bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ice sheet and precession controlled subarctic Pacific productivity and upwelling over the last 550,000 years
Authors: Yao Zhengquan , Shi Xuefa , Yin Qiuzhen , Jaccard Samuel , Liu Yanguang , Guo Zhengtang , Gorbarenko Sergey A. , Wang Kunshan , Chen Tianyu , Wu Zhipeng , Nan Qingyun , Zou Jianjun , Wang Hongmin , Cui Jingjing , Wang Anqi , Yang Gongxu , Zhu Aimei , Bosin Aleksandr , Vasilenko Yuriy , Yu Yonggui
Published: April 2024

The polar oceans play a vital role in regulating atmospheric CO2 concentrations (pCO2) during the Pleistocene glacial cycles. However, despite being the largest modern reservoir of respired carbon, the impact of the subarctic Pacific remains poorly understood due to limited records. Here, we present high-resolution, 230Th-normalized export productivity records from the subarctic northwestern Pacific covering the last five glacial cycles. Our records display pronounced, glacial-interglacial cyclicity superimposed with precessional-driven variability, with warm interglacial climate and high boreal summer insolation providing favorable conditions to sustain upwelling of nutrient-rich subsurface waters and hence increased export productivity. Our transient model simulations consistently show that ice sheets and to a lesser degree, precession are the main drivers that control the strength and latitudinal position of the westerlies. Enhanced upwelling of nutrient/carbon-rich water caused by the intensification and poleward migration of the northern westerlies during warmer climate intervals would have led to the release of previously sequestered CO2 from the subarctic Pacific to the atmosphere. Our results also highlight the significant role of the subarctic Pacific in modulating pCO2 changes during the Pleistocene climate cycles, especially on precession timescale ( ~ 20 kyr).
Sub-millisecond lithiothermal synthesis of graphitic meso–microporous carbon
Authors: Zhang Huimin , Qiu Jingyi , Pang Jie , Cao Gaoping , Zhang Bingsen , Wang Li , He Xiangming , Feng Xuning , Ma Shizhou , Zhang Xinggao , Ming Hai , Li Zhuangnan , Li Feng , Zhang Hao
Published: April 2024

Porous carbons with concurrently high specific surface area and electronic conductivity are desirable by virtue of their desirable electron and ion transport ability, but conventional preparing methods suffer from either low yield or inferior quality carbons. Here we developed a lithiothermal approach to bottom–up synthesize highly meso–microporous graphitized carbon (MGC). The preparation can be finished in a few milliseconds by the self-propagating reaction between polytetrafluoroethylene powder and molten lithium (Li) metal, during which instant ultra-high temperature (>3000 K) was produced. This instantaneous carbon vaporization and condensation at ultra-high temperatures and in ultra-short duration enable the MGC to show a highly graphitized and continuously cross-coupled open pore structure. MGC displays superior electrochemical capacitor performance of exceptional power capability and ultralong-term cyclability. The processes used to make this carbon are readily scalable to industrial levels.
Control of polymers’ amorphous-crystalline transition enables miniaturization and multifunctional integration for hydrogel bioelectronics
Authors: Huang Sizhe , Liu Xinyue , Lin Shaoting , Glynn Christopher , Felix Kayla , Sahasrabudhe Atharva , Maley Collin , Xu Jingyi , Chen Weixuan , Hong Eunji , Crosby Alfred J. , Wang Qianbin , Rao Siyuan
Published: April 2024

Soft bioelectronic devices exhibit motion-adaptive properties for neural interfaces to investigate complex neural circuits. Here, we develop a fabrication approach through the control of metamorphic polymers’ amorphous-crystalline transition to miniaturize and integrate multiple components into hydrogel bioelectronics. We attain an about 80% diameter reduction in chemically cross-linked polyvinyl alcohol hydrogel fibers in a fully hydrated state. This strategy allows regulation of hydrogel properties, including refractive index (1.37-1.40 at 480 nm), light transmission (>96%), stretchability (139-169%), bending stiffness (4.6 ± 1.4 N/m), and elastic modulus (2.8-9.3 MPa). To exploit the applications, we apply step-index hydrogel optical probes in the mouse ventral tegmental area, coupled with fiber photometry recordings and social behavioral assays. Additionally, we fabricate carbon nanotubes-PVA hydrogel microelectrodes by incorporating conductive nanomaterials in hydrogel for spontaneous neural activities recording. We enable simultaneous optogenetic stimulation and electrophysiological recordings of light-triggered neural activities in Channelrhodopsin-2 transgenic mice.
Extensive protein pyrophosphorylation revealed in human cell lines
Authors: Morgan Jeremy A. M. , Singh Arpita , Kurz Leonie , Nadler-Holly Michal , Ruwolt Max , Ganguli Shubhra , Sharma Sheenam , Penkert Martin , Krause Eberhard , Liu Fan , Bhandari Rashna , Fiedler Dorothea
Published: April 2024

Reversible protein phosphorylation is a central signaling mechanism in eukaryotes. Although mass-spectrometry-based phosphoproteomics has become routine, identification of non-canonical phosphorylation has remained a challenge. Here we report a tailored workflow to detect and reliably assign protein pyrophosphorylation in two human cell lines, providing, to our knowledge, the first direct evidence of endogenous protein pyrophosphorylation. We manually validated 148 pyrophosphosites across 71 human proteins, the most heavily pyrophosphorylated of which were the nucleolar proteins NOLC1 and TCOF1. Detection was consistent with previous biochemical evidence relating the installation of the modification to inositol pyrophosphates (PP-InsPs). When the biosynthesis of PP-InsPs was perturbed, proteins expressed in this background exhibited no signs of pyrophosphorylation. Disruption of PP-InsP biosynthesis also significantly reduced rDNA transcription, potentially by lowering pyrophosphorylation on regulatory proteins NOLC1, TCOF1 and UBF1. Overall, protein pyrophosphorylation emerges as an archetype of non-canonical phosphorylation and should be considered in future phosphoproteomic analyses.
Electrospray-assisted cryo-EM sample preparation to mitigate interfacial effects
Authors: Yang Zi , Fan Jingjin , Wang Jia , Fan Xiao , Ouyang Zheng , Wang Hong-Wei , Zhou Xiaoyu
Published: April 2024

Addressing interfacial effects during specimen preparation in cryogenic electron microscopy remains challenging. Here we introduce ESI-cryoPrep, a specimen preparation method based on electrospray ionization in native mass spectrometry, designed to alleviate issues associated with protein denaturation or preferred orientation induced by macromolecule adsorption at interfaces. Through fine-tuning spraying parameters, we optimized protein integrity preservation and achieved the desired ice thickness for analyzing target macromolecules. With ESI-cryoPrep, we prepared high-quality cryo-specimens of five proteins and obtained three-dimensional reconstructions at near-atomic resolution. Our findings demonstrate that ESI-cryoPrep effectively confines macromolecules within the middle of the thin layer of amorphous ice, facilitating the preparation of blotting-free vitreous samples. The protective mechanism, characterized by the uneven distribution of charged biomolecules of varying sizes within charged droplets, prevents the adsorption of target biomolecules at air–water or graphene–water interfaces, thereby avoiding structural damage to the protein particles or the introduction of dominant orientation issues.
Potassium humate supplementation improves photosynthesis and agronomic and yield traits of foxtail millet
Authors: Shen Jie , Xiao Xiaolu , Zhong Dandan , Lian Huida
Published: April 2024

Foxtail millet is a highly nutritious crop, which is widely cultivated in arid and semi-arid areas worldwide. Humic acid (HA), as a common plant growth regulator, is used as an organic fertilizer and feed additive in agricultural production. However, the impact of potassium humate KH on the photosynthetic rate and yield of foxtail millet has not yet been studied. We explored the effects of KH application on the morphology, photosynthetic ability, carbon and nitrogen metabolism, and yield of foxtail millet. A field experiment was performed using six concentrations of KH (0, 20, 40, 80, 160, and 320 kg ha−1) supplied foliarly at the booting stage in Zhangza 10 cultivar (a widely grown high-yield variety). The results showed that KH treatment increased growth, chlorophyll content (SPAD), photosynthetic rate (Pn), transpiration rate (Tr), and stomatal conductance (Gs). In addition, soluble protein content, sugar content, and nitrate reductase activity increased in KH-treated plants. With increased KH concentration, the effects became more evident and the peak values of each factor were achieved at 80 kg ha−1. Photosynthetic rate showed significant correlation with SPAD, Tr, Gs, and soluble protein content, but was negatively correlated with intercellular CO2 concentration. Compared to that of the control, the yield of foxtail millet under the T2, T3, T4, and T5 (40, 80, 160, and 320 kg ha−1 of KH) treatments significantly increased by 6.0%, 12.7%, 10.5%, and 8.6%, respectively. Yield exhibited a significant positive correlation with Tr, Pn, and Gs. Overall, KH enhances photosynthetic rate and yield of foxtail millet, therefore it may be conducive to stable millet production. These findings may provide a theoretical basis for the green and efficient production of millet fields.
Tire mode shape categorization using Zernike annular moment and machine learning classification
Authors: Parthasarathy Sudharsan , Seo Junhyeon , Kapania Rakesh K.
Published: April 2024

This research proposes a framework for categorizing the radial tire mode shapes using machine learning (ML) based classification and feature recognition algorithms, advancing the development of a digital twin for tire performance analysis. Tire mode shape categorization is required to identify modal features in a specific frequency range to maximize driving performance and secure safety. However, the mode categorization work requires a lot of manual effort to interpret modes. Therefore, this study suggests an ML-based classification tool to replace the conventional categorization process with two primary objectives: (1) create a database by categorizing the tire mode shapes based on the identified features and (2) develop an ML-based surrogate model to classify the tire mode shapes without manual effort. The feature map of the tire mode shape is built with the Zernike annular moment descriptor (ZAMD). The mode shapes are categorized using the correlation value derived by the modal assurance criteria (MAC) with all ZAMD values for each tire mode shape and subsequently creating the appropriate labels. The decision tree, random forests, and XGBoost, the representative supervised-learning algorithms for classification, are implemented for surrogate model development. The best-performed classifier can categorize the mode shapes without any manual effort with a high accuracy of 99.5%.
Automatic brain-tumor diagnosis using cascaded deep convolutional neural networks with symmetric U-Net and asymmetric residual-blocks
Authors: Abd-Ellah Mahmoud Khaled , Awad Ali Ismail , Khalaf Ashraf A. M. , Ibraheem Amira Mofreh
Published: April 2024

The use of various kinds of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques for examining brain tissue has increased significantly in recent years, and manual investigation of each of the resulting images can be a time-consuming task. This paper presents an automatic brain-tumor diagnosis system that uses a CNN for detection, classification, and segmentation of glioblastomas; the latter stage seeks to segment tumors inside glioma MRI images. The structure of the developed multi-unit system consists of two stages. The first stage is responsible for tumor detection and classification by categorizing brain MRI images into normal, high-grade glioma (glioblastoma), and low-grade glioma. The uniqueness of the proposed network lies in its use of different levels of features, including local and global paths. The second stage is responsible for tumor segmentation, and skip connections and residual units are used during this step. Using 1800 images extracted from the BraTS 2017 dataset, the detection and classification stage was found to achieve a maximum accuracy of 99%. The segmentation stage was then evaluated using the Dice score, specificity, and sensitivity. The results showed that the suggested deep-learning-based system ranks highest among a variety of different strategies reported in the literature.
Changes in bacterial community composition in the uterus of Holstein cow with endometritis before and after treatment with oxytetracycline
Authors: Cai Xiao-Shi , Jiang Hao , Xiao Jie , Yan Xiangmin , Xie Penggui , Yu Wenjie , Lv Wen-fa , Wang Jun , Meng Xiangyu , Chen Cheng-zhen , Zhang Mingjun , Zhang Yang , Yuan Bao , Zhang Jia-Bao
Published: April 2024

It is important to study the bacteria that cause endometritis to identify effective therapeutic drugs for dairy cows. In this study, 20% oxytetracycline was used to treat Holstein cows (n = 6) with severe endometritis. Additional 10 Holstein cows (5 for healthy cows, 5 for cows with mild endometritis) were also selected. At the same time, changes in bacterial communities were monitored by high-throughput sequencing. The results show that Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and other common pathogenic bacteria could be detected by traditional methods in cows both with and without endometritis. However, 16S sequencing results show that changes in the abundance of these bacteria were not significant. Endometritis is often caused by mixed infections in the uterus. Oxytetracycline did not completely remove existing bacteria. However, oxytetracycline could effectively inhibit endometritis and had a significant inhibitory effect on the genera Bacteroides, Trueperella, Peptoniphilus, Parvimonas, Porphyromonas, and Fusobacterium but had no significant inhibitory effect on the bacterial genera Marinospirillum, Erysipelothrix, and Enteractinococcus. During oxytetracycline treatment, the cell motility, endocrine system, exogenous system, glycan biosynthesis and metabolism, lipid metabolism, metabolism of terpenoids, polyketides, cofactors and vitamins, signal transduction, and transport and catabolism pathways were affected.
Response of Sorghum bicolor genotypes for yield and yield components and organic carbon storage in the shoot and root systems
Authors: Ngidi Asande , Shimelis Hussein , Abady Seltene , Figlan Sandiswa , Chaplot Vincent
Published: April 2024

Sorghum is a vital food and feed crop in the world’s dry regions. Developing sorghum cultivars with high biomass production and carbon sequestration can contribute to soil health and crop productivity. The objective of this study was to assess agronomic performance, biomass production and carbon accumulation in selected sorghum genotypes for production and breeding. Fifty sorghum genotypes were evaluated at three locations (Silverton, Ukulinga, and Bethlehem) in South Africa during 2022 and 2023 growing seasons. Significant genotype × location (p < 0.05) interactions were detected for days to 50% heading (DTH), days to 50% maturity (DTM), plant height (PH), total plant biomass (PB), shoot biomass (SB), root biomass (RB), root-to-shoot biomass ratio (RS), and grain yield (GY). The highest GY was recorded for genotypes AS115 (25.08 g plant−1), AS251 (21.83 g plant−1), and AS134 (21.42 g plant−1). Genotypes AS122 and AS27 ranked first and second, respectively, for all the carbon stock parameters except for root carbon stock (RCs), whereas genotype AS108 had the highest RCs of 8.87 g plant−1. The principal component analysis identified GY, DTH, PH, PB, SB, RB, RCs, RCs/SCs, total plant carbon stock (PCs), shoot carbon stock (SCs), and grain carbon stock (GCs) as the most discriminated traits among the test genotypes. The cluster analysis using agronomic and carbon-related parameters delineated the test genotypes into three genetic groups, indicating marked genetic diversity for cultivar development and enhanced C storage and sustainable sorghum production. The selected sorghum genotypes are recommended for further breeding and variety release adapted to various agroecologies in South Africa.
Development and testing of a sedation protocol for Neocaridina davidi
Authors: Rodríguez Diego , Moscoso Miguel , Desco Manuel , Ripoll Jorge , Fernández Roberto
Published: April 2024

Neocaridina davidi, a small freshwater shrimp native to Asia, specifically China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam, possesses remarkable resistance to poor water quality and offers various advantages over other invertebrate species to examine crucial issues in neuroscience and other related areas. These advantages include robustness, ease of maintenance, and transparency, making them useful for in vivo studies with optical imaging techniques. Despite its suitability for research purposes, particularly in the fields of imaging and fluorescent techniques, the lack of attention given to this species has resulted in the absence of a robust and replicable sedation protocol for immobilization and safe manipulation. Consequently, researchers face challenges in performing experimental procedures while minimizing harm to this specimen. In this study, we have developed and evaluated a simple sedation protocol specifically designed for Neocaridina davidi, assessing its effectiveness using light microscopy and image processing.
Analogical environmental cost assessment of silicon flows used in solar panels by the US and China
Authors: Golroudbary Saeed Rahimpour , Lundström Mari , Wilson Benjamin P.
Published: April 2024

Achieving carbon neutrality requires deployment of large-scale renewable energy technologies like solar photovoltaic (PV) panels. Nevertheless, methods to ascertain the overall environmental impacts PVs and further improve their sustainability are under-investigated. In an effort to provide more understanding of this crucial topic, this research focuses on silicon flows—a key element for manufacturing crystalline silicon PVs. Using system dynamics modeling, we conduct a comprehensive environmental cost assessment of the silicon flows used in PVs based on a comparative analysis between the United States and China as the leading global PV manufacturers. Despite the advancement in wafer quality, material usage reductions and overall price decreases achieved in recent decades, our results project a substantial increase in energy and water consumption in China related to Metallurgical Grade Si (MG-Si), Solar Grade Si (SoG-Si) and cell manufacturing by 2030. An approximate 6.5 times increase of energy and water consumption is observed for c-Si cell manufacturing in China between 2010 and 2020. In 2030, increases of 70% in energy consumption and 69% in water use are estimated for Chinese MG-Si and SoG-Si production. The most significant environmental impact is observed in silicon cell and module manufacturing in both countries, particularly concerning GHG, SOx and NOx emissions. This study provides valuable insights into the environmental impacts of these two major solar panel manufacturing countries by examining the silicon life cycle, from production to end-of-life.
Clinical characteristics and removal approaches of tracheal and bronchial foreign bodies in elders
Authors: Hong Ping-Yang , Wang Ling , Du Yan-Ping , Wang Miao , Chen Yi-Yuan , Huang Mao-Hong , Zhang Xiao-Bin
Published: April 2024

The symptoms of tracheobronchial foreign body in the elderly are not typical, so they are often missed or misdiagnosed. This study aims to depict the clinical characteristics of tracheobronchial foreign body inhalation in the elderly. We retrospectively analysed the clinical data of elder patients (age ≥ 65 years) diagnosed with tracheal and bronchial foreign bodies. The data included age, sex, clinical symptoms, type and location of foreign bodies, prehospital duration, Chest CT, bronchoscopic findings, and frequencies and tools for removing these elderly patients' tracheal and bronchial foreign bodies. All patients were followed up for a half year. Fifty-nine cases were included, of which only 32.2% had a definite aspiration history. Disease duration > 30 days accounted for 27.1% of the patients. 27.1% of the patients had a history of stroke, and 23.8% had Alzheimer's Disease. Regarding clinical symptoms, patients mainly experience cough and expectoration. The most common CT findings were abnormal density shadow (37.3%) and pulmonary infiltration (22.0%). Under bronchoscopy, purulent secretions were observed in 52.5% of patients, and granulation tissue hyperplasia was observed in 45.8%. Food (55.9%) was the most common foreign object, including seafood shells (5.1%), bones (20.3%), dentures (18.6%), and tablets (20.3%). The success rate of foreign body removal under a bronchoscope was 96.7%, 28.8% of the foreign bodies were on the left and 69.5% on the right. 5.1% of the elderly patients required rigid bronchoscopy, and 6.8% required two bronchoscopies. In elderly cohorts, tracheal foreign bodies are obscured by nonspecific clinical presentations and a paucity of aspiration history, challenging timely diagnosis. Predominantly constituted by food particles, with a notable predilection for the left bronchial tree, these cases demand skilled bronchoscopic management, occasionally requiring sophisticated approaches for successful extraction.
Sex differences in the diagnostic value of optic nerve sheath diameter for assessing intracranial pressure
Authors: Pansell Jakob , Rudberg Peter C. , Friman Ola , Bell Max , Cooray Charith
Published: April 2024

The optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD) can predict elevated intracranial pressure (ICP) but it is not known whether diagnostic characteristics differ between men and women. This observational study was performed at the Karolinska University Hospital in Sweden to assess sex differences in diagnostic accuracy for ONSD. We included 139 patients (65 women), unconscious and/or sedated, with invasive ICP monitoring. Commonly used ONSD derived measurements and associated ICP measurements were collected. Linear regression analyses were performed with ICP as dependent variable and ONSD as independent variable. Area under the receiver operator characteristics curve (AUROC) analyses were performed with a threshold for elevated ICP ≥ 20 mmHg. Analyses were stratified by sex. Optimal cut-offs and diagnostic characteristics were estimated. The ONSD was associated with ICP in women. The AUROCs in women ranged from 0.70 to 0.83. In men, the ONSD was not associated with ICP and none of the AUROCs were significantly larger than 0.5. This study suggests that ONSD is a useful predictor of ICP in women but may not be so in men. If this finding is verified in further studies, this would call for a re-evaluation of the usage and interpretation of ONSD to estimate ICP.
The dual coding of a single sex pheromone receptor in Asian honeybee Apis cerana
Authors: Ke Haoqin , D. Bohbot Jonathan , Chi Yongjuan , Duan Shiwen , Ma Xiaomei , Ren Bingzhong , Wang Yinliang
Published: April 2024

In Asian honeybees, virgin queens typically only mate during a single nuptial flight before founding a colony. This behavior is controlled by the queen-released mandibular pheromone (QMP). 9-oxo-(E)-2-decenoic acid (9-ODA), a key QMP component, acts as sex pheromone and attracts drones. However, how the queens prevent additional mating remains elusive. Here, we show that the secondary QMP component methyl p-hydroxybenzoate (HOB) released by mated queens inhibits male attraction to 9-ODA. Results from electrophysiology and in situ hybridization assay indicated that HOB alone significantly reduces the spontaneous spike activity of 9-ODA-sensitive neurons, and AcerOr11 is specifically expressed in sensilla placodea from the drone’s antennae, which are the sensilla that narrowly respond to both 9-ODA and HOB. Deorphanization of AcerOr11 in Xenopus oocyte system showed 9-ODA induces robust inward (regular) currents, while HOB induces inverse currents in a dose-dependent manner. This suggests that HOB potentially acts as an inverse agonist against AcerOr11.
Atmospheric river activity during the late Holocene exceeds modern range of variability in California
Authors: Knight Clarke A. , Anderson Lysanna , Presnetsova Liubov , Champagne Marie , Wahl David
Published: April 2024

Atmospheric rivers are associated with some of the largest flood-producing precipitation events in western North America, particularly California. Insight into past extreme precipitation can be reconstructed from sedimentary archives on millennial timescales. Here we document atmospheric river activity near Leonard Lake, California, over 3,200 years, using a key metric of atmospheric river intensity, that is silicon/aluminum enriched layers that are highly correlated with modern records of integrated vapor transport. The late twentieth century had the highest median integrated vapor transport since the onset of the Medieval Climate Anomaly, with integrated vapor transport increasing during the Little Ice Age. The reconstruction suggests California has experienced pluvial episodes that exceeded any in the meteorologic instrumental era, with the largest episodes occurring two and three millennia ago. These results provide critical data to help avoid underestimation of potential risks and aid future planning scenarios.
A versatile optimization framework for porous electrode design
Authors: van der Heijden Maxime , Szendrei Gabor , de Haas Victor , Forner-Cuenca Antoni
Published: April 2024

An optimization tool is presented by coupling a genetic algorithm with a pore network modeling framework for the bottom-up design of porous electrodes for a broad range of operating conditions, electrolyte chemistries, and reactor designs.
Photoresponsive arylazopyrazole surfactant/PDADMAC mixtures: reversible control of bulk and interfacial properties
Authors: Hardt Michael , Honnigfort Christian , Carrascosa-Tejedor Javier , Braun Marius G. , Winnall Samuel , Glikman Dana , Gutfreund Philipp , Campbell Richard A. , Braunschweig Björn
Published: April 2024

Photoswitchable surfactants enable remote control of bulk and interfacial properties in PDADMAC/CnAAP mixtures. E/Z photoisomerization facilitates tuning of binding, surface charging, and foam stability while the sample composition is preserved.
Azole reagents enabled ligation of peptide acyl pyrazoles for chemical protein synthesis
Authors: Liao Peisi , He Chunmao
Published: April 2024

A novel strategy is herein introduced which utilizes azole additives to activate the weak acyl donor peptidyl N-acyl pyrazole, and thereby enables its direct ligation to an N-terminal cysteine peptide for efficient chemical protein synthesis.
Preparation and NH3 gas-sensing properties of Ag/β-AgVO3 nanorods
Authors: Su Pi-Guey , Yang Jia-Jie
Published: April 2024

NH3 gas sensors operating at room temperature, consisting of Ag nanoparticles decorated β-AgVO3 nanorods (Ag/β-AgVO3 NRs), were fabricated via a facile hydrothermal method without the need for a template.
Dehalogenative deuteration of alkyl and aryl bromides by thiyl radical catalysis under visible-light irradiation
Authors: Lee Jiin , Lee Sunggi
Published: April 2024

Herein, we report a mild and practical method for the deuteration of alkyl and aryl bromides by a thiyl radical catalyst and halogen-atom transfer (XAT) using disulfides and silanes under visible-light irradiation.
Photothermal COFs with donor–acceptor structure for friction reduction and antiwear
Authors: Gong Peiwei , Wang Bairen , Li Junyao , Cui Huiying , Wang Dandan , Liu Jianxi , Liu Weimin
Published: April 2024

A new concept of donor–acceptor structured covalent organic framework with excellent photo-thermal conversion property is reported, which possesses robust dispersing stability in various oils, and reliable lubrication for more than 10 800 cycles.
Recent developments in photocatalytic production of hydrogen peroxide
Authors: Fang Xiao , Huang Xi , Hu Qiyu , Li Bonan , Hu Chunlian , Ma Baochun , Ding Yong
Published: April 2024

This highlight article summarizes the recent developments and challenges in photocatalytic production of hydrogen peroxide and looks forward to the development direction of this field.
Structure and dynamics of Li1.24K0.76CO3 molten carbonate electrolyte from molecular simulations with explicit polarization
Authors: Sessa Francesco , Della Pietra Massimiliano , Mataloni Simone , Muñoz-García Ana B. , Pavone Michele
Published: April 2024

The structure of the Li1.24K0.76CO3 melt is characterized by a dense network of lithium–carbonate complexes, with K+ ions loosely embedded within this network. This peculiar structure affects the transport properties of the electrolyte.
Prominent development of Ni-based oxygen-evolving electrocatalysts for water splitting
Authors: Tsubonouchi Yuta , Zahran Zaki N. , Chandra Debraj , Hoshino Norihisa , Yagi Masayuki
Published: April 2024

Achieving a future sustainable carbon-neutral society requires efficient systems for water splitting to produce H2 as alternatives to fossil fuel. Prominent development of Ni-based oxygen-evolving electrocatalysts for efficient water splitting are reviewed.
Synthesis and structures of cobalt-expanded zirconium- and cerium-oxo clusters as precursors for mixed-metal oxide thin films
Authors: Seiß Maximilian , Lorenz Jonas , Schmitz Sebastian , Moors Marco , Börner Martin , Monakhov Kirill Yu.
Published: April 2024

The development of innovative, molecular-based approaches towards resource- and energy-efficient electron transport and switching materials aims to transform current CMOS technology into environmentally friendlier electronics.
Revolutionizing sample preparation: a novel autonomous microfluidic platform for serial dilution
Authors: Vloemans Dries , Pieters Alexander , Dal Dosso Francesco , Lammertyn Jeroen
Published: April 2024

A standalone and fully automated microfluidic platform for the stepwise preparation of serial dilutions without the need for any active elements.
Synthesis of acridones via Ir(iii)-catalyzed amination annulation of oxazoles with anthranils
Authors: Zhou Han-Yi , Dong Lin
Published: April 2024

An unprecedented Ir(iii)-catalyzed C–H activation/amination/annulation of 2-phenyloxazoles with anthranils for the highly selective preparation of acridone derivatives in one-pot under controlled conditions is reported.
Non-covalent PEGylation of proteins mediated by site-specific in situ polymerization induced co-assembly
Authors: Jiao Fei , Su Qinzhi , Liu Xinyu
Published: April 2024

A novel strategy of non-covalent PEGylation termed site-specific in situ polymerization induced co-assembly (SI-PICA) is presented. This approach maintains protein bioactivity while improving pharmacokinetic properties.
A surface-modified Na3V2(PO4)2F3 cathode with high rate capability and cycling stability for sodium ion batteries
Authors: Zhang Jiexin , Zhang Congrui , Han Yu , Zhao Xingyu , Liu Wenjie , Ding Yi
Published: April 2024

Na3V2(PO4)2F3 is an ideal cathode material for sodium-ion batteries with a high theoretical energy density. In this paper, the electronic conductivity of Na3V2(PO4)2F3 was improved by using a simple surface carbon coating method, and excellent electrochemical properties were obtained.
Aminoguanidine-based bioactive proligand as AIEE probe for anticancer and anticovid studies
Authors: Mohammed Hashim K. K. , Manoj E.
Published: April 2024

An anticancer proligand, with AIEE features, demonstrates exceptional binding efficiencies with DNA and SARS-CoV-2 and offers as a promising bioprobe.
Nanoparticles incorporated hydrogels for delivery of antimicrobial agents: developments and trends
Authors: Ahmad Naveed , Bukhari Syed Nasir Abbas , Hussain Muhammad Ajaz , Ejaz Hasan , Munir Muhammad Usman , Amjad Muhammad Wahab
Published: April 2024

Nanoparticle-hydrogel systems are versatile biomaterials that possess numerous advantages for biomedical applications. This review focuses on the application of the nanoparticle-hydrogels system for the delivery of antimicrobial agents.
Synthesis of molecularly imprinted polymer with a methacrylate derivative monomer for the isolation of ethyl p-methoxycinnamate as an active compound from Kaempferia galanga L. extracts
Authors: Ariani Marisa Dwi , Zuhrotun Ade , Manesiotis Panagiotis , Hasanah Aliya Nur
Published: April 2024

EPMC isolation using MI-SPE resulted in % recovery for each extract of 82.40% (ethanol), 68.50% (ethyl acetate), and 65.27% (n-hexane) MI-SPE 2.
A mitochondrial-targeted activity-based sensing probe for ratiometric imaging of formaldehyde reveals key regulators of the mitochondrial one-carbon pool
Authors: Tenney Logan , Pham Vanha N. , Brewer Thomas F. , Chang Christopher J.
Published: April 2024

We report a mitochondrial-targeted activity-based sensor for formaldehyde, MitoRFAP-2, and apply this reagent to probe sources and sinks of the mitochondrial one-carbon pool.
The development of cage phosphine ‘DalPhos’ ligands to enable nickel-catalyzed cross-couplings of (hetero)aryl electrophiles
Authors: Morrison Kathleen M. , Stradiotto Mark
Published: April 2024

The development of the DalPhos cage ligand family and application in developing state-of-the-art nickel-catalyzed cross-coupling chemistry is described.
Surface passivation with an electron-donating sulfonate group for high-performance and stable perovskite solar cells
Authors: He Qingquan , Zhang Zenan , Chen An , Zhang Tao , Chen Xiuyuan , Bian Xiaolong , Xu Gaopeng , Chen Ting , Pan Shicheng , Yu Jiewen , Lu Guochao , Li Jing , Pan Jun
Published: April 2024

A new passivator, 4-aminophenyl sulfone (APS), containing a Lewis base group (SO), could interact with the uncoordinated Pb2+ on perovskite surface, which not only reduces trap state density but also induces a more p-type surface of perovskite film.
Zr-based metal–organic framework PCN-222@defective ZnIn2S4 core–shell Z-scheme heterojunctions toward efficient charge separation and optimized photocatalytic performance
Authors: Liu Pingping , Chen Peng , Xing Zipeng , Li Zhenzi , Liu Haixia , Wang Yu , Yang Yi , Wang Yizhu , Zhou Wei
Published: April 2024

PCN-222@VIn-ZnIn2S4 core–shell Z-scheme heterostructure containing indium defects is fabricated via solvothermal method, and it shows excellent photocatalytic degradation of tetracycline and hydrolytic hydrogen production.
Multifunctional thermochromic smart windows for building energy saving
Authors: Wang Dingkun , Chen Guoqi , Fu Jun
Published: April 2024

Smart windows based on thermoresponsive materials can modulate solar radiation to save building energy. Next generation smart windows that not only modulate solar transmission, but also convert and store solar energy through new power technologies.
Bipolar conjugated microporous polymer anchoring graphene hybrids for high-performance zinc–organic batteries
Authors: Hu Chengmin , Chen Yumin , Song Ziyang , Miao Ling , Duan Hui , Lv Yaokang , Xie Li , Liu Mingxian , Gan Lihua
Published: April 2024

A superior molecular design allows a bipolar conjugated microporous polymer to be firmly anchored on the rGO surface. The unique anchoring structure realizes alternate Zn2+/CF3SO3− ion storage while providing high capacity and an ultra-long lifespan for zinc–organic batteries.
Recent advances in synergistic use of GQD-based hydrogels for bioimaging and drug delivery in cancer treatment
Authors: Akmal Muhammad Hussnain , Kalashgrani Masoomeh Yari , Mousavi Seyyed Mojtaba , Rahmanian Vahid , Sharma Neha , Gholami Ahmad , Althomali Raed H. , Rahman Mohammed M. , Chiang Wei-Hung
Published: April 2024

Hydrogel loaded GQDs can be used for targeted bioimaging in specific diseases, including cancer, due to their small size and biocompatibility. GQDs have potential for application in cancer therapy and ability to absorb radiation to make them suitable for photothermal and photodynamic therapies.
Intracellular infection-responsive macrophage-targeted nanoparticles for synergistic antibiotic immunotherapy of bacterial infection
Authors: Dai Xiaomei , Li Yu , Liu Xiaojun , Zhang Yongjie , Gao Feng
Published: April 2024

Nanoparticles targeted towards bacterial-infected macrophages were fabricated to eliminate intracellular bacterial infections through antibiotic release and up-regulation of intracellular ROS levels and proinflammatory responses.
Three-dimensionally programmable soft crystals toward geometric phase photonics
Authors: He Fengyin , Zhang Yuxian , Liu Xuan , Yuan Cong-long , Hu Honglong , Wang Xiao-Qian , Luo Duanbin , Shen Dong , Zheng Zhi-Gang
Published: April 2024

Patterned monodomains of soft crystals enable programmable tuning in geometric phase photonics, showing prospects for application in flexible electronics and new displays.
Does Native Language Matter in Perceptual Ratings of Dysarthria?
Authors: Kim Yunjung , Thompson Austin , Lee Seung Jin
Published: April 2024

Purpose:

Despite the general agreement that dysarthria characteristics are largely language-independent, few efforts have attempted a systematic comparison across languages. To examine the role of native languages in the perception of speech characteristics of dysarthria secondary to Parkinson's disease (PD), auditory-perceptual ratings of dysarthria, and confidence level of the judgments were compared between two listener groups: language-matched and language-crossed.

Method:

A total of 60 listeners (35 native speakers of Korean and 25 native speakers of American English) estimated speech abnormality for 20 speech dimensions using a visual analog scale method for both language-matched and language-crossed speech stimuli. Speech stimuli were passage readings of the respective languages obtained from individuals with and without PD.

Results:

For speech dimension ratings, eight of 20 speech dimensions revealed significant differences in response to PD speech between the two listener groups, for most of which, language-crossed listeners' estimation was lower (i.e., more impaired) than language-matched listeners. For confidence-level ratings, language-matched listeners were less confident in the ratings of speakers with PD compared to the language-crossed listeners.

Conclusions:

The data support both language-universal and language-specific aspects in perceiving dysarthria characteristics, such that native language plays a role, especially when rating articulatory- and rhythmic-related characteristics. The findings are discussed with respect to the role of linguistic information, such as phonetic inventories and prosodic structures, in perceiving dysarthria characteristics.
Sequential selection and calibration of video frames for 3D outdoor scene reconstruction
Authors: Sun Weilin , Li Manyi , Li Peng , Cao Xiao , Meng Xiangxu , Meng Lei
Published: April 2024

3D scene understanding and reconstruction aims to obtain a concise scene representation from images and reconstruct the complete scene, including the scene layout, objects bounding boxes and shapes. Existing holistic scene understanding methods primarily recover scenes from single images, with a focus on indoor scenes. Due to the complexity of real‐world, the information provided by a single image is limited, resulting in issues such as object occlusion and omission. Furthermore, captured data from outdoor scenes exhibits characteristics of sparsity, strong temporal dependencies and a lack of annotations. Consequently, the task of understanding and reconstructing outdoor scenes is highly challenging. The authors propose a sparse multi‐view images‐based 3D scene reconstruction framework (SMSR). It divides the scene reconstruction task into three stages: initial prediction, refinement, and fusion stage. The first two stages extract 3D scene representations from each viewpoint, while the final stage involves selection, calibration and fusion of object positions and orientations across different viewpoints. SMSR effectively address the issue of object omission by utilizing small‐scale sequential scene information. Experimental results on the general outdoor scene dataset UrbanScene3D‐Art Sci and our proprietary dataset Software College Aerial Time‐series Images, demonstrate that SMSR achieves superior performance in the scene understanding and reconstruction.
Adaptive neural network control of robotic manipulators with input constraints and without velocity measurements
Authors: Zhang Heng , Zhao Yangyang , Wang Yang , Liu Lin
Published: April 2024

This paper addresses the trajectory tracking problem for a class of uncertain manipulator systems under the effect of external disturbances. The main challenges lie in the input constraints and the lack of measurements of joint velocities. An extend‐state‐observer is utilized to estimate the velocity signals; then, a neural‐network‐based adaptive controller is proposed to solve the problem, where a term based on the nominal model is included to enhance the tracking ability, and the effect of uncertainties and disturbances are compensated by a neural‐network term. Compared with the existing methods, the main distinctive features of the presented approach are: (i) The control law is guaranteed to be bounded by design, instead of directly bounded by a saturation function. (ii) The trade‐off between the performance and robustness of the presented controller can be easily tuned by a parameter that depends on the size of model uncertainties and external disturbances. By virtue of the Lyapunov theorem, the convergence properties of the proposed controller are rigorously proved. The performance of the controller is validated via both simulations and experiments conducted on a two‐degree‐of‐freedom robot manipulator.
QoE‐driven multi‐UAV deployment scheme for emergency communication networks
Authors: Dai Haibo , Ju Yinghui , Liang Yiqun , Zhang Zhe , Xu Hao , Wang Baoyun
Published: April 2024

When ground communication infrastructure within a region cannot be used for some reason, deploying unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)‐mounted base stations is undoubtedly the most effective way to provide communication services. This paper investigates the problem of joint deployment and power allocation of multiple UAVs, where ground terminals (GTs) seek to maximize quality of experience (QoE). In the mixed line‐of‐sight and non‐line‐of‐sight environment, UAVs need to change position in order to collect channel information until deployment problem is solved. Moreover, only neighboring UAVs communicate with each other, which makes the problem more difficult to solve. In order to solve this problem, game theory is used to model this problem and design a distributed learning algorithm to maximize the QoE of all GTs in the entire system. Simulation results validate the effectiveness of the proposed learning algorithm in improving the QoE fairness and achieving the rapid deployment of UAVs.
Optimization method for underwater sensor networks based on a virtual force‐oriented enhanced whale optimization algorithm
Authors: Tian Wei , Guo Jirui , Hou Rui
Published: April 2024

This paper presents an enhanced whale optimization algorithm based on virtual force to optimize coverage and address the problem of uneven coverage during the deployment of underwater sensor networks. This method is guided by the Lévy flight and virtual force algorithms and adopts a differential mutation strategy based on random walks. This improves the fitness of the initial population and population richness of the algorithm. The effectiveness of this method was verified through simulation.
DeepKalPose: An enhanced deep‐learning Kalman filter for temporally consistent monocular vehicle pose estimation
Authors: Di Bella Leandro , Lyu Yangxintong , Munteanu Adrian
Published: April 2024

This paper presents DeepKalPose, a novel approach for enhancing temporal consistency in monocular vehicle pose estimation applied on video through a deep‐learning‐based Kalman filter. By integrating a bi‐directional Kalman filter strategy utilizing forward and backward time‐series processing, combined with a learnable motion model to represent complex motion patterns, the method significantly improves pose accuracy and robustness across various conditions, particularly for occluded or distant vehicles. Experimental validation on the KITTI dataset confirms that DeepKalPose outperforms existing methods in both pose accuracy and temporal consistency.
A high gain and high radiation efficiency optical transparent Fabry–Perot cavity antenna
Authors: An Kang , Sun Peng , Chen Aixin
Published: April 2024

This letter proposes a novel high gain, high efficiency optically transparent Fabry–Perot Cavity antenna operating in millimetre‐wave. The antenna employs dual layers of transparent partially reflective surface and a transparent artificial magnetic conductor structure to enhance the gain and gain bandwidth. The reflection amplitude and phase have a low sensitivity to the sheet resistance of the transparent materials, which greatly reduce the requirement for the conductivity of transparent material and simplify the manufacturing process. The size of the antenna is 3.47λ0 × 3.47λ0 × 0.68λ0. A peak gain of 14.2 dBi, peak radiation efficiency of 67.1% and optical transparency of 81% are achieved.
Multistage AC transmission expansion planning including fault current‐limiting high‐temperature superconducting cables and multiple distributed generations to improve short‐circuit level and grid‐scale flexibility
Authors: Shivaie Mojtaba , Artis Reza , Padmanaban Sanjeevikumar
Published: April 2024

This paper proposes a new multistage AC model for transmission expansion planning that finds an optimal combination of transmission lines, fault current‐limiting high‐temperature superconducting cables, and multiple distributed generations (DGs). On this basis, the proposed model, from a new perspective, allows for simultaneous improvement of the short‐circuit level and grid‐scale flexibility (GFLX) under both normal and fault conditions. The objective function to be minimized includes not only the net present worth of the total investment and operation costs but also the congestion‐induced GFLX degradation measure. This model also takes the AC power balance and flow relationships, equipment capacity limits, nodal voltage bounds, DG penetration level limit, as well as discrete logical and financial restrictions together into account with the short‐circuit level constraint. To overcome the complexity of solving the resultant non‐convex mixed‐integer non‐linear optimization problem, a multi‐objective integer‐coded melody search algorithm is employed, followed by a fuzzy satisfying decision‐making mechanism to obtain the final optimal solution. The exhaustive case studies conducted on the IEEE 24‐ and 118‐bus test systems verify the efficacy of the newly developed model in terms of cost‐effectiveness, flexibility, and short‐circuit level suppression when facing different normal and fault conditions.