers compared to non-mothers
Authors: Plank Irene Sophia , Hindi Attar Catherine , Kunas Stefanie L. , Dziobek Isabel , Bermpohl Felix
Published: November 2021

Empathy allows us to share emotions and encourages us to help others. It is especially important in the context of parenting where children’s wellbeing is dependent on their parents’ understanding and fulfilment of their needs. To date, little is known about differences in empathy responses of parents and non-parents. Using stimuli depicting adults and children in pain, this study focuses on the interaction of motherhood and neural responses in areas associated with empathy. Mothers showed higher activation to both adults and children in pain in the bilateral anterior insulae, key regions of empathy for pain. Additionally, mothers more strongly activated the inferior frontal, superior temporal and the medial superior frontal gyrus. Differences between adult and child stimuli were only found in occipital areas in both mothers and non-mothers. Our results suggest a stronger neural response to others in pain in mothers than non-mothers regardless of whether the person is a child or an adult. This could indicate a possible influence of motherhood on overall neural responses to others in pain rather than motherhood specifically shaping child-related responses. Alternatively, stronger responses to others in pain could increase the likelihood for women to be in a relationship and subsequently to have a child.
Prevalence and patient related factors associated with Extended-Spectrum Beta-Lactamase producing Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae carriage and infection among pediatric patients in Tanzania
Authors: Letara Nuru , Ngocho James Samwel , Karami Nahid , Msuya Sia E. , Nyombi Balthazar , Kassam Nancy A. , Skovbjerg Susann , Åhren Christina , Philemon Rune , Mmbaga Blandina T.
Published: November 2021

Extended-Spectrum Beta-Lactamase (ESBL) producing Enterobacteriaceae (EPE) is increasing worldwide, though less documented in low-income settings. Here we determined the prevalence of EPE infection and carriage, and patient factors associated with EPE-carriage among pediatric patients in three health care levels in Tanzania. Between January and April 2016, 350 febrile children (median age 21 months) seeking care at a university or a regional referral hospital, or a health centre in Moshi municipality, Tanzania, were included. Socio-demographic characteristics were collected using a questionnaire. Rectal swabs and blood cultures were collected from all children (n = 350) and urinary samples from 259 children at admission. ESBL-phenotype and antimicrobial susceptibility were determined for Klebsiella pneumoniae (K. pneumoniae) and Escherichia coli (E. coli) isolates. Only one EPE case (E. coli) in blood and four in urine (one E. coli and three K. pneumoniae) were found, whereas (n = 90, 26%) of the children were colonized in feces (ESBL-E. coli; n = 76, ESBL-K. pneumoniae, n = 14). High resistance rates were seen in fecal ESBL-E. coli (n = 76) against trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (n = 69, 91%), gentamicin (n = 51, 67%), ciprofloxacin (n = 39, 51%) and chloramphenicol (n = 27, 35%) whereas most isolates were sensitive to amikacin (n = 71, 93%). Similar rates were seen for fecal ESBL-K. pneumoniae. Resistance to first line antibiotics were also very high in fecal E. coli not producing ESBL. No sociodemographic factor was associated with EPE-carriage. Children colonized with EPE were younger than 12 months (n = 43, 48%) and often treated with antibiotics (n = 40, 44%) in the previous two months. After adjustment for age children admitted to the intensive care unit had higher odds of EPE fecal carriage compared with those in the general wards (OR = 3.9, 95%CI = 1.4–10.4). Despite comparatively high rates of fecal EPE-carriage and previous antibiotic treatment, clinical EPE cases were rare in the febrile children. The very high resistant rates for the EPE and the non-ESBL producing E. coli to commonly used antibiotics are worrying and demand implementation of antibiotic stewardship programs in all levels of health care in Tanzania.
Effect of aging and sex on cardiovascular structure and function in wildtype mice assessed with echocardiography
Authors: Zhang Tian Yu , Zhao Bi Jun , Wang Tao , Wang Jia
Published: November 2021

This study employed traditional and advanced echocardiographic techniques to assess comprehensively age- and sex-related changes in cardiovascular structure and function in wildtype (WT) mice. Forty-five normal adult wildtype mice were apportioned to groups based on age and sex: 2-month (young) male or female, and 24-month (old) male or female (n = 13, 13, 13, and 6, respectively). Each underwent 2-dimensional (2D) imaging echocardiography, Doppler, tissue Doppler imaging echocardiography, and speckle-tracking echocardiography (STE) for comparison of cardiovascular structure and function parameters. Compared to the young mice, the old had significantly higher body weight (BW), and lower diastolic and mean arterial pressure. The left ventricular (LV) end-diastolic and end-systolic volumes, and left ventricular mass, were significantly higher in the old mice. Within each sex, the cardiac diastolic and systolic function parameters were comparable between the young and old. Isovolumetric relaxation time (IVRT)/diastolic time interval (DT) and the maximum drop rate of pressure in LV (− dP/dtmax) were significantly lower in the old mice, while the LV relaxation time constant (Tau) was significantly higher. Spearman’s rank correlation showed a positive association between IVRT/DT and − dp/dtmax (male r = 0.663; female r = 0.639). Among the males, the maximum rise rate of pressure in LV (+ dp/dtmax), and systolic global longitudinal strains and rates (S-GLS, S-GLSR) were significantly different between the young and old. Spearman’s rank correlation showed positive association between S-GLS, S-GLSR and + dp/dtmax (r = 0.709 and r = 0.499). Regarding vascular structure, the ascending aorta systolic and diastolic diameters were significantly higher in the old mice compared with the young. The male mice had progressive, age-related aortic stiffness. Ageing in mice leads to changes in cardiovascular structure and cardiac diastolic function, but systolic function is relatively well preserved in females. Changes in cardiac function and arterial stiffness were more significant in males than females. Traditional ECG is better than STE for evaluating LV diastolic function; STE is better for LV systolic function.
Pea peels as a value-added food ingredient for snack crackers and dry soup
Authors: Mousa Mona M. H. , El-Magd Mohammed A. , Ghamry Heba I. , Alshahrani Mohammad Y. , El-Wakeil Nora H. M. , Hammad Eman M. , Asker Galila A. H.
Published: November 2021

The food industry produces large quantities of waste, which is available in bulk at zero cost. This study aimed to investigate a new method to maximize the protein intake from pea peels and its further utilization as a value-added food ingredient to produce healthy snack crackers and dry soup. Dehydrated green curd of pea peel (DGCPp) with high protein content (35%) was prepared and incorporated into snack cracker and instant soup powder. Wheat flour was substituted with DGCPp to prepare crackers at three substitution levels (5, 10, and 15%) compared to the cracker control sample (100% wheat flour). Increasing the level of this substitution improved the nutritional value of crackers, with highest protein content was in DGCPp crackers (15%). Crackers also had higher contents of mineral and essential amino acids. The physicochemical and sensorial properties of soup samples were significantly influenced by the addition of DGCPp. Higher rehydration value and mineral content (Ca, Mg, Fe, and Zn) were observed in DGCPp soup samples compared to the control sample. Soup samples of all proportions were more acceptable by all the panelists compared with the control sample. With these findings, it can be concluded that DGCPp can be utilized in a variety of food products (such as crackers and soups) with higher nutritive values.
Effect of APOB polymorphism rs562338 (G/A) on serum proteome of coronary artery disease patients: a “proteogenomic” approach
Authors: Zafar Muneeza , Mirza Munazza Raza , Awan Fazli Rabbi , Tahir Muhammad , Sultan Rabia , Hussain Misbah , Bilal Ahmed , Abbas Shahid , Larsen Martin R. , Choudhary Muhammad Iqbal , Malik Imran Riaz
Published: November 2021

In the current study, APOB (rs1052031) genotype-guided proteomic analysis was performed in a cohort of Pakistani population. A total of 700 study subjects, including Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) patients (n = 480) and healthy individuals (n = 220) as a control group were included in the study. Genotyping was carried out by using tetra primer-amplification refractory mutation system-based polymerase chain reaction (T-ARMS-PCR) whereas mass spectrometry (Orbitrap MS) was used for label free quantification of serum samples. Genotypic frequency of GG genotype was found to be 90.1%, while 6.4% was for GA genotype and 3.5% was for AA genotypes in CAD patients. In the control group, 87.2% healthy subjects were found to have GG genotype, 11.8% had GA genotype, and 0.9% were with AA genotypes. Significant (p = 0.007) difference was observed between genotypic frequencies in the patients and the control group. The rare allele AA was found to be strongly associated with the CAD [OR: 4 (1.9–16.7)], as compared to the control group in recessive genetic model (p = 0.04). Using label free proteomics, altered expression of 60 significant proteins was observed. Enrichment analysis of these protein showed higher number of up-regulated pathways, including phosphatidylcholine-sterol O-acyltransferase activator activity, cholesterol transfer activity, and sterol transfer activity in AA genotype of rs562338 (G>A) as compared to the wild type GG genotype. This study provides a deeper insight into CAD pathobiology with reference to proteogenomics, and proving this approach as a good platform for identifying the novel proteins and signaling pathways in relation to cardiovascular diseases.
In vitro evaluation of chemical decontamination of titanium discs
Authors: Ichioka Yuki , Derks Jan , Dahlén Gunnar , Berglundh Tord , Larsson Lena
Published: November 2021

Peri-implant diseases are caused by bacterial biofilm colonizing implant surfaces. Prevention and management of peri-implant mucositis and peri-implantitis rely on effective biofilm removal. This study aimed to evaluate biofilm removal and cytocompatibility following chemo-mechanical surface decontamination of biofilm-coated titanium discs. Biofilm-coated (Streptococcus gordonii) discs, with either non-modified (smooth) or modified (rough) surfaces, were instrumented using a sterile gauze soaked in one out of four solutions: saline (NaCl), alkaline electrized water (AEW), citric acid (CA) or N-acetyl-l-cysteine (NAC). Non-contaminated, untreated titanium discs served as controls (C). Residual deposits (bacteria and gauze fibers) and cytocompatibility for osteoblast-like cells were evaluated using SEM and immunofluorescence. Cytotoxicity was assessed using WST-8 assay and immunofluorescence. All protocols were equally effective in removing bacteria from smooth surfaces, while AEW and CA were found to be superior at rough surfaces. AEW and NAC were superior in promoting cytocompatibility over NaCl. NAC and CA had a strong cytotoxic effect on osteoblast-like and fibroblast cells. In conclusion, AEW may be beneficial in the decontamination of implant surfaces, effectively removing bacterial biofilm and restoring cytocompatibility.
A numerical scheme for the ground state of rotating spin-1 Bose–Einstein condensates
Authors: Sriburadet Sirilak , Shih Yin-Tzer , Jeng B.-W. , Hsueh C.-H. , Chien C.-S.
Published: November 2021

We study the existence of nontrivial solution branches of three-coupled Gross–Pitaevskii equations (CGPEs), which are used as the mathematical model for rotating spin-1 Bose–Einstein condensates (BEC). The Lyapunov–Schmidt reduction is exploited to test the branching of nontrivial solution curves from the trivial one in some neighborhoods of bifurcation points. A multilevel continuation method is proposed for computing the ground state solution of rotating spin-1 BEC. By properly choosing the constraint conditions associated with the components of the parameter variable, the proposed algorithm can effectively compute the ground states of spin-1 $$^{87}Rb$$

87

R
b

and $$^{23}Na$$

23

N
a

under rapid rotation. Extensive numerical results demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed algorithm. In particular, the affect of the magnetization on the CGPEs is investigated.
The von Willebrand factor stamps plasmatic extracellular vesicles from glioblastoma patients
Authors: Sabbagh Quentin , André-Grégoire Gwennan , Alves-Nicolau Carolina , Dupont Aurélien , Bidère Nicolas , Jouglar Emmanuel , Guével Laëtitia , Frénel Jean-Sébastien , Gavard Julie
Published: November 2021

Glioblastoma is a devastating tumor of the central nervous system characterized by a poor survival and an extremely dark prognosis, making its diagnosis, treatment and monitoring highly challenging. Numerous studies have highlighted extracellular vesicles (EVs) as key players of tumor growth, invasiveness and resistance, as they carry and disseminate oncogenic material in the local tumor microenvironment and at distance. However, whether their quality and quantity reflect individual health status and changes in homeostasis is still not fully elucidated. Here, we separated EVs from plasma collected at different time points alongside with the clinical management of GBM patients. Our findings confirm that plasmatic EVs could be separated and characterized with standardized protocols, thereby ensuring the reliability of measuring vesiclemia, i.e. extracellular vesicle concentration in plasma. This unveils that vesiclemia is a dynamic parameter, which could be reflecting tumor burden and/or response to treatments. Further label-free liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry unmasks the von Willebrand Factor (VWF) as a selective protein hallmark for GBM-patient EVs. Our data thus support the notion that EVs from GBM patients showed differential protein cargos that can be further surveyed in circulating EVs, together with vesiclemia.
An integrated method for optimized identification of effective natural inhibitors against SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro
Authors: Liao Qi , Chen Ziyu , Tao Yanlin , Zhang Beibei , Wu Xiaojun , Yang Li , Wang Qingzhong , Wang Zhengtao
Published: November 2021

The current severe situation of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has not been reversed and posed great threats to global health. Therefore, there is an urgent need to find out effective antiviral drugs. The 3-chymotrypsin-like protease (3CLpro) in SARS-CoV-2 serve as a promising anti-virus target due to its essential role in the regulation of virus reproduction. Here, we report an improved integrated approach to identify effective 3CLpro inhibitors from effective Chinese herbal formulas. With this approach, we identified the 5 natural products (NPs) including narcissoside, kaempferol-3-O-gentiobioside, rutin, vicenin-2 and isoschaftoside as potential anti-SARS-CoV-2 candidates. Subsequent molecular dynamics simulation additionally revealed that these molecules can be tightly bound to 3CLpro and confirmed effectiveness against COVID-19. Moreover, kaempferol-3-o-gentiobioside, vicenin-2 and isoschaftoside were first reported to have SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro inhibitory activity. In summary, this optimized integrated strategy for drug screening can be utilized in the discovery of antiviral drugs to achieve rapid acquisition of drugs with specific effects on antiviral targets.
DNase I functional microgels for neutrophil extracellular trap disruption
Authors: Hosseinnejad Aisa , Ludwig Nadine , Wienkamp Ann-Katrin , Rimal Rahul , Bleilevens Christian , Rossaint Rolf , Rossaint Jan , Singh Smriti
Published: November 2021

Non-fouling DNase I conjugated microgel provide a novel biohybrid platform to disrupt Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) and can be used as a non-thrombogenic coating for reduction of NET-mediated inflammation and microthrombi formation.
trans-Sialylation: a strategy used to incorporate sialic acid into oligosaccharides
Authors: de Lederkremer Rosa M. , Giorgi María Eugenia , Agusti Rosalía
Published: November 2021

Microbial trans-sialidases regioselectevely incorporate sialic acids into oligosaccharides without the need of an activated nucleotide.
Hygroscopicity of polycatechol and polyguaiacol secondary organic aerosol in sub- and supersaturated water vapor environments
Authors: Malek Kotiba A. , Gohil Kanishk , Al-Abadleh Hind A. , Asa-Awuku Akua A.
Published: November 2021

Polycatechol and polyguaiacol are light-absorbing and water-insoluble compounds that are produced from biomass burning emissions. The aerosol can act as seeds for cloud droplet formation.
Urolithin A protects dopaminergic neurons in experimental models of Parkinson's disease by promoting mitochondrial biogenesis through the SIRT1/PGC-1α signaling pathway
Authors: Liu Jia , Jiang Jingjing , Qiu Jingru , Wang Liyan , Zhuo Jing , Wang Baozhu , Sun Deqing , Yu Shuyan , Lou Haiyan
Published: November 2021

Schematic illustration of the putative mechanism for Urolithin A effects on mitochondrial biogenesis.
H2O2-replenishable and GSH-depletive ROS ‘bomb’ for self-enhanced chemodynamic therapy
Authors: Zhao Fan , Yao Jiayu , Tong Yu , Su Dan , Xu Qing , Ying Yao , Li Wangchang , Li Juan , Zheng Jingwu , Qiao Liang , Cai Wei , Mou Xiaozhou , Che Shenglei , Yu Jing , Hou Yanglong
Published: November 2021

CaO2-Fe NPs are good candidates for constructing ROS ‘bomb’ with endogenous replenishment of H2O2 and depletion of GSH, achieving self-enhanced chemodynamic therapy.
Novel monodisperse FePt nanocomposites for T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging: biomedical theranostics applications
Authors: Chang Zhi-Xuan , Li Chien-Hsiu , Chang Yu-Chan , Huang Chi-Ying F. , Chan Ming-Hsien , Hsiao Michael
Published: November 2021

Given the high incidence and mortality of cancer, FePt nanocomposites research is focused on designing efficient diagnostic and therapeutic methods.
Addressing challenges in the removal of unbound dye from passively labelled extracellular vesicles
Authors: Rautaniemi Kaisa , Zini Jacopo , Löfman Emilia , Saari Heikki , Haapalehto Iida , Laukka Johanna , Vesamäki Sami , Efimov Alexander , Yliperttula Marjo , Laaksonen Timo , Vuorimaa-Laukkanen Elina , Lisitsyna Ekaterina S.
Published: November 2021

We propose and test a systematic approach for choosing the best method for removing the unbound dye from extracellular vesicles.
Double MOF gradually activated S bond induced S defect rich MILN-based Co(z)-NiMoS for efficient electrocatalytic overall water splitting
Authors: Chen Honglei , Yu Zebin , Hou Yanping , Jiang Ronghua , Huang Jun , Tang Wenjun , Cao Zhaojun , Yang Bo , Liu Chunxiang , Song Haonan
Published: November 2021

Herein, cactus like nanorods with rich S defects and functional group MILN-based Co(z)-NiMoS are synthesized through a facile method.
Stable two-dimensional lead iodide hybrid materials for light detection and broadband photoluminescence
Authors: Lassoued Mohamed Saber , Pang Yuan-Chao , Li Qian-Wen , Ding Xinkai , Jiao Bo , Dong Hua , Zhou Guijiang , Ding Shujiang , Zhang Zhicheng , Wu Zhaoxin , Gou Gaoyang , Yin Zongyou , Li Ju , Zheng Yan-Zhen
Published: November 2021

We report here two new semiconducting two-dimensional lead iodide organic–inorganic hybrid compounds with broadband emission and strong photocurrent response.
Rapid large-scale synthesis of ultrathin NiFe-layered double hydroxide nanosheets with tunable structures as robust oxygen evolution electrocatalysts
Authors: Hou Changmin , Cui Zhao , Zhang Sai , Yang Wenlong , Gao Hongtao , Luo Xiliang
Published: November 2021

A sequence of ultrathin NiFe-LDH nanosheets with tunable components were prepared via a rapid room-temperature method, which were further used as efficient electrocatalysts for water oxidation.
Phase separation of ternary epoxy/PEI blends with higher molecular weight of tertiary component polysiloxane
Authors: Wu Jia-ting , Li Wei-zhen , Wang Shu-long , Gan Wen-jun
Published: November 2021

Effect of higher molecular weight epoxy-terminated polysiloxane DMS-E11 on morphologies and properties of DGEBA/PEI blends.
Chiral fluorescence recognition of glutamine enantiomers by a modified Zr-based MOF based on solvent-assisted ligand incorporation
Authors: Shili Qin , Yangyang Sun , Xudong He , Hongtao Chu , Lidi Gao , Zhongyu Hou , Dongsheng Zhao , Xinyao Liu , Sibing Zhou
Published: November 2021

A stable luminescent zirconium-based MOF PCN-128Y-1 was synthesized by the SALI method and applied as a specific chiral selective adsorbent and a chiral fluorescence sensor for the recognition and quantitative analysis of Gln enantiomers.
A novel Ce0.8Fe0.1Zr0.1O2 solid solution with high catalytic activity for hydrogen storage in MgH2
Authors: Cheng Ying , Zhou Shuhua , Shi Biqing , Dong Bing , Ji Xianbin , Li Siqi , Zhang Wei
Published: November 2021

The MgH2–Ce0.8Fe0.1Zr0.1O2 onset dissociation temperature was 82 K lower than that of MgH2.
C(acyl)–C(sp2) and C(sp2)–C(sp2) Suzuki–Miyaura cross-coupling reactions using nitrile-functionalized NHC palladium complexes
Authors: Çakır Sinem , Kavukcu Serdar Batıkan , Karabıyık Hande , Rethinam Senthil , Türkmen Hayati
Published: November 2021

Nitrile-functionalized Pd(ii) complexes have evaluated for the Suzuki–Miyaura cross-coupling reactions. The highest TON value was reached for the acylative Suzuki–Miyaura cross-coupling reaction of acyl chlorides with phenylboronic acids.
An overview of the chemical composition and biological activities of essential oils fromAlpiniagenus (Zingiberaceae)
Authors: Van Hong Thien , Thang Tran Dinh , Luu Thao Nguyen , Doan Van Dat
Published: November 2021

AlpiniaRoxb. is the largest genus of the Zingiberaceae family.
Effect of methylene chain length of perovskite-type layered [NH3(CH2)nNH3]ZnCl4 (n = 2, 3, and 4) crystals on thermodynamic properties, structural geometry, and molecular dynamics
Authors: Lim Ae Ran
Published: November 2021

1H NMR spin–lattice relaxation times T1ρ of [NH3(CH2)nNH3]ZnCl4 (n = 2, 3, and 4) as a function of inverse temperature. The solid lines represent activation energy.
Highly sensitive humidity-driven actuators based on metal–organic frameworks incorporating thermoplastic polyurethane with gradient polymer distribution
Authors: He Yi , Guo Jiayu , Yang Xiazhen , Guo Bing , Shen Hangyan
Published: November 2021

By combining MIL-88A and thermoplastic polyurethane, a novel humidity-driven actuator was fabricated. The composite films curl from the bottom up, attributed to the uneven vertical gradient distribution of TPU phase. The method promises a new route to humidity actuators.
Improving the intrinsic activity of electrocatalysts for sustainable energy conversion: where are we and where can we go?
Authors: Govindarajan Nitish , Kastlunger Georg , Heenen Hendrik H. , Chan Karen
Published: November 2021

We evaluate the improvements over the past two decades in intrinsic activity of electrocatalysts for sustainable energy conversion, and highlight opportunities from tuning the electrolyte.
1-Zirconacyclobuta-2,3-dienes: synthesis of organometallic analogs of elusive 1,2-cyclobutadiene, unprecedented intramolecular C–H activation, and reactivity studies
Authors: Shi Xinzhe , Li Sihan , Reiß Melanie , Spannenberg Anke , Holtrichter-Rößmann Thorsten , Reiß Fabian , Beweries Torsten
Published: November 2021

A detailed study of structure, bonding and reactivity of new 1-zirconacyclobuta-2,3-dienes is presented in comparison to a lighter Ti analog. We found a unique C–H activation at the widely used rac-(ebthi) ligand for that only occurs for Zr.
Electrolyte engineering on a porphyrin-based electrode for lithium–organic charge storage
Authors: Ren Bo , Sun Ye , Feng Xin , Peng Jinfeng , Ding Rui , Sun Xiujuan , Liu Enhui , Gao Ping
Published: November 2021

The performance of CuDEPP was significantly influenced by regulating electrolytes with different anions and concentrations. The porphyrin complex showed better electrochemical performance coupling with compatible electrolyte.
Recent progress on post-synthetic treatments of photoelectrodes for photoelectrochemical water splitting
Authors: Peng Yong , Mak Chun Hong , Kai Ji-Jung , Du Minshu , Ji Li , Yuan Mingjian , Zou Xingli , Shen Hsin-Hui , Santoso Shella Permatasari , Colmenares Juan Carlos , Hsu Hsien-Yi
Published: November 2021

The review summarizes various post-synthetic treatments reported in the past five years, including chemical treatments, electrochemical and irradiation-based treatments, and post-annealing treatments, for PEC water splitting application.
Polyoxometalate-based materials: quasi-homogeneous single-atom catalysts with atomic-precision structures
Authors: He Shiqing , Liu Qingda , Wang Xun
Published: November 2021

This perspective provides an overview and outlook of polyoxometalate-based single-atom catalysts with atomic-precision structures and wide-ranging functionalities, including isolated POM clusters, POM-based assemblies, and supported POM structures.
Metal halide perovskites for photocatalysis applications
Authors: Ren Kuankuan , Yue Shizhong , Li Chunhe , Fang Zebo , Gasem Khaled A. M. , Leszczynski Jerzy , Qu Shengchun , Wang Zhijie , Fan Maohong
Published: November 2021

The unique properties and structures of metal halide perovskite materials desired for a variety of photocatalytic applications in water splitting, CO2reduction, pollutant degradation, and organic synthesis.
Violet-emitting distributed-feedback laser using a naphtho[2,1-b:6,5-b′]difuran derivative
Authors: Tsuji Hayato , Shitomi Akihiro , Hamaguchi Naoto , Egawa Yasunobu , Bonal Víctor , Boj Pedro G. , Villalvilla José M. , Quintana José A. , Díaz-García María A.
Published: November 2021

A highly emissive fused furan compound, naphtho[2,1-b:6,5-b′]difuran derivative, has been found to serve as an active material for distributed-feedback lasers.
Joint optimization scheme for intelligent reflecting surface aided multi‐relay networks
Authors: Li Xueyi , Wong Angus K. Y. , Hung Kevin , Wang Yonghua , Wang Everett X.
Published: November 2021

The latest research on hybrid networks of decode‐and‐forward (DF) relay and intelligent reflecting surface (IRS) is limited to just a single relay. To harvest multiple relay gains, this paper proposes a hybrid communication networks that combines multiple DF relays with an IRS. The authors formulate and address the joint optimization problem to maximize the end‐to‐end transmission rate by jointly optimizing the reflect beam forming, the best relay selection and the power allocation, subject to total transmit power constraint. Moreover, to better exploit the degrees of freedom, it is proposed that the source also transmits signals in the second time slot. While the optimization problem is difficult to solve, the authors propose some efficient approaches to make the problem tractable. First, power allocation problem is simplified by applying Cauchy‐Schwarz inequality and introducing equivalent channel gain, second, non‐convex rank‐one constraint is overcome by utilizing semidefinite relaxation (SDR) approach, then the slacked non‐convex constraint is overcome by applying first‐order Taylor expansion approximation. The simulation results demonstrate that our proposed joint optimization scheme for hybrid networks of multiple DF relays with an IRS has significant performance improvement over the other optimization schemes, such as the optimization scheme for hybrid networks of single DF relay and an IRS.
Multiscale spectral‐spatial cross‐extraction network for hyperspectral image classification
Authors: Gao Hongmin , Wu Hongyi , Chen Zhonghao , Zhang Yunfei , Zhang Yiyan , Li Chenming
Published: November 2021

Convolutional neural networks (CNN) are becoming increasingly popular in modern remote sensing image classification tasks and have exhibited excellent results. For the existing CNN‐based hyperspectral image (HSI) classification methods, most of which extract spatial or spectral features separately by convolution. But nearly all of these methods ignore the fact that the weighted summation of convolution may lead to appear new features in another dimension. To address this issue, a novel multiscale spectral‐spatial cross‐extraction network (MSSCEN) is proposed for HSI classification. Specifically, the proposed MSSCEN introduces spectral‐spatial features cross extraction module (SSCEM), which fed extracted features from previous layer into spatial and spectral extraction branches separately again, so that the changes that occurred in the other domain after each convolution can be fully utilized. In addition, a new independent data augmentation module based on U‐Net is designed to mitigate the problem of limited labelled samples. The paper conducts experiments on three classic hyperspectral datasets and the results demonstrate that the proposed method achieves the best classification accuracy than other state‐of‐the‐art methods.
Balanced‐to‐unbalanced and balanced‐to‐balanced filtering rat‐race couplers using multilayer substate integrated waveguide cavities
Authors: Wang Xian , Zhou Dongfang , Zhang Dewei , Wang Yue , Lv Dalong , Zhang Yi
Published: November 2021

This study reports a class of balanced‐to‐unbalanced (BTU) and balanced‐to‐balanced (BTB) filtering rat‐race couplers (FRCs) based on multilayer substrate integrated waveguide (SIW) cavities. Input and output ports can perform the functions of balanced and unbalanced terminals to implement various operating states. The theoretical designs consisting of the mixed‐mode scattering matrix and mode analysis are discussed in detail. Good differential‐mode (DM) bandpass filtering (BPF) responses are obtained by two pairs of orthogonal degenerate modes in multilayer SIW cavities. Meanwhile, high common‐mode (CM) suppression and port‐to‐port isolation are realized inherently due to mode distributions of the square SIW resonator. Accordingly, to verify the design concept, two types of BTU FRCs and one type of BTB FRC are designed and fabricated, respectively. Moreover, the measured results agree well with the simulated ones, exhibiting high performances in terms of CM suppression, magnitude/phase imbalance as well as port matching/isolation characteristics.