bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Indolin‐2‐Ones: A New Approach to Inflammation, Targeting LPS via GSK3β/NLRP3
Authors: Klochkov Vladlen , Babkov Denis , Borisov Alexander , Ianalieva Laura , Danilov Roman , Bezsonova Elena , Sosonyuk Sergey , Lozinskaya Natalia , Spasov Alexander
Published: February 2025

Chronic inflammation is a key pathogenic driver in cardiovascular, neurodegenerative and metabolic diseases. Previously we identified highly active GSK3β inhibitors with antidiabetic potential among 3,5‐disubstituted indolin‐2‐one derivatives. We found that these derivatives also possess a direct antioxidant activity, which was shown in in luminol‐H2O2 and ABTS in vitro systems with IC50 level was up to 6.0 and 34.6 µM respectively. GSK3β is an essential part LPS‐induced NF‐κB and NLRP3 pathways activation. Hence, the most active compounds 3 and 5 were evaluated and found to exhibit high anti‐inflammatory activity in LPS‐induced activation of primary murine macrophages with IL‐6 IC50 from 8.7 to 63.5 µM without cytotoxicity and also prevent LPS + ATP‐induced NLRP3 activation in macrophages and peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Alongside compounds 3 and 5 retain macrophages phagocytic activity unlike dexamethasone. Animal's studies showed effective prevention of LPS‐induced rat paw edema volume, NO, TNFα, and IL‐1β formation after 30 mg/kg per oral administration. Hence, we identified candidates combining antidiabetic, antioxidant and anti‐inflammatory activities promising as agents against inflammation‐linked chronic diseases.
Bimetallic Particles Supported on Mordenite and Alumina for as Catalysts for Methane Oxidation
Authors: Rosales M. C. Aldo Vázquez , Lucio‐Ortiz Carlos J. , Rivera de la Rosa Javier , Maldonado Carolina Solis , Dimas Rivera Gloria , Sandoval‐Rangel Ladislao , De Haro del Río David Alejandro , Flores‐Escamilla Gerardo A. , Martínez Diana Bustos , López Iván Alonso Santos , Pedraza Eileen Susana Carrillo
Published: February 2025

Oxygenated compounds methane derivates like formaldehyde and methanol have become important primary chemicals in the manufacturing of various consumer products and chemical intermediates used in the petrochemical sector. This study investigates the catalytic conversion of methane over bimetallic particles supported on mordenite and alumina. Various catalyst compositions, including Pt‐Ru, Pd‐Ru, and Cu‐Ru, were synthesized and characterized using techniques such as X‐ray diffraction, nitrogen physisorption, and scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy. The catalytic performance of these catalysts was evaluated in methane oxidation reactions at different temperatures. Results indicate that temperature strongly influences methane conversion and selectivity toward desired products such as methanol and formaldehyde, mainly the Pt‐Ru combination based on mordenite and alumina which obtained 45% and 78% of formaldehyde selectivity respectively, furthermore, the highest methane conversion was performed by this combination for both supports. Catalysts with specific crystal structures exhibit higher selectivity toward formaldehyde, highlighting the importance of catalyst design. Additionally, a trade‐off between methane conversion and selectivity toward methanol and formaldehyde was observed. Overall, this study provides insights into optimizing catalytic systems for methane conversion, with implications for the development of efficient and selective catalysts for practical applications.
Alkylation of Aniline with Benzyl Alcohol by Using Ni/O‐Clay: Kinetic Studies
Authors: Poman Aishwarya , Kamble Paresh , Rathod Virendra , Kantam Mannepalli Lakshmi
Published: February 2025

This study investigates the alkylation of aniline using benzyl alcohol over a Ni (30)/O‐clay catalyst, focusing on optimizing reaction conditions and understanding the reaction kinetics. The catalyst demonstrated 70% conversion of aniline with 75% selectivity toward benzylideneaniline (BDA) at 343 K in a 6‐hour reaction time. Catalyst characterization was performed using BET, NH3‐TPD, XRD, and FE‐SEM techniques, revealing a mesoporous structure with strong and medium acidic sites that enhance catalytic activity. Key parameters influencing the reaction, including temperature, molar ratio, catalyst loading, oxidants, and solvents, were systematically investigated. The Weisz‐Prater criterion confirmed the absence of mass transfer resistance, and kinetic studies validated the Langmuir‐Hinshelwood‐Hougen‐Watson (LHHW) mechanism. The activation energy was calculated and found to be 37 kcal/mol. The Ni (30)/O‐clay catalyst exhibited excellent reusability, maintaining activity and selectivity up to four reaction cycles. This work highlights the potential of Ni‐organoclay catalyst for green, cost‐effective synthesis of alkylated aniline derivatives, paving the way for sustainable and efficient industrial processes. The results emphasize the importance of heterogeneous catalysts in enhancing selectivity and minimizing by‐products in environmentally friendly chemical transformations.
Super Tough Anti‐freezing and Antibacterial Hydrogel With Multi‐crosslinked Network for Flexible Strain Sensor
Authors: Liu Huimin , Guan Shiqiang , Wang Pengwei , Dong Xufeng
Published: February 2025

Addressing the diverse environmental demands for electronic material performance, the design of a multifunctional ionic conductive hydrogel with mechanical flexibility, anti‐freezing capability, and antibacterial characteristics represents an optimal solution. Leveraging the Dead Sea effect and the strong hydrogen bonding, this study exploits the CaCl2 and the abundant hydroxyl groups in phytic acid (PA) to induce chain entanglements, thereby constructing a complex, multi‐crosslinked network. Furthermore, PA and ternary solvent systems (CaCl2/Glycerol/H2O) synergistically impart excellent mechanical strength, toughness (with tensile strength of 8.93 MPa, elongation at break of 859.93%, and toughness of 39.92 MJ m−3), high electrical conductivity, antifreeze capability, antibacterial properties, and high strain sensitivity (gauge factor up to 2.10) to the hydrogels. Remarkably, the hydrogel structure maintains stability even after undergoing 6000 loading‐unloading cycles, demonstrating its outstanding fatigue resistance. Upon receiving external stimuli, the hydrogel exhibits a response time of 126 ms, making it ideal for the dynamic monitoring of human motion signals. This study offers novel insight into the potential application of ionic conductive hydrogels as flexible sensors in challenging environments.
2C‐Ternary Content Addressable Memory in Memcapacitor Crossbar Array with NAND Flash Structure
Authors: Hwang Hwiho , Yu Junsu , Youn Sangwook , Choi Woo Young , Kim Hyungjin
Published: February 2025

As one of the data‐intensive in‐memory computing hardware, ternary content addressable memory (TCAM) stands out for its efficient in‐memory‐searching capability, enabling high‐throughput and low‐latency computing. However, TCAMs, especially those based on resistive non‐volatile memories, face challenges in limited resistance ratio (Rhigh/Rlow) that deteriorate sensing margin and energy efficiency. Addressing these issues, a TCAM cell composed of two memcapacitors (2C‐TCAM) based on NAND flash array structure is proposed. The 2C‐TCAM utilizes the memcapacitors coupled with the mature technology of flash cells for reliable operation and high‐density (8F2) array configuration. Thanks to the capacitive readout of memcapacitors, the 2C‐TCAM achieves near‐zero static power consumption and minimizes IR drop effect. Consequently, highly parallel and reliable search functionality can be obtained even in large arrays while preserving the sensing margin. Electrical characteristics and operation schemes of the proposed 2C‐TCAM cell are validated through fabrication and measurements, and array operations are experimentally demonstrated using a 24 × 48 memcapacitor crossbar array with sensing circuits. Additionally, the system‐level performance of the 2C‐TCAM array is analyzed, considering the device programming accuracy. Search times of 47 ps and energy consumption of 11.7 fJ per bit are achieved by scaling down the device cell area to 1 µm2.
Multi‐Component Phase Engineering Strategy Modulates Potassiation Reaction Energy Barrier of Alloying Anode for Stable Potassium Storage
Authors: Wang Feiyue , Cheng Hanwen , Ren Jingke , Feng Wencong , Cheng Chaojie , Guan Deyang , Liao Xiaobin , Luo Wen
Published: February 2025

Red phosphorus (RP) has received much attention in potassium storage because of its inexpensive cost and high theoretical capacity, but faces the issues of volume expansion and poor conductivity. Fortunately, phosphorus–selenium hybridization solves these issues by forming an alloy anode that combines RP's high capacity with Se's high conductivity. But the weak chemical affinity between RP and Se makes it often difficult to form stable and homogeneous mixtures during preparation. To address this, this study introduces hexagonal boron nitride (h‐BN) as a bridging source to facilitate the close coupling of the RP and Se composite phases. The optimized multi‐component anode exhibits high initial coulombic efficiency (ICE reaching 73.0%), good cycling stability (3000 cycles at 1 A g−1), and outstanding rate performance (a discharge specific capacity of 157.3 mAh g⁻¹ even at 2 A g⁻¹). Further investigation reveals that the introduction of h‐BN reduces activation energy for interfacial charge transfer and K+ to cross the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI). It also decreases the Gibbs free energy change (ΔG) of the potassiation reaction's decisive step. Therefore, the introduction of a third phase enhances the coupling effect of alloy‐based composites, providing a method for designing secondary battery electrodes with high capacity.
In Situ Coordinated MOF‐Polymer Composite Electrolyte for Solid‐State Lithium Metal Batteries with Exceptional High‐Rate Performance
Authors: Chai Yan , Gao Jiansheng , Yang Liangtao , Wu Wei , Ning De , Chen Zhongjun , Huang Wanxia , Zhang Gaoyuan , Gao Rui , Zhou Dong , Wang Jun , Huang Si‐Min , Li Yongli
Published: February 2025

The integration of metal organic frameworks (MOFs) and electrospun polymer fibers offers the potential to achieve uniform dispersion and high loading of fillers, providing a unique perspective for advancing composite solid electrolytes in solid‐state lithium metal batteries. In this work, a composite solid electrolyte is fabricated through a combination of electrospinning and chemical immersion, facilitating the in situ nucleation and growth of HKUST‐1 on polyacrylonitrile (PAN) electrospun nanofibers. The in situ coordinated HKUST‐1 particles not only modify the solvation structure of Li+ and the coordination environment of TFSI−, but also encapsulate PAN fibers to mitigate interfacial side reactions with lithium metal, thereby improving interfacial stability. Consequently, the solid‐state electrolyte achieves a high Li ion transference number of 0.77 and an impressive critical current density of 4.5 mA cm−2. The assembled Li||Li symmetric cell exhibits stable operation for over 4000 h at 4.0 mA cm−2, while Li||LFP and Li||NCM811 cells demonstrate exceptional rate capability and cycling stability. This work provides valuable insights into the design and fabrication of MOF/polymer‐based composite solid electrolytes.
Improving Charge Transfer Kinetics of Ni Hydroxide Through Chromium: Efficient Production of Benzoic Acid at Ampere‐Level Current Density
Authors: Bhutani Divya , Dutta Supriti , Garg Abhishek , K Pati Swapan , Muthusamy Eswaramoorthy
Published: February 2025

Hybrid water electrolysis with the simultaneous generation of hydrogen and value‐added chemicals enhances the viability of the water electrolysis process. A remarkably high current density of 1.4 A cm−2 toward benzyl alcohol oxidation (BOR) at a low potential of 1.45 V reported in this work suggests that the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) can be replaced with BOR by selecting a suitable catalyst. A chromium oxide‐treated Ni foam (Cr‐NF) synthesized through a simple hydrothermal route offers 100% conversion and 99.5% faradaic efficiency toward benzoic acid. The surface nature of NF is significantly modified by chromium oxide, known for its hydrophilic nature and pore‐forming abilities, resulting in enhanced active sites. In situ Raman analysis confirms the reversible electrochemical conversion of Ni hydroxides to NiOOH, which converts benzyl alcohol (BA) to benzoic acid (PhCOOH) by chemical oxidation. The theoretical analysis suggests accelerated electronic transport and lower free energy for the sorption of intermediates utilizing the Cr2O3/NiOOH surface. In a two‐electrode arrangement, Cr‐NF demonstrates excellent performance, achieving a current density of 2.5 A cm−2 at an applied potential of 3.1 V, which is highly significant compared to OER‐based systems. This system can further be studied for commercial applications.
How We Simulate DNA Origami
Authors: Haggenmueller Sarah , Matthies Michael , Sample Matthew , Šulc Petr
Published: February 2025

DNA origami consists of a long scaffold strand and short staple strands that self‐assemble into a target 2D or 3D shape. It is a widely used construct in nucleic acid nanotechnology, offering a cost‐effective way to design and create diverse nanoscale shapes. With promising applications in areas such as nanofabrication, diagnostics, and therapeutics, DNA origami has become a key tool in the bionanotechnology field. Simulations of these structures can offer insight into their shape and function, thus speeding up and simplifying the design process. However, simulating these structures, often comprising thousands of base pairs, poses challenges due to their large size. OxDNA, a coarse‐grained model specifically designed for DNA nanotechnology, offers powerful simulation capabilities. Its associated ecosystem of visualization and analysis tools can complement experimental work with in silico characterization. This tutorial provides a general approach to simulating DNA origami structures using the oxDNA ecosystem, tailored for experimentalists looking to integrate computational analysis into their design workflow.
Composite Polymer Solid Electrolytes for All‐Solid‐State Sodium Batteries
Authors: He Yiying , Yang Shoumeng , Liu Congcong , Ouyang Yue , Li Yanni , Zhu Hangmin , Yao Yu , Yang Hai , Rui Xianhong , Yu Yan
Published: February 2025

Sodium‐ion batteries (SIBs) are emerging as a promising alternative to lithium‐ion batteries, primarily due to their plentiful raw materials and cost‐effectiveness. However, the use of traditional organic liquid electrolytes in sodium battery applications presents significant safety risks, prompting the investigation of solid electrolytes as a more viable solution. Despite their advantages, single solid electrolytes encounter challenges, including low conductivity of sodium ions at room temperature and incompatibility with electrode materials. To overcome these limitations, the researchers develop composite polymer solid electrolytes (CPSEs), which merge the strengths of high ionic conductivity of inorganic solid electrolytes and the flexibility of polymer solid electrolytes. CPSEs are usually composed of inorganic materials dispersed in the polymer matrix. The final performance of CPSEs can be further improved by optimizing the particle size, relative content, and form of inorganic fillers. CPSEs show great advantages in improving ionic conductivity and interface compatibility, making them an important direction for future solid‐state sodium battery research. Therefore, this paper summarizes recent advancements in composite solid electrolytes, discusses the impact of their preparation processes on performance, and outlines potential future developments in sodium‐ion solid‐state batteries.
Enhancing the Thermal Stability of Organic Solar Cells by Locking Morphology with Ethyl Cellulose Additive
Authors: Suo Zhaochen , Si Xiaodong , Zhao WenKai , Li Longyu , Liu Jian , Wang Jie , Yao Zhaoyang , Long Guankui , Li Chenxi , Wan Xiangjian , Chen Yongsheng
Published: February 2025

The morphology of active layer of the organic solar cells (OSCs) tends to transition toward its lowest energy conformation under thermal stress, significantly limiting the stability of OSCs. In this study, ethyl cellulose (EC) is utilized as an additive in the active layer of the typical PM6:Y6 and other systems. Due to the strong interaction between the hydroxyl groups of EC and the heteroatoms in the organic semiconductors, their bulk heterojunction nanomorphology is locked, thereby enhancing device thermal stability. Under thermal stress at 65 °C for 1,000 h, the PM6:Y6 device incorporating EC demonstrates excellent stability nearly without performance loss. Furthermore, compared to the control device, the device exhibits improved thermal stability under a range of more stringent aging conditions. Additionally, the EC additive shows broad applicability in various active layer systems, effectively enhancing their thermal stability. This work offers a promising approach for developing stable nanomorphology structures in OSCs.
Application Strategies of MXenes in Photodetector: Dual Perspectives of Acting as Modifiers and Being Modified
Authors: Hu Chuqiao , Bai Yumeng , Qiu Peilun , Wu Di , Zhang Yanan , Liu Jianqiao , Fu Ce , Shen Guozhen
Published: February 2025

Photodetectors, as essential devices for photoelectric conversion, are critical to advancing military, industrial, and civil technologies. In the post‐Moore era, the demand for extreme miniaturization and multifunctionality has driven intense research into low‐dimensional materials. Two‐dimensional MXenes have attracted considerable attention due to their exceptional conductivity, controllable surface functional groups, and tunable bandgap associated with surface terminals. However, the lack of systematic analysis on how MXenes enhance photodetector performance, modification mechanisms, and the multifunctional applications of modified MXenes constrains progress in this field. Herein, this review focuses on the dual roles of MXenes as performance modifiers and modifiable materials in photodetectors. It systematically examines the preparation and modification strategies of MXenes. Emphasis is placed on their potential as conductive electrodes, carrier transport layers, and heterojunctions with photosensitive layers to optimize device performance. The impact of advanced modification techniques on MXene properties is also explored, along with their subsequent application in photodetectors with enhanced sensitivity and stability. Additionally, emerging opportunities for MXenes in enabling novel device architectures and multifunctional photodetection platforms are highlighted. Herein, strategic guidance is provided for photodetector structural design and material innovation and establishes a foundation for next‐generation optoelectronic devices and broader MXene integration in photonic technologies.
Contemplating Society, Self, and Nature During an Ecological Disaster
Authors: Konecki Krzysztof T.
Published: February 2025

We aim to analyze two books that explore ecology and the challenge of saving the planet within the framework of contemporary socio‐economic conditions. The first book, by Latour and Schultz (2022), offers a theoretical exploration with practical implications, focusing on the creation of an ecological class capable of collective agency to drive socio‐economic change. The second book, authored by Schultz (2023), is a deeply personal narrative that serves as both a warning and a reflection on life and emotions in the Anthropocene, emphasizing the need for profound introspection. Our analysis of these works will adopt a contemplative sociological perspective.
Deep resequencing unveils novel SNPs, InDels, and large structural variants for the clonal fingerprinting of sweet orange [Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck]
Authors: Scaglione Davide , Ciacciulli Angelo , Gattolin Stefano , Caruso Marco , Marroni Fabio , Casas Giuseppina Las , Jurman Irena , Licciardello Grazia , Catara Antonino Felice , Rossini Laura , Licciardello Concetta , Morgante Michele
Published: February 2025

The large phenotypic variability characterizing the sweet orange [Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck] germplasm arose from spontaneous somatic mutations and led to the diversification of major groups (common, acidless, Navel, and pigmented). Substantial divergence also occurred within each varietal group. The genetic basis of such variability (i.e., ripening time, fruit shape, color, acidity, and sugar content) is largely uncharacterized, and therefore not exploitable for molecular breeding. Moreover, the clonal nature of all sweet orange accessions hinders the traceability of propagation material and fruit juice using low‐density molecular markers. To build a catalog of somatic mutations in Italian varieties, 20 accessions were sequenced at high coverage. This allowed the identification of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), structural variants (SVs), and large hemizygous deletions, specific to clones or varietal groups. A panel of 239 SNPs was successfully used for genotyping 221 sweet orange accessions, allowing them to be clustered into varietal groups. Furthermore, genotyping of SNPs and SVs was extended to leaf and juice samples of commercial varieties belonging to two varietal groups (Moro and Tarocco) collected from 26 sites in Southern Italy, confirming the usefulness of the identified markers for the identification of specific clones. Interestingly, we found that the insertion of the transposable element VANDAL in the gene exons significantly affected the level of allelic‐specific expression. Finally, the markers developed in the present work contribute to unraveling the origin and diversification of sweet oranges, representing a reliable and efficient molecular tool for the unambiguous fingerprint of somatic mutants and an asset for the traceability of orange plant material and fruit juice.
Molecular markers enhance substantially the distinctness of alfalfa varieties for registration and protection
Authors: Annicchiarico Paolo , Franguelli Nicolò , Ferrari Barbara , Campanella Giacomo , Gualanduzzi Stefano , Crosta Margherita , Delogu Chiara , Spataro Giorgia , Nazzicari Nelson
Published: February 2025

Plant varieties must satisfy distinctness, uniformity, and stability (DUS) requirements for registration. Morphophysiological trait‐based distinctness may be challenging for cultivars of major perennial forages. Our study focused on alfalfa (Medicago sativa L. subsp. sativa) with the aims of (a) comparing morphophysiological distinctness with molecular distinctness based on genotyping‐by‐sequencing (GBS) or the alfalfa DArTag panel, envisaging different statistical criteria for molecular distinctness, and (b) assessing the consistency of morphophysiological and molecular cultivar diversity. The 18 most grown Italian varieties were jointly reevaluated morphophysiologically and were characterized molecularly using three bulked DNA samples of 200 independent genotypes per cultivar. Morphophysiological distinctness was limited by correlations between traits and resulted in 39 non‐distinct cultivars in 153 paired comparisons and three cultivars distinct from any other. Best configurations for molecular distinctness featured about 10‐fold more polymorphic markers and 10‐fold lower average read depth per marker for GBS compared to DArTag. DArTag markers allowed for somewhat better variety distinction than GBS. They reduced to 11 the non‐distinct cultivars in paired comparisons and increased to 11 the completely distinct cultivars, based on a principal components analysis of allele frequencies followed by analyses of variance on cultivar principal component scores. This criterion achieved greater variety distinctness than cluster analysis with bootstrap values, discriminant analysis, or analysis of molecular variance. Morphophysiologically distinct cultivars were generally distinct molecularly, but not the reverse. Mantel's test revealed a modest consistency across morphophysiological and DArTag (r = 0.39) or GBS‐based (r = 0.46) measures of cultivar Euclidean distance. Our results and other considerations strongly encourage the adoption of molecular distinctness for alfalfa DUS.
Wetlands as a solution to water browning: A 3‐year efficiency assessment of outdoor mesocosms
Authors: Djerf Henric
Published: February 2025

Water browning is the phenomenon of increasing discoloration in lakes and water courses due to the leaching of organic matter from soils. This process has ecological, economic, and social implications, such as affecting light penetration, oxygen levels, nutrient cycling, drinking water quality, and recreational use. This study investigated the potential of wetlands as a natural solution to mitigate water browning by reducing organic matter and iron. Six mesocosms in pilot scale were set up and studied for 3 years for their efficiency to reduce water color, with sampling every 14th day. Parameters measured were the changes in water color, dissolved organic carbon, iron, pH, and conductivity over 3 years, under different hydrological and climatic conditions. The results showed that wetlands can decrease water browning by retaining organic matter and iron, especially in vegetated systems. This study showed that long retention times with vegetated shallow systems were needed to reduce the water color by 47%. The decrease of color was primarily due to reduction of iron that decreased by 66%, while the dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration decreased by only 6%. These findings highlight the potential of constructed wetlands as a valuable tool for improving water quality and mitigating the impacts of water browning, though further optimization of wetland design and integration with broader land‐use strategies is needed to address this complex issue effectively.

Practitioner Points

Constructed wetlands can mitigate brownification, especially with long retention times and shallow vegetated wetlands.

Iron reduction is more strongly correlated with colour reduction than with DOC reduction.

Vegetated constructed wetlands reduced the colour concentration of inflow water by 47% after a 14‐day retention time.

Wetlands need a long retention time to reduce colour, and should be placed far upstream in the watershed.

Vegetated systems may use alternative pathways, like biofilm formation, to reduce humic substances, independent of UV exposure.
Assessment of groundwater suitability for drinking and irrigation purposes with probable health threats in a semiarid river basin of South India
Authors: Rajan Meera , Karunanidhi D. , Gurugnanam B. , Subramani T.
Published: February 2025

In the semiarid river basin of south India, the present study focuses on the appropriateness of water for drinking and irrigation as well as the risks to human health posed by pollutants. A total of 68 groundwater samples were evaluated for irrigation and consumption purposes. With a high electrical conductivity peaking at 3430 μS/cm and an alkaline composition, the groundwater has a high salinity and poor water quality. Durov's figure displays a trend along the dissolution or mixing line and identifies the geochemical facies of groundwater samples. According to water quality indexes, the majority of samples are categorized as unfit for human consumption (26.47%), extremely bad (36.76%), and poor (26.47%). According to elemental concentrations, the data are grouped into three clusters using hierarchical cluster analysis. According to the geographical distribution, nitrate levels are safe over about 320.25 km2 and dangerous over about 121.10 km2, whereas fluoride levels are safe over about 293.92 km2 and dangerous over about 147.43 km2. About 50.65 km2, 14.70% of the samples, fell into the no restriction category for irrigation, indicating acceptable standards. Low sodium levels in soils are indicated by parameters like SAR, %Na, PI, RSC, MR, and KR; SAR values fall into the C2S1, C3S1, and C4S1 categories. According to Doneen's diagram, 70.5% of samples had a PI >75, indicating suitability; the Wilcox diagram classified 22.05% of samples as excellent and 69.11% as good to permissible for irrigation. According to human health risk assessment, 75% of babies, 63% of children, 75% of teens, and 54% of adults have THI values >1 for fluoride. About 45% of newborns, 42% of kids, 45% of teenagers, and 29% of adults are at risk for nitrate. Infants, kids, and teenagers are at the danger. In order to safeguard human health against fluoride and nitrate, the study emphasizes the necessity of efficiently managing groundwater resources, lowering agricultural pollution, and assuring clean drinking water.

Practitioner Points

In the area, 79.25 km2 has good drinking water quality based on DWQI.

Based on IWQI, 70.33 km2 area is recognized as suitable for agricultural practices.

Geogenic and anthropogenic activities contribute to fluoride and nitrate pollution in water.

Based on THI, infants and children are more prone to fluoride and nitrate contamination.
Development of a hydrological model for vegetated swales under different rainfall and swale properties
Authors: Saraçoğlu Kebir Emre , Kazezyılmaz‐Alhan Cevza Melek
Published: February 2025

Global warming and climate change affect the number and magnitude of flash floods dramatically, which necessitate effective and innovative solutions. Low Impact Development (LID) has gained importance recently in decreasing the negative impacts of floods in urban areas. LID such as swale, bioretention, infiltration trench, and rain garden emerge as an alternative or complementary solution to the traditional infrastructure stormwater drainage systems. Vegetated swales are one of the most common types of LID used for stormwater runoff control. Although existing software programs have recently integrated modules for LID into their modeling and design, they need improvement for accurate simulations of the hydrological behavior of vegetated swales. Therefore, in this study, a mathematical model was developed to simulate vegetated swale hydrology. The model calculates the overland flow over the watershed area, the overflow over the swale surface, and the drainage flow at the bottom of the swale. A large‐scale experimental setup called Rainfall–Watershed–Swale (RWS) was employed in developing the mathematical model, and data obtained from the RWS was used to calibrate the model. Results show that the developed hydrological model accurately simulates the hydrological behavior of swales under different rainfall events and swale properties.

Practitioner Points

A mathematical model was developed to simulate vegetated swale hydrology.

Experimental data from the rainfall–watershed–swale system was employed for model development and calibration.

The mathematical model effectively calculates the overflow and drainage flow of a vegetated swale.

The model provides a practical tool for the design of vegetated swales.
Introduction
Authors: Lenz Taguchi Hillevi , Bodén Linnea
Published: February 2025

The introduction argues for multiple forms of knowledge in inquiry concerning children’s development, learning, and lives. With an overarching goal of arguing for relevant forms of inquiry for the benefit of children, whether the research is done on, to, with, and/or by children, three aims are presented: (1) to discuss the challenges and possibilities of inter- and transdisciplinary collaborations while (2) attending to the complex historicity of the academy and its different disciplinary divides, theories, and lexica so as to (3) argue for the importance of understanding phenomena, such as the child, childhood, and education, as multiple, and natureculture coconstituted. The introduction further highlights the context of the book, a large-scale interdisciplinary intervention study in Swedish preschooling.
The Emergence of Postdevelopmentalism and a Coconstitutive View of Development
Authors: Lenz Taguchi Hillevi , Bodén Linnea
Published: February 2025

The focus in this chapter is the emergence of a postdevelopmentalist approach in the field of child, childhood, and early education studies. It discusses the influence on postdevelopmentalism from critical economics. The discussion draws upon the postdevelopmental critique of child development theory and research and presents a case study of an unhappy marriage between psychology and pedagogy during the twentieth century in Sweden, ending in a definitive divorce in the 1980s. The chapter moves on to present more elaborated meta-theoretical thinking about development in the developmental sciences, in terms of a processual natureculture coconstitutive dynamism. In the chapter’s conclusion, we argue for the possibilities of a more constructive relationship between the developmental sciences and other forms of inquiry, including those relying on a postdevelopmentalist critical approach.
A Critical Review on the Citizen Participatory Design Group (CPDG, Kukmintichaintan) in South Korea: Impacts and Limitations
Authors: Koo Yoori
Published: February 2025

In South Korea, service design is spreading in solving social problems and establishing citizen-led policies as an effective means for engaging the public (the consumers) in a policy-making process. This chapter reflects on the ways in which service design is being used by government in South Korea through “Citizen Participatory Design Group (CPDG)” project promoted by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety (MOIS) in collaboration with the Korea Institute of Design Promotion (KIPD) since 2014. The purpose of this study is to examine the use of service design in the public service sector, focusing on projects under the CPDG. This study analyzes the maturity of service design for the public policy and service sectors using a time series analysis on CPDG cases. The analysis revealed the current status of CPDG’s application of service design thinking, method/tools, and their derived outcomes according to themes of user-centeredness, co-creation, holistic view, and solution materialization. Furthermore, this study suggests the value and challenges of the CPDG as a human-centered and participatory policy establishment model based on service design.
Service Design for Innovating Hospitality Business in Japan
Authors: Sato Chihiro
Published: February 2025

This research elaborates the challenges of Japanese traditional inns known as ryokan to shift from traditional hospitality practices, where the author worked closely for several years with Ibusuki Hakusuikan, a luxurious ryokan located in southern Japan. The research aimed to co-create service together with various stakeholders of the ryokan and the entire service ecosystem of the region located from a macro lense. This article articulates a service design integrating last-mile mobility for both guests and the employees of the ryokan and contributes in a beneficial way to each actor in the landscape, not just towards themselves but also in a larger scope for further business growth in the hospitality sector. Reflecting on qualitative data such as ethnographies, diaries, interviews, and user study analysis, it investigates how the service design journey went, and concludes by giving practical recommendations as design principles for academics and practitioners who plan to co-create value in similar projects dealing with shifts from traditional customs.
Kutane Leishmaniose fehlgedeutet als epithelialer Hautkrebs
Authors: Gerdes Ana-Lee , Kreuter Alexander , Hillen Uwe , Schaller Jörg , Oellig Frank , Hyun Julia , Müller Valentina Laura
Published: February 2025

Die durch Sandmücken der Gattung Phlebotomus übertragene kutane Leishmaniose gehört zu den bedeutendsten Reisedermatosen in Deutschland. In den vergangenen Jahren konnte eine vermehrte Zunahme der Erkrankung bei Reiserückkehrern aus endemischen Gebieten, zu denen unter anderem die Mittelmeerregion mit Spanien und Italien zählt, beobachtet werden. In diesen Regionen ist Leishmania infantum des Leishmania-donovani-Komplexes der am häufigsten nachweisbare Erreger. Wir berichten von 2 durch Leishmania infantum verursachten Fällen einer kutanen Leishmaniose mit solitären bzw. multilokulären Läsionen, die initial als aktinische Keratosen bzw. Plattenepithelkarzinome fehldiagnostiziert wurden.
Interlaminar bonding assessment in vertical-oriented filament material extrusion bending specimens
Authors: Kechagias John D. , Fountas Nikolaos A. , Papantoniou Ioannis , Vaxevanidis Nikolaos M.
Published: February 2025

Fused filament fabrication (FFF) is the leading 3D printing material extrusion process renowned for its versatility, affordability and easy production of complex components. Despite its advantages, the bonding quality between layers depends heavily on processing parameters and filament material properties. Using an orthogonal experimental design, this study investigates the effects of three nozzle-dependent variables—flow rate, temperature and speed. Poly(lactic) acid (PLA) specimens, built vertically, were evaluated via 3-point bending tests to assess flexural strength and surface roughness. The results showed that speed had an insignificant effect, while optimal performance was achieved at a 100% flow rate and 227 °C nozzle temperature across speeds of 50–70 mm/s, yielding ~ 67 MPa flexural strength and ~ 13-μm surface roughness. A reduced second-order regression model effectively captured these relationships. By focusing on bonding-related parameters, this work advances the understanding of FFF process optimization for enhanced component properties.
Effects of public expenditure for agriculture on food security in Africa
Authors: Marson Marta
Published: February 2025

The commitments of Malabo provide for African countries to devote at least ten percent of their public expenditure to agriculture, with the aim of ending hunger by 2025, in line with the Agenda 2063. While evidence on welfare effects of public expenditure for agriculture is huge, this particular indicator, i.e., the percentage of public expenditure devoted to agriculture, was only recently considered by empirical literature. Based on panel data from African countries between 2002 and 2019 and IV approach to address reverse causality, the study finds significant effect of the Malabo indicator on food security, particularly when allocation of budget to agriculture is coupled with good governance. Through in-sample estimates, the study also finds that the target of ten percent is reasonable, because it roughly corresponds to zero hunger. Finally, an analysis of the transmission mechanisms between public expenditure for agriculture and food security is performed and it confirms the role of growth and agricultural intensification in this relationship but questions its centrality.
Pre-analytic assessment of dried blood and dried plasma spots: integration in mass spectrometry–based metabolomics and lipidomics workflow
Authors: Bossi Eleonora , Serrao Simone , Reveglia Pierluigi , Ferrara Antonietta , Nobile Marta , Limo Elena , Corso Gaetano , Paglia Giuseppe
Published: February 2025

Microsampling, especially dried blood spots (DBS), emerged in recent years as a viable alternative to conventional blood collection since it is rapid, simple, minimally invasive, and has user-friendly characteristics. Moreover, DBS are able to avoid analyte degradation thanks to their great stability. Due to their versatility, clinical applications with DBS have increased, including mass spectrometry–based metabolomics and lipidomics studies. In this work, we evaluated and optimized extraction protocols testing five different extraction solutions to perform metabolomics and lipidomics studies on the same spot considering three commercially available microsampling devices, Capitainer, Whatman, and Telimmune. Parallelly, we also evaluated the short-term stability of the three devices at room temperature for up to 5 days. Our results showed that pure methanol was the best compromise to simultaneously extract from the same spot both the lipidome and polar metabolome. However, we also propose a two-step protocol combining methanol and water extraction that improves polar metabolite extraction and shows improved reproducibility in Capitainer and Whatman. Short-term stability results highlighted that both polar metabolites and lipids were stable for up to 6 days using the Capitainer device, while with Whatman and Telimmune, some significant variations were observed after 3 days for some classes of metabolites/lipids, suggesting the need for cold-chain storage when working with these devices.
Extensions of Schoen–Simon–Yau and Schoen–Simon theorems via iteration à la De Giorgi
Authors: Bellettini Costante
Published: February 2025

We give an alternative proof of the Schoen–Simon–Yau curvature estimates and associated Bernstein-type theorems (Schoen et al. in Acta Math. 134:275–288, 1975), and extend the original result by including the case of 6-dimensional (stable minimal) immersions. The key step is an ε-regularity theorem, that assumes smallness of the scale-invariant

$L^{2}$

L
2

norm of the second fundamental form. Further, we obtain a graph description, in the Lipschitz multi-valued sense, for any stable minimal immersion of dimension

$n\geq 2$

n
≥
2

, that may have a singular set

$\Sigma $

Σ

of locally finite

$\mathcal{H}^{n-2}$

H

n
−
2

-measure, and that is weakly close to a hyperplane. (In fact, if the

$\mathcal{H}^{n-2}$

H

n
−
2

-measure of the singular set vanishes, the conclusion is strengthened to a union of smooth graphs.) This follows directly from an ε-regularity theorem, that assumes smallness of the scale-invariant

$L^{2}$

L
2

tilt-excess (verified when the hypersurface is weakly close to a hyperplane). Specialising the multi-valued decomposition to the case of embeddings, we recover the Schoen–Simon theorem (Schoen and Simon 34:741–797, 1981). In both ε-regularity theorems the relevant quantity (respectively, length of the second fundamental form and tilt function) solves a non-linear PDE on the immersed minimal hypersurface. The proof is carried out intrinsically (without linearising the PDE) by implementing an iteration method à la De Giorgi (from the linear De Giorgi–Nash–Moser theory). Stability implies estimates (intrinsic weak Caccioppoli inequalities) that make the iteration effective despite the non-linear framework. (In both ε-regularity theorems the method gives explicit constants that quantify the required smallness.)
Artificial intelligence-based cardiac transthyretin amyloidosis detection and scoring in scintigraphy imaging: multi-tracer, multi-scanner, and multi-center development and evaluation study
Authors: Salimi Yazdan , Shiri Isaac , Mansouri Zahra , Sanaat Amirhossein , Hajianfar Ghasem , Hervier Elsa , Bitarafan Ahmad , Caobelli Federico , Hundertmark Moritz , Mainta Ismini , Gräni Christoph , Nkoulou René , Zaidi Habib
Published: February 2025

Introduction

Providing tools for comprehensively evaluating scintigraphy images could enhance transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM) diagnosis. This study aims to automatically detect and score ATTR-CM in total body scintigraphy images using deep learning on multi-tracer, multi-scanner, and multi-center datasets.

Methods

In the current study, we employed six datasets (from 12 cameras) for various tasks and purposes. Dataset #1 (93 patients, 99mTc-MDP) was used to develop the 2D-planar segmentation and localization models. Dataset #2 (216 patients, 99mTc-DPD) was used for the detection (grade 0 vs. grades 1, 2, and 3) and scoring (0 and 1 vs. grades 2 and 3) of ATTR-CM. Datasets #3 (41 patients, 99mTc-HDP), #4 (53 patients, 99mTc-PYP), and #5 (129 patients, 99mTc-DPD) were used as external centers. ATTR-CM detection and scouring were performed by two physicians in each center. Moreover, Dataset #6 consisting of 3215 patients without labels, was employed for retrospective model performance evaluation. Different regions of interest were cropped and fed into the classification model for the detection and scoring of ATTR-CM. Ensembling was performed on the outputs of different models to improve their performance. Model performance was measured by classification accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and AUC. Grad-CAM and saliency maps were generated to explain the models’ decision-making process.

Results

In the internal test set, all models for detection and scoring achieved an AUC of more than 0.95 and an F1 score of more than 0.90. For detection in the external dataset, AUCs of 0.93, 0.95, and 1 were achieved for datasets 3, 4, and 5, respectively. For the scoring task, AUCs of 0.95, 0.83, and 0.96 were achieved for these datasets, respectively. In dataset #6, we found ten cases flagged as ATTR-CM by the network. Out of these, four cases were confirmed by a nuclear medicine specialist as possibly having ATTR-CM. GradCam and saliency maps showed that the deep-learning models focused on clinically relevant cardiac areas.

Conclusion

In the current study, we developed and evaluated a fully automated pipeline to detect and score ATTR-CM using large multi-tracer, multi-scanner, and multi-center datasets, achieving high performance on total body images. This fully automated pipeline could lead to more timely and accurate diagnoses, ultimately improving patient outcomes.
Deep learning-based breast cancer diagnosis in breast MRI: systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Abdullah Kamarul Amin , Marziali Sara , Nanaa Muzna , Escudero Sánchez Lorena , Payne Nicholas R. , Gilbert Fiona J.
Published: February 2025

Objectives

The aim of this work is to evaluate the performance of deep learning (DL) models for breast cancer diagnosis with MRI.

Materials and methods

A literature search was conducted on Web of Science, PubMed, and IEEE Xplore for relevant studies published from January 2015 to February 2024. The study was registered with the PROSPERO International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (protocol no. CRD42024485371). The quality assessment of diagnostic accuracy studies-2 (QUADAS2) tool and the Must AI Criteria-10 (MAIC-10) checklist were used to assess quality and risk of bias. The meta-analysis included studies reporting DL for breast cancer diagnosis and their performance, from which pooled summary estimates for the area under the curve (AUC), sensitivity, and specificity were calculated.

Results

A total of 40 studies were included, of which only 21 were eligible for quantitative analysis. Convolutional neural networks (CNNs) were used in 62.5% (25/40) of the implemented models, with the remaining 37.5% (15/40) hybrid composite models (HCMs). The pooled estimates of AUC, sensitivity, and specificity were 0.90 (95% CI: 0.87, 0.93), 88% (95% CI: 86, 91%), and 90% (95% CI: 87, 93%), respectively.

Conclusions

DL models used for breast cancer diagnosis on MRI achieve high performance. However, there is considerable inherent variability in this analysis. Therefore, continuous evaluation and refinement of DL models is essential to ensure their practicality in the clinical setting.

Key Points

Question

Can DL models improve diagnostic accuracy in breast MRI, addressing challenges like overfitting and heterogeneity in study designs and imaging sequences?

Findings

DL achieved high diagnostic accuracy (AUC 0.90, sensitivity 88%, specificity 90%) in breast MRI, with training size significantly impacting performance metrics (p < 0.001).

Clinical

relevance

DL models demonstrate high accuracy in breast cancer diagnosis using MRI, showing the potential to enhance diagnostic confidence and reduce radiologist workload, especially with larger datasets minimizing overfitting and improving clinical reliability.