bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Knowledge Spillovers and Organizational Resilience: The Digital Capabilities Moderating Effect on MSMEs Innovation Orientation in Service Sector
Authors: Fernandes Cristina , Veiga Pedro Mota , Ramadani Veland
Published: February 2025

Although the importance of integrating digital technologies in micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) is growing rapidly, empirical research related to knowledge spillovers (KS), organizational resilience, innovation orientation, and digital capabilities still remains scarce. This research proposes a framework in which we verify the moderating effect of digital capabilities on the relationship between KS, organizational resilience, and innovation orientation. Another aim of this research is to study the effect of KS and organizational resilience on innovation orientation by conducting a quantitative study utilizing data from the World Bank's Enterprise Survey, collected at three separate times. Drawing from a sample of 2291 MSMEs in the service sector across 15 EU countries, the partial least squares structural equation modeling was the method used to evaluate our proposed conceptual model and examine the hypothesized relationships. The findings reveal that KSs have a positive effect on innovation orientation by leveraging digital capabilities. In addition, the empirical evidence demonstrates that both KS and organizational resilience have a positive impact on innovation orientation. This research also makes several theoretical and practical contributions.
Nutritional features of organic peas (Pisum sativum L.) cultivated in different Italian environments and rheological profile of pea‐enriched crackers
Authors: Tibaldi Camilla , Oliveira Sónia , Dinelli Giovanni , Marotti Ilaria , Raymundo Anabela
Published: February 2025

BACKGROUND

Legumes are a key component of the human diet and a primary source of plant‐based protein. They have attracted global attention as potential plant‐based meat alternatives due to their numerous health benefits, and they contribute to a more sustainable and healthy food system. Among pulses, peas (Pisum sativum L.) are considered a good source of proteins, fibers, starch, minerals, and vitamins. This study evaluated the effect of environmental conditions on nutritional profile of peas cultivated in an organic farming system, in different Italian environments (mountainous and hilly), during different cultivation years (2021 and 2022). Pea grain from peas cultivated under the various conditions was used to prepare pea‐based crackers containing 6% pea flour. The appearance, physical properties (rheology and texture), and nutritional profile of the snacks were evaluated, and sensory analysis was conducted.

RESULTS

The nutritional and bioactive compounds were strongly related and the environment exerted a substantial impact on most of the nutritional components (proteins and carbohydrates), due to climatic conditions during the vegetative and reproductive stage of the crop. The incorporation of cultivated peas into wheat‐based crackers improved their functional and nutritional quality while maintaining consumer acceptability, as demonstrated by sensory analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

The results confirmed that growing conditions significantly influence the nutritional composition of peas, enhancing their quality and that of the resulting crackers. This aligns with the increasing global demand for high‐quality, sustainable food products. © 2025 The Author(s). Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.
Physicochemical, antioxidant, gastrointestinal digestion and probiotic growth promoting properties of water and alkali extracted polysaccharides from Schizophyllum commune
Authors: Li Chen , Gao Hong , Yin Chaomin , Liu Mengfan , Fan Xiuzhi , Shi Defang , Yao Fen , Li Jiangtao , Liu Qiongxiang , Wen Jing , Qiu Jianhui , Hu Guoyuan
Published: February 2025

BACKGROUND

Schizophyllum commune is a traditional edible and medicinal mushroom that has been successfully artificially cultivated in China. Polysaccharides from S. commune have attracted much attention because of their bioactivity. The present study aimed to investigate the physicochemical, gastrointestinal digestion and probiotic growth promoting properties of water extracted polysaccharides (WSP) and alkali extracted polysaccharides (WSP) from S. commune.

RESULTS

The extraction rates and the total sugar contents of WSP and ASP were 11.97% and 14.36% and 57.71 g kg−1 and 52.34 g kg−1, respectively. The main monosaccharides of WSP are glucose and mannose, whereas glucose, mannose and galacturonic acid are the main monosaccharides of ASP. Although the molecular weight of WSP is greater than that of ASP, both WSP and ASP show the typical absorption peaks of polysaccharides and a triple helix structure. WSP shows a coarse granular microstructure, whereas ASP presents a dense porous microstructure. Moreover, WSP shows typical Newtonian fluid behavior, whereas ASP exhibits typical non‐Newtonian fluid behavior. WSP presents better thermal stability and antioxidant properties than that of ASP. Both WSP and ASP have good hydrolysis resistance in vitro simulated digestion, but ASP shows better hydrolysis resistance. Both WSP and ASP can promote the growth of probiotic, but the promoting growth effect depends on the strain of the probiotic.

CONCLUSION

In sum, WSP shows better physicochemical properties, but ASP has more potential to be an excellent prebiotic. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry.
The effects of acetylsalicylic acid on performance, carcass traits, breast meat quality and white striping muscle defects in broiler chickens
Authors: Güngören Gülşah , Simsek Ulku Gulcihan , Güngören Alper , Çiftçi Mehmet , Eröksüz Hatice , Karabulut Burak , Baykalir Yasin , Kahraman Mücahit , Demircioğlu İsmail , Top Şermin
Published: February 2025

BACKGROUND

This research aims to reduce white striping muscle defects induced by vascular inflammation and hypoxia using the anti‐inflammatory, antiplatelet and anti‐atherothrombotic properties of acetylsalicylic acid (ASA). To this end, the effects of different doses (0.3, 0.6, 1, 3 and 6 g L−1) of ASA added to drinking water at 24–48 days on growth performance, carcass traits, footpad dermatitis, white striping and breast meat quality parameters were investigated.

RESULTS

The results indicate that 0.3, 1, 3 g L−1 and especially 0.6 g L−1 ASA treatment significantly improved growth performance and meat quality parameters. Also, doses of 0.3, 6 g L−1 and especially 0.6 g L−1 of ASA treatment reduced the incidence of white stripe muscle defects.

CONCLUSIONS

Consequently, 0.6 g L−1 ASA treatment reduced macrophage infiltrations and myodegeneration caused by growth rate. In addition, this dose increased vascular endothelial growth factor and decreased irisin level in breast muscle. The study also shows that high doses of ASA treatment (3 and 6 g L−1) may make footpad dermatitis more common. This may be due to the fact that ASA can cause side effects such as gizzard ulcers and kidney damage in broiler chickens. © 2025 The Author(s). Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.
Integrated Evaluation Approach for Land Sustainable Management and Carrying Capacity of Clustered Mining Area in the Cement City of South India
Authors: Kumar E. , Subramani T. , Gopinathan P.
Published: February 2025

In today's global context, sustainability is a crucial factor for both emerging and established industries, including mining. The sector significantly affects social, economic, and environmental dimensions, creating job opportunities that can boost regional income while also contributing to adverse environmental consequences such as air and water pollution, land degradation, and soil contamination. This study employs dynamic modelling and evaluation techniques to examine the interplay between social, economic, and environmental factors, focusing on the sustainability of mining in Ariyalur district, Tamil Nadu. The findings indicate that Ariyalur district has achieved a nearly optimal state of sustainability, with the sustainable development index rising from 0.880 in 2016–0.921 by 2030. The sustainable development index intends to provide a holistic view on the social, economic, and environmental status of the region. This increase underscores the potential for enhanced carrying capacity in the region, allowing for future mineral production without compromising sustainability. These results provide valuable insights for policymakers and industry stakeholders aiming to balance economic growth with environmental stewardship. The proposed model serves as a framework for evaluating sustainability across various industries, highlighting the importance of integrated approaches in resource management.
Dual‐Inertial Viscosity‐Based Subgradient Extragradient Methods for Equilibrium Problems Over Fixed Point Sets
Authors: ur Rehman Habib , Sitthithakerngkiet Kanokwan , Seangwattana Thidaporn
Published: February 2025

This paper introduces a new algorithmic framework for solving pseudomonotone equilibrium problems and demicontractive fixed‐point problems. Unlike conventional methods that incorporate a single inertial step, our approach employs dual inertia to accelerate convergence while preserving stability. The proposed method combines the viscosity approximation technique with the extragradient method to guarantee strong convergence. Initially, the extragradient method is applied under a Lipschitz continuity assumption on the equilibrium bifunction. Subsequently, this condition is relaxed by adopting a self‐adaptive step size strategy, allowing variable step sizes to be updated iteratively based on the current iterates information. Notably, the algorithm operates without requiring prior knowledge of the Lipschitz constants or any line search procedures. Strong convergence is established under mild condition, and its applicability to variational inequality problems is demonstrated. Numerical experiments validate the effectiveness of the proposed approach, showcasing its capability to handle large‐scale and complex problems efficiently while outperforming traditional single‐inertia methods.
On Ill‐Conditioning of Descent Methods to Recover Initial Data for the Burgers Equation With Small Viscosity
Authors: Gutiérrez Carlos Rubén , Iturriaga Renato , Angel Moreles Miguel
Published: February 2025

The identification of the initial condition of a parabolic equation given terminal data is a problem arising in several applications. In this work, we consider the problem for the semilinear parabolic viscous Burgers equation in the vanishing viscosity case. The limiting equation is the nonlinear hyperbolic Burgers equation, for which there is non‐uniqueness backward in time. In both cases, solutions are sought by formulating the identification problem as the minimization of a least squares functional, and gradient descent methods are used for computation. Following this approach, we construct the first and second variations of the functional by the adjoint state approach. We prove that the second variation is continuous with respect to viscosity. Consequently, gradient descent methods of approximation inherit the ill‐conditioning of the nonlinear hyperbolic limit.
A novel cross‐modal data augmentation method based on contrastive unpaired translation network for kidney segmentation in ultrasound imaging
Authors: Guo Shuaizi , Sheng Xiangyu , Chen Haijie , Zhang Jie , Peng Qinmu , Wu Menglin , Fischer Katherine , Tasian Gregory E. , Fan Yong , Yin Shi
Published: February 2025

Background

Kidney ultrasound (US) image segmentation is one of the key steps in computer‐aided diagnosis and treatment planning of kidney diseases. Recently, deep learning (DL) technology has demonstrated promising prospects in automatic kidney US segmentation. However, due to the poor quality, particularly the weak boundaries in kidney US imaging, obtaining accurate annotations for DL‐based segmentation methods remain a challenging and time‐consuming task. This issue can hinder the application of data‐hungry deep learning methods.

Purpose

In this paper, we explore a novel cross‐modal data augmentation method aimed at enhancing the performance of DL‐based segmentation networks on the limited labeled kidney US dataset.

Methods

In particular, we adopt a novel method based on contrastive unpaired translation network (CUT) to obtain simulated labeled kidney US images at a low cost from labeled abdomen computed tomography (CT) data and unlabeled kidney US images. To effectively improve the segmentation network performance, we propose an instance‐weighting training strategy that simultaneously captures useful information from both the simulated and real labeled kidney US images. We trained our generative networks on a dataset comprising 4418 labeled CT slices and 4594 unlabeled US images. For segmentation network, we used a dataset consisting of 4594 simulated and 100 real kidney US images for training, 20 images for validation, and 169 real images for testing. We compared the performance of our method to several state‐of‐the‐art approaches using the Wilcoxon signed‐rank test, and applied the Bonferroni method for multiple comparison correction.

Results

The experimental results show that we can synthesize accurate labeled kidney US images with a Fréchet inception distance of 52.52. Moreover, the proposed method achieves a segmentation accuracy of 0.9360 ± 0.0398 for U‐Net on normal kidney US images, and 0.7719 ± 0.2449 on the abnormal dataset, as measured by the dice similarity coefficient. When compared to other training strategies, the proposed method demonstrated statistically significant superiority, with all p‐values being less than 0.01.

Conclusions

The proposed method can effectively improve the accuracy and generalization ability of kidney US image segmentation models with limited annotated training data.
Featured Cover
Authors: Meng Zeng , Qian Qiaochu , Hao Peng
Published: February 2025

The cover image is based on the article On the Use of Fidelity Transformation Method for Stress‐Constrained Reliability‐Based Topology Optimization of Continuum Structure With High Accuracy by Peng Hao et al., https://doi.org/10.1002/nme.7602.

image
Efficacy and safety of a novel oral hydrogel capsule in adults with overweight or obesity: the pivotal randomized RESET study
Authors: Ard Jamy D. , Ryan Donna H. , O'Neil Patrick M. , Kushner Robert F. , Wyatt Holly R. , Bays Harold E. , Greenway Frank L. , Jakicic John M. , Leonard Sharon , Kenan Yael , Ganon‐Elazar Eti , Wadden Thomas A.
Published: February 2025

Objective

The objective of this study was to investigate the efficacy and safety of the Epitomee capsule versus placebo as an adjunct to high‐intensity lifestyle intervention in participants with overweight or obesity.

Methods

The Randomized Evaluation of Efficacy and Safety of the Epitomee Capsule Trial (RESET) was a prospective, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled pivotal trial in adults with baseline BMI of 27.0 to 40.0 kg/m2. The co‐primary endpoints at week 24 were percentage change from baseline in body weight for the Epitomee and placebo groups and proportion of Epitomee‐treated patients achieving ≥5% weight loss compared with a 35% threshold. The primary safety endpoint was the incidence of device‐related serious adverse events.

Results

A total of 138 participants received Epitomee and 141 received placebo. Mean (SD) change in body weight from baseline was −6.6% (6.5%) with Epitomee and −4.6% ( 4.7%) with placebo; least‐squares means were −6.1% (0.6%) and −4.2% (0.6%), respectively (p = 0.0054). Fifty‐six percent of Epitomee‐treated participants attained ≥5% weight loss from baseline, which was significantly greater than the 35% predefined threshold (p < 0.0001). Twenty‐seven percent of Epitomee‐treated and eleven percent of placebo‐treated participants achieved ≥10% weight loss. Adverse event rates were similar between the groups. No device‐related serious adverse events occurred.

Conclusions

The Epitomee capsule is a safe and efficacious nonpharmacological option for weight management with potential broad application in participants with overweight or obesity.
Associations between decreases in adiposity and reductions in HbA1c and insulin use in the Look AHEAD cohort
Authors: Palmer Rebecca , Neiberg Rebecca H. , Beavers Kristen M. , Kahn Steven E. , Houston Denise K. , Wagenknecht Lynne , Johnson Karen C. , Pownall Henry J. , Espeland Mark A. ,   For the Action for Health in Diabetes (Look AHEAD) Aging Study Group
Published: February 2025

Objective

The objective of this study was to elucidate associations between adiposity reduction and changes in HbA1c and insulin use among adults with type 2 diabetes and overweight or obesity.

Methods

Changes in BMI, waist circumference, and total percent fat mass were obtained over 8 years among 1316 individuals (aged 45–76 years) enrolled in the Look AHEAD (Action for Health in Diabetes) clinical trial of weight loss. Generalized linear models were used to assess relationships between 5% decreases in adiposity measures with glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and insulin use over time.

Results

A 5% reduction in total percent fat was associated with 0.15% (95% CI: 0.12%–0.18%) lower mean HbA1c. Similarly, 5% reductions in waist circumference and BMI were also associated with slightly lower mean HbA1c: 0.16% (95% CI: 0.13%–0.19%) and 0.13% (95% CI: 0.11%–0.16%), respectively. These reductions were associated with lower odds of insulin use over time, ranging from 21% lower odds for a 5% reduction in percent body fat to 32% lower odds for 5% reductions in waist circumference and BMI. Associations were evident across subgroups defined by sex, diabetes duration, obesity status, and intervention assignment.

Conclusions

Reductions in adiposity are associated with stabilized and slightly lower HbA1c and a marked reduction in the need for insulin therapy. These benefits generalize across clinical subgroups.
Phenol formaldehyde‐flax fabric (PF‐F) hybrid composites reinforced with cellulose nanofiber (CNF)—mechanical, morphology, electrical conductivity, electronic structure, optoelectronic, and charge transfer properties
Authors: Ravindran Lakshmipriya , Joseph Saju , Ponnan Sathiyanathan , Kalarikkal Nandakumar , Sreekala M. S. , Thomas Sabu
Published: February 2025

For developing an eco‐friendly world, a sustainable solution has encouraged to use natural fibers. Among the various options, lignocellulose fiber‐reinforced composites have captured the interest of material experts and engineers. These remarkable materials offer plentiful supply, inherent sustainability, easily degradability, and affordability, making them an attractive choice for a multitude of uses. Herein, we prepared a series of hybrid cellulose nanofiber (CNF)‐reinforced phenolic composites. Flax fabric was coated with CNF followed by phenolic resin coating was made in this work to check the mechanical, morphological behavior, electrical conductivity, electronic structure, opto‐electronic, and charge transfer properties. We found that 0.5 CNF showed better tensile properties, greater AC conductivity, dielectric constant, and dielectric loss compared with other composites. The electronic structure, opto‐electronic, and charge transfer properties of the PF‐resin/nanocellulose polymer nanocomposite have been systematically examined using density functional theory (DFT). The findings indicate that the PF‐resin/cellulose nanocomposite undergoes intramolecular charge transfer (CT) in response to an external electric field. The negative binding energy exhibited between the DFT optimized PF‐resin/cellulose nanocomposite shows the complex is stable and energy‐favorable.

Highlights

The impact of CNF on the properties PF‐F hybrid composites was investigated.

The mechanical performance has been improved by the addition of CNF.

The incorporation of CNF improved the fracture toughness of the composites.

The fabricated composite has negative binding energy from DFT studies.

A promising high‐performance electroactive polymer and structural material.
Victimization Experienced by LGBTQIA+ Students in Academic Institutions: A Qualitative Exploration in India
Authors: Sarika Kumari , Maji Sucharita
Published: February 2025

Victimization is a common experience encountered by sexual and gender minorities across domains of life, including academic institutions. The present study aims to explore the forms and consequences of victimization experienced by LGBTQIA+ students, along with the coping strategies adopted by them to deal with such experiences. To address these research objectives, the present study adopts a qualitative approach. In‐depth semi‐structured interviews are conducted with thirty‐three college students (age 19–32 years, M = 24.24 years) belonging to diverse gender identities and sexual orientation, predominantly from middle and upper socioeconomic backgrounds. The qualitative data was analyzed through thematic analysis (a hybrid of inductive and theoretical thematic analysis) method. The analysis led to the generation of the following themes: bullying, interpersonal and environmental microaggression, queer battle fatigue, avoidance/approach coping, disclosure dilemma, and campus climate. The result shows that LGBTQIA+ students experience diverse forms of victimization at both, the school and college/university levels. However, bullying is more common in schools whereas microaggression is more prevalent at the college/university level. Victimization leads to negative mental health and inhibited/partial disclosures. Additionally, the experiences of victimization are aggravated through negative campus climate and unhealthy coping. The implications of the research are discussed.
Development and Psychometric Evaluation of the Epilepsy Self‐Management Scale for Teachers
Authors: Kos Fulya Merve , Bektas Murat , Ayar Dijle
Published: February 2025

This study was conducted to develop a measurement tool to achieve epilepsy self‐management in teachers and examine its Turkish psychometric properties. This descriptive, comparative, correlational, and methodological study was conducted between May and August 2022 with 346 teachers between the ages of 24 and 67 working in public schools selected by simple random sampling method among the primary schools in the province where the research was conducted. In the descriptive data analysis, numbers, percentages, and averages were used in the psychometric analysis of the scale, content validity analysis, factor analysis, Cronbach's α, item‐total correlation, and split‐half method. The average age of the teachers included in the study was 31.14 + 2.27, of which 68% (n = 234) were women. In total, 90% of the teachers (n = 312) stated that they did not have the correct intervention information about epilepsy. The scale, which is a 5‐point Likert type, consists of 23 items and three subdimensions. The scale's total Cronbach's α coefficient is 0.83, and the subdimension Cronbach's α values are, respectively, the first subdimension is 0.78, the second subdimension is 0.91, and the third subdimension is 0.65. Item‐total score correlations ranged between 0.31 and 0.81 (p < 0.05). As a result of the exploratory factor analysis found that the three‐dimensional scale explained 42% of the total variance, and the item factor loads varied between 0.38 and 0.89. As a result of the confirmatory factor analysis, the fit indices were > 0.90, and the RMSEA value was < 0.08. The primary purpose of this study is to develop the Epilepsy Self‐Management Scale for Teachers.
Unterwasser‐Pumpspeicherkraftwerke im Tagebauloch, Teil 1: So gelingt die Energiewende
Authors: Riße Henry , Hollerbach Michael , Luther Gerhard , Schmidt-Böcking Horst
Published: February 2025

Die Energiewende in Deutschland steht vor einer großen Herausforderung: Der geplante Zuwachs von Windenergie und Photovoltaik verstärkt die Schwankungen im Stromnetz. Das Ziel, Treibhausgas‐Emissionen bis Mitte des Jahrhunderts vollständig zu vermeiden, erfordert einen massiven Ausbau an Kurzzeit‐Stromspeichern, so dass Photovoltaik‐ und Windanlagen möglichst nicht abgeschaltet werden müssen. Derzeit werden drei Speicherkonzepte diskutiert: grüner Wasserstoff, Batterien und Pumpspeicherkraftwerke. Die Wasserstofferzeugung per Elektrolyse als chemische Speicher eignet sich eher für die Langzeitspeicherung, zudem müssten die Elektrolyseanlagen in Deutschland massiv erweitert werden. Die elektrochemische Speicherung in Akkumulatoren, zum Beispiel Lithium‐Ionenbatterien, steht in Konkurrenz mit der E‐Mobilität. Zudem sind die global verfügbaren Rohstoffe begrenzt, und die Zyklenzahl ist limitiert. Bei Pumpspeicher‐Kraftwerken gibt es diese Probleme nicht. Sie sind seit gut hundert Jahren bewährt, benötigen kaum Personal und Wartung und erreichen Wirkungsgrade bis an die 80 %. Allerdings fehlt es an geeigneten Standorten für den Ausbau herkömmlicher Pumpspeicher‐Kraftwerke. Als Alternative bieten stillgelegte Tagebaugruben die Chance, mit innovativen Unterwasser‐Pumpspeicherkraftwerken zügig große Speicherkapazitäten aufzubauen. Dieser Teil 1 des Zweiteilers stellt das Projekt im „Hambacher Loch“ als ein Beispiel für solche smarten Lösungen vor. Teil 2 widmet sich dann dem Zweispeichermodell und zwei Bauformen von Pumpspeicher‐Kraftwerken in Tagebaulöchern.
Non‐Linear Dose–Response Relationship for Metformin in Japanese Patients With Type 2 Diabetes: Analysis of Irregular Longitudinal Data by Interpretable Machine Learning Models
Authors: Akimoto Hayato , Nagashima Takuya , Minagawa Kimino , Hayakawa Takashi , Takahashi Yasuo , Asai Satoshi
Published: February 2025

The dose–response relationship between metformin and change in hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) shows a maximum at 1500–2000 mg/day in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) in the U.S. In Japan, there is little evidence on the HbA1c‐lowering effect of high‐dose metformin because the maintenance and maximum doses of metformin were raised in 2010. The aim of this study was to investigate whether there is saturation of the dose–response relationship for metformin in Japanese T2D patients. Longitudinal clinical information of T2D patients was extracted from electronic medical records. Supervised machine learning models with random effect were constructed to predict change in HbA1c: generalized linear mixed‐effects models (GLMM) with/without a feature selection and combining tree‐boosting with Gaussian process and mixed‐effects models (GPBoost). GPBoost was interpreted by SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) and partial dependence. GPBoost had better predictive performance than GLMM with/without feature selection: root mean square error was 0.602 (95%CI 0.523–0.684), 0.698 (0.629–0.774) and 0.678 (0.609–0.753), respectively. Interpretation of GPBoost by SHAP and partial dependence suggested that the relationship between the daily dose of metformin and change in HbA1c is non‐linear rather than linear, and the HbA1c‐lowering effect of metformin reaches a maximum at 1500 mg/day. Interpretation of GPBoost, a non‐linear supervised machine‐learning algorithm, suggests that there is saturation of the dose–response relationship of metformin in Japanese patients with T2D. This finding may be useful for decision‐making in pharmacotherapy for T2D.
Self‐Assembly of a Conjugate of Lipoic Acid With a Collagen‐Stimulating Pentapeptide Showing Cytocompatibility and Wound Healing Properties, and Chemical and Photolytic Disassembly
Authors: de Mello Lucas R. , Castelletto Valeria , Cavalcanti Leide , Seitsonen Jani , Hamley Ian W.
Published: February 2025

Lipoic acid is a biocompatible compound with antioxidant activity that is of considerable interest in cosmetic formulations, and the disulfide group in the N‐terminal ring confers redox activity. Here, we study the self‐assembly and aspects of the bioactivity of a lipopeptide (peptide amphiphile) comprising the KTTKS collagen‐stimulating pentapeptide sequence conjugated to an N‐terminal lipoic acid chain, lipoyl‐KTTKS. Using SAXS, SANS and cryo‐TEM, lipoyl‐KTTKS is found to form a population of curly fibrils (wormlike micelles) above a critical aggregation concentration. Upon chemical reduction, the fibrils (and β‐sheet structure) are disrupted because of the breaking of the disulfide bond, which produces dihydrolipoic acid. Lipoyl‐KTTKS also undergoes photo‐degradation in the presence of UV radiation. Through cell assays using fibroblasts, we found that lipoyl‐KTTKS has excellent cytocompatibility across a wide concentration range, stimulates collagen production, and enhances the rate of cell coverage in a simple in vitro scratch assay of ‘wound healing’. Lipoyl‐KTTKS thus has several notable properties that may be useful for the development of cosmetics, cell scaffolds or tissue engineering materials.
FTR‐Bench: Benchmarking Deep Reinforcement Learning for Flipper‐Track Robot Control
Authors: Zhang Hongchuan , Ren Junkai , Xiao Junhao , Pan Hainan , Lu Huimin , Xu Xin
Published: February 2025

Tracked robots equipped with flippers and sensors are extensively employed in outdoor search and rescue scenarios. However, achieving precise motion control on complex terrains remains a significant challenge, often necessitating expert teleoperation. This stems from the high degree of robot joint freedom and the need for precise flipper coordination based on terrain roughness. To address this problem, we propose Flipper‐
Track
Robot
Bench mark (FTR‐Bench), a simulator featuring flipper‐track robots tasked with crossing various obstacles using reinforcement learning (RL) algorithms. The primary objective is to enable autonomous locomotion in environments that are too remote or hazardous for humans, such as disaster zones or planetary surfaces. Built on Isaac Lab, FTR‐Bench achieves efficient RL training at over 4000 FPS on an RTX 3070 GPU. Additionally, it integrates RL algorithms with OpenAI Gym interface specifications, enabling fast secondary development and verification. On this basis, FTR‐Bench provides a series of standardized RL‐based benchmarking experiments baselines for obstacle‐crossing tasks, providing a solid foundation for subsequent algorithm design and performance comparison. Experimental results empirically indicate that SAC algorithms performs relatively well in single and mixed terrain traversal, but most algorithms struggle with multi‐terrain traversal skills, which calls the RL community for more substantial development. Our project is open‐source at https://github.com/nubot-nudt/FTR-Benchmark.
Asymmetric optical waveguide in one‐dimensional organic microplate
Authors: Yuan Ziyi , Cheng Xiu‐Fen , Li Zejian , Li Yan , He Chenlu
Published: February 2025

Chiral organic materials have garnered significant interest in nanophononics due to their ability to manipulate polarized light and encode optical information. Herein, chiral one‐dimensional (1D) organic microplates based on benzocyclazine form homochiral crystals that exhibit excellent optical waveguiding properties. These microplates exhibited highly asymmetric light propagation that depends on the handedness of circularly polarized light (CPL). These homochiral microplates demonstrated selective transmission, with R‐microplate favouring left‐handed CPL and S‐microplate favouring right‐handed CPL, showcasing distinct optical loss coefficients for each enantiomer. Multichannel light propagation was observed, where the intensity varied based on the excitation position. These results highlight the potential of 1D chiral microplates for advanced nanophotonic devices, offering chiral‐dependent control over light transmission for future applications in optical information processing.
Sonochemical Synthesis of Schiff Base of Substituted Benzoxazolone: A Quantum Chemical, Antibacterial Evaluation and Molecular Docking Study
Authors: Sundari A. C. Maria , Jha Anjali
Published: February 2025

The derivatives of benzoxazolone (BOA) have attracted a lot of interest because of their diverse pharmacological potential as therapeutic agents. In this work, we report an environmentally friendly synthetic method based on ultrasonication(US) as well as conventional method to prepare new BOA derivatives (M1–M4). Furthermore, the BOA derivatives were reacted with p‐nitro, p‐chloro, and p‐hydroxy anilines to get Schiff bases compounds (M5–M16). The results demonstrated that, in comparison to traditional approaches, the ultrasonication method had higher reaction kinetics and energy efficiency. Additionally, quantum chemical calculations and molecular docking studies were performed to understand the reaction mechanisms and evaluate the antibacterial potential of the synthesized compounds. The presence of electron‐withdrawing group at the para position of substituted anilines follows the trend ─NO2 > ─Cl > ─OH, leading to higher formation energies of the corresponding products as reflected in the progression of the reactions in the mechanistic studies. Further, the presence of a methyl group in benzoxazolone (BOA) enhances the binding interaction affinity with Escherichia coli, however on the basis of docking scores of nitro group containing (M5, M8, M11, and M14) compounds exhibited stronger interactions with the protein of E. coli, compared to the chlorine and hydroxyl groups. The docking results were also found consistent with in vitro results.
Recent Advances in Functionalization of Graphene Oxide and Its Role in Catalytic Organic Transformations: A Comprehensive Review (2018–2024)
Authors: Anjali  , Mishra Anupam , Khurana Mehak , Pani Balaram , Awasthi Satish K.
Published: February 2025

Heterogeneous catalysis has become a key methodology for the sustainable synthesis of organic reactions and heterocyclic compounds. Among various catalysts, graphene oxide (GO) and its functionalized graphene oxide derivatives (fGO) stand out due to their high surface area, mechanical strength, and tunable electronic properties. This review provides a detailed overview of the role of GO in catalysis, emphasizing its structural features, functionalization strategies, and catalytic applications. Specific reactions such as oxidation, reduction, esterification, and heterocyclic synthesis are discussed, with a focus on the superior performance of functionalized graphene oxide (fGO). Challenges like stability and aggregation are explored, alongside potential solutions through chemical, thermal, and electrochemical functionalization. The review also examines future directions, highlighting graphene oxide (GO's) versatility and emerging applications in energy storage, sensors, and biomedical devices. By summarizing current advancements and addressing ongoing challenges, this review underscores the potential of fGO to revolutionize catalytic processes and contribute to sustainable chemistry.
Development of a Simple Voltammetric Method for Estrogens Determination (E1, E2, E3, EE2, and E2Ac) in Pharmaceuticals and Human Urine Using an Unmodified Screen‐Printed Carbon Sensor
Authors: Escobar‐Olivos Diego , Gómez Marisol , Triviño Juan José , Arancibia Verónica , Rojas‐Romo Carlos
Published: February 2025

An efficient, fast, and sensitive method for the determination of estrone (E1), 17β‐estradiol (E2), estriol (E3), ethinylestradiol (EE2), and β‐estradiol‐17‐acetate (E2Ac) in pharmaceutical formulations and spiked human urine was developed and validated using an unmodified commercial screen‐printed carbon electrode. The utilization of linear sweep and square wave voltammetry was compared, and experimental conditions were optimized. In a 6.0 mmol L−1 phosphoric acid solution, the current intensity of the oxidation of the aromatic alcohol was used as the analytical response. The peak potential of each estrogen oxidation signal was found between 0.62 and 0.67 V. The detection limits were found to be for E1, E2, E2Ac, EE2, and E3 were 43, 25, 32, 42, and 44 nmol L−1 using linear sweep voltammetry and 20, 21, 37, 53, and 39 nmol L−1 using square wave voltammetry, respectively. The method was successfully applied to the determination of estrogens in a commercial and spiked drug tablets and spiked human male urine samples. The findings from this study establish a strong basis for the future application of the method in conjunction with high‐performance liquid chromatography for the determination of estrogens in samples characterized by complex matrices.
Adsorption and Photodegradation of Organic Compounds in Wastewater by Hierarchical Organic Molecular Sieves
Authors: Song Linhua , Jiang Tengfei , Sun Mengmeng , Ouyang Yuqing , Wang Zi , Mu Yonghang , Sun Kuo
Published: February 2025

Dyes with aromatic structures are known for their persistence and high toxicity. Once these dyes enter aquatic environments, they pose significant threats to both the ecosystem and human health. In this study, N,N‐dimethylethylenediamine(DMEN) was used as a template to synthesize the ZIF‐8 material, characterized by a high specific surface area and high mesoporosity. The hierarchical ZIF‐8 material is utilized to remove dyes from simulated wastewater. It can adsorb organic dye molecules and harmful metal ions from dye‐laden wastewater. And the two processes do not exhibit significant interference with each other. The results indicate that the hierarchical ZIF‐8 exhibits excellent adaptability to wastewater environments with high salinity and extreme pH levels. The equilibrium adsorption capacity of hierarchical ZIF‐8 for methylene blue is twice that of microporous ZIF‐8, and its photocatalytic efficiency is enhanced by 30% compared to microporous ZIF‐8. Moreover, the photocatalytic performance significantly improves under alkaline conditions: at a pH of 12, the degradation rate of methylene blue reaches 96.9%. The study found that hierarchical ZIF‐8 primarily follows the photocatalytic reaction mechanism during the catalytic degradation of methylene blue. Hierarchical ZIF‐8 demonstrates significant potential for application in textile wastewater treatment.
Size‐Tunable Covalent Organic Framework Nanoparticles for Assembling One‐Dimensional Photonic Crystals With Visual Sensing
Authors: Gao Lei , Kou Donghui , Lin Ruicheng , Ma Wei , Zhang Shufen
Published: February 2025

One‐dimensional photonic crystals (1D PCs) emerged as superb sensing platforms due to their high sensitivity to environmental changes. However, effectively translating the microscopic interactions between covalent organic frameworks (COFs) and analytes into macroscopic optical responses via 1D PCs for intuitive detection presents a significant challenge. Here, we propose a stepwise‐induced synthesis strategy that for the first time achieves a size‐controlled synthesis of uniform nanoscale COFs (60–80 nm), leading to a high‐quality COF layer. This advancement enables COF‐based 1D PCs to exhibit diverse color variations and controllable saturation. Notably, the excellent compatibility of the COF layer with inorganic oxides, organic polymers, and metal‐organic frameworks (MOFs) results in these 1D PCs exhibiting bright colors. Crucially, introducing the mesoporous materials enables 1D PCs to achieve deep integration of adsorption and recognition functions for volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The fabricated COF/MOF 1D PC allows differentiation of 12 VOCs and visually detects VOCs at different concentrations (0–80 g m−3) through color changes, with a response time under 1 s. In particular, COF‐based 1D PCs can be transferred to flexible substrates while retaining VOC visual sensing. These attributes highlight the potential of COF‐based 1D PCs for real‐time VOC monitoring in industrial environments.
Full‐Color Gamut White Light Emission From Mn‐doped Cs3Cu2X5 Nanocrystals via Lattice Engineering
Authors: Li Chang‐Xu , Cho Seung‐Bum , Sohn Sang‐Hyun , Kwak Do‐Hyun , Park Il‐Kyu
Published: February 2025

Cs3Cu2X5‐based lead‐free material (X = Cl, Br, and I) nanocrystals (NCs) are promising eco‐friendly materials for various optoelectronic applications. Although manganese (Mn2+) ion doping into Cs3Cu2X5 may widen the emission color gamut, incorporating them is challenging because of the robust tetrahedral [CuX4] and triangular [CuX3] structures. This paper addresses this challenge using a lattice engineering strategy, which induces appropriate lattice shrinkage by replacing I− with Cl− in the Cs3Cu2I5 NC structure. The promotion effect of Cl− substitution on the Mn2+ doping is confirmed by structural and chemical analysis, indicating the formation of highly crystalline NCs. The Mn‐doping modifies the electronic structures of Cs3Cu2X5 by reducing the band gap energy and forming effective energy transition pathways. The emission range of the NCs is expanded from blue to orange and finally manifest full‐color gamut white light emission. The continuous broad spectrum is attributed to the combined blue emission of self‐trapped excitons and the yellow‐orange emission of the Mn2+ d–d energy transition. A white light‐emitting diode with Mn‐doped Cs3Cu2X5 NCs as a color conversion layer exhibit stable white emission with CIE coordinates of (0.34, 0.32) and a correlated color temperature of 5010 K, closely matching daylight conditions and is applied as an intelligent artificial sunlight.
Geomimetic Interfacial Hydrothermal Synthesis of Crystalline Ionic Vinylene‐Linked Covalent Organic Frameworks
Authors: Wu Dongchuang , Wang Hao , Wang Lun , Geng Wenping , Gu Ning , Fan Xin , Cao Yang , Sun Youyi , Zhang Bin
Published: February 2025

Ionic vinylene‐linked covalent organic frameworks (ivCOFs) with ionic characteristics and highly conjugated structures have been promising functional materials. However, both the number of reported ionic vinylene‐linked COFs and its synthetic methodologies still be limited. Herein, two new kinds of ionic vinylene‐linked covalent organic frameworks (named as COF‐NUC‐1 and COF‐NUC‐2) are synthesized by novel geomimetic interfacial hydrothermal synthesis for the first time. Due to the insolubility of conjugated aldehyde monomers in water, a molecule/water interface is created, where the water‐soluble N‐ethyl‐2,4,6‐trimethylpyridinium bromide (ETMP‐Br) can react with aldehyde monomers via the interface‐confined Knoevenagel condensation reaction. The resultant ionic COFs show high crystallinity, high chemical stability, and hydrophilic nature. Benefiting from electron‐withdrawing and redox properties of pyridinium salts, the as‐fabricated memristor based on COF‐NUC‐1 film shows stable nonvolatile memory effects, featuring a high ON/OFF current ratio of 0.66 × 103 and a small switch‐on voltage of −0.68 V. This work expands the realm of ivCOFs and deepens the understanding of hydrothermal synthesis.
Unveiling the Roles of Lattice Strain by Ni Exsolution on Photothermal Reduction of CO2 Activity in BaTiO3 Catalyst
Authors: Li Qinghao , Zhang Qiankai , Zeng Chao , Xing Kaiyue , Niu Jiaxi , Wang Haiyang , Xue Zixuan , Xiao Bing , Wu Kai , Zhou Jun
Published: February 2025

The lattice strain influences crystal orientation, facets exposed to external light, and atom rearrangement strongly to affect catalytic activity. However, how to rationally design a metal‐oxide heterojunction catalyst with featuring lattice strain is a great challenge. Herein, a facile method is adopted to induce lattice strain upon in situ exsolution of Ni nanoparticles from Ba0.9Ti0.9Ni0.1O3‐δ (BTNO) perovskite oxide, hereby enhancing the photothermal reduction of CO2. Lattice strain and Ni‐exsolution dual regulation ensure that the Ni‐anchored BTNO catalyst displays superb photothermal reduction activity of CO2. It shows a CO yield of 40.50 mmol gcat−1 h−1 and a CH4 yield of 19.62 mmol gcat−1 h−1, which are 14 and 73 times higher than those of BaTiO3. In addition, in situ DRIFTS and density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal the CO2 reduction pathways and strain modulates the interfacial band structure and enhances the transfer of photogenerated charge. Consequently, this study provides a new approach for achieving highly efficient photothermal catalytic reduction of CO2 through strain engineering.
Cross‐Referencing Multifluid Metabolic Profiles on Hollow Dodecahedral Nanocages for Enhanced Disease Status Identification
Authors: Shi Fangying , Chen Lingli , Qiao Yiming , Deng Chunhui , Yao Qunyan , Sun Nianrong
Published: February 2025

The development of matrices has shown great potential for fluid metabolic analysis in disease detection. However, single‐fluid metabolomic analysis has been recognized as insufficient to fully capture the complexities of diseases such as liver disease, which limits detection accuracy. To this end, the hollow dodecahedral nanocages‐based analytical tool is developed, featuring four‐high characteristics of speed, throughput, efficiency, and patient compliance, to enhance extraction of multifluid metabolic profiles. The cross‐referencing of these profiles among different liver diseases, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), chronic liver disease (CLD), and healthy controls, enhances the diagnosis of liver diseases, particularly achieving near‐perfect discrimination for HCC with an AUC value of 0.990, significantly outperforming any single fluid analysis. Additionally, the dynamic changes in expression levels of the key biomarkers throughout disease progression are explored, providing insights into their temporal evolution, and highlighting their role in monitoring disease status. This work highlights that multifluid metabolic analysis can comprehensively and sensitively reflect the disease status, enabling precise identification of complex diseases and facilitating personalized treatment.
Enhancing OER Activity Through Water Treatment‐Induced Surface Reconstruction of Metal Surfaces
Authors: Kim Hye Ri , Yeon Changho , Kim Jee Hyeon , Lee Gahyeon , Baek Seulgi , Lim Hyunseob , Lee Chan‐Woo , Joo Jong Hoon
Published: February 2025

This research introduces a simple and effective method to enhance oxygen evolution reaction (OER) performance through surface reconstruction of metal substrates via hydration. A water treatment technique is employed to form a nanometer‐thick hydroxide layer on Ni foam, which significantly improved OER activity compared to pristine Ni. To further explore catalyst performance on hydrated substrates, NiFe layered double hydroxide (LDH) is deposited, resulting in NiFe LDH@hydrated Ni foam achieving superior performance and exceptional stability, maintaining 1 A cm−2 for 1000 h. In contrast, NiFe LDH@pristine Ni foam showed rapid degradation. Interestingly, while the hydrated hydroxide layer demonstrated remarkable OER activity, it is ineffective for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Density functional theory (DFT) calculations revealed the differing roles of hydroxides in OER and HER, providing insights into their electrochemical pathways. These findings highlight that simple hydration enhances the activity and long‐term stability of LDH catalysts, addressing a key limitation in their practical use. This study demonstrates a promising and scalable strategy for improving OER performance and catalyst durability, offering valuable insights into the role of surface hydroxides in electrode reactions for energy applications.