bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Contribution of rare whole-genome sequencing variants to plasma protein levels and the missing heritability
Authors: Kierczak Marcin , Rafati Nima , Höglund Julia , Gourlé Hadrien , Lo Faro Valeria , Schmitz Daniel , Ek Weronica E. , Gyllensten Ulf , Enroth Stefan , Ekman Diana , Nystedt Björn , Karlsson Torgny , Johansson Åsa
Published: May 2022

Despite the success of genome-wide association studies, much of the genetic contribution to complex traits remains unexplained. Here, we analyse high coverage whole-genome sequencing data, to evaluate the contribution of rare genetic variants to 414 plasma proteins. The frequency distribution of genetic variants is skewed towards the rare spectrum, and damaging variants are more often rare. We estimate that less than 4.3% of the narrow-sense heritability is expected to be explained by rare variants in our cohort. Using a gene-based approach, we identify Cis-associations for 237 of the proteins, which is slightly more compared to a GWAS (N = 213), and we identify 34 associated loci in Trans. Several associations are driven by rare variants, which have larger effects, on average. We therefore conclude that rare variants could be of importance for precision medicine applications, but have a more limited contribution to the missing heritability of complex diseases.
Synthesis and characterization of tetraphenylammonium salts
Authors: Fujita Hikaru , Sasamoto Ozora , Kobayashi Shiori , Kitamura Masanori , Kunishima Munetaka
Published: May 2022

The phenyl (Ph) group is a representative substituent in the field of organic chemistry as benzene (the parent molecule) is of fundamental importance. Simple Ph-substituted compounds of common chemical elements are well known. However, extensive structural characterization of tetraphenylammonium (Ph4N+) salts has not been reported. Herein, the synthesis of Ph4N+ salts and their characterization data including the 1H and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra and the single-crystal X-ray structure have been presented. An intermolecular radical coupling reaction between an aryl radical and a triarylammoniumyl radical cation was conducted to synthesize the target moieties. The Ph4N+ salts described herein are the simplest tetraarylammonium (Ar4N+) salts known. The results reported herein can potentially help access the otherwise inaccessible non-bridged Ar4N+ salts, a new class of rigid and sterically hindered organic cations.
Spatial epitranscriptomics reveals A-to-I editome specific to cancer stem cell microniches
Authors: Lee Amos C. , Lee Yongju , Choi Ahyoun , Lee Han-Byoel , Shin Kyoungseob , Lee Hyunho , Kim Ji Young , Ryu Han Suk , Kim Hoe Suk , Ryu Seung Yeon , Lee Sangeun , Cheun Jong-Ho , Yoo Duck Kyun , Lee Sumin , Choi Hansol , Ryu Taehoon , Yeom Huiran , Kim Namphil , Noh Jinsung , Lee Yonghee , Kim Inyoung , Bae Sangwook , Kim Jinhyun , Lee Wooseok , Kim Okju , Jung Yushin , Kim Changhoe , Song Seo Woo , Choi Yeongjae , Chung Junho , Kim Byung Gee , Han Wonshik , Kwon Sunghoon
Published: May 2022

Epitranscriptomic features, such as single-base RNA editing, are sources of transcript diversity in cancer, but little is understood in terms of their spatial context in the tumour microenvironment. Here, we introduce spatial-histopathological examination-linked epitranscriptomics converged to transcriptomics with sequencing (Select-seq), which isolates regions of interest from immunofluorescence-stained tissue and obtains transcriptomic and epitranscriptomic data. With Select-seq, we analyse the cancer stem cell-like microniches in relation to the tumour microenvironment of triple-negative breast cancer patients. We identify alternative splice variants, perform complementarity-determining region analysis of infiltrating T cells and B cells, and assess adenosine-to-inosine base editing in tumour tissue sections. Especially, in triple-negative breast cancer microniches, adenosine-to-inosine editome specific to different microniche groups is identified.
Identification of oleoylethanolamide as an endogenous ligand for HIF-3α
Authors: Diao Xiaotong , Ye Fei , Zhang Meina , Ren Xintong , Tian Xiaoxu , Lu Jingping , Sun Xiangnan , Hou Zeng , Chen Xiaoyu , Li Fengwei , Zhuang Jingjing , Ding Hong , Peng Chao , Rastinejad Fraydoon , Luo Cheng , Wu Dalei
Published: May 2022

Hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs) are α/β heterodimeric transcription factors modulating cellular responses to the low oxygen condition. Among three HIF-α isoforms, HIF-3α is the least studied to date. Here we show that oleoylethanolamide (OEA), a physiological lipid known to regulate food intake and metabolism, binds selectively to HIF-3α. Through crystallographic analysis of HIF-3 α/β heterodimer in both apo and OEA-bound forms, hydrogen-deuterium exchange mass spectrometry (HDX-MS), molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, and biochemical and cell-based assays, we unveil the molecular mechanism of OEA entry and binding to the PAS-B pocket of HIF-3α, and show that it leads to enhanced heterodimer stability and functional modulation of HIF-3. The identification of HIF-3α as a selective lipid sensor is consistent with recent human genetic findings linking HIF-3α with obesity, and demonstrates that endogenous metabolites can directly interact with HIF-α proteins to modulate their activities, potentially as a regulatory mechanism supplementary to the well-known oxygen-dependent HIF-α hydroxylation.
State of ex situ conservation of landrace groups of 25 major crops
Authors: Ramirez-Villegas Julian , Khoury Colin K. , Achicanoy Harold A. , Diaz Maria Victoria , Mendez Andres C. , Sosa Chrystian C. , Kehel Zakaria , Guarino Luigi , Abberton Michael , Aunario Jorrel , Awar Bashir Al , Alarcon Juan Carlos , Amri Ahmed , Anglin Noelle L. , Azevedo Vania , Aziz Khadija , Capilit Grace Lee , Chavez Oswaldo , Chebotarov Dmytro , Costich Denise E. , Debouck Daniel G. , Ellis David , Falalou Hamidou , Fiu Albert , Ghanem Michel Edmond , Giovannini Peter , Goungoulou Alphonse J. , Gueye Badara , Hobyb Amal Ibn El , Jamnadass Ramni , Jones Chris S. , Kpeki Bienvenu , Lee Jae-Sung , McNally Kenneth L. , Muchugi Alice , Ndjiondjop Marie-Noelle , Oyatomi Olaniyi , Payne Thomas S. , Ramachandran Senthil , Rossel Genoveva , Roux Nicolas , Ruas Max , Sansaloni Carolina , Sardos Julie , Setiyono Tri Deri , Tchamba Marimagne , van den Houwe Ines , Velazquez J. Alejandro , Venuprasad Ramaiah , Wenzl Peter , Yazbek Mariana , Zavala Cristian
Published: May 2022

Crop landraces have unique local agroecological and societal functions and offer important genetic resources for plant breeding. Recognition of the value of landrace diversity and concern about its erosion on farms have led to sustained efforts to establish ex situ collections worldwide. The degree to which these efforts have succeeded in conserving landraces has not been comprehensively assessed. Here we modelled the potential distributions of eco-geographically distinguishable groups of landraces of 25 cereal, pulse and starchy root/tuber/fruit crops within their geographic regions of diversity. We then analysed the extent to which these landrace groups are represented in genebank collections, using geographic and ecological coverage metrics as a proxy for genetic diversity. We find that ex situ conservation of landrace groups is currently moderately comprehensive on average, with substantial variation among crops; a mean of 63% ± 12.6% of distributions is currently represented in genebanks. Breadfruit, bananas and plantains, lentils, common beans, chickpeas, barley and bread wheat landrace groups are among the most fully represented, whereas the largest conservation gaps persist for pearl millet, yams, finger millet, groundnut, potatoes and peas. Geographic regions prioritized for further collection of landrace groups for ex situ conservation include South Asia, the Mediterranean and West Asia, Mesoamerica, sub-Saharan Africa, the Andean mountains of South America and Central to East Asia. With further progress to fill these gaps, a high degree of representation of landrace group diversity in genebanks is feasible globally, thus fulfilling international targets for their ex situ conservation.
Detecting and quantifying entanglement on near-term quantum devices
Authors: Wang Kun , Song Zhixin , Zhao Xuanqiang , Wang Zihe , Wang Xin
Published: May 2022

Quantum entanglement is a key resource in quantum technology, and its quantification is a vital task in the current noisy intermediate-scale quantum (NISQ) era. This paper combines hybrid quantum-classical computation and quasi-probability decomposition to propose two variational quantum algorithms, called variational entanglement detection (VED) and variational logarithmic negativity estimation (VLNE), for detecting and quantifying entanglement on near-term quantum devices, respectively. VED makes use of the positive map criterion and works as follows. Firstly, it decomposes a positive map into a combination of quantum operations implementable on near-term quantum devices. It then variationally estimates the minimal eigenvalue of the final state, obtained by executing these implementable operations on the target state and averaging the output states. Deterministic and probabilistic methods are proposed to compute the average. At last, it asserts that the target state is entangled if the optimized minimal eigenvalue is negative. VLNE builds upon a linear decomposition of the transpose map into Pauli terms and the recently proposed trace distance estimation algorithm. It variationally estimates the well-known logarithmic negativity entanglement measure and could be applied to quantify entanglement on near-term quantum devices. Experimental and numerical results on the Bell state, isotropic states, and Breuer states show the validity of the proposed entanglement detection and quantification methods.
Elemental analyses reveal distinct mineralization patterns in radular teeth of various molluscan taxa
Authors: Krings Wencke , Brütt Jan-Ole , Gorb Stanislav N.
Published: May 2022

The molluscan phylum is the second specious animal group with its taxa feeding on a variety of food sources. This is enabled by the radula, a chitinous membrane with embedded teeth, one important autapomorphy. Between species, radulae can vary in their morphology, mechanical, and chemical properties. With regard to chemical composition, some taxa (Polyplacophora and Patellogastropoda) were studied extensively in the past decades, due to their specificity to incorporate high proportions of iron, calcium, and silicon. There is, however, a huge lack of knowledge about radular composition in other taxa. The work presented aims at shedding light on the chemistry by performing energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy analyses on 24 molluscan species, thereof two Polyplacophora, two Cephalopoda, and 20 Gastropoda, which was never done before in such a comprehensiveness. The elements and their proportions were documented for 1448 individual, mature teeth and hypotheses about potential biomineralization types were proposed. The presented work additionally comprises a detailed record on past studies about the chemical composition of molluscan teeth, which is an important basis for further investigation of the radular chemistry. The found disparity in elements detected, in their distribution and proportions highlights the diversity of evolutionary solutions, as it depicts multiple biomineralization types present within Mollusca.
Investigating the appropriate adenosine deaminase cutoff value for the diagnosis of tuberculous pleural effusion in a country with decreasing TB burden
Authors: Kim Hyung Woo , Kim Kyung Hoon , Shin Ah Young , Choi Joon Young , Ahn Joong Hyun , Kim Ju Sang , Ban Woo Ho , Oh Jongyeol , Ha Jick Hwan
Published: May 2022

As the burden of tuberculosis (TB) in South Korea decreases while that of malignancy increases with an aging society, the composition of etiology for pleural effusion is changing. The aim of this study was to investigate the diagnostic value of adenosine deaminase (ADA) for diagnosis of tuberculous pleural effusion (TPE) in this circumstance. Medical records of patients who underwent medical thoracoscopy from May 2015 to September 2020 in Incheon St. Mary Hospital, Korea were retrospectively reviewed. TPE was diagnosed if one of the following criteria was met: (1) granuloma in pleura, (2) positive TB polymerase chain reaction or culture in pleural fluid or tissue with non-specific pathologic findings in pleura, or (3) bacteriologically confirmed pulmonary TB with non-specific pathologic findings in pleura. A total of 292 patients, including 156 with malignant pleural effusion (MPE), 52 with TPE, and 84 with other benign effusion, were analyzed. Among 206 patients with lymphocyte dominant pleural effusion, the area under receiver characteristic curve of ADA for diagnosis of TPE was 0.971. The sensitivity and specificity of a current cutoff value of 40 IU/L were 1.00 and 0.61, respectively, whereas those of a raised cutoff value of 70 IU/L were 0.93 and 0.93, respectively. Among 54 patients with ADA levels of 40–70 IU/L, 30 (55.6%) patients were diagnosed as MPE, 21 (38.9%) as other benign effusion, and only 3 (5.6%) as TPE. Caution is needed in clinical diagnosis of TPE with current ADA cutoff value in countries with decreasing TB incidence, due to many false positive cases.
Latent class analysis of occupational accidents patterns among Iranian industry workers
Authors: Saranjam Behzad , Shirinzadeh Islam , Davoudi Kobra , Moammeri Zahra , Babaei-Pouya Amin , Abbasi-Ghahramanloo Abbas
Published: May 2022

Occupational accidents (OA) are among the main causes of disabilities and death in developing and developed countries. The aims of this study were to identify the subgroups of OA and assess the independent role of demographic characteristics on the membership of participants in each latent class. This cross-sectional study was performed on 290 workers between 2011 and 2017. Data gathering was done using the reports of accidents recorded in filed lawsuits. Descriptive statistical analysis was done using SPSS 16 and LCA was done using PROC LCA in SAS9.2. For latent classes were identified; namely “critical due to distractions and lack of supervision” (40.1%), “critical due to lack of safety knowledge” (27.9%), “critical due to fatigue and lack of supervision” (13.1%), and “catastrophic” (18.8%). After adjusting for other studied covariates, being illiterate significantly increased the odds of membership in “critical due to fatigue and lack of supervision” (OR = 4.05) and “catastrophic” (OR = 18.99) classes compared to “critical due to distractions and lack of supervision” class. Results of this study showed that the majority of workers fell under the latent class of critical due to distractions and lack of supervision. In addition, it should be noted that although a relatively small percentage of the workers are in the catastrophic class, the probability of occurring death is quite high in this class. Focusing on the education of workers and enhancing manager’s supervision and employing educated workers could help in reducing severe and catastrophic OA.
Single-shot femtosecond bulk micromachining of silicon with mid-IR tightly focused beams
Authors: Mareev Evgenii , Pushkin Andrey , Migal Ekaterina , Lvov Kirill , Stremoukhov Sergey , Potemkin Fedor
Published: May 2022

Being the second most abundant element on earth after oxygen, silicon remains the working horse for key technologies for the years. Novel photonics platform for high-speed data transfer and optical memory demands higher flexibility of the silicon modification, including on-chip and in-bulk inscription regimes. These are deepness, three-dimensionality, controllability of sizes and morphology of created modifications. Mid-IR (beyond 4 µm) ultrafast lasers provide the required control for all these parameters not only on the surface (as in the case of the lithographic techniques), but also inside the bulk of the semiconductor, paving the way to an unprecedented variety of properties that can be encoded via such an excitation. We estimated the deposited energy density as 6 kJ cm−3 inside silicon under tight focusing of mid-IR femtosecond laser radiation, which exceeds the threshold value determined by the specific heat of fusion (~ 4 kJ cm−3). In such a regime, we successfully performed single-pulse silicon microstructuring. Using third-harmonic and near-IR microscopy, and molecular dynamics, we demonstrated that there is a low-density region in the center of a micromodification, surrounded by a “ring” with higher density, that could be an evidence of its micro-void structure. The formation of created micromodification could be controlled in situ using third-harmonic generation microscopy. The numerical simulation indicates that single-shot damage becomes possible due to electrons heating in the conduction band up to 8 eV (mean thermal energy) and the subsequent generation of microplasma with an overcritical density of 8.5 × 1021 cm−3. These results promise to be the foundation of a new approach of deep three-dimensional single-shot bulk micromachining of silicon.
Arboreal camera trap reveals the frequent occurrence of a frugivore-carnivore in neotropical nutmeg trees
Authors: Séguigne Marie , Coutant Opale , Bouton Benoît , Picart Lionel , Guilbert Éric , Forget Pierre-Michel
Published: May 2022

Arboreal and flying frugivorous animals represent primary dispersers in the Neotropics. Studies suggest a possible compensation for the loss of large species by smaller ones with expanding rampant anthropogenic pressures and declining populations of larger frugivores. However, studies on seed dispersal by frugivores vertebrates generally focus on the diurnal, terrestrial, canopy, and flying species, with the nocturnal canopy ones being less studied. Setting camera traps high in the canopy of fruiting nutmeg trees revealed for the first time the high frequency of the kinkajou (Potos flavus, Schreber, 1774, Procyonidae), an overlooked nocturnal frugivore species (Order Carnivora) in the Guianas. The diversity of the fruit species consumed by the kinkajou calls for considering it as an important seed disperser. The overlap of the size of seeds dispersed by frugivores observed in nutmeg trees suggests that the small (2–5 kg) kinkajou may compensate for the loss of large (5–10 kg) frugivorous vertebrates in the canopy. Camera traps visualise how the kinkajou is adapted to forage in the nutmeg tree crown and grab the fruit. Such information is vital for conservation because compensation of seed dispersal by small frugivores is crucial in increasing anthropogenic stressors.
Nanocomposites: Introduction, Synthesis and Applications
Authors: Dave Pragnesh , Sirach Ruksana
Published: May 2022

Nanomaterials (NMs) have garnered considerable attention as a result of their superior chemical and physical characteristics in comparison to corresponding micro-scale materials. The increased surface-to-volume ratio achieved by minimizing the size to nanoscale explains this improved characteristic. Nanomaterials can be used to reinforce a base matrix, resulting in a special category of substances called nanocomposites having improved characteristics. Because of their improved qualities, they're employed in a variety of fields, from biomedical purposes to food packaging. This chapter covers the basics of nanocomposites containing polymer, ceramic and metal-based matrices, as well as their production and applications.
An Overview of Corrosion
Authors: Rizvi Marziya , Gerengi Husnu , Gupta Preeti , Dagdag Omar
Published: May 2022

Corrosion in metals is an electrochemical reaction that encompasses alterations in both the substrate and the electrolyte. While the corrosion mechanism is uniform on a microscopic level, different microstructures, mechanical design issues and compositions will yield various conformations of corrosion. There are exact methods to control this degradation, which is almost found everywhere, be it in industries or in our daily lives. We must be vigilant as to how corrosion may affect us and prevent this damage from occurring.
Nanocontainers as Corrosion Inhibitors
Authors: Eduok Ubong
Published: May 2022

Metal corrosion is an electrochemical degradation process whose consequences adversely impact the structural integrities of material structures upon interaction with different environments. To reduce this scourge, recent developments in coating designs have incorporated additives capable of providing stimulus-responsive functionalities toward self-repair and corrosion protection. The encapsulation of inhibitor-loaded nanocontainers within protective coatings provides a new frontier for self-repairing inherent microcracks. It also defines the architecture of surface-altering phases within the internal microstructures of protective oxide films. In this chapter, inhibitor systems of different origins based on nanocontainers loaded with organic and inorganic corrosion inhibitors are discussed, including biomass extracts. The concept of self-healing with inhibitor-loaded nanocontainers is highlighted with factors necessary to achieve higher protection efficiencies with self-healing coating systems. Illustrative summaries of reported studies centering on inhibitors loaded within various smart nanocontainers are also featured.
Mesoporous Materials for Corrosion Protection of Metallic Compounds
Authors: Dave Pragnesh , Thakkar Riddhi , Sirach Ruksana
Published: May 2022

During the past decade to recent years, mesoporous materials such as polymer, metal oxide, zeolite, and silica have been used for corrosion inhibition over a metallic surface. This becomes a potential aspect for academic research and industries due to the huge application as a self-healing activity against corrosion. This chapter discusses the recent advances and gives a concise description regarding the vital applications of different types such as mesoporous materials for corrosion protection. Impregnating coatings with corrosion inhibitors is an innovative way to improve their active corrosion resistance. This could result in corrosion inhibitors being lost in a short amount of time, as well as unwanted interactions with the coating. Corrosion inhibitors can be inserted into the host particles and integrated into the coating matrix to protect against these difficulties. Researchers have used organic or inorganic mesoporous materials that act as a host for corrosion inhibitors, to protect against anticorrosion chemicals, which has received a lot of interest. The major goal of this chapter is to look into various types of mesoporous materials, working as corrosion prohibitory substrates for metallic compounds.
A rapid and quantitative detection method for plasma soluble growth stimulating gene protein 2 based on time resolved fluorescence immunochromatography
Authors: Jing Xiaoying , Hong Shanchao , Zhang Jian , Yang Xue , Geng Xianlong , Ye Yan , Hu Zhigang
Published: May 2022

Plasma soluble growth stimulating gene protein 2 (sST2) was rapidly detected through a novel time-resolved fluorescence immunochromatography analysis (TRF-ICA).
Enhanced enantioseparation of drugs by capillary electrochromatography with a l-cysteine functionalized gold nanoparticle based stationary phase
Authors: Miao Pandeng , Xi Ying , Feng Zijie , Zhang Jian , Du Yingxiang , Chen Cheng
Published: May 2022

l-cysteine-functionalized gold nanoparticles have significantly improved the enantioseparation performance of capillary electrochromatography with reliable stability and repeatability.
Accurate, rapid and highly sensitive detection of African swine fever virus via graphene oxide-based accelerated strand exchange amplification
Authors: Zhuang Linlin , Yang Jianbo , Song Chunlei , Sun Li , Zhao Bin , Shen Qiuping , Ren Xiyan , Shi Hongjing , Zhang Yu , Zhu Mengling
Published: May 2022

An accurate, rapid and highly sensitive graphene oxide-based accelerated strand exchange amplification method was developed for quantitative detection of African swine fever virus (ASFV).
In situ spectroscopic studies of the effect of water on the redox cycle of Cu ions in Cu-SSZ-13 during selective catalytic reduction of NOx
Authors: Lee Hwangho , Nuguid Rob Jeremiah G. , Jeon Se Won , Kim Hyun Sub , Hwang Keon Ha , Kröcher Oliver , Ferri Davide , Kim Do Heui
Published: May 2022

The presence of water influences the redox cycle of the NH3-SCR reaction over Cu-SSZ-13, promoting the deNOx ability of the catalyst.
Compositional dependence of structures and hydrogen evolution reaction activity of platinum-group-metal quinary RuRhPdIrPt alloy nanoparticles
Authors: Maruta Yuto , Kusada Kohei , Wu Dongshuang , Yamamoto Tomokazu , Toriyama Takaaki , Matsumura Syo , Seo Okkyun , Yasuno Satoshi , Kawaguchi Shogo , Sakata Osami , Kubota Yoshiki , Kitagawa Hiroshi
Published: May 2022

Platinum-group-metal quinary RuRhPdIrPt alloy nanoparticles were synthesised with compositions slightly away from equimolar, and their crystal, electronic structures and catalytic activity for hydrogen evolution reaction were investigated.
Towards a comprehensive understanding of malathion degradation: comparison of degradation reactions under alkaline and radical conditions
Authors: Lamb Robert W. , McAlexander Harley , Woodley Christa M. , Shukla Manoj K.
Published: May 2022

Malathion is a commercially available insecticide that functions by acting as an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor.
Surface coating and characteristics of ester-free poly(trimethylene carbonate) bearing an aromatic urea moiety for biomaterials use
Authors: Tan Lee Yae , Chanthaset Nalinthip , Ajiro Hiroharu
Published: May 2022

Inherent interaction of the urea group on the coating surface for biomaterials application.
Printable inks and deformable electronic array devices
Authors: Veerapandian Selvaraj , Kim Woojo , Kim Jaehyun , Jo Youngmin , Jung Sungjune , Jeong Unyong
Published: May 2022

This review describes recent developments in printable ink formation, printing techniques, and the structural design for deformable passive- and active-matrix array devices.
Electrical control of biexciton Auger recombination in single CdSe/CdS nanocrystals
Authors: Tang Ying , Qin Qilin , Yang Hongyu , Feng Shengnan , Zhang Chunfeng , Zhang Jiayu , Xiao Min , Wang Xiaoyong
Published: May 2022

The external electric field can serve as a post-synthetic knob to tune the single-exciton and biexciton recombination dynamics in semiconductor nanocrystals towards their efficient applications in various optoelectronic devices.
Efficient chirality transfer from chiral amines to oligo(p-phenylenevinylene)s to fabricate chiroptical materials
Authors: Ma Mingfang , wang Bo , Hao Aiyou , Xing Pengyao
Published: May 2022

The coassembly of OPV luminophores into chiral assemblies with tunable optical activity, showing potential for chiroptical application in optical chirality sensing.
Corrosion self-warning and repair tracking of polymeric coatings based on stimulus responsive nanosensors
Authors: Liu Cheng-bao , Cheng Li , Qian Bei , Cui Lan-yue , Zeng Rong-chang
Published: May 2022

A smart nanocomposite coating with accurate self-repairing and corrosion self-warning capabilities has been constructed with the aim of tracking damage occurrences and repair processes by visible signals.
Anaerobic self-assembly of a regenerable bacteria-quantum dot hybrid for solar hydrogen production
Authors: Wang Xue-Meng , Chen Lin , He Ru-Li , Cui Shuo , Li Jie , Fu Xian-Zhong , Wu Qi-Zhong , Liu Hou-Qi , Huang Tian-Yin , Li Wen-Wei
Published: May 2022

Shifting from aerobic to anaerobic incubation of bacteria can significantly alleviate metal-induced oxidative stress and promote bio-QD formation, resulting in high-activity and self-regenerable bio-hybrid to favor solar hydrogen production.
Recent advancement in bimetallic metal organic frameworks (M′MOFs): synthetic challenges and applications
Authors: Ahmed Manan
Published: May 2022

This review aims to highlight the synthetic challenges for the preparation of bimetallic MOFs (M′MOFs) and their gas adsorption, heterogeneous catalysis, photocatalysis and luminescence properties.
Organic superbaset-Bu-P4-catalyzed demethylations of methoxyarenes
Authors: Shigeno Masanori , Hayashi Kazutoshi , Korenaga Toshinobu , Nozawa-Kumada Kanako , Kondo Yoshinori
Published: May 2022

The organic superbaset-Bu-P4 catalyzes the demethylation reactions of methoxyarenes in the presence of alkanethiol and hexamethyldisilazane.
Gradient porosity electrodes for fast charging lithium-ion batteries
Authors: Yang Jian , Li Yejing , Mijailovic Aleksandar , Wang Guanyi , Xiong Jie , Mathew Kevin , Lu Wenquan , Sheldon Brian W. , Wu Qingliu
Published: May 2022

The gradient porosity feature could significantly improve the performance of batteries with 3-layered graphite electrodes in terms of rate capability, cycle life and Li-plating suppression.
High-performance three-coordinated organoboron emitters for organic light-emitting diodes
Authors: Shi Junqing , Ran Zhiyu , Peng Fuwei , Chen Minhui , Li Lin , Ji Lei , Huang Wei
Published: May 2022

Three-coordinated organoboron compounds of diversified structures and multifunctionality are highly attractive materials for high-performance organic light-emitting diodes.
Performance analysis of LDPC coded GFDM systems
Authors: Wang Yanpeng , Fortier Paul
Published: May 2022

This paper analyzes the error probability performance of low‐density parity‐check (LDPC) coded generalized frequency division multiplexing (GFDM) systems over Rayleigh fading and additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) channels. The initial log‐likelihood ratio (LLR) expressions used in the sum‐product algorithm (SPA) decoder are first derived for the system model presented in this paper. Based on the decoding threshold of the system, the frame error rate (FER) in the low region is estimated by modeling the channel variations using the observed bit error rate (BER). Then, a lower bound based on the absorbing sets is proposed for FER when quantized SPA decoders are used. For AWGN channels, the lower bound can act as an estimate of the FER in the error‐floor region if the absorbing set is dominant and its multiplicity is known. For Rayleigh channels, the lower bound can still be used to estimate the FER performance of selected codes. The estimation approach for the FER in the low region and the lower bound on the FER in the high region can be used as practical tools for evaluating different designs of GFDM‐based systems in terms of the error probability performance. The quantization scheme has an important impact on the FER and BER performances. Randomly constructed and array‐based LDPC codes are used to obtain numerical results that show the system performance and the accuracy of the proposed FER estimations.
Experimental verification of smart grid control functions on international grids using a real‐time simulator
Authors: Palaniappan Rajkumar , Molodchyk Oleksii , Shariati‐Sarcheshmeh Mahdi , Asmah Marilyn Winifred , Liu Jiayan , Schlichtherle Tobias , Richter Frank , Kwofie Ekow Appiah , Festner Daniel Rios , Blanco Gerardo , Mutule Anna , Borscevskis Olegs , Rafaat Shady S. , Li Yong , Häger Ulf , Rehtanz Christian
Published: May 2022

The drastic increase in distributed energy resources (DERs) leads to challenges in the operation of distribution systems worldwide. While several solutions for grid monitoring and control are available on the market and in literature, this research is the first of its kind aiming to supervise the grid by providing a modular configurable unified hardware and software architecture. The control algorithms are configured using data models according to IEC 61850‐7‐3 and IEC 61850‐7‐4. The novel system architecture is a portable, modular and flexible architecture that aggregates smart grid control functions onto a standardised hardware platform, emphasising the need for hardware independence. The central controller contains several smart grid control functions and the various field devices are distributed across the distribution grid. This paper deals with the simulation of different real‐world distribution grids on the Real‐Time Simulator (RTS) and experimental verification of the control algorithms. Smart grid control functions such as Coordinated Voltage Control (CVC) and Optimal Power Flow (OPF) are experimentally verified on a German grid. The grid dynamics are compared when the central controller executes the CVC against the OPF implementations. The experimental results, advantages and challenges of each control are presented here. The results also showed the variation in grid behaviour when the control parameters were varied. The paper also shows that the algorithm and the choice of the control parameters depend upon the distribution grid's complexity and the system operator's individual needs. The results illustrate the potential of such a universal distribution automation solution for system operators worldwide.
Globality constrained adaptive graph regularized non‐negative matrix factorization for data representation
Authors: Sun Yanfeng , Wang Jie , Guo Jipeng , Hu Yongli , Yin Baocai
Published: May 2022

Benefiting from the good physical interpretations and low computational complexity, non‐negative matrix factorization (NMF) has attracted wide attentions in data representation learning tasks. Some graph‐based NMF approaches make the learned representation encode the topological structure by the local graph Laplacian regularizer, which improves the discriminant ability of data representation. However, the performance of graph‐based NMF methods depend heavily on the quality of the predefined graph and the complexity of models is high. Here, a globality constrained adaptive graph regularized non‐negative matrix factorization for data representation (GCAG‐NMF) model is proposed, which not only uses the self‐representation characteristics of data to learn an adaptive graph to describe the sample relationship more accurately, but also proposes a graph factorization technique to reduce the complexity of the model and improve the discriminative ability of data representation. Then, an iterative optimizing strategy with low complexity and strict convergence guarantee is developed to optimize the objective function. Experimental results on some databases demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed model.
Electromagnetic scattering by a circular cavity of arbitrary shape placed in a perfect electric conductor
Authors: Bozorgi Mehdi
Published: May 2022

An efficient modal expansion technique for scattering by a circular cavity with an arbitrary arc in a perfect electric conductor is developed. In contrast to the existing methods proposed for a shallow or semi‐circular cavity, the proposed method can be utilised for a circular cavity of arbitrary shape while is computationally efficient. The authors first introduce an auxiliary circular border that divides half‐space above the cavity into two separate subregions. Then, the tangential fields in the two subregions, which satisfy the Helmholtz equation, are expanded in terms of an infinite series of radial wave functions. The fields are matched at the auxiliary border to construct three independent equations in two different coordinate systems. By employing the addition theorem, all equations are transferred into the same coordinate system. Finally, the equations are converted into a system of linear equations and then solved through regular matrix techniques for the expansion coefficients. The solution is verified by the Method of Moments used in FEKO electromagnetic simulation software. This method is employed to study the effects of cavity shape and incident wave polarisation on the scattering signature.
Challenges in radar sea clutter modelling
Authors: Watts Simon , Rosenberg Luke
Published: May 2022

The ability to detect small targets in sea clutter is still an ongoing challenge, even for modern radar systems. Over the past decade, the development of new radar waveforms and signal processing algorithms has been assisted by an increasingly good understanding of the characteristics of sea clutter. Nevertheless, many challenges remain in the development of robust sea clutter models that span the wide range of sea conditions and viewing geometries encountered in practice. This paper describes the current challenges with some suggestions on how they can be overcome.
Improved power controller for enhancement of voltage quality in microgrid
Authors: Pham Xuan Hoa Thi
Published: May 2022

In microgrid, non‐linear or unbalanced loads will degrade the voltage quality at the output of the inverters, and the voltage of the load will be distorted or unbalanced. On the other hand, the inverters in microgrid are connected in parallel to improve efficiency, increase transmission capacity, and are easy to repair and maintain. When the microgrid is operating in standalone mode, inverters must be controlled to share power according to their rated power; this is to stabilize frequency and voltage in the microgrid. However, since non‐linear or unbalanced loads will produce load currents containing harmonics, it will make the voltage of load unbalanced, which will affect the control of power‐sharing for the inverters, and it also degrades the voltage quality at the output of the inverters. This paper has proposed an improved power‐sharing control method combined with the sliding mode control (SMC) technique to improve the voltage quality and improve the accuracy of power‐sharing for the inverters in the microgrid. The proposed method will ensure accurate power‐sharing even if the communication is interrupted. If the load changes while the communication is interrupted, the accuracy of power‐sharing is reduced but the proposed method is better than the conventional power‐sharing method. In addition, the accuracy of the proposed power‐sharing method is not affected by the time delay in the communication channel and local loads at the output of the inverters. Simulation and experimental results will prove the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Bidirectional wireless power/data transfer via magnetic field
Authors: Kao Jia‐Jing , Lin Chun‐Liang , Huang Chih‐Cheng , Kuo Yen‐Ting
Published: May 2022

Recently, inductive power transfer (IPT) system has been used for wireless charging of electric vehicles (EVs). However, most of them only treat the issue of single directional wireless power transfer (WPT). This research proposes a novel bi‐directional IPT (BD‐IPT) scheme EVs, which can simultaneously transmit power/data via magnetic field when the mutual inductance changes. For power transmission, resonant inverters with phase‐shift pulse width modulation (PSPWM) are used to generate carrier waves and alternating current. As for data transmission, a dedicated communication method with the accompanied protocol is proposed. Binary phase shift keying (BPSK) is used to simulate the two‐quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM), which generates digital signals for data transmission without the need of extra communication links. Hamming codes are combined with single‐error correction and double‐error detection (SECDED) to ensure communication quality.
Onset of Auditory Deprivation
Authors: Hurley Raymond M.
Published: May 2022

The purpose of this investigation was to study further the assertion that auditory function deteriorates in the unaided ear of individuals with sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) who receive monaural hearing aid fittings. The word recognition scores (WRSs) of 77 monaurally and 65 binaurally fitted subjects with symmetric bilateral SNHL were examined at 1, 3, and 5 years post hearing aid fitting. The deterioration in auditory function was defined as a significant change in the WRSs for Northwestern University Auditory Test No. 6 (NU-6) materials in the unaided ear of individuals fitted with a monaural hearing aid arrangement. Analyses of the data indicate that 25 percent of the monaurally fitted subjects experienced a significant change in the WRSs of their unaided ears, whereas only 6 percent of the binaurally fitted subjects experienced a significant change in the WRSs of either ear. Auditory function does deteriorate in the unaided ears of individuals with SNHL who receive monaural hearing aid fittings. Moreover, the decline in auditory function of the unaided ear does not result from a decrease in hearing sensitivity.

Abbreviations: NU-6 = Northwestern University Auditory Test No. 6, PTA = pure-tone average, SNHL = sensorineural hearing loss, WRS = word recognition score
Acoustic Analysis of Speech through a Hearing Aid: Consonant-Vowel Ratio Effects with Two-Channel Compression Amplification
Authors: Hickson Louise , Thyer Nick , Bates Dianne
Published: May 2022

In this study, the consonant-vowel ratio (CVR) changes associated with varying the compression ratio and crossover frequency of two-channel syllabic compression amplification were examined. Consonant-vowel syllables were recorded at 60 and 75 dB SPL input levels to the hearing aid under 13 different amplification conditions: 12 compression conditions and a condition that used linear amplification in both channels. Syllables consisted of voiceless stops, fricatives, and affricates combined with the vowels /a/, /i/, and /u/. Acoustic analysis of the processed syllables indicated that the CVR was generally increased with compression, compared to linear amplification, and that the effects were greatest for amplification with compression in the high-frequency channel. In addition, higher CVRs were obtained when the crossover frequency was raised. Compression in the low-frequency channel had the least effect on CVR. As previous research has indicated that CVR may serve as a cue to the perception of some consonant sounds by people with hearing impairment, the results suggest the need for caution with the application of high-frequency channel compression until the perceptual effects are fully investigated.

Abbreviations: CR = compression ratio, CVR = consonant-vowel ratio, rms = root mean square
Improving the global comparability of IFRS-based financial reporting through global enforcement: a proposed organizational dynamic
Authors: Prather-Kinsey Jenice , De Luca Francesco , Phan Ho-Tan-Phat
Published: May 2022

The International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) seeks to provide global financial reporting comparability of its International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). The objective of this study is to propose an organizational dynamic that could improve global comparability of financial reporting under IFRS through rigorous and homogeneous global enforcement. We use the qualitative framework of Gioia et al. (Organ Res Methods 16:15–31, 2012) to identify the relevant literature, methodologies, and organizational dynamics to understand the issues and changes needed to possibly achieve full-IFRS financial reporting for cross-border listed firms. We draw on previous studies that provided evidence of limitations and issues about comparability of financial reporting based on (not homogeneous) adoption, application, and enforcement of IFRS worldwide. A content analysis of IASB’s deliberations in developing its interactions with (International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO)) and national regulatory bodies is used to provide evidence about the initiatives IASB has undertaken to support the homogeneous global enforcement of its standards. Then, we prescribe an organizational dynamics change for IOSCO, to enhance its engagement in promoting rigorous and homogeneous enforcement of IFRS globally. Lastly, we propose that IOSCO review, at least once every three years, cross-border listed firms’ financial reports using a comment letter approach. The results of such a review would be publicly available so that investors and creditors might be able to ascertain whether the financial reports published by cross-border listed firms are comparable with their cross-border listed competitors stating IFRS compliance.
Experimental study of turbulent transport of nanoparticles in convective turbulence
Authors: Shimberg I. , Shriki O. , Shildkrot O. , Kleeorin N. , Levy A. , Rogachevskii I.
Published: May 2022

We perform an experimental study of transport of nanoparticles in convective turbulence with the Rayleigh number ∼108 in the air flow. We measure a temperature field in many locations by a temperature probe equipped with 11 E-thermocouples. Nanoparticles of the size ∼70 nm in diameter are produced by an advanced electrospray aerosol generator. To determine the number density of nanoparticles, we use a condensation particle counter. The joint action of turbulent effects and the large-scale circulations in convective turbulence, which are important in the core flow, and molecular effects, which are essential near the boundaries of the chamber, results in an effective accumulation of nanoparticles at the cold wall of the chamber. The turbulent effects are characterized by turbulent diffusion and turbulent thermal diffusion of nanoparticles, while the molecular effects are described by the Brownian diffusion and thermophoresis, as well as the adhesion of nanoparticles at the cold wall of the chamber. In different experiments in convective turbulence in a chamber with the temperature difference ΔT between the bottom and top walls varying between ΔT=29 and ΔT=61 K, we find that the mean number density of nanoparticles decreases exponentially in time. For instance, the characteristic decay time of the mean number density of nanoparticles varies from 12.8 min for ΔT=61 K to 24 min for ΔT=29 K. For better understanding of experimental results, we perform one-dimensional mean-field numerical simulations of the evolution of the mean number density of nanoparticles for conditions pertinent to the laboratory experiments. The obtained numerical results are in agreement with the experimental results.
Formation of acoustic nonlinear structures in non-Maxwellian trapping plasmas
Authors: Masood W. , Hamid Naira , Ullah Shakir , Aman-ur-Rahman  , Shah H. A. , Alyousef Haifa A. , El-Tantawy S. A.
Published: May 2022

In this paper, expressions of number densities for electron trapping for generalized (r, q), kappa, and Cairns distribution functions, respectively, are reported using the approach adopted by Landau and Lifshitz for Maxwellian trapping of electrons. For illustrative purposes, dispersive and dissipative equations for ion-acoustic waves are obtained in the presence of non-Maxwellian trapped electrons in the small amplitude limit. The solutions of the modified dispersive and dissipative nonlinear equations are reported, and a graphical analysis is given to present a detailed comparison of non-Maxwellian and Maxwellian trapping. The results presented here, to the best of authors' knowledge, are a first attempt of this kind. It is expected that the present investigation will unravel new horizons for future research and encourage the researchers to search for the nonlinear structures presented in this paper in the satellite data.
Explosive boiling induced fast transportation of Leidenfrost droplet to target location
Authors: Cao Chunlei , Ma Xiaojing , Xu Jinliang , Li Haiwang , Liu Guanglin
Published: May 2022

Leidenfrost droplet possesses ultra-low flow resistance, but it is challenging to obtain large thrust force for fast transportation and regulate the direction of droplet motion. Here, for the first time, we demonstrate a novel mechanism for the control of droplet dynamics by explosive boiling. Our system consists of two surfaces that have different functions: a smooth surface running in the Leidenfrost state for droplet levitation and a skirt ring edge surface (SRES) as an explosive boiling trigger. For droplet-wall collision with SRES, micro/nanoscale roughness not only enhances energy harvesting from the skirt ring to the droplet due to increased radiation heat transfer but also provides nucleation sites to trigger explosive boiling. The symmetry breaking of explosive boiling creates a thrust force that is sufficient to propel the droplet. The suppression of the thrust force relative to the inertia force regulates the droplet trajectory as it passes through a target location. We show orbit lines passing through a focusing spot that is ∼1% of the Leidenfrost surface area around its center with a maximum traveling speed of ∼85 cm/s, which is ∼2 times of that reported in the literature. The scale law analysis explains the droplet size effect on the self-propelling droplet dynamics. Our work is attractive for applications under the conditions of the required traveling speed and direction of the droplet.