bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Genomic, climatic, and cultural diversity of maize landraces from the Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan
Authors: Tamang Asta , Macharia Mercy Wairimu , Caproni Leonardo , Miculan Mara , Mager Svenja , Ahmed Jemal Seid , Yangzome Tashi , Pe Mario Enrico , Dell'Acqua Matteo
Published: May 2024

Societal Impact Statement

Bhutan is an ancient kingdom in the Himalayan range and one of the most rugged, geodiverse, and mountainous agricultural countries in the world. Historically secluded and geographically isolated, Bhutan is a hotspot for Himalayan agrobiodiversity where small‐scale agriculture supports the livelihoods of a large share of the resident population. Here, Bhutanese maize agrobiodiversity is explored to unlock its adaptation potential using genomics and participatory variety selection in combination with climate research. We show that Bhutanese traditional farmers maintain a wealth of diversity that may support the sustainable intensification of maize cropping in the Himalayas and beyond.

Bhutan, an ancient kingdom enshrouded in the Himalayas, hosts largely untapped agrobiodiversity that may harness genetic variation useful for adaptation to local climates and user needs.

Here, we genotyped‐by‐sequencing 351 pooled samples of local maize (Zea mays L.) landraces, the entire collection of the Bhutan National Gene Bank, comparing their genomic diversity with maize from other countries in the Himalayan range. We reconstructed the adaptation of Bhutanese maize to historical and projected climates, identifying areas of future maladaptation. We then run a common garden experiment involving local smallholder farmers in a participatory evaluation of landraces' performance, aiming at the identification of quantitative trait nucleotides (QTNs) contributing to adaptation, performance, and farmers' choice.

We found that Bhutanese maize agrobiodiversity is unique in the Himalayan range, and a locus on Chromosome 5 supports the differentiation of three distinct genetic clusters. We found that a portion of current genomic diversity can be associated with the Bhutanese landscape and that maize cultivation in the southwest of the country may be negatively impacted by projected climates. We also found that Bhutanese maize agrobiodiversity is large and may contribute to adaptation and improvement. A genome‐wide association study identified 117 QTNs for climatic adaptation, agronomic performance, and farmers' preferences.

Our results show that Bhutanese maize landraces are a unique source of genetic agrobiodiversity for local adaptation. We found that the integration of genomics, climate science, and participatory methods can speed up the identification of genetic factors contributing to the sustainable intensification of maize cultivation in the Himalayas and beyond.
Validation of the Spanish version of the Pediatric Asthma Severity Score (PASS) in a population of Hispanic children
Authors: Chaparro‐Reyes Camila Alejandra , Fajardo‐Quevedo Laura del Carmen , Restrepo‐Gualteros Sonia M. , Sossa‐Briceño Monica P. , Rodríguez‐Martínez Carlos E.
Published: May 2024

Background

The Pediatric Asthma Severity Score (PASS) is one of the most‐used clinical scoring systems for assessing the severity of asthma exacerbations in children. The aim of the present study was to validate a Spanish version of the PASS in a population of Hispanic children with asthma exacerbations living in urban Bogota, Colombia.

Methods

In a prospective cohort and a validation study, parents/caregivers of children between 2 and 18 years old attended in the emergency department (ED) with asthma exacerbations who were admitted to the inpatient unit were invited to participate in the study. During the hospitalization period, we gathered the necessary data for assessing the criterion validity (comparing its score with the Pediatric Respiratory Assessment Measure [PRAM]), construct validity, interrater reliability, responsiveness, and internal consistency of the Col‐PASS, the Colombian version of the PASS.

Results

At baseline, the scores of the Col‐PASS correlated positively with the scores of the PRAM score (ρ = 0.588, p < .001). The baseline Col‐PASS scores in patients who required admission to a more complex service were significantly higher than those in patients who presented clinical improvement (1.0 (0.0–2.0) vs. 0.0 (0.0–0.0), p < .001). The interrater reliability was found to be κ = 0.897, 95% CI 0.699–1.000, p < .001. Cronbach's α was .701 for the questionnaire as a whole.

Conclusion

The Col‐PASS has excellent construct validity, adequate criterion validity, interrater reliability, responsiveness; and acceptable internal consistency when used in children between 2 and 18 years old with asthma exacerbations.
Alexithymia in primary ciliary dyskinesia
Authors: Çağlar Hanife Tuğçe , Pekcan Sevgi , Erden Semih , Ünal Gökçen , Yılmaz Aslı İmran , Ercan Fatih , Savaş Suat , Ayman Fatma Nur , İstanbullu Hasan Arif
Published: May 2024

Objective

Recent evidence suggests that alexithymic deficits in emotional processing may also affect physical health, and alexithymia may also be associated with organic disorders. The emotional well‐being of patients with primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) is often negatively affected by uncertainty about the prognosis, lack of ongoing medical care, and lack of symptom control. This study aims to evaluate the frequency of alexithymia and its possible impact on the management of childhood PCD.

Materials and Methods

Subjects were recruited from patients with PCD and healthy volunteers aged 8–18 years. The questionnaire included sociodemographic characteristics and self‐report scales. Data were compared between patient and control groups.

Results

In the >14 years of age group, the total Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS‐20) score was significantly higher in the patients (56.60 ± 13.01) compared to the control group (46.47 ± 7.50) (p = .007). There were 6 (30) patients with a TAS‐20 score ≥61. There was a significant correlation between TAS‐20 and Pediatric Quality of Life (PedsQL) score (child), but no correlation between TAS‐20 and Kovacs Children Depression Inventory (CDI) and PedsQL score (parents). The TAS‐20 score was significantly higher in patients with bronchiectasis (p = .035), nasal polyps (p = .045), and siblings with PCD (p = .001). Furthermore, the TAS‐20 score had a significant negative correlation with pulmonary function tests.

Conclusion

Although this study is based on limited data from a single center and cannot be generalized to all PCD patient communities, our results show that PCD patients are more likely to have alexithymia compared to healthy controls and highlight the need to evaluate for alexithymia in patients with PCD. It is important for pediatric pulmonologists to have a thorough knowledge of the alexithymic features associated with PCD and to refer patients to pediatric psychiatry when necessary, especially in patients who are noncompliant with treatment protocols.
Recommendation of mavacamten posology by model‐based analyses in adults with obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
Authors: Merali Samira , Salinger David H. , Palmisano Maria , Sehnert Amy J. , Thanneer Neelima , Back Hyunmoon , Seroogy Julie D. , Gretler Daniel D. , Roy Amit , Perera Vidya
Published: May 2024

Mavacamten is the first cardiac myosin inhibitor approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of adults with symptomatic obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). The phase III EXPLORER‐HCM (NCT03470545) study used a dose‐titration scheme based on mavacamten exposure and echocardiographic assessment of Valsalva left ventricular outflow tract gradient (VLVOTg) and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). Using population pharmacokinetic/exposure‐response modeling and simulations of virtual patients, this in silico study evaluated alternative dose‐titration regimens for mavacamten, including regimens that were guided by echocardiographic measures only. Mavacamten exposure‐response models for VLVOTg (efficacy) and LVEF (safety) were developed using patient data from five clinical studies and characterized using nonlinear mixed‐effects models. Simulations of five echocardiography‐guided regimens were performed in virtual cohorts constructed based on either expected or equal population distributions of cytochrome P450 2C19 (CYP2C19) metabolizer phenotypes. Each regimen aimed to maximize the proportions of patients who achieved a VLVOTg below 30 mm Hg while maintaining LVEF above 50% over 40 weeks and 104 weeks, respectively. The exposure‐response models successfully characterized mavacamten efficacy and safety parameters. Overall, the simulated regimen with the optimal benefit–risk profile across CYP2C19 phenotypes had steps for down‐titration at weeks 4 and 8 (for VLVOTg <20 mm Hg), and up‐titration at week 12 (for VLVOTg ≥30 mm Hg and LVEF ≥55%), and every 12 weeks thereafter. This simulation‐optimized regimen is recommended in the mavacamten US prescribing information.
Pomegranate polyphenol punicalin ameliorates lipopolysaccharide‐induced memory impairment, behavioral disorders, oxidative stress, and neuroinflammation via inhibition of TLR4‐NF‐кB pathway
Authors: Chen Peng , Guo Zhilei , Lei Jiexin , Wang Yulai
Published: May 2024

Neuroinflammation may play an important role in the development of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Previous studies have reported that lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‐induced neuroinflammation causes memory impairments and behavioral disorders. We investigated the potential preventive effects of punicalin (PUN), a polyphenolic component of pomegranate, on LPS‐induced memory deficiency and anxiety‐ and depression‐like behaviors, along with the underlying mechanisms. LPS‐treated cultured microglial BV2 cells and BV2 cell/Neuro‐2a (N2a) cell coculture system were investigated for anti‐neuroinflammatory effects of PUN in vitro. The in vivo experiments involved mice administered a 4‐week course of oral gavage with 1500 mg/kg/d PUN before intraperitoneal LPS (250 mg/kg daily 7 times) injections. The in vitro results demonstrated that PUN inhibited the LPS‐induced inflammatory cytokine (IL‐18, IL‐1β, TNF‐ɑ, and IL‐6) production in BV2 cells and protected N2a cells from synaptic damage mediated by BV2 microglia‐induced neuroinflammation. In in vivo studies, it was observed that PUN improved memory impairment and anxiety‐ and depression‐like behaviors caused by LPS and reduced the expression of inflammatory proteins such as iNOS, COX‐2, IL‐1β, IL‐2, IL‐6, and TNF‐α. Furthermore, PUN inhibited the LPS‐induced production of MDA; increased the activities of CAT, SOD, and GSH‐Px, and inhibited LPS‐induced Aβ1−42 generation through down‐regulation of APP and BACE1 expression. Moreover, PUN also suppressed the expression of TLR4, IRAK4, TRAF6, IKK‐β, NF‐κB, p65, and HMGB1 in LPS‐treated mouse brain and cultured microglial BV‐2 cells. These results suggest that PUN inhibits LPS‐induced memory impairment via anti‐inflammatory and anti‐amylogenic mechanisms through inhibition of TLR4‐NF‐kB activation.
Scutellarein alleviates osteoarthritis progression through the PI3K/Akt/NF‐kappaB signaling pathway: In vitro and in vivo studies
Authors: Ye Ziyang , Ge Zhihan , Yang Shu , Hu Ting , Ye Qiong , Chen Hui
Published: May 2024

Osteoarthritis (OA), a joint disease that is associated with inflammatory processes is involved in joint destruction. Scutellarein (Scu), a component of the medicinal herbs Scutellaria barbata D. Don and Erigeron breviscapus (vant) Hand Mass, has anti‐inflammatory effects. We explored the role of Scu in the development of OA and the underlying mechanisms. CCK‐8 assays, Calcein‐AM/PI and EdU staining were used to determine chondrocyte viability after Scu exposure. Western blot, qPCR, as well as ELISA were utilized to measure extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation and inflammation. Immunofluorescence (IF), western blot and luciferase assays were used to examine the NF‐kappaB (NF‐κB) pathway. Scu interacting proteins were predicted using network pharmacology analysis and molecular docking. X‐ray, H&E, Safranin O‐Fast Green(S‐O), toluidine blue, and immunohistochemistry analysis were used to examine the therapeutic effects of Scu in OA using destabilization of medial meniscus (DMM) models. Scu demonstrated inhibitory effects on ECM degradation and pro‐inflammatory factor levels in chondrocytes treated with IL‐1β. Mechanistically, Scu inhibited the IL‐1β‐induced activation of the PI3K/Akt/ NF‐κB signaling pathway cascades. Furthermore, Scu has been shown to have significant binding capacities to PI3K. Additionally, Scu ameliorated the OA progression in DMM models. Our findings suggest that Scu may contribute to the amelioration of OA progression by targeting the PI3K/Akt/NF‐κB signaling pathway, implying Scu possesses promising therapeutic potential for the treatment of OA.
Research and verification on parameter solution of mixed shock model for common cause failure based on particle swarm algorithm
Authors: Hu Yinxiao , Ge Hongjuan , He Pei , Jin Hui , Li Huang , Zou Chunran
Published: May 2024

Mixed shock model is an explicit construction method of failure probability model based on component independent failure, system nonfatal shock, and fatal shock failure, which considers common cause failure (CCF) in redundant system. For aerospace systems, a modified mixed shock model is proposed, which considers several components may fail independently and simultaneously in operation. In order to solve the issue that the parameters of the mixed shock model cannot be solved directly based on the failure probability data, a parameter solving method based on particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm is proposed. Additionally, the relationship between the failure probability and the gradient of the parameter change is deduced, and the reduced‐order (RO) solution based on the gradient of the parameter change is proposed to improve the efficiency of the solution. A fitness function construction method based on the relative error of the solution probability and the true probability is proposed to improve the probability solution accuracy of multicomponent failure. The nonlinear inertia factor optimization method combined with fitness change is studied to improve the particle swarm dynamics. The accuracy of the results of different parameters solving sequence and different PSO methods are compared, and the effectiveness of the RO solution is verified. The results of the mixed shock model before and after modification are compared with the different CCF data, which verifies the effectiveness and wide applicability of the modified mixed shock model. The results show that the modified mixed shock model for CCF and its parameter solution method can significantly improve the probability solution accuracy of all components failure, and also provide a new theoretical basis and solution method for the quantitative analysis of multiredundant system failure.
Database‐aided ultrahigh‐performance liquid chromatography Q‐Exactive‐Orbitrap tandem mass spectrometry putatively identifies 16 unexpected compounds and three anticounterfeiting pharmacopoeia quality markers for Perillae Fructus
Authors: Chen Ban , Liu Shuangshuang , Li Xican , Cai Rongxin , Li Chunhou , Hu Yuchen , Su Jiangtao , Lei Tongxun
Published: May 2024

Rationale

Perillae Fructus (PF) is a common traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for the treatment of asthma. It has not been effectively characterized by rosmarinic acid (RosA), which is currently designed as the sole quality indicator in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia.

Methods

This study introduced a database‐aided ultrahigh‐performance liquid chromatography equipped with quadrupole‐Exactive‐Orbitrap mass spectrometry (UHPLC/Q‐Exactive‐Orbitrap MS/MS) technology to putatively identify the compounds in PF, followed by literature research, quantum chemical calculation, and molecular docking to screen potential quality markers (Q‐markers) of PF.

Results

A total of 27 compounds were putatively identified, 16 of which had not been previously found from PF. In particular, matrine, scopolamine, and RosA showed relatively high levels of content, stability, and drug‐likeness. They exhibited interactions with the asthma‐related target and demonstrated the TCM properties of PF.

Conclusions

The database‐aided UHPLC/Q‐Exactive‐Orbitrap MS/MS can identify at least 27 compounds in PF. Of these, 16 compounds are unexpected, and three compounds (matrine, scopolamine, and RosA) should be considered anticounterfeiting pharmacopoeia Q‐markers of PF.
Predictor‐based collision‐free and connectivity‐preserving resilient formation control for multi‐agent systems under sensor deception attacks
Authors: Yang Yang , Shu Zhou , Liu Qidong
Published: May 2024

Malicious attack is a potential threat to collision‐free and connectivity‐preserving formation. In this article, a predictor‐based collision‐free and connectivity‐preserving resilient formation control strategy is proposed for a class of multi‐agent systems under sensor deception attacks. The predictor states are constructed to replace original states in the control strategy, and a novel attack compensator is constructed to suppress sensor deception attacks. Prediction errors, instead of compromised errors, are introduced to update weights of radial basis function neural networks (RBFNNs). To achieve collision avoidance and connectivity preservation, a transformation function in logarithmic form is introduced. To avoid static and dynamic obstacles, an improved artificial potential function (APF) combined with their velocity information is constructed. Furthermore, to solve the local minimum problem in the combining of transformation function and APF, a virtual force is added. Based on the Lyapunov function, all closed‐loop signals are bounded and collision‐free and connectivity‐preserving formation is achieved. The simulation related to a group of quadrotors verifies the effectiveness of the proposed resilient control strategy.
Predefined‐time tracking control of multiplicative systems
Authors: Muñoz‐Vázquez Aldo Jonathan , Sánchez‐Torres Juan Diego , Fernández‐Anaya Guillermo , Martínez‐Fuentes Oscar
Published: May 2024

This article describes a control approach for obtaining predefined‐time robust tracking in multiplicative systems despite positive, bounded, and unknown multiplicative disturbances. The proposed approach is distinguished by imposing predefined‐time convergence, a topic previously studied in conventional calculus in the context of multiplicative systems. Multiplicative calculus is recognized as a beneficial tool that complements standard calculus by simplifying the modeling and comprehension of numerous processes. Simulations are carried out to illustrate that the given control strategy enforces convergence before a predefined time instant and, while inducing robustness against system uncertainties. The findings of this article pave the way for further research into predefined‐time synchronization of multiplicative oscillator systems, which would bring promising implications for data encryption and secure communication.
Surface plasmon resonance‐based fiber optic sensor utilizing tin oxide and zinc sulfide: An experimental analysis
Authors: Kapoor Vicky , Sharma Navneet K.
Published: May 2024

Surface plasmon resonance‐based fiber optic sensors with Ag‐SnO2 and Ag‐ZnS bi‐layers are proposed experimentally and compared in detail in terms of sensitivity. Effect of SnO2 and ZnS layer thicknesses on the sensitivity is examined. Largest sensitivities are achieved by sensors with 40 nm Ag‐10 nm SnO2 layers and 40 nm Ag‐10 nm ZnS layers. Sensor with 40 nm Ag‐10 nm SnO2 layers is found to demonstrate better sensitivity than that with 40 nm Ag‐10 nm ZnS layers.
Online causal inference with application to near real‐time post‐market vaccine safety surveillance
Authors: Luo Lan , Risk Malcolm , Shi Xu
Published: May 2024

Streaming data routinely generated by social networks, mobile or web applications, e‐commerce, and electronic health records present new opportunities to monitor the impact of an intervention on an outcome via causal inference methods. However, most existing causal inference methods have been focused on and applied to static data, that is, a fixed data set in which observations are pooled and stored before performing statistical analysis. There is thus a pressing need to turn static causal inference into online causal learning to support near real‐time monitoring of treatment effects. In this paper, we present a framework for online estimation and inference of treatment effects that can incorporate new information as it becomes available without revisiting prior observations. We show that, under mild regularity conditions, the proposed online estimator is asymptotically equivalent to the offline oracle estimator obtained by pooling all data. Our proposal is motivated by the need for near real‐time vaccine effectiveness and safety monitoring, and our proposed method is applied to a case study on COVID‐19 vaccine safety surveillance.
Cumulative incidence of cardiac surgery associated with exposure to benfluorex: A retrospective analysis based on compensation claims data
Authors: Farrington Paddy , Lellinger Solène
Published: May 2024

Data on retrospective compensation claims for injuries caused by pharmaceutical drugs are prone to selection and reporting biases. Nevertheless, this case study of the antidiabetic drug benfluorex shows that such data can be used to estimate the cumulative incidence of drug‐related injury, and to provide insights into its epidemiology. To this end, we develop a modelling framework for under‐reporting of retrospective claims for compensation arising from drug damage. The model involves a longitudinal component related to attrition of cases over time, and a cross‐sectional component related to incomplete reporting. We apply this model to cardiac valve surgery necessitated by exposure to benfluorex. Benfluorex was marketed in France between 1976 and 2009, when it was withdrawn because it caused valvular heart disease. A scandal erupted in 2010 over the scale of the damage caused by the drug. Since then, no further estimates of cumulative incidence have been published, though thousands of claims for compensation have been processed. The analysis combines compensation claims data and sociological survey data on benfluorex users, together with data on benfluorex sales and duration of treatment. We find a threshold of toxicity at about 6 months' exposure, and that at least 1690 individuals (95% CI 1290 to 2320) needed heart surgery to replace or repair valves damaged by exposure to benfluorex in France: a cumulative incidence of 3.68 per 10,000 (95% CI 2.68 to 5.34) benfluorex users or 3.22 per 10,000 (95% CI 2.48 to 4.39) person‐years at risk above the exposure threshold. While these findings are tentative, they are consistent with those obtained previously using very different methods.
Removal of Methylene Blue from Aqueous Solutions Using Date Palm By‐Products from Algerian Sahara: Cultivar Variations Effect
Authors: Bouafia Hind , Lamine Sekrifa Mouhamed , Touil Youcef
Published: May 2024

This study aims to compare the methylene blue (MB) removal capacity from aqueous solutions of seven natural Date Palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) By‐products (DPBPS). These include: Leaflets (DPLL), Rachis of leaf (DPRL), Fruit Bunch Stalk (DPFBS), Empty Fruit Bunch (DPEFB), Leaf Base (DPLB), fibrillium (DPF) and Spathe Sheath (DPSS), obtained from three different date palm cultivars: Degla, Ghers and Takermost from Ouargla Oasis in the Algerian Sahara, and to investigate the influence of the palm date nature part and cultivar on MB adsorption. Batch adsorption experiments were conducted at different concentrations; 30, 45, 60, 75, 90, and 105 mg/L of MB with 2.5 g of DPBP of each cultivar. The DPBPS of all cultivars exhibits remarkable adsorption efficiencies for MB removal. The highest maximal experimental adsorption capacities were observed for Degla DPLB (4.192 mg/g), Ghers DPF (4.191 mg/g) and Takermost DPF (4.193 mg/g) with(99.81 %), (99.79 %), and (99.82 %) adsorption rates in their cultivar respectively. Conversely, the lowest maximal experimental adsorption capacities were found for Degla DPLL 4.048 mg/g, Ghers DPEFB (4.12 mg/g) and Takermost DPSS (4.089 mg/g) with 96.40 %, 98.09 %, and at 97.67 % adsorption rates in each cultivar respectively. The equilibrium adsorption data were analyzed using Langmuir and Freundlich models. The results indicated a good fit with the Freundlich model. The studied DPBPS represent natural, low‐cost, and locally available adsorbents that effectively remove MB from wastewater.
A S=3/2 Cr(III) Complex In A Square‐Capping NHC Framework
Authors: Gau Michael R. , Scepaniak Jeremiah J.
Published: May 2024

Deprotonation of our pentadentate N‐Heterocyclic Carbene (NHC) ligand with lithium diisopropylamine in tetrahydrofuran and subsequent salt metathesis with CrCl3THF3 readily forms the complex PhCC4MeCrCl (1), a S=3/2 species in moderate yield. DFT calculations reveal three singly occupied molecular orbitals with π‐backbonding character to the square‐capping framework, UV‐Vis spectroscopy reveals 3 bands ascribed to d‐to‐d transitions, and cyclic voltammetry reveals an irreversible and quazi‐reversible reduction events as well as an irreversible oxidation event. We attempted to exchange the chloride ligand of 1 through salt‐metathesis with lithium phenylacetylide without success, the absence of reactivity is rationalized considering our XRD and DFT results.
DNA‐Based Replication of Programmable Colloidal Assemblies
Authors: van Kesteren Steven , Diethelm Pascal , Jung Se‐Hyeong , Isa Lucio
Published: May 2024

Nature uses replication to amplify the information necessary for the intricate structures vital for life. Despite some successes with pure nucleotide structures, constructing synthetic microscale systems capable of replication remains largely out of reach. Here, a functioning strategy is shown for the replication of microscale particle assemblies using DNA‐coated colloids. By positioning DNA‐functionalized colloids using capillary forces and embedding them into a polymer layer, programmable sequences of patchy particles are created that act as a primer and offer precise binding of complementary particles from suspension. The strings of complementary colloids are cross‐linked, released from the primer, and purified via flow cytometric sorting to achieve a purity of up to 81% of the replicated sequences. The replication of strings of up to five colloids and non‐linear shapes is demonstrated with particles of different sizes and materials. Furthermore, a pathway for exponential self‐replication is outlined, including preliminary data that shows the transfer of patches and binding of a second‐generation of assemblies from suspension.
Investigation of Water Impacts on Surface Properties and Performance of Air‐Electrode in Reversible Protonic Ceramic Cells
Authors: Shi Nai , Zhu Kang , Xie Yun , Huan Daoming , Hyodo Junji , Yamazaki Yoshihiro
Published: May 2024

Water, being abundant and readily accessible, gains widespread usage as proton source in many catalysis and energy conversion technologies, including applications like reversible protonic ceramic cells (R‐PCCs). Revealing the influence of water on the electrode surface and reaction kinetics is critical for further improving their electrochemical performance. Herein, a hydrophilic air‐electrode PrBa0.875Cs0.125Co2O5+δ is developed for R‐PCC, which demonstrates a remarkable peak power density of 1058 mW cm−2 in fuel cell mode and a current density of 1354 mA cm−2 under 1.3 V in electrolyzing steam at 650 °C. For the first time on R‐PCC, surface protons' behavior in response to external voltages is captured using in situ FTIR characterizations. Further, it is shown that contrary to the bulk proton uptake process that is thought to follow hydrogenation reactions and lead to cation reductions. The air‐electrode presents enriched surface protons occurring through oxidizing surface cations, as confirmed by depth‐profiling XPS results. H/D isotope exchange experiments and subsequent electrochemical characterization analyses reveal that the presence of protons enhances surface reactions. This study fills the knowledge gap between water‐containing atmospheres and electrochemical performance by providing insights into the surface properties of the material. These new findings provide guidance for future electrode design and optimization.
Grapefruit‐Inspired Polymeric Capsule with Hierarchical Microstructure: Advanced Nanomaterial Carrier Platform for Energy Storage, Drug Delivery, Catalysis, and Environmental Applications
Authors: Jung Youngkyun , Yoon Su‐Jin , Lee Yun , Do Taegu , Kim Keun‐Tae , Jung Kyung‐Won , Choi Jae‐Woo
Published: May 2024

Efficient support materials are crucial for maximizing the efficacy of nanomaterials in various applications such as energy storage, drug delivery, catalysis, and environmental remediation. However, traditional supports often hinder nanomaterial performance due to their high weight ratio and limited manageability, leading to issues like tube blocking and secondary pollution. To address this, a novel grapefruit‐inspired polymeric capsule (GPC) as a promising carrier platform is introduced. The millimeter‐scale GPC features a hydrophilic shell and an internal hierarchical microstructure with 80% void volume, providing ample space for encapsulating diverse nanomaterials including metals, polymers, metal‐organic frameworks, and silica. Through liquid‐phase bottom‐up methods, it is successfully loaded Fe2O3, SiO2, polyacrylic acid, and Prussian blue nanomaterials onto the GPC, achieving high mass ratio (1776, 488, 898, and 634 wt.%, respectively). The GPC shell prevents nanomaterial leakage and the influx of suspended solids, while its internal framework enhances structural stability and mass transfer rates. With long‐term storage stability, high carrying capacity, and versatile applicability, the GPC significantly enhances the field applicability of nanomaterials.
Highly Curved Defect Sites: How Curvature Effect Influences Metal‐Free Defective Carbon Electrocatalysts
Authors: Wang Xin , Han Chao , Han Yun , Huang Run , Sun Hai , Guo Panjie , Liu Xuan , Huang Mengting , Chen Ying , Wu Helong , Zhang Jinyan , Yan Xuecheng , Mao Zhelin , Du Aijun , Jia Yi , Wang Lei
Published: May 2024

Topological defects are widely recognized as effective active sites toward a variety of electrochemical reactions. However, the role of defect curvature is still not fully understood. Herein, carbon nanomaterials with rich topological defect sites of tunable curvature is reported. The curved defective surface is realized by controlling the high‐temperature pyrolytic shrinkage process of precursors. Theoretical calculations demonstrate bending the defect sites can change the local electronic structure, promote the charge transfer to key intermediates, and lower the energy barrier for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Experimental results convince structural superiority of highly‐curved defective sites, with a high kinetic current density of 22.5 mA cm−2 at 0.8 V versus RHE for high‐curvature defective carbon (HCDC), ≈18 times that of low‐curvature defective carbon (LCDC). Further raising the defect densities in HCDC leads to the dual‐regulated products (HCHDC), which exhibit exceptionally outstanding ORR activity in both alkaline and acidic media (half‐wave potentials: 0.88 and 0.74 V), outperforming most of the reported metal‐free carbon catalysts. This work uncovers the curvature‐activity relationship in carbon defect for ORR and provides new guidance to design advanced catalysts via curvature‐engineering.
A Non‐Enzymatic Electrochemical Sensor Based on Cerium Oxide Nanocubes for the Rapid Detection of Hydrogen Peroxide Residues in Food Samples†
Authors: Shen Wei , Shi Jiaci , Wang Xuefeng , Xu Pengcheng , Li Xinxin
Published: May 2024

The rapid and simple detection methods of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) residues is highly required for food safety. Herein, an electrochemical H2O2 sensor is developed with cerium oxide nanocubes as highly active non‐enzymatic catalyst. Combined with carbon black to improve conductivity, the disposable sensor can determine H2O2 in the range from 100 to 100 μM with a limit of detection (LOD) of 100 nM. This sensor also shows good selectivity and reproducibility, which is enabled to detect H2O2 in real food samples without any pretreatment in 100 s, providing a new solution for the direct quantitative measurement of H2O2 residues for food safety. © 2024 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan and Wiley Periodicals LLC.
Genotypic analysis of a localised hotspot of Pestivirus A (BVDV‐1) infections in Northern Ireland
Authors: McConville James , Allen Adrian , Moyce Asa , Donaghy Aoibheann , Clarke Joe , Guelbenzu‐Gonzalo Maria , Byrne Andrew W. , Verner Sharon , Strain Sam , McInerney Barry , Holmes Emma
Published: May 2024

Background

Bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD) is caused by Pestivirus A and Pestivirus B. Northern Ireland (NI) embarked on a compulsory BVD eradication scheme in 2016, which continues to this day, so an understanding of the composition of the pestivirus genotypes in the cattle population of NI is required.

Methods

This molecular epidemiology study employed 5ʹ untranslated region (5ʹUTR) genetic sequencing to examine the pestivirus genotypes circulating in samples taken from a hotspot of BVD outbreaks in the Enniskillen area in 2019.

Results

Bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV)‐1e (Pestivirus A) was detected for the first time in Northern Ireland, and at a high frequency, in an infection hotspot in Enniskillen in 2019. There was no evidence of infection with BVDV‐2 (Pestivirus B), Border disease virus (pestivirus D) or HoBi‐like virus/BVDV‐3 (pestivirus H).

Limitations

Only 5ʹUTR sequencing was used, so supplementary sequencing, along with phylogenetic trees that include all BVDV‐1 genotype reference strains, would improve accuracy. Examination of farm locations and animal movement/trade is also required.

Conclusions

Genotype BVDV‐1e was found for the first time in Northern Ireland, indicating an increase in the genetic diversity of BVDV‐1, which could have implications for vaccine design and highlights the need for continued pestivirus genotypic surveillance.
A European Marshall Plan for Ukraine on the Way to the EU
Authors: Åslund Anders , Becker Torbjörn
Published: May 2024

This chapter details a plan for the reconstruction of Ukraine with the aim of the country one day becoming a full member of the EU. When the war is over the EU must be ready to help Ukraine build new and better for a future in the union. Every day that the war continues, the enormous cost of reconstruction increases. Ukraine will need extensive support which the authors argue should be handled by an EU agency that coordinates donors in a close dialogue with the Ukrainian government on goals and processes. Other important principles of reconstruction are that aid should arrive quickly, but with appropriate conditions; that the money sent to Ukraine is grants and not loans; and that the focus of the reconstruction is to create a sustainable economy with a clear green transition in terms of energy and infrastructure. Ukraine's entry into the EU should be used to prioritize institutional reforms that strengthen the reconstruction of all sections of Ukrainian society. The authors point out that a successful Ukraine in the EU will strengthen not only Ukraine's but also the entire EU's economic prosperity and security.
EU Border Policy: Enhanced Border Security and Challenges to Free Movement
Authors: Pettersson Fürst Johanna
Published: May 2024

This chapter focuses on border control and mobility policies at both the internal and external borders of the EU. The central question it addresses is how contemporary border politics either challenge or contribute to European integration. Three significant developments in EU border-control politics are discussed: The reintroduction of controls at internal borders by member states, the expansion and externalisation of external border controls, and the proliferation of technical systems aimed at facilitating border controls. These developments collectively aim to enhance the territorial control capacities of both the EU and its member states. Notably, external border control has expanded both in terms of resources and mandates for the EU’s border and coast guard agency, Frontex, and through geographical extension beyond the EU’s immediate external boundaries. The chapter concludes with a discussion of the potential consequences of continued border-control expansion, the challenges posed by external and internal re-bordering in the context of ongoing integration, and considerations on how to strike a balance between increasing control demands and safeguarding the rights of free movement for EU citizens and the right to seek asylum for refugees.
The European Security Order
Authors: Engelbrekt Kjell
Published: May 2024

This chapter asks if the European security order will crumble, definitively, as a result of the full-scale war of aggression that the Russian Federation unleashed against Ukraine in late February 2022. The analysis begins with the historical emergence of a European security order in the aftermath of the Second World War, with NATO and a nascent EU at its core. It proceeds with an account of how the Kremlin directly challenged European security arrangements in recent years, as well as of how the EU, NATO, and like-minded countries around the world responded to Russia’s aggression, first by introducing sweeping sanctions and subsequently by offering humanitarian, economic and military assistance to Ukraine. The chapter ends by predicting that the issue regarding the continent’s security order will be resolved on the battlefield and that future security arrangements may have to exclude Russia altogether.
The Urbanisation of Asylum
Authors: Darling Jonathan
Published: May 2024

This chapter explores the growing prominence of urban contexts, urban authorities, and urban politics in shaping debates on asylum and refuge that have traditionally been orientated around the nation-state. Focusing on the case of Glasgow, a city at the heart of the UK’s response to refugee displacement, this chapter examines three trends in contemporary urban configurations of asylum. First, how asylum seekers and refugees have been positioned within urban economies of value extraction. Second, how cities have been sites of considerable experimentation over the containment of asylum seekers and refugees, with flexible infrastructures of accommodation being one key development. Third, the frictions of government and solidarity that urban asylum foregrounds. These are frictions between local and national governments, on the one hand, and between community initiatives to support refugees as neighbours and the patterns of bordering practiced by state and non-state actors, on the other. Taken together, I argue that these trends point to the growing influence of cities in shaping how we understand asylum and its political possibilities.
Temporality and Permanency in the Study of Border Cities and Migration
Authors: Mencütek Zeynep Şahin
Published: May 2024

This chapter synthesises the analytical reflections from three chapters in this volume’s fourth part on Border Cities and Migration (Chap. 13, Darling; Chap. 14, Carpi; Chap. 15, Merlín-Escorza) and links them with broader scholarly research on forced displacement, asylum, and cities. It first shows how the intersection of governance approaches with urban and humanitarian studies provides rich insights into, and novel concepts about displacement and asylum. It argues that the arrival of diverse actors related to asylum leads to physical, economic, and socio-cultural transformations in urban neighbourhoods and border towns, sometimes temporal, other times permanent. The chapter then identifies four main dynamics at play in the urbanisation of asylum: extraction, frictions, temporality, and spatial changes. It concludes with questions to consider in developing a more elaborated research agenda on politics of urban and asylum from a relational perspective.
Multi-level Migration and Multiculturalism Governance Meets Migrant and Refugee Agency in Regional Australian Towns
Authors: Boese Martina
Published: May 2024

A range of federal, state, and local policies in Australia have encouraged migration to, and settlement in, regional towns and cities over the past decades, with local initiatives such as multi- and intercultural policies developed to better accommodate increasingly diverse populations. Despite these initiatives and increasing research, important questions related to non-metropolitan migration often remain overlooked in the context of competing policy agendas. What are the risks of reducing (regional) migration policies to labour market instruments? What can migrants’ experiences of regional settlement tell us about the limitations of current regional refugee settlement as population policies? And finally, what if ‘successful settlement’ is not understood as staying in one place but as a realisation of migrants’ and refugees’ settlement needs and aspirations? The chapter will discuss these questions, drawing on policy analysis and qualitative interviews with migrants, former refugees, and various local stakeholders in regional Victoria.
Suburbanisation and Migrant Entrepreneurship in the United States
Authors: Liu Cathy Yang , Renzy Rory
Published: May 2024

It is well documented that US metropolitan areas have experienced significant spatial, economic, and demographic changes, with increasing minority and immigrant populations living in the suburbs. At the same time, immigrant-owned businesses have seen substantial growth over the years and play important roles in serving unmet markets, hiring workers, and generating local economic development. This chapter uses national business datasets to examine the spatial patterns of migrant entrepreneurship and the performance of employer firms as indicated by the number of firms, employees, sales and receipts, and total annual payrolls for cities and suburbs over time across a broad array of Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs). Atlanta serves as a case study site for more detailed analysis on the dynamics of suburban ethnic economy. Policy recommendations to support these businesses and preserve ethnic identity in face of redevelopment efforts are discussed in the conclusion.
Communicating in Crisis: Community Practices of Online Participation During Extreme Events
Authors: Park Sora , Atkinson Susan , Fulton Janet , Wong-Parodi Gabrielle , Mani Lara
Published: May 2024

This chapter surveys research into the communication among community members affected by extreme events with digital platforms such as social media and messaging apps before, during and after the events. While there is extant literature on how people adopt effective strategies in sharing real-time information during a major crisis, fewer studies examine the entirety of the process, particularly around preparing communities and individuals, and even fewer focus on how community members seek and share social support. This chapter examines both aspects of digital communication—emotive and informative—to better understand the role digital platforms can play in extreme events in supporting more effective responses. It also identifies gaps in the literature on the role of social media in preparing individuals and communities for catastrophic climate events.
Moving Beyond Recovery and Reconstruction: Imagining Extreme Event Preparedness Through Performing Arts
Authors: Davidson Jane W. , Woodland Sarah , Grehan Helena , Pengelly Simonne , Hassall Linda
Published: May 2024

This chapter begins by examining the importance of resilience in response to extreme weather events, before considering the role of performing arts projects in dealing with the aftermath of disaster. Including First Nations approaches, examples from diverse cultural settings and the powerful potential of digital technology, it reveals how performing arts endeavours afford aesthetic opportunities that can give voice to and make sense of crisis experiences that precipitate mental health and wellbeing challenges as devastating as the events themselves. Drawing on critical research findings including those from the 10-year Beyond Bushfires study in Australia, the authors demonstrate how empathy and social bonding can be fostered through artistic engagements to develop personal and community resilience and support creative recovery. Forewarning the accelerating and intensifying unpredictable character of disasters driven by climate change, the authors go on to underscore the need for significantly greater preparedness for future crisis events. Engaging with a small body of existing work, the authors investigate the possibilities of ‘performing preparedness’ – embracing storytelling, embodied performance practices and digital technology as routes to developing agency, empowerment, understanding and strategies that can build capacity for dynamic readiness in rapidly evolving and unforeseen crises.
Representing the Climate Crisis: Aesthetic Framings in Contemporary Performing and Visual Arts
Authors: Thurow Susanne , Grehan Helena , Pagnucco Maurice
Published: May 2024

This chapter reviews the representation of climate change in performing and visual arts over the past ten years, canvassing the aesthetic exploration of the climate emergency in selected international works by surveying emergent narrative themes, key dramaturgical shifts and aesthetic strategies. Discussing the limitations of anthropocentric conventions, it investigates innovative approaches and their capability to generate knowledge about the dynamics of Earth processes and humanity’s embeddedness and interference with them. Looking to novel experimental work currently in development at The University of New South Wales (UNSW)’s iCinema Research Centre, we speculate how these emergent aesthetics may be further developed to augment the arts’s capability to deepen insight and strengthen preparedness in a rapidly transforming world.
Land-use effects on leaf-litter breakdown in streams in a tropical lowland catchment
Authors: Rojas-Castillo Oscar Alberto , Kepfer-Rojas Sebastian , Jacobsen Dean
Published: May 2024

The expansion of oil palm and cattle grazing in the tropics continues to alter numerous ecosystem functions. The generated land-use change is potentially impacting stream leaf-litter breakdown, a fundamental process for freshwater ecosystems. To assess the effect of land-use change, we studied breakdown rates of forest (Pachira aquatica, Pouroma aspera, Sloanea ampla, and Hippocratea volubilis) and oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) leaves after a 26-day immersion in streams surrounded by rainforests, grazing lands, or oil palm plantations with and without riparian buffers. In addition, we assessed breakdown drivers by deploying litter bags (248) of two mesh sizes (15 mm and 0.5 mm) allowing or restricting macroinvertebrates’ access (134 coarse-mesh bags and 114 fine-mesh bags). Forest leaf breakdown by microbes (fine-mesh) was lower by 55% in the plantations compared to forests; while microbial oil palm-leaf breakdown was lower by 32% in the unbuffered plantations compared to forests (p < 0.05). Total litter breakdown was lower (p > 0.05) in the plantations but not when these preserved riparian buffers. Litter breakdown was driven primarily by microbes in all land uses except in the buffered plantations, possibly due to increased shredder biomass. These results suggest that oil palm agriculture may decrease microbial stream leaf-litter breakdown, especially in streams with no riparian buffers.
The case for global governance of AI: arguments, counter-arguments, and challenges ahead
Authors: Coeckelbergh Mark
Published: May 2024

It is increasingly recognized that as artificial intelligence becomes more powerful and pervasive in society and creates risks and ethical issues that cross borders, a global approach is needed for the governance of these risks. But why, exactly, do we need this and what does that mean? In this Open Forum paper, author argues for global governance of AI for moral reasons but also outlines the governance challenges that this project raises.