bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Development of SARS‐CoV‐2 animal vaccines using a stable and efficient NDV expression system
Authors: He Lei , Zhong Jiaying , Li Guichang , Lin Zhengfang , Zhao Peijing , Yang Chuhua , Wang Hairong , Zhang Yuhao , Yang Xiaoyun , Wang Zhongfang
Published: October 2022

With the continuation of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic and the emergence of new severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus‐2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) variants, the control of the spread of the virus remains urgent. Various animals, including cats, ferrets, hamsters, nonhuman primates, minks, tree shrews, fruit bats, and rabbits, are susceptible to SARS‐CoV‐2 infection naturally or experimentally. Therefore, to avoid animals from becoming mixing vessels of the virus, vaccination of animals should be considered. In the present study, we report the establishment of an efficient and stable system using Newcastle disease virus (NDV) as a vector to express SARS‐CoV‐2 spike protein/subunit for the rapid generation of vaccines against SARS‐CoV‐2 in animals. Our data showed that the S and S1 protein was sufficiently expressed in rNDV‐S and rNDV‐S1‐infected cells, respectively. The S protein was incorporated into and displayed on the surface of rNDV‐S viral particles. Intramuscular immunization with rNDV‐S was found to induce the highest level of binding and neutralizing antibodies, as well as strong S‐specific T‐cell response in mice. Intranasal immunization with rNDV‐S1 provoked a robust T‐cell response but barely any detectable antibodies. Overall, the NDV‐vectored vaccine candidates were able to induce profound humoral and cellular immunity, which will provide a good system for developing vaccines targeting both T‐cell and antibody responses.
Drought tolerance promoted by complementation of ascorbate‐glutathione system and antioxidant‐rich phytochemicals in Amaranthus hypochondriacus L.
Authors: Aditya Manashi , Sen Debasmita , Bhattacharjee Soumen
Published: October 2022

Background

Complementation of enzymatic and nonenzymatic antioxidative defense plays a decisive role in redox regulation of crops under drought. However, such type of study in Amaranth, particularly understanding the relationship between drought tolerance through tandem action of enzymatic and non‐enzymatic bioactive antioxidants having phytonutrient promise is seldom studied and hence is the objective of the present investigation.

Results

A comparative evaluation of dehydration stress‐induced changes in reactive oxygen species‐antioxidant interaction dynamics (assessed in terms of efficacy of ascorbate‐glutathione pathway) among 10 promising accessions of Amaranthus hypochondriacus L. revealed significant accession‐specific variation with accessions IC47434 and IC107144 bear out as better ecotypes for their redox regulation abilities (assessed in terms of redox biomarkers like DCFDA (2′,7′‐ dichloroflorescindiacetate) oxidation, accumulation of O2.−, H2O2, hydroperoxide, conjugated diene, free carbonyl content, membrane protein thiol level, total radical scavenging activity, and total thiol content). Further, RP‐HPLC (reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography) coupled with potodiode assay revealed a significantly higher accumulation of redox‐sensitive polyphenolic compounds like rutin, myricetin quercetin, gallic acid, p‐hydroxy benzoic acid, vanillic acid, syringic acid, p‐coumaric acid along with the pool of monophenol, diphenol, total phenol, flavonoids, anthocyanin, betacyanin for drought stress raised seedling of IC107144 and IC47434 as compared to one of the most susceptible cultivars IC94661.

Conclusion

Taken as a whole, the work not only revealed the strong association between drought tolerance and bioavailability of pharmacologically important bioactive polyphenolic antioxidants but also unequivocally proposed the complementation of secondary polyphenolic compounds with Halliwell–Asada pathway for intensification of competent redox‐regulation property necessary for drought stress acclimation in Amaranth germplasms.
Delayed irrigation at the jointing stage increased the post‐flowering dry matter accumulation and water productivity of winter wheat under wide‐precision planting pattern
Authors: Fan Yanli , Ma Yuzhao , Zaman Amini Mohammad , Zhang Mingming , Li Quanqi
Published: October 2022

BACKGROUND

The North China Plain (NCP) faces a severe water shortage, and the amount of rainfall cannot guarantee the growth and development of winter wheat. Therefore, it is important to explore a suitable irrigation and planting pattern to solve the problem of water shortage in this region.

RESULTS

A 4‐year experiment was carried out in the NCP during 2015–2019. The main plots included two planting patterns: a wide‐precision planting pattern (W) and a conventional planting pattern. Two irrigation regimes were established for each planting pattern: 60‐mm irrigation at the jointing stage (I1) and 60‐mm irrigation delayed 10 days at the jointing stage (I2). The soil water consumption, dry matter translocation, grain yield and crop water productivity were investigated. The results showed that WI2 treatment obtained the highest grain yield and crop water productivity. The wide‐precision planting pattern could significantly decrease soil water consumption; however, delayed irrigation effectively reduced soil water consumption only in normal rainfall years. The coupling of delayed irrigation at the jointing stage and a wide‐precision planting pattern significantly enhanced dry matter accumulation after flowering and the contribution of dry matter accumulation after flowering to grain yield during the growing seasons. WI2 could decrease the evapotranspiration and improve the grain yield, thus increasing crop water productivity.

CONCLUSION

The combination of a wide‐precision planting pattern and delayed irrigation at the jointing stage was the appropriate agronomic practice for efficient grain yield and crop water productivity in the North China Plain. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.
Tectona grandisL.f. mediated restoration of marginal lands in Eastern Uttar Pradesh, North India
Authors: Edrisi Sheikh Adil , Singh Ajeet , Dubey Pradeep Kumar , Abhilash Purushothaman C.
Published: October 2022

Tectona grandisL.f. has considerable potential to restore marginal and degraded lands as it offers multiple co‐benefits during the restoration venture. It provides good quality wood for multipurpose use, including biomass for bioenergy and noninvasive traits. For this, aboveground biomass (AGB) was assessed along with testing the critical soil properties (soil physicochemical and biological properties) across different plantation sites during a 4‐year study period (2015–2018). The study suggested that the soil properties like bulk density, moisture content, pH, organic carbon, available nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium have shown significant mean improvement in all planted sites collectively. These were improved by −0.21 g cm−3, 0.68%, −0.68, 0.27%, 13.69 mg kg−1, 11.77 mg kg−1, 95.20 mg kg−1, respectively, in an arid area (Mirzapur, i.e., M1, M2, M3, M4, M5, and M6 sites, representing a warm and tropical dry climate) from the unplanted control (CM1) during 2015–2018. Moreover, the microbial biomass carbon and dehydrogenase activity were significantly improved by 56.71 mg kg−1and 6.92 μg TPF g−1 hr−1, respectively, from CM1. Similar results were also observed in the semiarid areas of Varanasi, representing a humid subtropical climatic pattern (i.e., V4 and V5 sites) compared to the unplanted control in the (CV1). Furthermore, the AGB was found between 12.56 and 229.13 kg tree−1, representing 5 and 30 years of plantation, respectively, in 2018. Reference sites (V1, V2, and V3) were also considered that reflect a planted control, which helped assess the comparison between variable sites and the sites under restoration. Therefore, the study further suggested that this tree species has the tremendous potential to restore marginal and degraded lands in the arid and semiarid areas of North India with a significant biomass supply as an additional benefit.
Three‐dimensional fine structures of the maculae flavae of the human vocal fold using correlative light and electron microscopy
Authors: Sato Kiminobu , Kurita Takashi , Sato Fumihiko , Ohta Keisuke , Sato Kiminori , Chitose Shun‐ichi , Ono Takeharu , Umeno Hirohito
Published: October 2022

Objectives

To analyze various aspects of complex tissue, there is increasing demand to study each sample at different length scales in biology. Correlative light and electron microscopy (CLEM) is the latest technique to correlate two different types of information on the exact same histological area of interest: histology (from light microscopy) and ultrastructure (from electron microscopy). The three‐dimensional fine structures of the maculae flavae (MFe) of the human vocal fold were investigated using CLEM.

Methods

Five normal human adult vocal folds as specimens embedded in paraffin, sectioned, and mounted on glass slides with/without a chemical digestion method (modified sodium hydroxide maceration method) were investigated. Observations using CLEM were performed.

Results

The fine structures of cells and extracellular matrices in the MFe and their peripheral regions were able to be observed on the exact same histological area of interest with the light microscope and field emission‐scanning electron microscope. Cobblestone‐like polygonal cells, vocal fold stellate cell‐like cells, and fibroblast‐like spindle cells were intermingled in the MFe of the human vocal fold. The extracellular matrices surrounding each three types of cell in the MFe differed, suggesting the cells were different in functional property.

Conclusion

CLEM is a useful technique to observe the three‐dimensional fine structures of the human vocal fold mucosa. The results of the present study are consistent with the hypothesis that the cells in the MFe of the human vocal fold have heterogeneity and each three types of cell have different properties.
Effect of chloride threshold on pitting behavior of 316LN stainless steel in sour water solution by electrochemical analysis
Authors: Chen Si , Sun Li , Li Weihua
Published: October 2022

The effect of chloride threshold (CT = [Cl−]/[SO42−]) on the pitting behaviors of 316LN in the sour water was studied by using electrochemical tests. The result shows that the pitting resistance of 316LN decreases with the increase in CT and temperature. The critical chloride threshold (CCT) decreases from 3 at 40°C to 1.5 at 70°C and then remains unchanged when further increases the temperature. The EIS experiment manifests that the protectiveness of the passive film reduces with the increase of CT, and the variation of the charge transfer resistance (Rct) is in keeping with the pitting potential (Epit). Increasing the CT or raising the temperature from 40°C to 80°C enhances the donor (point defect) density, resulting in a thinning of the protective film. Methods to raise the value of the CCT, that is, to improve the chlorine corrosion resistance of the pipelines were proposed.
The evaluation of the effect of free gracilis muscle transfer on cheek tone and oral competence in long‐standing facial paralysis of patients by using Blasco index
Authors: Bali Zülfükar Ulaş , Tuluy Yavuz , Özkaya Ünsal Merve , Parspancı Aziz , Yoleri Levent , Keçeci Yavuz
Published: October 2022

Purpose

Smile and eyelid reanimation are generally emphasized in facial reanimation, but the loss of cheek tone provided by the buccinator muscle is not adequately addressed. The use of free gracilis muscle flap for facial reanimation has become widespread since it was used in head and neck reconstruction by Harii et al. The effect of free gracilis muscle transfer on drooling is not clearly defined in the literature. In our study, we aimed to evaluate the effect of free gracilis muscle transfer on drooling in patients with facial paralysis (FP) by using Blasco index. Smile function was overemphasized in the literature, but drooling was not evaluated. What happens to drooling after free functional muscle transfer was not clear, so this study was designed to evaluate improvement in drooling.

Patients and Methods

Drooling and smile were evaluated in 11 patients (4 male, 7 female) who underwent facial reanimation with a free functional gracilis muscle transfer (FFGMT), in long‐standing FP. The mean age was 39.9 years (range 22–56 years). Etiology was idiopathic in two patients, trauma in five patients, and intracranial tumor in four patients. Photographs and video recordings were taken preoperatively and at the first year postoperatively. The muscle was stitched to the upper lip, corner of the mouth, lower lip and the preauricular region. Masseteric nerve was preferred as donor nerve. Smile restoration was evaluated according to the five‐stage classification defined by Terzis and Noah.

Results

Flap dimensions differed from 12 cm× 5 cm to 15 cm× 6 cm. Oral intake was stopped for 5 days, and speaking was restricted postoperatively. Patients exercised for about 1 h starting from the postoperative third month. Patients were followed up for an average of 26.5 (14–48) months postoperatively. Postop courses were uneventful, and we did not observe any complications in these patients. Preoperative Blasco index score was 3 in 6 patients, 2 in 5 patients and the mean scores were 2.54 ± 0.52. Patients were followed for 1 year. No drooling was observed in the postoperative first year. The Blasco index score was 0 for all patients. The decrease in postoperative scores was found to be statistically significant (p < .01). Smile restoration was evaluated according to the five‐stage classification defined by Terzis and Noah for facial reanimation after muscle transfer. Excellent results (grade 5) were obtained in 6 patients, good results (grade 4) in 4 patients and moderate results (grade 3) in 1 patient.

Conclusion

Free functional gracilis muscle transfer improves chewing functions and prevents drooling. This case series reveals that FFGMT can be a good option to enable cheek tone in long‐standing FP of patients.
Complications of pectoralis major myo‐cutaneous flap, anterolateral thigh flap and radial forearm free flap after total laryngectomy with partial pharyngectomy: A systematic review and network meta‐analysis
Authors: Costantino Andrea , Festa Bianca Maria , Kim Se‐Heon , Baik Fred M. , Wang Chen‐Chi , Pirola Francesca , Malvezzi Luca , Spriano Giuseppe , Mercante Giuseppe , De Virgilio Armando
Published: October 2022

Background

No consensus exists regarding the most effective reconstruction after total laryngectomy with partial pharyngectomy (TLwPP). This study aims to compare different reconstructive techniques (pectoralis major myo‐cutaneous flap, PMMCF; anterolateral thigh flap, ALTF; radial forearm free flap, RFFF) after TLwPP in terms of pharyngocutaneous fistula (PCF), stenosis and feeding tube dependence (FTD) incidence.

Methods

The Scopus, PubMed/MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar databases were searched. A single‐arm meta‐analysis was performed for PCF incidence, stenosis incidence, and FTD incidence on the entire cohort. An arm‐based network analysis was conducted to compare three different surgical interventions (PMMCF, ALTF, RFFF).

Results

A total of 13 studies and 232 patients were included in the network meta‐analysis. The lowest PCF absolute risk was measured for the RFFF (11.7%, 95% CI: 2.8%–33.4%), compared to the ALTF (13.4%, 95% CI: 4.5%–32.1%) and the PMMC (49.0%, 95% CI: 19.2%–79.3%). The RFFF showed a stenosis absolute risk of 0.0% (95% CI: 0.0%–1.1%), while a higher stenosis incidence was measured for the ALTF (5.7%, 95% CI: 0.8%–25.2%) and the PMMCF (11.6%, 95% CI: 0.8%–55.1%). The RFFF showed the lowest absolute risk of FTD incidence (6.8%, 95% CI: 0.5%–28.1%) compared to the other reconstructive techniques (PMMCF: 12.4%, 95% CI: 2.4%–42.1%; ALTF: 17.5%, 95% CI: 6.4%–38.9%).

Conclusions

The RFFF seems the best choice for reconstruction of partial pharyngeal defects after TLwPP due to the lower incidence of PCF, stenosis and FTD compared to the ALTF and the PMMCF.
4D Golden‐Angle Radial MRI at Subsecond Temporal Resolution
Authors: Feng Li
Published: October 2022

Intraframe motion blurring, as a major challenge in free‐breathing dynamic MRI, can be reduced if high temporal resolution can be achieved. To address this challenge, this work proposes a highly accelerated 4D (3D + time) dynamic MRI framework with subsecond temporal resolution that does not require explicit motion compensation. The method combines standard stack‐of‐stars golden‐angle radial sampling and tailored GRASP‐Pro (Golden‐angle RAdial Sparse Parallel imaging with imProved performance) reconstruction. Specifically, 4D dynamic MRI acquisition is performed continuously without motion gating or sorting. The k‐space centers in stack‐of‐stars radial data are organized to guide estimation of a temporal basis, with which GRASP‐Pro reconstruction is employed to enforce joint low‐rank subspace and sparsity constraints. This new basis estimation strategy is the new feature proposed for subspace‐based reconstruction in this work to achieve high temporal resolution (e.g., subsecond/3D volume). It does not require sequence modification to acquire additional navigation data, it is compatible with commercially available stack‐of‐stars sequences, and it does not need an intermediate reconstruction step. The proposed 4D dynamic MRI approach was tested in abdominal motion phantom, free‐breathing abdominal MRI, and dynamic contrast‐enhanced MRI (DCE‐MRI). Our results have shown that GRASP‐Pro reconstruction with the new basis estimation strategy enables highly‐accelerated 4D dynamic imaging at subsecond temporal resolution (with five spokes or less for each dynamic frame per image slice) for both free‐breathing non‐DCE‐MRI and DCE‐MRI. In the abdominal phantom, better image quality with lower root mean square error and higher structural similarity index was achieved using GRASP‐Pro compared with standard GRASP. With the ability to acquire each 3D image in less than 1 s, intraframe respiratory blurring can be intrinsically reduced for body applications with our approach, which eliminates the need for explicit motion detection and motion compensation.
In vivo assignment of methylmalonic acid in breast tissue using 2D MRS and relationship with breast density, menopausal status and cancer risk
Authors: Santamaría Gorane , Naude Natali , Bennett Ian , Vosburgh Kirby , Ganau Sergi , Bargalló Xavier , Malycha Peter , Mountford Carolyn
Published: October 2022

Background

Methylmalonic acid (MMA) is linked to progression and aggressiveness of tumours. A recent study showed that high levels of circulatory MMA directed genetic programs promoting cancer progression.

Purpose

To evaluate in vivo two‐dimensional correlated spectroscopy (2D COSY) data from women at elevated risk of breast cancer to determine if resonances consistent with MMA are present, and if so to correlate levels with breast density, menopausal status and risk categories.

Materials and methods

With institutional review board approval, 106 women at elevated risk (mean age 47), including 46 participants at medium risk, 43 at high risk with no known mutation and 17 BRCA‐mutation carriers, were recruited. Breast density was assessed using a T2 sequence. A T1 sequence was used to place the voxel for the 2D COSY data. Peak volumes were normalized to the methylene peak at (1.30, 1.30) ppm. Chi‐squared and Mann–Whitney tests were used.

Results

Two resonances are assigned on the diagonal at 3.15 ppm and 3.19 ppm consistent with and denoted MMA1 and MMA2 respectively. MMA1 and MMA2 increased in parallel with increased risk. BRCA‐mutation carriers recorded an increase in mean MMA1 of 120% (p = 0.033) and MMA2 of 127% (p = 0.020) in comparison with participants with no known mutation. BRCA‐mutation carriers with dense breasts recorded a significant increase in mean MMA1 of 137% (p = 0.002) and in mean MMA2 of 143% (p = 0.004) compared with BRCA‐mutation participants with low‐density breast tissue. MMA1 and MMA2 were higher in premenopausal women with dense breasts compared with those with low‐density tissue. The highest values of MMA were recorded in BRCA‐mutation carriers.

Conclusion

Two tentative assignments are made for MMA in breast tissue of women at elevated risk for cancer. BRCA‐mutation carriers exhibited higher values of MMA than those with no known mutation. Premenopausal women with BRCA mutation and dense breasts recorded the highest levels of MMA compared with other categories.
Super‐ductile and stiff PBAT/PLA biodegradable composites balanced with random PMMA‐co‐GMA copolymer as compatibilizer
Authors: Sui Xinyi , Zhao Xiangyu , Wang Zicheng , Sun Shulin
Published: October 2022

Poly(butylene adipate–butylene terephthalate) (PBAT) and poly(lactic acid) (PLA) biodegradable composites have been prepared by the melt‐blending method using a new methyl methacrylate and glycidyl methacrylate random copolymer (MG) as compatibilizer. The compatibilization reaction between the epoxy functional groups in MG and the carboxyl groups in PBAT and PLA resulted in the formation of branched PBAT‐co‐MG‐co‐PLA macromolecules and improved compatibility. The compatibilization effect induced higher glass transition temperature for PBAT and PLA. The addition of MG had little influence on the melting process of PBAT. However, the fine miscibility between PLA and MG inhibited cold crystallization and the following melting behavior of PLA. The compatibilization effect promoted the uniform dispersion and smaller particle size of the PLA phase, which enhanced the heterogeneous nucleation effect of PLA and induced higher crystallization temperature of PBAT. Dynamic rheological tests showed that PBAT/PLA/MG blends exhibited higher complex viscosity and modulus than PBAT and PBAT/PLA blend, proving the improved interfacial interaction and melt strength. Compared with the PBAT/PLA composite, PBAT/PLA/MG blends showed much better ductility and stiffness balance because of the compatibilization effect of MG. When MG concentration was 6 wt%, the blend achieved a maximum strain of 694% and tensile strength of 49.3 MPa, which were 1.8 and 4.3 times higher than those of the PBAT/PLA composite. © 2022 Society of Industrial Chemistry.
Recent developments of polysaccharide‐based double‐network hydrogels
Authors: Zhang Haodong , Shi Ling Wa Eric , Zhou Jinping
Published: October 2022

Polysaccharides possessing distinctive properties, such as biocompatibility, biodegradability, and nontoxicity, are promising matrices for hydrogels. However, the polysaccharides‐based hydrogels have poor mechanical properties, which is a major limitation for their applications. In recent years, researches on double‐network (DN) hydrogels with outstanding mechanical properties have gained increasing attention. Therefore, the main research orientation is to combine the benefits of both materials and broaden their applications in various fields. This paper reviews the recent progress of polysaccharide‐based DN (PDN) hydrogels that show great advantages in mechanical, physiochemical properties, biocompatibility, biodegradability and so on. The preparation, structure, and unique properties of different PDN hydrogels are discussed in detail. Moreover, we summarize the applications of PDN hydrogels in biomedical and energy storage and conversion fields. This research progress is breaking through the limitations of PDN hydrogels and opening a new avenue for their future development.
Numerical Modeling and Experimental Investigation of Spray Combustion Process in Regenerative Liquid Propellant Mortar
Authors: Liu Ning , Sun Mingliang , Shen Yanping
Published: October 2022

Regenerative liquid propellant guns (RLPGs) have been studied for many years. However, the presence of large pressure oscillations is observed in almost each RLPG firing. In order to push forward the liquid propellant application in guns, a low pressure firing system called regenerative liquid propellant mortar (RLPM) is developed. The multiphase multidimensional fluid‐dynamics model is presented to research the interior ballistic properties of RLPM. A high‐speed liquid sheet spray model is presented for the annular jet in RLPM based on the linear stability analysis and surface wave breakup theory. In addition to the jet atomization, the droplets secondary breakup is considered. The experiments on a 60 mm RLPM test fixture are carried out, and the results indicate that the liquid propellant combustion oscillations are effectively suppressed. The spray and combustion processes have been simulated for the 60 mm RLPM which are in agreement with the experimental data well. Numerical results indicate an important benefit for the RLPM that the muzzle velocity is improved by increasing the charge quantity while the maximum chamber pressure remains unchanged.
Framework for defining pesticide maximum residue levels in feed: applications to cattle and sheep
Authors: Li Zijian , Fantke Peter
Published: October 2022

BACKGROUND

Pesticide residues in animal feed can endanger animal health and compromise the safety of livestock products for human consumption. Even though policymakers such as the European Union and the World Health Organization have established maximum residue levels (MRLs) for pesticides in both human food and animal feed, there is no systematic management of pesticides in animal feed that considers the entire supply chain. In response, we propose a framework for defining consistent MRLs for pesticides in animal feed that assesses the impact of defined MRLs on upstream (e.g., MRLs in feed crops) and downstream (e.g., MRLs in livestock products) sectors of the livestock‐product supply chain.

RESULTS

The MRLs determined for the selected pesticides in the feed of cattle and sheep as case study animals indicate that lipophilic pesticides tend to have lower MRLs than hydrophilic pesticides, primarily due to the relatively high toxicity and biotransfer factors of lipophilic pesticides. In addition, we observe that, primarily for lipophilic pesticides, upstream and downstream regulations are not aligned in terms of defining MRLs in feed using current MRLs in crops with relevance to feed and foods of animal origin.

CONCLUSION

Some of the current pesticide regulations in the livestock‐product supply chain need to be re‐evaluated to ensure that MRLs in the upstream sector (i.e., crops) do not result in unacceptable residues in the downstream sector (i.e., MRLs in livestock products affecting animal and human health). Finally, we provide recommendations for optimizing the derivation of MRLs in feed, including the evaluation of residue fate during feed and food manufacturing processes. © 2022 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.
Chelation of Zn Cations as a Method for Their Replacement by Mn, Fe, Co in ZnSe Nanocrystals
Authors: Bubenov Sergei S. , Vinokurov Alexander A. , Daurenbekov Dulat H. , Dorofeev Sergey G. , Cherednichenko Kirill A. , Kainarbay Asset Zh. , Nurakhmetov Turlybek N.
Published: October 2022

This article describes a new technique for postsynthetic doping/alloying of Mn into ZnSe nanocrystals. The key feature is that it employs diethyldithiocarbamate anion to selectively bind the host cations and promote ion exchange. The presence of Mn in the product is confirmed with photoluminescence (PL) and total reflection X‐ray fluorescence spectroscopy. The cation exchange reaction takes place at temperatures as low as 100 °C. Higher temperatures allow to incorporate the impurity in greater quantities; however, after a crossover temperature of ≈200 °C, the process gets convoluted with Ostwald ripening and sulfide deposition, as evident from electron diffraction data, high‐resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR‐TEM), and elemental analysis of the samples. Studies of PL lifetime and quantum yield confirm these findings. Preliminary success is also shown for other impurities: Fe and Co are present in the respective samples in ≈17 at% of total metal content.
Architectural Decisions for Communications Satellite Constellations to Maintain Profitability While Serving Uncovered and Underserved Communities
Authors: del Portillo Inigo , Dolan Sydney I. , Cameron Bruce G. , Crawley Edward F.
Published: October 2022

The rise of the commercial space industry has resulted in the development of mega‐constellations that promise to provide global broadband. These constellations capitalize on advancements in technology, improved modeling capabilities, and reductions in launch cost. One of the significant open questions is whether these constellations will significantly increase access for uncovered and underserved communities, in addition to serving existing markets. This paper analyzes which constellation characteristics provide the best global coverage at the lowest operational cost. First, we present the demand model that assesses the number of under‐served and uncovered users in a given region. Then, we present a genetic algorithm used to identify potential constellations. Finally, we conclude by identifying which characteristics are the most promising for broadband constellations, as well as predictions of how the market will develop in the coming years. Our analysis has found that geostationary (GEO) and medium Earth orbit (MEO) satellite constellations have the highest likelihood of profitability. LEO networks are on average 27% more expensive, but if designed wisely, they can be competitive. Our work shows that there are diminishing returns with large constellations, and that it is more cost effective to have a small number of highly capable satellites, rather than many low complexity satellites. Key technologies like high frequency bands and miniaturization of components can lead to further cost reductions and increase the competitiveness of LEO constellations.
Surv‐CRM‐12: A Bayesian phase I/II survival CRM for right‐censored toxicity endpoints with competing disease progression
Authors: Andrillon Anaïs , Chevret Sylvie , Lee Shing M. , Biard Lucie
Published: October 2022

The growing interest in new classes of anti‐cancer agents, such as molecularly‐targeted therapies and immunotherapies with modes of action different from those of cytotoxic chemotherapies, has changed the dose‐finding paradigm. In this setting, the observation of late‐onset toxicity endpoints may be precluded by treatment and trial discontinuation due to disease progression, defining a competing event to toxicity. Trial designs where dose‐finding is modeled in the framework of a survival competing risks model appear particularly well‐suited. We aim to provide a phase I/II dose‐finding design that allows dose‐limiting toxicity (DLT) outcomes to be delayed or unobserved due to competing progression within the possibly long observation window. The proposed design named the Survival‐continual reassessment method‐12, uses survival models for right‐censored DLT and progression endpoints. In this competing risks framework, cause‐specific hazards for DLT and progression‐free of DLT were considered, with model parameters estimated using Bayesian inference. It aims to identify the optimal dose (OD), by minimizing the cumulative incidence of disease progression, given an acceptable toxicity threshold. In a simulation study, design operating characteristics were evaluated and compared to the TITE‐BOIN‐ET design and a nonparametric benchmark approach. The performance of the proposed method was consistent with the complexity of scenarios as assessed by the nonparametric benchmark. We found that the proposed design presents satisfying operating characteristics in selecting the OD and safety.
Green synthesis of CdWO4 Nanorods with Enhanced Photocatalytic Activity Utilizing Hyphaene Thebaica Fruit
Authors: Mohamed Hamza Elsayed Ahmed , Hilal‐Alnaqbi Ali , Dagher Sawsan , Akhozheya Boshra , Maaza Malik
Published: October 2022

CdWO4 as one of the metal tungstate family has recently been identified as a strong photocatalyst for the degradation of organic pollutants. Several methods for the synthesis of different CdWO4 forms have been introduced. All these techniques, however, are either costly or environmentally harmful and create tremendous toxic waste. CdWO4 nanorods (NRs) are synthesized using a simple eco‐friendly method, in which for the first time hyphaene thebaica fruit extract is utilized as a reaction stabilizer, as well as the compounds of the extract serve in functionalizing the CdWO4 NRs surface, water is used as a solvent without elevated temperatures involved. The synthesized NRs’ size, structure, morphology, and optical properties are characterized using TEM, XRD, UV‐visible absorption, and Raman spectroscopy techniques. The results demonstrate the successful synthesis of CdWO4 NRs with an average diameter of 40 nm and length of 100 nm. The CdWO4 NRs have high crystallinity, and exhibit absorption in the UV light region. As well, the photocatalytic activities of the as‐synthesized CdWO4 NRs are investigated under UV irradiation, in which Methylene Blue (MB) is used as a model for an organic pollutant. The degradation efficiency of CdWO4 NRs is shown to be 99 % after 90 minutes. The CdWO4 NRs significantly enhance the absorption of light and increase the rate of degradation of MB and the generation and separation of photoinduced charges (i. e. the exciton lifetime). The CdWO4 NRs showed a high‐level degradation rate of MB, as it is fitted with the first‐order kinetic model, this proves that the CdWO4 NRs can have a great potential for the elimination of organic contaminants, and for the treatment of wastewater as a photocatalyst. Moreover, the as‐synthesized CdWO4 NRs can be used in different environmental applications.
“The Effects of Silver Nanoparticle Shape on Protein Adsorption and Neural Stem Cell Viability”
Authors: Kumarasamy Murali , Tran Ngoc , Patarroyo Javier , Mishra Sushmita , Monopoli Marco , Madarasz Emilia , Puntes Victor
Published: October 2022

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are important and widely used as antimicrobials and nanodrug carriers. The increased use of AgNPs in consumer products has raised concerns about nanosafety; for instance, AgNPs may be inhaled and translocated to the brain via olfactory neural stem cells/progenitors. While the biological effects of nanoparticle size have been widely investigated, there are little data on the effects of particle shape on cellular phenotype. Therefore, here we investigated the interactions between AgNP spheres, rods, cubes, and triangles and human plasma proteins as well as their effects on the viability of NE‐4C neural stem cells. Nanoparticles were synthesized by wet chemistry methods and characterized by UV‐vis spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering, zeta potential measurement, transmission electron microscopy, nanoparticle tracking analysis, and differential centrifugal sedimentation. NE‐4C cell viability was assessed using the MTT reduction assay, and the cellular uptake of differently shaped nanoparticles was monitored by electron microscopy. All 50 nm (in at least one dimension) AgNPs exerted toxic effects, with rods and cubes displaying greater toxicity than spheres and triangles. These cellular and physicochemical results indicate that edges on the AgNPs increase toxicity, presumably due to enhanced ion dissolution from the edges.
Hydrodesulfurization over NiMo Catalysts Supported on Yolk‐shell Silica Materials with Controllable Cavity Size
Authors: Yu. Ke , Kong Weimin , Zhao Zhen , Duan Aijun , Kong Lian , Wang Xilong
Published: October 2022

Novel yolk‐shell (YS) mesoporous silica materials with different cavity sizes were successfully synthesized. Aluminium was bridged into the yolk‐shell framework of silica by a post synthesis method to improve the acidity of YS, namely Al‐YS. The corresponding NiMo/Al‐YS catalysts were also fabricated and used in the hydrodesulfurization (HDS) reaction of dibenzothiophene (DBT) and 4,6‐dimethyldibenzothiophene (4,6‐DMDBT). The NiMo/Al‐YS catalyst with the cavity size of 154 nm (NiMo/Al‐YS‐154) exhibits the superior conversions of DBT (99.2 %) and 4,6‐DMDBT (96.1 %) at 340 °C, 4.0 MPa, 10 h−1, highest kHDS (13.4×10−4 mol g−1 h−1 for DBT and 8.9 mol g−1 h−1 for 4,6‐DMDBT) and highest TOF for DBT (3.7 h−1) and 4,6‐DMDBT (2.3 h−1) among the investigated catalysts. The appropriate cavity size of NiMo/Al‐YS‐154 catalyst plays the key role in obtaining its superior HDS catalytic performance. Furthermore, the possible reaction networks of DBT and 4, 6‐DMDBT HDS over NiMo/Al‐YS‐x catalysts were also presented.
Identifying Potential p53‐MDM2 Interaction Antagonists: An Integrated Approach of Pharmacophore‐Based Virtual Screening, Interaction Fingerprinting, MD Simulation and DFT Studies
Authors: Sedzro Divine Mensah , Idris Mukhtar Oluwaseun , Durojaye Olanrewaju Ayodeji , Yekeen Abeeb Abiodun , Fadahunsi Adeola Abraham , Alakanse Suleiman Oluwaseun
Published: October 2022

The inactivation of p53 in tumor cells is as a result of the deletion or mutation of the TP3 gene, while the inhibition of its activity is by interaction with overexpressed mouse double minute 2 (MDM2). Small‐molecule inhibitors that target the interaction between p53 and MDM2 are now being pursued as potential therapeutic agents for cancer therapy. To date, many small‐molecule inhibitors of the p53‐MDM2 interaction have been identified which, however, possess toxicity, bioavailability and/or drug resistance limitations. In this study, we directed a ligand‐based pharmacophore modeling protocol towards the search of novel inhibitors of the p53‐MDM2 interaction. Generated pharmacophore features from known and novel inhibitors of the p53‐MDM2 interaction were used in searching the ZINC database for drug‐like molecules. With stringent search parameters set, we generated a ligand library of 7000 ZINC compounds and a sub‐library of 907 compounds from the Selleckchem's “Apoptosis Compound Library”. Upon the docking of both compound libraries to the target receptor, the resulting top 100 binders were subjected to in silico ADMET screening, out of which the top 3 compounds with the most favorable properties (ZINC71932671, ZINC02375540 and ZINC08870467) were selected for further assessment. These 3 hits also displayed favorable interactions with important residues involved in the p53‐MDM2 protein‐protein interaction, while the molecular dynamics simulation study suggest a stable conformation for the protein‐ligand complexes. These three compounds can be used in the development of potential cancer therapeutics that are targeted at restoring the function of p53 by blocking its interaction with MDM2.
α‐Al2O3/Organo‐Modified Silica pH Sensing Film with High Alkali Resistance and Sensitivity
Authors: Zheng Suiting , Peng Jiehui , Xie Xinyuan
Published: October 2022

In order to develop a stable and sensitive layer for optical pH sensors which can be used in a wide pH range with long service life, we prepared an α‐Al2O3/organo‐modified silica pH composite sensing film by a sol‐gel method with thymol blue as the indicator and α‐Al2O3 as the nano‐reinforced filler. The α‐Al2O3 nanoparticles enable the pH sensing film to test solutions in the pH range of 1–12, with good reversibility, sensitivity and excellent resistance to strong acids and bases. Its alkaline resistance at pH=12 is far superior to its silica counterparts, and it can remain stable for over 22 days at pH=12. This study provides theoretical and experimental support for improving the acid and alkaline resistance of the silica gels. The α‐Al2O3/organo modified pH sensing film is expected to provide stable pH testing in strongly alkaline environment (pH=12) and have wide application prospects.
The NH4Cl/Rice Husk Carbon as Promoters and Assisted Carbon Sources in Catalyzing Polypropylene into Carbon Nanotubes
Authors: Li Zhengmin , Tan Shengnan , Song Rongjun
Published: October 2022

Continuously increasing practical relevance required the mass production of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) through environmentally benign and sustainable routes. In the work, it is found that loading trace amounts of NH4Cl on rice husk carbon can effectively act as promoters and assisted carbon source inthe catalytic growth of CNTs from polypropylene byNi−Mo−Mg catalysts. The synthesized CNTs was characterized by Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X‐ray diffractometer (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, and Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Results show that the added rice husk carbon can take part in the formation of CNTs to a certain extent, and the trace of NH4Cl incorporated into rice husk carbon can significantly improve the conversion rate of polypropylene. The CNT products possess multiwalled structures and highgraphitization degrees. Finally, the prepared CNTs were investigated for the removal of methylene blue (MB) from water.
Influence of the Capping Ligands on the Self‐Assembly of Cyanido‐Bridged Mn(II)‐Fe(III) Aggregates: Synthesis, Crystal Structures, Electrochemical and Magnetic Properties
Authors: Mudoi Prashurya Pritam , Choudhury Anup , Medhi Biman , Gogoi Nayanmoni
Published: October 2022

Reaction of Mn(II) salts with a meridional tricyanido iron(III) linker, [Fe(bbp)(CN)3]2− (H2bbp=bis(2‐benzimidazolyl)pyridine) was investigated in presence of two different N‐donor blocking ligands. Two heterometallic Mn(II)/Fe(III) aggregates viz. [Mn(cptp)2][Fe(bbp)(CN)3] ⋅ 3H2O (1) (cptp=4’‐(4‐chlorophenyl)‐2,2’ : 6’,2’’‐terpyridine) and [Mn(CH3OH)2(μ‐NC)3Fe(bbp)]n (2) are isolated and characterized by using analytical, spectroscopic, structural, electrochemical and magnetic investigations. Single crystal X‐ray diffraction analysis show that compound 1 is a heterobimetallic complex salt, while compound 2 is a cyanido bridged Mn(II)−Fe(III) ladder shaped chain. The electrochemical behaviours of both compounds 1 and 2 exhibit multiple redox accessible states associated with the corresponding metal centres. Investigation of magnetic properties of 2 manifest interplay of antiferromagnetic interaction between low‐spin Fe(III) and high‐spin Mn(II) ions.
A Comparative Study of Phenol Removal by Pisum‐sativum Peels Biochars Derived at Different Pyrolysis Temperatures: Isotherm, Kinetic and Thermodynamic Modelling
Authors: Mishra Prashant , Singh Kaman , Pandey Gajanan
Published: October 2022

Pea peels were used for the preparation of biochar at different temperatures (250 °C: PP250, 500 °C: PP500 and 750 °C: PP750) using slow pyrolysis for 1 h and used for the phenol removal from an aqueous medium. Biochar samples were characterized by SEM, XRD and FT‐IR. The phenol removal was examined as a function of pH, temperature, and NaCl and urea concentration. The optimum pH and temperature were found to be 6.0 and 25 °C respectively. Presence of NaCl and urea primarily affected the adsorption capacity of PP250 and slightly affected the adsorption potential of PP500 and PP750. The maximum biosorption capacity for the PP250, PP500 and PP750 were found to be 34.63, 46.70, and 60.10 mg/g respectively. The Langmuir isotherm and Pseudo‐second order kinetic model best explained the adsorption. Thermodynamic parameters corroborated the physical and exothermic nature of adsorption. PP750 can preferably be used for phenol removal than PP500 and PP250.
Green electrocatalytic Assembling of Salicylaldehydes, Kojic Acid, and Malonic Acid Derivatives into 2‐amino‐4H‐chromenes as Potent Anti‐inflammatory Agents
Authors: Ryzhkova Yuliya E. , Elinson Michail N. , Vereshchagin Anatoly N. , Kalashnikova Varvara M. , Korolev Victor A. , Ryzhkov Fedor V. , Egorov Mikhail P.
Published: October 2022

Green electrocatalytic multicomponent assembly of salicylaldehydes, kojic acid and malonic acid derivatives in n‐propanol in the presence of potassium iodide as an electrolyte in an undivided cell results in the formation of 4‐(3‐hydroxy‐6‐(hydroxymethyl)‐4‐oxo‐4H‐pyran‐2‐yl) substituted 2‐amino‐4H‐chromenes in 86–98 % yields. This new electrocatalytic multicomponent process is a facile and efficient environmentally benign way to the functionalized 2‐amino‐4H‐chromenes, containing in the fourth position kojic acid fragment, which are perspective compounds for different biomedical applications, among them in the treatment of human inflammatory diseases. Python‐automated docking procedure was carried out and the results support anti‐inflammatory potential of the synthesized compounds.
Zn2+‐induced AIEE‐Active Conjugated Oligomers for Highly Selective Recognition of Zn2+ with an Impressive Blue Shift
Authors: Tu Man , Li Hui , Xiao Yu , Sun Lei , Sun Dewen , Sun Guangzhi , Wang Feng
Published: October 2022

A novel conjugated oligomer (Co‐imiPhenTPE) based on 4‐(1H‐imidazo[4,5‐f][1,10]phenanthroline (imiPhen) and tetraphenylethene (TPE) moieties has been synthesized. The Co‐imiPhenTPE showed Zn2+‐induced aggregation induced emission enhancement (AIEE) with high selectivity. Moreover, the Zn2+‐Co‐imiPhenTPE complex exhibited a significant blue shift from 502 nm to 393 nm (109 nm) in ethanol/water (v/v=1 : 1). The transmission electron microscopy (TEM) measurements indicated that the thin sheet porous Co‐imiPhenTPE was evenly dispersed into approximate spherical nanoparticles after the addition of Zn2+. The approach may provide insights for designing large blue‐shifted fluorescent sensors.
Synthesis and Structure of 3D Bis[5‐(2‐pyridyl)tetrazolato]diquacopper(II) Framework: One‐pot Facile Fabrication of a Series of Catalysts Towards Dye Degradation in Sunlight
Authors: Chouhan Arti , Kumar Deepak , Pilet Guillaume , Daniele Stéphane , Pandey Ashutosh
Published: October 2022

A copper‐based metal‐organic framework (MOF) Bis[5‐(2‐pyridyl)tetrazolato]diaquacopper(II) [{CuP}n], has been designed and structurally characterized by single‐crystal X‐ray crystallography. The three‐dimensional crystal structure belongs to the monoclinic space groupP21/cwith Z=4. Further a series of isostructural complexes [{Cu1‐xZnxP}n] (x=1, 0.75, 0.5, 0.25, 0), {P=(5‐(2‐pyridyl)tetrazolato)2.2H2O} have been synthesized via a facile one‐pot microwave irradiated solvothermal method. The optical and photocatalytic properties of the synthesized bimetallic complexes were investigated and compared with those of monometallic complexes. The effects of metal substitutions in the ligand backbone were investigated. A striking variation in the bandgap i. e., from 4.1 eV (x=1) to 2.79 eV (x=0) was observed among the catalysts with a minimum value of 1.93 eV (x=0.25). The optimized catalyst Cu0.75Zn0.25P exhibits the highest degradation activity and reached up to 99 % for RhB (rhodamine B) and 96 % for MB (methylene blue) in 120 min of Sunlight, corresponding to the respective photocatalytic degradation rates of 0.0328 min−1and 0.0301 min−1. The kinetics of the degradation processes were best statistically described by pseudo‐first‐order. The catalyst was also found to have sufficient stability and recyclability with promising applications in removal of organic dye pollutants.
Synthesis of γ‐Butyrolactone Derivatives from Dihydrotagetone and Evaluation of Their Antidiabetic Activity
Authors: Kumar Rahul , Maurya Sushil K.
Published: October 2022

γ‐Butyrolactone (GBL) is a five‐membered heterocycle with an ester group that received much attention in drug development. They exhibit a broad range of biological activities like antiglaucoma, antibiotics, neuroprotective, antifungal, and diuretics, along with a few antidiabetic activities. Here, six GBL derivatives were synthesized via semi‐synthetic modification of naturally occurring acyclic monoterpene dihydrotagetone (DHT) isolated from the essential oil of Tagetes minuta. All GBL derivatives were screened for α‐glucosidase inhibitory (AGI) activity. Present studies demonstrated that ethyl substituted GBL derivative i. e., 5‐ethyl‐5‐isobutyl‐3‐methyldihydrofuran‐2(3H)‐one (IC50=5.88±0.21 μM) has the nearly similar α‐glucosidase inhibitory activity to the reference drug acarbose (IC50= 5.47±0.62 μM) while the DHT (IC50=15.32±1.44 μM) and its acid version i. e., 2,6‐dimethyl‐4‐oxoheptanoic acid (IC50=18.61±0.87 μM) has lowest inhibition activity in the same assay. Furthermore, molecular docking studies were conducted to explore binding interactions of the GBL derivatives with α‐glucosidase. This study discovered a new class of α‐glucosidase inhibitors.