bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Investigations of Antibacterial, Antioxidant, and Antidiabetic Potential of Extract and Its Active Fractions from the Leaves of Horsfieldia spicata (Roxb.) J. Sinclair
Authors: Megawati  , Ariani Novita , Minarti  , Darmawan Akhmad , Eka Prastya Muhammad
Published: May 2023

This study was undertaken to analyse the potential bioactivities including antibacterial, antioxidant and antidiabetic derived from the methanolic extract and the column chromatography ethyl acetate fraction (AcOEt Fr) of Horsfieldia spicata leaves. Methanolic extract and 4 other fractions was calculated for total phenol and flavonoid contents along with tested for antibacterial, antioxidant and antidiabetic properties. Interestingly, the AcOEt Fr had the highest value for total flavonoid content and the best antioxidant, and antidiabetic activities. Therefore, the AcOEt Fr was further separated using column chromatography technique for obtaining 9 selected fractions namely fraction 1 (F1) ‐ fraction 9 (F9) which were further tested. The results showed that the AcOEt column chromatography fractions namely F2, F3, F4 and F6 had the best clear inhibition antibacterial value against all bacterial tested. In addition, these fractions also exhibited better Minimum Inhibitory Concentrations (MIC) and Minimum Bactericidal Concentrations (MBC) values than others. Antioxidant, 2,2‐diphenylpicrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assayed indicated that AcOEt Fr had the strongest IC50 value of 47.30 μg/mL. Further, F4 column chromatography fraction showed the best inhibition against α‐Glucosidase enzyme related to antidiabetic activity with an IC50 value of 6.11 μg/mL. Liquid chromatography tandem‐mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) analysis identified that F4 derived from AcOEt fraction had several compounds belonging to the flavonoid and phenolics such as 3′,5‐dihydroxy‐7,4′‐dimethoxyflavone, 5,7‐dihydroxy‐3‐(4′‐hydroxybenzyl)chromone, and Kadsurenin I.
Natural Geranylated Sulfur‐Containing Amides with Inhibitory Effect on Th17 Differentiation
Authors: Ji Kai‐Long , Tang Yan‐Qing , Guo Zheng‐Yang , GongPan Pian‐Chou , Sun Peng , Lu Jian‐Mei , Dai Meng‐Yuan , Li Ting
Published: May 2023

Chemical investigation of medicinal plant Glycosmis lucida Wall. ex C. C. Huang leaves led to the production of ten compounds (1–10), including two previously unreported geranylated sulfur‐containing amides (1 and 2) and eight known ones (3–10). Structural characterization was carried out using comprehensive spectroscopic methods including NMR, MS and CD. The inhibitory effects of all isolates on Th17 differentiation were evaluated, of which compounds 1 and 6 significantly inhibited Th17 differentiation with IC50 values of 0.36 and 1.30 μM, respectively, while both 1 and 6 failed to bind to retinoic acid‐related orphan receptor gamma t (RORγt), suggesting that their inhibition of Th17 differentiation is independent of RORγt.
Photo‐Alternating Current‐Electro‐Fenton Process for Pollutant Removal and Energy Usage from Industrial Wastewater: Response Surface Approach Optimization of Operational Parameters
Authors: Perumal Asaithambi , Yesuf Mamuye Busier , Govindarajan Rajendran , Niju Subramaniapillai , Arun C. , Periyasamy Selvakumar , Pandiyarajan T. , Alemayehu Esayas
Published: May 2023

During the last two decades, there has been an increase in interest the use of electrochemical and advanced oxidation technologies for treatment of industrial wastewater. Efficacy of several techniques for treating distilling industry wastewater (DIW), UV light, H2O2, combination of UV and H2O2, direct current (DC) and alternating current (AC)‐electro‐Fenton (EF), and UV combined with DC/AC+EF (UV+DC/AC+EF) processes were all examined. The findings revealed that compared to the UV, H2O2, UV/H2O2, DC/AC+EF, and UV+DC+EF technologies, the UV+AC+EF process resulted total color of 100 % and COD of 100 % elimination efficiency with low energy use 4 kWhr m−3. A response surface methodology (RSM) approach that relies on central composite design (CCD) was used to optimize the UV+AC+EF technology‘s parameters for treating DIW. Optimal conditions were obtained by utilizing mathematical and statistical methods in order to maximize COD elimination (89.50 %) and minimize energy consumption (2.775 kWhr m−3). The parameters for this experiment were as follows: UV power: 32 W, H2O2: 320 mg L−1, COD: 2400 mg L−1, CD: 0.2 A dm−2, and duration: 111 min. The combined efficiency of removing % COD using the UV, AC+EF, and UV+AC+EF processes was used to determine the synergistic effect, which was 13.65 %. As a consequence of this, treating industrial wastewater with a hybrid UV+AC+EF technique is significantly more successful.
Overview of emerging catalytic materials for electrochemical green ammonia synthesis and process
Authors: Chebrolu Venkata Thulasivarma , Jang Daehee , Rani Gokana Mohana , Lim Chaeeun , Yong Kijung , Kim Won Bae
Published: May 2023

The concept of “green‐ammonia‐zero‐carbon emission” is an emerging research topic in the global community and many countries driving toward decarbonizing a diversity of applications dependent on fossil fuels. In light of this, electrochemical nitrogen reduction reaction (ENRR) received great attention at ambient conditions. The low efficiency (%) and ammonia (NH3) production rates are two major challenges in making a sustainable future. Besides, hydrogen evolution reaction is another crucial factor for realizing this NH3 synthesis to meet the large‐scale commercial demand. Herein, the (i) importance of NH3 as an energy carrier for the next future, (ii) discussion with ENRR theory and the fundamental mechanism, (iii) device configuration and types of electrolytic systems for NH3 synthesis including key metrics, (iv) then moving into rising electrocatalysts for ENRR such as single‐atom catalysts (SACs), MXenes, and metal–organic frameworks that were scientifically summarized, and (v) finally, the current technical contests and future perceptions are discussed. Hence, this review aims to give insightful direction and a fresh motivation toward ENRR and the development of advanced electrocatalysts in terms of cost, efficiency, and technologically large scale for the synthesis of green NH3.
Synthesis and Characterization of Hexafluorocyclopentane‐Bridged Bisbutatrienes as Models for Longer Cumulenes: Various Transformations for the Construction of π‐Conjugated Frameworks
Authors: Konishi Akihito , Imai Shizuka , Satake Shoya , Chiba Kouji , Yasuda Makoto
Published: May 2023

Cumulenes have attracted considerable attention due to their unique structural and electronic properties. Despite their high potential for constructing condensed π‐conjugated molecules, the synthetic utility of longer cumulenes remains to be established owing to their inherently high reactivity. Conjugated bisbutatrienes having two cumulene moieties linked by a spacer as a mimic of a longer cumulene were evaluated. Here, the synthesis and characterization of hexafluorocyclopentane‐bridged bisbutatrienes are described. These bisbutatrienes underwent various cyclizations, to construct the unique π‐extended frameworks inaccessible by other methodologies. The bisbutatrienes were converted into fulvenes, pentalene, germacycle, and benzocyclobutene under various conditions. Furthermore, a cyclooctatetraene derivative was synthesized by a one‐step dimerization of the bisbutatriene.
Infrared and vibrational circular dichroism spectra of methyl β‐D‐glucopyranose in water: The application of the quantum cluster growth and clusters‐in‐a‐liquid solvation models
Authors: Perera Angelo Shehan , Carlson Colton D. , Cheramy Joseph , Xu Yunjie
Published: May 2023

The infrared (IR) and vibrational circular dichroism (VCD) spectra of methyl β‐D‐glucopyranose in water were measured. Both implicit and explicit solvation models were utilized to explain the observed spectra. The vast body of existing experimental and theoretical data suggested that about eight explicit water molecules are needed to account for the solvent effects, supported by the current Quantum Cluster Growth (QCG) analysis. Extensive manual and systematic conformational searches of the molecular target and its water clusters were carried out by using a recently developed conformational searching tool, conformer‐rotamer ensemble sampling tool (CREST), and the microsolvation model in the associated QCG code. The Boltzmann averaged IR and VCD spectra of the methyl β‐D‐glucopyranose‐(water)n (n = 8) conformers in the PCM of water provide better agreement with the experimental ones than those with n = 0, 1, and 2. The explicit solvation with eight water molecules was shown to greatly modify the conformational preference of methyl β‐D‐glucopyranose from its monomeric form. Further analyses show that the result is consistent with the existence of long‐lived methyl β‐D‐glucopyranose monohydrates with the additional explicit water effects being accounted for with the quantum mechanical treatment of the other seven close‐by water molecules in the PCM of water.
Automated Evaluation of Biochemical Plant KPIs based on DEXPI Information
Authors: Klose Anselm , Wagner-Stürz David , Neuendorf Laura , Oeing Jonas , Khaydarov Valentin , Schleehahn Michael , Kockmann Norbert , Urbas Leon
Published: May 2023

Implementation of data‐based key performance indicators (KPIs) within existing plants usually requires a thorough manual analysis of the plant topology to define which sensors could provide reliable information for calculating the KPIs. In this publication, we propose an assistance system that automates this process. First the automatic linkage between plant structure and operational data is presented for the evaluation of the process efficiency. Next, a concept and prototypical implementation of the evaluation of predefined KPIs is described. The plant structure is described according to the DEPXI specification, while a rule‐based framework was developed to depict the process‐engineering knowledge. The proposed methods have been validated in an experimental setup. It could be shown that with standardized inputs, a generic extendable evaluation of the plant performance can be achieved.
Supramolecular Surface Engineering of Carbon Dots Enables Matrix‐Free Room Temperature Phosphorescence†
Authors: Zhang Tao , Wu Xiaoyan , Liu Lele , Yang Yuxiang , Zhuang Jialuo , Li Zijian , Bi Hong
Published: May 2023

Comprehensive Summary

Carbon dots (CDs) are an emerging class of nanomaterials with intriguing photophysical properties. Recently, achieving room temperature phosphorescence (RTP) for CDs has attracted considerable attention for biomedical and information applications. However, the CDs based RTP materials generally require the use of polymeric and inorganic matrix to provide the rigid environments, which remains a great challenge to obtain matrix‐free CDs with RTP. Herein, a novel supramolecular strategy based on strong interparticle interactions has been developed to attain this objective, by covalent decoration of ureido‐pyrimidinone (UPy, a multiple hydrogen bonding unit) on the surface of CDs. Structural characterizations validated the core‐shell structure of the as‐prepared CDs (EDTA‐CDs) and demonstrated the successful attachment of UPy via post‐modification (UPy‐CDs). The presence of UPy recognition units render the strong hydrogen bonding between UPy‐CDs, which stabilizes the triplet state via rigidifying effect. As a result, UPy‐CDs exhibit matrix‐free efficient RTP (λem = 534 nm) with high brightness and long lifetime (33.6 ms) in the solid state. Owing to the dual‐emission character, we further explored the application potential of UPy‐CDs in information encryption and anti‐counterfeiting. Overall, this work provides a new and facile strategy for achieving matrix‐free phosphorescent CDs with elegant incorporation of supramolecular chemistry.
Preclinical Models of Neuroendocrine Prostate Cancer
Authors: Cacciatore Alessia , Albino Domenico , Catapano Carlo V. , Carbone Giuseppina M.
Published: May 2023

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most common malignancy and the second leading cause of cancer‐related death amongst men in the United States. Neuroendocrine prostate cancer (NEPC) can either arise de novo or emerge as a consequence of therapy. De novo NEPC is rare, with an incidence of <2% of all PCa cases. In contrast, treatment‐induced NEPC is frequent with >20% of patients with metastatic castration‐resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) reported to progress to neuroendocrine (NE) differentiation. The emergence of treatment‐induced NEPC is linked to the increased therapeutic pressure, due to the broad application of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) for PCa management and the development of novel more potent androgen receptor (AR) pathway inhibitors. NEPC is a high‐grade tumor type characterized by aggressive phenotype and clinical behavior. Patients affected by NEPC frequently develop visceral metastases and have a poor prognosis. The molecular mechanisms underlying the development and progression of NEPC are still poorly understood. Transcriptional and epigenetic reprogramming appears to be involved in NE progression. In this review, we aim to provide a comprehensive view of the available models for NEPC detailing their strengths and limitations. Moreover, we describe novel approaches to expand the repertoire of preclinical models to better study, prevent, or reverse NEPC. The integration of multiple preclinical models along with molecular and omics approaches will provide important insights to understand disease progression and to devise novel therapeutic strategies for the management of NEPC in the near future. © 2023 The Authors. Current Protocols published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.

Basic Protocol 1: Generation of organoids starting from the prostate gland of a GEMM or a human PDX

Basic Protocol 2: Ex vivo tumor sphere formation
Using 3dRNA/DNA for RNA and DNA 3D Structure Prediction and Evaluation
Authors: Xiong Yiduo , Zhang Yi , Wang Jian , Xiao Yi
Published: May 2023

This article describes how to use 3dRNA/DNA to predict RNA and DNA 3D structures from their sequences and secondary (2D) structures. The predicted RNA and DNA 3D structures can be used to predict or understand their functions and can also be used to find the interactions between the RNA/DNA and other molecules. © 2023 Wiley Periodicals LLC.

Basic Protocol: RNA/DNA 3D structure prediction using 3dRNA/DNA web server

Alternate Protocol: Using 3dRNA/DNA and 3dRNAscore locally

Support Protocol: Installing NSP
The presence of doping agents in dietary supplements: A glimpse into the Brazilian situation
Authors: Torres Clarisse L. , de Oliveira Felipe A. G. , Jooris Luis Felipe , Padilha Monica C. , Pereira Henrique M. G.
Published: May 2023

Dietary supplements (DS) are intended for healthy people to maintain or improve their overall health. Its consumption is widespread in large part of the general population and at all levels of athletes. Nevertheless, DS use can also pose health risks to individuals and, in the case of athletes, may lead to adverse analytical findings (AAFs) due to the possibility of DS contamination or adulteration with doping agents banned by the World Anti‐Doping Agency. Although educational initiatives are being performed in Brazil to warn the sports community about inadvertent doping cases, AAFs connected to the DS administration have been increasingly growing. The findings of DS analyzed by the Brazilian Doping Control Laboratory (LBCD), between 2017 and 2022, after Testing Authorities (TAs) analysis requests, showed an alarming number of tainted samples. Diuretics were the most common adulterants found in all supplement types. However, the profile of prohibited substances in manufactured and compounded dietary supplements (MDS and CDS, respectively) were distinct, with stimulants being most prevalent in MDS and anabolic agents in CDS products. Additionally, MDS samples generally presented higher estimated concentrations of banned substances (mg/g) than CDS samples (μg/g). The common practice of DS intake by athletes continues to be of great concern for a doping‐free sport, given the high prevalence of prohibited substances detected in the analyzed samples by the LBCD. The current Brazilian scenario reinforces the importance of raising awareness in the sports community of the possible consequences of an unintentional doping case linked to DS use.
Investigating the factor structure and measurement invariance of the Eating Disorder Examination‐Questionnaire (EDE‐Q) in a community sample of gender minority adults from the United States
Authors: Nagata Jason M. , Compte Emilio J. , McGuire F. Hunter , Brown Tiffany A. , Lavender Jason M. , Murray Stuart B. , Capriotti Matthew R. , Flentje Annesa , Lubensky Micah E. , Lunn Mitchell R. , Obedin‐Maliver Juno
Published: May 2023

Objective

The Eating Disorder Examination‐Questionnaire (EDE‐Q) is one of the most widely used self‐report assessments of eating disorder symptoms. However, evidence indicates potential problems with its original factor structure and associated psychometric properties in a variety of populations, including gender minority populations. The aim of the current investigation was to explore several previously published EDE‐Q factor structures and to examine internal consistency and measurement invariance of the best‐fitting EDE‐Q model in a large community sample of gender minority adults.

Methods

Data were drawn from 1567 adults (337 transgender men, 180 transgender women, and 1050 gender‐expansive individuals) who participated in The PRIDE Study, a large‐scale longitudinal cohort study of sexual and gender minorities from the United States. A series of confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs) were conducted to explore the fit of eight proposed EDE‐Q models; internal consistency (Cronbach's alphas, Omega coefficients) and measurement invariance (multi‐group CFA) were subsequently evaluated.

Results

A brief seven‐item, three‐factor (dietary restraint, shape/weight overvaluation, body dissatisfaction) model of the EDE‐Q consistently evidenced the best fit across gender minority groups (transgender men, transgender women, gender‐expansive individuals). The internal consistencies of the three subscales were adequate in all groups, and measurement invariance across the groups was supported.

Discussion

Taken together, these findings support the use of the seven‐item, three‐factor version of the EDE‐Q for assessing eating disorder symptomatology in gender minority populations. Future studies can confirm the current findings in focused examinations of the seven‐item, three‐factor EDE‐Q in diverse gender minority samples across race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and age ranges.

Public Significance Statement

Although transgender individuals have greater risk of developing an eating disorder, the factor structure of the Eating Disorder Examination‐Questionnaire, one of the most widely used eating disorder assessment measures, has not been explored in transgender adults. We found that a seven‐item model including three factors of dietary restraint, shape and weight overvaluation, and body dissatisfaction had the best fit among transgender and nonbinary adults.
Understanding carnivore interactions in a cold arid trans‐Himalayan landscape: What drives co‐existence patterns within predator guild along varying resource gradients?
Authors: Justa Priyanka , Lyngdoh Salvador
Published: May 2023

Predators compete for resources aggressively, forming trophic hierarchies that shape the structure of an ecosystem. Competitive interactions between species are modified in the human‐altered environment and become particularly important where an introduced predator can have negative effects on native predator and prey species. The trans‐Himalayan region of northern India has seen significant development in tourism and associated infrastructure over the last two decades, resulting in many changes to the natural setting of the landscape. While tourism, combined with unmanaged garbage can facilitate red fox (Vulpes vulpes), it also allows free‐ranging dogs (Canis lupus familiaris), an introduced mesopredator to thrive, possibly more than the native red fox. We look at the little‐known competitive dynamics of these two meso‐carnivores, as well as their intra‐guild interactions with the region's top carnivores, the snow leopard (Panthera uncia) and the Himalayan wolf (Canis lupus chanco). To study interactions between these four carnivores, we performed multispecies occupancy modeling and analyzed spatiotemporal interactions between these predators using camera trap data. We also collected scat samples to calculate dietary niche overlaps and determine the extent of competition for food resources between these carnivores. The study found that, after controlling for habitat and prey covariates, red fox site use was related positively to snow leopard site use, but negatively to dog and wolf site use. In addition, site use of the dog was associated negatively with top predators, that is, snow leopard and Himalayan wolf, while top predators themselves related negatively in their site use. As anthropogenic impacts increase, we find that these predators coexist in this resource‐scarce landscape through dietary or spatiotemporal segregation, implying competition for limited resources. Our research adds to the scant ecological knowledge of the predators in the region and improves our understanding of community dynamics in human‐altered ecosystems.
Snow and vegetation seasonality influence seasonal trends of leaf nitrogen and biomass in Arctic tundra
Authors: Kelsey Katharine C. , Højlund Pedersen Stine , Leffler A. Joshua , Sexton Joseph O. , Welker Jeffrey M.
Published: May 2023

Climate change, including both increasing temperatures and changing snow regimes, is progressing rapidly in the Arctic, leading to changes in plant phenology and in the seasonal patterns of plant properties, such as tissue nitrogen (N) content and community aboveground biomass. However, significant knowledge gaps remain over how these seasonal patterns vary among Arctic plant functional groups (i.e., shrubs, grasses, and forbs) and across large geographical areas. We used three years of in situ field vegetation sampling from an 80,000‐km2 area in Arctic Alaska, remotely sensed vegetation data (daily normalized difference vegetation index [NDVI]), and modeled output of snow‐free date to determine and model the seasonal trends and primary controls on leaf percent nitrogen and biomass (in grams per square meter) among Arctic vegetation functional groups. We determined relative vegetation phenology stage at a 500‐m spatial scale resolution, defined as the number of days between the date of the seasonal maximum NDVI and the vegetation field sampling date, and relative snow phenology stage (90‐m spatial scale) was determined as the number of days between the date of snow‐free ground and the sampling date. Models including relative phenology stage were particularly important for explaining seasonal variability of %N in shrubs, graminoids, and forbs. Similarly, vegetation and snow phenology stages were also important for modeling seasonal biomass of shrubs and graminoids; however, for all functional groups, the models explained only a small amount of seasonal variability in biomass. Relative phenology stage was a stronger predictor of %N and biomass than geographic position, indicating that localized controls on phenology, acting at spatial scales of 500 m and smaller, are critical to understanding %N and biomass.
Triethylamine‐Mediated Transformation of Phosphonates into Phosphonamidates
Authors: Backx Simon , Dejaegere Andreas , Simoens Andreas , Van de Poel Jef , Krasowska Dorota , Stevens Christian V. , Mangelinckx Sven
Published: May 2023

Organophosphorus compounds such as phosphonamidates are gaining attention across different fields of chemistry, with interesting applications as pharmaceuticals, or pesticides. However, practical application of phosphonamidates is complicated by their difficult syntheses which often involve expensive or unstraightforward reagents and harsh conditions. To remedy these issues, we present a flexible, room temperature synthesis for novel P‐alkylphosphonamidates without the need for intermediary purification. Commonly available phosphonates are first chlorinated by use of oxalyl chloride and phosphonylaminium salts are used to mediate the harsh reactivity of phosphonochloridates, giving rise to the desired products. We demonstrate the compatibility of our protocol with primary and secondary amines, as well as with different phosphonate esters. The proposed pathway also enables the synthesis of primary phosphonamidates using ammonium acetate as a cheap and safe alternative for ammonia. In future research, this protocol will also enable the synthesis of bioactive targets that are incompatible with current protocols.
Organocatalytic Asymmetric Mannich‐Type Reaction of Isocyanoacetates withN‐(2‐Benzothiazolyl)imines
Authors: Yang Ting , Yan Shuang , Yu Zhe‐Jia , Zhao Xiao‐Li , Shi Min , Zhao Mei‐Xin
Published: May 2023

An organocatalytic asymmetric synthesis of directly linked benzothiazole‐dihydroimidazoles with two adjacent tertiary‐quaternary stereocenters through a Mannich‐type reaction of isocyanoacetates withN‐(2‐benzothiazolyl)imines is disclosed. When employing bifunctional dihydroquinine‐derived squaramide as catalyst, moderate to excellent yields (up to 97 % yield), moderate diastereoselectivities and excellent enantioselectivities (up to >99 % ee) were obtained for a variety of substrates. In addition, the transformation of the resulted directly linked benzothiazole‐dihydroimidazole into highly functionalized α,β‐diamino esters was also demonstrated.
Bulk/Interface Defects Engineering and Comparative Performance Analysis of p‐Si/n‐CdS/ALD‐ZnO Heterojunction Solar Cell
Authors: Sharma Atish Kumar , Srivastava Ankita , Jha Prakash Kumar , Kumar Rakesh , Kumar Manish , Kulriya Pawan Kumar , Chourasia Nitesh K. , Chourasia Ritesh Kumar
Published: May 2023

Herein, the role of bulk/interface defects and their impact on the performance of novel solar cell device structure p‐Si/n‐CdS/ALD‐ZnO (atomic layer deposited zinc oxide) heterojunction solar cells are shown. To calculate all important parameters and connect both types of defects with the performance of the solar cell, a theoretical model to simulate using well developed, established, and globally popular SCAPS‐1D simulation tool is developed. The different types of optimized simulation parameters that improved the performance of the solar cell have been calculated using bulk defects (p‐Si absorber), interfacial defects (p‐Si/n‐CdS interface), emitter layer (n‐CdS) thickness, and window layer (ALD‐ZnO) thickness. A further effect of incident radiation on the quantum efficiency and the spectral response has been plotted along with the I–V characteristics of the proposed solar cell. Based on the proposed simulation and comparing with the existing experimental and simulation results for similar combinations of the solar cell, this detailed study suggests that the highest efficiency η = 19.97%, fill factor = 83.37% with open circuit voltage = 635.3 mV, and short circuit current = 37.71 mA cm−2 can be achieved. Finally, the obtained performance parameters are best in class with the tabulated existing ones.
Tailoring Alkaline Metals Ion‐Doped La2Ce2O7−δ Proton Conductor for Hydrogen Permeation Membranes
Authors: Zhang Hao , Yang Chunli , Wang Jing , Shen Qingtao , Cao Weiji
Published: May 2023

With the extensive use of hydrogen energy, hydrogen separation membranes with proton–electron mixed conductors have broad application prospects in hydrogen separation and purification. Herein, La1.85M0.15Ce2O7−δ (M = Li, Na, K, Rb, and Cs; LMC) proton conductors are prepared. The electron paramagnetic resonance, Raman, and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy results indicate that the proposed method of replacing part of the La3+ in La2Ce2O7−δ with alkali metal ions produces more oxygen vacancies, which provides more possibilities for ion transport. Among them, La1.85Rb0.15Ce2O7−δ (LRC) exhibits the highest oxygen vacancy concentration. In addition, as the radius of the alkali metal doping ions increases, the corresponding LMC grains also increase. However, an excessively large ionic radius (Cs+) can hinder grain growth. LRC has the largest ionic radius, indicating that it has a smaller grain boundary resistance. This results in the maximum conductivity of the LRC (2.99 × 10−2 S cm−2) in the atmosphere of wet 20% H2 + 80% N2 at 900 °C. Similarly, in the hydrogen permeability test, the LRC exhibits the highest hydrogen flux (2.74 × 10−9 mol cm−2 s−1) at 900 °C. Moreover, an increase in temperature and hydrogen partial pressure on the feed side can promote hydrogen permeability. Therefore, it is a potential material for ceramic hydrogen separation membranes.
Evaluation of Equivalent Dynamic Active Distribution Network Models with Individual and Aggregated Consideration of Grid Forming Converters
Authors: Ungerland Jakob , Lens Hendrik
Published: May 2023

Detailed active distribution network modeling in the context of stability studies of future power systems can be avoided by applying complexity‐reduced equivalent dynamic models. Previous work developed an approach to derive such equivalent dynamic network models of systems dominated by grid following and grid forming converters. Nevertheless, this approach lacks an investigation of the aggregation of multiple grid forming converters to one equivalent component. Also, the approach needs to be evaluated for a closed ring topology to substantiate its validity independent of the detailed network topology. This work applies and validates the developed approach on active distribution networks in the context of three scenarios. The detailed and equivalent network models are simulated for three events and the results are used to compare the models with respect to accuracy and complexity. The derived equivalent dynamic network models with an individual representation of grid forming converters reproduce the dynamic behavior of the corresponding detailed networks very well. The aggregation of grid forming converters results in an adequate reproduction of the detailed network's dynamic behavior under the constraint of aggregating only neighboring grid forming converters of one branch. This allows for the consideration of the detailed network's topology in the corresponding equivalent dynamic model.
Feasibility of Adding Antireflective Coating Foil Made from Nanoscale‐Patterned Optical Disk Templates on Industrial Silicon Photovoltaics
Authors: Julio Bagus , Ramdhani Sulthan R. , Avriansyah Rizky , Dahliyanti Ayu , Hussain Rehan , Jusoh Norwahyu , Usman Isnaeni , Adhyaksa Gede W. P.
Published: May 2023

Antireflective coating helps to reduce reflectance losses, thereby improving photovoltaic (PV) efficiency. Improving PV efficiency while maintaining low innovation cost has been a challenging task for the PV industry, especially in the case of monocrystalline silicon. Herein, the feasibility of integrating polydimethylsiloxane foil onto the protecting glass of an n‐type tunnel oxide–passivated contact silicon cell is studied. The foil is made using a polymer molding technique with digital video disk templates. On average, the foil provides 5.2% total reflectance and 93.5% total transmission. Under 1 sun illumination, the cell's power‐conversion efficiency increases by 12% (among the highest improvement), from 17.3% to 19.3%, in the presence of foil. A combined set of optical spectroscopy and simulation data shows that this improvement is due not only to the index‐matched medium, but also to forward scattering that increases broadband light transmission to the silicon cell through the foil which is different to the prevalent light‐trapping mechanism. The foil is also evaluated under different illumination conditions (indoors and outdoors), which show that the cell's power output nearly doubles at dimmer illumination levels and is stable under a fluctuating light source. While effective, the feasibility of antireflective foil should be reexamined further.
Evaluation of typology‐specific fragility curves used for risk‐targeted seismic demand maps in regions of low seismicity: A German case‐study
Authors: Clemett Nicholas , Rapps Clarissa , Gündel Max
Published: May 2023

Investigations of risk targeted peak ground acceleration (PGA) maps for European countries typically adopt a single generic fragility curve definition. The aim of this study is to investigate the use of typology‐specific fragility curves in the derivation of risk‐targeted PGA maps in low seismicity regions. This study differs from previous works in that it derives expressions for the relationship between design PGA and the median collapse capacity for several different structural typologies designed according to European standards, namely, reinforced concrete (RC) moment‐resisting frames (MRFs), reinforced concrete wall and dual systems, and steel MRFs. The expressions were determined from the regression analysis of a database of fragility curve parameters collected from the literature. The influence of the different typology‐specific fragility functions on the derivation of risk‐targeted seismic maps in regions of low seismicity, using Germany as a case‐study, is discussed. The key findings of this study are as follows: the fragility curves derived using the database possess significant inherent lateral capacity; the consideration of this inherent lateral capacity implies the reduction of the regions where seismic design is compulsory; and that fragility curves adapted from fragility analyses from structures in the US may not be representative of European structures. Recommendations for the direction of future research include focusing primarily on improving the definition of the typology‐specific fragility curves; developing fragility curves for modern IMs such as average spectral acceleration; and investigating the use of typology‐specific curves in regions of high seismicity.
Emotional non‐acceptance mediates the relationship between insecure attachment and specific psychopathology in women with eating disorders
Authors: Cascino Giammarco , Ceres Rossella , Donato Sara , Barone Eugenia , Tretola Lucia , Del Vecchio Angelica , Monteleone Palmiero , Monteleone Alessio Maria
Published: May 2023

Objective

Insecure attachment is considered a general risk factor for eating disorders (ED). Emotion dysregulation has been proposed as one of the possible mechanisms by which attachment insecurity may affect ED psychopathology. Aim of the present study was to investigate whether difficulties in acceptance of emotions or emotional clarity may mediate the connection between insecure attachment and ED psychopathology.

Method

One hundred and twenty patients participated and completed the Italian version of Eating Disorder Inventory‐2, Experience in Close Relationship questionnaire and Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale. A mediator path model was performed, in which insecure attachment dimensions were set as independent variables, ED specific psychopathology measures as dependent variables, and non‐acceptance of emotion and lack of emotional clarity as mediators.

Results

The association between both attachment avoidance and anxiety and ED specific symptoms was mediated by emotional non‐acceptance, but not by emotional clarity.

Conclusions

This study showed the importance to address emotion regulation in individuals with ED, focussing on improving emotional acceptance. Exploring early developmental processes which lead to non‐acceptance of emotions could improve this psychological trait in people with ED.
Ensemble learning‐based channel estimation and hybrid precoding for millimeter‐wave massive multiple input multiple output system
Authors: Navabharat Reddy G. , C.V Ravikumar
Published: May 2023

Millimeter‐Wave (mmWave) massive Multi‐User Multiple Input Multiple Output (MU‐MIMO) utilizes the hybrid analog precoding design helps to minimize the amount of Radio‐Frequency (RF) chains without causing loss of sum‐rate performance. The Channel Estimation (CE) is designed to demand the conditions of channels with high time‐varying features. The existing CE frameworks are extremely complex. The accurate CE is still challenging in mmWave massive MIMO system based on the hardware constraints, a maximum number of antennas, and so on. Various proficient algorithms were combined to yield reliable channel estimates. The mmWave massive MIMO system utilizes hybrid precoding to minimize energy consumption loss and reduce hardware complexity. The fully connected layer in hybrid precoding results in high energy efficiency loss. This proposed work aims to develop two ensemble deep learning models for CE and hybrid precoding of the “mmWave massive MIMO system.” Here, the estimation of the channel is performed by a “deep Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) with a Recurrent Neural Network (RNN).” With the reconstructed channel, the hybrid precoding phase is performed by deep CNN with AdaBoost. The performance of CE and hybrid precoding is improved with Self Adaptive Searched Galactic Swarm Optimization (SAS‐GSO) by attaining the maximum spectral efficiency and also minimizing the Normalized Mean‐Squared Error (NMSE). Hence, the simulation result is shown that the proposed model achieves enhanced performance. Throughout the analysis, at the 20th iteration, the SAS‐GSO‐ensemble approach gives a lower NMSE rate, which is 31%, 25.9%, 20%, 19.6%, 19.3%, 18.6%, and 18.3% superior to OMP‐Ensemble, AMP‐Ensemble, DLCS‐Ensemble, DGMP‐Ensemble, QALS‐Ensemble, DLQP‐Ensemble, and CSO‐Ensemble, respectively, for hybrid precoding. Therefore, the offered mmWave massive MIMO is achieved better performance regarding diverse error metrics.
Challenges for Hybrid Water Electrolysis to Replace the Oxygen Evolution Reaction on an Industrial Scale
Authors: Kahlstorf Till , Hausmann J. Niklas , Sontheimer Tobias , Menezes Prashanth W.
Published: May 2023

To enable a future society based on sun and wind energy, transforming electricity into chemical energy in the form of fuels is crucial. This transformation can be achieved in an electrolyzer performing water splitting, where at the anode, water is oxidized to oxygen—oxygen evolution reaction (OER)—to produce protons and electrons that can be combined at the cathode to form hydrogen—hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). While hydrogen is a desired fuel, the obtained oxygen has no economic value. A techno‐economically more suitable alternative is hybrid water electrolysis, where value‐added oxidation reactions of abundant organic feedstocks replace the OER. However, tremendous challenges remain for the industrial‐scale application of hybrid water electrolysis. Herein, these challenges, including the higher kinetic overpotentials of organic oxidation reactions compared to the OER, the small feedstock availably and product demand of these processes compared to the HER (and carbon dioxide reduction), additional purifications costs, and electrocatalytic challenges to meet the industrially required activities, selectivities, and especially long‐term stabilities are critically discussed. It is anticipated that this perspective helps the academic research community to identify industrially relevant research questions concerning hybrid water electrolysis.
Health facility delivery and early initiation of breastfeeding: Cross‐sectional survey of 11 sub‐Saharan African countries
Authors: Ameyaw Edward K. , Adde Kenneth S. , Paintsil Jones A. , Dickson Kwamena S. , Oladimeji Olanrewaju , Yaya Sanni
Published: May 2023

Background and Aims

Early initiation of breastfeeding (EIB) remains one of the promising interventions for preventing neonatal and child deaths. EIB is positively associated with healthcare delivery or childbirth. Meanwhile, no study in sub‐Saharan Africa (SSA) appears to have investigated the relationship between health facility delivery and EIB; thus, we assessed the correlation between health facility delivery and EIB.

Methods

We used data from the Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) of 64,506 women from 11 SSA countries. The outcome variable was whether the respondent had early breastfeeding or not. Two logistic regression models were used in the inferential analysis. With a 95% confidence interval (CI), the adjusted odds ratios (aORs) for each variable were calculated. The data set was stored, managed, and analyzed using Stata version 13.

Results

The overall percentage of women who initiated early breastfeeding was 59.22%. Rwanda recorded the highest percentage of early initiation of breastfeeding (86.34%), while Gambia recorded the lowest (39.44%). The adjusted model revealed a significant association between health facility delivery and EIB (aOR = 1.80, CI = 1.73–1.87). Compared with urban women, rural women had higher likelihood of initiating early breastfeeding (aOR = 1.22, CI = 1.16–1.27). Women with a primary education (aOR = 1.26, CI = 1.20–1.32), secondary education (aOR = 1.12, CI = 1.06–1.17), and higher (aOR = 1.13, CI = 1.02–1.25), all had higher odds of initiating early breastfeeding. Women with the richest wealth status had the highest odds of initiating early breastfeeding as compared to the poorest women (aOR = 1.33, CI = 1.23–1.43).

Conclusion

Based on our findings, we strongly advocate for the integration of EIB policies and initiatives with healthcare delivery advocacy. Integration of these efforts can result in drastic reduction in infant and child mortality. Essentially, Gambia and other countries with a lower proclivity for EIB must reconsider their current breastfeeding interventions and conduct the necessary reviews and modifications that can lead to an increase in EIB.
Increased expression of CSF1 in patients with eosinophilic asthma
Authors: Du Lijuan , Tang Lu , Xiao Lisha , Tang Kun , Zeng Zhimin , Liang Yuxia , Guo Yubiao
Published: May 2023

Background

The link between colony‐stimulating factor 1 (CSF1) and asthma was reported recently. However, the role and mechanism of CSF1 in asthma remain poorly understood. In this study, we aimed to explore the expression and its potential mechanism of CSF1 in asthma.

Methods

CSF1 expression in the airway samples from asthmatics and healthy controls were examined, then the correlations between CSF1 and eosinophilic indicators were analyzed. Subsequently, bronchial epithelial cells (BEAS‐2B) with CSF1 overexpression and knockdown were constructed to investigate the potential molecular mechanism of CSF1. Finally, the effect of CSF1R inhibitor on STAT1 was investigated.

Results

The expression of CSF1 was significantly increased in patients with asthma compared to healthy controls, especially in patients with severe and eosinophilic asthma. Upregulated CSF1 positively correlated with airway‐increased eosinophil inflammation. In vitro, cytokines interleukin 13 (IL‐13) and IL‐33 can stimulate the upregulation of CSF1 expression. CSF1 overexpression enhanced p‐CSF1R/CSF1R and p‐STAT1/STAT1 expression, while knockdown CSF1 using anti‐CSF1 siRNAs decreased p‐CSF1R/CSF1R and p‐STAT1/STAT1 expression. Furthermore, the inhibitor of CSF1R significantly decreased p‐STAT1/STAT1 expression.

Conclusions

Sputum CSF1 may be involved in asthmatic airway eosinophil inflammation by interacting with CSF1R and further activating the STAT1 signaling. Interfering this potential pathway could serve as an anti‐inflammatory therapy for asthma.
CRISPR/Cas9 for hepatitis B virus infection treatment
Authors: Cai Bo , Chang Shixue , Tian Yuhan , Zhen Shuai
Published: May 2023

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection remains a global health challenge. Despite the availability of effective preventive vaccines, millions of people are at risk of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Current drug therapies inhibit viral replication, slow the progression of liver fibrosis and reduce infectivity, but they rarely remove the covalently sealed circular DNA (cccDNA) of the virus that causes HBV persistence. Alternative treatment strategies, including those based on CRISPR/cas9 knockout virus gene, can effectively inhibit HBV replication, so it has a good prospect. During chronic infection, some virus gene knockouts based on CRISPR/cas9 may even lead to cccDNA inactivation. This paper reviews the progress of different HBV CRISPR/cas9, vectors for delivering to the liver, and the current situation of preclinical and clinical research.
Mixed attention and regularized COVID‐19 network: An approach to detection of COVID‐19 with chest x‐ray images
Authors: Das Dolly , Biswas Saroj Kumar , Bandyopadhyay Sivaji
Published: May 2023

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID‐19) has led to a global pandemic in the year 2020 and the cases are dynamically increasing and active all over the world. COVID‐19 is caused due to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2). It is a human‐to‐human transmissible disease which has severely affected people especially with weaker immunity, and is detected through Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT‐PCR). RT‐PCR is a lethargic process and therefore intelligent systems are proposed which uses chest images for early detection of COVID‐19. This paper proposes a regularized and attentive intelligent system called ‘Mixed Attention & Regularized COVID‐19 Network (MARCOV19‐Net)’ for detection of COVID‐19 using chest X‐Ray images. The performance of MARCOV19‐Net is compared with VGG‐16, Regularized COVID‐19 Deep Convolutional Network (RCOV19‐DCNet) and Mixed Attention and unregularized COVID‐19 Network (MACOV19‐Net), and with other state‐of‐the‐art models. MARCOV19‐Net has achieved the highest F‐score, ROC and AUC of 98.76%, 99.4% and 99.6%, respectively.
A comparison of fixed and repetitive models to teach object imitation to children with autism
Authors: Halbur Mary , Preas Elizabeth , Carroll Regina , Judkins Madison , Rey Catalina , Crawford Mikayla
Published: May 2023

A well‐established imitative repertoire can facilitate the acquisition of functional communication, social behaviors, and observational learning. Although early intensive behavioral intervention programs for young children with autism incorporate imitation training, learners with autism may exhibit difficulties in acquiring an imitative repertoire. Few studies have evaluated the types of models responsible for acquisition when teaching imitation to children with autism. A preliminary evaluation with fixed and repetitive model targets suggested that children with autism may acquire imitation more rapidly when taught with repetitive models (Deshais & Vollmer, 2020). The purpose of the current study was to compare the rates of acquisition when teaching with repetitive and fixed models for six children with autism. The findings suggested that (a) fixed models resulted in the most efficient acquisition for 10 of 16 comparisons, (b) fixed and repetitive models had similar efficacy for four comparisons, (c) and the repetitive condition was most efficient for two comparisons.