bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Xenophobic Mob Violence against Free Labour Migrants in the Age of the Nation State: How Can the Atlantic Experience Help to Find Global Patterns?
Authors: Lucassen Leo
Published: March 2022

This article asks under what historical conditions people who consider themselves as belonging to the ingroup resort to collective violence against free labour migrants. Based on cases in the North Atlantic, and largely limited to the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, it offers a starting point for a more global approach. By using the concept of boundary work, I conclude that once ethnic boundaries are in place they need maintenance, through discourse, legislation, and surveillance. Migrants defined as outsiders, who did not accept their inferior role and thus became direct competitors for such key resources as jobs and houses, were bound to evoke irritation, protest, and, in extreme cases, mob violence. The latter occurred a number of times in early modern England, but such incidents occurred especially in the period 1860–1880 (US and Australia), 1880–1900 (Western Europe), and on both sides of the Atlantic around World War I. In all these cases, boundary-making (through heightened nationalism, imperialism, and embedded racial hierarchies) was prominent, while, at the same time, the state was unable or unwilling to protect its citizens against competition on the labour market and to provide a welfare safety net. This lack of actual boundary maintenance could lead to mob violence, especially when authorities were unwilling or unable to intervene. Moreover, it is striking that violence was directed especially against outsiders who were considered racially or culturally inferior. These included the Chinese and African-American internal migrants in the United States and colonial migrants in the United Kingdom.
A Short Scale for Measuring Political Secularism
Authors: Arzheimer Kai
Published: March 2022

As religiousness is declining across democracies, scientific interest in secular orientations and their political implications is growing. One specific and particularly important aspect of secular attitudes is political secularism. Political secularism is not merely the absence of religiousness, but rather a world view which holds that religious beliefs should play no role in politics. While there are hundreds of survey instruments that measure the strength and content of religiousness, there is no comparable measure that taps into political secularism. In this research note, I briefly review the concept of political secularism and present a cluster of items which target it. Utilizing data from four large population representative samples taken from the eastern and western states of Germany, I use confirmatory factor analysis to show that these items form a short but internally consistent scale. This scale also displays convergent and discriminant validity. It may be readily used in future surveys.
Peak Water Level Response to Channel Deepening Depends on Interaction Between Tides and the River Flow
Authors: Bao Shiyu , Zhang Wei , Qin Jie , Zheng Jinhai , Lv Hui , Feng Xi , Xu Yanwen , Hoitink A. J. F.
Published: March 2022

The Pearl River Delta represents a tide‐influenced lowland delta where sand mining has deepened the distributary channels. This study sets out to investigate the impacts of channel deepening on peak water levels across the delta. Based on collected hydrological data before and after sediment mining and hydrodynamic modeling, three regions are identified where sand mining‐induced changes in peak water levels have a different underlying cause. In the river‐dominated regions, peak water levels have significantly decreased because of the sand excavation, and thus the associated flood risk was reduced. In a transition region, the sand mining practice has increased peak water levels. In the tide‐dominated coastal region, the changes in peak water levels follow the rise in sea level and respond to human activities such as land reclamation. To understand the underlying mechanisms, the changes of subtidal friction governing tidal dynamics before and during sand mining are explored, and a simple linear regression model is used to predict subtidal water levels governing peak flood levels. Results from the hydrodynamic model and the linear regression models quantify exactly how the direct effect of channel bed lowering, river‐tide interaction, tidal amplification, and sea level rise have contributed to peak water level change, which offers a new analysis framework that can be applied in other systems.
Sequelae associated with systemic hypertension in infants with severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia
Authors: Sehgal Arvind , Elsayed Kristy , Nugent Matilda , Varma Suraj
Published: March 2022

Objectives

To ascertain correlation between systemic hypertension and respiratory sequelae amongst infants with BPD.

Study design

Retrospective evaluation of six-year data compared infants with severe BPD to infants with no BPD. 7-day morning blood pressure (BP) (360−366 week) was compared with 95th centile cut-offs.

Results

57 infants with BPD were compared with 114 infants with no BPD. Gestation and birthweight were comparable (median [interquartile range], (27 [25, 28] vs. 26.5 weeks [25, 28], p = 0.7 and 706 g [611, 884] vs. 730 [630, 895]), p = 0.1. Number of infants having BP ≥ 95th centile was significantly higher in BPD cohort (systolic BP, 23/57 [40.3%] vs. 3/114 [2.6%], p < 0.001 & mean arterial BP, 26/57 [46%] vs. 3/114 [2.6%], p < 0.001). Amongst BPD infants, higher BP was associated with longer duration of respiratory support (median [range], 109 days [81–138] vs. 87 [58–109], p < 0.001).

Conclusions

Infants with severe BPD had higher BP compared to those without BPD.
Irisin protects against vascular calcification by activating autophagy and inhibiting NLRP3-mediated vascular smooth muscle cell pyroptosis in chronic kidney disease
Authors: Pang Qi , Wang Peiwen , Pan Yajing , Dong Xingtong , Zhou Ting , Song Xinyu , Zhang Aihua
Published: March 2022

Irisin protects the cardiovascular system against vascular diseases. However, its role in chronic kidney disease (CKD) -associated vascular calcification (VC) and the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In the present study, we investigated the potential link among Irisin, pyroptosis, and VC under CKD conditions. During mouse vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) calcification induced by β-glycerophosphate (β-GP), the pyroptosis level was increased, as evidenced by the upregulated expression of pyroptosis-related proteins (cleaved CASP1, GSDMD-N, and IL1B) and pyroptotic cell death (increased numbers of PI-positive cells and LDH release). Reducing the pyroptosis levels by a CASP1 inhibitor remarkably decreased calcium deposition in β-GP-treated VSMCs. Further experiments revealed that the pyroptosis pathway was activated by excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and subsequent NLR family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome activation in calcified VSMCs. Importantly, Irisin effectively inhibited β-GP-induced calcium deposition in VSMCs in vitro and in mice aortic rings ex vivo. Overexpression of Nlrp3 attenuated the suppressive effect of Irisin on VSMC calcification. In addition, Irisin could induce autophagy and restore autophagic flux in calcified VSMCs. Adding the autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine or chloroquine attenuated the inhibitory effect of Irisin on β-GP-induced ROS production, NLRP3 inflammasome activation, pyroptosis, and calcification in VSMCs. Finally, our in vivo study showed that Irisin treatment promoted autophagy, downregulated ROS level and thereby suppressed pyroptosis and medial calcification in aortic tissues of adenine-induced CKD mice. Together, our findings for the first time demonstrated that Irisin protected against VC via inducing autophagy and inhibiting VSMC pyroptosis in CKD, and Irisin might serve as an effective therapeutic agent for CKD-associated VC.
Genome-wide screening in the haploid system reveals Slc25a43 as a target gene of oxidative toxicity
Authors: Zhang Jinxin , Zhao Yiding , Tian Yaru , Geng Mengyang , Liu Yan , Zhang Wenhao , Shuai Ling
Published: March 2022

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are extensively assessed in physiological and pathological studies; however, the genes and mechanisms involved in antioxidant reactions are elusive. To address this knowledge gap, we used a forward genetic approach with mouse haploid embryonic stem cells (haESCs) to generate high-throughput mutant libraries, from which numerous oxidative stress-targeting genes were screened out. We performed proof-of-concept experiments to validate the potential inserted genes. Slc25a43 (one of the candidates) knockout (KO) ESCs presented reduced damage caused by ROS and higher cell viability when exposed to H2O2. Subsequently, ROS production and mitochondrial function analysis also confirmed that Slc25a43 was a main target gene of oxidative toxicity. In addition, we identified that KO of Slc25a43 activated mitochondria-related genes including Nlrx1 to protect ESCs from oxidative damage. Overall, our findings facilitated revealing target genes of oxidative stress and shed lights on the mechanism underlying oxidative death.
Mosaic theory revised: inflammation and salt play central roles in arterial hypertension
Authors: Hengel Felicitas E. , Benitah Jean-Pierre , Wenzel Ulrich O.
Published: March 2022

The mosaic theory of hypertension was advocated by Irvine Page ~80 years ago and suggested that hypertension resulted from the close interactions of different causes. Increasing evidence indicates that hypertension and hypertensive end-organ damage are not only mediated by the proposed mechanisms that result in hemodynamic injury. Inflammation plays an important role in the pathophysiology and contributes to the deleterious consequences of arterial hypertension. Sodium intake is indispensable for normal body function but can be detrimental when it exceeds dietary requirements. Recent data show that sodium levels also modulate the function of monocytes/macrophages, dendritic cells, and different T-cell subsets. Some of these effects are mediated by changes in the microbiome and metabolome due to high-salt intake. The purpose of this review is to propose a revised and extended version of the mosaic theory by summarizing and integrating recent advances in salt, immunity, and hypertension research. Salt and inflammation are placed in the middle of the mosaic because both factors influence each of the remaining pieces.
Square and rhombic lattices of magnetic skyrmions in a centrosymmetric binary compound
Authors: Takagi Rina , Matsuyama Naofumi , Ukleev Victor , Yu Le , White Jonathan S. , Francoual Sonia , Mardegan José R. L. , Hayami Satoru , Saito Hiraku , Kaneko Koji , Ohishi Kazuki , Ōnuki Yoshichika , Arima Taka-hisa , Tokura Yoshinori , Nakajima Taro , Seki Shinichiro
Published: March 2022

Magnetic skyrmions are topologically stable swirling spin textures with particle-like character, and have been intensively studied as a candidate of high-density information bit. While magnetic skyrmions were originally discovered in noncentrosymmetric systems with Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction, recently a nanometric skyrmion lattice has also been reported for centrosymmetric rare-earth compounds, such as Gd2PdSi3 and GdRu2Si2. For the latter systems, a distinct skyrmion formation mechanism mediated by itinerant electrons has been proposed, and the search of a simpler model system allowing for a better understanding of their intricate magnetic phase diagram is highly demanded. Here, we report the discovery of square and rhombic lattices of nanometric skyrmions in a centrosymmetric binary compound EuAl4, by performing small-angle neutron and resonant elastic X-ray scattering experiments. Unlike previously reported centrosymmetric skyrmion-hosting materials, EuAl4 shows multiple-step reorientation of the fundamental magnetic modulation vector as a function of magnetic field, probably reflecting a delicate balance of associated itinerant-electron-mediated interactions. The present results demonstrate that a variety of distinctive skyrmion orders can be derived even in a simple centrosymmetric binary compound, which highlights rare-earth intermetallic systems as a promising platform to realize/control the competition of multiple topological magnetic phases in a single material.
Cyclophilin anaCyp40 regulates photosystem assembly and phycobilisome association in a cyanobacterium
Authors: Yadav Shivam , Centola Martin , Glaesmann Mathilda , Pogoryelov Denys , Ladig Roman , Heilemann Mike , Rai L. C. , Yildiz Özkan , Schleiff Enrico
Published: March 2022

Cyclophilins, or immunophilins, are proteins found in many organisms including bacteria, plants and humans. Most of them display peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerase activity, and play roles as chaperones or in signal transduction. Here, we show that cyclophilin anaCyp40 from the cyanobacterium Anabaena sp. PCC 7120 is enzymatically active, and seems to be involved in general stress responses and in assembly of photosynthetic complexes. The protein is associated with the thylakoid membrane and interacts with phycobilisome and photosystem components. Knockdown of anacyp40 leads to growth defects under high-salt and high-light conditions, and reduced energy transfer from phycobilisomes to photosystems. Elucidation of the anaCyp40 crystal structure at 1.2-Å resolution reveals an N-terminal helical domain with similarity to PsbQ components of plant photosystem II, and a C-terminal cyclophilin domain with a substrate-binding site. The anaCyp40 structure is distinct from that of other multi-domain cyclophilins (such as Arabidopsis thaliana Cyp38), and presents features that are absent in single-domain cyclophilins.
Tissue extracellular matrix hydrogels as alternatives to Matrigel for culturing gastrointestinal organoids
Authors: Kim Suran , Min Sungjin , Choi Yi Sun , Jo Sung-Hyun , Jung Jae Hun , Han Kyusun , Kim Jin , An Soohwan , Ji Yong Woo , Kim Yun-Gon , Cho Seung-Woo
Published: March 2022

Matrigel, a mouse tumor extracellular matrix protein mixture, is an indispensable component of most organoid tissue culture. However, it has limited the utility of organoids for drug development and regenerative medicine due to its tumor-derived origin, batch-to-batch variation, high cost, and safety issues. Here, we demonstrate that gastrointestinal tissue-derived extracellular matrix hydrogels are suitable substitutes for Matrigel in gastrointestinal organoid culture. We found that the development and function of gastric or intestinal organoids grown in tissue extracellular matrix hydrogels are comparable or often superior to those in Matrigel. In addition, gastrointestinal extracellular matrix hydrogels enabled long-term subculture and transplantation of organoids by providing gastrointestinal tissue-mimetic microenvironments. Tissue-specific and age-related extracellular matrix profiles that affect organoid development were also elucidated through proteomic analysis. Together, our results suggest that extracellular matrix hydrogels derived from decellularized gastrointestinal tissues are effective alternatives to the current gold standard, Matrigel, and produce organoids suitable for gastrointestinal disease modeling, drug development, and tissue regeneration.
Structure of a tetrameric photosystem I from a glaucophyte alga Cyanophora paradoxa
Authors: Kato Koji , Nagao Ryo , Ueno Yoshifumi , Yokono Makio , Suzuki Takehiro , Jiang Tian-Yi , Dohmae Naoshi , Akita Fusamichi , Akimoto Seiji , Miyazaki Naoyuki , Shen Jian-Ren
Published: March 2022

Photosystem I (PSI) is one of the two photosystems functioning in light-energy harvesting, transfer, and electron transfer in photosynthesis. However, the oligomerization state of PSI is variable among photosynthetic organisms. We present a 3.8-Å resolution cryo-electron microscopic structure of tetrameric PSI isolated from the glaucophyte alga Cyanophora paradoxa, which reveals differences with PSI from other organisms in subunit composition and organization. The PSI tetramer is organized in a dimer of dimers with a C2 symmetry. Unlike cyanobacterial PSI tetramers, two of the four monomers are rotated around 90°, resulting in a completely different pattern of monomer-monomer interactions. Excitation-energy transfer among chlorophylls differs significantly between Cyanophora and cyanobacterial PSI tetramers. These structural and spectroscopic features reveal characteristic interactions and excitation-energy transfer in the Cyanophora PSI tetramer, suggesting that the Cyanophora PSI could represent a turning point in the evolution of PSI from prokaryotes to eukaryotes.
Donut-like organization of inhibition underlies categorical neural responses in the midbrain
Authors: Mahajan Nagaraj R. , Mysore Shreesh P.
Published: March 2022

Categorical neural responses underlie various forms of selection and decision-making. Such binary-like responses promote robust signaling of the winner in the presence of input ambiguity and neural noise. Here, we show that a ‘donut-like’ inhibitory mechanism in which each competing option suppresses all options except itself, is highly effective at generating categorical neural responses. It surpasses motifs of feedback inhibition, recurrent excitation, and divisive normalization invoked frequently in decision-making models. We demonstrate experimentally not only that this mechanism operates in the midbrain spatial selection network in barn owls, but also that it is necessary for categorical signaling by it. The functional pattern of neural inhibition in the midbrain forms an exquisitely structured ‘multi-holed’ donut consistent with this network’s combinatorial inhibitory function for stimulus selection. Additionally, modeling reveals a generalizable neural implementation of the donut-like motif for categorical selection. Self-sparing inhibition may, therefore, be a powerful circuit module central to categorization.
Silver-catalyzed site-selective C(sp3)−H benzylation of ethers with N-triftosylhydrazones
Authors: Liu Zhaohong , Wang Hongwei , Sivaguru Paramasivam , Nolan Steven P. , Song Qingmin , Yu Weijie , Jiang Xinyu , Anderson Edward A. , Bi Xihe
Published: March 2022

The insertion of carbenes into the α-C–H bonds of ethers represents one of the most powerful approaches to access polysubstituted α-branched ethers. However, intermolecular carbene insertions remain challenging, since current approaches are generally limited to the use of toxic and potentially explosive α-diazocarbonyl compounds. We now report a silver-catalyzed α-C–H benzylation of ethers using bench-stable N-triftosylhydrazones as safe and convenient carbene precursors. This approach is well suited for both inter- and intramolecular insertions to deliver medicinally relevant homobenzylic ethers and 5–8-membered oxacycles in good yields. The synthetic utility of this strategy is demonstrated by its easy scalability, broad scope with valuable functional groups, high regioselectivity, and late-stage functionalization of complex oxygen-containing molecules. The relative reactivities of different types of silver carbenes and C−H bonds were also investigated by experments and DFT calculations.
Transcript and blood-microbiome analysis towards a blood diagnostic tool for goats affected by Haemonchus contortus
Authors: Tilahun Yonathan , Pinango Jessica Quijada , Johnson Felicia , Lett Charles , Smith Kayla , Gipson Terry , McCallum Malcolm , Hoyt Peter , Tritt Andrew , Yadav Archana , Elshahed Mostafa , Wang Zaisen
Published: March 2022

The Alpine goat (Capra aegagrus hircus) is parasitized by the barber pole worm (Haemonchus contortus). Hematological parameters from transcript and metagenome analysis in the host are reflective of infestation. We explored comparisons between blood samples of control, infected, infected zoledronic acid-treated, and infected antibody (anti-γδ T cells) treated wethers under controlled conditions. Seven days post-inoculation (dpi), we identified 7,627 transcripts associated with the different treatment types. Microbiome measurements at 7 dpi revealed fewer raw read counts across all treatments and a less diverse microbial flora than at 21 dpi. This study identifies treatment specific transcripts and an increase in microflora abundance and diversity as wethers age. Further, F/B ratio reflect health, based on depression or elevation above thresholds defined by the baseline of non-infected controls. Forty Alpine wethers were studied where blood samples were collected from five goats in four treatment groups on 7 dpi and 21 dpi. Transcript and microbiome profiles were obtained using the Partek Flow (St. Louis, Missouri, USA) software suites pipelines. Inflammation comparisons were based on the Firmicutes/Bacteriodetes ratios that are calculated as well as the reduction of microbial diversity.
Influences of freezing–thawing actions on mechanical properties of soils and stress and deformation of soil slope in cold regions
Authors: Xiang Bo , Liu Enlong , Yang Liuxin
Published: March 2022

Freezing–thawing actions can affect the mechanical features of soil greatly, which is vital for the stability of soil slope in cold regions. Firstly, triaxial compression tests on sand samples under undrained conditions were performed to investigate the influences of freezing–thawing cycles, which shows that the freezing–thawing actions can weaken their strength and stiffness, and with the increasing freezing–thawing cycles, both the deviatoric stress and pore water pressure decrease gradually. Then, the double hardening constitutive model was revised to model the influences of freezing–thawing cycles in consideration of the influences of freezing–thawing actions, and the model was also validated by the test results. Finally, the proposed constitutive model was incorporated into a finite element code to numerically simulate the distribution of displacement and pore water pressure of sand slope subjected to freezing–thawing cycles, which shows that the freezing–thawing actions accelerate the dissipation of the pore water pressure and enlarge the displacement of the slope. The study here can provide a help in designing and construction of civil engineering in cold regions.
Aging and the perception of tactile speed
Authors: Norman J. Farley , Eaton Jerica R. , Gunter McKenzie L. , Baig Maheen
Published: March 2022

Eighteen younger and older adults (mean ages were 20.4 and 72.8 years, respectively) participated in a tactile speed matching task. On any given trial, the participants felt the surfaces of rotating standard and test wheels with their index fingertip and were required to adjust the test wheel until its speed appeared to match that of the standard wheel. Three different standard speeds were utilized (30, 50, and 70 cm/s). The results indicated that while the accuracy of the participants’ judgments was similar for younger and older adults, the precision (i.e., reliability across repeated trials) of the older participants’ judgments deteriorated significantly relative to that exhibited by the younger adults. While adverse effects of age were obtained with regards to both the precision of tactile speed judgments and the participants’ tactile acuity, there was nevertheless no significant correlation between the older adults’ tactile acuities and the precision of their tactile speed judgments.
The effect of intermolecular electronic coupling on the exciton dynamics in perylene red nanoparticles
Authors: Rehhagen Chris , Rather Shahnawaz R. , Schwarz Kyra N. , Scholes Gregory D. , Lochbrunner Stefan
Published: March 2022

Ultrafast absorption spectroscopy of PDI-nanoparticles reveals changes of the exciton decay and diffusion dynamics due to varying intermolecular coupling.
Dimerization of phenalenyls with embedded BNB/NBN bond
Authors: Li Dai-Jun , Gao Feng-Wei , Xu Hong-Liang
Published: March 2022

Two planar-like molecules, 1 and 2, were designed and characterized via the introduction of BNB or NBN bonds into the planar phenalenyl.
Single nucleobase identification for transversally-confined ssDNA using longitudinal ionic currents
Authors: Meng Lijun , Huang Jianxiang , He Zhi , Zhou Ruhong
Published: March 2022

High-fidelity DNA sequencing using solid-state nanopores remains a big challenge, partly due to difficulties related to efficient molecular capture and subsequent control of the dwell time.
Controlling the fate of regenerative cells with engineered platelet-derived extracellular vesicles
Authors: Graça Ana L. , Gómez-Florit Manuel , Osório Hugo , Rodrigues Márcia T. , Domingues Rui M. A. , Reis Rui L. , Gomes Manuela E.
Published: March 2022

Engineered platelet-derived extracellular vesicles control the fate of cells involved in regenerative processes.
Synthesis, modification and application of titanium dioxide nanoparticles: a review
Authors: Wang Jinqi , Wang Zhiheng , Wang Wei , Wang Yao , Hu Xiaoli , Liu Jixian , Gong Xuezhong , Miao Wenli , Ding Linliang , Li Xinbo , Tang Jianguo
Published: March 2022

This review mainly discusses the development of TiO2-based materials including synthetic methods, dopants and structural modifications, and applications. A comprehensive analysis of the different aspects of TiO2is described.
Facile and environment-friendly preparation of high-performance polyimide aerogels using water as the only solvent
Authors: Zheng Shuai , Jiang Lei , Zhang Changqi , Ma Ning , Liu Xueqiang
Published: March 2022

In this paper, an environmentally friendly PI aerogel was prepared by a sol–gel process and freeze-drying using water as the only solvent. The prepared PI aerogel has excellent mechanical properties and great thermal properties.
Electricity mediated [3+2]-cycloaddition ofN-sulfonylcyclopropanes with olefinsvia N-centered radical intermediates: access to cyclopentane analogs
Authors: Saha Debarshi , Taily Irshad Maajid , Banerjee Nakshatra , Banerjee Prabal
Published: March 2022

An external oxidant free electrochemical strategy is designed towards the β-scission of strained C–C bonds in cyclopropylamine.
An alternating conduction–insulation “molecular fence” model from fluorinated metallopolymers
Authors: Tu Kai , He Jing , Chen Shuaijie , Liu Cheng , Cheng Jiannan , He Enjie , Li Youyong , Zhang Lifen , Zhang Haiming , Cheng Zhenping
Published: March 2022

An alternating conduction-insulation “molecular fence” model at the molecular level is established by the coordination of Ru(ii) and a bis-terpyridine-end-capped-phenyl (BTP) ligand modified with fluoroalkyl chains.
Copper-mediated pentafluoroethylation of organoboronates and terminal alkynes with TMSCF3
Authors: Pan Shitao , Xie Qiqiang , Wang Xiu , Wang Qian , Ni Chuanfa , Hu Jinbo
Published: March 2022

The TMSCF3-derived CuCF2CF3 species has been successfully applied in pentafluoroethylation of organoboronates and terminal alkynes.
Diversity-oriented synthesis of fluoroalkylated amines via the palladium-catalyzed divergent fluoroalkylamination of 1,3-dienes
Authors: Fu Chen , Zhang Zhaosheng , Li Yuzhen , Gao Dongni , Cui Zi-Ning , Li Zhaodong
Published: March 2022

The cross-coupling of 1,3-dienes, amines and fluoroalkyl iodides with photoinduced palladium catalysis could realize the 3,4- and 1,4-difunctionalization of 1,3-dienes.
An insight, at the atomic level, into the intramolecular metallophilic interaction in nanoclusters
Authors: Li Hao , Zhou Chuanjun , Wang Endong , Kang Xi , Xu Wen Wu , Zhu Manzhou
Published: March 2022

The intracluster Au–Cu metallophilic interactions within the nanocluster framework were beneficial for the clusters to display enhanced near-infrared emission intensity and thermal stability.
Reduced Mo-doped NiCo2O4 with rich oxygen vacancies as an advanced electrode material in supercapacitors
Authors: Wang Chengchao , Wu Xingyue , Qin Yong , Kong Yong
Published: March 2022

Reduced Mo-doped NiCo2O4 is facilely prepared through a dual-defect strategy and used as an advanced electrode material in supercapacitors.
Reversible, controllable white-light emission of dye systems by dynamic covalent furan moiety exchange
Authors: Zhang Yue , Lei Bin , Zhang Xin
Published: March 2022

We demonstrate a new method to achieve white-light emission of dye systems from furan moiety exchange by preventing interchromophore energy transfer.
Increasing oxygen vacancies in CeO2 nanocrystals by Ni doping and reduced graphene oxide decoration towards electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution
Authors: Xu Yang , Hao Xiaodong , Zhang Xishuo , Wang Tong , Hu Zhuangzhuang , Chen Yujiao , Feng Xinyi , Liu Wen , Hao Fangyuan , Kong Xingang , He Chaozheng , Ma Shufang , Xu Bingshe
Published: March 2022

A good-performance and low-cost electrocatalyst Ni–rGO/CeO2 has been achieved due to the increased oxygen vacancies and active sites brought about by the synergistic effect of rGO decoration and Ni doping.
A nanoscale polymolybdate built by two hexavacant Keggin-type fragments via a novel {Ca6P6O38} cluster with β-sheet conformation modulation ability
Authors: Hua Jiai , Wei Xueman , Bian Yujian , Ma Xiang , Hao Li , Sun Jierui , Fan Jingjing , Niu Yulan , Wang Yanqing
Published: March 2022

A novel sandwich-type phosphomolybdate based on two hexavacant Keggin-type fragment incorporating a hexagonal calcium phosphorus oxygen cluster {Ca6P6O38} was obtained. It can modulate the β-sheet-rich aggregates of Aβ and thus suppress the ROS produced by those toxic species.
One-step preparation of Co2V2O7: synthesis and application as a Fenton-like catalyst in a gas diffusion electrode
Authors: Gromboni Murilo Fernando , Cordeiro-Junior Paulo Jorge Marques , Corradini Patricia Gon , Mascaro Lucia Helena , Lanza Marcos Roberto de Vasconcelos
Published: March 2022

A one-step green synthesis of the bimetallic oxide Co2V2O7. The cobalt vanadate was also tested for its ability to simulate the known effects of simple oxides, as well as its ability to activate H2O2created during the electrogeneration.
Significance of the RBD mutations in the SARS-CoV-2 omicron: from spike opening to antibody escape and cell attachment
Authors: Hossen Md Lokman , Baral Prabin , Sharma Tej , Gerstman Bernard , Chapagain Prem
Published: March 2022

We computationally investigated the role of the omicron RBD mutations on its structure and interactions with the surrounding domains in the spike trimer as well as with ACE2.
Seeding the multi-dimensional nonequilibrium pulling for Hamiltonian variation: indirect nonequilibrium free energy simulations at QM levels
Authors: Sun Zhaoxi , He Qiaole
Published: March 2022

The combination of free energy simulations in the alchemical and configurational spaces provides a feasible route to access the thermodynamic profiles under a computationally demanding target Hamiltonian.
Reduced electric field and gas temperature effects on chemical product dynamics in air surface dielectric barrier discharges: from macro-physical parameters to micro-chemical mechanisms
Authors: Liu Kun , Zuo Jie , Ran Congfu , Yang Minghao , Geng Wenqiang , Liu Shiting , (Ken) Ostrikov Kostya
Published: March 2022

Here, we bridge macro-physical parameters and micro-chemical mechanisms through the electron energy and gas temperature effects.
Strain modulation of the exciton anisotropy and carrier lifetime in black phosphorene
Authors: Wang Xiaolong , Gao Weiwei , Zhao Jijun
Published: March 2022

The distribution of excitons in black phosphorene can be tuned by the tensile strain, and the carrier lifetime is also extended by the tensile strain.
The structural complexity of perovskites
Authors: Hallweger Sebastian A. , Kaußler Clemens , Kieslich Gregor
Published: March 2022

Information theory is used to calculate structural complexities of various perovskite-type materials, showing that complexity scales with the size of the pseudocubic ReO3-type [BX3]n− network and available distortion schemes.
Metastable states in sputtered sample atoms: a tutorial review in perspective of elementary plasma processes
Authors: Mushtaq Sohail
Published: March 2022

This tutorial review covers the terms scheme, energy levels, and populating/depopulating processes for the atomic metastable states of sputtered and analytically interesting atoms.
Synthesis, biological evaluation andin silicostudies of 1,2,3-triazolyl-metronidazole derivatives againstLeishmania major
Authors: Ghanbariasad Ali , Emami Leila , Zarenezhad Elham , Behrouz Somayeh , Zarenezhad Ali , Rad Mohammad Navid Soltani
Published: March 2022

The synthesis of novel 1,2,3-triazolyl-based metronidazole hybrid analogues as potent anti-Leishmaniaagents using [CuL-SiO-HA] as a catalyst has been described.
Carbon nanotubes obtained from commercial resins with different treatment temperatures
Authors: He Jing , Mao Di , Liu Junyan , Tang Duihai , Yin Chengyang
Published: March 2022

Carbon nanotubes were prepared with commercial resin by a simple method to explore the effects of different calcination temperatures.
Covalent triazine frameworks for the dynamic adsorption/separation of benzene/cyclohexane mixtures
Authors: Yan Jun , Sun Haiyu , Wang Qilin , Lu Lu , Zhang Biao , Wang Zhonggang , Guo Shengwei , Han Fenglan
Published: March 2022

High adsorption selectivities for benzene and cyclohexane of three covalent triazine frameworks have been prepared via Friedel–Crafts reactions.
Hard ferromagnetic behavior in atomically thin CrSiTe3 flakes
Authors: Zhang Cheng , Wang Le , Gu Yue , Zhang Xi , Xia Xiuquan , Jiang Shaolong , Huang Liang-Long , Fu Ying , Liu Cai , Lin Junhao , Zou Xiaolong , Su Huimin , Mei Jia-Wei , Dai Jun-Feng
Published: March 2022

We reported a layer-controlled transition from the soft to hard ferromagnetic state in atomically thin CrSiTe3 flakes. Our study paves the way towards exploring and learning much more atomically thin and layered intrinsic ferromagnets.
Light-driven sequential shape transformation of block copolymer particles through three-dimensional confined self-assembly
Authors: Hu Dengwen , Wang Yaping , Liu Jintao , Mao Yanya , Chang Xiaohua , Zhu Yutian
Published: March 2022

Shape transformation of BCP particles was realized through quaternization of P2VP chains and light-induced trans–cis isomerization of an azo group.
3D printed elastomers with Sylgard-184-like mechanical properties and tuneable degradability
Authors: Paunović Nevena , Leroux Jean-Christophe , Bao Yinyin
Published: March 2022

Digital light 3D printing of biodegradable elastomers with mechanical properties comparable to the ones of Sylgard-184 via dual-polymer resins.
Accessing new and scalable high molecular weight branched copolymer structures using transfer-dominated branching radical telomerisation (TBRT)
Authors: Cassin Savannah R. , Flynn Sean , Chambon Pierre , Rannard Steve P.
Published: March 2022

Three new synthesis strategies for branched statistical copolymers containing analogues of step-growth backbones are shown using free radical chemistries and transfer-dominated branching radical polymerisation (TBRT) conditions.
CPL on/off control of an assembled system by water soluble macrocyclic chiral sources with planar chirality
Authors: Fa Shixin , Tomita Takuya , Wada Keisuke , Yasuhara Kazuma , Ohtani Shunsuke , Kato Kenichi , Gon Masayuki , Tanaka Kazuo , Kakuta Takahiro , Yamagishi Tada-aki , Ogoshi Tomoki
Published: March 2022

Readily obtained pillar[5]arenes with pure planar chirality enabled CPL on/off control of an assembled system by varying the feed ratio.
Selective photocatalytic aerobic oxidation of methane into carbon monoxide over Ag/AgCl@SiO2
Authors: Zhai Jianxin , Zhou Baowen , Wu Haihong , Jia Shuaiqiang , Chu Mengen , Han Shitao , Xia Wei , He Mingyuan , Han Buxing
Published: March 2022

The Ag/AgCl@SiO2catalyst exhibits excellent photocatalytic activity in selective aerobic oxidation of methane to carbon monoxide with high selectivity, and extended real light simulation feasibility shows potential in practical application.
Contributions of Forward-Focused Voice to Audio-Vocal Feedback Measured Using Nasal Accelerometry and Power Spectral Analysis of Vocal Fundamental Frequency
Authors: Lee Shao-Hsuan , Torng Pao-Chuan , Lee Guo-She
Published: March 2022

Purpose:

The spectral powers of the modulations of vocal fundamental frequency (fo) less than 3 Hz (low-frequency power, LFP) and between 3 and 8 Hz (middle-frequency power, MFP) had been established to indicate the audio-vocal feedback status and vocal efficiency of a speaker, and a resonant voice may enhance the auditory-vocal feedback. This study aims to determine whether the auditory feedback can be augmented by a forward and resonant voice and therefore contribute to the modulations offovariability.

Method:

Vocal signals and accelerometric signals of lateral nasal cartilage were obtained from 27 healthy adults who, respectively, sustained vowels /a/ and /i/ with their habitual speaking voice and with a forward-focused voice under three auditory conditions: natural hearing (N0), high-level noise exposure (N90), and low-level noise exposure (N60). Nasal skin vibrations were measured using a nasal accelerometry to reflect voice resonance status. Vocal intensity andfovariability were also analyzed to show the auditory-vocal interactions under varied conditions of auditory feedback and voice resonance.

Results:

In both N0 and N90 conditions, forward-focused voice showed a significantly lower LFP than the speakers' habitual voice. In addition, LFP offowould significantly increase during natural voice production as the voice feedback was greatly masked by high-intensity noise; however, with a forward-focused voice, the noise-induced variation in LFP was significantly decreased. Under N90, MFP significantly decreased during forward-focused voice production compared with that measured during natural voice production. The stability offomodulations was not adversely affected by N60.

Conclusion:

The results support the idea that vocalizing with a forward-focused voice enhance the auditory feedback of the speaker's own voice and, thus, reduce the variability offoduring sustained phonation, especially when vocalizing in the high noise condition.
The analysis of steady‐state operation characteristic and resonance phenomenon considering all the harmonic components of modular multilevel converter for HVDC
Authors: Liu Pu , Liu Di , Shen Yongpeng , Yang Xiaoliang , Zhao Jun , Wang Yanfeng
Published: March 2022

Analysing the steady‐state operation characteristic of the modular multilevel converter (MMC) in time domain poses challenges due to the presence of harmonic components in the arm current and capacitor voltage. While ignoring the influence of the harmonic currents and harmonic voltages would reduce the accuracy of the analysis results for MMC. This paper investigates the circular interaction among the electrical quantities and different order harmonic components in MMC. A new steady‐state model is developed and the general matrix equation is established to accurately describe the explicit analytical expressions for electrical variables in MMC without specific assumptions. Based on the steady‐state operation characteristic analysis, the resonance phenomenon and characteristic are identified for MMC. Finally, the feasibility and accuracy of the proposed method are verified by comparing its analytical results with simulation and experimental results.
1,1-Difunctionalization of α‑Carbonyl Sulfur Ylides with Thiosulfonates: Synthesis of β-Keto Thiosulfones
Authors: Zeng Qingle , Kang Xiaokang , Lai Shuyan , Liang Xiayu
Published: March 2022

1,1-Difunctionalization of α‑carbonyl sulfur ylides and thiosulfonates under simple conditions is disclosed. In this protocol, two new C–S bonds are constructed in a one-step reaction. A series of aliphatic and aromatic β-keto thiosulfones were obtained in moderate to good yields. This reaction probably proceeds through sulfur ylide-involved­ nucleophilic substitution of an ion pair within a solvent cage.
Clarifying the Link Between the Blood Lactate Concentration and
Cardiovascular Risk
Authors: Ahlgrim Christoph , Baumstark Manfred W. , Roecker Kai
Published: March 2022

The blood lactate value at rest (Lacrest) is linked to cardiovascular
outcomes. It is unclear whether this association holds true in younger, healthy
subjects, especially as the pathophysiological connection between
Lacrest and cardiometabolic disease is not well understood. The
aim of this study is clarifying the link between Lacrest and
cardiovascular risk, and to study explanatory factors for the variance of
Lacrest concerning metabolism and physical activity in a
population of healthy patient-athletes. The distribution and intra-individual
variability of Lacrest was assessed based on 9051 samples. The
10-year cardiovascular risk was then approximated using the Framingham risk
score in a group of 1315 samples from patient-athletes. Cross-validated linear
regression was used to analyze explanatory variables for Lacrest and
10-year cardiovascular risk. Lacrest is weakly associated with the
Framingham score. This association disappears when adjusting for blood lipids.
Lacrest is also linked to the predominant type of exercise with
endurance athletes featuring a higher Lacrest. Lacrest
does not independently predict the estimated cardiovascular risk but is
associated with lipid parameters. Moreover, the intra-individual variability of
Lacrest is high in a relevant number of subjects, which does not
point towards the feasibility to use Lacrest as an individual risk
factor.
Synthesis of Phosphoramidate Prodrugs of Phenolic Natural Products and Drugs by Ester Exchange
Authors: Wu Fan , Ni Feng , Yao Jie , Huang Chengjie , Zhao Yufen
Published: March 2022

Drug development based on phenolic natural products as drug candidates against various diseases has gained much attention in recent years. However, most of those molecules lack therapeutic efficacy in clinical trials, usually due to poor bioavailability. Therefore, a prodrug approach was adopted to address the bioavailability problem of phenolic drugs. This paper describes a mild and convenient method for late-stage ProTide-type prodrug synthesis of phenolic pharmaceuticals, which gives various phosphoramidate prodrugs from unprotected phenolic natural products and drugs in high yield. More importantly, this reaction is amenable for the selective phosphorylation of the phenolic hydroxyl group in the presence of otherwise problematic nucleophilic functional groups like amines and alcohols. We also observed that the chemical release rate of the phenol can be substantially tuned by changing the amino acid residue on the phosphoramidate moiety.
Wind energy harvester using piezoelectric materials
Authors: Lu Caijiang , Jiang Xueling , Li Linfeng , Zhou Hai , Yang Aichao , Xin Mingyong , Fu Guoqiang , Wang Xi
Published: March 2022

Wireless sensor networks play a very important role in environmental monitoring, structural health monitoring, smart city construction, smart grid, and ecological agriculture. The wireless sensor nodes powered by a battery have a limited service life and need periodic maintenance due to the limitation of battery capacity. Fortunately, the development of environmental energy harvesting technology provides an effective way to eliminate the needs and the replacement of the batteries. Among the environmental stray energy, wind energy is rich, almost endless, widely distributed, and clean. Due to the advantages of simple structure, miniaturization, and high power density, wind energy harvesters using piezoelectric materials (PWEHs) have attracted much attention. By the ways of principal exploration, structure design, and performance optimization, great and steady progress has been made in the research of PWEH. This Review is focused on the review of PWEHs. After introducing the basic principle of PWEHs, the structural performance and research status of PWEHs based on different mechanisms, such as a rotating turbine, vortex-induced vibration, flutter, and galloping, are analyzed and summarized. Finally, the development trend of PWEHs has been prospected.
Capacity retention improvement of LiCoO2 cathodes via their laser-ablation-based nanodecoration by BaTiO3 nanoparticles
Authors: Teranishi Takashi , Yoshikawa Yumi , Leblanc-Lavoie Joël , Delegan Nazar , Ka Ibrahima , Kishimoto Akira , El Khakani My Ali
Published: March 2022

We report on the pulsed-laser-deposition (PLD) based nanodecoration of LiCoO2 (LCO) with BaTiO3 (BTO) nanoparticles (NPs) aimed at increasing the density of dielectric-active material–electrolyte triple-phase interfaces (TPIs). The BTO-NPs were deposited onto LCO at different numbers of laser pulses (NLp) and two different schemes, namely, (i) BTO-NP deposition on the surface of the precast cathode (“2D-nanodecoration”) and (ii) BTO-NP decoration of LCO powder prior to its processing to form a working cathode (“3D-nanodecoration”). While the “2D-nanodecoration” mode was found to improve significantly the discharge capacity of the LCO cathodes (by ∼30 mAh/g for NLp ≥ 200), their capacity retention (CR) was modest. In contrast, the “3D-nanodecoration” scheme enabled not only the volumic nanodecoration of the LCO powder by BTO-NPs but also their subsequent annealing to improve their crystallinity. These 3D-nanodecorated LCO cathodes were found to exhibit significantly higher CR values. In particular, for NLp = 100 k, a CR (@10 °C) as high as 78% was achieved (∼47% higher than that of their sol–gel-processed cathode counterparts). Our results point out that three key ingredients (small BTO-NP size, high DTPI, and high dispersibility of NPs on LCO) should be combined to ensure a high CR of BTO-NP-decorated LCO cathodes.
Design of the ion-optics for the MRSt neutron spectrometer at the National Ignition Facility (NIF)
Authors: Berg G. P. A. , Frenje J. A. , Kunimune J. H. , Trosseille C. A. , Couder M. , Kilkenny J. D. , Mackinnon A. J. , Moore A. S. , Waltz C. S. , Wiescher M. C.
Published: March 2022

A new Magnetic Recoil Spectrometer (MRSt) is designed to provide time-resolved measurements of the energy spectrum of neutrons emanating from an inertial confinement fusion implosion at the National Ignition Facility. At present, time integrated parameters are being measured using the existing magnet recoil and neutron time-of-flight spectrometers. The capability of high energy resolution of 2 keV and the extension to high time resolution of about 20 ps are expected to improve our understanding of conditions required for successful fusion experiments. The layout, ion-optics, and specifications of the MRSt will be presented.
Energy approach in the study of plasma structures of a high-pressure microwave discharge
Authors: Brovkin V. G. , Vedenin P. V.
Published: March 2022

The energy characteristics of a plasma channel (filament) are the most important for a number of applications. A numerical study of the evolution of the thin plasma channel in air in the range of discharge parameters P = 30–750 Torr and λ = 2.3–8.5 cm showed that the total absorbed energy (Joule's losses) at each time instant is close to its upper estimate, which integrally depends only on the spatial distribution of the plasma density at this instant. A simple analytical expression is obtained for estimating the fraction of the wave beam energy transferred to the channel. An express method for estimating the energy characteristics of a plasma filament is proposed. The method is based on analytical expressions and experimental data on the temporal evolution of the plasma dimensions visible in photographs. The considered example shows the possibility of fast estimation of the total absorbed energy, as well as the specific energy and gas heating in the center of the channel during a microwave pulse.