bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Neolignans isolated from Saururus cernuus L. (Saururaceae) exhibit efficacy against Schistosoma mansoni
Authors: Brito Juliana R. , Wilairatana Polrat , Roquini Daniel B. , Parra Beatriz C. , Gonçalves Marina M. , Souza Dalete Christine S. , Ferreira Edgard A. , Salvadori Maria C. , Teixeira Fernanda S. , Lago João Henrique G. , de Moraes Josué
Published: November 2022

Schistosomiasis, a parasitic disease caused by the blood fluke of the genus Schistosoma, affects over 230 million people, especially in developing countries. Despite the significant economic and public health consequences, only one drug is currently available for treatment of schistosomiasis, praziquantel. Thus, there is an urgent demand for new anthelmintic agents. Based on our continuous studies involving the chemical prospection of floristic biodiversity aiming to discover new bioactive compounds, this work reports the in vitro antiparasitic activity against Schistosoma mansoni adult worms of neolignans threo-austrobailignan-6 and verrucosin, both isolated from Saururus cernuus L. (Saururaceae). These neolignans showed a significant in vitro schistosomicidal activity, with EC50 values of 12.6–28.1 µM. Further analysis revealed a pronounced reduction in the number of S. mansoni eggs. Scanning electron microscopy analysis revealed morphological alterations when schistosomes were exposed to either threo-austrobailignan-6 or verrucosin. These relevant antischistosomal properties were accompanied by low cytotoxicity potential against the animal (Vero) and human (HaCaT) cell lines, resulting in a high selectivity index. Considering the promising chemical and biological properties of threo-austrobailignan-6 and verrucosin, this research should be of interest to those in the area of neglected diseases and in particular antischistosomal drug discovery.
Coastal engineering infrastructure impacts Blue Carbon habitats distribution and ecosystem functions
Authors: Mazarrasa Inés , Garcia-Orellana Jordi , Puente Araceli , Juanes José A.
Published: November 2022

Intertidal estuarine habitats (e.g., saltmarshes and tidal flats) provide important ecosystem services to society, including coastal protection, food provision and Corg sequestration. Yet, estuaries and estuarine habitats have been subjected to intense human pressure, such as land-use change and artificialization of the shoreline to support economic activities and uses. Construction of engineering infrastructures (e.g., piers, bridges) in these areas alters estuary-wide hydromorphological conditions and thus sedimentation patterns at the estuarine scale, which are key drivers of habitats distribution and ecosystem structure, processes and functions. Most of the research on the impact of civil engineering structures on coastal habitats has focused on the biological communities that colonize them or the bottoms where they are placed, whereas their indirect impacts on adjacent habitats has been largely unexplored. Understanding the influence of man-made infrastructures on the distribution of estuarine habitats and functions is critical, particularly considering that shoreline armoring is expected to increase as a way to protect coastal areas from hazards derived from climate change. Shifts in habitat distribution and functions occur in several years or decades and relating them with the occurrence of past historical events is challenging when no monitoring data is available. By examining historical aerial photographs and different biogeochemical properties along a saltmarsh soil record, this study demonstrates that the construction of an infrastructure (i.e. bridge) caused a rapid transformation (~ 30 years) of a bare sandflat into a high marsh community and to significant changes in sediment biogeochemical properties, including the decrease in sediment accretion rate and Corg burial rates since then. This study contributes to increase the knowledge on the impact that the construction in coastal areas of civil engineering infrastructures can cause in intertidal habitats distribution and the ecological functions they provide for climate change adaption and mitigation.
A novel genetic-artificial neural network based age estimation system
Authors: Oladipo Oluwasegun , Omidiora Elijah Olusayo , Osamor Victor Chukwudi
Published: November 2022

Age estimation is the ability to predict the age of an individual based on facial clues. This could be put to practical use in underage voting detection, underage driving detection, and overage sportsmen detection. To date, no popular automatic age estimation system has been developed to target black faces. This study developed a novel age estimation system from the combination of a genetic algorithm and a back propagation (BP)-trained artificial neural network (ANN) and using the local binary pattern feature extraction technique (LBGANN) targeted at black faces. The system was trained with a predominantly black face database, and the result was compared against that of a standard ANN system (LBANN). The results showed that the developed system LBGANN outperformed the LBANN in terms of the correct classification rate.
An impairment-specific hip exoskeleton assistance for gait training in subjects with acquired brain injury: a feasibility study
Authors: Livolsi Chiara , Conti Roberto , Guanziroli Eleonora , Friðriksson Þór , Alexandersson Ásgeir , Kristjánsson Kristleifur , Esquenazi Alberto , Molino Lova Raffaele , Romo Duane , Giovacchini Francesco , Crea Simona , Molteni Franco , Vitiello Nicola
Published: November 2022

This study was designed to investigate the feasibility and the potential effects on walking performance of a short gait training with a novel impairment-specific hip assistance (iHA) through a bilateral active pelvis orthosis (APO) in patients with acquired brain injury (ABI). Fourteen subjects capable of independent gait and exhibiting mild-to-moderate gait deficits, due to an ABI, were enrolled. Subjects presenting deficit in hip flexion and/or extension were included and divided into two groups based on the presence (group A, n = 6) or absence (group B, n = 8) of knee hyperextension during stance phase of walking. Two iHA-based profiles were developed for the groups. The protocol included two overground gait training sessions using APO, and two evaluation sessions, pre and post training. Primary outcomes were pre vs. post-training walking distance and steady-state speed in the 6-min walking test. Secondary outcomes were self-selected speed, joint kinematics and kinetics, gait symmetry and forward propulsion, assessed through 3D gait analysis. Following the training, study participants significantly increased the walked distance and average steady-state speed in the 6-min walking tests, both when walking with and without the APO. The increased walked distance surpassed the minimal clinically important difference for groups A and B, (respectively, 42 and 57 m > 34 m). In group A, five out of six subjects had decreased knee hyperextension at the post-training session (on average the peak of the knee extension angle was reduced by 36%). Knee flexion during swing phase increased, by 16% and 31%, for A and B groups respectively. Two-day gait training with APO providing iHA was effective and safe in improving walking performance and knee kinematics in ABI survivors. These preliminary findings suggest that this strategy may be viable for subject-specific post-ABI gait rehabilitation.
Paternal genetic diversity, differentiation and phylogeny of three white yak breeds/populations in China
Authors: Luo Jing , Wei Xudong , Liu Wenxian , Chen Shengmei , Ahmed Zulfiqar , Sun Wenping , Lei Chuzhao , Ma Zhijie
Published: November 2022

The white yak, a type of unique and valuable farm animals on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, are mainly distributed in Tianzhu (County of Gansu Province), Menyuan, Huzhu and Ledu (three Counties of Qinghai Province) in China. In the present study, the Y-chromosomal genetic diversity, differentiation and phylogeny of three Chinese white yak breeds/populations (Tianzhu, Huzhu and Menyuan) were comprehensively explored using five Y-SNPs (SRY4, USP9Y, UTY19, AMELY3 and OFD1Y10) and one Y-STR (INRA189) markers. The results showed that six Y-haplotypes (H1Y1, H9Y1, H10Y1, H11Y2, H12Y2 and H13Y2) were identified in 97 male yak from three white yak breeds/populations. Among these haplotypes, H1Y1, H10Y1 and H11Y2 were shared by all of breeds/populations and H12Y2 was shared by Tianzhu and Huzhu populations. However, H9Y1 and H13Y2 haplotypes were only detected in Menyuan and Tianzhu white yak populations, respectively. The Y-haplotype diversity was maximum in Huzhu white yak (0.7500 ± 0.0349), the medium in Tianzhu white yak (0.6881 ± 0.0614) and the lowest in Menyuan white yak (0.5720 ± 0.0657). The total Y-haplotype diversity of three white yak breeds/populations was 0.7567 ± 0.0233, indicating rich paternal genetic diversity in white yak. The FST values showed a moderate differentiation between Tianzhu and Menyuan (FST = 0.0763, P < 0.05) populations, but a weak differentiation between Huzhu and Tianzhu white yak breeds/populations (FST = 0.0186, P > 0.05) and Huzhu and Menyuan (FST = − 0.005, P > 0.05) populations. The clustering analysis revealed a close genetic relationship between Huzhu and Menyuan white yak, both were far from Tianzhu white yak breed. The phylogenetic analyses showed that white yak had two Y-haplogroups/lineages (Y1 and Y2) with two potential paternal origins. The findings of present study provide new insight into the basic information for the formulation of molecular breeding programs of white yak. Moreover, it also contributes to the conservation and utilization of this special animal genetic resource.
Long-term monitoring and analysis of the longitudinal differential settlement of an expressway bridge–subgrade transition section in a loess area
Authors: Du Yang , He Xiongjun , Wu Chao , Wu Weiwei
Published: November 2022

To solve the problem of "bridgehead bumping" in the transition section between the road and bridge of an expressway in a collapsible loess area, a lime–soil compaction pile composite foundation is used for the first time in the transition section between the road and bridge of an expressway in China; the loess subgrade is improved by adding lime, and the subgrade is arranged in a multilayer geogrid for the joint treatment of various engineering measures. At the same time, a new type of precision differential pressure settlement meter is used to monitor the long-term settlement of a bridge–subgrade transition section with a small settlement magnitude after the joint treatment, and the distribution characteristics and variation laws of the settlement along the longitudinal direction of the line are obtained. The results show that the effect is better and the differential settlement is smaller when using a lime–soil compaction pile composite foundation; lime improves the loess subgrade backfill, and the multilayer geogrid addresses the bridge–subgrade transition in the collapsible loess area. The differential settlement and settlement rate of the subgrade and abutment increase with increased monitoring time, and the differential settlement increases gradually, while the growth rate decreases gradually and finally tends to be stable. The differential settlement of the transition section is predicted and analysed by using a hyperbolic curve, exponential curve and their combination in a prediction model, and the prediction analysis shows that the combined prediction model has the best prediction effect. These research results can provide guidance and reference for the design and construction of subgrade structures similar to the wet transition section between roads and bridges.
Application of multi-objective optimization in the study of anti-breast cancer candidate drugs
Authors: Mei Yuan , Wu Kaijun
Published: November 2022

In the development of anti-breast cancer drugs, the quantitative structure-activity relationship model of compounds is usually used to select potential active compounds. However, the existing methods often have problems such as low model prediction performance, lack of overall consideration of the biological activity and related properties of compounds, and difficulty in directly selection candidate drugs. Therefore, this paper constructs a complete set of compound selection framework from three aspects: feature selection, relationship mapping and multi-objective optimization problem solving. In feature selection part, a feature selection method based on unsupervised spectral clustering is proposed. The selected features have more comprehensive information expression ability. In the relationship mapping part, a variety of machine learning algorithms are used for comparative experiments. Finally, the CatBoost algorithm is selected to perform the relationship mapping between each other, and better prediction performance is achieved. In the multi-objective optimization part, based on the analysis of the conflict relationship between the objectives, the AGE-MOEA algorithm is improved and used to solve this problem. Compared with various algorithms, the improved algorithm has better search performance.
The ischaemic preconditioning paradox and its implications for islet isolation from heart-beating and non heart-beating donors
Authors: Brandhorst Daniel , Brandhorst Heide , Acreman Samuel , Johnson Paul R. V.
Published: November 2022

The impact of ischaemia can severely damage procured donor organs for transplantation. The pancreas, and pancreatic islets in particular, is one of the most sensitive tissues towards hypoxia. The present study was aimed to assess the effect of hypoxic preconditioning (HP) performed ex-vivo in islets isolated from heart-beating donor (HBD) and non heart-beating donor (NHBD) rats. After HP purified islets were cultured for 24 h in hypoxia followed by islet characterisation. Post-culture islet yields were significantly lower in sham-treated NHBD than in HBD. This difference was reduced when NHBD islets were preconditioned. Similar results were observed regarding viability, apoptosis and in vitro function. Reactive oxygen species generation after hypoxic culture was significantly enhanced in sham-treated NHBD than in HBD islets. Again, this difference could be diminished through HP. qRT-PCR revealed that HP decreases pro-apoptotic genes but increases HIF-1 and VEGF. However, the extent of reduction and augmentation was always substantially higher in preconditioned NHBD than in HBD islets. Our findings indicate a lower benefit of HBD islets from HP than NHBD islets. The ischaemic preconditioning paradox suggests that HP should be primarily applied to islets from marginal donors. This observation needs evaluation in human islets.
Nondestructive and noncontact evaluation of cellulose nanofiber-reinforced composites using terahertz time-domain spectroscopy
Authors: Nakanishi Atsushi , Kanno Naoko , Satozono Hiroshi
Published: November 2022

Cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) can be obtained from natural sources, such as plants and wood fibers. Thermoplastic resin composites reinforced with CNFs exhibit various features, including superior mechanical strength. As the mechanical properties of composites reinforced with CNFs are affected by the amount of fiber addition, it is important to determine the concentration of the CNF filler in the matrix after injection or extrusion molding. We confirmed that there was good linearity between the CNF concentration and terahertz absorption. We could distinguish the difference in the 1%-point-CNF concentration with terahertz time-domain spectroscopy. Furthermore, we estimated the mechanical properties of the CNF nanocomposites using terahertz information.
Overall structural seismic damage rapid assessment method based on period and displacement response characteristics
Authors: Wang Mingzhen , Gao Lin , Yang Zailin
Published: November 2022

The seismic damage state of building structure can be rapidly evaluated by coupling effect of structural displacement response and periodic characteristics. Firstly, the fundamental period calculation formula that adapts to the deformation pattern and distribution mode of horizontal seismic action for reinforced concrete frame structure is derived. Secondly, the seismic damage assessment standard of building structure considering period variation is established. Then, the seismic damage assessment method of building structure is constructed. Finally, the seismic damage example is used to verify the established evaluation method. The results show that the established research method has high accuracy and good engineering practicability.
Novel grading system for ischemia‒reperfusion injury manifestations in patients with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention
Authors: Wang Xiaotong , Li Binbin , Hu Yue , Xiao Shengjue , Guo Minjia , Xu Tao , Wu Huimin , Huan Chunyan , Yin Jie , Zhu Hong , Pan Defeng
Published: November 2022

To establish a simple myocardial ischemia‒reperfusion injury (MIRI) manifestation grading system based on clinical manifestations and coronary angiography during primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI). All STEMI patients treated with PPCI from June 2018 to November 2019 were included. According to the MIRI manifestation grade, patients were divided into four grades (I–IV). Laboratory and clinical indicators of the patients and the occurrence of major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) within one year of follow-up were analyzed. A total of 300 patients were included. The higher the MIRI manifestation grade, the lower was the high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C); the higher were the C-reactive protein (CRP), lipoprotein(a) [LP(a)], and peak levels of high-sensitivity troponin T (hs-cTnT), creatine kinase (CK-MB), and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP); and the higher were the proportions of right coronary artery (RCA) and multivessel lesions (P < 0.05). The left ventricular end-diastolic dimension (LVEDD) and E/e′ values of patients with higher grades were significantly increased, while the LVEF, left ventricular short-axis functional shortening (LVFS) and E/A values were significantly decreased (P < 0.05). The one-year cumulative incidence of major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) in patients with grade I–IV disease was 7.7% vs. 26.9% vs. 48.4% vs. 93.3%, respectively,P < 0.05. The higher the MIRI manifestation grade, the more obvious is the impact on diastolic and systolic function and the higher is the cumulative incidence of MACEs within one year, especially in patients with multivessel disease, low HDL-C, high CRP, high LP(a) levels, and the RCA as the infarction-related artery.
Novel deep learning hybrid models (CNN-GRU and DLDL-RF) for the susceptibility classification of dust sources in the Middle East: a global source
Authors: Gholami Hamid , Mohammadifar Aliakbar
Published: November 2022

Dust storms have many negative consequences, and affect all kinds of ecosystems, as well as climate and weather conditions. Therefore, classification of dust storm sources into different susceptibility categories can help us mitigate its negative effects. This study aimed to classify the susceptibility of dust sources in the Middle East (ME) by developing two novel deep learning (DL) hybrid models based on the convolutional neural network–gated recurrent unit (CNN-GRU) model, and the dense layer deep learning–random forest (DLDL-RF) model. The Dragonfly algorithm (DA) was used to identify the critical features controlling dust sources. Game theory was used for the interpretability of the DL model’s output. Predictive DL models were constructed by dividing datasets randomly into train (70%) and test (30%) groups, six statistical indicators being then applied to assess the DL hybrid model performance for both datasets (train and test). Among 13 potential features (or variables) controlling dust sources, seven variables were selected as important and six as non-important by DA, respectively. Based on the DLDL-RF hybrid model – a model with higher accuracy in comparison with CNN-GRU–23.1, 22.8, and 22.2% of the study area were classified as being of very low, low and moderate susceptibility, whereas 20.2 and 11.7% of the area were classified as representing high and very high susceptibility classes, respectively. Among seven important features selected by DA, clay content, silt content, and precipitation were identified as the three most important by game theory through permutation values. Overall, DL hybrid models were found to be efficient methods for prediction purposes on large spatial scales with no or incomplete datasets from ground-based measurements.
Progress and gaps of extracellular vesicle-mediated intercellular cargo transfer in the central nervous system
Authors: Wan Chun , Stowell Michael H. B. , Shen Jingshi
Published: November 2022

A fundamentally novel function proposed for extracellular vesicles (EVs) is to transfer bioactive molecules in intercellular signaling. In this minireview, we discuss recent progress on EV-mediated cargo transfer in the central nervous system (CNS) and major gaps in previous studies. We also suggest a set of experiments necessary for bridging the gaps and establishing the physiological roles of EV-mediated cargo transfer.
Voltage imaging reveals the dynamic electrical signatures of human breast cancer cells
Authors: Quicke Peter , Sun Yilin , Arias-Garcia Mar , Beykou Melina , Acker Corey D. , Djamgoz Mustafa B. A. , Bakal Chris , Foust Amanda J.
Published: November 2022

Cancer cells feature a resting membrane potential (Vm) that is depolarized compared to normal cells, and express active ionic conductances, which factor directly in their pathophysiological behavior. Despite similarities to ‘excitable’ tissues, relatively little is known about cancer cell Vm dynamics. Here high-throughput, cellular-resolution Vm imaging reveals that Vm fluctuates dynamically in several breast cancer cell lines compared to non-cancerous MCF-10A cells. We characterize Vm fluctuations of hundreds of human triple-negative breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells. By quantifying their Dynamic Electrical Signatures (DESs) through an unsupervised machine-learning protocol, we identify four classes ranging from "noisy” to “blinking/waving“. The Vm of MDA-MB-231 cells exhibits spontaneous, transient hyperpolarizations inhibited by the voltage-gated sodium channel blocker tetrodotoxin, and by calcium-activated potassium channel inhibitors apamin and iberiotoxin. The Vm of MCF-10A cells is comparatively static, but fluctuations increase following treatment with transforming growth factor-β1, a canonical inducer of the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. These data suggest that the ability to generate Vm fluctuations may be a property of hybrid epithelial-mesenchymal cells or those originated from luminal progenitors.
A critical bioenergetic switch is regulated by IGF2 during murine cartilage development
Authors: Hollander Judith M. , Li Lingyun , Rawal Miraj , Wang Si Kun , Shu Yue , Zhang Ming , Nielsen Heber C. , Rosen Clifford J. , Zeng Li
Published: November 2022

Long bone growth requires the precise control of chondrocyte maturation from proliferation to hypertrophy during endochondral ossification, but the bioenergetic program that ensures normal cartilage development is still largely elusive. We show that chondrocytes have unique glucose metabolism signatures in these stages, and they undergo bioenergetic reprogramming from glycolysis to oxidative phosphorylation during maturation, accompanied by an upregulation of the pentose phosphate pathway. Inhibition of either oxidative phosphorylation or the pentose phosphate pathway in murine chondrocytes and bone organ cultures impaired hypertrophic differentiation, suggesting that the appropriate balance of these pathways is required for cartilage development. Insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF2) deficiency resulted in a profound increase in oxidative phosphorylation in hypertrophic chondrocytes, suggesting that IGF2 is required to prevent overactive glucose metabolism and maintain a proper balance of metabolic pathways. Our results thus provide critical evidence of preference for a bioenergetic pathway in different stages of chondrocytes and highlight its importance as a fundamental mechanism in skeletal development.
Superior colliculus saccade motor bursts do not dictate movement kinematics
Authors: Zhang Tong , Malevich Tatiana , Baumann Matthias P. , Hafed Ziad M.
Published: November 2022

The primate superior colliculus (SC) contains a topographic map of space, such that the anatomical location of active neurons defines a desired eye movement vector. Complementing such a spatial code, SC neurons also exhibit saccade-related bursts that are tightly synchronized with movement onset. Current models suggest that such bursts constitute a rate code dictating movement kinematics. Here, using two complementary approaches, we demonstrate a dissociation between the SC rate code and saccade kinematics. First, we show that SC burst strength systematically varies depending on whether saccades of the same amplitude are directed towards the upper or lower visual fields, but the movements themselves have similar kinematics. Second, we show that for the same saccade vector, when saccades are significantly slowed down by the absence of a visible saccade target, SC saccade-related burst strengths can be elevated rather than diminished. Thus, SC saccade-related motor bursts do not necessarily dictate movement kinematics.
Collagen piezoelectricity in osteogenesis imperfecta and its role in intrafibrillar mineralization
Authors: Kwon Jinha , Cho Hanna
Published: November 2022

Intrafibrillar mineralization plays a critical role in attaining desired mechanical properties of bone. It is well known that amorphous calcium phosphate (ACP) infiltrates into the collagen through the gap regions, but its underlying driving force is not understood. Based on the authors’ previous observations that a collagen fibril has higher piezoelectricity at gap regions, it was hypothesized that the piezoelectric heterogeneity of collagen helps ACP infiltration through the gap. To further examine this hypothesis, the collagen piezoelectricity of osteogenesis imperfecta (OI), known as brittle bone disease, is characterized by employing Piezoresponse Force Microscopy (PFM). The OI collagen reveals similar piezoelectricity between gap and overlap regions, implying that losing piezoelectric heterogeneity in OI collagen results in abnormal intrafibrillar mineralization and, accordingly, losing the benefit of mechanical heterogeneity from the fibrillar level. This finding suggests a perspective to explain the ACP infiltration, highlighting the physiological role of collagen piezoelectricity in intrafibrillar mineralization.
Cation-controlled capture of polyoxovanadate-based organic–inorganic 1D architectures
Authors: Repp Stefan , Steiner Michael , Anjass Montaha , Sorsche Dieter , Streb Carsten
Published: November 2022

The aggregation of supramolecular organic–inorganic 1D polymers is reported based on host–guest recognition between an organic macrocycle and an inorganic vanadium oxide cluster.
A π-extended benzothiadiazole derivative for a high-efficiency TADF-sensitized fluorescent organic light-emitting diode
Authors: Shi Guang-Jin , Tan Ke-Ke , Liu Shu-Yang , Zhang Hao , Hu Hao-Ran , Wang Kun-Peng , Xu Liang-Zhong , Li Meng , Hu Zhi-Qiang
Published: November 2022

A new fluorescent emitter based on π-extended benzothiadiazole was synthesized. The obtained emitter displayed high-efficiency photoluminescence and TADF-sensitized electroluminescence.
Host–guest inclusion complexes formed between a symmetrical tetrasubstituted cucurbit[6]uril and glycine
Authors: Yuan Shang-Wei , Shan Pei-Hui , Yang Mao-Xiao , Ma Pei-Hua , Prior Timothy J. , Redshaw Carl , Wei Gang , Tao Zhu , Xiao Xin
Published: November 2022

Herein, we have investigated the host–guest inclusion complexes formed on interaction of the symmetric tetramethyl-substituted cucurbit[6]uril (TMeQ[6]) with glycine (Gly) under different conditions.
Hidden intermediate activation: a concept to elucidate the reaction mechanism of the Schmittel cyclization of enyne–allenes
Authors: Durán Rocío , Barrales-Martínez César , Matute Ricardo A.
Published: November 2022

The Diabatic Model of Intermediate Stabilization (DMIS) provides critical elements to analyze the transit from a one-step to a stepwise mechanism of the Schmittel cyclization by stabilizing a full hidden intermediate.
Carbon-based frustrated Lewis pairs mediate hydrogenation
Authors: Huang Xiaoyan , Zeng Xiaohan , Zhang Xuefei , Xie Zailai
Published: November 2022

B/P co-doped nanocarbon materials with frustrated Lewis pairs were prepared for highly efficient hydrogenation reactions.
Pharmacophore-driven identification of human glutaminyl cyclase inhibitors from foods, plants and herbs unveils the bioactive property and potential of Azaleatin in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease
Authors: Tsai Keng-Chang , Zhang Yi-Xuan , Kao Hsiang-Yun , Fung Kit-Man , Tseng Tien-Sheng
Published: November 2022

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the leading cause of disabilities in old age and a rapidly growing condition in the elderly population.
Latest trends in the large-scale production of MOFs in accordance with the principles of green chemistry
Authors: Pobłocki Kacper , Drzeżdżon Joanna , Gawdzik Barbara , Jacewicz Dagmara
Published: November 2022

The review provides information on the latest methods for the synthesis of MOFs in line with green chemistry principles on an industrial scale.
An integrated nucleic acid detection method based on a microfluidic chip for collection and culture of rice false smut spores
Authors: Yang Ning , Ji Yuanyuan , Wang Aiying , Tang Jian , Liu Shuhua , Zhang Xiaodong , Xu Lijia , He Yong
Published: November 2022

An integrated nucleic acid detection method based on a microfluidic chip for collection and culture of RFSS is proposed.
Synthesis and antimicrobial activity of novel bis-benzimidazolium salts
Authors: Dubreuil Amélie , Mas Pierre , Schmitzer Andreea R.
Published: November 2022

Rigid compounds containing benzimidazolium cations can prevent the formation and disrupt Methicillin-resistant S. aureus biofilms.
The mineralization ability of a chloride-resistant γ-Cu2(OH)3Cl Fenton catalyst: effects of the cation type, salt concentration and organic pollutants
Authors: Wang Hao , Yin Hongyou , Zhang Zeng , Xiong Ying , Li Yang , Wu Yan
Published: November 2022

A chloride-resistant heterogeneous Fenton catalyst γ-Cu2(OH)3Cl is used to mineralize aromatic organics (phenol, bisphenol A, salicylic acid and aniline) in saline solutions with different salts (MgCl2, CaCl2, NaCl and KCl) and concentrations.
A cleaning and reusable biochemical degumming method for hemp fibers through immobilized pectinase lyase on calcium alginate microspheres
Authors: Zhang Xin , Guo Jing , Yu Yue , Hao Xinmin , Guan Fucheng , Zhang Sen
Published: November 2022

A biochemical degumming solution (chemical auxiliaries & CA-PL) can be used twice; the chemical auxiliaries swelled the fibers and CA-PL acted on the pectin layer to extract cellulose.
Fluorescently-tagged magnetic protein nanoparticles for high-resolution optical and ultra-high field magnetic resonance dual-modal cerebral angiography
Authors: Mishra Sandeep K. , Herman Peter , Crair Michael , Constable R. Todd , Walsh John J. , Akif Adil , Verhagen Justus V. , Hyder Fahmeed
Published: November 2022

In vivo cerebrovascular imaging with fluorescently-tagged magnetic protein nanoparticles (f-MPNPs) enhances microvascular contrast for simultaneous visualization by whole-brain time-of-flight MRI angiography and high resolution fluorescence imaging.
A novel strategy via electrode catalysis induced nano transformation for lithiated-bimetallic-oxides to avoid the long activation process of advanced lithium-ion batteries
Authors: Lu Qiuchen , Dong Youzhong , Fan Qinghua , Kuang Quan , Zhao Yanming
Published: November 2022

A simple and novel electrode modification scheme is revealed to effectively avoid long activation processes of high-energy transition metal oxide anode materials for the first time.
Synthesis of imidazo[1,2-a]benzoazepines by alkyne-carbonyl-metathesis
Authors: Sobhani Maryam , Figueira de Abreu Rúben Manuel , Villinger Alexander , Ehlers Peter , Langer Peter
Published: November 2022

Imidazo[1,2-a]benzoazepines were prepared in good yields by combination of Pd catalyzed cross coupling reactions with alkyne-carbonyl metathesis (ACM).
Radical annulation using a radical reagent as a two-carbon unit
Authors: Tang Boxiao , Liu Yilin , Lian Yan , Liu Hongxin
Published: November 2022

We have highlighted the representative processes reported in the past decade for radical annulation using a radical reagent as a two-carbon unit, including [2 + 2 + 2], [3 + 2], [4 + 2], and [5 + 2] modes, with an emphasis on their reaction mechanisms.
A new amino acid, hybrid peptides and BODIPY analogs: synthesis and evaluation of 2-aminotroponyl-l-alanine (ATA) derivatives
Authors: Gupta Manish K. , Sharma Nagendra K.
Published: November 2022

We report 2-Aminotroponyl Alanine (ATA) as a novel chiral nonbenzenoid aromatic amino acid with unique reactivity with EDC. Reported is formation of hybrid peptides with β-turn/α-helix type structures, and fluorescent BODIPY analogues.
Direct heteroarylation polymerization of a π-conjugated polymer with degradable 1,2,4-oxadiazole linkers
Authors: Varju Bryton R. , Seferos Dwight S.
Published: November 2022

The synthesis of π-conjugated polymers containing a degradable 1,2,4-oxadiazole linker by direct heteroaryl polymerization (DHAP) is reported.
A one-component phosphonium borane Lewis pair serves as a dual initiator and catalyst in the ring-opening alternating copolymerization of anhydrides and epoxides
Authors: Hui Jiwen , Wang Xiaowu , Yao Xiaoqian , Li Zhibo
Published: November 2022

Lewis pairs as synergistic catalysts have demonstrated versatile adaptabilities towards different monomers.
Engineering the modulation of the active sites and pores of pristine metal–organic frameworks for high-performance sodium-ion storage
Authors: Shuang Wei , Wang Ya , Chen Fuyou , Wu Yujun , Bai Zhengyu , Yang Lin
Published: November 2022

We adopted thermal treatment prior to carbonization for Ni-HHTP to open blocked pores and expose multiple active sites. The electronic conductivity, reaction kinetics, specific capacity and stability are enhanced using thermal treatment Ni-HHTP as an electrode for SIBs.
Near-infrared electroluminescence beyond 940 nm in Pt(N^C^N)X complexes: influencing aggregation with the ancillary ligand X
Authors: Salthouse Rebecca J. , Pander Piotr , Yufit Dmitry S. , Dias Fernando B. , Williams J. A. Gareth
Published: November 2022

The ancillary ligand X strongly influences the aggregates formed by complexes of the type Pt(N^C^N)X. X = I leads to a 4× increase in film PLQY and OLED EQE vs. X = Cl, while X = SCN yields very long wavelength electroluminescence, λmaxEL = 944 nm.
An amplification-free, 16S rRNA test for Neisseria gonorrhoeae in urine
Authors: Zheng Zhenrong , Cao Yan , Chandrasekaran Sukantha , Schmidt Jacob J. , Garner Omai B. , Monbouquette Harold G.
Published: November 2022

Conductometric detection of N. gonorrhoeae 16S rRNA (green) by blockade of glass pores. Polystyrene beads conjugated with PNA probe (orange) are charge neutral but acquire negative charge and electrophoretic mobility upon hybridization of rRNA.
Development and Validation of Sentences in Tamil for Psychoacoustic Evaluation of Voice Using the Consensus Auditory-Perceptual Evaluation of Voice
Authors: Venkatraman Yamini , Mahalingam Shenbagavalli , Boominathan Prakash
Published: November 2022

Purpose:

The Consensus Auditory-Perceptual Evaluation of Voice (CAPE-V) is a standardized instrument used in voice assessment to assess voice quality. It has been translated and culturally adapted in several languages. This study aimed at developing and validating a Tamil version of CAPE-V through auditory perceptual evaluation of remotely recorded voice samples.

Method:

The Tamil version was adapted with permission from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association to match the rationale in English CAPE-V. The sentences were constructed by the first author and validated for content by two panels of experts. Forty-five participants (15 cases and 30 controls) were included in the study. Data recording was conducted online (Zoom Video Communications, Inc., app) for all samples. Three raters participated in the auditory evaluation and scored all samples using Grade, Roughness, Breathiness, Asthenia, and Strain (GRBAS) scale followed by CAPE-V with a week gap in between. Twenty percent of samples were repeated to assess intrarater reliability. The intrarater and interrater reliability measures for Tamil CAPE-V were established using intraclass coefficients (ICCs). To ensure construct validity, group differences were determined between the cases and controls. The concurrent validity was established by correlating Tamil CAPE-V with the GRBAS scale.

Results:

The intrarater reliability for Tamil CAPE-V ranged from moderate to excellent (ICC: .610–.998). The Tamil CAPE-V obtained moderate to good interrater reliability for all parameters (ICC: .525–.790) except pitch (ICC: .405). The differences between the cases and controls were statistically significant (
p
< .01). The correlation between CAPE-V and GRBAS was strong for overall severity, breathiness, and strain (
r
s
= .725–.861) and moderate for roughness (
r
s
= .678).

Conclusion:

The Tamil CAPE-V is a reliable and valid tool for auditory perceptual evaluation in Tamil-speaking populations.

Supplemental Material:

https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.21513885
Palate Re-Repair for Velopharyngeal Insufficiency Treatment: A Long-Term Auditory-Perceptual Assessment of Speech
Authors: Araújo Bruna Mara Adorno Marmontel , da Silva Andressa Sharllene Carneiro , Bertier Carlos Eduardo , de Sousa Brosco Telma Vidotto , Yamashita Renata Paciello , Sampaio-Teixeira Ana Claudia Martins , Trindade Inge Elly Kiemle
Published: November 2022

Purpose:

The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of the palate re-repair by the auditory-perceptual assessment of speech.

Method:

Nonsyndromic individuals with operated cleft palate ± lip and velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI), aged 6–22 years (10 men and 10 women), were referred to secondary palate surgery by the Sommerlad technique. Speech characteristics related to velopharyngeal function (VPF) were analyzed by auditory-perceptual assessment using digital audio recording 5 days before and 13 months after the palate re-repair, on average. Hypernasality, global impression of VPF, and active speech symptoms were scored and blindly rated by three experienced speech-language pathologists before and after surgery. The effect of age and the type of cleft on the outcomes was also analyzed.

Results:

Surgical success, interpreted as the elimination or reduction of hypernasality, was observed in 13 of the 20 patients analyzed (65%). Adequate nasality was observed in 55% of the patients, and the degree of hypernasality decreased from moderate to mild in 10% of the patients. Postoperative normal nasality was only seen among the children (73%). There was a tendency for better outcomes in patients with unilateral cleft lip and palate.

Conclusions:

The auditory-perceptual assessment of speech showed that re-repairs were effective in eliminating hypernasality and normalizing VPF in the majority of children analyzed, but not among the adults. In view of these results, the Sommerlad surgery should be prioritized in children as a secondary intervention in order to eliminate VPI.
Functionalised B‐Cu@F‐Ag@Au trimetallic nanomaterials with long term stability for rapid and highly sensitive in situ SERS detection of furfural in transformer oil
Authors: Lei Yu , Wang Changding , Kong Weiping , Wang Mingliang , Zhang Xinyuan , Nima Abdolmaleki , Wang Caisheng , Chen Weigen , Wan Fu
Published: November 2022

The surface‐enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates enable a highly sensitive detection of furfural in the transformer oil. However, detection substrates with long‐term stability are still extremely challenging. In this work, we anchored the thiol‐containing coupling agents 2, 5‐dimercapto‐1, 3, 4‐thiadiazole (DMTD) and 1, 4‐benzenedithiol (BDT) on the surface of bubble copper (B‐Cu) and flower‐like silver nanoparticles (F‐Ag), respectively. The three‐dimensional SERS detection substrates with long‐term stability by using a combination of chemical reduction and self‐assembly methods were constructed. The substrate has a minimum detection limit of 10−9 M for rhodamine B in oil with an enhancement factor of up to 2.23 × 107. Importantly, the three‐crystal B‐Cu@F‐Ag1@Au5 substrate was used for the detection of furfural in the transformer oil with a detection limit of 2 mg/L and a relative standard deviation value of 2.46%. After 60 days of a simulated operation, the detection signal of furfural in the transformer oil samples at 75°C and still reached the initial value of 77.53%, indicating that the substrate has a good long‐term stability. This triple frame structured SERS detection platform shows great potential in tracking furfural in the aging transformer oil mixing systems.
A novel broadband polarisation conversion reflective metasurface
Authors: Qu Xun , Ding Jun , Yuan Yi , Guo Chenjiang
Published: November 2022

A metasurface‐based broadband reflective polarisation converter with dual L‐shaped patches and dual trapezoidal patches for linear‐to‐linear polarisation conversion and linear‐to‐circular polarisation conversion is proposed in this study. The simulated and measured results demonstrate that the polarisation rotation can be effectively implemented in the frequency bands 9.24–12.25 GHz and 21.23–23.01 GHz, with the fractional bandwidth of the former being 28.01%. In addition, linear‐to‐circular polarisation conversion is performed with fractional bandwidths of 42.86% and 14.49% at 13.09–20.23 GHz and 23.62–27.31 GHz respectively. In the primary bands of linear‐to‐linear polarisation conversion and linear‐to‐circular polarisation conversion, the converter can operate within an incident angle range of 55° for polarised wave. This design may have potential uses in polarisation control devices used in the field of communications in X‐, Ku‐ and K‐bands.
Damping torque analysis for open‐loop modal resonance as a cause of torsional sub‐synchronous oscillations excited by grid‐connected wind farms
Authors: Bu Siqi , Zhang Jiangfeng , Chung C. Y.
Published: November 2022

Incidents of sub‐synchronous oscillations (SSOs) reported in the Hami power network of western China indicate that the torsional dynamics of a synchronous generator (SG) can be excited by a grid‐connected wind farm and trigger torsional SSOs. The concept of open‐loop modal resonance (OLMR) reveals the excitation mechanism from the standpoint of system modal condition. This paper proposes a novel damping torque analysis (DTA) for detecting and assessing the risk of OLMR exciting torsional SSOs in a complex power system with multiple grid‐connected wind farms. The proposed analysis is modal‐computational free and can also accurately identify the grid‐connected wind farm responsible for the excitation of the torsional SSOs. Moreover, the proposed DTA provides a physical insight into the OLMR to facilitate an understanding of the essential reasons that the OLMR may excite torsional SSOs. The effectiveness of the proposed DTA is demonstrated and evaluated in an example power system with multiple grid‐connected wind farms.
A robust estimation of the twist distribution in magnetic clouds
Authors: Lanabere V. , Démoulin P. , Dasso S.
Published: November 2022

Context. Magnetic clouds (MCs) are observed in situ by spacecraft. The rotation of their magnetic field is typically interpreted as the crossing of a twisted magnetic flux tube, or flux rope, which was launched from the solar corona.

Aims. The detailed magnetic measurements across MCs permit us to infer the flux rope characteristics. Still, the precise spatial distribution of the magnetic twist is challenging, and thus is debated.

Methods. In order to improve the robustness of the results, we performed a superposed epoch analysis (SEA) of a set of well observed MCs at 1 au. While previous work was done using the MC central time, we here used the result of a fitted flux rope model to select the time of the closest approach to the flux rope axis. This implies a precise separation of the in- and outbound regions to coherently phase the observed signals. We also searched for and minimised the possible biases such as magnetic asymmetry and a finite impact parameter.

Results. We applied the SEA to derive the median profiles both for the flux rope remaining when crossed by the spacecraft and to recover the one present before erosion. In particular, the median azimuthal B component is nearly a linear function of the radius. More generally, the results confirm our previous results realised without such a deep analysis. The twist profile is nearly uniform in the flux rope core, with a steep increase at the border of the flux rope and with similar profiles in the in- and outbound regions. The main difference with our previous study is a larger twist by ∼20%.
Wine tourism experience effects on co-creation, perceived value and consumer behavior
Authors: Zhang Yuqing , Lee Hoffer
Published: November 2022

Wine tourism is an increasingly prevalent form of tourism, but is still an emerging market in China. Wine tourism is highly experiential, yet only a few research works have focused on the antecedents and consequences of co-creation experience in the context of wine tourism. In this study, Chateau Changyu Rena Shaanxi, China, was selected as the site of research to explore the impacts of wine tourism experience on co-creation experience, perceived value, and consumer behavior. The Structure Equation Modeling (SEM) method has been used to analyze a sample of 536 respondents who have participated in wine tourism. The results show that most Chinese tourists participated in wine tourism for the first time and spent around 800 Renminbi for wine in average at the winery. In addition, this study is the first to confirm that autonomous of co-creation experience, entertainment, education, escapism, and novelty experience have positive effects on co-creation experience. Education experience, esthetic experience, escapism experience, and hedonism experience are positively correlated with perceived value. Co-creation experience and perceived value are positively correlated with word-of-mouth intention, revisit intention and purchase intention. The results of this study also provide implications for winery operators, guiding them to improve their business strategies, enrich wine tourism experience, encourage tourists to participate in co-creation activities, reward visitors for positive word-of-mouth promotion and offer cost-effective products.
Automatic Algorithm Programming Model Based on the Improved Morgan's Refinement Calculus
Authors: ZUO Zhengkang , HU Ying , HUANG Qing , WANG Yuan , WANG Changjing
Published: November 2022

The automatic algorithm programming model can increase the dependability and efficiency of algorithm program development, including specification generation, program refinement, and formal verification. However, the existing model has two flaws: incompleteness of program refinement and inadequate automation of formal verification. This paper proposes an automatic algorithm programming model based on the improved Morgan's refinement calculus. It extends the Morgan's refinement calculus rules and designs the C++ generation system for realizing the complete process of refinement. Meanwhile, the automation tools VCG (Verification Condition Generator) and Isabelle are used to improve the automation of formal verification. An example of a stock's maximum income demonstrates the effectiveness of the proposed model. Furthermore, the proposed model has some relevance for automatic software generation.