bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Крсна слава као мисиолошка одредница у савременом свештенослужењу
Authors: Стојановић Љубивоје
Published: May 2023

У овом раду примарна смерница је указивање на место и улогу крсне славе у процесу тражења нових мисиолошких решења у савременом свештенослужењу. Важно је истаћи чињеницу да је процес „враћања вери“ у нашем народу с краја прошлог века почео тако што су многи почели изнова да прослављају крсну славу. Оно што је било потиснуто под притиском идеолошког једноумља постало је одредница вере. Сигурно је да многа домаћинства, свако на свој начин, прослављају крсну славу, али остаје отво- рено питање колико је то допринело евхаристијској и еклисиолошкој обнови. Важно је истаћи и то да у последње две године постоји проблем пандемије корона вируса која је много тога променила и пореметила, али и разоткрила. Тако видимо да тамо где је пировање главна одредница постоје непромишљане реакције свечара који умишљају да без мноштва присутних није могуће свечарење. За њих је сваки позив на промишљено гостољубље „издаја вере“, уз напомену да у таквим случајевима примећујемо апсолутно одсуство заинтересованости за богослужбени живот у храму. Све ово велики је изазов за савремено свештенослужење, уз напомену да крсна слава може бити покретач многих мисиолошких активности.
Епистемологија изгубљености: одређене духовне вертикале у америчким noir филмовима
Authors: Синановић Стефан
Published: May 2023

Аутор у овом раду анализира специфичност духовне климе која је приказана у америчким noir филмовима из четрдесетих и педесетих година 20. вијека. У њима се истовремено предочавају одређена егзистенцијалистичка стремљења и контекстуални фактори који су условили атмосферу декаденције и клаустрофобије у експонираној слици свијета филмова овог жанра. Noir философија се, дакле, сагледава на трагу европске егз- истенцијалистичке мисли. Као примјере аутор узима истакнуте филмове овог жанра, као што су Двострука одштета (1944) и Булевар сумрака (1950) Билија Вајлдера, Додир зла (1958) Орсона Велса, На усамљеном мјесту (1950) Николаса Реја, итд. У највећем броју ових филмова приказано је психофизичко стање једне цијеле епохе која се нашла изгубљена у мраку постојања.
REVIEW OF MICROBIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF DRINKING WATER FOR ANIMALS IN THE REPUBLIC OF SRPSKA (BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA) DURING THE PERIOD 2018-2020.
Authors: GOLIĆ Bojan , KALABA Vesna , NEDIĆ Drago
Published: May 2023

One of the major challenges for all in the 21st century is safe drinking water and the microbiological control of drinking water should be the norm everywhere. Many infectious diseases of animals and humans are transmitted by water contaminated with human and animal excrements. The production and distribution of microbiologically safe drinking water should be a non-negotiable goal for water companies with the prospect of providing the same water quality to all consumers. This can only be achieved by adequate monitoring and control of microbial processes during water treatment and distribution. The material represented drinking water samples originating from animal farms at the territory of the Republic of Srpska (Bosnia and Herzegovina) collected in the period of 2018-2020. A total of 645 samples were examined. The aim of this study was to determine the microbiological status of drinking water for animals intended for human consumption in the Republic of Srpska (Bosnia and Herzegovina), in order to analyse the risks to animal health. BAS EN ISO 6222, BAS EN ISO 7899-2 and BAS EN ISO 9308-1/A1 methods were used for microbiological analyses of drinking water samples. The obtained results showed that one quarter of drinking water for animals are microbiologically incorrect. The analysis revealed a significantly higher number of unsatisfactory samples of well water in relation to the water supply system. The obtained results indicate fecal contamination of water, especially with intestinal enterococci and coliforms, and less with E. coli.
BIOACTIVE ACIDS OF SHEEP`S MILK FROM THE AREA OF LIVNO AND TRAVNIK (VLAŠIĆ)
Authors: HRKOVIĆ-POROBIJA Amina , VELIĆ Lejla , SOFTIĆ Almira , BEJDIĆ Pamela , ŠALJIĆ Ermin , ŠALJIĆ Atifa , ĆUTUK Amel
Published: May 2023

There is no doubt that milk and dairy products have a high nutritional value. However, their current consumption is increasingly dependent on their dietary and health properties. It is noticeable that in recent years, increasing popularity is given to those dairy products that have a positive effect on the human body. The aim of this study was to determine the fatty acid composition of sheep's milk from the area of Livno and Travnik (Vlašić), with special reference to the content of bioactive fatty acids that have a positive effect on human health. The fatty acid composition of the tested milk samples was specific due to the content of fatty acids which have been proven to have an extremely beneficial effect on human health. Concentrations of most bioactive fatty acids varied between areas, and the differences were statistically significant for arachidonic, eicosapentaenoic, docosahexaenoic, and rumenic. Milk samples from the tested areas had an almost ideal ratio of n-6/n-3 fatty acids, which makes them very favorable foods from a health point of view.
NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF BEDDING AND LYING AREA ON SYNCHRONIZED ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION IN DAIRY CAWS IN SARAJEVO KANTON
Authors: ČENGIĆ Benjamin , ĆUTUK Amel , MUTEVELIĆ Tarik , VELIĆ Lejla , ŠERIĆ HARAČIĆ Sabina , HADŽIMUSIĆ Nejra , HRKOVIĆ-POROBIJA Amin , BEJDIĆ Pamela , HADŽIOMEROVIĆ Nedžad , DERVIŠEVIĆ Muamer
Published: May 2023

Dairy cattle breeding is one of the most important branches of livestock production, which has been facing, for several decades, the chronic problem of declining reproductive performance. In 2005, the number of cattle worldwide was about 1,370,000,000, while in 2015 that number dropped below one billion, and in 2021 it shows a slight recovery as it was 1,000,970. This indicates the importance of applying different reproductive protocols in order to increase the number of cows in production. The type of bedding on which the animals stay, as well as the characteristics of the lying area itself, shows a significant impact on numerous physiological functions such as food intake, chewing, milk yield, but also levels of sex hormones. The type of bedding and lying area, which causes chronic pain and stress, leads to disorders of physiological and reproductive processes, since stress has direct negative impact on numerous cellular functions. A total of 66 dairy cows, 50 Holstein-Friesian cows kept on PD Butmir and 16 Simmental cows kept on a private mini farm, were included in the study. At PD Butmir, cows were kept in tie-stall housing system, while on a mini-farm they were kept free. Hormonal protocols of estrus and ovulation synchronization were used in April, May and June 2019. Cows were subjected to two estrus synchronization and ovulation protocols, Ovsynch and Cosynch72. At PD Butmir, 25 cows were subjected to Ovsynch and Cosynch72 protocols, respectively. At the mini-farm only Ovsynch protocol was applied. The Ovsynch protocol applied on PD Butmir had success in conception rate of 12% (n = 3), while the Cosynch72 protocol gave a score of 36% (n = 9). On the mini-farm, Ovsynch resulted in a conception of 25% (n = 4). Based on our results, the Cosynch72 protocol, compared to the Ovsynch protocol, was a better choice in the case of Holstein-Friesian cows kept in the tie-stall housing system. In the Simmental cows kept in the free stall system, the Ovsynch protocol proved to be better choice in achieving conception, compared to the Holstein-Friesian cows. Therefore, it is necessary to test several different protocols of estrus and ovulation synchronization, in order to find the most optimal one for a certain breed, type of keeping and breeding.
Atomic layer deposition of AlGaN alloy and its application in quantum dot sensitized solar cells
Authors: Liu Heng , Li Ye , Du Meng-Chao , Qiu Peng , He Ying-Feng , Song Yi-Meng , Wei Hui-Yun , Zhu Xiao-Li , Tian Feng , Peng Ming-Zeng , Zheng Xin-He ,   Beijing Key Laboratory for Magneto-Photoelectrical Composite and Interface Science, School of Mathematics and Physics, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China,   School of Electronic Information and Electrical Engineering, Huizhou University, Huizhou 516007, China
Published: May 2023

The role of plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition growth of AlGaN ternary alloys on c-planar sapphire substrates and the preparation of quantum dot-sensitized solar cells are explored in this work. The interface between the film and the substrate as well as the band gap of AlGaN ternary alloys during atomic layer deposition is dependent on Al component. At high Al fraction, there appears a good interface between the AlGaN alloy film and the substrate, however, the interface becomes rough when the Al fraction is reduced. The AlGaN alloy prepared by atomic layer deposition has a high band gap, which is related to the oxygen content within the film. Subsequently, CdSe/AlGaN/ZnS and CdSe/ZnS/AlGaN structured cells are prepared and analyzed for quantum dot solar cells from AlGaN films with an AlN/GaN cycle ratio of 1∶1. It is found that AlGaN can modify and passivate quantum dots and TiO2, which can wrap and protect the structure of TiO2 and CdSe quantum dot, thus avoiding the recombination of photo-generated carriers. This modification effect is also reflected in the improvement of open-circuit voltage, short-circuit current, filling factor and photovoltaic conversion efficiency of quantum dot solar cells. These factors are discussed in this work, trying to modify carrier transport characteristics of AlGaN films prepared by atomic layer deposition.
Modulation of sleep by trafficking of lipids through the Drosophila blood-brain barrier
Authors: Li Fu , Artiushin Gregory , Sehgal Amita
Published: May 2023

Endocytosis through Drosophila glia is a significant determinant of sleep amount and occurs preferentially during sleep in glia of the blood-brain barrier (BBB). To identify metabolites whose trafficking is mediated by sleep-dependent endocytosis, we conducted metabolomic analysis of flies that have increased sleep due to a block in glial endocytosis. We report that acylcarnitines, fatty acids conjugated to carnitine to promote their transport, accumulate in heads of these animals. In parallel, to identify transporters and receptors whose loss contributes to the sleep phenotype caused by blocked endocytosis, we screened genes enriched in barrier glia for effects on sleep. We find that knockdown of lipid transporters LRP1&2 or of carnitine transporters ORCT1&2 increases sleep. In support of the idea that the block in endocytosis affects trafficking through specific transporters, knockdown of LRP or ORCT transporters also increases acylcarnitines in heads. We propose that lipid species, such as acylcarnitines, are trafficked through the BBB via sleep-dependent endocytosis, and their accumulation reflects an increased need for sleep.
When neurons split the load
Authors: Lev Itamar , Zimmer Manuel
Published: May 2023

Various aspects of olfactory memory are represented as modulated responses across different classes of neurons in C. elegans.
A crowd clustering prediction and captioning technique for public health emergencies
Authors: Zhou Xiaoling , Zhu Guiping
Published: May 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic has come to the end. People have started to consider how quickly different industries can respond to disasters due to this public health emergency. The most noticeable aspect of the epidemic regarding news text generation and social issues is detecting and identifying abnormal crowd gatherings. We suggest a crowd clustering prediction and captioning technique based on a global neural network to detect and caption these scenes rapidly and effectively. We superimpose two long convolution lines for the residual structure, which may produce a broad sensing region and apply our model’s fewer parameters to ensure a wide sensing region, less computation, and increased efficiency of our method. After that, we can travel to the areas where people are congregating. So, to produce news material about the present occurrence, we suggest a double-LSTM model. We train and test our upgraded crowds-gathering model using the ShanghaiTech dataset and assess our captioning model on the MSCOCO dataset. The results of the experiment demonstrate that using our strategy can significantly increase the accuracy of the crowd clustering model, as well as minimize MAE and MSE. Our model can produce competitive results for scene captioning compared to previous approaches.
Identification of ABF/AREB gene family in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) and functional analysis of ABF/AREB in response to ABA and abiotic stresses
Authors: Pan Xuejuan , Wang Chunlei , Liu Zesheng , Gao Rong , Feng Li , Li Ailing , Yao Kangding , Liao Weibiao
Published: May 2023

Abscisic acid (ABA) is a plant hormone that plays an important regulatory role in plant growth and stress response. The AREB (ABA-responsive element binding protein)/ABF (ABRE-binding factor) are important ABA-signaling components that participate in abiotic stress response. However, genome-scale analysis of ABF/AREB has not been systemically investigated in tomato. This study was conducted to identify tomato ABF/AREB family members and analyze their response to ABA and abiotic stresses. The results show that a total of 10 ABF/AREB members were identified in tomato, which are randomly distributed on five chromosomes. Domain analysis showed that these members exhibit high protein similarity, especially in the basic leucine zipper (bZIP) domain region. Subcellular localization analysis indicated that all 10 ABF/AREB members are localized in the nucleus. Phylogenetic tree analysis showed that tomato ABF/AREB genes are divided into two groups, and they are similar with the orthologs of other plants. The analysis of cis-acting elements showed that most tomato ABF/AREB genes contain a variety of hormones and stress-related elements. Expression profiles of different tissues indicated that SlABF2 and SlABF10 play an important role in fruit ripening. Finally, qRT-PCR analysis revealed that 10 tomato ABF/AREB genes respond to ABA, with SlABF3 being the most sensitive. SlABF3, SlABF5 and SlABF10 positively respond to salt and cold stresses. SlABF1, SlABF3 and SlABF10 are significantly induced under UV radiation treatment. SlABF3 and SlABF5 are significantly induced in osmotic stress. Overall, this study may provide insight into the role of tomato ABF/AREB homologues in plant response to abiotic stresses, which laid a foundation for future functional study of ABF/AREB in tomato.
BOCA SUR: UNA HISTORIA DE ERRADICACIONES Y DIGNIDAD
Authors: Valenzuela Katia , Durán Carla ,   Centro Cultural Víctor Jara, Barraza Camila , Pávez Jorge ,   Boca Sur
Published: May 2023

A partir de un proyecto de investigación acción participativa con organizaciones territoriales de Boca Sur, comuna de San Pedro de la Paz, se buscó reconstruir históricamente la conformación urbana del Borde Costero de dicha comuna. Los resultados de esta investigación demuestran que la población de Boca Sur fue principalmente conformada a partir de políticas de erradicación forzada ejecutadas durante la dictadura cívico militar y la posterior implementación de políticas de vivienda social. Estas estrategias institucionales desplazaron a familias populares desde los centros urbanos hacia zonas periféricas de la ciudad, generando cambios radicales en sus formas de vida y habitar.
Elinor Ostrom's scholarly impact: a scientometric review of a nobel laureate
Authors: Felizardo Luiz Flávio , Machado Nélida Reis Caseca , Do Carmo Gisleine , Do Prado José Willer , Pereira José Roberto
Published: May 2023

Elinor Ostrom was the first woman ever to win the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences with research in the field of economic governance. In order to map the scientific impact of her work and visualize the collective action from her perspective, this scientometric review was carried out using two groups of analysis. First, we analyzed the works authored or co-authored by Elinor Ostrom. Later, to conceptualize the reach of Ostrom's works and her academic impact we analyzed the documents that cite her. The relevance of this study, as a systematic review of the scientific literature, lies in the fact that it can reveal important information through citation-induced patterns and guide researchers interested in collective action and the commons. The data was collected from the Web of Science and analyzed using a series of software to facilitate the observation of the data with the use of double map overlays, co-citation cluster, timeline views and others with the goal of being able to point out how the research in the area is being directed, the current topics, identify research gaps and interconnections with other fields of science. The results revealed central themes worked by the author and the current themes involved as a legacy of her work. The networks show through clusters the separation of topics that were carried out within the years and identify the most cited groups of authors, as well as the works that relate the most with themselves.
Análise de riscos do processo de execução financeira na área de TI e propostas de melhoria: aplicação de FMEA e FTA
Authors: De Lima Rogério Gabriel Nogalha , Monteiro Simone Borges Simão , Grubisic Viviane Vasconcellos Ferreira , Mariano Ari Melo
Published: May 2023

O objetivo deste artigo é analisar os riscos associados ao processo de execução financeira de despesas relativas às parcerias na área de Tecnologia da Informação (TI) do Ministério da Economia. Trata-se de um estudo de caso, de natureza aplicada e de abordagem qualitativa e utilizou-se como técnica para coleta de dados entrevistas com especialistas da área de TI do órgão. O trabalho está dividido nas seguintes etapas: i) entendimento do contexto do processo de execução financeira; ii) levantamento dos principais riscos do processo, por meio da aplicação de FMEA e do gráfico de Pareto; iii) identificação das causas dos riscos, com o auxílio da FTA, e por fim, as sugestões de melhorias. Os resultados evidenciaram que 53% dos atrasos de pagamentos são motivados por fatores internos da organização, entre os quais se destacam erros em notas fiscais ou faturas emitidas pelas empresas contratadas com o órgão e, ainda, deficiências na atuação dos fiscais nos atestes de serviços prestados por essas empresas; os outros 47% são devidos à indisponibilidade financeira em decorrência de contingenciamento de recursos públicos.
Using Oxygen Bioavailability and Somatic Embryogenesis Techniques for Regeneration of Old Seeds of Common Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.)
Authors: Hamed Hamed H. , Mohamed M. Khalil
Published: May 2023

The deterioration of the viability of seeds of old varieties (heirloom varieties) by exposure to long storage periods is one of the main problems facing plant breeding programmes; Thus, oxygen bioavailability and somatic embryogenesis techniques can overcome this problem to some extent. The goals of this study were to: 1) define the optimal oxygen bioavailability concentration for increasing the germination rates of old and waterlogged seeds; 2) define the relationship between the concentration of bioavailable oxygen in the liquid ingested by the germinating seed and seed vigor; and 3) use somatic embryogenesis techniques as a method for recovering plant germplasm from old or improperly stored seeds for use in plant breeding programs. This study was conducted in the tissue culture laboratory of the Potato and Vegetatively Propagated Vegetables Department, Horticulture Research Institute, Agricultural Research Centre, Egypt. This research was conducted to regenerate perennial seeds (8 years) of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) variety Giza 6 (local variety) and compared with 1 year old seeds as control treatment of the same cultivar. This study established that prolonged hypoxia throughout a protracted period of storage can inhibit germination. Hypoxia during the impregnation and germination of bean seeds can be overcome by supplying the seeds with hydrogen peroxide (20 mM) throughout the germination process. Catalase enzyme (10.5 units/mL) is needed to convert hydrogen peroxide into oxygen. Also, to release oxygen from hydrogen peroxide, other catalytic agents, such as transition metal ions like Fe+2, Cu+2, and Mn+2, can be used at the following concentrations: 0.001M, 0.001M, and 0.0001M, respectively. A protective layer of CaSO4 (0.5 mM) was applied since aged seeds have very fragile biological membranes. The test of tetrazolium gave results for some seeds that it non-viable or some parts of the seed are damaged or defective; However, 2,4-D at a concentration of 5 mg/l + supplements (0.1 µM GA3/L + 2 mg kintien/L + 1.0 mM glutamine) was able to produce somatic embryos of the old seeds tissues for common bean cv. Giza 6 (a local variety). The study of the morphology and induction of somatic embryogenesis was done used scanning electron microscopy. In its early phases, the callus appeared as a scattering of elongated cells. And after being transferred to the DCR medium, the cells became tightly packed together, and globular-shaped embryos began to emerge between the tightly packed together cells.
Spatial Distribution of Spodoptera frugiperda (JE Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) on Corn Crops in Durango, Mexico
Authors: Gurrola-Pérez Claudia Carolina , Hernández-Mendoza José Luis , Reyes J. Natividad Gurrola , Álvarez-Zagoya Rebeca
Published: May 2023

Accurately determining the spatial distribution of an insect is crucial for making effective decisions and efficiently controlling their populations. This study aimed to determine the population distribution of Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith 1797) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) larvae in corn plots near the City of Durango, Mexico. A total of 30 corn-cultivated plots were sampled. In each plot, 5 points were selected (5 of coins method), where 10 consecutive corn plants in these phenological stages V4 to V10 were checked for the presence of larvae and recorded. Statistical analysis was conducted using Scattering Indices 2/χ2 and the Chi-square test (χ2). The results indicated that infestation was slightly higher during stage V6 than in V4 and V8. The population of S. frugiperda had a negative, aggregate, or binomial distribution only in stage V4 (corresponding to small larvae), while in other phenological stages, the distribution was random.
Determination of Antibiotic Prescription Pattern in Private Healthcare Facilities in Port Harcourt Metropolis, Rivers State, Nigeria
Authors: Awopeju A. T. O. , Chijioke-Nwauche I.
Published: May 2023

Background: The consequences of antimicrobial resistance are severe, as mortality and morbidity rates continue to increase. The extensive use of antibiotics contributes significantly to the development and spread of antimicrobial resistance. It is crucial to have knowledge supported by data to improve antimicrobial stewardship and address the growing problem of antimicrobial resistance globally and locally. Thus, an evaluation was conducted to assess the prescription practices of doctors working in private medical facilities in Port Harcourt, Rivers state, Nigeria.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was carried out using a structured questionnaire to collect information on medical training and antibiotic prescription practices among 102 medical doctors. Data was analyzed at a 95% confidence interval using the SPSS v25 software and a p-value less than 0.05 was considered significant.

Results: The respondents' demographics indicated that 67.6% were male, while 32.4% were female practitioners. The majority, about 60.8%, had MBBS only, while 21.6% had a postgraduate medical fellowship and 17.6% had postgraduate degrees (PGD/MSc/PhD). The data revealed that 35.3% of the respondents had practiced for at least 15 years, while 33.3% had practiced for 1-5 years and 23.5% for 6-10 years. Cephalosporins were commonly prescribed by 43.1% of the respondents, with cefuroxime being the most frequently prescribed. Amoxicillin was prescribed by 20.6% of the respondents, while only 2.9% of them indicated prescribing Penicillins V or G. Laboratory investigations were the basis for prescribing antibiotics in 30.4%, while 69.6% prescribed on an empirical basis. The cross-tabulation of basis of prescriptions with qualifications showed that persons with postgraduate medical fellowship (86.4%) mostly prescribed based on clinical judgment, while individuals with MBBS only least commonly prescribed by clinical judgment. The prescription by empirical assessment was also mostly common among individuals with 6-10 years of practice experience (75%). However, no statistically significant association was found between the basis of prescriptions and academic qualifications or years of practice.

Conclusion: The study's results revealed that doctors in private medical facilities in Port Harcourt have a strong inclination towards prescribing cephalosporins, particularly on empirical grounds rather than laboratory investigations. It is highly recommended to take immediate measures to promote the implementation of antimicrobial stewardship principles to address the local rise in antimicrobial resistance.
Reliability Analysis on Stability of Armor Units for Foundation Mound of Composite Breakwaters
Authors: Lee Cheol-Eung
Published: May 2023

Probabilistic and deterministic analyses are implemented for the armor units of rubble foundation mound of composite breakwaters which is needed to protect the upright section against the scour of foundation mounds. By a little modification and incorporation of the previous empirical formulas that has commonly been applied to design the armor units of foundation mound, a new type formula of stability number has been suggested which is capable of taking into account slopes of foundation mounds, damage ratios of armor units, and incident wave numbers. The new proposed formula becomes mathematically identical with the previous empirical formula under the same conditions used in the developing process. Deterministic design have first been carried out to evaluate the minimum weights of armor units for several conditions associated with a typical section of composite breakwater. When the slopes of foundation mound become steepening and the incident wave numbers are increasing, the bigger armor units more than those from the previous empirical formula should be required. The opposite trends however are shown if the damage ratios is much more allowed. Meanwhile, the reliability analysis, which is one of probabilistic models, has been performed in order to quantitatively verify how the armor unit resulted from the deterministic design is stable. It has been confirmed that 1.2% of annual encounter probability of failure has been evaluated under the condition of 1% damage ratio of armor units for the design wave of 50 years return period. By additionally calculating the influence factors of the related random variables on the failure probability due to those uncertainties, it has been found that Hudson’s stability coefficient, significant wave height, and water depth above foundation mound have sequentially been given the impacts on failure regardless of the incident wave angles. Finally, sensitivity analysis has been interpreted with respect to the variations of random variables which are implicitly involved in the formula of stability number for armor units of foundation mound. Then, the probability of failure have been rapidly decreased as the water depth above foundation mound are deepening. However, it has been shown that the probability of failure have been increased according as the berm width of foundation mound are widening and wave periods become shortening.
A Comprehensive Approach to Sample Preparation for Electron Microscopy and the Assessment of Mitochondrial Morphology in Tissue and Cultured Cells
Authors: Hinton Antentor , Katti Prasanna , Christensen Trace A. , Mungai Margaret , Shao Jianqiang , Zhang Liang , Trushin Sergey , Alghanem Ahmad , Jaspersen Adam , Geroux Rachel E. , Neikirk Kit , Biete Michelle , Lopez Edgar Garza , Shao Bryanna , Vue Zer , Vang Larry , Beasley Heather K. , Marshall Andrea G. , Stephens Dominique , Damo Steven , Ponce Jessica , Bleck Christopher K. E. , Hicsasmaz Innes , Murray Sandra A. , Edmonds Ranthony A. C. , Dajles Andres , Koo Young Do , Bacevac Serif , Salisbury Jeffrey L. , Pereira Renata O. , Glancy Brian , Trushina Eugenia , Abel E. Dale
Published: May 2023

Mitochondria respond to metabolic demands of the cell and to incremental damage, in part, through dynamic structural changes that include fission (fragmentation), fusion (merging of distinct mitochondria), autophagic degradation (mitophagy), and biogenic interactions with the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). High resolution study of mitochondrial structural and functional relationships requires rapid preservation of specimens to reduce technical artifacts coupled with quantitative assessment of mitochondrial architecture. A practical approach for assessing mitochondrial fine structure using two dimensional and three dimensional high‐resolution electron microscopy is presented, and a systematic approach to measure mitochondrial architecture, including volume, length, hyperbranching, cristae morphology, and the number and extent of interaction with the ER is described. These methods are used to assess mitochondrial architecture in cells and tissue with high energy demand, including skeletal muscle cells, mouse brain tissue, and Drosophila muscles. The accuracy of assessment is validated in cells and tissue with deletion of genes involved in mitochondrial dynamics.
Silicate Nanoplatelets Promotes Neuronal Differentiation of Neural Stem Cells and Restoration of Spinal Cord Injury
Authors: Wang Yifan , Zhao Tengfei , Jiao Yiren , Huang Hanxu , Zhang Yongxiang , Fang Ao , Wang Xuhua , Zhou Yanling , Gu Haochen , Wu Qionghua , Chang Jiang , Li Fangcai , Xu Kan
Published: May 2023

Neural stem cell (NSC) transplantation has been suggested as a promising therapeutic strategy to replace lost neurons after spinal cord injury (SCI). However, the low survival rate and neuronal differentiation efficiency of implanted NSCs within the lesion cavity limit the application. Furthermore, it is difficult for transplanted cells to form connections with host cells. Thus, effective and feasible methods to enhance the efficacy of cell transplantation are needed. In this study, the effect of Laponite nanoplatelets, a type of silicate nanoplatelets, on stem cell therapy is explored. Laponite nanoplatelets can induce the neuronal differentiation of NSCs in vitro within five days, and RNA sequencing and protein expression analysis demonstrated that the NF‐κB pathway is involved in this process. Moreover, histological results revealed that Laponite nanoplatelets can increase the survival rate of transplanted NSCs and promote NSCs to differentiate into mature neurons. Finally, the formation of connections between transplanted cells and host cells is confirmed by axon tracing. Hence, Laponite nanoplatelets, which drove neuronal differentiation and the maturation of NSCs both in vitro and in vivo, can be considered a convenient and practical biomaterial to promote repair of the injured spinal cord by enhancing the efficacy of NSC transplantation.
In Vitro 3D Spheroid Model Preserves Tumor Microenvironment of Hot and Cold Breast Cancer Subtypes
Authors: Dhandapani Hemavathi , Siddiqui Armaan , Karadkar Shivam , Tayalia Prakriti
Published: May 2023

Dynamic interaction of cancer, immune, and stromal cells with extracellular matrix components modulates and resists the response of standard care therapies. To mimic this, an in vitro 3D spheroid model is designed using liquid overlay method to simulate hot (MDA‐MB‐231) and cold (MCF‐7) breast tumor microenvironment (TME). This study shows increased mesenchymal phenotype, stemness, and suppressive microenvironment in MDA‐MB‐231‐spheroids upon exposure to doxorubicin. Intriguingly, the presence of human dermal fibroblasts enhances cancer‐associated fibroblast phenotype in MDA‐MB‐231‐spheroids through increased expression of CXCL12 and FSP‐1, leading to higher infiltration of immune cells (THP‐1 monocytes). However, a suppressive TME is observed in both subtypes, as seen by upregulation of M2‐macrophage‐specific CD68 and CD206 markers. Specifically, increased PDL‐1 expressing tumor‐associated macrophages along with FoxP3 expressing T regulatory cells are found in MDA‐MB‐231‐spheroids when cultured with peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Further, it is found that the addition of 1‐methyl‐tryptophan, a potent indoleamine‐2,3‐dioxygenase‐1 inhibitor, subsides the suppressive phenotype by decreasing the M2 polarization via downregulation of tryptophan metabolism and IL10 expression, particularly in MCF‐7 triculture spheroids. Thus, the in vitro 3D spheroid model of TME can be utilized in therapeutics to validate immunomodulatory drugs for various breast cancer subtypes.
A Multifunction Hydrogel‐Coating Engineered Implant for Rescuing Biofilm Infection and Boosting Osseointegration by Macrophage‐Related Immunomodulation
Authors: Ding Yao , Liu Genhua , Liu Shaopeng , Li Xuan , Xu Kun , Liu Peng , Cai Kaiyong
Published: May 2023

Innovative methodologies combined with scavenging reactive oxygen species (ROS), alleviating oxidative stress damage and promoting macrophage polarization to M2 phenotype may be ideal for remodeling implant‐infected bone tissue. Herein, a functionalization strategy for doping Tannic acid‐d‐tyrosine nanoparticles with photothermal profile into the hydrogel coating composed of konjac gum and gelatin on the surface of titanium (Ti) substrate is accurately constructed. The prepared hydrogel coating exhibits excellent properties of eliminating biofilm and killing planktonic bacteria, which is based on increasing susceptibility to bacteria by the photothermal effect, biofilm‐dissipation effect of D‐tyrosine, as well as the bactericidal effect of tannic acid. In addition, the modified Ti substrate has effectively alleviated proinflammatory responses by scavenging intracellular excessive ROS and guiding macrophages polarization toward M2. More interesting, conditioned medium from macrophage indicates that paracrine is conducive to osteogenic proliferation and differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells. Results from rat model of femur infection in vivo demonstrate that the modified Ti implant significantly eliminates the residual bacteria, relieves inflammation, mediates macrophage polarization, and accelerates osseointegration. Altogether, this study exhibits a new perspective for the development of advanced functional implant with great application potential in bone tissue regeneration and repair.
Low‐Power and Field‐Free Perpendicular Magnetic Memory Driven by Topological Insulators
Authors: Cui Baoshan , Chen Aitian , Zhang Xu , Fang Bin , Zeng Zhaozhuo , Zhang Peng , Zhang Jing , He Wenqing , Yu Guoqiang , Yan Peng , Han Xiufeng , Wang Kang L. , Zhang Xixiang , Wu Hao
Published: May 2023

Giant spin–orbit torque (SOT) from topological insulators (TIs) has great potential for low‐power SOT‐driven magnetic random‐access memory (SOT‐MRAM). In this work, a functional 3‐terminal SOT‐MRAM device is demonstrated by integrating the TI [(BiSb)2Te3] with perpendicular magnetic tunnel junctions (pMTJs), where the tunneling magnetoresistance is employed for the effective reading method. An ultralow switching current density of 1.5 × 105 A cm−2 is achieved in the TI‐pMTJ device at room temperature, which is 1–2 orders of magnitude lower than that in conventional heavy–metals‐based systems, due to the high SOT efficiency θSH = 1.16 of (BiSb)2Te3. Furthermore, all‐electrical field‐free writing is realized by the synergistic effect of a small spin‐transfer torque current during the SOT. The thermal stability factor (Δ = 66) shows the high retention time (>10 years) of the TI‐pMTJ device. This work sheds light to the future low‐power, high‐density, and high‐endurance/retention magnetic memory technology based on quantum materials.
Immunoaffinity‐Based Microfluidic Platform for Exosomal MicroRNA Isolation from Obese and Lean Mouse Plasma
Authors: Rodríguez‐Comas Júlia , Castaño Carlos , Ortega María Alejandra , Tejedera Ainoa , Fernandez‐González Míriam , Novials Anna , Párrizas Marcelina , Ramón‐Azcón Javier
Published: May 2023

A new way of intercellular communication has been recently demonstrated, consisting of the controlled release of small vesicles loaded with bioactive factors (proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids chiefly amongst them) to the extracellular compartment. Importantly, these extracellular vesicles (EVs), including microvesicles and exosomes, regulate various physiological processes and, when disturbed, may contribute to the onset and progression of many diseases. Hence, they can be exploited as informative biomarkers to diagnose and monitor pathological conditions, including type 2 diabetes and associated metabolic disease. However, currently available techniques to isolate EVs lack reproducibility, effectiveness, and rapidity and require high amounts of starting samples, limiting their introduction in clinical practice. The objective of this work is to use a simple and easy‐to‐use microfluidic platform for capturing and quantifying a specific subpopulation of EVs from a small volume of plasma. As a proof‐of‐concept, the platform is tested with murine plasma. An analysis of the microRNA (miRNA) content of the isolated EVs is performed, detecting significant differences when comparing lean and obese mice. Thus, the device offers an easy, straightforward system to detect and analyze plasma‐derived EVs in the everyday clinical setting.
Insight on the Energy Storage Mechanism and Kinetic Dynamic of Manganese Oxide‐Based Aqueous Zinc‐Ion Batteries
Authors: Cui Xiaosha , Zhang Yaxiong , Zhang Junli , Xie Erqing , Fu Jiecai
Published: May 2023

Manganese oxide‐based (MO‐based) aqueous zinc ion batteries (AZIBs) are of great interest due to their high capacity, low cost, environmental friendliness, and low toxicity. However, to achieve commercialization of MO‐based AZIB, there are some issues mainly focused on cycling stability and capacity decay until now. The complexity of the energy storage mechanism and the physical and chemical properties of the MO itself are both hindering factors. Therefore, this review classifies and summarizes the energy storage mechanisms of MO‐based cathodes and hopes to guide the synthesis of MO‐based materials with excellent energy storage performance. And the kinetic assessment methods involve in the study of the MO‐based AZIB energy storage mechanism are categorized and highlighted. Moreover, the ideas of the current mechanisms mentioned are comprehensively discussed based on the advanced kinetic dynamics analyzing methods. In the last part of the review, a perspective outlook for the subsequent development and direction of MO‐based AZIB is made. This review will provide a guiding light for obtaining a high‐performance, commercially viable MO‐based AZIB.
A Porous Wrinkled Graphitic Carbon as Corrosion‐Resistant Carbon Support for Durable Fuel‐Cell Catalysts
Authors: Fan Pengshuo , Hao Yizhou , Xu Cong , Cao Yangfei , Huang Xianwu , Huang Jiahui , Lyu Xuanyu , Zhu Run , Lei Di , Li Wei , Yang Dong , Liang Haiwei , Chen Jianhao , Li Tongtao , Dong Angang
Published: May 2023

The lifespan of proton‐exchange membrane fuel cells heavily relies on the durability of the carbon support of cathode catalysts. However, commercial carbon supports like ketjenblack (KB) and Vulcan carbon (VC) face the challenge of balancing porosity, surface area, and electrochemical stability. To address this issue, a 3D porous wrinkled graphitic carbon (PWGC) is designed and synthesized using a catalyst‐free, plasma‐enhanced chemical vapor deposition approach. The resulting PWGC possesses a hierarchically porous structure with a high surface area, a high degree of graphitization, and exceptional corrosion resistance. As a result, the Pt/PWGC catalysts with the use of PWGC as the carbon support demonstrate superior high potential stability compared to those made with KB and VC as the carbon support. Additionally, a sacrificial layer strategy is introduced to further reduce PWGC corrosion, resulting in Pt@C/PWGC catalysts that show significantly improved durability in membrane electrode assembly tests. After 5K voltage cycles from 1.0 to 1.5 V, the retention of electrochemically active surface area approaches 56.8%, surpassing the 23.6% retention of commercial Pt/C catalysts tested under the same conditions.
A Review of Functional Hydrogels for Flexible Chemical Sensors
Authors: Zhou Pengcheng , Zhang Zongman , Mo Fan , Wang Yan
Published: May 2023

Hydrogels have drawn considerable attention in the field of flexible chemical sensors due to their unique 3D structure, high permeability, ion‐conductivity, and tissue‐like mechanical properties. These structures and properties allow them to be functionalized into diverse sensing components and respond to chemical signals in complex environments. Herein, an overview of functional hydrogel‐based flexible chemical sensors is provided. First, the representative hydrogel materials are introduced and the operating principles for flexible chemical sensors are discussed. Then, state‐of‐the‐art functional hydrogel‐based flexible chemical sensing applications are highlighted including gas sensors, humidity sensors, pH sensors, glucose sensors, wound monitoring, and others. Finally, major challenges and opportunities in this field are provided.
Muscle Injuries Induce a Prostacyclin‐PPARγ/PGC1a‐FAO Spike That Boosts Regeneration
Authors: Luo Lanfang , Chua Yan‐Jiang Benjamin , Liu Taoyan , Liang Kun , Chua Min‐Wen Jason , Ma Wenwu , Goh Jun‐Wei , Wang Yuefan , Su Jiali , Ho Ying Swan , Li Chun‐Wei , Liu Ke Hui , Teh Bin Tean , Yu Kang , Shyh‐Chang Ng
Published: May 2023

It is well‐known that muscle regeneration declines with aging, and aged muscles undergo degenerative atrophy or sarcopenia. While exercise and acute injury are both known to induce muscle regeneration, the molecular signals that help trigger muscle regeneration have remained unclear. Here, mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) is used to show that injured muscles induce a specific subset of prostanoids during regeneration, including PGG1, PGD2, and the prostacyclin PGI2. The spike in prostacyclin promotes skeletal muscle regeneration via myoblasts, and declines with aging. Mechanistically, the prostacyclin spike promotes a spike in PPARγ/PGC1a signaling, which induces a spike in fatty acid oxidation (FAO) to control myogenesis. LC–MS/MS and MSI further confirm that an early FAO spike is associated with normal regeneration, but muscle FAO became dysregulated during aging. Functional experiments demonstrate that the prostacyclin‐PPARγ/PGC1a‐FAO spike is necessary and sufficient to promote both young and aged muscle regeneration, and that prostacyclin can synergize with PPARγ/PGC1a‐FAO signaling to restore aged muscles’ regeneration and physical function. Given that the post‐injury prostacyclin‐PPARγ‐FAO spike can be modulated pharmacologically and via post‐exercise nutrition, this work has implications for how prostacyclin‐PPARγ‐FAO might be fine‐tuned to promote regeneration and treat muscle diseases of aging.
Facile synthesis of magnetically separable copper ferrite infused sulfonated graphene oxide nanocomposite with antimicrobial evaluation and photocatalytic performance under visible light
Authors: Sharma Shaily , Jakhar Prakash , Sharma Himanshu
Published: May 2023

Facile approach has been employed for the synthesis of new copper ferrite impregnated sulfonated graphene oxide (SGO) nanocomposite via co‐precipitation technique. The newly created nanocomposite has exceptional qualities like a strong stability, large surface area, simple as well as effective recoverability. Structure, composition, and morphology of CuFe2O4@SGO nanocomposite were analyzed by fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy (FT‐IR), scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy dispersive X‐Ray (EDX), X‐ray diffraction (XRD), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) techniques. The results presented the decoration of CuFe2O4 nanoparticles decorated uniformly upon the SGO sheets. Presently, photocatalytic efficiency of synthesized nanocomposite has been assessed for the deterioration of methyl violet 2B (MV) dye. On the effectiveness of dye degradation, the impacts of variables including initial dye concentration, catalyst loading, and visible light exposure have been studied. The photocatalytic data show that 97% of dye was degraded in merely 90 min. CuFe2O4@SGO nanocomposite was easily recyclable and hence it shows future scope as an inexpensive and alternate approach for removal of dye. The results of antimicrobial data evaluated that outstanding antibacterial data counter to Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, and excellent antifungal data counter to Candida albicans was perceived.
Improvement of shrinkage reducing performance of polycarboxylate superplasticizer by butyl acrylate and its mechanism
Authors: Ge Haosheng , Sun Zhenping , Zheng Kunpeng , Lu Zichen , Yang Haijing , Zhang Ting
Published: May 2023

A series of polycarboxylate superplasticizers (PCEs) with different molecular structures and shrinkage reducing performance were synthesized by modifying PCE with butyl acrylate (BA), and their molecular structures were characterized. The influence of BA on the dispersion and shrinkage reducing performance of PCEs and the influence of PCEs grafting different ration of BA on the hydration of cement were investigated in detail. Furthermore, the mechanisms of BA improving PCE shrinkage reducing performance were emphatically analyzed. The results showed that: (1) BA was successfully grafted into the molecular structures of PCEs and the expected molecular structures were obtained by polymerization. (2) BA has little effect on the dispersion of PCEs, but it will affect the hydration process of cement paste mixed with PCEs and significantly improve the shrinkage reducing performance of PCEs. (3) After grafting BA monomer into PCE, the surface tension of PCE solution decreased and the evaporation rate of alkaline solution mixed with PCE also significantly slowed down. Moreover, the retention capacity of pore water of cement paste mixed with PCE was improved. These three reasons were considered to be the main mechanisms of BA improving the shrinkage reducing performance of PCE.
Improved balance between dimensional stability, mechanical properties and processability of linear low density polyethylene for rotational molding
Authors: Li Danding , Gong Yutie , Li Hairong , Zhang Yingao , Zhao Jiayu , Zhu Jiaxiang , Huang Leping , Jiang Ming
Published: May 2023

The linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) products made by rotational molding (RM) usually involve two main problems of poor dimensional stability and insufficient mechanical properties. Although the decline in thermal expansion coefficient and rise in mechanical strength can be attained by filling with inorganic particles, the melt fluidity of LLDPE, which is of great importance for RM, would be significantly reduced. In this study, a combination of crosslinker low‐temperature blending and partial chemical crosslinking strategy is employed to enhance the dimensional stability and mechanical properties of LLDPE without sacrificing the melt fluidity. The structure–property relationships in the crosslinked specimens are analyzed based on X‐ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy, and dielectric spectrometry. The results show that our simple, low‐cost and universal strategy not only contributes to a better dimensional stability and significantly improved mechanical properties, but also endow the samples with promising processability and thermal stability.