bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Can outsourcing pest and disease control help reduce pesticide expenditure? Evidence from rice farmers
Authors: Wang Pengcheng , Ma Wanglin , Diao Mengling
Published: August 2024

Outsourcing pest and disease control (PDC) has grown rapidly worldwide, especially in developing countries. Although numerous studies have investigated various advantages of outsourcing PDC, little is known about its impact on pesticide expenditure. This study addresses the gap by estimating the impact of outsourcing PDC on pesticide expenditure using data collected from 448 rice farmers in China. We employ an endogenous treatment regression (ETR) model and an instrumental variable quantile regression (IVQR) model to investigate the homogenous and heterogeneous impacts of outsourcing PDC, respectively. The results estimated by the ETR model show that outsourcing PDC decreases total pesticide expenditure. The reduction in herbicide expenditure due to outsourcing PDC is greater than the reduction in insecticide expenditure. The results estimated by the IVQR model reveal that the pesticide expenditure reduction effect of outsourcing PDC is larger among farmers with higher pesticide expenditure. Our findings generally suggest that it is necessary to take outsourcing PDC into consideration when designing policies to promote pesticide expenditure reduction and protect the ecological environment and human health.
Bimetallic synergistic effect of Co and Fe for the highly efficient catalytic decomposition of ozone
Authors: Liu Wenyan , Zhu Yu‐quan , Wang Binxia , Lin Wenwen , Li Kaitao , Liu Wendi , Lin Yanjun
Published: August 2024

Ground‐level ozone pollution is a major concern for human health, ecosystems, and material degradation. This article presents a Co‐ and Fe‐based bimetallic layered double hydroxide (CoFe‐LDH) catalyst for ozone decomposition. The CoFe‐LDH catalyst exhibited 100% ozone decomposition efficiency over 24 h at a reaction rate of 35.3 μmol g−1 min−1. The synergetic effects between Co and Fe regulated the valence state, increased the number of Co vacancies, and increased the specific surface area and density of the hydroxyl groups on the surface. Moreover, the two metals facilitated different dissociation steps and the desorption step became exothermic after ozone enrichment on the surface, rendering every step concurrently spontaneous, which has not been observed in previously reported ozone decomposition catalysts. This study demonstrates the potential of LDHs for ozone pollution control and offers new insights into the design of synergistic bimetallic catalysts.
Solar‐Driven Methanogenesis through Microbial Ecosystem Engineering on Carbon Nitride
Authors: Kalathil Shafeer , Rahaman Motiar , Lam Erwin , Augustin Teresa L. , Greer Heather F. , Reisner Erwin
Published: August 2024

Semi‐biological photosynthesis combines synthetic photosensitizers with microbial catalysts to produce sustainable fuels and chemicals from CO2. However, the inefficient transfer of photoexcited electrons to microbes leads to limited CO2 utilization, restricting the catalytic performance of such biohybrid assemblies. Here, we introduce a biological engineering solution to address the inherently sluggish electron uptake mechanism of a methanogen, Methanosarcina barkeri (M. barkeri), by coculturing it with an electron transport specialist, Geobacter sulfurreducens KN400 (KN400), an adapted strain rich with multiheme c‐type cytochromes (c‐Cyts) and electrically conductive protein filaments (e‐PFs) made of polymerized c‐Cyts with enhanced capacity for extracellular electron transfer (EET). Integration of this M. barkeri‐KN400 co‐culture with a synthetic photosensitizer, carbon nitride, demonstrates that c‐Cyts and e‐PFs, emanating from live KN400, transport photoexcited electrons efficiently from the carbon nitride to M. barkeri for methanogenesis with remarkable long‐term stability and selectivity. The demonstrated cooperative interaction between two microbes via direct interspecies electron transfer (DIET) and the photosensitizer to assemble a semi‐biological photocatalyst introduces an ecosystem engineering strategy in solar chemistry to drive sustainable chemical reactions.
Micro/Meso‐Porous Double‐Shell Hollow Carbon Spheres through Spatially Confined Pyrolysis for Supercapacitors and Zinc‐Ion Capacitor
Authors: Du Juan , Han Qinghui , Chen Yuanyuan , Peng Mengke , Xie Lei , Chen Aibing
Published: August 2024

Energy storage in supercapacitors and hybrid zinc ion capacitors (ZIC) using porous carbon materials offers a promising alternative method for clean energy solutions. The unique combination of hierarchical porous structure and nitrogen doping in these materials has demonstrated significant capacity for energy storage. Nevertheless, the full potential of these materials, particularly the relationship between pore structure configuration and performance, remains underexplored. Herein, a confined pyrolysis strategy based on the polymerization characteristics of polydopamine (PDA) was developed to construction of hollow carbon spheres with microporous/mesoporous dual shell structure. The depth of micropores and cavity can be controlled by adjusting the duration of heat treatment and hydrothermal treatment, in accordance with the decomposition and polymerization characteristics of PDA. Due to the elasticity of this structure, the relationship between the micro/mesoporous depth of the prepared carbon spheres and the energy storage performance in supercapacitors and ZIC is established. Through optimizing the ion transport capacity of carbon spheres and considering the influence of its internal cavity structure on energy storage, the resulting carbon spheres exhibit high specific capacitance of 389 F g−1 in supercapacitor and specific capacitance of 260 F g−1 and excellent stability with 99.3 % retention after 30000 chare/discharge cycles in ZIC.
New chelating N‐heterocyclic carbene palladium complexes immobilized on magnetic nanoparticles: Synthesis, characterization, and catalytic properties
Authors: Yang Liangru , Liu Yaowen , Diao Xiaoqiong , Zeng Xianggui , Xiao Yongmei , Yuan Jinwei , Mao Pu
Published: August 2024

Two chelating N‐heterocyclic carbene (NHC) palladium complexes 3a‐b containing N‐(3‐bromopropyl)‐N′‐thioether difunctionalized imidazol‐2‐ylidene were synthesized by direct metalation of the precursor imidazolium salts and characterized by NMR and HR‐MS. The molecular structure of 3a has been further characterized unambiguously by X‐ray single crystal analysis. The subsequent substitution reaction with amine‐functionalized magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs‐NH2) afforded two highly active, stable, and recyclable magnetic nanoparticle supported NHC palladium complexes, MNPs‐NHC‐Pd I‐II, which were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT‐IR), X‐ray diffraction (XRD), inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP‐OES), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The MNPs‐NHC‐Pd complexes exhibited high catalytic activity in the Suzuki–Miyaura cross‐coupling reaction of aryl bromides with arylboronic acids, as well as in the reduction of toxic 4‐nitrophenol (4‐NP) under mild conditions. The recycling experiment of MNPs‐NHC‐Pd I in the Suzuki–Miyaura cross‐coupling reaction between 4‐bromoanisole and phenylboronic acid showed that the yield of 4‐methoxybiphenyl remained high at 88% within 0.5 h at 60 °C, indicating that the catalytic activity was well maintained for at least 10 cycles.
Comparative study of the self‐assembly and thermal properties of six commercial sucrose esters
Authors: De Witte Fien , Van Bockstaele Filip , Dewettinck Koen
Published: August 2024

In this study six sucrose esters (SEs) with varying mono‐ester content, and thus varying hydrophilic‐to‐lipophilic balance (HLB) were studied. Wide‐ and small‐angle X‐ray scattering (WAXS and SAXS) was performed in order to unravel the nanoscale assembly of SEs. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) allowed to identify the melting and crystallization peaks of the different SEs, which could be attributed to the low and high esterified sugar molecules. Moreover, the results show clear differences in melting and crystallization behavior based on the type of fatty acid chains present. WAXS analysis unraveled a hexagonal subcell for all studied SEs. Despite some difficulty in identifying low intensity SAXS peaks, the analysis suggests a cubic structure for low HLB esters and a lamellar packing for high HLB esters. Medium HLB esters are hypothesized to contain a combination of the aforementioned structures.
Bioinspired nickel‐cysteine‐methoxy polyethylene glycol metallopolymer water solubility and electrochemical properties
Authors: Yang Xiyue , Dong Bowei , Zhang Jingmei , Wang Yongxiang
Published: August 2024

The exploitation of remarkable hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) catalysts that perform at rates comparable with that of platinum but utilize earth‐abundant metals in a green solvent (water) has garnered considerable interest. Inspired by enzymes, water‐soluble metallopolymers have recently emerged as highly promising HER catalysts, generally exhibiting high HER rates in aqueous solutions. However, challenges remain in the synthesis of metallopolymers and many artificial hydrogen evolution catalysts still rely on organic solvents. This study proposes incorporating water‐soluble methoxy polyethylene glycol at both ends of a nickel–cysteine metal complex through a classical esterification reaction. The resulting nickel metallopolymer demonstrates considerable water solubility (103.9 mg mL−1) under room temperature. Moreover, the stable metallopolymer exhibits an irreversible reduction peak between −0.6 and − 0.8 V, indicating HER activity in acidic and neutral environments. The excellent water solubility of this metallopolymer catalyst provides a basis for subsequent research and has practical applications in the field of HER catalysts.
Enhanced Cryogenic Thermoelectricity in Semimetal Ta2PdSe6 through Non‐Fermi Liquid‐Like Charge and Heat Transport
Authors: Kato Fumiaki , Maruoka Urara , Nakano Akitoshi , Manjo Taishun , Ishikawa Daisuke , Baron Alfred Q. R. , Yasui Yukio , Hasegawa Takumi , Terasaki Ichiro
Published: August 2024

The thermal properties of semimetal Ta2PdSe6 are studied, which exhibits a large thermoelectric power factor at low temperatures, by combining chemical substitution, transport measurements, and inelastic X‐ray scattering. A serious violation of the Wiedemann‐Franz law (WFL) is observed, which establishes the relationship between conductivity and thermal conductivity of metals. This violation leads to a thermal conductivity of Ta2PdSe6 lower than expected from the WFL and resistivity below 20 K, resulting in the highest figure of merit below 20 K among the p‐type thermoelectric materials thus far. Furthermore, electric and thermal resistivity show a non‐Fermi liquid‐like temperature dependence, indicating an exotic electronic state with an unconventional scattering process for heat and charge carriers. This study suggests that semimetals in the non‐Fermi liquid regime may be an intriguing platform, not only for fundamental physics but also for exploring novel thermoelectric materials tailored for low‐temperature applications.
Using social media and citizen science to assess cultural ecosystem services along riverine landscapes
Authors: da Silva Catarina , Pascoal Cláudia , Pace Giorgio , Vaz Ana Sofia , Carvalho‐Santos Cláudia
Published: August 2024

Rivers offer cultural ecosystem services (CES) that improve people's quality of life. Advancements in computing and data storage have primarily focused on terrestrial CES, neglecting riverine areas. This study aims to develop a methodology to assess CES in riverine landscapes from social media and citizen science images related to environmental information. We collected georeferenced pictures from Flickr and iNaturalist for three main test rivers in northwest Portugal (Minho, Lima and Cávado) and classified them based on content such as ‘biodiversity’, ‘recreation/river beaches’, ‘historical heritage’ and ‘landscape’, as well as environmental spatial variables. A multimodel inference approach was applied to predict the spatial distribution of the pictures and environmental variables to support CES mapping. The methodology was applied during two time periods, before and during the most restrictive period of the COVID‐19 pandemic. Results showed that estuaries were identified as ‘hotspots’ for CES related to rivers provision. There was distinct prevalence of pictures depending on the targeted river: pictures exhibiting ‘recreation/river beaches’ prevailed in Cávado (62%), ‘biodiversity’ in Lima (70%) and ‘historical heritage’ in Minho (39%). Only the values and patterns from the category ‘biodiversity’ were maintained on the two analysed periods, with the other categories not having posts in social media during COVID‐19 most restrictive period. The methodology for CES assessment in rivers can be replicated using different time periods and regions due to its simple stepwise framework. The study provides valuable insights for sociocultural approaches, aiding in decision‐making on freshwater environment management, despite potential limitations in image distribution.
Cardiac regeneration in goldfish (Carassius auratus) associated with increased expression of key extracellular matrix molecules
Authors: Webb Charles H. , Wang Yadong
Published: August 2024

Cardiac regeneration is a natural phenomenon that occurs in many species outside of humans. The goldfish (Carassius auratus) is an understudied model of cardiac wound response, despite its ubiquity as pets as well as its relationship to the better‐studied zebrafish. In this study, we examined the response of the goldfish heart to a resection injury. We found that by 70 days post‐injury, goldfish scarlessly heal cardiac wounds under a certain size, with local cardiomyocyte proliferation driving the restoration of the myocardial layer. We also found the upregulation of extracellular matrix components related to cardiac regeneration in the injury site. This upregulation correlated with the level of cardiomyocyte proliferation occurring in the injury site, indicating an association between the two that warrants further exploration.
Are disruptive papers more likely to impact technology and society?
Authors: Yang Alex J. , Yan Xiaohui , Hu Haotian , Hu Hanlin , Kong Jia , Deng Sanhong
Published: August 2024

In exploring the intersection of scholarly research with technological advancement and societal impact, our analysis delves into nearly 40 million research papers spanning from 1950 to 2020 across all fields of study in science. Our scrutiny reveals an intriguing phenomenon: papers characterized by a higher CD index, often considered transformative, paradoxically exhibit a diminished propensity to influence technological and societal domains. This observation suggests a latent bias against the CD index, prompting a deeper inquiry into its implications. To unravel this trend, we introduce the concept of “disruptive citation,” a nuanced metric gauging the absolute disruptive impact of papers. Notably, papers drawing higher disruptive citations exhibit a significantly higher probability to influence both technological and societal spheres. Upon examining the heterogeneity across years and fields, we identify a bias against the CD index predominantly in the last two decades and within STEM fields. However, the positive effects of disruptive impact remain consistent across all years and fields. Our findings remain robust even when employing alternative measures of disruptive impact and controlling for total citations. By shedding light on these dynamics, our study seeks to enrich discussions regarding the recognition and role of disruptive scientific endeavors in shaping our world.
Reduced spatial frequency differentiation and sex‐related specificities in fearful face detection in autism: Insights from EEG and the predictive brain model
Authors: Lacroix Adeline , Harquel Sylvain , Barbosa Leonardo S. , Kovarski Klara , Garrido Marta I. , Vercueil Laurent , Kauffmann Louise , Dutheil Frédéric , Gomot Marie , Mermillod Martial
Published: August 2024

Face processing relies on predictive processes driven by low spatial frequencies (LSF) that convey coarse information prior to fine information conveyed by high spatial frequencies. However, autistic individuals might have atypical predictive processes, contributing to facial processing difficulties. This may be more normalized in autistic females, who often exhibit better socio‐communicational abilities than males. We hypothesized that autistic females would display a more typical coarse‐to‐fine processing for socio‐emotional stimuli compared to autistic males. To test this hypothesis, we asked adult participants (44 autistic, 51 non‐autistic) to detect fearful faces among neutral faces, filtered in two orders: from coarse‐to‐fine (CtF) and from fine‐to‐coarse (FtC). Results show lower d’ values and longer reaction times for fearful detection in autism compared to non‐autistic (NA) individuals, regardless of the filtering order. Both groups presented shorter P100 latency after CtF compared to FtC, and larger amplitude for N170 after FtC compared to CtF. However, autistic participants presented a reduced difference in source activity between CtF and FtC in the fusiform. There was also a more spatially spread activation pattern in autistic females compared to NA females. Finally, females had faster P100 and N170 latencies, as well as larger occipital activation for FtC sequences than males, irrespective of the group. Overall, the results do not suggest impaired predictive processes from LSF in autism despite behavioral differences in fear detection. However, they do indicate reduced brain modulation by spatial frequency in autism. In addition, the findings highlight sex differences that warrant consideration in understanding autistic females.
Plastic water supply connectors: Leaching, hydrocarbon contamination, and decontamination
Authors: Isaacson Kristofer P. , Le Halley , Verma Akshat , Youngblood Jeffrey P. , Shah Amisha D. , Whelton Andrew J.
Published: August 2024

Disasters can prompt hydrocarbon contaminants to reach building water systems, and ultimately customer fixtures. Here, seven water supply connectors (e.g., ice‐maker lines, faucet connectors, washing machine hoses) were exposed to contaminated water, and were subsequently decontaminated by water flushing. After a 24 h contamination period, water samples were collected after three consecutive 72 h exposure periods. Samples were characterized for volatile organic compound, semi‐volatile organic compound, and total organic carbon concentrations. New, uncontaminated, PVC tubing leached phenol at concentrations that exceeded the health advisory. All materials sorbed more than 90% of hydrocarbon contaminants during the initial exposure period. All materials then released the contaminants into the water during decontamination, at times above health‐based limits. The majority of sorbed mass remained in the plastics at the end of the decontamination effort, indicating the products posed continued leaching risks. Public health guidance considerations and research needs were identified.
Consumer agency in sustainable consumption behaviour and environmentally imposed constraints: A multi‐level approach
Authors: Gordon‐Wilson Sianne , Godefroit‐Winkel Delphine
Published: August 2024

This research draws on social cognitive theory (SCT) with a view to understanding how consumers develop (un)sustainable consumption behaviours under environmentally imposed constraints, such as lockdown. Whilst most research on sustainable behaviours has focussed on selected and constructed environmental constraints, this research uncovers consumer behaviours in imposed environments. The study uses a two‐stage qualitative methodology. Stage 1 consists of 10 in‐depth interviews, which helped to achieve richer data collection among 42 people completing structured interviews in Stage 2. By using a bottom‐up approach, this study shows (1) how consumers develop agency in sustainable consumption, (2) how changes at a micro level induce consequences at the meso and macro level, and (3) how three distinct logics (finance, health and sustainability) shape consumer behaviours under environmentally imposed constraints. Recommendations are provided to retailers and government to foster sustainable consumption and agency during times of environmentally imposed constraints.
CRH upregulates supervillin through ERK and AKT pathways to promote bladder cancer cell migration
Authors: Mao Rongchen , Zhou Feier , Hong Yali , Li Yongqi , Zhu Chao , Jin Lai , Li Shengnan
Published: August 2024

Corticotropin‐releasing hormone (CRH) has been well documented playing a role in the regulation of cellular processes, immune responses, and inflammatory processes that can influence the occurrence and development of tumors. Supervillin (SVIL) is a membrane‐associated and actin‐binding protein, which is actively involved in the proliferation, spread, and migration of cancer cells. This work investigated CRH's influence on bladder cancer cells' migration and relevant mechanisms. By using human bladder cancer cells T24 and RT4 in wound healing experiments and transwell assay, we found that the migration ability of the T24 cells was significantly increased after CRH treatment. In vivo experiments showed that CRH significantly promoted the metastases of T24 cells in cell line‐derived xenograft (CDX) mouse model. Interestingly, downregulation of SVIL by SVIL‐specifc small hairpin RNAs significantly reduced the promoting effect of CRH on bladder cancer cell migration. Furthermore, CRH significantly increased SVIL messenger RNA and protein expression in T24 cells, accompanied with AKT and ERK phosphorylation in T24 cells. Pretreatment with AKT inhibitor (MK2206) blocked the CRH‐induced SVIL expression and ERK phosphorylation. Also, inhibition of ERK signaling pathway by U0126 significantly reduced the CRH‐induced SVIL expression and AKT phosphorylation. It suggested that cross‐talking between AKT and ERK pathways was involved in the effect of CRH on SVIL. Taken together, we demonstrated that CRH induced migration of bladder cancer cells, in which AKT and ERK pathways ‐SVIL played a key role.
The MCR‐ALS Trilinearity Constraint for Data With Missing Values
Authors: Gómez‐Sánchez Adrián , Vitale Raffaele , Loza‐Alvarez Pablo , Ruckebusch Cyril , de Juan Anna
Published: August 2024

Trilinearity is a property of some chemical data that leads to unique decompositions when curve resolution or multiway decomposition methods are used. Curve resolution algorithms, such as Multivariate Curve Resolution–Alternating Least Squares (MCR‐ALS), can provide trilinear models by implementing the trilinearity condition as a constraint. However, some trilinear analytical measurements, such as excitation–emission matrix (EEM) measurements, usually exhibit systematic patterns of missing data due to the nature of the technique, which imply a challenge to the classical implementation of the trilinearity constraint. In this instance, extrapolation or imputation methodologies may not provide optimal results. Recently, a novel algorithmic strategy to constrain trilinearity in MCR‐ALS in the presence of missing data was developed. This strategy relies on the sequential imposition of a classical trilinearity restriction on different submatrices of the original investigated dataset, but, although effective, was found to be particularly slow and requires a proper submatrix selection criterion. In this paper, a much simpler implementation of the trilinearity constraint in MCR‐ALS capable of handling systematic patterns of missing data and based on the principles of the Nonlinear Iterative Partial Least Squares (NIPALS) algorithm is proposed. This novel approach preserves the trilinearity of the retrieved component profiles without requiring data imputation or subset selection steps and, as with all other constraints designed for MCR‐ALS, offers the flexibility to be applied component‐wise or data block‐wise, providing hybrid bilinear/trilinear models. Furthermore, it can be easily extended to cope with any trilinear or higher‐order dataset with whatever pattern of missing values.
Organoboron Polymorphs with Different Molecular Packing Modes for Optical Waveguides
Authors: Zhao Tingting , A Suru , Ma Yurong , Wang Nan , Liu Fangbin , Su Zhongmin
Published: August 2024

Organoboron compounds offer a new strategy to design optoelectronic materials with high fluorescence efficiency. In this paper, the organoboron compound B‐BNBP with double B←N bridged bipyridine bearing four fluorine atoms as core unit is facilely synthesized and exhibits a narrowband emission spectrum and a high photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) of 86.53 % in solution. Its polymorphic crystals were controllable prepared by different solution self‐assembly methods. Two microcrystals possess different molecular packing modes, one‐dimensional microstrips (1D‐MSs) for H‐aggregation and two‐dimensional microdisks (2D‐MDs) for J‐aggregation, owing to abundant intermolecular interactions of four fluorine atoms sticking out conjugated plane. Their structure‐property relationships were investigated by crystallographic analysis and theoretical calculation. Strong emission spectra with the full width at half maximum (FWHM) of less than 30 nm can also be observed in thin film and 2D‐MDs. 1D‐MSs possess thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) property and exhibit superior optical waveguide performance with an optical loss of 0.061 dB/μm. This work enriches the diversity of polymorphic microcrystals and further reveals the structure‐property relationship in organoboron micro/nano‐crystals.
Adhesion Forces at High Temperatures – An Atomic Force Microscopy Study Using Two Particle Systems
Authors: Ditscherlein Lisa , Peuker Urs Alexander
Published: August 2024

Adhesive forces of micrometer‐sized alumina (Al2O3) and polystyrene (PS) particles are investigated under elevated temperatures using a high‐temperature atomic force microscope, where the smooth contact partner is heated. In the case of Al2O3 particles, only van der Waals interactions occur. The adhesive forces between PS particles and heated contact surface increase strongly starting from the glass transition temperature. An initial flattening of the particles up to melting at the contact point was detected. The adhesion forces can be described by means of a semi‐empirical equation.
Herausforderungen für eine nachhaltigere Chemieindustrie
Authors: Schappel Jörg
Published: August 2024

Angesichts globaler Herausforderungen wie dem Klimawandel und der Notwendigkeit, die Kohlenstoffintensität zu verringern, hat sich die Fokussierung auf den gesamten Lebenszyklus der Produkte als unverzichtbar erwiesen. Die Lebenszyklusanalyse (LCA) ist dabei zugleich ein Instrument zur Bewertung und eine grundlegende Voraussetzung für alle Überlegungen im Bereich Carbon Capture and Utilization (CCU). Kohlendioxid als Rohstoff weiterzuverwenden, heißt, den CO2‐Fußabdruck zu optimieren und einen nachhaltigen Wandel voranzutreiben.
Effect of annulus ratio on the residence time distribution and Péclet number in micro/milli‐scale reactors
Authors: Yang Ning , Xiao Zundong , Liu Hanyang , Jiang Junan , Liu Fei , Yang Xiaoxia , Wang Rijie
Published: August 2024

Micro/milli‐scale annular reactor with straight and helical forms has excellent heat and mass transfer performance due to the short molecular diffusion distance and dual‐wall surface transport. The annular gap spacing is scalable by adjusting the inner and outer tube diameter. The influence of diffusion and convection effects on axial dispersion as expanding the flow scale requires further elucidation with the help of residence time distribution (RTD) curves and Péclet (Pe) numbers. The correlation of RTD characteristics with annulus ratio γ = Dh/D (ratio of annulus characteristic size to outer diameter) is investigated using computational fluid dynamics. Results show that with enlarging the straight annular gap from micro‐scale to milli‐scale, RTD characteristics exhibit opposing patterns. This can be attributed to the transition from diffusion‐dominated to convection‐dominated on momentum transfer, and the transition interval is 0.167 < γ < 0.250. Correlation equations of Pe number with Reynolds (Re) number and γ are established under diffusion‐dominated and convection‐dominated states. The symmetrically distributed secondary flow in the helical annular gap effectively elevates the Pe (Pemax > 100). Correlation equations of Pe with Re and γ are established in helical annular gaps with 0.083 < γ < 0.208 and 0.167 < γ < 0.500. The above results contribute to understanding the annular flow RTD characteristics for better applications of tube‐in‐tube reactors.
Incubation of Amyloidogenic Peptides in Reverse Micelles Allow Active Control of Oligomer Size and Study of Protein–Protein Interactions
Authors: Chang Han‐Wen , Yang Chien‐I , Chan Jerry Chun Chung
Published: August 2024

Studies of the structure and dynamics of oligomeric aggregates of amyloidogenic peptides pose challenges due to their transient nature. This concept article provides a brief overview of various nucleation mechanisms with reference to the classical nucleation theory and illustrates the advantages of incubating amyloidogenic peptides in reverse micelles (RMs). The use of RMs not only facilitates size regulation of oligomeric aggregates but also provides an avenue to explore protein‐protein interactions among the oligomeric aggregates of various amyloidogenic peptides. Additionally, we envision the feasibility of preparing brain tissue‐derived oligomeric aggregates using RMs, potentially advancing the development of monoclonal antibodies with enhanced potency against these pathological species in vivo.
Low noise, temperature‐compensated, electrochemical cell sigma–delta current measurement readout circuit
Authors: Tahani Pegah , Habibi Mehdi , Magierowski Sebastian
Published: August 2024

Nanopore ion channels are a promising solution for certain molecular structure analyses. Large arrays of nanopore channels and their associated readout circuits are used in many molecular studies such as DNA sequencing. Readout circuits must meet challenging performance criteria such as low noise operation, low power consumption, in‐channel digitization capability, and high linearity. Previously, sigma–delta modulators have been presented to address these criteria; however, their specifications show drifts with temperature. In this paper, an approach is presented to keep modulator performance constant with temperature variations. For this purpose, the sigma–delta modulator's feedforward and feedback branches are modified so that their gain coefficient remains constant over a certain temperature range. With large sensors arrays, solutions employing high bias currents in the feedback paths are not suitable due to power consumption limitations. Here, the design gives the possibility of switching low current levels in the feedback paths without affecting the ENOB. The proposed temperature compensation solution shows good performance when temperature is swept from 27°C to 100°C. Over the mentioned temperature range, the gain and bandwidth of the modulator show a change of less than 0.4%. It is further shown that for a 10 kHz input current signal with an amplitude of 600 pA, the ENOB and power consumption are 12.9 and 4.6 mW, respectively.
NOMA‐based precoded quadrature spatial modulation in multiuser MIMO downlink transmission over correlated channel
Authors: Pratap Singh Shekhar , Mohan Pradhan Pyari
Published: August 2024

In this paper, a non‐orthogonal multiple access (NOMA)‐based precoded quadrature spatial modulation (PQSM) technique (NOMA‐PQSM) has been proposed for the downlink scenario. In NOMA‐PQSM, two intended receiving antennas are activated at any time instant. One antenna is activated for the in‐phase component of the transmitted signal, and another one is activated for the quadrature phase component, on the basis of data bits. NOMA‐PQSM provides benefits like improved spatial diversity and spectral efficiency in comparison with spatial modulation. This work uses zero forcing (ZF) precoding over downlink flat fading Rayleigh multiple input multiple output (MIMO) channels, to limit the channel's deteriorating effect on transmitted signal, assuming perfect channel state information (CSI) at the transmitter. A low complexity receiver based on the successive interference cancellation is used. An expression for the upper bound of average bit error probability is derived. Moreover, the expressions for the sum mutual information of users and its lower bound are also derived. The proposed scheme is compared with the preprocessing aided spatial modulation (PSM)‐based counterpart. Monte Carlo simulations reveal that the NOMA‐PQSM scheme outperforms its orthogonal counterpart and the PSM scheme.
Within‐population variation in an invasive fish’ sociability when associating with conspecifics or heterospecifics
Authors: Camacho‐Cervantes Morelia , Ojanguren Alfredo F.
Published: August 2024

Behavioural traits are key to promote invasion success because they are easier to adjust to changing environmental conditions than morphological or life history traits. Often, research has overlooked variance in behavioural traits within populations or has assumed it to be mere noise. However, a recent focus towards individual variation of behaviour of successful invaders has revealed new and more profound insights into the invasion process. Behavioural variation within a population could lead to more successful invasions, as they include individuals with diverse behaviours, which ensures at least some individuals could be able to cope with changing conditions. The aim of this research was to examine if invasive guppies (Poecilia reticulata) present within‐population differences in their sociability (time spent associating with a shoal) when interacting with conspecifics or heterospecifics. Guppies presented significant differences in their individual tendencies to associate with conspecific or heterospecific shoals. There were among‐individual differences in the time spent shoaling with conspecifics versus heterospecifics, where most individuals did not differ in their sociability with conspecifics or heterospecifics, and only 22% of individuals presented a higher tendency to associate with conspecifics. Our results are the first to show individual differences in fish’ tendencies to associate with heterospecifics among individuals of the same population and rearing conditions. Given that associations with heterospecific natives have been found to be as beneficial as associations with conspecifics for invaders, our results contribute to the understanding of mechanisms behind heterospecific sociability between natives and invaders.
Dynamic Cation Intercalation Facilitating Chemical Oxidation of Water and Surface Stabilization During the Oxygen Evolution Reaction
Authors: Zeng Huiyan , Liu Zhongfei , Qi Jun , Chen Jiajun , Zeng Yanquan , Yang Chengyan , Li Zhenzhong , Wang Chao , Gu Long , Zhang Yan , Shu Miao , Yang Chunzhen
Published: August 2024

A comprehensive understanding of the dynamic processes at the catalyst/electrolyte interfaces is crucial for the development of advanced electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). However, the chemical processes related to surface corrosion and catalyst degradation have not been well understood so far. In this study, we employ LiCoO2 as a model catalyst and observe distinct OER activities and surface stabilities in different alkaline solutions. Operando X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and online mass spectroscopy (OMS) measurements prove the selective intercalation of alkali cations into the layered structure of LiCoO2 during OER. It is proposed that the dynamic cation intercalations facilitate the chemical oxidation process between highly oxidative Co species and adsorbed water molecules, triggering the so‐called electrochemical‐chemical reaction mechanism (EC‐mechanism). The results of this study emphasize the influence of cations on OER and provide insights into new strategies for achieving both high activity and stability in high‐performance OER catalysts.
Clonal haematopoiesis is associated with major adverse cardiovascular events in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
Authors: Scolari Fernando L. , Brahmbhatt Darshan , Abelson Sagi , Lee Deacon , Kim Raymond H. , Pedarzadeh Ali , Sakhnini Ali , Adler Arnon , Chan Raymond H. , Dick John E. , Rakowski Harry , Billia Filio
Published: August 2024

Aims

The heterogeneous phenotype of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is still not fully understood. Clonal haematopoiesis (CH) is emerging as a cardiovascular risk factor potentially associated with adverse clinical events. The prevalence, phenotype and outcomes related to CH in HCM patients were evaluated.

Methods and results

Patients with HCM and available biospecimens from the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre Cardiovascular Biobank were subjected to targeted sequencing for 35 myeloid genes associated with CH. CH prevalence, clinical characteristics, morphological phenotypes assessed by echocardiogram and cardiac magnetic resonance and outcomes were assessed. All patients were evaluated for a 71‐plex cytokines/chemokines, troponin I and B‐type natriuretic peptide analysis. Major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) were defined as appropriate implantable cardioverter‐defibrillator shock, stroke, cardiac arrest, orthotopic heart transplant and death. Among the 799 patients, CH was found in 183 (22.9%) HCM patients with sarcomeric germline mutations. HCM patients with CH were more symptomatic and with a higher burden of fibrosis than those without CH. CH was associated with MACE in those HCM patients with sarcomeric germline mutations (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 6.89, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.78–26.6; p = 0.005), with the highest risk among those that had DNMT3A, TET2 and ASXL1 mutations (adjusted HR 5.76, 95% CI 1.51–21.94; p = 0.010). Several cytokines (IL‐1ra, IL‐6, IL‐17F, TGFα, CCL21, CCL1, CCL8, and CCL17), and troponin I were upregulated in gene‐positive HCM patients with CH.

Conclusions

These results indicate that CH in patients with HCM is associated with worse clinical outcomes. In the absence of CH, gene‐positive patients with HCM have lower rates of MACE.
Polyaniline‐based synergetic electrocatalysts for CO2 reduction reaction: A review
Authors: Yesudas K Yashly , Buvaneswari Gopal , Senthil Kumar Annamalai
Published: August 2024

The increasing impact of industrialization on climate change, primarily due to the emission of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide (CO2), underscores the urgent need for effective strategies for CO2 fixation and utilization. Electrochemical CO2 reduction holds promise in this regard, owing to its scalability, energy efficiency, selectivity, and operability under ambient conditions. However, the activation of CO2 requires suitable electrocatalysts to lower energy barriers. Various electrocatalysts, including metal‐based systems and conducting polymers like polyaniline (PANi), have been identified to effectively lower this barrier and enhance CO2 reduction efficiency via synergistic mechanisms. PANi is particularly notable for its versatile interaction with CO2, cost‐effectiveness, stability, and tunable properties, making it an excellent catalyst option for CO2 reduction reactions (CO2RR). Recent advancements in research focus on enhancing PANi conductivity and facilitating electron transfer through metal and metal oxide doping. Leveraging PANi's π–π electron stabilization ensures high conductivity and stability, rendering it suitable for real‐time applications. Strategic dopant selection and optimization of Lewis acid‐base interactions are crucial for selective CO2‐to‐hydrocarbon conversion. Tailored electrode modifications, especially metal/metal oxide‐loaded PANi electrodes, outperform conventional approaches, underscoring the importance of catalyst design in advancing CO2 electroreduction technologies. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of the systematic methodology involved in preparing PANi‐modified electrodes and explores the enhancements achieved through the incorporation of metals and metal oxides onto PANi‐modified electrodes. It highlights the superior efficiency and selectivity of CO2RR facilitated by these modified electrodes through profound synergistic approach compared to conventional metal electrodes such as platinum.
A simulation approach in analyzing performance of fly ash nanofluid for optimizing battery thermal management system used in EVs
Authors: Thorat Prajwal , Sanap Sudarshan , Gawade Shashank , Patil Sateesh
Published: August 2024

Electric vehicles (EVs) are a fundamental paradigm shift in the automotive industry, driven by the desire to achieve sustainable mobility, ameliorate climate change, and cut greenhouse gas emissions. Electric vehicle (EV) technology has advanced significantly in recent years, with improvements in battery efficiency, range, and charging infrastructure among them. Lithium‐ion battery technology has evolved tremendously, boosting energy density and cutting costs as the primary energy storage option for electric vehicles. The advancement of fast‐charging stations and smart grid integration, which have significantly resolved concerns with convenience and charging time, has also fostered a wider acceptance of EVs. Nonetheless, the operating temperature range of the lithium‐ion cells currently in use is 15°C‐35°C. The vehicle's range and battery performance can be impacted by temperatures above or below. For efficient cooling and to keep the cells within the operational temperature range, a suitable Battery Thermal Management System (BTMS) must be implemented. The utilization of fly ash nanoparticles dispersed in water‐ethylene glycol base fluid as coolant in indirect liquid cooling systems is the main topic of the current work. For 14 LFP cylindrical cells with a 2S7P configuration and a serpentine cooling channel between the cells, an ANSYS FLUENT model has been created. The goal of the current study is to comprehend the rise in temperature at the outlet for various flow velocities by using fly ash nanofluid with 5% particle concentration as cooling. When the fluid flow rate was 0.1 m/s, the cooling performance was better, resulting in an outlet temperature rise of 311.976 K and a 4% temperature rise above the 300 K inlet fluid flow temperature. Indicating efficient cooling at lower fluid flow velocities, the percentage difference between the rise in temperature of the fluid's outflow at 0.1 and 3 m/s is 3.07%. Compared to the current coolant, ethylene glycol, the average increase in temperature difference (∆T)% is between 0.9% and 1.2% using fly ash nanofluid. Thus, the use of Fly ash as a nanofluid in battery cooling applications will certainly help to reduce the temperature of the battery pack and can provide a sustainable solution leading to lesser degradation of the environment.
COVID‐19 vaccination in low and middle‐income countries: Creating a sustainable roadmap for promoting public health intervention
Authors: Oladapo Rasaq Kayode , Obidiro Onyinyechi Patience , Oyetola Afeez Babatunde , Olajide Adekunle , Oladapo Mariam Olaitan , Lawrence Usen Stephanie , Hasan Mohammed Mehedi , Islam Zarmina , Mustapha Abdulhafeez Ayodele , Osuagwu‐Nwogu Eze , Ghazanfar Shamas , Olaleye Modinat Aderonke , Monisola Igbalajobi , Ibraheem Bakare , Afolayan Abiola Abidemi , Barakat Akinrinde , Adewole Mary Omotola
Published: August 2024

The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic is a global public health threat ravaging the health systems. In low and middle‐income countries (LMICs), COVID‐19 and several other challenges concurrently worsen the health outcome indicators. Interestingly, vaccines have been identified as the most reliable and cost‐effective public health intervention, and the governments in LMICs have instituted an array of plans to ensure every eligible person gets vaccinated. However, there is still considerable apathy around the use of the available COVID‐19 vaccines in LMICs which is impeding the fight against the COVID‐19 pandemic. In this paper, we explore the multiple interrelated factors behind low COVID‐19 vaccination coverage in LMICs. It is therefore recommended that the governments in LMICs embrace multicomponent and wide‐ranging strategies. This should involve utilising community‐based approaches such as community pharmacy‐led vaccination to promote community access to COVID‐19 vaccines and to revive trust in national health authorities by offering population‐specific, target‐driven, transparent, and timely communication to the community who they serve about the safety and efficacy of the COVID‐19 vaccine. Communication strategies should be tailored to reflect diverse political orientations as this can enhance vaccine acceptance. Additionally, local political parties and representative should be engaged in broad alliances to facilitate community mobilisation and support for vaccination campaigns. Also, relevant Nongovernmental Organisations and Community‐based Organisations should institute programs at the grassroots that incorporate the gatekeepers to the community aimed at influencing population behaviour regarding COVID‐19 vaccine hesitancy. Besides, the public health department in the ministry of health in LMICs should create more awareness, through social and mass media, particularly in the rural, semi‐urban, and slum communities about the pivotal role of vaccination. Thus, we opined that these strategies will help LMICs achieve the COVID‐19 vaccination target and further reposition the healthcare systems, and promote other public health interventions now and in the future.
Tobacco control policies and the multidimensional context of tobacco use by gender: The case of Türkiye
Authors: Caglayan‐Akay Ebru , Ertok‐Onurlu Merve , Komuryakan Fulden
Published: August 2024

Objective

This study aims to determine the indicators of tobacco use in Türkiye within a multidimensional context as socio‐demographic, physical, behavioural, and psychological as a response to the tobacco control policies.

Methods

The Turkish Health Survey data in 2014 and 2019 are employed within a probit model approach and the differences in tobacco are decomposed use by gender in order to reveal the gender differences. The samples in 2014 (total n = 19,129; males = 8 721, females = 10,408) and 2019 (total n = 17,084; males = 7 784, females = 9300) were restricted to 15‐year‐old and above.

Results

The findings indicate that being in the 30–49 age cohort, having lower education, and being married increase the likelihood of tobacco use. Future policies and campaigns should specifically target the single, pre‐obese, employed males who consume alcohol. For females, the gender‐specific policies should aim to reduce the prevalence of smoking, especially among separated or widows, obese, and out of the labour force. The contribution of mental health indicators on tobacco use has declined over the 5 years, which could be a result of the supportive free health services in Türkiye. The findings provide evidence for a significant and increasing gender difference in tobacco use in Türkiye along with reporting that the most significant contributors to gender differences in tobacco use are alcohol consumption and education level.

Conclusion

Even though the Ministry of Health and the government have been implementing anti‐tobacco policies, legislations, and campaigns for years, the tobacco use prevalence has remained high and even increased in Türkiye.