bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Emotion processing differences mediate the link between sex and autistic traits in young adulthood
Authors: Livingston Lucy A. , Waldren Lucy H. , Walton Esther , Shah Punit
Published: August 2022

Background

The male preponderance in autism diagnoses is widely reported, yet the psychological mechanisms (e.g., emotion processing) underlying this sex difference are poorly understood. Contributing to this gap in knowledge, most research has not been designed to investigate the intermediary (i.e., mediating) role of psychological processes in the relationship between sex and autism. Compounding this issue, concerns that autism measures are not reliably measuring the same constructs in males and females, and bias against females in clinical samples, make it difficult to investigate the psychological mechanisms underlying sex differences in autism.

Methods

Over two cross‐sectional studies, 1656 young adults from the general population reported their sex (as assigned at birth) and completed questionnaires indexing their emotion processing differences, as well as a measure of autistic traits suggested to tap into the same psychometric construct in males and females.

Results

Emotion processing differences mediated the relationship between sex and autistic traits, whereby being male was associated with more emotion processing differences, which were subsequently linked with greater levels of autistic traits. There remained a direct effect of sex on autistic traits after accounting for emotion processing differences.

Conclusions

Emotion processing differences are a potential psychological mechanism underpinning higher prevalence of autism in males, which may serve a compensatory function in females; for example, females may seek out emotion‐inducing experiences to help compensate for social‐emotional difficulties. These findings inform our understanding of autism‐related sex differences and have potential implications for clinical practice, where the need for sex‐specific support and diagnostic processes is increasingly being recognised.
What are the long‐term holistic health consequences of COVID‐19 among survivors? An umbrella systematic review
Authors: Paterson Catherine , Davis Deborah , Roche Michael , Bissett Bernie , Roberts Cara , Turner Murray , Baldock Emma , Mitchell Imogen
Published: August 2022

Many people who have survived COVID‐19 have experienced negative persistent impacts on health. Impacts on health have included persistent respiratory symptoms, decreased quality of life, fatigue, impaired functional capacity, memory deficits, psychological impacts, and difficulties in returning to paid employment. Evidence is yet to be pooled to inform future directions in research and practice, to determine the physical, psychological, social, and spiritual impacts of the illness which extend beyond the acute phase of COVID‐19 survivors. This umbrella review (review of systematic reviews) critically synthesized physical (including abnormal laboratory parameters), psychological, social, and spiritual impacts which extended beyond the acute phase of COVID‐19 survivors. The search strategy was based on the sample, phenomena of interest, design, evaluation, research model and all publications were double screened independently by four review authors for the eligibility criteria. Data extraction and quality assessment were conducted in parallel independently. Eighteen systematic reviews were included, which represented a total of 493 publications. Sample sizes ranged from n = 15 to n = 44 799 with a total of n = 295 455 participants. There was incomplete reporting of several significant data points including the description of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 variant, COVID‐19 treatments, and key clinical and demographic data. A number of physical, psychological, and social impacts were identified for individuals grappling with post‐COVID condition. The long term sequalae of acute COVID‐19 and size of the problem is only beginning to emerge. Further investigation is needed to ensure that those affected by post‐COVID condition have their informational, spiritual, psychological, social, and physical needs met in the future.
Frequency regulation of hybrid shipboard microgrid system using butterfly optimization algorithm synthesis fractional‐order controller
Authors: Mondal Amitava , Latif Abdul , Das Dulal Chandra , Hussain S. M. Suhail , Al‐Durra Ahmed
Published: August 2022

Inclusion of intermittent natured renewable energy resources in microgrid to reduce global warming, especially in shipboard power system and due to highly fluctuating propulsion load, frequency control strategy of isolated shipboard hybrid microgrid (ISHMG) is major point of attraction. Hence, a power system of marine vessel with dish‐stirling solar thermal system (DSTS), wind‐driven generation (WDG), solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC), super‐conducting magnetic energy storage (SMES), two different AC‐loads, and propulsion loads are considered as an ISHMG. The main objective of this paper is reducing the mismatch between generation and demand with the help of fractional‐order proportional integral‐derivative (FOPID) controller. To improve the frequency control, the tuning of the controller coefficients plays a major role as the controller's performance fully dependent on the parameters. Accordingly, the recently developed butterfly optimization algorithm (BOA) has been used to optimize the FOPID controller's parameters. Comparative analysis of several techniques like FA, PSO, GOA, SSA, and BOA used for PID, PI, FOPID controllers' optimization, and sensitivity analysis under different parametric variation has been presented to prove the stability of the ISHMG model. Analyzing all the results, it is found that BOA‐based FOPID controller is performing the frequency control far better than other techniques.
Species variation in the cartilaginous endplate of the lumbar intervertebral disc
Authors: Li Yun‐He , Wu Hai‐Long , Li Zhen , Li Bin‐Bin , Zhu Man , Chen Di , Ye Fei‐Hong , Yu Bin‐Sheng , Huang Yong‐Can
Published: August 2022

Backgrounds

Cartilaginous endplate (CEP) plays an essential role in intervertebral disc (IVD) health and disease. The aim was to compare the CEP structure of lumbar IVD and to reveal the detailed pattern of integration between the CEP and bony endplate (BEP) from different species.

Methods

A total of 34 IVDs (5 human, 5 goat, 8 pig, 8 rabbit, and 8 rat IVDs) were collected, fixed and midsagittally cut; in each IVD, one‐half was used for histological staining to observe the CEP morphology, and the other half was used for scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis to measure the diameters and distributions of collagen fibers in the central and peripheral CEP areas and to observe the pattern of CEP‐BEP integration from different species.

Results

The human, pig, goat, and rabbit IVDs had the typical BEP‐CEP structure, but the rat CEP was directly connected with the growth plate. Human CEP was the thickest (896.95 ± 87.71 μm) among these species, followed by pig, goat, rat, and rabbit CEPs. Additionally, the mean cellular density of the rabbit CEP was the highest, which was 930 ± 202 per mm2, followed by the rat, goat, pig, and human CEPs. In all the species, the collagen fiber diameter in the peripheral area was much bigger than that in the central area. The collagen fiber diameters of CEP from the human, pig, goat, and rat were distributed between 35 nm and 65 nm. The BEP and CEP were connected by the collagen from the CEP, aggregating into bundles or cross links with each other to form a network, and anchored to BEP.

Conclusions

Significant differences in the thickness, cellular density, and collagen characterization of CEPs from different species were demonstrated; the integration of BEP‐CEP in humans, pigs, goats, and rabbits was mainly achieved by the collagen bundles anchoring system, while the typical BEP‐CEP interface did not exist in rats.
Quality consistency evaluation on three species of North Patrininae herba by high‐performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ion trap time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry and network pharmacology approaches
Authors: Sun Qian , Wang Bing , Xu Lili , Xiong Lewen , Guo Dongxiao , Cui Weiliang , Xu Xingyan , Lin Yongqiang
Published: August 2022

North Patrininae herba, a perennial herbaceous plant, has long been used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat appendicitis, enteritis, and dysentery. Sonchus arvensis L., Sonchus oleraceus L., and Ixeris chinensis (Thunb.) Nakai are used as substitutes for North Patrininae in different regions, but the consistency of chemical composition and efficacy of these three species is still unknown. In this study, a detailed chemical analysis was carried out of the extract obtained from Sonchus arvensis L., Ixeris chinensis (Thunb.) Nakai and Sonchus oleraceus L. and a chemical component not previously reported in Ixeris chinensis (Thunb.) Nakai was found—Luteolin‐7‐O‐(6''‐malonylglucoside). The mechanism of action of the extract against inflammation and type II diabetes was investigated using network pharmacology and analysis of blood‐absorbed components following oral dosing of rats. Finally, a highly accurate and reliable method was established for quality control purposes. The results showed that Sonchus arvensis L. and Sonchus oleraceus L. may be considered potential resources of a medicinal compound, whereas Ixeris chinensis (Thunb.) Nakai requires further evaluation.
Longitudinal Speech Recognition Changes After Cochlear Implant: Systematic Review and Meta‐analysis
Authors: Ma Cheng , Fried Jacob , Nguyen Shaun A. , Schvartz‐Leyzac Kara C. , Camposeo Elizabeth L. , Meyer Ted A. , Dubno Judy R. , McRackan Theodore R.
Published: August 2022

Objectives

To examine patterns of change and plateau in speech recognition scores in postlingually hearing impaired adult cochlear implant recipients. The study also examines variations in change patterns for different speech materials and testing conditions.

Study Design

Used systematic review with meta‐analysis.

Methods

Articles in English reporting speech recognition scores of adults with postlingual hearing loss at pre‐implantation and at least two post‐implantation time points were included. Statistically significant changes were determined by meta‐analysis and the 95% confidence interval.

Results

A total of 22 articles representing 1954 patients were included. Meta‐analysis of mean difference demonstrated significant improvements in speech recognition score for words in quiet (37.4%; 95% confidence interval [34.7%, 40.7%]), sentences in quiet (49.4%; 95% confidence interval [44.9%, 53.9%]), and sentences in noise (30.8%; 95% confidence interval [25.2%, 36.4%]) from pre‐op to 3 months. Scores continued to increase from 3 to 12 months but did not reach significance. Similarly, significant improvements from pre‐op to 3 months were observed for consonant nucleus consonant (CNC) words in quiet (37.1%; 95% confidence interval [33.8%, 40.4%]), hearing in noise test (HINT) sentences in quiet (46.5%; 95% confidence interval [37.0%, 56.0%]), AzBio sentences in quiet (45.9%; 95% confidence interval [44.2%, 47.5%]), and AzBio sentences in noise (26.4%; 95% confidence interval [18.6%, 34.2%]). HINT sentences in noise demonstrated improvement from pre‐op to 3 months (35.1%; 95% confidence interval [30.0%, 40.3%]) and from 3 to 12 months (15.5%; 95% confidence interval [7.2%, 23.8%]).

Conclusions

Mean speech recognition scores demonstrate significant improvement within the first 3 months, with no further statistically significant improvement after 3 months. However, large individual variation should be expected and future research is needed to explain the sources of these individual differences. Laryngoscope, 133:1014–1024, 2023
The Effects of Dehydration Temperature and Monomer Chirality on Primitive Polyester Synthesis and Microdroplet Assembly
Authors: Afrin Rehana , Chen Chen , Sarpa Davide , Sithamparam Mahendran , Yi Ruiqin , Giri Chaitanya , Mamajanov Irena , Cleaves H. James , Chandru Kuhan , Jia Tony Z.
Published: August 2022

Synthesis of polyester gels via dehydration of α‐hydroxy acids (αHAs) is a plausible route to form primitive functional polymers. αHApolyester gels assemble into membraneless droplets upon rehydration in aqueous media that can segregate and compartmentalize early biomolecules. However, conditions for polyester synthesis and microdroplet assembly have yet to be broadly explored. Thus, the effects of heat and monomer chirality on dehydration synthesis and assembly of homopolyester microdroplets are investigated using microscopy and mass spectrometry. Lower dehydration temperatures (≤80 °C) are observed to result in shorter polyesters than higher temperatures (up to 150 °C). After rehydration of polyester products, droplet assembly propensity correlates with longer polymer length. Low temperature (40 °C) dehydration yields only short polyesters and nearly no droplet formation. Finally, polyesters derived from dehydration/rehydration synthesis of homochiral lactic acid and phenyllactic acid monomers are of equal length and with a similar propensity for droplet assembly as those derived from racemic starting materials. These results suggest that polyesters and microdroplets derived from them can form under a wide variety of temperatures and from different monomer chiralities, enabling many possibilities for such systems to have played a role in systemic self‐organization during the origins of life.
Preparation of Shell/Core Atypical Spiral Conductive Microfibers and Composite Membrane with Good Conductivity and Mechanical Properties
Authors: Ding Shuiting , Guo Yongshi , Yu Hui
Published: August 2022

Poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene): poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT: PSS) core–shell conductive atypical spiral microfibers are prepared based on microfluidic spinning technology (MST). The formation mechanism of the special‐shaped spiral structure is analyzed. The microfibers and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) are composited into membranes, and the microfibers and composite membranes are characterized. The research results show that the conductivity of shell conductive bulbine‐torta (BT) microfibers and the composite membrane are 0.125 1 and 0.880 2 s cm−1, respectively. The maximum strain of a single PEDOT: PSS core–shell conductive BT microfibers is 36.92% under a stress of 213.10 kPa, and the maximum strain of the composite membrane is 107.46% under a stress of 470.56 kPa, indicating that the composite membrane can effectively improve the properties and practicability of the conductive fiber. The change of resistivity of the composite membrane in the stretched state is observed, and it is found that the resistivity first steadily increases and then increases exponentially, indicating that composite membrane has potential application prospects in the fields of thin membrane sensors, electronic skins, smart wearable textiles, etc.
Attitudes toward protecting endangered species: The impact of perceived physical attractiveness of animals and political ideology
Authors: Harnish Richard J. , Nataraajan Rajan , Tarka Piotr , Slack Frederick J.
Published: August 2022

The current research examined how the perceived physical attractiveness (by humans) of an endangered species, the Dead Leaf Butterfly (Kallima inachus), political orientation, and political ideology impacted participants' attitudes toward supporting and protecting a species. Three experiments were conducted where the physical attractiveness of the Dead Leaf Butterfly was manipulated. Two of the experiments used a representative American sample, while one of the experiments used a Polish sample. In all three studies: (1) Participants rated the Dead Leaf Butterfly as more physically attractive when its wings were open and displayed a black apex, an orange discal band, and a deep blue base than when its wings were closed and resembled a dried leaf with dark veins; and (2) those who scored high in humanitarianism‐egalitarianism provided more support for protection from harm for the Dead Leaf Butterfly compared to those who scored low in humanitarianism‐egalitarianism. Only in the studies where Americans participated did we find (1) those who were politically liberal indicated more support for the Dead Leaf Butterfly regardless of physical attractiveness as compared to those who were politically conservative, and (2) those who scored low in right‐wing authoritarianism provided more support for protection from harm for the Dead Leaf Butterfly compared to those who scored high in right‐wing authoritarianism. The differences observed between the American and Polish samples suggest that environmental attitudes are more polarized in the United States compared to Poland. These studies advance our knowledge of how attitudes toward animals are affected by the polarization of political attitudes toward the environment and provide insight for marketers when creating marketing strategies and designing appropriate messaging.
Advances in Computational Polypharmacology
Authors: Feldmann Christian , Bajorath Jürgen
Published: August 2022

In drug discovery, polypharmacology encompasses the use of small molecules with defined multi‐target activity and in vivo effects resulting from multi‐target engagement. Multi‐target compounds are often efficacious in the treatment of complex diseases involving target and pathway networks, but might also elicit unwanted side effects. Computational approaches such as target prediction or multi‐target ligand design have been used to support polypharmacological drug discovery. In addition to efforts directed at the identification or design of new multi‐target compounds, other computational investigations have aimed to differentiate such compounds from potential false‐positives or explore the molecular basis of multi‐target activities. Herein, a concise overview of the field is provided and recent advances in computational polypharmacology through machine learning are discussed.
Maternal and neonatal viromes indicate the risk of offspring's gastrointestinal tract exposure to pathogenic viruses of vaginal origin during delivery
Authors: Wang Jinfeng , Xiao Liwen , Xiao Baichuan , Zhang Bing , Zuo Zhenqiang , Ji Peifeng , Zheng Jiayong , Li Xiaoqing , Zhao Fangqing
Published: August 2022

A cumulative effect of enterovirus and gluten intake on the risk of celiac disease autoimmunity in infants highlights the significance of viral exposure in early life on the health of children. However, pathogenic viruses may be transmitted to the offspring in an earlier period, raising the possibility that women whose vaginas are inhabited by such viruses may have had their babies infected as early as the time of delivery. A high‐resolution intergenerational virome atlas was obtained by metagenomic sequencing and virome analysis on 486 samples from six body sites of 99 mother–neonate pairs. We found that neonates had less diverse oral and enteric viruses than mothers. Vaginally delivered newborns seconds after birth had a more similar oral virome and more viruses of vaginal origin than cesarean‐section (C‐section) newborns (56.9% vs. 5.8%). Such viruses include both Lactobacillus phage and potentially pathogenic viruses, such as herpesvirus, vaccinia virus, and hepacivirus, illustrating a relatively high variety of the pioneer viral taxa at the time of delivery and a delivery‐dependent mother‐to‐neonate transmission along the vaginal–oral–intestinal route. Neonates are exposed to vaginal viruses as they pass through the reproductive tract, and viruses of vaginal origin may threaten their health. These findings challenge the conventional notion that vaginal delivery is definitely better than cesarean delivery from the perspective of microbial transmission. Screening for vaginal virome before delivery is a worthwhile step to advocate in normal labor to eliminate the risk of intergenerational transmission of pathogenic viruses to offspring.
Hierarchical subspace evolution method for super large parallel computing: A linear solver and an eigensolver as examples
Authors: Xu Hui , Liu Bin
Published: August 2022

Solving linear equations and finding eigenvalues are essential tasks in many simulations for engineering applications, but these tasks often cause performance bottlenecks. In this work, the hierarchical subspace evolution method (HiSEM), a hierarchical iteration framework for solving scientific computing problems with solution locality, is proposed. In HiSEM, the original problem is converted to a corresponding minimization function. The problem is decomposed into a series of subsystems. Subspaces and their weights are established for the subsystems and evolve in each iteration. The subspaces are calculated based on local equations and knowledge of physical problems. A small‐scale minimization problem determines the weights of the subspaces. The solution system can be hierarchically established based on the subspaces. As the iterations continue, the degrees of freedom gradually converge to an accurate solution. Two parallel algorithms are derived from HiSEM. One algorithm is designed for symmetric positive definite linear equations, and the other is designed for generalized eigenvalue problems. The linear solver and eigensolver performance is evaluated using a series of benchmarks and a tower model with a complex topology. Algorithms derived from HiSEM can solve a super large‐scale problem with high performance and good scalability.
Overcoming volumetric locking in stable node‐based smoothed particle finite element method with cubic bubble function and selective integration
Authors: Wang Ze‐Yu , Jin Yin‐Fu , Yin Zhen‐Yu , Wang Yu‐Ze
Published: August 2022

The stable node‐based smoothed particle finite element method (SNS‐PFEM) reduces spatial numerical oscillation from direct nodal integration in NS‐PFEM but leads to a severe volumetric locking effect when modeling nearly incompressible materials‐related boundary value problems. This study proposes an improved locking‐free SNS‐PFEM to investigate the performance of the bubble function and selective integration scheme in circumventing volumetric locking. Three locking‐free variants of SNS‐PFEM: (1) SNS‐PFEM with a cubic bubble function (bSNS‐PFEM), (2) SNS‐PFEM with a selective integration scheme (selective SNS‐PFEM), and (3) SNS‐PFEM with a cubic bubble function and selective integration scheme (selective bSNS‐PFEM)—were gradually developed for comparison. The performance of these three approaches was first successively examined using two examples with elastic materials, that is, an infinite plate with a circular hole and Cook's membrane. The comparisons show that the cubic bubble function and selective integration scheme are both necessary as a locking‐free approach for modeling nearly incompressible materials, and the proposed selective bSNS‐PFEM performs best among the three variants in terms of accuracy and convergence. Two examples of slope stability analysis and footing penetration on elastoplastic materials were then conducted by SNS‐PFEM and the proposed selective bSNS‐PFEM. The results indicate that the proposed selective bSNS‐PFEM is stable and accurate, even when accompanied by significant deformation. All obtained results indicate that the locking‐free selective bSNS‐PFEM is a powerful approach for modeling nearly incompressible materials with both material and geometric nonlinearity.
Where does SARS‐CoV‐2 go to in man?†
Authors: Lucas Sebastian
Published: August 2022

SARS‐CoV‐2 virus, the cause of COVID‐19 disease, establishes infection in the human body via interaction with the angiotensin‐converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor on cell membranes. The lung is the major organ affected, and all respiratory epithelium from nose to alveolus is infectable. A recent study published in The Journal of Pathology looked at a wide range of other human tissues, mostly autopsy‐derived, to identify susceptible cells. The virus (associated with ACE2) is found in all endothelial cells (an important finding), renal and biliary epithelium, in megakaryocytes, and occasionally in hepatocytes. It was not found in heart myofibres or brain neurones but is present in gut myenteric plexus cells. This work confirms previous work on SARS‐CoV‐2‐infectable cells, and so supports investigations into the pathogenesis of COVID‐19 disease as it affects (or does not directly affect) the different organs. © 2022 The Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland.
Assessment of a 3D ablation material response model for lightweight quartz fiber reinforced phenolic composite
Authors: Yan Xiaojie , Huang He , Fan Zhaolin , Hong Changqing , Hu Ping
Published: August 2022

To understand the ablation mechanism of materials is crucial for the design of thermal protection system (TPS) for manned reentry vehicles. To investigate the thermal behavior of lightweight quartz fiber reinforced phenolic (LQP) composite subjected to an aerodynamic hyper‐thermal environment, a 3D ablation material response model for the LQP composite is developed with surface and volume ablation in consideration. It is used to predict surface and back temperature, linear ablation velocity, and quality loss rate of the material. The 3D temperature field, pyrolysis degree, gas flow, and pressure field are analyzed as well. To evaluate the accuracy of the model, an ablation test of oxyacetylene flame is adopted on the LQP composite. In the ablation process, the pyrolysis gases propagate primarily through the surface primarily and through the sidewall afterwards. The gas pressure peaks at the early stage rather than increasing constantly. The analysis of thermal insulation mechanism of the LQP composite indicates that the radiation and heat blockage effect are the primary factors to improve the ablation resistance, accounting for 50.0% and 37.3% of the improvement, respectively. The low thermal conductivity determines the admirable thermal insulation performance. The surface temperature of material can be reduced by introducing high emissivity powder into the material, preparing coating on the surface, and adjusting the content of phenolic and silica fiber.
Improvement of the acoustic and mechanical properties of sponge ethylene propylene diene rubber/carbon nanotube composites crosslinked by subsequent sulfur and electron beam irradiation
Authors: Eyssa Hanan M , Afifi Mohamed , Moustafa Hesham
Published: August 2022

In this research, sponge ethylene propylene diene rubber (EPDM) nanocomposites based on functionalized multi‐walled carbon nanotubes (f‐MWCNTs) and foaming agent azodicarbonamide (AZD) were successfully fabricated as potential acoustic‐absorbing foams. Two crosslinking systems were utilized for stabilizing the foam structure and improving its properties by subsequent sulfur and electron beam irradiation at 50 kGy as a fixed dose. The impacts of the concentration of AZD, f‐MWCNTs and crosslinking systems on acoustic and physico‐mechanical properties were investigated. The results manifested that the optimum foaming content was 3 phr. The acoustic data exhibited satisfactory enhancement in the sound absorption coefficient (α) for irradiated foam nanocomposites compared to unirradiated nanocomposites. This was attributed to the barrier effect of f‐MWCNTs in reducing the pore size of the foam, leading to an increase in the tortuous path in the foam matrix that stifled the sound waves from transferring into the bulk. Likewise, the compression properties were also improved. However, tensile stress and strain at break values for irradiated foams relatively decreased. The data obtained revealed an excellent possibility of using these EPDM foam nanocomposites for potential applications such as acoustic panels and airborne sound insulation. © 2022 Society of Industrial Chemistry.
Surveying nonvisual arrestins reveals allosteric interactions between functional sites
Authors: Seckler James M. , Robinson Emily N. , Lewis Stephen J. , Grossfield Alan
Published: August 2022

Arrestins are important scaffolding proteins that are expressed in all vertebrate animals. They regulate cell‐signaling events upon binding to active G‐protein coupled receptors (GPCR) and trigger endocytosis of active GPCRs. While many of the functional sites on arrestins have been characterized, the question of how these sites interact is unanswered. We used anisotropic network modeling (ANM) together with our covariance compliment techniques to survey all the available structures of the nonvisual arrestins to map how structural changes and protein‐binding affect their structural dynamics. We found that activation and clathrin binding have a marked effect on arrestin dynamics, and that these dynamics changes are localized to a small number of distant functional sites. These sites include α‐helix 1, the lariat loop, nuclear localization domain, and the C‐domain β‐sheets on the C‐loop side. Our techniques suggest that clathrin binding and/or GPCR activation of arrestin perturb the dynamics of these sites independent of structural changes.
Investigating the functional role of a buried interchain aromatic cluster in Escherichia coli GrpE dimer
Authors: Upadhyay Tulsi , Karekar Vaibhav V. , Potteth Upasana S. , Saraogi Ishu
Published: August 2022

Aromatic clusters in the core of proteins are often involved in imparting structural stability to proteins. However, their functional importance is not always clear. In this study, we investigate the thermosensing role of a phenylalanine cluster present in the GrpE homodimer. GrpE, which acts as a nucleotide exchange factor for the molecular chaperone DnaK, is well known for its thermosensing activity resulting from temperature‐dependent structural changes that allow control of chaperone function. Using mutational analysis, we show that an interchain phenylalanine cluster in a four‐helix bundle of the GrpE homodimer assists in the thermosensing ability of the co‐chaperone. Substitution of aromatic residues with hydrophobic ones in the core of the four‐helix bundle reduces the thermal stability of the bundle and that of a connected coiled‐coil domain, which impacts thermosensing. Cell growth assays and SEM images of the mutants show filamentous growth of Escherichia coli cells at 42°C, which corroborates with the defect in thermosensing. Our work suggests that the interchain edge‐to‐face aromatic cluster is important for the propagation of the structural signal from the coiled‐coil domain to the four‐helical bundle of GrpE, thus facilitating GrpE‐mediated thermosensing in bacteria.
Higher fitness and competitive advantage of Pyricularia oryzae Triticum lineage resistant to QoI fungicides
Authors: Dorigan Adriano Francis , Moreira Silvino Intra , Ceresini Paulo Cezar , Pozza Edson Ampélio , Belan Leônidas Leoni , da Silveira Patricia Ricardino , Alves Eduardo
Published: August 2022

Background

Quinone outside inhibitor (QoI) fungicides have not been effective in controlling the wheat blast disease [Pyricularia oryzae Triticum lineage (PoTl)] in Brazil. The first report of resistance of PoTl to QoIs in this country occurred in 2015. This study aimed to test hypotheses about the changes in fitness parameters and competitive advantage of the QoI‐resistant (R) PoTl isolate group compared to the sensitive (S) isolate group. Mycelial growth on PDA medium and in vivo conidial production, incubation period and disease severity were analyzed as fitness parameters. The competitive ability was measured on wheat leaves and heads inoculated with mixtures of R:S isolates at the following proportions: 0S:100R, 20S:80R, 50S:50R, 80S:20R, 100S:0R, and 0S:0R.

Results

The QoI‐R isolate group had significantly higher fitness than the sensitive isolate group, considering both in vitro and in vivo parameters. The highest in vivo conidial production on wheat leaves and the highest leaf and head disease severity were detected when resistant strains were predominant in the isolate's mixtures (20S:80R or 0S:100R proportions), in the absence of fungicide pressure. Conidia harvested from wheat blast lesions on leaves inoculated with 20S:80R and 0S:100R mixtures were resistant to QoIs in vitro assays based on discriminatory doses of the fungicide.

Conclusion

Therefore, QoI resistance facilitated a higher fitness and a competitive advantage in PoTl, which contrasts with the evolutionary theory that associates a fitness cost to fungicide resistance. We discuss the evolutionary and ecological implications of the higher fitness as found in the fungicide‐resistant adapted populations of the wheat blast pathogen. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.
First‐Principles Calculations of the Thermal Expansion Path of the Co7Mo6 μ‐Phase
Authors: Vasilyev Dmitry
Published: August 2022

The thermal expansion path is calculated for the Co7Mo6 compound, with the structure of μ‐phase, from T = 0 to 1500 K which is below its decomposition temperature. The method allowing to reduce the problem to a 1D case and considering the energy as depending on only one variable, the volume, is used. The thermodynamic properties of Co7Mo6 are studied using first‐principles‐based quasiharmonic Debye–Grüneisen approximation and by comparing the free energies calculated along different paths of thermal expansion. The electronic, vibrational, and magnetic energy contributions to the free energy are accounted. The thermal expansion of Co7Mo6 is not isotropic. The influence of electronic, magnetic, and vibrational entropy on the stability of Co7Mo6 is analyzed. The isobaric heat capacity, thermal expansion, elastic constants, bulk modulus, sound wave velocities, and Debye and Curie temperatures are reported. The calculated results are analyzed and are in agreement with the available experimental and theoretical data.
Rethinking the sustainable development goals: Learning with and from community‐led initiatives
Authors: Henfrey Tom , Feola Giuseppe , Penha‐Lopes Gil , Sekulova Filka , Esteves Ana Margarida
Published: August 2022

This paper explores the actual and potential contributions of community‐led initiatives (CLIs) to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). As examples of self‐determined practical action for sustainability and social justice, CLIs prefigure many of the intended outcomes of the SDGs. Existing evidence shows that CLIs are already contributing, at local scale, to almost all of the SDGs, and achieving particular success in bringing different goals into synergy. However, these achievements are based on ethics, guiding philosophies, issue framings, practical goals and ways of organising that differ significantly from those behind the formulation and delivery of the SDGs. Embracing those differences, and with them greater plurality and ongoing critical self‐reflection, would allow the SDGs to transcend certain self‐limiting contradictions, particularly concerning the role of economic growth. Such a shift in orientation is essential if the SDGs are to move from reinforcing to challenging the root causes of unsustainability and injustice.
Crystal Facet Engineering of MXene‐Derived TiN Nanoflakes as Efficient Bidirectional Electrocatalyst for Advanced Lithium‐Sulfur Batteries
Authors: Peng Tao , Zhang Ning , Yang Ya , Zhang Mengjie , Luo Rongjie , Chen Chen , Lu Yang , Luo Yongsong
Published: August 2022

The design of nanomaterials with grain orientation structure by crystal facet engineering is of great significance for boosting the catalytic ability and electrochemical properties, but the controllable synthesis is still a challenge. Here, TiN nanoflakes with exposed (001) facets are prepared using 2D Ti3C2 MXene as the initial reactant and applied as a bidirectional electrocatalyst for the reduction and oxidation process in lithium‐sulfur batteries (LSBs). The (001) facet‐dominated TiN nanoflakes have a strong adsorption capacity for soluble lithium polysulfides (LiPSs). More importantly, theoretical calculations and experiment results confirm the (001) facet‐dominated TiN nanoflakes catalyze the conversion of soluble LiPSs to Li2S2/Li2S to induce the Li2S uniform deposition in the discharge process and decrease the delithiation barrier of Li2S in the charge process. Therefore, the excellent electrochemical properties of LSBs are achieved, which demonstrates a high discharge capacity of 949 mAh g−1 at 1 C and maintains high capacity reversibility with a decay rate of 0.033% per cycle after 800 cycles.
Bridging the Gap between Nonliving Matter and Cellular Life
Authors: Kumar Sumit , Karmacharya Mamata , Cho Yoon‐Kyoung
Published: August 2022

A cell, the fundamental unit of life, contains the requisite blueprint information necessary to survive and to build tissues, organs, and systems, eventually forming a fully functional living creature. A slight structural alteration can result in data misprinting, throwing the entire life process off balance. Advances in synthetic biology and cell engineering enable the predictable redesign of biological systems to perform novel functions. Individual functions and fundamental processes at the core of the biology of cells can be investigated by employing a synthetically constrained micro or nanoreactor. However, constructing a life‐like structure from nonliving building blocks remains a considerable challenge. Chemical compartments, cascade signaling, energy generation, growth, replication, and adaptation within micro or nanoreactors must be comparable with their biological counterparts. Although these reactors currently lack the power and behavioral sophistication of their biological equivalents, their interface with biological systems enables the development of hybrid solutions for real‐world applications, such as therapeutic agents, biosensors, innovative materials, and biochemical microreactors. This review discusses the latest advances in cell membrane‐engineered micro or nanoreactors, as well as the limitations associated with high‐throughput preparation methods and biological applications for the real‐time modulation of complex pathological states.
Self‐Protecting Aqueous Lithium‐Ion Batteries
Authors: Yang Yuewang , Bai Zhaowen , Liu Sijing , Zhu Yinggang , Zheng Jiongzhi , Chen Guohua , Huang Baoling
Published: August 2022

Capacity degradation and destructive hazards are two major challenges for the operation of lithium‐ion batteries at high temperatures. Although adding flame retardants or fire extinguishing agents can provide one‐off self‐protection in case of emergency overheating, it is desirable to directly regulate battery operation according to the temperature. Herein, smart self‐protecting aqueous lithium‐ion batteries are developed using thermos‐responsive separators prepared through in situ polymerization on the hydrophilic separator. The thermos‐responsive separator blocks the lithium ion transport channels at high temperature and reopens when the battery cools down; more importantly, this transition is reversible. The influence of lithium salts on the thermos‐responsive behaviors of the hydrogels is investigated. Then suitable lithium salt (LiNO3) and concentration (1 m) are selected in the electrolyte to achieve self‐protection without sacrificing battery performance. The shut‐off temperature can be tuned from 30 to 80 °C by adjusting the hydrophilic and hydrophobic moiety ratio in the hydrogel for targeted applications. This self‐protecting LiMn2O4/carbon coated LiTi2(PO4)3 (LMO/C‐LTP) battery shows promise for smart energy storage devices with high safety and extended lifespan in case of high operating temperatures.
Multiresponsive Polymer Nanocomposite Liquid Crystals Having Heterogeneous Phase Transitions for Battery‐Free Temperature Maintenance Indicators
Authors: Priyadharshana P. A. N. S. , Park Ju‐Young , Hong Seung‐Ho , Song Jang‐Kun
Published: August 2022

Multiresponsive functional materials that respond to more than one external stimulus are promising for novel photonic, electronic, and biomedical applications. However, the design or synthesis of new multiresponsive materials is challenging. Here, this work reports a facile method to prepare a multiresponsive colloidal material by mixing a liquid‐crystalline 2D nanocolloid and a functional polymer colloid. For this purpose, electrically sensitive exfoliated α‐ZrP 2D nanocolloids and thermosensitive block copolymer colloids that are dispersed well in water are mixed. In the liquid‐crystalline nanocomposite, nematic, antinematic, or isotropic assemblies of α‐ZrP, nanoparticles can be electrically and selectively obtained by applying electric fields with different frequencies; furthermore, their rheology is thermally and reversibly controlled through thesol–gel–sol transition. The nanocomposite exhibits a solid gel phase within a predesigned gel temperature range and a liquid sol phase outside this range. These properties facilitate the design of a simple display device in which information can be electrically written and thermally stabilized or erased, and using the device, a battery‐free temperature maintenance indication function is demonstrated. The proposed polymer nanocomposite method can enrich the physical properties of 2D nanocolloidal liquid crystals and create new opportunities for eco‐friendly, reusable, battery‐free electro‐optical devices.
Bridging 1D Inorganic and Organic Synthesis to Fabricate Ultrathin Bismuth‐Based Nanotubes with Controllable Size as Anode Materials for Secondary Li Batteries
Authors: Zong Kai , Chu Tianzhi , Liu Dongqing , Mehmood Andleeb , Fan Tianju , Raza Waseem , Hussain Arshad , Deng Yonggui , Liu Wei , Saad Ali , Zhao Jie , Li Ying , Aurbach Doron , Cai Xingke
Published: August 2022

The growth of ultrathin 1D inorganic nanomaterials with controlled diameters remains challenging by current synthetic approaches. A polymer chain templated method is developed to synthesize ultrathin Bi2O2CO3 nanotubes. This formation of nanotubes is a consequence of registry between the electrostatic absorption of functional groups on polymer template and the growth habit of Bi2O2CO3. The bulk bismuth precursor is broken into nanoparticles and anchored onto the polymer chain periodically. These nanoparticles react with the functional groups and gradually evolve into Bi2O2CO3 nanotubes along the chain. 5.0 and 3.0 nm tubes with narrow diameter deviation are synthesized by using branched polyethyleneimine and polyvinylpyrrolidone as the templates, respectively. Such Bi2O2CO3 nanotubes show a decent lithium‐ion storage capacity of around 600 mA h g−1 at 0.1 A g−1 after 500 cycles, higher than other reported bismuth oxide anode materials. More interestingly, the Bi materials developed herein still show decent capacity at very low temperatures, that is, around 330 mA h g−1 (−22 °C) and 170 mA h g−1 (−35 °C) after 75 cycles at 0.1 A g−1, demonstrating their promising potential for practical application in extreme conditions.
Toward the definition of equivalent damage parameters for the assessment of corroded RC structures
Authors: Casprini Elena , Passoni Chiara , Marini Alessandra , Bartoli Gianni
Published: August 2022

The effects of reinforcement corrosion need to be included in the assessment of existing Reinforced Concrete structures for a reliable evaluation of the structural performances over time and a correct choice of the renovation strategy. The DEMSA protocol proposes straightforward tools available to professional engineers, enabling the calibration of equivalent damage parameters able to describe corrosion effects starting from environmental easy‐measurable conditions. Guidance to implement the equivalent damage parameters describing corrosion effects at a sectional level in the structural analyses is provided. Then, a simplified approach to model the corrosion attack distribution along the bar length is proposed. Finally, nonlinear static analyses are carried out on reference RC frames subjected to different corrosion patterns by adopting fiber modeling technique, to show how the equivalent damage parameters allow detecting the impact of corrosion effects on the structural performances, in terms of internal actions distribution, reduction of stiffness, strength, and ductility.
Public trust in sources and channels on judgment accuracy in food safety misinformation with the moderation effect of self‐affirmation: Evidence from the HINTS‐China database
Authors: Yang Ya , Yu Guoming , Pan Jiabao , Kreps Gary L.
Published: August 2022

This paper describes the developmentand introduction of an important new international health survey research program, HINTS‐China, which builds upon HINTS, the established national repeated‐measure US‐based survey that has been used over the past decade to inform national public health policies. The major goal of the first two administrations of the HINTS‐China surveys in 2012 and 2017 was to examine health communication patterns and trends related to the access and use of relevant health information in China. The HINTS surveys, both in the United States and in China, recognize that health is a social as well as a biological phenomenon, involving communication to inform the public about healthy behaviors and lifestyles. The preliminary results of the two HINTS‐China surveys have provided important insights into important health issues in China, including problems concerning food safety misinformation, the power of interpersonal communication as a major source of health information, the strong influences of television in shaping public knowledge about health issues, and about the perceived credibility and trust of different health information sources in China. The surveys found that socioeconomic status serves as a significant predictor of accurate public judgments about food safety misinformation, that the public tends to trust traditional media (print, radio, and television) for accessing health information more than they do digital media, and that self‐affirmation tends to moderate access to and use of relevant health information.
Keller–Segel–Navier–Stokes System Involving Tensor-Valued Sensitivity
Authors: Ke Yuanyuan , Li Jing , Wang Yifu
Published: August 2022

Chemotaxis, the biased movement of cells in response to chemical gradients, plays an important role in coordinating cell migration in many biological phenomena (see Hillen and Painter 2009). For example, the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster navigates up gradients of attractive odors during food location, and male moths follow pheromone gradients released by the female during mate location.
Thermal correction to entanglement spectrum for conformal field theories
Authors: Tang Yin , Tang Qicheng , Zhu W.
Published: August 2022

Abstract

We calculate the thermal correction to the entanglement spectrum for separating a single interval of two dimensional conformal field theories. Our derivation is a direct extension of the thermal correction to the Rényi entropy. Within a low-temperature expansion by including only the first excited state in the thermal density matrix, we approach analytical results of the thermal correction to the entanglement spectrum at both of the small and large interval limit. We find the temperature correction reduces the large eigenvalues in the entanglement spectrum while increases the small eigenvalues in the entanglement spectrum, leading to an overall crossover changing pattern of the entanglement spectrum. Crucially, at low-temperature limit, the thermal corrections are dominated by the first excited state and depend on its scaling dimension ∆ and degeneracy g. This opens an avenue to extract universal information of underlying conformal data via the thermal entanglement spectrum. All of these analytical computation is supported from numerical simulations using 1+1 dimensional free fermion. Finally, we extend our calculation to resolve the thermal correction to the symmetry-resolved entanglement spectrum.