bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A model of tumor‐immune system interactions with healthy cells and immunotherapies
Authors: Yu Jui‐Ling , Wei Hsiu‐Chuan , Jang Sophia R‐J
Published: November 2021

A mathematical model of the tumor–immune system interactions is presented. The model includes the primary cell populations involved in CD4+ T cells mediated regression of the tumor, that is, tumor cells, CD4+ T cells, anti‐tumor cytokines, CTLA‐4 molecules, and normal cells. Our study reveals that host cells together with cytokines are key features in driving tumor dynamics. The malignant tumor can be completely suppressed if the tumor growth rate is small and the host cells are more competitive. No treatments are needed in this scenario as tumor cells are driven to extinction by host cells. We examine various immunotherapies of either T cells, anti‐tumor cytokines, anti‐CTLA‐4, or a combination of these to study their effectiveness. For the tumor with a medium growth rate and a moderate competitive ability to host cells, numerical simulations show that the host cells impel the tumor cells to demise due to battle with the normal cells and the effective jointed treatment strategy.
Cyanidin‐3‐O‐Glucoside Supplementation Ameliorates Metabolic Insulin Resistance via Restoration of Nitric Oxide‐Mediated Endothelial Insulin Transport
Authors: Geng Xiuwen , Ji Jiajun , Liu Yuanhua , Li Xueyan , Chen Yunan , Su Lei , Zhao Lina
Published: November 2021

Scope

Anthocyanin cyanidin‐3‐O‐glucoside (Cy3G) possesses a great potential in prevention of diabetes and its vascular complications while the underlying mechanisms are still far from clear. Accumulating evidence suggests that endothelial insulin transport plays a critical role in regulating metabolic insulin sensitivity. Whether Cy3G can modulate metabolic insulin resistance via regulating endothelial insulin transport is not reported yet.

Methods and Results

Palmitic acid (PA)‐treated mouse aortic endothelial cells (MAECs) model and high‐fat diet (HFD) fed mice model are used. Compared with HFD mice, Cy3G supplementation decrease exogenous insulin content in skeletal muscle and ameliorate metabolic insulin resistance. In culture, Cy3G can directly ameliorate PA‐induced impairment on FITC‐insulin uptake in MAECs. Mechanistically, Cy3G can effectively decrease inflammatory cytokines and toll‐like receptor 4 (TLR4)/nuclear factor‐kappa‐B inhibitor alpha (IκBα) activation, and restore the attenuated Akt/eNOS signaling pathway. Blunted nitric oxide (NO) synthase with N‐nitro‐l‐arginine methyl ester (L‐NAME) can effectively abolish the protective role of Cy3G on endothelial insulin transport and insulin‐stimulated glucose utilization in HFD‐fed mice.

Conclusions

These findings suggest that Cy3G supplementation can directly restore the attenuated nitic oxide‐mediated endothelial insulin transport and thereby ameliorate metabolic insulin resistance. Our finding can provide a novel explanation for the anti‐diabetic effects of Cy3G.
Oviduct epithelial cells‐derived extracellular vesicles improve preimplantation developmental competence of in vitro produced porcine parthenogenetic and cloned embryos
Authors: Fang Xun , Tanga Bereket Molla , Bang Seonggyu , Seong Gyeonghwan , Saadeldin Islam M. , Lee Sanghoon , Cho Jongki
Published: November 2021

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) carry bioactive cargoes involved in the early preimplantation development. This study investigated the effects of EVs obtained from an oviductal epithelial cell (OEC) conditioned medium on the developmental competence of in parthenogenetic activation (PA) and somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) porcine embryos. The OEC‐EV‐treated group showed significant increases in blastocyst formation and hatching rates compared to the control group (40.8% ± 2.2% and 20.1% ± 2.1% vs. 24.9% ± 2.0% and 5.3% ± 1.1%; p < 0.05), respectively. The 7 day OEC‐EVs treatment group significantly increased blastocyst formation rate than the 3 day and 0 day‐groups (45.0 ± 0.8 vs. 33.0 ± 0.7 and 26.7 ± 0.5; p < 0.05), respectively. SCNT revealed that the OEC‐EV increased blastocyst formation rate compared to that of oviductal fluid EVs (OF‐EVs) (35.4% ± 1.4% vs. 29.3% ± 1.3%; p < 0.05). Reactive oxygen species levels, apoptosis, and blastocyst lipid content were significantly decreased in the OEC‐EVs group compared with the control group. OEC‐EV group showed a significantly decreased BAX and increased BCL2, SOD1, POU5F1, SOX2, NANOG, GATA6, PNPLA2, LIPE, and MGLL gene expression than the control group (p < 0.05). In conclusion, OEC‐EVs supplementation in embryo culture media improved the quality of porcine embryos, potentially helping porcine‐cloned embryonic development possibly through transfer of messenger RNA and proteins to the early embryos.
High‐resolution microscopic diffusion anisotropy imaging in the human hippocampus at 3T
Authors: Yoo Jiyoon , Kerkelä Leevi , Hales Patrick W. , Seunarine Kiran K. , Clark Christopher A.
Published: November 2021

Purpose

Several neurological conditions are associated with microstructural changes in the hippocampus that can be observed using DWI. Imaging studies often use protocols with whole‐brain coverage, imposing limits on image resolution and worsening partial‐volume effects. Also, conventional single‐diffusion‐encoding methods confound microscopic diffusion anisotropy with size variance of microscopic diffusion environments. This study addresses these issues by implementing a multidimensional diffusion‐encoding protocol for microstructural imaging of the hippocampus at high resolution.

Methods

The hippocampus of 8 healthy volunteers was imaged at 1.5‐mm isotropic resolution with a multidimensional diffusion‐encoding sequence developed in house. Microscopic fractional anisotropy (µFA) and normalized size variance (CMD) were estimated using q‐space trajectory imaging, and their values were compared with DTI metrics. The overall scan time was 1 hour. The reproducibility of the protocol was confirmed with scan–rescan experiments, and a shorter protocol (14 minutes) was defined for situations with time constraints.

Results

Mean µFA (0.47) was greater than mean FA (0.20), indicating orientation dispersion in hippocampal tissue microstructure. Mean CMD was 0.17. The reproducibility of q‐space trajectory imaging metrics was comparable to DTI, and microstructural metrics in the healthy hippocampus are reported.

Conclusion

This work shows the feasibility of high‐resolution microscopic anisotropy imaging in the human hippocampus at 3 T and provides reference values for microstructural metrics in a healthy hippocampus.
Mechanical system and dynamic control in photolithography for nanoscale fabrication: A critical review
Authors: Song Yi , Gui Chengqun , Huo Zongliang , Lee S. W. Ricky , Liu Sheng
Published: November 2021

As one of the most advanced and precise equipment in the world, a photolithography scanner is able to fabricate nanometer‐scale devices on a chip. To realize such a small dimension, the optical system is the fundamental, but the mechanical system often becomes the bottleneck. In the photolithography, the exposure is a dynamic process. The accuracy and precision of the movement are determined by the mechanical system, which is even more difficult to control compared with the optical system. In the mechanical system, there are four crucial components: the reticle and wafer stages, the linear motor, the metrology system, and the control system. They work together to secure the reticle and substrate locating at the correct position, which determines the overlay and alignment performance in the lithography. In this paper, the principles of these components are reviewed, and the development history of the mechanical system is introduced.
A review on material models for isotropic hyperelasticity
Authors: Melly Stephen K. , Liu Liwu , Liu Yanju , Leng Jinsong
Published: November 2021

Dozens of hyperelastic models have been formulated and have been extremely handy in understanding the complex mechanical behavior of materials that exhibit hyperelastic behavior (characterized by large nonlinear elastic deformations that are completely recoverable) such as elastomers, polymers, and even biological tissues. These models are indispensable in the design of complex engineering components such as engine mounts and structural bearings in the automotive and aerospace industries and vibration isolators and shock absorbers in mechanical systems. Particularly, the problem of vibration control in mechanical system dynamics is extremely important and, therefore, knowledge of accurate hyperelastic models facilitates optimum designs and the development of three‐dimensional finite element system dynamics for studying the large and nonlinear deformation behavior. This review work intends to enhance the knowledge of 15 of the most commonly used hyperelastic models and consequently help design engineers and scientists make informed decisions on the right ones to use. For each of the models, expressions for the strain‐energy function and the Cauchy stress for both arbitrary loading assuming compressibility and each of the three loading modes (uniaxial tension, equibiaxial tension, and pure shear) assuming incompressibility are provided. Furthermore, the stress–strain or stress–stretch plots of the model's predictions in each of the loading modes are compared with that of the classical experimental data of Treloar and the coefficient of determination is utilized as a measure of the model's predictive ability. Lastly, a ranking scheme is proposed based on the model's ability to predict each of the loading modes with minimum deviations and the overall coefficient of determination.
Eigenvalue sensitivity analysis based on the transfer matrix method
Authors: Bestle Dieter
Published: November 2021

For linear mechanical systems, the transfer matrix method is one of the most efficient modeling and analysis methods. However, in contrast to classical modeling strategies, the final eigenvalue problem is based on a matrix which is a highly nonlinear function of the eigenvalues. Therefore, classical strategies for sensitivity analysis of eigenvalues w.r.t. system parameters cannot be applied. The paper develops two specific strategies for this situation, a direct differentiation strategy and an adjoint variable method, where especially the latter is easy to use and applicable to arbitrarily complex chain or branched multibody systems. Like the system analysis itself, it is able to break down the sensitivity analysis of the overall system to analytically determinable derivatives of element transfer matrices and recursive formula which can be applied along the transfer path of the topology figure. Several examples of different complexity validate the proposed approach by comparing results to analytical calculations and numerical differentiation. The obtained procedure may support gradient‐based optimization and robust design by delivering exact sensitivities.
High‐order accurate conjugate heat transfer solutions with a finite volume method in anisotropic meshes with application in polymer processing
Authors: Costa Ricardo , Nóbrega João M. , Clain Stéphane , Machado Gaspar J.
Published: November 2021

The computational modeling has become an indispensable tool to support the engineering design and control of many industrial processes. In polymer processing applications, the simulation of conjugate heat transfer phenomena is critical as rigorous temperature control is necessary to ensure that the produced parts meet the required specifications. In this article, a high‐order accurate finite volume method is proposed to improve the numerical accuracy and the computational efficiency of conjugate heat transfer simulations with application in polymer processing. Anisotropic meshes are investigated to significantly reduce the number of unknowns in convection‐dominated problems where the higher temperature variations occur perpendicularly to curved boundaries and interfaces. The reconstruction for off‐site data method based on polynomial reconstructions is employed to fulfill the prescribed boundary and interface conditions solely using polygonal meshes to avoid the limitations of curved mesh approaches. A code verification benchmark based on manufactured solutions proves that the proposed method provides a fourth‐order of convergence and is computationally more cost‐effective than the classical second‐order of convergence. Moreover, meshes with higher aspect ratios improve the calculation efficiency but suffer from a small accuracy penalty due to conditioning deterioration. Comparison with the classical finite volume discretization techniques, widely implemented in commercial and open‐source software packages, is also provided. The applicability and performance of the proposed method are further supported with a practical case study for the sheet extrusion cooling stage.
Three‐dimensional inversion of semi‐airborne transient electromagnetic data based on finite element method
Authors: Yang Hao , Cai Hongzhu , Liu Minghong , Xiong Yongchun , Long Zhidan , Li Jianhui , Hu Xiangyun
Published: November 2021

The semi‐airborne transient electromagnetic method is characterized by a large detection depth, high signal‐to‐noise ratio, fast acquisition rate, low cost, and ability to be used for exploration in scenarios with complex geological conditions. As a result, the semi‐airborne transient electromagnetic method has a great potential in the fields of mineral exploration, hydrological study and geohazard detection. However, most of the existing semi‐airborne transient electromagnetic data interpretation methods still rely on one‐dimensional forward modelling and inversion, which could lead to an incorrect geological interpretation. In this paper, we develop a three‐dimensional inversion for semi‐airborne transient electromagnetic data to recover a reliable subsurface conductivity distribution. The forward modelling is based on the effective vector finite element method with an unstructured tetrahedral mesh, which is capable of simulating complex geo‐electric structures and the topography. Through the numerical experiments of several three‐dimensional synthetic models, we study the influence of the number of excitation sources, flight mode and complex topography on the inversion results. The synthetic model studies reveal that: (1) by increasing the number of excitation sources, we can obtain a higher resolution conductivity image with less artefacts; (2) the detectability can be increased by flying along the terrain when the topography is complex; (3) the topography should be considered in the forward modelling and inversion to obtain a reasonable conductivity model using the semi‐airborne transient electromagnetic method; and (4) the three‐dimensional inversion still works when the inhomogeneity is present nearby the transmitter.
Comparison of neuropsychological functioning in pediatric posterior fossa tumor survivors: Medulloblastoma, low‐grade astrocytoma, and healthy controls
Authors: Levitch Cara F. , Holland Alice Ann , Bledsoe Jesse , Kim Soo Young , Barnett Marie , Ramjan Sameera , Sands Stephen A.
Published: November 2021

Background

Neuropsychological comparison of medulloblastoma (MB) and cerebellar low‐grade astrocytoma (LGA) survivors to controls can clarify treatment‐related neurocognitive late effects. While both brain tumor groups undergo surgery to the posterior fossa, children with MB additionally receive craniospinal irradiation with boost and chemotherapy. This study provides an updated comparison of neuropsychological functioning in these two groups and examines effects of demographic risk factors upon outcomes.

Procedure

Forty‐two children (16 MB, nine LGA, and 17 controls) completed measures of intellectual functioning, verbal learning/memory, visual–motor integration, and fine‐motor functioning. The effects of age at diagnosis, time since diagnosis, gender, fatigue, and social status on neuropsychological functioning were examined.

Results

MB survivors demonstrated the worst neurocognitive late effects, but they were less severe and extensive than in prior studies. LGA survivors’ mean scores were below normative expectations in working memory, processing speed, and fine‐motor functioning. In this overall sample, processing speed difficulties were independent of fine‐motor functioning and fatigue. Higher parental education was associated with better intellectual functioning, working memory, delayed recall, and visual–motor integration. Neuropsychological function was not associated with gender, age at diagnosis, or time since diagnosis.

Conclusion

The results support that contemporary treatment approaches with craniospinal irradiation plus boost and chemotherapy confer the greatest risk for late effects, while surgical resection is associated with subtle but important neurocognitive difficulties. Ultimately, this study furthers our understanding of factors impacting neuropsychological function in pediatric MB and LGA survivors and contributes to empirical support for close monitoring and targeted interventions into survivorship.
Effect of monomer hydrophilicity on ARGET–ATRP kinetics in aqueous mini‐emulsion polymerization
Authors: Cintora Alicia , Käfer Florian , Yuan Chenyun , Ober Christopher K.
Published: November 2021

Activators regenerated by electron transfer (ARGET) atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP)‐based aqueous miniemulsion polymerization where the polymerization takes place in the stabilized monomer droplets is described. In this work, we compared styrene, n‐butyl methacrylate (nBMA) and tert‐butyl methacrylate (tBMA) and investigated the influence of their hydrophobicity on dispersity, molecular weight and particle stability based their partition coefficients (logP) (2.67, 2.23, and 1.86, respectively). Tetrabutylammonium bromide (TBAB) was used as a phase transfer agent for the controlled delivery of Cu2+‐Br/tris(2‐pyridylmethyl)amine (TPMA), a hydrophilic catalyst, into monomer droplets of varying hydrophobicity. The resulting dispersity and particle stability of each polymer is a function of its logP value, with the most hydrophobic monomer (styrene) displaying the narrowest dispersity and most control (Đ < 1.3), and the most hydrophilic polymer poly(tert‐butyl methacrylate) (PtBMA) having reduced emulsion stability, determined by the observation of aggregate formation. Selected polymerization parameters, including effects of total ascorbic acid feed concentration and the monomer concentration and their effects on dispersity are reported. The controlled polymerizations of hydrophilic monomers using ARGET‐ATRP in miniemulsion conditions and understanding the effect of monomer hydrophilicity on the emulsion stability will broaden the use of ARGET‐ATRP in emulsion polymerization for the synthesis of polymer‐grafted nanoparticles with hydrophilic corona.
Health‐related quality of life and parental depression in children with pulmonary arterial hypertension
Authors: H. Canbeyli Fatma , Atasayan Vildan , Tokgoz Semiha , Tunaoglu Fatma S. , Oguz Ayse D. , Celik Bulent , Kula Serdar
Published: November 2021

Background

Impaired health‐related quality of life (HRQoL) is a common problem in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), but there is limited data on HRQoL in children with PAH. We aimed to investigate the QoL, determine the potential risk factors for poor HRQoL in children with PAH, and assess the depression and anxiety of their families.

Methods

We performed a prospective cross‐sectional study of children with PAH, healthy peers, and their parents. HRQoL was measured by the self‐reported and age‐adapted KINDL questionnaire. Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS) were used to assess the depression and anxiety of parents.

Results

Children with PAH had statistically lower total HRQoL scores than healthy peers (p < 0.001). There was no correlation between HRQoL and duration of disease, World Health Organization functional class, pro‐B‐type natriuretic peptide, 6‐min walk test, and combined or single treatment. BDI and HADS scores were significantly higher in the parents of patients (p < 0.001, p = 0.023, p < 0.001, respectively). There was a negative correlation between HRQoL and BDI in patients (p = 0.016), while there was no significant correlation between HRQoL and HADS (p > 0.05).

Conclusion

We demonstrated impairment of HRQoL of children with PAH. In addition, there was a correlation between the depression of the families and the QoL of the children.
Thermal Properties of γ‐Cyclodextrin Nitrates with Various Degrees of Nitration
Authors: Maksimowski Paweł , Janson Agnieszka , Gołofit Tomasz
Published: November 2021

The aim of this paper was to analyze the thermal properties of γ‐cyclodextrins with different degrees of nitration and to determine the kinetic parameters of their decomposition reactions. The differential scanning calorimetry was used to investigate six nitro derivatives of γ‐cyclodextrins obtained and characterized by various degrees of nitration. The tested samples differed in the number of esterified OH groups in γ‐cyclodextrins from 6.4 to 24.0 and nitrogen content from 6.3 to 14.1 %. It was concluded that the value of the heat of combustion increases with the nitrogen content and achieves the highest value (4.0 kJ/g) for nitrogen content 14.1 %. The thermal effect of decomposition was found to increase significantly and proportionally to the increased heating rate of the sample. The largest temperature shift of the decomposition process with changed heat flow rate was observed for the samples with the highest nitrogen content (13.7 % and 14.1 %). No influence of nitrogen content on the value of apparent activation energy for the obtained γ‐nitrocyclodextrins was observed, which may indicate that the initial stage of decomposition is independent from the nitrogen content. The determined kinetic parameters of the decomposition reaction make it possible to estimate the safe conditions for the synthesis, use and storage of γ‐nitrocyclodextrins and to determine parameters such as Self‐Accelerating Decomposition Temperature (SADT), Adiabatic Decomposition Temperature (ADT24).
Combination therapy with novel androgen receptor antagonists and statin for castration‐resistant prostate cancer
Authors: Nakayama Hiroshi , Sekine Yoshitaka , Oka Daisuke , Miyazawa Yoshiyuki , Arai Seiji , Koike Hidekazu , Matsui Hiroshi , Shibata Yasuhiro , Suzuki Kazuhiro
Published: November 2021

Background

One of the growth mechanisms of castration‐resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) is de novo androgen synthesis from intracellular cholesterol, and statins may be able to inhibit this mechanism. In addition, statins have been reported to suppress the expression of androgen receptors (ARs) in prostate cancer cell lines. In this study, we investigated a combination therapy of novel AR antagonists and statin, simvastatin, for CRPC.

Methods

LNCaP, 22Rv1, and PC‐3 human prostate cancer cell lines were used. We developed androgen‐independent LNCaP cells (LNCaP‐LA). Microarray analysis was performed, followed by pathway analysis, and mRNA and protein expression was evaluated by quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analysis, respectively. Cell viability was determined by MTS assay and cell counts. All evaluations were performed on cells treated with simvastatin and with or without AR antagonists (enzalutamide, apalutamide, and darolutamide).

Results

The combination of darolutamide and simvastatin most significantly suppressed proliferation in LNCaP‐LA and 22Rv1 cells. In a 22Rv1‐derived mouse xenograft model, the combination of darolutamide and simvastatin enhanced the inhibition of cell proliferation. In LNCaP‐LA cells, the combination of darolutamide and simvastatin led to reduction in the mRNA expression of the androgen‐stimulated genes, KLK2 and PSA; however, this reduction in expression did not occur in 22Rv1 cells. The microarray data and pathway analyses showed that the number of differentially expressed genes in the darolutamide and simvastatin‐treated 22Rv1 cells was the highest in the pathway termed “role of cell cycle.” Consequently, we focused our efforts on the cell cycle regulator polo‐like kinase 1 (PLK1), cyclin‐dependent kinase 2 (CDK2), and cell cycle division 25C (CDC25C). In 22Rv1 cells, the combination of darolutamide and simvastatin suppressed the mRNA and protein expression of these three genes. In addition, in PC‐3 cells (which lack AR expression), the combination of simvastatin and darolutamide enhanced the suppression of cell proliferation and expression of these genes.

Conclusions

Simvastatin alters the expression of many genes involved in the cell cycle in CRPC cells. Thus, the combination of novel AR antagonists (darolutamide) and simvastatin can potentially affect CRPC growth through both androgen‐dependent and androgen‐independent mechanisms.
Design of Electromagnetic Shielding Textiles Based on Industrial‐Grade Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes and Graphene Nanoplatelets by Dip‐Pad‐Dry Process
Authors: Sousa Ana R. , Matos Renata , Barbosa José R. M. , Ferreira João , Santos Gilda , Silva Augusta , Morgado José , Soares Patrícia , Bunyaev Sergey A. , Kakazei Gleb N. , Vilarinho Rui , Soares Olívia Salomé , Pereira Manuel Fernando , Freire Cristina , Pereira Clara , Pereira André M.
Published: November 2021

Textile‐based shields are one of the most used solutions for electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding in the radiofrequency range for several applications, such as personal protection, military, and aircraft. Herein, EMI textile shields are produced based on knitted cotton textile substrates (Jersey and American Fleece) coated with industrial‐grade multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs). An easy and scalable dip‐pad‐dry process is used to fabricate the textile‐based shields. The shielding effectiveness (SE) is evaluated over the frequency range of 5.85–18 GHz. The MWCNT‐coated American Fleece fabric presents the highest EMI shielding, with an average SE of ≈35.6 dB, which corresponds to an excellent classification for general use applications. Additionally, the electrical properties of the carbon nanomaterials and the thickness of the shields reveal to be correlated with an EMI shielding process mostly through radiation absorption mechanism. Numerical simulations are used to further assist in a thorough investigation regarding the influence of the electrical properties of the nanomaterials on the SE of the resulting coated fabrics.
Identification of an ARX model with impulse noise using a variable step size information gradient algorithm based on the kurtosis and minimum Renyi error entropy
Authors: Jing Shaoxue
Published: November 2021

ARX model is an autoregressive model with exogenous terms. Because of its simplicity and easy parameterization, the ARX model has been widely used in various applications. However, most reports on ARX identification are about Gaussian noise or white noise environment. In many practical industrial applications, impulse noise widely exists. For systems contaminated by this noise, the performance of the mean square error algorithm will deteriorate. To get more accurate results, a variable step size stochastic information gradient algorithm is proposed. The algorithm is based on the Renyi square error entropy and introduces a fourth‐order statistic of the error–kurtosis–into the variable step size, which not only effectively suppresses the impulse noise, but also accelerates the convergence speed. At the same time, a simple method of determining the maximum step size is given. The computational cost and the convergence are also analyzed. Numerical experiments and case study show that for the ARX model disturbed by impulse noise, the proposed algorithm can obtain high‐precision parameter estimates with fast convergence speed.
Phase Conversion Accelerating “Zn‐Escape” Effect in ZnSe‐CFs Heterostructure for High Performance Sodium‐Ion Half/Full Batteries
Authors: Dong Wen‐Da , Li Chao‐Fan , Wang Chun‐Yu , Wu Liang , Hu Zhi‐Yi , Liu Jing , Chen Li‐Hua , Li Yu , Su Bao‐Lian
Published: November 2021

Sodium‐ion batteries (SIBs) are considered as a promising large‐scale energy storage system owing to the abundant and low‐cost sodium resources. However, their practical application still needs to overcome some problems like slow redox kinetics and poor capacity retention rate. Here, a high‐performance ZnSe/carbon fibers (ZnSe‐CFs) anode is demonstrated with high electrons/Na+ transport efficiency for sodium‐ion half/full batteries by engineering ZnSe/C heterostructure. The electrochemical behavior of the ZnSe‐CFs heterostructure anode is deeply studied via in situ characterizations and theoretical calculations. Phase conversion is revealed to accelerate the “Zn‐escape” effect for the formation of robust solid electrolyte interphase (SEI). This leads to the ZnSe‐CFs delivering a superior rate performance of 206 mAh g−1 at 1500 mA g−1 for half battery and an initial discharge capacity of 197.4 mAh g−1 at a current density of 1 A g−1 for full battery. The work here heralds a promising strategy to synthesize advanced heterostructured anodes for SIBs, and provides the guidance for a better understanding of phase conversion anodes.
An Adsorption‐Insertion Mechanism of Potassium in Soft Carbon
Authors: Wu Shijie , Song Yan , Lu Chunxiang , Yang Tao , Yuan Shuxia , Tian Xiaodong , Liu Zhanjun
Published: November 2021

Soft carbon (SC) has become a promising anode for potassium ion batteries (PIBs) benefiting from its structural flexibility. However, the evolution of potassium storage behavior with the microstructure (the average size of the crystallites La and the average interlayer spacing a3) is still unclear, which hinders the understanding of the potassium storage mechanism. Herein, a series of soft carbon with different microstructures is prepared through pyrolysis of petroleum pitch. Based on the analysis of the relationship between electrochemical behavior and microstructure, an adsorption‐insertion mechanism is proposed: the capacity in the voltage range of 0.45–1.1 V is originated from the adsorption of potassium ions on edge‐defect sites whereas the capacity below 0.45 V is attributed to the insertion of potassium ions into interlayers. When La equals to 10.56 Å, SCs exhibit an adsorption‐controlled mechanism. However, as La increases to 120.98 Å, the insertion process is dominant. With La increasing from 21.9 to 93.02 Å, SCs have two mixed behaviors. The initial insertion coefficients do not change until a3 decreases to 3.46 Å. These findings highlight the relation of potassium storage behavior with different microstructures and the adsorption‐insertion mechanism can provide insights into the design of SC anodes for PIBs.
Acceleration‐based effective damping ratio of tuned mass damper under seismic excitations
Authors: He Hui , Tan Ping , Hao Linfei
Published: November 2021

To investigate the effectiveness of a tuned mass damper (TMD) in controlling acceleration responses of a primary structure under seismic excitations, this paper proposes a practical method for the calculation of the acceleration‐based effective damping ratio of TMD. Seismic ground motions were simulated by using the Kanai–Tajimi model, and the effect of site conditions on the TMD effective damping ratio was considered. The site filtering effect was expressed in a transfer function form, and the absolute acceleration dynamic amplification factor of a structure to bedrock was derived. In this study, the effectiveness of TMD was considered as the effective damping ratio added to each mode of the primary structure, and an analytical expression for the TMD effective damping ratio was therefore established. Results of the parametric analysis show that when the TMD mass ratio is less than 0.1, an increase in the TMD mass can enhance its effective damping ratio, as well as its acceleration response control performance. However, an increase in the structural damping ratio weakens the TMD control performance. Moreover, the TMD effective damping ratio significantly depends on site conditions, that is, the TMD may have a side effect in controlling acceleration responses in a certain frequency range. Numerical simulation of a 10‐story shear frame structure exposed to soil‐ and rock‐site earthquakes demonstrated that when it comes to the root mean square values of the structural absolute accelerations the error of the proposed method did not exceed 0.88%, indicating that it can precisely evaluate the effectiveness of the TMD.
Effects of chlorobromoisocyanuric acid on embryonic development and immunotoxicity of zebrafish
Authors: Liu Yi , Guo Jing , Yang Fengjie , Deng Yunyun , Peng Yuyang , Meng Yunlong , Liu Wenjin , Cheng Bo , Fu Jianping , Zhang June , Liao Xinjun , Lu Huiqiang
Published: November 2021

Although chlorobromoisocyanuric acid has been widely used in agriculture, its deleterious toxicity on aquatic organisms remains rare. In this study, zebrafish were exposed to chlorobromoisocyanuric acid (0, 30, 40, and 50 mg/L) from 10 to 96 h post‐fertilization (hpf). We found a significant reduction in immune cell numbers (neutrophils and macrophages) and the area of thymus at 96 hpf. The expression of immune‐related genes and pro‐inflammatory cytokines genes were upregulated. Besides, chlorobromoisocyanuric acid triggered neutrophils cell apoptosis. The mRNA and protein levels of pro‐apoptotic p53 pathway and the Bax/Bcl‐2 ratio further indicated the underlying mechanism. Furthermore, the oxidative stress was observed that the accumulation of reactive oxygen species and malondialdehyde significantly increased. Subsequently, the antioxidant agent astaxanthin significantly attenuated the level of oxidative stress and the dysregulation of inflammatory response. In summary, our results showed that chlorobromoisocyanuric acid induced developmental defects and immunotoxicity of zebrafish, partly owing to oxidative stress and cell apoptosis.
SIRT1/mTOR pathway‐mediated autophagy dysregulation promotes Pb‐induced hepatic lipid accumulation in HepG2 cells
Authors: Zhao Yanan , Mao Ankang , Zhang Ranran , Guan Shuang , Lu Jing
Published: November 2021

Lead (Pb) is a common and toxic metal pollutant in the ecological environment and has drawn significant attention due to its presence in various channels, including the use of lead‐based paint, mineral extraction and smelting, exhaust gas from gasoline combustion. Autophagy is an essential catabolic pathway and blocked autophagy may result in abnormal lipid metabolism in liver. A body of evidence demonstrates that Pb exposure causes abnormal lipid droplet (LDs) accumulation in the liver, but the mechanism remains unknown. Here, we investigated whether Pb induced lipid accumulation by regulating autophagy in HepG2 cells. In this study, we found that Pb (50 μM) blocked the autophagy flux mainly by transcription factor EB (TFEB)‐mediated impairment of lysosome formation and activity. Then we demonstrated that the dense lipid accumulation was observed upon Pb exposure, and induction of autophagy by the autophagy activator rapamycin (Rap) alleviated Pb‐induced lipid accumulation, while suppression of autophagy by chloroquine (CQ) exacerbated Pb‐induced lipid accumulation, suggested that Pb‐induced autophagy blockage might be responsible for lipid accumulation. Moreover, we demonstrated that the SIRT1/mTOR pathway participated in Pb‐induced autophagy dysregulation, leading to Pb‐induced hepatic lipid accumulation. In summary, these results revealed a new insight into the relationship between Pb‐caused autophagy dysregulation and lipid accumulation for the first time and highlight autophagy as a novel therapeutic target against Pb‐induced hepatic lipid accumulation which supplying the theoretical basis and potential strategies for the intervention and treatment of Pb‐related disease.
Hexagonalization of Fishnet integrals. Part I. Mirror excitations
Authors: Olivucci Enrico
Published: November 2021

Abstract

In this paper we consider a conformal invariant chain of L sites in the unitary irreducible representations of the group SO(1, 5). The k-th site of the chain is defined by a scaling dimension ∆k and spin numbers $$ \frac{\ell_k}{2},\frac{\ell_k}{2} $$

ℓ
k

2

,

ℓ
k

2

The model with open and fixed boundaries is shown to be integrable at the quantum level and its spectrum and eigenfunctions are obtained by separation of variables. The transfer matrices of the chain are graph-builder operators for the spinning and inhomogeneous generalization of squared-lattice “fishnet” integrals on the disk. As such, their eigenfunctions are used to diagonalize the mirror channel of the Feynman diagrams of Fishnet conformal field theories. The separated variables are interpreted as momentum and bound-state index of the mirror excitations of the lattice: particles with SO(4) internal symmetry that scatter according to an integrable factorized $$ \mathcal{S} $$
S
-matrix in (1 + 1) dimensions
Electrostatic description of 3d $$ \mathcal{N} $$ = 4 linear quivers
Authors: Akhond Mohammad , Legramandi Andrea , Nunez Carlos
Published: November 2021

Abstract

We present the holographic dual for the strongly coupled, low energy dynamics of balanced$$ \mathcal{N} $$
N
= 4 field theories in (2 + 1) dimensions. The infinite family of Type IIB backgrounds with AdS4× S2× S2 factors is described in terms of a Laplace problem with suitable boundary conditions. The system describes an array of D3, NS5 and D5 branes. We study various aspects of these Hanany-Witten set-ups (number of branes, linking numbers, dimension of the Higgs and Coulomb branches) and encode them in holographic calculations. A generic expression for the Free Energy/Holographic Central Charge is derived. These quantities are then calculated explicitly in various general examples. We also discuss how Mirror Symmetry is encoded in our Type IIB backgrounds. The connection with previous results in the bibliography is made.
A polyfold proof of the Arnold conjecture
Authors: Filippenko Benjamin , Wehrheim Katrin
Published: November 2021

We give a detailed proof of the homological Arnold conjecture for nondegenerate periodic Hamiltonians on general closed symplectic manifolds M via a direct Piunikhin–Salamon–Schwarz morphism. Our constructions are based on a coherent polyfold description for moduli spaces of pseudoholomorphic curves in a family of symplectic manifolds degenerating from $${{\mathbb {C}}{\mathbb {P}}}^1\times M$$

C
P

1

×
M

to $${{\mathbb {C}}}^+ \times M$$

C

+

×
M

and $${{\mathbb {C}}}^-\times M$$

C

-

×
M

, as developed by Fish–Hofer–Wysocki–Zehnder as part of the Symplectic Field Theory package. To make the paper self-contained we include all polyfold assumptions, describe the coherent perturbation iteration in detail, and prove an abstract regularization theorem for moduli spaces with evaluation maps relative to a countable collection of submanifolds. The 2011 sketch of this proof was joint work with Peter Albers, Joel Fish.
X-ray emission spectroscopy: a genetic algorithm to disentangle core–hole-induced dynamics
Authors: Pettersson Lars G. M. , Takahashi Osamu
Published: November 2021

A genetic algorithm (GA) is developed and applied to make proper connections of final-state potential-energy surfaces and X-ray emission (XES) cross sections between steps in the time-propagation of H-bonded systems after a core–hole is created. We show that this modification results in significantly improved resolution of spectral features in XES with the semiclassical Kramers–Heisenberg approach which takes into account important interference effects. We demonstrate the effects on a water pentamer model as well as on two 17-molecules water clusters representing, respectively, tetrahedral (D2A2) and asymmetric (D1A1) H-bonding environments. For D2A2, the applied procedure improves significantly the obtained intensities, whereas for D1A1 the effects are smaller due to milder dynamics during the core–hole life-time as only one hydrogen is involved. We reinvestigate XES for liquid ethanol and, by properly disentangling the relevant states in the dense manifold of states using the GA, now resolve the important 3a′′ state as a peak rather than a shoulder. Furthermore, by applying the SpecSwap-RMC procedure, we reweigh the distribution of structures in the sampling of the liquid to fit to experiment and estimate the ratio between the main anti and gauche conformers in the liquid at room temperature. This combination of techniques will be generally applicable to challenging problems in liquid-phase spectroscopy.
Inflammatory potential of diet and bone mineral density in a senior Mediterranean population: a cross-sectional analysis of PREDIMED-Plus study
Authors: García-Gavilán Jesús F. , Paz-Graniel Indira , Babio Nancy , Romaguera Dora , Martínez Jose Alfredo , Martin Vicente , Martínez María Ángeles , Konieczna Jadwiga , Ruiz-Canela Miguel , de Paz Fernandez José Antonio , Goday Albert , Martínez-González Miguel Ángel , Bulló Mònica , Salas-Salvadó Jordi
Published: November 2021

Purpose

Inflammation could play a key role in tissue damage and bone metabolism. The modified dietary inflammatory score (M-DIS) is a validated tool to estimate the inflammatory potential of the diet. In the present study, we evaluate the associations between the M-DIS and bone mineral density (BMD) in a senior Mediterranean population with overweight/obesity and metabolic syndrome.

Methods

Baseline cross-sectional association between the M-DIS and bone mineral density was assessed in 1134 participants of the multicenter PREDIMED-Plus trial (aged 55–75 with overweight/obesity and metabolic syndrome). BMD was measured using Dual-energy X-ray Absorptiometry scans and participants answered a food frequency questionnaire to determine the M-DIS. BMD was categorized as low BMD when T score was equal or lower than -1 and normal BMD in another case. Associations between BMD and M-DIS were evaluated by using linear and logistic regressions adjusted by other co-variates.

Results

Participants in the top tertile of the M-DIS had a lower BMD at total femur [β (95% CI) − 0.02 (− 0.04, − 0.01)], trochanter areas [β (95% CI) − 0.03 (− 0.05, − 0.01)] and lumbar spine area [β (95% CI) − 0.03 (− 0.07, 0.01)] (but in the last case, measures were less precise and hence not statistically significant) compared to those in the lower M-DIS tertile. Multiple logistic regression analyses showed that the odds of the total femur and femoral trochanter osteopenia/osteoporosis were higher in participants in the top tertile compared to those in the lowest tertile of M-DIS [OR (95% CI) 1.71 (1.12, 2.64), P for trend 0.015; 2.02 (1.29, 3.21), P for trend 0.002, respectively].

Conclusion

A high pro-inflammatory diet, measured by the M-DIS, is associated with lower BMD in a senior Mediterranean population with metabolic syndrome.
Living with a giant, flowering parasite: metabolic differences between Tetrastigma loheri Gagnep. (Vitaceae) shoots uninfected and infected with Rafflesia (Rafflesiaceae) and potential applications for propagation
Authors: Molina Jeanmaire , Nikolic Dejan , Jeevarathanam Jashvanth Raaj , Abzalimov Rinat , Park Eun-Jung , Pedales Ronniel , Mojica Elmer-Rico E. , Tandang Danilo , McLaughlin William , Wallick Kyle , Adams James , Novy Ari , Pell Susan K. , van Breemen Richard B. , Pezzuto John M.
Published: November 2021

Main conclusion

Metabolites inRafflesia-infected and non-infectedTetrastigmawere compared which may have applications inRafflesiapropagation. Benzylisoquinoline alkaloids, here reported for the first time in Vitaceae, were abundant in non-infected shoots and may be a form of defense. InRafflesia-infected shoots, oxylipins, which mediate immune response, were elevated.

Endemic to the forests of Southeast Asia,Rafflesia(Rafflesiaceae) is a genus of holoparasitic plants producing the largest flowers in the world, yet completely dependent on its host, the tropical grape vine,Tetrastigma.Rafflesiaspecies are threatened with extinction, making them an iconic symbol of plant conservation. Thus far, propagation has proved challenging, greatly decreasing efficacy of conservation efforts. This study compared the metabolites in the shoots ofRafflesia-infected and non-infectedTetrastigma loherito examine howRafflesiainfection affects host metabolomics and elucidate theRafflesiainfection process. Results from LC–MS-based untargeted metabolomics analysis showed benzylisoquinoline alkaloids were naturally more abundant in non-infected shoots and are here reported for the first time in the genusTetrastigma,and in the grape family, Vitaceae. These metabolites have been implicated in plant defense mechanisms and may prevent aRafflesiainfection. InRafflesia-infected shoots, oxygenated fatty acids, or oxylipins, and a flavonoid, previously shown involved in plant immune response, were significantly elevated. This study provides a preliminary assessment of metabolites that differ betweenRafflesia-infected and non-infectedTetrastigmahosts and may have applications inRafflesiapropagation to meet conservation goals.
Beyond the limitations of real-time scheduling theory: a unified scheduling theory for the analysis of real-time systems
Authors: Slomka Frank , Sadeghi Mohammadreza
Published: November 2021

We investigate the mathematical properties of event bound functions as they are used in the worst-case response time analysis and utilization tests. We figure out the differences and similarities between the two approaches. Based on this analysis, we derive a more general form do describe events and event bounds. This new unified approach gives clear new insights in the investigation of real-time systems, simplifies the models and will support algebraic proofs in future work. In the end, we present a unified analysis which allows the algebraic definition of any scheduler. Introducing such functions to the real-time scheduling theory will lead two a more systematic way to integrate new concepts and applications to the theory. Last but not least, we show how the response time analysis in dynamic scheduling can be improved.
Characterisation of the redox centers of ethylbenzene dehydrogenase
Authors: Hagel Corina , Blaum Bärbel , Friedrich Thorsten , Heider Johann
Published: November 2021

Ethylbenzene dehydrogenase (EbDH), the initial enzyme of anaerobic ethylbenzene degradation from the beta-proteobacterium Aromatoleumaromaticum, is a soluble periplasmic molybdenum enzyme consisting of three subunits. It contains a Mo-bis-molybdopterin guanine dinucleotide (Mo-bis-MGD) cofactor and an 4Fe–4S cluster (FS0) in the α-subunit, three 4Fe–4S clusters (FS1 to FS3) and a 3Fe–4S cluster (FS4) in the β-subunit and a heme b cofactor in the γ-subunit. Ethylbenzene is hydroxylated by a water molecule in an oxygen-independent manner at the Mo-bis-MGD cofactor, which is reduced from the MoVI to the MoIV state in two subsequent one-electron steps. The electrons are then transferred via the Fe–S clusters to the heme b cofactor. In this report, we determine the midpoint redox potentials of the Mo-bis-MGD cofactor and FS1–FS4 by EPR spectroscopy, and that of the heme b cofactor by electrochemically induced redox difference spectroscopy. We obtained relatively high values of > 250 mV both for the MoVI–MoV redox couple and the heme b cofactor, whereas FS2 is only reduced at a very low redox potential, causing magnetic coupling with the neighboring FS1 and FS3. We compare the results with the data on related enzymes and interpret their significance for the function of EbDH.

Graphical abstract