bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of Annealing on Resistive Switching Properties of Glancing Angle Deposition‐Assisted WO3 Thin Films
Authors: Lamichhane Shiva , Sharma Savita , Tomar Monika , Chowdhuri Arijit
Published: August 2023

Herein, the impact of postdeposition annealing on resistive switching behavior of radio frequency magnetron sputtered WO3 thin films is reported. Films are deposited under glancing angle deposition (GLAD) configuration of sputtering at varying GLAD angle from 65° to 80°. Structure transition from monoclinic to orthorhombic phase in deposited WO3 films is perceived after ex situ annealing at temperature of 400 °C. Resistive switching properties show shift from bipolar to unipolar switching on postdeposition annealing. WO3 films show unipolar switching behavior after ex situ annealing for all prepared samples. The value of resistance in high resistance state is lowered after ex situ heating treatment and interestingly switching voltage also reduces to 3 V from 7 V after annealing treatment. The ratio of high to low resistance state for annealed WO3 film fabricated at 70° GLAD angle is achieved to be maximum (≈219). A detailed charge transport mechanism shows that ohmic behavior is dominant current conduction mechanism at lower applied voltage, while space charge limited current and Child's law are dominant at higher applied voltages. Obtained results encourage utilization of prepared WO3 thin films toward a wide variety of applications in optoelectronics, microelectronics, and environmental engineering along with advanced electronics such as resistive memory devices.
An assessment of older adults' selection of over‐the‐counter medication: What information are they utilizing during the selection process?
Authors: Harben Alyssa , Esfahanian Shiva , Bix Laura
Published: August 2023

Herein, we investigate the information older adults use when selecting over‐the‐counter (OTC) medications. Two specific objectives framed our work: (1) determine what information older adults believe to be important when selecting an OTC and (2) determine what information they believe to be important when assessing an OTC product's appropriateness for use. Five focus groups comprised of OTC users aged 65+ (total n = 24) were led using a moderator guide which incorporated surveys, individual activities and guide group discussions in support of these objectives. Complete transcripts of group discussions were coded into emergent themes and analysed in conjunction with survey results. Four broad themes were identified: price, search for advice, perception of efficacy and perception of safety. While we framed our study specific to labelling information, expecting older consumers to use a deliberative decision‐making process, typical of products that carry risk, what emerged was the fact that they utilized a habit‐based process that was largely driven by price comparisons and previous success with products. The specific, intensive information from the Drug Facts Label (DFL) required by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which we had designed our questions around, was not the information discussed intently by our participants. Data suggests that they rely on simple heuristics available through other aspects of the packaging.
DFT‐based systematic study on the structural, optoelectronic, thermodynamic, vibrational, and mechanical behavior of Ruddlesden Popper perovskites Sr2XO4 (X = Zr, Hf) for optoelectronic applications
Authors: Khalil R. M. Arif , Hussain Muhammad Iqbal , Karim Bushra , Albalawi Hind , Hussein Khaild I. , Hussain Fayyaz
Published: August 2023

DFT study on the structural, optoelectronic, thermodynamic, vibrational, and mechanical properties of Ruddlesden Popper (RP) perovskites Sr2XO4 (X = Zr, Hf) is made with the help of first principle simulation in the framework of WIEN2K code. The lattice constants in bohr unit are found to be for Sr2ZrO4, and for Sr2HfO4. The calculated band gap values are 2.65 eV for Sr2ZrO4 and 2.58 eV for Sr2HfO4. The band structure and electronic density of states reveal the semiconductor nature of these materials having an indirect band gap. Also, Kramers–Krönig relations are used for optical analysis which unveils that these compounds are suitable for applications in optoelectronic. The vibrational investigations are done while using harmonic approximation. Phonon dispersion curves are plotted to observe the vibrational modes by DFPT to confirm the dynamical stability of studied compounds. Although few soft modes have appeared, however, these compounds are found to be thermally stable. Raman modes appeared at low and high frequencies whereas IR modes are noticed at intermediate frequencies for considered compounds. Upon thermodynamical examination, the maximum value of free energy at 1000 K is noted to be −1.95 eV for Sr2ZrO4 and −2.25 eV for Sr2HfO4. The elastic constants are calculated by using the Voigt–Reuss–Hill approximation. The calculated anisotropic values for these compounds are 1.077 (A) and 0.913 (A) which indicate that Sr2ZrO4 has isotropic behavior and Sr2HfO4 has anisotropic behavior. From our calculations, Voigt Young's modulus of Sr2ZrO4 and Sr2HfO4 is 266.99 (GPa) and 279.42 (GPa) along with Poison's ratio of 0.29 and 0.26, respectively.
Theoretical and experimental studies on the thermal decomposition and fire‐extinguishing performance of 1,1,2,3,3,3‐hexafluoro‐1‐propene (R1216)
Authors: Li Shukai , Zhang Xiao , Li Xueqing , Yu Rourou , Chang ZhenXiang , Yang Zhao , Tan Zhaoyang , Wang Xingyu , Li Jianfeng
Published: August 2023

Due to the severe damage of Halon to the stratospheric ozone layer, the urgent need for substitutions for Halon has driven the search for potential alternatives. As a perfluoroolefin substance, R1216 (1,1,2,3,3,3‐hexafluoro‐1‐propene) has a similar chemical structure to the widely used 2‐bromo‐3,3,3‐trifluoro‐1‐ene (CF3CBrCH2, 2‐BTP) extinguishants. This study revealed the thermal decomposition and fire‐extinguishing performance of R1216 using theoretical calculations and experimental measurements. It was found that R1216 has high thermal stability and does not decompose at 600°C, and not only achieves the purpose of chemical extinguishment by generating perfluoroalkanes, perfluoroolefins and CF3· radicals that can capture H· and OH· radicals in the flame to interrupt the chain reactions of combustion, but also achieve the goal of cooling by absorbing heat through bond breaking. A combination of physical and chemical inhibition makes R1216 ideal for fire suppression (6.78 and 7.40 vol% for methane and propane flames, respectively). R1216 does not contain Br· and has a global warming potential of 0, which is more environmentally friendly. These findings suggested that R1216 may be a potential Halon substitute with promising applications and deserved further evaluation.
Quantum Correlation Generation Capability of Experimental Processes
Authors: Huang Wei‐Hao , Chen Shih‐Hsuan , Chang Chun‐Hao , Hsu Tzu‐Liang , Wang Kuan‐Jou , Li Che‐Ming
Published: August 2023

Einstein–Podolsky–Rosen (EPR) steering and Bell nonlocality illustrate two different kinds of correlations predicted by quantum mechanics. They not only motivate the exploration of the foundation of quantum mechanics, but also serve as important resources for quantum‐information processing in the presence of untrusted measurement apparatuses. Herein, a method for characterizing the creation of EPR steering and Bell nonlocality is introduced for dynamical processes in experiments. It shows that the capability of an experimental process to create quantum correlations can be quantified and identified simply by preparing separable states as test inputs of the process and then performing local measurements on single qubits of the corresponding outputs. This finding enables the construction of objective benchmarks for the two‐qubit controlled operations used to perform universal quantum computation. It demonstrates this utility by examining the experimental capability of creating quantum correlations with the controlled‐phase operations on the IBM Quantum Experience and Amazon Braket Rigetti superconducting quantum computers. The results show that the method provides a useful diagnostic tool for evaluating the primitive operations of nonclassical correlation creation in noisy intermediate scale quantum devices.
Violation of Bell Inequality by Four‐Photon Greenberger‐Horne‐Zeilinger State with a Phase from a Warm Atomic Ensemble
Authors: Park Jiho , Ryu Junghee , Kim Heonoh , Moon Han Seb
Published: August 2023

A Greenberger–Horne–Zeilinger (GHZ) entangled state with a phase is crucial for realizing desired multipartite quantum states for practical applications. Here, it is reported that the violations of the general Bell inequality (GBI) introduced in using the four‐photon polarization‐entangled phase‐GHZ state realized via intrinsic polarization correlation and collective two‐photon coherence in the 5S1/2–5P3/2–5D5/2 transition of 87Rb atoms. The phase‐GHZ state can be achieved by the unitary transformation of only one local phase of the four photons. Theoretically, the GHZ state with the π/4 phase affords maximal violation of the GBI of 2√2 at the local measurement settings of the Pauli operators σx and σy. Strong violations of the GBI of the phase‐GHZ state by 47 standard deviations are experimentally demonstrated. In addition to the entanglement witness for the phase‐GHZ state, the results represent a genuine four‐photon entanglement of the phase‐GHZ state, thereby providing a novel resource for realizing photonic quantum computation, magic‐state distillation from entangled states, and quantum networks based on atom–photon interactions.
Using grit and self‐efficacy as performance predictors for at‐risk students in higher education
Authors: Faust Luke E. , Rosendale Joseph A.
Published: August 2023

This mixed methods study examined the impact of grit and self‐efficacy and the factors of these constructs on the performance of at‐risk, developmental placement students, surveying 184 first‐year students before the midterm point of their first semester. Following the quantitative portion, six upperclassmen, who had started their careers in the developmental placement category, were interviewed. The research question explored was: How do grit and academic self‐efficacy relate as grade point average performance predictors for students in developmental placement categories with higher and lower levels of each factor? Findings uncovered a significant relationship between grit and performance, self‐efficacy and performance, grit and self‐efficacy and performance, and demographic information and performance. The discussion of these findings offers a roadmap for exploring the impact of non‐cognitive concepts on educational performance.

Context and implications

Rationale for this study

Higher education placement and admissions are beginning to include noncognitive constructs that aid in the prediction of student success. While some previous self‐efficacy studies have been conducted on students identified as being at‐risk, there is limited research on understanding grit within similar student populations.

Why the new findings matter

With college admission less selective than it was in the past, universities have even less understanding of which students will be successful. This study determined that behaviours consistent with constructs of grit and self‐efficacy have an impact on student performance, particularly for those considered at‐risk. These findings may provide colleges and universities insight on how to identify, nurture and develop skills that contribute to student success as measured by grade point average.

Implications for practitioners

Outcomes and findings associated with this research will be of interest to many educational stakeholder and implications. Aside from the direct benefits for students, the administrators, curriculum committees and faculty in higher education will be able to use the findings of this study to better identify what skills are truly essential for student success. Developmental educators, in particular, may find the data useful in understanding how to help their students thrive.
Investigation of an efficient method of oocyte retrieval by dual stimulation for patients with cancer
Authors: Takeuchi Hiroki , Maezawa Tadashi , Hagiwara Katsuyuki , Horage Yuki , Hanada Tetsuro , Haipeng Huang , Sakamoto Mito , Nishioka Mikiko , Takayama Erina , Terada Kento , Kondo Eiji , Takai Yasushi , Suzuki Nao , Ikeda Tomoaki
Published: August 2023

Purpose

To examine the optimal timing of second ovarian stimulation using the dual stimulation method for good ovarian responders with cancer undergoing oocyte retrieval for fertility preservation.

Methods

A retrospective analysis was conducted using data from 69 patients with cancer who underwent oocyte retrieval for fertility preservation at four Japanese institutions during 2010–2021. Twenty‐two patients underwent two oocyte retrievals for fertility preservation. We studied the relationship between the initial number of oocytes retrieved via dual stimulation and risk of ovarian enlargement as well as the appropriate waiting interval between the end of the first ovarian stimulation and beginning of the second ovarian stimulation.

Results

The risk of ovarian enlargement was high when the initial number of oocytes retrieved via dual stimulation was ≥5. An 8‐day waiting interval may be more effective for performing a second ovarian stimulation oocyte retrieval in these cases, although the difference was not significant.

Conclusions

This study provides one policy for effectively managing ovarian enlargement and timing of second ovarian stimulation during oocyte retrieval via the dual stimulation method for patients with cancer undergoing fertility preservation. If more facilities implement this procedure, more oocytes may be obtained in a short period for fertility preservation purposes.
Spatial‐temporal security stability analysis and regulation against different types of attacks on industrial control systems
Authors: Feng Zhaowen , Cao Guoyan , Grigoriadis Karolos M. , Pan Quan
Published: August 2023

In this article, reaction‐diffusion phenomena are considered in the security risk modeling of industrial control networks represented in the spatial‐temporal domain. Different types of cyber‐physical attacks, including TDS (time delay switch), FDI (false data injection), and DoS (denial of service), are modeled within a comprehensive parameteric‐varying parabolic partial differential state‐space structure. A theorem is proposed to ensure that the system is asymptotically stable with prescribed performance, which guarantees stability regardless of the various types of attacks. Finally, corresponding examples of risk control design against the different threats on industrial control networks are simulated to demonstrate the effectiveness of the results proposed in this article.
Distributed formation control of networked mobile robots from the Udwadia–Kalaba approach
Authors: Liu Pengfei , Hao Yuqing , Wang Qingyun , Chen Guanrong
Published: August 2023

In this article, formation control of networked mobile robots is studied. Two control strategies for the leaderless case and the leader‐following case are developed from the Udwadia–Kalaba approach, respectively. Differing from the existing results about formation control, which focus on kinematic models of robots, this article considers dynamic models and obtained a lower‐cost control force. To improve the robustness of the communication network, two distributed formation controllers are designed by establishing distributed estimators. Different from the centralized controllers, the distributed controllers established here only require local information, thus save communication resources and improve system robustness. Finally, some numerical simulations are provided to demonstrate the proposed methods are effective and have lower control cost.
Synthesis, Biological Evaluation, Molecular Docking and Kinetic Investigation of New 2,4,5‐Trisubstituted Imidazole Derivatives as Antidiabetic Agents
Authors: Kumar Pawan , Syal Bindu , Seboletswe Pule , Cele Nosipho , Olofinsan Kolawole , Singh Parvesh , Shahidul Islam Md. , Singh Deepika , Gupta Princy
Published: August 2023

A series of novel 2,4,5‐trisubstituted imidazole motifs have been synthesized by a magnetically‐tuned halloysite‐supported sulfonic acid catalyst. The prepared supported sulfonic acid catalyst was well characterized by High‐resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR‐TEM), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Energy dispersive X‐rays spectroscopy (EDS), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), X‐ray powder diffraction (XRD), Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET), and Vibrating–sample magnetometry (VSM) techniques; and compounds were confirmed by 1H, 13C‐Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and High resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) techniques. The purity of compounds was established by High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). All the prepared compounds were screened for their in vitro antidiabetic activity by using α‐amylase and α‐glucosidase inhibition assay taking acarbose as a reference standard and were found to exhibit significant α‐amylase inhibitory potentials, whereas for α‐glucosidase inhibition, compounds were equipotent to the reference standard. Compound bearing ferrocene moiety was identified as the strongest α‐amylase inhibitor of the series with IC50=47.83±0.63 μM, a five‐fold more potency compared to acarbose (IC50 =269.39±0.29 μM). The presence of substituents in the second position of imidazole pharmacophore plays a key role in inhibitory activity. To find the possible binding interaction of compounds, in silico molecular docking study was performed.
Differences in the Effect of Water on Deep Eutectic Solvents Based on Choline Chloride/Lauric Acid and Choline Chloride/Myristic Acid: Molecular Dynamics Simulations at Three Different Temperatures
Authors: Pour Samaneh Barani , Behrooz Nasrin Jabbarvand , Sardroodi Jaber Jahanbin , Ebrahimzadeh Alireza Rastkar , Pazuki Gholam Reza
Published: August 2023

Application of deep eutectic solvents based on fatty acids in different fields of biological and therapeutic sciences, such as novel hydrophobic Volatile organic compounds (VOC) absorbents, etc. However, industries need knowledge and precise investigation of the structural and dynamic properties of these solvents. In this work, the effect of water on the dynamical and structural properties of the binary mixtures of choline chloride+two types of Fatty acids; Lauric (LUA), and Myristic (MRA) acids have been investigated at T=343 K, 443 K, 543 K. An additional NPT production run of 30 ns was considered for the binary mixtures. In order to understand the effective interactions in the formation of the eutectic mixture based on fatty acid and choline chloride, the combined distribution functions (CDFs) involving the radial distribution functions (RDFs) and the angular distribution functions (ADFs), the hydrogen‐bonding network, and spatial distribution functions (SDFs), interaction energies between species were calculated for the binary mixtures. Also, the dynamical properties of DESs have been evaluated by calculating the mean‐square displacement (MSD), the velocity autocorrelation function (VACF) of the centers of mass of the molecules, and the self‐diffusion coefficient.
Synthesis of α‐Hydroxyl Ketones by Metal‐Free C=C Double Bond Cleavage of Enaminones in Aqueous Medium
Authors: Gan Lu , Liu Yunyun , Wang Chaoli , Wan Jie‐Ping
Published: August 2023

The C=C double bond cleavage of enaminones has been accomplished in the presence of methyl sulfonyl azide (MSA) to provide α‐hydroxyl ketones via the reaction with water. The major process of the reactions consists of the formation of a key α‐diazoketone intermediate resulting from the enaminone‐azide annulation, and a successive decomposition. Totally 22 α‐hydroxyl ketones have been synthesized with the yield range from 43 %–83 %.
Regulation of the supramolecular self‐assembly process by the number of 1, 8‐naphthalimide groups in the gelator
Authors: Wu Huijuan , Ma Xiaocai , Gao Aiping , Cao Xinhua
Published: August 2023

Three naphthalimide‐based gelators (NE1,NE2, NE3) with corresponding one, two and three N‐undecanoic acid methylester‐1,8‐naphthalimide were designed and synthesized (the abbreviation NE1‐NE3, N assigned to the naphthalimide, E assigned to ester, and numerber representing the number of N‐undecanoic acid methylester‐1,8‐naphthalimide) The different number of 1, 8‐naphthalimide groups in gelator endowed them with the different central groups, conjugated structures and steric configurations, which could bring different self‐assembly abilities and behaivors. The self‐assembly processes of three gelators in different solvents were characterized by multiple characterization technologies. The gelation ability, self‐assembly structure, fluorescence emission behavior, material surface wettability of this system could be regulated by the number of 1, 8‐naphthalimide groups. Gelator NE1 possessed the best gelation ability among three gelators, and the self‐assembly structures in gels NE1 from different solvents were completely different from that of gels NE2 and NE3. In addition, surface wettability of film NE1 exhibited the highest hydrophobicity under the same condition. Fluorescence emission behavior of this system could be tuned by the number of 1, 8‐naphthalimide groups solvent and gel state. At the same condition, the absorbance at the same band was gradually decreased with the number of 1, 8‐naphthalimide groups increasing. This work will provide a new design way for construction of functional supramolecular self‐assembly process.
Biomimetic Nano‐Immunoactivator via Ionic Metabolic Modulation for Strengthened NIR‐II Photothermal Immunotherapy
Authors: Wei Xiaodan , Huang Honglin , Guo Junhan , Li Ningxi , Li Qingzhi , Zhao Tian , Yang Geng , Cai Lulu , Yang Hong , Wu Chunhui , Liu Yiyao
Published: August 2023

Reprogramming the immunologically “cold” environment of solid tumors is currently becoming the mainstream strategy to elicit powerful and systemic anticancer immunity. Here, a facile and biomimetic nano‐immunnoactivator (CuS/Z@M4T1) is detailed by engineering a Zn2+‐bonded zeolitic imidazolate framework‐8 (ZIF‐8) with CuS nanodots (NDs) and cancer cell membrane for amplified near‐infrared‐II (NIR‐II) photothermal immunotherapy via Zn2+ metabolic modulation. Taking advantage of the NIR‐II photothermal effect of CuS NDs and the acidic responsiveness of ZIF‐8, CuS/Z@M4T1 rapidly causes intracellular Zn2+ pool overload and disturbs the metabolic flux of 4T1 cells, which effectively hamper the production of heat shock proteins and relieve the resistance of photothermal therapy (PTT). Thus, amplified immunogenic cell death is evoked and initiates the immune cascade both in vivo and in vitro as demonstrated by dendritic cells maturation and T‐cell infiltration. Further combination with antiprogrammed death 1 (aPD‐1) achieves escalated antitumor efficacy which eliminates the primary, distant tumor and avidly inhibits lung metastasis due to cooperation of enhanced photothermal stimulation and empowerment of cytotoxic T lymphocytes by aPD‐1. Collectively, this work provides the first report of using the intrinsic modulation property of meta‐organometallic ZIF‐8 for enhanced cancer photoimmunotherapy together with aPD‐1, thereby inspiring a novel combined paradigm of ion‐rich nanomaterials for cancer treatment.
Rational Construction of Electrostatic Self‐Assembly of Metallike MoP and ZnIn2S4 Based on Density Functional Theory to Form Schottky Junction for Photocatalytic Hydrogen Production
Authors: Yang Cheng , Wang Xuanpu , Wu Youlin , Hu Tianlin , Jin Zhiliang
Published: August 2023

It is an effective strategy to construct a photogenerated carrier‐transfer channel based on the load between photocatalysts to improve the light‐absorption capacity and separation efficiency of a single photocatalyst. In this work, the MoP is embedded on the surface of ZnIn2S4 through electrostatic self‐assembly to form ZnIn2S4/MoP‐20%, the hydrogen production performance is 151.93 μmol in 5 h, and is 13 times that of ZnIn2S4, which greatly improves the hydrogen production performance of ZnIn2S4. Based on density functional theory (DFT) calculation, MoP with metallike properties and semiconductor ZnIn2S4 with indirect bandgap successfully constructed Schottky junction. MoP acts as the active site in hydrogen production system and accepts photogenerated electrons through Schottky junction, which can effectively accelerate the separation of electron–hole pairs and enable more effective photogenerated electrons to participate in photocatalytic hydrogen production reaction. In this experiment, a new method is provided for the development of Schottky junction based on DFT calculation to efficiently use solar photocatalytic water to produce hydrogen.
Optimal boosting method of HPC concrete compressive and tensile strength prediction
Authors: Chao Xu
Published: August 2023

The evaluation of fly ash (FA) and micro‐silica (MS) effects on the mechanical properties of concrete at various ages prompts the search for efficient factors in forecasting the compressive strength (CS) and tensile strength (TS), which are extendable for future investigation as well as practical use. The main aim of this article is to overcome the complexity caused by nonlinearity, which is rooted in the relationship between input variables and outputs. Also, the nonlinearity is getting worse through the existence of admixtures. The Adaptive Boosting (ADA) approach was utilized in the related study as a hybrid model to provide an optimal relation between the ingredients and the mechanical strengths for evaluating the parameters most useful in predicting the CS and TS of high‐performance concrete. Furthermore, model boosting is applied using the starling murmuration optimization (SMO), termite queen algorithm (TQO), and gannet optimization algorithm (GOA) algorithms to reach the highest convergence. As a result of assessing the related models, the ADA‐SMO obtained a coefficient correlation of 0.9981 and 0.9825 for the predictions of CS and TS, respectively. Considering the adaptive framework provided to have the best compatibility with the complex physics of the problem, the ADA‐SMO earned the highest level of accuracy in estimating CS and TS among other hybrid models and was introduced as a trustable model in the prediction of strength properties.
Metoprolol elicits neurobehavioral insufficiency and oxidative damage in nontarget Nauphoeta cinerea nymphs
Authors: Oyedele Gbemisola T. , Adedara Isaac A. , Ikeji Cynthia N. , Afolabi Blessing A. , Rocha Joao B. T. , Farombi Ebenezer O.
Published: August 2023

Metoprolol, a drug for hypertension and cardiovascular diseases, has become a contaminant of emerging concern because of its frequent detection in various environmental matrices globally. The dwindling in the biodiversity of useful insects owing to increasing presence of environmental chemicals is currently a great interest to the scientific community. In the current research, the toxicological impact of ecologically relevant concentrations of metoprolol at 0, 0.05, 0.1, 0.25, and 0.5 μg/L on Nauphoeta cinerea nymphs following exposure for 42 consecutive days was evaluated. The insects' behavior was analyzed with automated video‐tracking software (ANY‐maze, Stoelting Co, USA) while biochemical assays were done using the midgut, head and fat body. Metoprolol‐exposed nymphs exhibited significant diminutions in the path efficiency, mobility time, distance traveled, body rotation, maximum speed and turn angle cum more episodes, and time of freezing. In addition, the heat maps and track plots confirmed the metoprolol‐mediated wane in the exploratory and locomotor fitness of the insects. Compared with control, metoprolol exposure decreased acetylcholinesterase activity in insects head. Antioxidant enzymes activities and glutathione level were markedly decreased whereas indices of inflammation and oxidative injury to proteins and lipids were significantly increased in head, midgut and fat body of metoprolol‐exposed insects. Taken together, metoprolol exposure induces neurobehavioral insufficiency and oxido‐inflammatory injury in N. cinerea nymphs. These findings suggest the potential health effects of environmental contamination with metoprolol on ecologically and economically important nontarget insects.
Maize and heat stress: Physiological, genetic, and molecular insights
Authors: Djalovic Ivica , Kundu Sayanta , Bahuguna Rajeev Nayan , Pareek Ashwani , Raza Ali , Singla‐Pareek Sneh L. , Prasad P. V. Vara , Varshney Rajeev K.
Published: August 2023

Global mean temperature is increasing at a rapid pace due to the rapid emission of greenhouse gases majorly from anthropogenic practices and predicted to rise up to 1.5°C above the pre‐industrial level by the year 2050. The warming climate is affecting global crop production by altering biochemical, physiological, and metabolic processes resulting in poor growth, development, and reduced yield. Maize is susceptible to heat stress, particularly at the reproductive and early grain filling stages. Interestingly, heat stress impact on crops is closely regulated by associated environmental covariables such as humidity, vapor pressure deficit, soil moisture content, and solar radiation. Therefore, heat stress tolerance is considered as a complex trait, which requires multiple levels of regulations in plants. Exploring genetic diversity from landraces and wild accessions of maize is a promising approach to identify novel donors, traits, quantitative trait loci (QTLs), and genes, which can be introgressed into the elite cultivars. Indeed, genome wide association studies (GWAS) for mining of potential QTL(s) and dominant gene(s) is a major route of crop improvement. Conversely, mutation breeding is being utilized for generating variation in existing populations with narrow genetic background. Besides breeding approaches, augmented production of heat shock factors (HSFs) and heat shock proteins (HSPs) have been reported in transgenic maize to provide heat stress tolerance. Recent advancements in molecular techniques including clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) would expedite the process for developing thermotolerant maize genotypes.
Placental lakes vs lacunae: spot the differences
Authors: Jauniaux E. , Zosmer N. , D'Antonio F. , Hussein A. M.
Published: August 2023

Sonographic sonolucencies are anechoic areas surrounded by tissue of normal echogenicity, commonly found in the placental parenchyma during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy. The ultrasound appearance of lakes and lacunae derives from the low echogenicity of villous‐free areas within the placental parenchyma, filled with maternal blood of varying velocities. In normal placentation, lakes usually start appearing as soon as maternal blood begins to flow freely within the intervillous space at the end of the first trimester, whereas, in accreta placentation, lacunae develop progressively during the second trimester. Larger lakes are found mainly in areas of lower villous density under the fetal plate or in the marginal areas, but can also be found in the center of a lobule above the entry of a spiral artery. Lakes of variable size, position and shape are of no clinical significance, except if they transform into echogenic cystic lesions, which have been associated with poor fetal growth and placental malperfusion. Lacunae are formed by the distortion of one or more placental lobules developing inside a uterine scar, resulting from high‐volume, high‐velocity flows from the radial/arcuate arteries, and are associated with a high probability of placenta accreta spectrum at birth. They often present with ultrasound signs of uterine remodeling following scarring. Lakes and lacunae can coexist within the same placenta and both will change in size and shape as pregnancy advances. Better understanding of the etiopathology of placental sonolucent spaces and associated morphological changes is necessary to identify patients at risk of subsequent complications during pregnancy and/or at delivery. © 2023 The Authors. Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.
Unsupervised clustering using nonparametric finite mixture models
Authors: Hunter David R.
Published: August 2023

This article presents basic ideas of finite mixture models in which the number of components is known and the distributions comprising the components are not assumed to come from any parametrically specified family.

This article is categorized under:

Algorithms and Computational Methods > Algorithms

Statistical Learning and Exploratory Methods of the Data Sciences > Clustering and Classification

Statistical and Graphical Methods of Data Analysis > Nonparametric Methods

Statistical Models > Classification Models
Density estimation for an island population of raccoon dogs in Japan using fecal DNA
Authors: Kubo Kotaro , Tsukada Hideharu , Minami Masato , Hashimoto Minoru , Abe Kaede , Nagasaki Kaoru , Shinohara Ayano , Doi Runa , Aoki Mizuki , Inoue Eiji
Published: August 2023

Estimation of the population size is essential for understanding population dynamics. Estimating animal density using multiple methods and/or multiple attempts is required for accurate estimations. Raccoon dog Nyctereutes procyonoides is native to East Asia, including Japan, and has become an invasive species in Europe. Information on raccoon dog density in their native range is important to understand their invasion; however, relatively few studies have been conducted on raccoon dog density in their native range. In this study, we extracted DNA from fecal samples of raccoon dogs inhabiting a small island in Japan and conducted density estimation over two periods using DNA capture‐recapture methods: CAPWIRE and SECR. We also investigated sex ratio using genetic sex identification. Density estimates using SECR were approximately threefold different between the two study periods: 17.2 individuals per km2 in 2018 and 49.0 individuals per km2 in 2020. In contrast, estimates using CAPWIRE were relatively stable: 21.7 individuals per km2 in 2018 and 24.3 individuals per km2 in 2020. A drastic increase or decrease is not expected during the study period, and thus, density estimates using CAPWIRE are more reasonable than those using SECR. The small number of samples per individual might result in low accuracy of density estimates by SECR. The density estimated by CAPWIRE was similar to that in the main island in Japan and higher than that in Europe. Feeding competition with other omnivorous carnivores and/or predation risk by wolves might maintain the low density in Europe. The sex ratio of raccoon dogs was 1:1, which was similar to the values in invasive raccoon dogs and other canids. Further genetic census, including sex identification in various landscapes in their native and invasive range, will enable us to understand not only the ecology of raccoon dogs but also their adaptations to their invading areas.
Electronic structure of the high‐spin Co4+ system Ba2CoO4
Authors: Takegami Daisuke , Hu Zhiwei , Falke Johannes , Meléndez‐Sans Anna , Liu Cheng‐En , Chang Chun‐Fu , Kuo Chang‐Yang , Chen Chien‐Te , Guo Hanjie , Komarek Alexander , Tanaka Arata , Hébert Sylvie , Tjeng Liu Hao
Published: August 2023

The electronic structure of the semiconductor Ba2CoO4 has been investigated using x‐ray absorption spectroscopy at the Co‐L2,3 and O‐K edges as well as soft x‐ray valence band photoemission. The spectra can be accurately reproduced by a combination of full atomic‐multiplet configuration‐interaction cluster calculations and ab‐initio band structure analysis. The large negative O 2p to Co 3d charge‐transfer energy has been established as well as the high stability of the S=5/2 high‐spin state of the Co4+ ion. The band gap of this high‐oxidation state material is sizeable and can be attributed to the joint effect of electron correlations, the local tetrahedral coordination of the Co ions, and the poor electronic connection between the CoO4 tetrahedra.
The 1D‐Polymeric (Te72+)n in (Te7)[MF6]2 (M=As, Sb, Nb, Ta) by Solvothermal, Microwave Assisted, and Electrochemical Synthesis
Authors: Zink Marcus , Zimbardi Christopher , Daniels Jörg , Bredow Thomas , Beck Johannes
Published: August 2023

Reactions of tellurium with metal pentafluorides MF5 (M=As, Sb, Nb, Ta) in liquid SO2 under supercritical conditions at 160 °C yield (Te7)[MF6]2 containing the polymeric Zintl cation (Te72+)n consisting of chair‐shaped Te6 rings connected via single Te atoms. Crystal structure analyses show all four compounds to crystallize isotopically in the (Te7)[AsF6]2 structure type. Monitoring the reactions via Raman spectra reveal that (Te4)[MF6]2 is formed as an intermediate, which reacts with Te finally to (Te7)[MF6]2. Crystal structures of (Te4)[MF6]2 (M=Nb, Ta) were determined. Microwave assisted solvothermal synthesis give analogous results in very short reaction time. All compounds are also accessible via electrochemical oxidation of Te in presence of [MF6]− as electrolyte. (Te7)[AsF6]2 is a semiconductor with σ=10−7 S/cm at 300 K and an energy for the thermally activated electron process of 0.91 eV. Theoretical calculations on the self‐consistent hybrid DFT level confirm that the fundamental band gap is independent from the kind of M. The frontier orbitals are predominantly composed of Te states. Raman bands at 196, 178, 153, and 138 cm−1 are specific for (Te72+)n. Phonon calculations of (Te7)[TaF6]2 confirm three intensive Raman bands at 210, 174 and 163 cm−1. The corresponding normal modes are mainly localized on (Te7)n.
Atmospheric Water Harvesting in Microporous Organic Polymers Constructed from Trazine and Benzimidazole Units
Authors: Huang Jitao , Yang Yisi , Chen Liangji , Zhang Zhangjing , Xiang Shengchang
Published: August 2023

Porous materials‐assisted atmospheric water harvesting (AWH) approaches are attractive for addressing the severe shortage of freshwater resources. Herein, ionothermal polymerization approach was employed to realize four porous organic polymers (FJU‐CTFs) with strong hydration stability and low skeleton density for atmospheric water harvesting. The materials exhibited ultra‐high water vapor adsorption capacity (1108 cm3 g−1), s‐type adsorption isotherms, and rapid filling of water vapor in the pores of the materials under low humidity conditions. It has the characteristics of atmospheric water harvesting from the air at lower humidity (30 %–40 %) and narrow temperature (30–35 °C). A total of 30 times of water adsorption‐desorption cycles showed the excellent working ability and hydrolytic stability of FJU‐CTFs, which provided new solutions for the application of porous materials in AWH and expanded new material types.
A Celestial route to AdS bulk locality
Authors: Bhat Faizan , Zahed Ahmadullah
Published: August 2023

Abstract

We prove a precise form of AdS bulk locality by deriving analytical two-sided bounds on bulk Wilson coefficients. Our bounds are on the Wilson coefficients themselves, rather than their ratios, as is typically found in the literature. Inspired by the Celestial amplitudes program in flat space, we perform a Celestial transform of the CFT Mellin amplitude of four identical scalars. Using the crossing symmetric dispersion relation (CSDR), we express the resulting amplitude in terms of crossing symmetric conformal partial waves. The partial waves satisy remarkable positivity properties which along with the unitarity of the CFT prove sufficient to derive the bounds. We then employ our methods in the limit of large AdS radius and recover known bounds on flat space Wilson coefficients and new bounds on their large radius corrections. We check that the planar Mellin amplitude of four stress-tensor multiplets in $$ \mathcal{N} $$
N
= 4 SYM satisfies our bounds. Finally, using null constraints, we derive a form of low-spin dominance in AdS EFTs. We find that the low-spin dominance is strongest in flat space and weakens as we move away from flat space towards higher AdS curvature.
Erfahrungen mit der endoskopischen Ohrchirurgie an einer deutschen Hals‑, Nasen‑, Ohrenklinik der Maximalversorgung
Authors: Flockerzi Veronika , Schick Bernhard , Bozzato Alessandro
Published: August 2023

Hintergrund

Die vorliegende Arbeit berichtet über die Integration der endoskopischen Ohrchirurgie (EES) in den klinischen Alltag.

Material und Methoden

In einer monozentrischen prospektiven Studie wurde über 10 Monate in geraden Wochen die Endoskopieeinheit zur Ohroperation mit aufgebaut und der Eingriff primär endoskopisch über einen transmeatalen Zugang begonnen. In ungeraden Wochen wurde auf das Endoskop verzichtet. Ausgewertet wurden 60 Eingriffe bei 59 PatientInnen. Vergleichspunkte waren die intraoperative Sicht, die Schnitt-Naht-Zeit, das postoperative Hörergebnis sowie der postoperative otoskopische Befund.

Ergebnisse

Mit Ausnahme des Nervus facialis (p = 0,15 Mann-Whitney-U-Test) zeigte sich eine signifikant verbesserte Visualisierung aller Bereiche des Mittelohrs bei der EES. Die Schnitt-Naht-Zeiten waren im Methodenvergleich ähnlich. Sofern eine bimanuelle Platzierung von Ossikelprothesen notwendig war, verlängerte sich die Schnitt-Naht-Zeit überproportional (MES: 57,18 ± 9,7 min, EES: 76,83 ± 24,99 min; p = 0,019, signifikant da p < 0,05). Statistisch signifikante Änderungen bezogen auf die Hörergebnisse ergeben sich bei Vergleich der EES mit der mikroskopischen Technik nicht. In der Gruppe der EES-Operationen zeigten sich keine postoperativen Komplikationen.

Schlussfolgerung

Die endoskopische Operationstechnik hat sich an einem realen Patientenkollektiv an unserem Standort bewährt.
Fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva – wenn sich plötzlich Knochen im Muskel bilden
Authors: Großmann Nadine Z. , Hildebrandt Susanne , Morhart Rolf , Kallinich Tilmann , Semler Oliver , Knaus Petra
Published: August 2023

Fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP) ist eine sehr seltene, genetische Erkrankung, welche durch eine Punktmutation im ACVR1-Gen verursacht wird. Zwei klinische Merkmale weisen auf eine FOP hin: 1. eine kongenitale Fehlbildung der Großzehe(n), ähnlich eines Hallux valgus, und 2. unerklärliche Weichteilschwellungen, die meist zu heterotopen Ossifikationen (HO) führen. Die frühzeitige Erkennung dieser beiden Merkmale ist sehr wichtig, um Fehldiagnosen und -behandlungen zu vermeiden und die richtige Diagnose so früh wie möglich durch einen Gentest des ACVR1-Gens sicherzustellen. Sobald diese Diagnose vorliegt, ist es für die Betroffenen ratsam, FOP-Spezialisten aufzusuchen und Kontakt mit dem deutschen Förderverein „FOP e. V.“ aufzunehmen.

Alle invasiven Eingriffe sollten strikt vermieden werden, da diese eine irreversible HO auslösen können. Die Komplexität und der systemische Verlauf der FOP erfordern den Aufbau und die Zusammenarbeit eines interdisziplinären Teams zur optimalen Versorgung der Betroffenen. Die Behandlung der FOP-Schübe und der anschließenden Verknöcherung erfolgt derzeit symptomatisch gemäß den internationalen Leitlinien des ICC on FOP (www.iccfop.org). Gezielte therapeutische Ansätze in aktuellen klinischen Studien zielen darauf ab, den BMP-Signalweg auf verschiedenen Ebenen zu beeinflussen, um das Fortschreiten der Erkrankung aufzuhalten oder zu verlangsamen.

Während mehr als 95 % aller Betroffenen die klassische Punktmutation aufweisen, gibt es eine kleine Anzahl an Betroffenen mit nichtklassischen Mutationen. Jede dieser Mutationen führt zu einer Überempfindlichkeit und Überaktivierung des ACVR1-Rezeptors und damit zu einer verstärkten BMP-Signalantwort.
Monitoring the misalignment of machine tools with autoencoders after they are trained with transfer learning data
Authors: Demetgul Mustafa , Zheng Qi , Tansel Ibrahim Nur , Fleischer Jürgen
Published: August 2023

CNC machines have revolutionized manufacturing by enabling high-quality and high-productivity production. Monitoring the condition of these machines during production would reduce maintenance cost and avoid manufacturing defective parts. Misalignment of the linear tables in CNCs can directly affect the quality of the manufactured parts, and the components of the linear tables wear out over time due to the heavy and fluctuating loads. To address these challenges, an intelligent monitoring system was developed to identify normal operation and misalignments. Since damaging a CNC machine for data collection is too expensive, transfer learning was used in two steps. First, a specially designed experimental feed axis test platform (FATP) was used to sample the current signal at normal and five levels of left-side misalignment conditions ranging from 0.05 to 0.25 mm. Four different algorithm combinations were trained to detect misalignments. These combinations included a 1D convolution neural network (CNN) and autoencoder (AE) combination, a temporal convolutional network (TCN) and AE combination, a long short-term memory neural network (LSTM) and AE combination, and a CNN, LSTM, and AE combination. At the second step, Wasserstein deep convolutional generative adversarial network (W-DCGAN) was used to generate data by integrating the observed characteristics of the FATP at different misalignment levels and collected limited data from the actual CNC machines. To evaluate the similarity and limited diversity of generated and real signals, t-distributed stochastic neighbor embedding (T-SNE) method was used. The hyperparameters of the model were optimized by random and grid search. The CNN, LSTM, and AE combination demonstrated the best performance, which provides a practical way to detect misalignments without stopping production or cluttering the work area with sensors. The proposed intelligent monitoring system can detect misalignments of the linear tables of CNCs, thus enhancing the quality of manufactured parts and reducing production costs.