bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Maximize utilization of date palm residues to produce environmentally friendly fuel briquettes
Authors: Al-Hashem Hassan A. , Al-Hammad Abdulrahman S. , Azam Mostafa M.
Published: June 2023

This study aimed to maximize the utilization of date palm residues and convert them into an environmentally friendly form of fuel. The residues of the date palm variety Khalas (leaf fronds and whole fronds) were used to produce fuel briquettes at three moisture contents (8, 10, and 12%) and four storage times (0, 15, 30, and 45 days). The mechanical, fuel, and quality properties of these briquettes were investigated. The results showed that the leaf fronds had the best results in terms of mechanical properties and fuel quality properties of the briquettes. The best results for compressive stresses for the leaf fronds were 24.98 MPa at 10% moisture content and for the whole fronds were 4.27 MPa at 12%. The second storage period gave the best results for all briquettes at the different moisture contents. The results showed significant effects of moisture content and storage period on mechanical properties. The hydrolysis time and durability of the briquettes increased with increasing moisture content. The calorific value of leaf fronds and whole fronds briquettes ranged between (17.78 and 18.12 MJ/kg) and (16.54 and 17.78 MJ/kg), respectively. These good quality briquettes can be handled and used, especially in rural areas where other energy sources are not available.
Keywords: Calorific value; Date palm residues; Durability; Fuel value index; Modulus of elasticity
Phytochemical analysis of canola (Brassica napus L.) Cultivars: Mitigating lead stress effects through the foliar spray of potassium chloride
Authors: Ahmad Aqsa , Saima Shahzadi , Akmal Farah , Yasin Ghulam , Ul Haq Ikram , Altaf Adeela
Published: June 2023

In the Botanical Garden and Research Laboratory of the Institute of Pure and Applied Biology, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan (Pakistan) the current work was performed to examine the effect of the foliar spray of potassium for lessening the toxicity of heavy metal in three varieties of Canola (Brassica napus L.) viz; Exceed, Cyclone and Legend. Seeds were grown in pots. They were arranged in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD). When seeds germinated, some were kept without treatment (control) and others were treated with 15mg/kg and 30mg/kg of Lead along with a Potassium spray. Plants were harvested and subjected to phytochemical studies. The role of phytochemical studies (alkaloid, flavonoid, and phenolic) showed an increase in response against heavy metal stress. While the plants treated with Potassium revealed a decreased response in phytochemical studies. Plants treated with both Pb metal and K expressed a lesser increase in phytochemical compared to plants only treated with metal. This study sheds light on the effectiveness of Potassium in improving growth and dealing with metal stress to decrease the harmful effect of heavy metals. However, further studies are required to identify the mechanisms of Potassium mediated alleviation of toxicity of Pb and other heavy metals.
Keywords: Alkaloid; Canola; Lead; Potassium; Phytochemicals
Used rice and banana flour to formulated nutritious snacks for elderly
Authors: Desnilasari Dewi , Ratnawati Lia , Ekafitri Riyanti , Surahman Diki Nanang , Kristanti Dita
Published: June 2023

In this study, different rice flours (white, red, and black rice) were mixed with two banana (“Ambon” and “Nangka”) flours to formulate snacks for the elderly. This study aimed to obtain the characteristics and quality of the banana flakes made with different rice and banana flours and determine the best combination for the elderly. The following were assessed in this study: the chemical properties (moisture, ash, protein, fat, carbohydrate, TDF, total sugar, mineral, inulin, TAC, and antioxidant activity), physical properties (color, hardness, and fracturability) and sensory evaluations. The results of our study showed that banana flakes made from black rice flour and ’Nangka’ banana flour had the highest contents of potassium, magnesium, zinc, and antioxidant activity. Furthermore, the texture of this formulation showed less hardness and high fracturability. However, all formulations showed the same acceptability on sensory evaluations based on the overall parameters. Thus, although banana flakes made from black rice flour and ‘Nangka’ banana flour are highly recommended for the elderly because of their texture and nutrients, using other formulations is also edible and can be consumed for health benefits.
Keywords: Antioxidant activity; Banana flake; Banana flour; Elderly; Inulin; Rice flour
Current status and molecular phylogeny of some economically important viruses infecting wheat crops of Şırnak province, Turkey
Authors: Kapan Orhan , Usta Mustafa , Güller Abdullah
Published: June 2023

A survey of yellow dwarf viruses (YDVs) -associated diseases of wheat plants was performed for the first time in the Şırnak Province, Turkey. In plants wheat cultivated areas, symptoms such as diminished leaf size, dwarfing, yellowing, and reddening of leaves wheat plants were observed in cultivated areas. A total of 441 specimens were collected regardless of showing symptoms and assayed for Barley/Cereal Yellow Dwarf Viruses [B/CYDV] association by PCR tests using virus coat protein gene (CPG)-specific primer pairs. These assays demonstrated that 13.38% (55 samples) were positive to the occurrence of BYDV-PAV (9.73%) and CYDV-RPV (0.73%) for wheat viruses, but no BYDV-MAV, -SGV, and -RMV infections of BYDVs were found in PCR assays of collected samples. In addition, double infection of BYDV-PAV and CYDV-RPV was detected in 12 samples with a 2.91% infection rate. The CPG sequences of randomly selected two isolates were revealed using bacterial cloning and sequencing. Sequences obtained were deposited in GenBank under Accession numbers OL685734 and OL685736 for BYDV-PAV; and OL685735 and OL685737 for CYDV-RPV. BLASTn analysis of CPG sequences of four isolates shared high nucleotide homology with their intraspecies isolates, with 97.35-98.67% for two BYDV-PAV and 97.72-97.89 for two CYDV-RPV. The consensus tree constructed classified B/CYDV-associated wheat viruses with their phylogenetically closest individuals from Turkey and the world. This survey is the first report of BYDV-PAV and CYDV-RPV associated with wheat plants in Şırnak Province of Turkey.
Keywords: BYDVs; Coat protein gene; Incidence; Sequencing; Şırnak
Mobility Based Routing Protocol Performance Oriented Comparative Analysis in the ADHOC Networks FANET, MANET and VANET using OPNET Modeler for FTP and Web Applications
Authors: Ibrahim Mohamed Syed
Published: June 2023

In FANET (Flying ad-hoc network), VANET (Vehicular ad-hoc network), MANET (Mobile Ad-hoc Network), the phenomena routing happens without the support of infrastructure. To accomplish these tasks, the nodes used to act as both router and the host. The design of routing protocol is very complex and challenging, because of the unpredictable varying topologies in these ad-hoc networks. In this paper the performance of the three ad-hoc networks are analysed in terms of its response from the network parameters such as delay, throughput, media access delay, load, retransmission attempts network loads and throughputs. The simulation is carried out in riverbed modeler academic edition 17.5. In this paper, based on simulation results, the routing protocols are categorized in terms of performance for the network parameters. Also, the performance of routing protocols is analysed based on its individual performance on the network parameters.
The Volume and Cost of Quality Metric Reporting
Authors: Saraswathula Anirudh , Merck Samantha J. , Bai Ge , Weston Christine M. , Skinner Elizabeth Ann , Taylor April , Kachalia Allen , Demski Renee , Wu Albert W. , Berry Stephen A.
Published: June 2023

Importance

US hospitals report data on many health care quality metrics to government and independent health care rating organizations, but the annual cost to acute care hospitals of measuring and reporting quality metric data, independent of resources spent on quality interventions, is not well known.

Objective

To evaluate externally reported inpatient quality metrics for adult patients and estimate the cost of data collection and reporting, independent of quality-improvement efforts.

Design, Setting, and Participants

Retrospective time-driven activity-based costing study at the Johns Hopkins Hospital (Baltimore, Maryland) with hospital personnel involved in quality metric reporting processes interviewed between January 1, 2019, and June 30, 2019, about quality reporting activities in the 2018 calendar year.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Outcomes included the number of metrics, annual person-hours per metric type, and annual personnel cost per metric type.

Results

A total of 162 unique metrics were identified, of which 96 (59.3%) were claims-based, 107 (66.0%) were outcome metrics, and 101 (62.3%) were related to patient safety. Preparing and reporting data for these metrics required an estimated 108 478 person-hours, with an estimated personnel cost of $5 038 218.28 (2022 USD) plus an additional $602 730.66 in vendor fees. Claims-based (96 metrics; $37 553.58 per metric per year) and chart-abstracted (26 metrics; $33 871.30 per metric per year) metrics used the most resources per metric, while electronic metrics consumed far less (4 metrics; $1901.58 per metric per year).

Conclusions and Relevance

Significant resources are expended exclusively for quality reporting, and some methods of quality assessment are far more expensive than others. Claims-based metrics were unexpectedly found to be the most resource intensive of all metric types. Policy makers should consider reducing the number of metrics and shifting to electronic metrics, when possible, to optimize resources spent in the overall pursuit of higher quality.
The Role of Membrane‐Tethered Mucins in Axial Epithelial Adhesion in Controlled Normal Stress Environments
Authors: Baumli Philipp , Liu Chunzi , Bekčić Aleksandar , Fuller Gerald G.
Published: June 2023

The collective adhesive behavior of epithelial cell layers mediated by complex macromolecular fluid environments plays a vital role in many biological processes. Mucins, a family of highly glycosylated proteins, are known to lubricate cell‐on‐cell contacts in the shear direction. However, the role of mucins mediating axial epithelial adhesion in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the cell sheet has received less attention. This article subjects cell‐on‐cell layers of live ocular epithelia that express mucins on their apical surfaces to compression/decompression cycles and tensile loading using a customized instrument. In addition to providing compressive moduli of native cell‐on‐cell layers, it is found that the mucin layer between the epithelia acts as a soft cushion between the epithelial cell layers. Decompression experiments reveal mucin layers act as soft, nonlinear springs in the axial direction. The cell‐on‐cell layers withstand decompression before fracturing by a cohesive failure within the mucin layer. When mucin deficiency is induced via a protease treatment, it is found that the axial adhesion between the cell layers is increased. The findings which correlate changes in biological factors with changes in mechanical properties might be of interest to challenges in ophthalmology, vision care, and mucus research.
Multicellular Layered Nanofibrous Poly(Oligo Ethylene Glycol Methacrylate) (POEGMA)‐Based Hydrogel Scaffolds via Reactive Cell Electrospinning
Authors: Xu Fei , Dawson Chloe , Hoare Todd
Published: June 2023

While hydrogels are demonstrated to be effective scaffolds for soft tissue engineering, existing fabrication techniques pose limitations in terms of being able to reproduce both the micro/nanofibrous structures of native extracellular matrix as well as the spatial arrangement of different cell types inherent of more complex tissues. Herein, a reactive cell electrospinning strategy is described using hydrazide and aldehyde‐functionalized poly(oligoethylene glycol methacrylate) precursor polymers that can create nanofibrous hydrogel scaffolds with controllable local cell gradients using a sequential all‐aqueous process that does not require additives or external energy. Cells can be encapsulated directly during the fabrication process in different layers within the scaffold, enabling localized segregation of different cell types within the structures without compromising their capacity to proliferate (≈4‐fold increase in cell density over a 14 day incubation period). This sequential reactive electrospinning approach thus offers promise to generate coculture fibrous hydrogel networks in which both the nanoscale architecture and the cell distribution can be controlled, as it is essential to recreate more complex types of tissues.
New Function of Metal–Organic Framework: Structurally Ordered Metal Promoter
Authors: Zhang Wenlei , Wu Jichuang , Shi Wenxiong , Qin Peishan , Lang Wenfeng , Zhang Xinglong , Gu Zhida , Li Hongfeng , Fan Yun , Shen Yu , Zhang Suoying , Liu Zhongyi , Fu Yu , Zhang Weina , Huo Fengwei
Published: June 2023

The remarkable roles of metal promoters have been known for nearly a century, but it is still a challenge to find a suitable structure model to reveal the action mechanism behind metal promoters. Herein, a new function of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) is developed as an ideal model to construct structurally ordered metal promoters by a targeted post‐modification strategy. MOFs as model not only favor clearing the real action mechanism behind metal promoters, but also can anchor one or multiple kinds of metal promoters especially noble metal promoters. Typically, the as‐prepared Pd/bpy‐UiO‐Cu catalysts show high selectivity (>99%) toward 4‐nitrophenylethane in 4‐nitrostyrene hydrogenation, mainly due to the enhanced interaction between Pd nanoparticles and MOF carriers induced by Cu promoters, thus inhibiting the hydrogenation of 4‐nitrophenylethane. This strategy with flexibility and universality will open up a new route to synthesize efficient catalysts with structurally ordered metal promoters.
Optimal Quantum Violations of n‐Locality Inequalities with Conditional Dependence on Inputs
Authors: Munshi Sneha , Pan A. K.
Published: June 2023

Bell experiment in a network gives rise to a form of quantum nonlocality which is conceptually different from traditional multipartite Bell nonlocality. In this work, the star‐network configuration involving arbitrary n independent sources and parties, including n edge parties and one central party is considered. Each of the n edge parties shares a physical system with the central party. Each edge party receives number of inputs, and the central party receives an arbitrary m number of inputs. The conditional dependence on the inputs of each edge party is imposed so that the local probabilities satisfy a set of constraints. A family of generalized n‐locality inequalities is proposed in the arbitrary input scenario by imposing the set of constraints on inputs. The optimal quantum violation of the inequalities is derived by using an elegant sum‐of‐squares approach without specifying the dimension of the quantum system. Notably, the optimal quantum value is achieved only when the set of linear constraints on inputs is satisfied, which, in turn, self‐tests the observables required for each edge party. It shows that while conditional dependence on inputs significantly reduces the n‐local bound of the inequalities, the optimal quantum violation remains invariant. It argues that this implies a more robust test of network non‐locality, which can be revealed for smaller visibility parameters of the corresponding state. Further, the network nonlocality is characterized and examine its correspondence with suitably derived standard Bell nonlocality.
Instability Entanglement in the Electron Cyclotron Maser
Authors: Gao Zi‐Chao , Du Chao‐Hai , Li Fan‐Hong , Zhang Zi‐Wen , Liu Pu‐Kun
Published: June 2023

Investigation of absolute instability (AI) and convective instability (CI) of the electron cyclotron maser has independently led to the birth of gyrotron oscillators and amplifiers. Here, it is demonstrated that these instabilities can form a cooperative relationship owing to the nonlinear behavior of the stimulated electron beam. The CI can be induced in a zero‐drive system with the assistance of AI, and the ohmic losses of all the excited waves inside the system are greatly reduced, which is called “instability entanglement” here. According to the theoretical and experimental study of a 167/330 GHz gyrotron, when instability entanglement occurs, the ohmic dissipation decreases to one‐ninth of the AI‐only condition, and the output power is enhanced by 20%. This discovery is promising for surpassing the ceiling of output power and frequency of gyrodevices placed by ohmic losses.
The First Enantiomeric Stereogenic Sulfur‐Chiral Organic Ferroelectric Crystals
Authors: Peng Hang , Xu Zhe‐Kun , Du Ye , Li Peng‐Fei , Wang Zhong‐Xia , Xiong Ren‐Gen , Liao Wei‐Qiang
Published: June 2023

Chiral ferroelectric crystals with intriguing features have attracted great interest and many with point or axial chirality based on the stereocarbon have been successively developed in recent years. However, ferroelectric crystals with stereogenic heteroatomic chirality have never been documented so far. Here, we discover and report a pair of enantiomeric stereogenic sulfur‐chiral single‐component organic ferroelectric crystals, Rs‐tert‐butanesulfinamide (Rs‐tBuSA) and Ss‐tert‐butanesulfinamide (Ss‐tBuSA) through the deep understanding of the chemical design of molecular ferroelectric crystals. Both enantiomers adopt chiral‐polar point group 2 (C2) and exhibit mirror‐image relationships. They undergo high‐temperature 432F2‐type plastic ferroelectric phase transition around 348 K. The ferroelectricity has been well confirmed by ferroelectric hysteresis loops and domains. Polarized light microscopy records the evolution of the ferroelastic domains, according with the fact that the 432F2‐type phase transition is both ferroelectric and ferroelastic. The very soft characteristics with low elastic modulus and hardness reveals their excellent mechanical flexibility. This finding indicates the first stereosulfur chiral molecular ferroelectric crystals, opening up new fertile ground for exploring molecular ferroelectric crystals with great application prospects.
A Thiophene Backbone Enables Two‐Dimensional Poly(arylene vinylene)s with High Charge Carrier Mobility
Authors: Liu Yamei , Zhang Heng , Yu Hongde , Liao Zhongquan , Paasch Silvia , Xu Shunqi , Zhao Ruyan , Brunner Eike , Bonn Mischa , Wang Hai I. , Heine Thomas , Wang Mingchao , Mai Yiyong , Feng Xinliang
Published: June 2023

Linear conjugated polymers have attracted significant attention in organic electronics in recent decades. However, despite intrachain π‐delocalization, interchain hopping is their transport bottleneck. In contrast, two‐dimensional (2D) conjugated polymers, as represented by 2D π‐conjugated covalent organic frameworks (2D c‐COFs), can provide multiple conjugated strands to enhance the delocalization of charge carriers in space. Herein, we demonstrate the first example of thiophene‐based 2D poly(arylene vinylene)s (PAVs, 2DPAV‐BDT‐BT and 2DPAV‐BDT‐BP, BDT=benzodithiophene, BT=bithiophene, BP=biphenyl) via Knoevenagel polycondensation. Compared with 2DPAV‐BDT‐BP, the fully thiophene‐based 2DPAV‐BDT‐BT exhibits enhanced planarity and π‐delocalization with a small band gap (1.62 eV) and large electronic band dispersion, as revealed by the optical absorption and density functional calculations. Remarkably, temperature‐dependent terahertz spectroscopy discloses a unique band‐like transport and outstanding room‐temperature charge mobility for 2DPAV‐BDT‐BT (65 cm2 V−1 s−1), which far exceeds that of the linear PAVs, 2DPAV‐BDT‐BP, and the reported 2D c‐COFs in the powder form. This work highlights the great potential of thiophene‐based 2D PAVs as candidates for high‐performance opto‐electronics.
The influence of the Milan approach—Part 2. The legacy of Boscolo and Cecchin and their Paduan connection: A conversation with Andrea Mosconi
Authors: Amorin‐Woods Deisy , Mosconi Andrea
Published: June 2023

The Milan approach, pioneered by Selvini‐Palazzoli, Boscolo, Cecchin, and Prata, has significantly contributed to the field of psychotherapy, particularly in the realm of systemic and family psychotherapy. While rooted in systemic principles and concepts, over time the original Milan group demonstrated differences in their clinical orientations and practices which led to their regrouping into two teams. The paper explores the divergences in their views and directions on family dynamics and the role of symptoms within the system. It delves into the influence of Boscolo and Cecchin, two of the ‘Milan Four’ on the Centro Padovano di Terapia della Famiglia. Drawing from a conversation with Andrea Mosconi, a mentee and collaborator of Boscolo and Cecchin, the paper examines the reconfiguration of the original ‘Milan Four’ team and its impact on their clinical approach. Key Milan principles and concepts such as hypothesising, circularity, and neutrality are examined with particular emphasis on the work of Boscolo and Cecchin's systemic work. These principles, intertwined and interconnected, provide a fertile ground for the construction of multiple hypotheses and circular questioning. The paper also highlights the concept of reflexivity, which originates from Bateson's work and plays a crucial role in family relations and communication while explaining the birthplace of paradox taking place when two levels of meaning are ‘confused.’ The Milan approach continues to be highly regarded, as its early concepts and ideas have evolved and left a lasting impact on the field of family therapy. By reflecting on the distinct contributions of Boscolo and Cecchin, and using examples, Mosconi offers valuable insights into the rich legacy and ongoing relevance of the Milan approach to contemporary therapeutic practice.
Prolonged Life Lithium Metal Batteries Enabled by Introducing Abundant Lithium Nitrate in Commercial Carbonate Electrolytes
Authors: Ke Qiongjie , Xu Qingshuai , Lai Xuejun , Li Minghui , Li Jianhui , Yan Keyou , Qiu Yongcai
Published: June 2023

Carbonate electrolytes have been extensively used as commercial electrolytes in lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs) because of its high oxidative stability. However, the organic‐inorganic solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) formed on the lithium (Li) metal surface is too fragile to endure huge volume fluctuation during Li plating/stripping cycles in carbonate electrolytes. Herein, a chemically stable inorganic‐rich SEI was constructed on Li metal anodes by dissolving 5.5 M LiNO3 in N,N‐dimethylformamide (DMF) into carbonate electrolytes as an additive. The Li+ solvation structure coordinated with NO3− and DMF molecules favors the formation of LixNy, LiNxOy, and LiF in the SEI film, which have been proved to increase the interfacial energy and improve the ionic diffusion as well as the mechanical strength of the SEI. Therefore, the designed carbonate electrolyte enhances the stable cycling of Li symmetric cells up to 700 h, with a high Coulombic efficiency (CE) of 99.0 % by Aurbach CE test. When paired with LiFePO4 cathode, the coin cells achieve an outstanding average CE of 99.5 % and 86.5 % retention of initial capacity after 300 cycles.
Integrated first‐level psychosocial response to disasters in low‐ and middle‐income countries
Authors: Thompson‐Assan Sandra , Ayebea Aguadze Gloria , Kakraba Kaitoo Derrick
Published: June 2023

The widespread occurrence of disasters in recent times has largely been attributed to climate change, with its long‐term consequences on the welfare and mental well‐being of individuals and communities. Increasingly, studies indicate that victims of disasters may experience a range of mental health issues, with post‐traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and major depressive disorder ranking as the most common. Low‐ and middle‐income countries (LMICs) face unique challenges in providing proper rehabilitation and adequate mental health services after a disaster, due to poverty, lack of educational opportunities, lack of awareness and knowledge of disaster, and lack of resources and infrastructure. Despite these challenges, some LMICs have made efforts to address mental health needs in the aftermath of disasters. However, they are faced with the challenge of implementing formalised mental health support programmes. Moreover, immediate mental health support should be provided to victims of disasters to ameliorate the psychopathologies that may develop afterwards. The current approach of providing mostly physical and social relief neglects the psychosocial implications of disasters on victims. The biopsychosocial model of health, which is being advocated for, suggests that treatment should encompass all aspects of an individual's life, and thus, a team of mental health workers can provide holistic interventions to aid victims in their recovery process by making efforts to involve them in the emergency response teams usually employed during disasters.
Electron‐Precise Dicationic Tetraboranes: Syntheses, Structures and Rearrangement to an Alkylidene Borate‐Borenium Zwitterion and a 1,3‐Azaborinine
Authors: Lu Wei , Hensiek Nicola , Saha Koushik , Dewhurst Rian D. , Härterich Marcel , Pranckevicius Conor , Hagspiel Stephan , Dietz Maximilian , Krummenacher Ivo , Braunschweig Holger
Published: June 2023

Carbene‐stabilized symmetrical and unsymmetrical dicationic tetraboranes, featuring an electron‐precise tetraborane chain, were synthesized and fully characterized. Reactions of these tetraboranes with reductants/bases give rise to different outcomes according to the conditions employed, including: 1) reduction and rearrangement of the tetraborane chain to give a zwitterionic alkylidene borate–borenium species; 2) cleavage of the tetraborane chain to afford a 1,3‐azaborinine; and 3) reduction of the supporting ligands to provide a diamino dipotassium salt. The zwitterionic alkylidene borate–borenium species can be viewed as an analogue of the base‐stabilized diborenes. NMR spectroscopy and DFT calculations reveal a highly polarized B−B bond in the zwitterionic alkylidene borate–borenium, in which the formal oxidation states of the boron atoms can be considered as −1 and +2. These results suggest the considerable potential of tetraboranes as synthons for low‐valent boron species.
Regulating Magnetic Relaxations of Cyano‐Bridged {DyIIIMoV} Systems by Tuning the N‐Sites in β‐Diketone Ligands
Authors: Mao Pan‐Dong , Zhang Shi‐Hui , Yao Nian‐Tao , Sun Hui‐Ying , Yan Fei‐Fei , Zhang Yi‐Quan , Meng Yin‐Shan , Liu Tao
Published: June 2023

Cyano‐bridged 4d–4f molecular nanomagnets have re‐called increasing research interests in molecular magnetism since they offer more possibilities in achieving novel nanomagnets with versatile structures and magnetic interactions. In this work, four β‐diketone ligands bearing different substitution N‐sites were designed and synthesized, namely 1‐(2‐pyridyl)‐3‐(3‐pyridyl)‐1,3‐propanedione (HL1), 1,3‐Bis (3‐pyridyl)‐1,3‐propanedione (HL2), 1‐(4‐pyridyl)‐3‐(3‐pyridyl)‐1,3‐propanedione (HL3), and 1,3‐Bis (4‐pyridyl)‐1,3‐propanedione (HL4), to tune the magnetic relaxation behaviors of cyano‐bridged {DyIIIMoV} systems. By reacting with DyCl3 ⋅ 6H2O and K4Mo(CN)8 ⋅ 2H2O, four cyano‐bridged complexes, namely {[Dy[MoV(CN)8](HL1)2(H2O)3]} ⋅ 6H2O (1), {[Dy[MoV(CN)8](HL2)(H2O)3(CH3OH)]}2 ⋅ 2CH3OH ⋅ 3H2O (2), {[Dy[MoV(CN)8](HL3)(H2O)2(CH3OH)] ⋅ H2O}n (3), and {[Dy[MoV(CN)8](HL4)2(H2O)3]} ⋅ 2H2O⋅CH3OH (4) were obtained. Structural analyses revealed that 1 and 4 are binuclear complexes, 2 has a tetragonal structure, and 3 exhibits a stair‐like polymer chain structure. The DyIII ions in all complexes have eight‐coordinated configurations with the coordination spheres DyO7N1 for 1 and 4, DyO6N2 for 2, and DyO5N3 for 3. Magnetic measurements indicate that 1 is a zero‐field single‐molecule magnet (SMM) and complexes 2–4 are field‐induced SMMs, with complex 4 featuring a two‐step relaxation process. The magnetic characterizations and ab initio calculations revealed that changing the N‐sites in the β‐diketone ligands can effectively alter the structures and magnetic properties of cyano‐bridged 4d–4f nanomagnets by adjusting the coordination environments of the DyIII centers.
Effect of the Solidification Mode on the Pore Growth of Gasar Porous Mg‐Ag Alloy
Authors: Yin Mang , Li Zaijiu , Jin Qinglin , Yang Xiuping , Xia Chenping
Published: June 2023

Gasar porous Mg–3 wt% Ag alloy is prepared by metal–gas eutectic directional solidification process. The pore structure is related to the solidification mode of the alloy. The pores grow stably under the solidification conditions of planar, cellular, and columnar dendrites but not under the condition of equiaxed dendrites. The numerical simulation shows that the solidification velocity and temperature gradient decrease rapidly with an increase in the sample height, but their ratio remains unchanged. During the solidification process, the solidification mode of the alloy changes from cellular crystals to columnar dendrites, and finally to equiaxed dendrites. The calculated results of the solidification mode transition are consistent with the microstructure morphologies of the Mg–Ag alloy at different heights.
Electrochemical sensing of heavy metals in biological media: A review
Authors: Gonzalez Karen A. , Kazemeini Sarah , Weber Dustyn C. , Cordero Paula A. , Garcia Elizabeth M. , Rusinek Cory A.
Published: June 2023

Trace metals are required in the body as they play a significant role in several biochemical processes. Moreover, certain heavy metals are beneficial at appropriate levels. Copper (Cu), for example, is essential for red blood cell formation, bone strength, and infant growth. Despite these fundamental roles, Cu can become toxic at high levels. Other heavy metals such as lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), manganese (Mn), and mercury (Hg), have been identified to cause acute and chronic health complications. For these reasons, rapid, real‐time quantification of such metals in biological media is of interest to improving human health outcomes. Electrochemical methods offer numerous advantages, such as portability, capability to be miniaturized, low cost, and ease‐of‐use. In this review, we examine recent developments in electrochemical sensing for the detection of heavy metals in biological media. To meet the requirements for inclusion in this review, the electrochemical sensor must have been evaluated in biological media (blood, serum, sweat, saliva, urine, brain tissue/cells). Several applications are explored to examine recent advancements in electrochemical sensing within these matrices. Addressing the challenges through materials, device, and system innovations, it is expected that electrochemical sensing of heavy metals in biological media will facilitate future diagnoses and treatments in healthcare.
Emerging clinical applications in oncology for non‐invasive multi‐ and hyperspectral imaging of cell and tissue autofluorescence
Authors: Campbell Jared M. , Habibalahi Abbas , Handley Shannon , Agha Adnan , Mahbub Saabah B. , Anwer Ayad G. , Goldys Ewa M.
Published: June 2023

Hyperspectral and multispectral imaging of cell and tissue autofluorescence is an emerging technology in which fluorescence imaging is applied to biological materials across multiple spectral channels. This produces a stack of images where each matched pixel contains information about the sample's spectral properties at that location. This allows precise collection of molecularly specific data from a broad range of native fluorophores. Importantly, complex information, directly reflective of biological status, is collected without staining and tissues can be characterised in situ, without biopsy. For oncology, this can spare the collection of biopsies from sensitive regions and enable accurate tumour mapping. For in vivo tumour analysis, the greatest focus has been on oral cancer, whereas for ex vivo assessment head‐and‐neck cancers along with colon cancer have been the most studied, followed by oral and eye cancer. This review details the scope and progress of research undertaken towards clinical translation in oncology.
Thermo‐Responsive Ultrafiltration Block Copolymer Membranes Based on Polystyrene‐block‐poly(diethyl acrylamide)
Authors: Frieß Florian V. , Hartmann Frank , Gemmer Lea , Pieschel Jens , Niebuur Bart‐Jan , Faust Matthias , Kraus Tobias , Presser Volker , Gallei Markus
Published: June 2023

Within the present work, a thermo‐responsive ultrafiltration membrane is manufactured based on a polystyrene‐block‐poly(diethyl acrylamide) block copolymer (BCP). The poly(diethyl acrylamide) block segment features a lower critical solution temperature (LCST) in water, similar to the well‐known poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide), but having increased biocompatibility and without exhibiting a hysteresis of the thermally induced switching behavior. The BCP is synthesized via sequential “living” anionic polymerization protocols and analyzed by 1H‐NMR spectroscopy, size exclusion chromatography, and differential scanning calorimetry. The resulting morphology in the bulk state is investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and small‐angle X‐ray scattering (SAXS) revealing the intended hexagonal cylindrical morphology. The BCPs form micelles in a binary mixture of tetrahydrofuran and dimethylformamide, where BCP composition and solvent affinities are discussed in light of the expected structure of these micelles and the resulting BCP membrane formation. The membranes are manufactured using the non‐solvent induced phase separation (NIPS) process and are characterized via scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and water permeation measurements. The latter are carried out at room temperature and at 50 °C revealing up to a 23‐fold increase of the permeance, when crossing the LCST of the poly(diethyl acrylamide) block segment in water.
Using decomposition of the nonlinear operator for solving non‐differentiable problems
Authors: Villalba Eva G. , Hernandez Miguel , Hueso Jose L. , Martínez Eulalia
Published: June 2023

Starting from the decomposition method for operators, we consider Newton‐like iterative processes for approximating solutions of nonlinear operators in Banach spaces. These iterative processes maintain the quadratic convergence of Newton's method. Since the operator decomposition method has its highest degree of application in non‐differentiable situations, we construct Newton‐type methods using symmetric divided differences, which allow us to improve the accessibility of the methods. Experimentally, by studying the basins of attraction of these methods, we observe an improvement in the accessibility of the derivative‐free iterative processes that are normally used in these non‐differentiable situations, such as the classic Steffensen's method. In addition, we study both the local and semilocal convergence of the considered Newton‐type methods.
A novel approach to legacy donations with long‐term benefits supported by numerical illustrations
Authors: Solow Daniel , Webb Natalie , Symes Robin
Published: June 2023

Philanthropic donors face challenges in matching the causes to which they donate, the time horizon—and thus impact—of their donations, and the charitable vehicles they choose for making contributions. Wealthier donors may elect to create their own foundations and customize their charitable support. Less wealthy donors have limited choices: they may contribute to a nonprofit's current operations or to existing nonprofit endowments. We present a novel approach for making charitable donations, blending aspects of each of these strategies. Our approach has potential long‐term financial benefits, allows donors to control their charitable donations in a convenient and easy‐to‐implement manner, can be established through an existing nonprofit organization, expands opportunities for more donors because it requires a smaller corpus contribution with lower management costs than creating a foundation, provides tax savings in the United States and other countries (e.g., the UK, Canada, and Australia) comparable to other planned giving vehicles, and may be implemented during one's lifetime using donor advised funds or as part of a legacy plan through the donor's estate documents, which is when the long‐term benefits accrue.
Congenital heart anomalies in the first trimester: From screening to diagnosis
Authors: Rieder Wawrzyniec , Eperon Isabelle , Meagher Simon
Published: June 2023

Congenital heart defects occur in approximately 1% of liveborn children and represent the most common form of congenital malformation. Due to the small size and complexity of the heart structures, prenatal diagnosis is most often made in the second trimester of pregnancy. Early diagnosis however offers significant advantages regarding the timing of further investigations, prenatal counseling, and access to management options. In the last decade, advances in antenatal imaging have improved the detection of cardiac malformations with increasing emphasis on earlier pregnancy screening and diagnosis. We aim to summarize current “state of the art” imaging of the fetal heart in the first trimester.
Why are there no widely successful microbial bioherbicides for weed management in crops?
Authors: Duke Stephen O
Published: June 2023

Microbial biopesticides to control plant pathogens and insects in crops have had significant success. However, there have been relatively few successes for microbial bioherbicides in crops, despite considerable numbers of publications and commercial product introductions in this area. Marketed microbial bioherbicide products for use in agriculture have been largely unsuccessful. This article covers the potential advantages of successful microbial bioherbicides, as well as the biological and technical issues that have limited their success. Technologies to overcome the problems that have limited the success of these products are discussed. The many advantages of using killed microbial products (e.g. cell‐free filtrates) over living microbial products as bioherbicides are detailed. A commercialized mycoherbicide that has been selected for in the laboratory for control of the parasitic weed Striga hermonthica is being used with some success in Africa, indicating that non‐transgenic modification of the genetics of bioherbicide microbes for improved efficacy is acceptable to some regulatory authorities. Genetic modifications to improve efficacy and host range, as well as improved application technology to greatly reduce the amount of product needed are two technologies that are likely to expand the use of microbial bioherbicides in the future. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.
Magnetic Field Boosts the Transmembrane Transport Efficiency of Magnesium Ions from PLLA Bone Scaffold
Authors: Yan Zuyun , Sun Tianshi , Tan Wei , Wang Zhicheng , Yan Jinpeng , Miao Jinglei , Wu Xin , Feng Pei , Deng Youwen
Published: June 2023

In the system of magnesium‐loaded scaffolds, the effect of magnesium ions (Mg2+) on the osteogenesis induction is restricted due to the low transmembrane transport efficiency of Mg2+ into the cell, which limits the application for bone defect repair. Inspired by the fact that magnetic field can regulate ion channel proteins on the cell membrane, magnetite nanoparticle is introduced into the poly (l‐lactic acid) /magnesium oxide composite in this study, and a magnetic magnesium‐loaded bone scaffold is prepared via selective laser sintering . Notably, the activities of the Mg2+ channel protein (MAGT1) on the membrane of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (rBMSCs) are enhanced via magnetic torque effect (via integrin αV β3/actin), under the action of static magnetic field (SMF), which promoted rBMSCs to capture Mg2+ in the microenvironment and induced osteogenesis. In vitro experiments showed that the magnetic magnesium‐loaded scaffold, under the action of SMF, can accelerate the inflow of Mg2+ from surrounding microenvironment, which improved cellular activities, osteogenesis‐related gene expression (ALP, Runx2, OCN, and OPN), and mineralization. Besides, in vivo skull defect repair experiments showed that the scaffolds possessed good ability to promote bone differentiation and new bone regeneration.
Sovereignty in Political Discourses of the European Populist Radical Right: The Right of the People and the Right of the Peoples
Authors: Alekseev Alexander
Published: June 2023

The populist radical right (PRR) in the European Union so frequently evokes sovereignty as one of the indispensable rights of the people(s) that it becomes urgent to examine the relationship between the concept of sovereignty and the concept of rights in PRR political discourses. The chapter explores how in practice the PRR discursively instrumentalises references to rights to construct its vision(s) of sovereignty in the EU context(s). By applying instruments of critical discourse analysis to the electoral speeches of Marine Le Pen and Jarosław Kaczyński, the leaders of two very dissimilar EU PRR parties, the Rassemblement National and the Prawo i Sprawiedliwość, the chapter outlines concrete discursive strategies containing references to rights used by the PRR in the EU. The analysis shows that the PRR uses references to rights to advance exclusionary conceptions of popular (the right of the people) and national (the right of the peoples) sovereignty built upon the idea of a monocultural and ethnically homogenous majoritarian democracy, thus discursively challenging the foundational legitimacy of today’s European project as well as its current institutional configuration.
Hindu Mobilities and Cremation: Minority, Migrant and Gendered Dialogues and Dialectics in English and Welsh Towns
Authors: Maddrell Avril , Mathijssen Brenda , Beebeejaun Yasminah , McClymont Katie , McNally Danny
Published: June 2023

In Chap. 1 Avril Maddrell, Brenda Mathijssen, Yasminah Beebeejaun, Katie McClymont and Danny McNally untangle the embodied, gendered, racialised and institutionalized cremation practices of Hindu communities in three case study towns: Northampton and Swindon in England and Newport in Wales. They argue that attending to questions of (in)adequate funerary infrastructure and norms – including prompt cremation; accommodating ritual requirements for witnessing the charging the cremator; the negotiation of designated sites for the disposition of cremated remains in local rivers; and local bus services – are essential steps to creating and maintaining a sense of inclusiveness, lived citizenship and justice for these communities. The chapter underscores the changing local-national-international mobilities of cremated remains and other evolving practices and beliefs to reflect the role of varied corporeal, material, institutional and religious-emotional (im)mobilities that are instrumental in shaping contemporary Hindu funerary practices and experiences in England and Wales. This raises issues regarding inclusive funerary provision for Hindus in England and Wales, as well as providing conceptual insights regarding the material and spiritual mobilities of the dead, their remains and their mourners.
Language Report English
Authors: Maynard Diana , Wright Joanna , Greenwood Mark A. , Bontcheva Kalina
Published: June 2023

This chapter focuses on the status of the English language, primarily acting as a benchmark for the level of technological support that other European languages could receive (see Maynard et al. 2022; Ananiadou et al. 2012). While it is rather unlikely that any other European language will ever reach this level, due to the continuing development of support for English, and thus serves as a moving goalpost, nevertheless it provides a good criterion for relative assessment. While the inequalities in the amount of technological support available for English compared with other European languages may act as a deterrent for working on the latter, nevertheless it serves as a useful mechanism for applying cross-lingual transfer methods in order to build language models and generate labelled data for lower resource languages.
Language Report German
Authors: Hegele Stefanie , Heinisch Barbara , Popp Antonia , Marheinecke Katrin , Rios Annette , Gromann Dagmar , Volk Martin , Rehm Georg
Published: June 2023

German is the second most widely spoken language in the EU. The last decade has seen strongly perceptible language change, trending towards the simplification of the grammatical system, a rapidly growing number of anglicisms, a decreasing prevalence of dialects, and an increase in socio-political debates on matters such as language policies and gender-neutral language. Many technologies and resources for German are available, which is also due to numerous well-established research institutions and a thriving Language Technology (LT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) industry. In order to withstand in the digital sphere, it is important that incentives for research, digital education and also concrete opportunities for marketing and deploying LT applications are put at the forefront of future AI strategies.
Language Report Hungarian
Authors: Jelencsik-Mátyus Kinga , Héja Enikő , Varga Zsófia , Váradi Tamás
Published: June 2023

The revolutionary expansion of language technologies (LT) in the last decade and the emergence of neural networks has heavily impacted LT. This is reflected in the development of Hungarian NLP as well, as numerous high-quality LMs, tools and datasets have been created. However, new, huge datasets are still needed to train LMs. Due to being a lesser resourced Uralic language with a smaller number of speakers, Hungarian LT has to face challenges often different from those of large Indo-European languages like English. Here we present a snapshot of this important period in the development of Hungarian LT, with special attention to language resources, and we outline some of the possible next steps.
Language Report Swedish
Authors: Borin Lars , Domeij Rickard , Edlund Jens , Forsberg Markus
Published: June 2023

Swedish speech and language technology (LT) research goes back over 70 years. This has paid off: there is a national research infrastructure, as well as significant research projects, and Swedish is well-endowed with language resources (LRs) and tools. However, there are gaps that need to be filled, especially high-quality goldstandard LRs required by the most recent deep-learning methods. In the future, we would like to see closer collaborations and communication between the “traditional” LT research community and the burgeoning AI field, the establishment of dedicated academic LT training programmes, and national funding for LT research.
Language Report Catalan
Authors: Melero Maite , Calvo Blanca , Rodríguez Mar , Villegas Marta
Published: June 2023

Despite its vulnerable position as a minoritised language, the presence of Catalan in the digital sphere is relatively strong, thanks to an active online community with a high technological profile. Technological support for Catalan is slowly growing, following the recent advances in AI and increased awareness of the value of language data and technologies among public and private bodies. However, more effort is needed to promote the creation of open-source solutions and resources so as to lower the investment barrier for companies to build technology for Catalan.