bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Global Economic Structure Transition Boosts Atmospheric Mercury Emissions in China
Authors: Liang Sai , Chang Weicen , Zhou Haifeng , Qi Jianchuan , Li Yumeng , Feng Cuiyang , Wang Shuxiao
Published: May 2021

As the “world factory,” China has the most massive anthropogenic atmospheric mercury (Hg) emissions in the world along with its intense production activities. The development of global society and economy, including technology development, consumption behavior evolution, population growth, and so on, would significantly affect China's production and thus the Hg emissions. Here we uncover critical global socioeconomic drivers of atmospheric Hg emission changes in China during 2005–2015. Results show that the transition of global economic structures (i.e., production and final demand structures) caused 179 tons of increase in China's atmospheric Hg emissions during this period if other factors remained constant, while the transition of foreign economic structures contributed as much as 83% (149 tons). More importantly, for the first time, we reveal the crucial role of production structure transition in foreign nations. The cumulative effect of foreign production structure transition during this period (93 tons) was larger than that of foreign final demand structure transition (56 tons). It is also far more extensive than the cumulative effect of China's production structure transition (9.5 tons). Previous studies on China's atmospheric Hg emissions driven by global final demand focused more on optimizing consumption behaviors. However, this study proves the significance of a greener global production structure for reducing anthropogenic atmospheric Hg emissions in China, thus implementing the Minamata Convention on Mercury.
Is Green Las Vegas Gone Forever?
Authors: Morton Mary
Published: May 2021

Living in Geologic Time: Will desertification overtake Nevada’s half-million-year history of wetlands?
A double-blind placebo-controlled trial of minocycline on translocator protein distribution volume in treatment-resistant major depressive disorder
Authors: Attwells Sophia , Setiawan Elaine , Rusjan Pablo M. , Xu Cynthia , Kish Stephen J. , Vasdev Neil , Houle Sylvain , Santhirakumar Apitharani , Meyer Jeffrey H.
Published: May 2021

Gliosis is implicated in the pathophysiology of many neuropsychiatric diseases, including treatment-resistant major depressive disorder (TRD). Translocator protein total distribution volume (TSPO VT), a brain marker mainly reflective of gliosis in disease, can be measured using positron emission tomography (PET). Minocycline reduces gliosis and translocator protein binding in rodents, but this is not established in humans. Here, the ability of oral minocycline to reduce TSPO VT was assessed in TRD. To determine whether oral minocycline, as compared to placebo, can reduce prefrontal cortex (PFC), anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), and insula TSPO VT in TRD, twenty-one TRD participants underwent two [18F]FEPPA PET scans to measure TSPO VT. These were completed before and after either oral minocycline 100 mg bid or placebo which was administered in a randomized double-blinded fashion for 8 weeks. There was no significant difference between the minocycline and placebo groups on change in TSPO VT within the PFC, ACC, and insula (repeated measures ANOVA, effect of group interaction, PFC: F1,19 = 0.28, P = 0.60; ACC: F1,19 = 0.54, P = 0.47; insula F1,19 = 1.6, P = 0.22). Oral minocycline had no significant effect on TSPO VT which suggests that this dosage is insufficient to reduce gliosis in TRD. To target gliosis in TRD either alternative therapeutics or intravenous formulations of minocycline should be investigated. These results also suggest that across neuropsychiatric diseases in humans, it should be assumed that oral minocycline will not reduce TSPO VT or gliosis unless empirically demonstrated.
Long-term effects of early treatment with SSRIs on cognition and brain development in individuals with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome
Authors: Mancini Valentina , Maeder Johanna , Bortolin Karin , Schneider Maude , Schaer Marie , Eliez Stephan
Published: May 2021

Cognitive deficits in individuals at risk of psychosis represent a significant challenge for research, as current strategies for symptomatic treatment are often ineffective. Recent studies showed that atypical cognitive development predicts the occurrence of psychotic symptoms. Additionally, abnormal brain development is known to predate clinical manifestations of psychosis. Therefore, critical developmental stages may be the best period for early interventions expected to prevent cognitive decline and protect brain maturation. However, it is challenging to identify and treat individuals at risk of psychosis in the general population before the onset of the first psychotic symptoms. 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11DS), the neurogenetic disorder with the highest genetic risk for schizophrenia, provides the opportunity to prospectively study the development of subjects at risk for psychosis. In this retrospective cohort study, we aimed to establish if early treatment with SSRIs in children and adolescents with 22q11DS was associated with long-term effects on cognition and brain development. We included 98 participants with a confirmed diagnosis of 22q11DS followed up 2–4 times (age range: 10–32). Thirty subjects without psychiatric disorders never received psychotropic medications, thirty had psychotic symptoms but were not treated with SSRIs, and 38 received SSRIs treatment. An increase in IQ scores characterized the developmental trajectories of participants receiving treatment with SSRIs, even those with psychotic symptoms. The thickness of frontal regions and hippocampal volume were also relatively increased. The magnitude of the outcomes was inversely correlated to the age at the onset of the treatment. We provide preliminary evidence that early long-term treatment with SSRIs may attenuate the cognitive decline associated with psychosis in 22q11DS and developmental brain abnormalities.
Fosciclopirox suppresses growth of high-grade urothelial cancer by targeting the γ-secretase complex
Authors: Weir Scott J. , Dandawate Prasad , Standing David , Bhattacharyya Sangita , Ramamoorthy Prabhu , Rangarajan Parthasarathy , Wood Robyn , Brinker Amanda E. , Woolbright Benjamin L. , Tanol Mehmet , Ham Tammy , McCulloch William , Dalton Michael , Reed Gregory A. , Baltezor Michael J. , Jensen Roy A. , Taylor John A. , Anant Shrikant
Published: May 2021

Ciclopirox (CPX) is an FDA-approved topical antifungal agent that has demonstrated preclinical anticancer activity in a number of solid and hematologic malignancies. Its clinical utility as an oral anticancer agent, however, is limited by poor oral bioavailability and gastrointestinal toxicity. Fosciclopirox, the phosphoryloxymethyl ester of CPX (Ciclopirox Prodrug, CPX-POM), selectively delivers the active metabolite, CPX, to the entire urinary tract following parenteral administration. We characterized the activity of CPX-POM and its major metabolites in in vitro and in vivo preclinical models of high-grade urothelial cancer. CPX inhibited cell proliferation, clonogenicity and spheroid formation, and increased cell cycle arrest at S and G0/G1 phases. Mechanistically, CPX suppressed activation of Notch signaling. Molecular modeling and cellular thermal shift assays demonstrated CPX binding to γ-secretase complex proteins Presenilin 1 and Nicastrin, which are essential for Notch activation. To establish in vivo preclinical proof of principle, we tested fosciclopirox in the validated N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl) nitrosamine (BBN) mouse bladder cancer model. Once-daily intraperitoneal administration of CPX-POM for four weeks at doses of 235 mg/kg and 470 mg/kg significantly decreased bladder weight, a surrogate for tumor volume, and resulted in a migration to lower stage tumors in CPX-POM treated animals. This was coupled with a reduction in the proliferation index. Additionally, there was a reduction in Presenilin 1 and Hes-1 expression in the bladder tissues of CPX-POM treated animals. Following the completion of the first-in-human Phase 1 trial (NCT03348514), the pharmacologic activity of fosciclopirox is currently being characterized in a Phase 1 expansion cohort study of muscle-invasive bladder cancer patients scheduled for cystectomy (NCT04608045) as well as a Phase 2 trial of newly diagnosed and recurrent urothelial cancer patients scheduled for transurethral resection of bladder tumors (NCT04525131).
HDAC6 regulates primordial follicle activation through mTOR signaling pathway
Authors: Zhang Tuo , He Meina , Zhao Lihua , Qin Shaogang , Zhu Zijian , Du Xinhua , Zhou Bo , Yang Yi , Liu Xinfeng , Xia Guoliang , Chen Tengxiang , Wang Yuanxi , Zhang Hua , Wang Chao
Published: May 2021

Primordial follicle pool established perinatally is a non-renewable resource which determines the female fecundity in mammals. While the majority of primordial follicles in the primordial follicle pool maintain dormant state, only a few of them are activated into growing follicles in adults in each cycle. Excessive activation of the primordial follicles accelerates follicle pool consumption and leads to premature ovarian failure. Although previous studies including ours have emphasized the importance of keeping the balance between primordial follicle activation and dormancy via molecules within the primordial follicles, such as TGF-β, E-Cadherin, mTOR, and AKT through different mechanisms, the homeostasis regulatory mechanisms of primordial follicle activation remain unclear. Here, we reported that HDAC6 acts as a key negative regulator of mTOR in dormant primordial follicles. In the cytoplasm of both oocytes and granulosa cells of primordial follicles, HDAC6 expressed strong, however in those activated primordial follicles, its expression level is relatively weaker. Inhibition or knockdown of HDAC6 significantly promoted the activation of limited primordial follicles while the size of follicle pool was not affected profoundly in vitro. Importantly, the expression level of mTOR in the follicle and the activity of PI3K in the oocyte of the follicle were simultaneously up-regulated after inhibiting of HDAC6. The up-regulated mTOR leads to not only the growth and differentiation of primordial follicles granulosa cells (pfGCs) into granulosa cells (GCs), but the increased secretion of KITL in these somatic cells. As a result, inhibition of HDAC6 awaked the dormant primordial follicles of mice in vitro. In conclusion, HDAC6 may play an indispensable role in balancing the maintenance and activation of primordial follicles through mTOR signaling in mice. These findings shed new lights on uncovering the epigenetic factors involved physiology of sustaining female reproduction.
Epithelial PBLD attenuates intestinal inflammatory response and improves intestinal barrier function by inhibiting NF-κB signaling
Authors: Chen Shengbo , Liu Hongbin , Li Zhijun , Tang Jingyi , Huang Bing , Zhi Fachao , Zhao Xinmei
Published: May 2021

Intestinal barrier function defects and dysregulation of intestinal immune responses are two key contributory factors in the pathogenesis of ulcerative colitis (UC). Phenazine biosynthesis-like domain-containing protein (PBLD) was recently identified as a tumor suppressor in gastric cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, and breast cancer; however, its role in UC remains unclear. Therefore, we analyzed colonic tissue samples from patients with UC and constructed specific intestinal epithelial PBLD-deficient (PBLDIEC−/−) mice to investigate the role of this protein in UC pathogenesis. We found that epithelial PBLD was decreased in patients with UC and was correlated with levels of tight junction (TJ) and inflammatory proteins. PBLDIEC−/− mice were more susceptible to dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)- and 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid-induced colitis compared with wild-type (WT) mice. In DSS-induced colitis, PBLDIEC−/− mice had impaired intestinal barrier function and greater immune cell infiltration in colonic tissue than WT mice. Furthermore, TJ proteins were markedly reduced in PBLDIEC−/− mice compared with WT mice with colitis. Nuclear factor (NF)-κB activation was markedly elevated and resulted in higher expression levels of downstream effectors (C–C motif chemokine ligand 20, interleukin [IL]-1β, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor [TNF]-α) in colonic epithelial cells isolated from PBLDIEC−/− mice than WT mice with colitis. PBLD overexpression in intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) consistently inhibited TNF-α/interferon-γ-induced intestinal barrier disruption and TNF-α-induced inflammatory responses via the suppression of NF-κB. In addition, IKK inhibition (IKK-16) rescued excessive inflammatory responses induced by TNF-α in PBLD knockdown FHC cells. Co-immunoprecipitation assays showed that PBLD may interact with IKKα and IKKβ, thus inhibiting NF-κB signaling, decreasing inflammatory mediator production, attenuating colonic inflammation, and improving intestinal barrier function. Modulating PBLD expression may provide a novel approach for treatment in patients with UC.
ETV4 promotes breast cancer cell stemness by activating glycolysis and CXCR4-mediated sonic Hedgehog signaling
Authors: Zhu Tao , Zheng Juyan , Zhuo Wei , Pan Pinhua , Li Min , Zhang Wei , Zhou Honghao , Gao Yang , Li Xi , Liu Zhaoqian
Published: May 2021

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are a major cause of tumor treatment resistance, relapse and metastasis. Cancer cells exhibit reprogrammed metabolism characterized by aerobic glycolysis, which is also critical for sustaining cancer stemness. However, regulation of cancer cell metabolism rewiring and stemness is not completely understood. Here, we report that ETV4 is a key transcription factor in regulating glycolytic gene expression. ETV4 loss significantly inhibits the expression of HK2, LDHA as well as other glycolytic enzymes, reduces glucose uptake and lactate release in breast cancer cells. In human breast cancer and hepatocellular carcinoma tissues, ETV4 expression is positively correlated with glycolytic signaling. Moreover, we confirm that breast CSCs (BCSCs) are glycolysis-dependent and show that ETV4 is required for BCSC maintenance. ETV4 is enriched in BCSCs, its knockdown and overexpression suppresses and promotes breast cancer cell stem-like traits, respectively. Mechanistically, on the one hand, we find that ETV4 may enhance glycolysis activity to facilitate breast cancer stemness; on the other, ETV4 activates Sonic Hedgehog signaling by transcriptionally promoting CXCR4 expression. A xenograft assay validates the tumor growth-impeding effect and inhibition of CXCR4/SHH/GLI1 signaling cascade after ETV4 depletion. Together, our study highlights the potential roles of ETV4 in promoting cancer cell glycolytic shift and BCSC maintenance and reveals the molecular basis.
Imaging-based spectrometer-less optofluidic biosensors based on dielectric metasurfaces for detecting extracellular vesicles
Authors: Jahani Yasaman , Arvelo Eduardo R. , Yesilkoy Filiz , Koshelev Kirill , Cianciaruso Chiara , De Palma Michele , Kivshar Yuri , Altug Hatice
Published: May 2021

Biosensors are indispensable tools for public, global, and personalized healthcare as they provide tests that can be used from early disease detection and treatment monitoring to preventing pandemics. We introduce single-wavelength imaging biosensors capable of reconstructing spectral shift information induced by biomarkers dynamically using an advanced data processing technique based on an optimal linear estimator. Our method achieves superior sensitivity without wavelength scanning or spectroscopy instruments. We engineered diatomic dielectric metasurfaces supporting bound states in the continuum that allows high-quality resonances with accessible near-fields by in-plane symmetry breaking. The large-area metasurface chips are configured as microarrays and integrated with microfluidics on an imaging platform for real-time detection of breast cancer extracellular vesicles encompassing exosomes. The optofluidic system has high sensing performance with nearly 70 1/RIU figure-of-merit enabling detection of on average 0.41 nanoparticle/µm2 and real-time measurements of extracellular vesicles binding from down to 204 femtomolar solutions. Our biosensors provide the robustness of spectrometric approaches while substituting complex instrumentation with a single-wavelength light source and a complementary-metal-oxide-semiconductor camera, paving the way toward miniaturized devices for point-of-care diagnostics.
Development of selective bispecific Wnt mimetics for bone loss and repair
Authors: Fowler Tristan W. , Mitchell Troy L. , Janda Claudia Y. , Xie Liqin , Tu Shengjiang , Chen Hui , Zhang Haili , Ye Jingjing , Ouyang Brian , Yuan Tom Z. , Lee Sung-Jin , Newman Maureen , Tripuraneni Nikita , Rego Erica S. , Mutha Devin , Dilip Archana , Vuppalapaty Meghah , Baribault Helene , Yeh Wen-Chen , Li Yang
Published: May 2021

The Wnt signaling pathway is intricately connected with bone mass regulation in humans and rodent models. We designed an antibody-based platform that generates potent and selective Wnt mimetics. Using this platform, we engineer bi-specific Wnt mimetics that target Frizzled and low-density lipoprotein receptor-related proteins and evaluate their effects on bone accrual in murine models. These synthetic Wnt agonists induce rapid and robust bone building effects, and correct bone mass deficiency and bone defects in various disease models, including osteoporosis, aging, and long bone fracture. Furthermore, when these Wnt agonists are combined with antiresorptive bisphosphonates or anti-sclerostin antibody therapies, additional bone accrual/maintenance effects are observed compared to monotherapy, which could benefit individuals with severe and/or acute bone-building deficiencies. Our data support the continued development of Wnt mimetics for the treatment of diseases of low bone mineral density, including osteoporosis.
Impact of COVID-19 outbreaks and interventions on influenza in China and the United States
Authors: Feng Luzhao , Zhang Ting , Wang Qing , Xie Yiran , Peng Zhibin , Zheng Jiandong , Qin Ying , Zhang Muli , Lai Shengjie , Wang Dayan , Feng Zijian , Li Zhongjie , Gao George F.
Published: May 2021

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was detected in China during the 2019–2020 seasonal influenza epidemic. Non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) and behavioral changes to mitigate COVID-19 could have affected transmission dynamics of influenza and other respiratory diseases. By comparing 2019–2020 seasonal influenza activity through March 29, 2020 with the 2011–2019 seasons, we found that COVID-19 outbreaks and related NPIs may have reduced influenza in Southern and Northern China and the United States by 79.2% (lower and upper bounds: 48.8%–87.2%), 79.4% (44.9%–87.4%) and 67.2% (11.5%–80.5%). Decreases in influenza virus infection were also associated with the timing of NPIs. Without COVID-19 NPIs, influenza activity in China and the United States would likely have remained high during the 2019–2020 season. Our findings provide evidence that NPIs can partially mitigate seasonal and, potentially, pandemic influenza.
Barrier-free reverse-intersystem crossing in organic molecules by strong light-matter coupling
Authors: Yu Yi , Mallick Suman , Wang Mao , Börjesson Karl
Published: May 2021

Strong light-matter coupling provides the means to challenge the traditional rules of chemistry. In particular, an energy inversion of singlet and triplet excited states would be fundamentally remarkable since it would violate the classical Hund’s rule. An organic chromophore possessing a lower singlet excited state can effectively harvest the dark triplet states, thus enabling 100% internal quantum efficiency in electrically pumped light-emitting diodes and lasers. Here we demonstrate unambiguously an inversion of singlet and triplet excited states of a prototype molecule by strong coupling to an optical cavity. The inversion not only implies that the polaritonic state lies at a lower energy, but also a direct energy pathway between the triplet and polaritonic states is opened. The intrinsic photophysics of reversed-intersystem crossing are thereby completely overturned from an endothermic process to an exothermic one. By doing so, we show that it is possible to break the limit of Hund’s rule and manipulate the energy flow in molecular systems by strong light-matter coupling. Our results will directly promote the development of organic light-emitting diodes based on reversed-intersystem crossing. Moreover, we anticipate that it provides the pathway to the creation of electrically pumped polaritonic lasers in organic systems.
Identification of clinical and radiographic predictors of central nervous system injury in genetic skeletal disorders
Authors: Cunha Antônio L , Champs Ana P S , Mello Carla M. , Navarro Mônica M. M. , Godinho Frederico J. C. , Carvalho Cássia M. B. , Ferrari Teresa C. A.
Published: May 2021

Some studies report neurological lesions in patients with genetic skeletal disorders (GSDs). However, none of them describe the frequency of neurological lesions in a large sample of patients or investigate the associations between clinical and/or radiological central nervous system (CNS) injury and clinical, anthropometric and imaging parameters. The project was approved by the institution’s ethics committee (CAAE 49433215.5.0000.0022). In this cross-sectional observational analysis study, 272 patients aged four or more years with clinically and radiologically confirmed GSDs were prospectively included. Genetic testing confirmed the diagnosis in the FGFR3 chondrodysplasias group. All patients underwent blinded and independent clinical, anthropometric and neuroaxis imaging evaluations. Information on the presence of headache, neuropsychomotor development (NPMD), low back pain, joint deformity, ligament laxity and lower limb discrepancy was collected. Imaging abnormalities of the axial skeleton and CNS were investigated by whole spine digital radiography, craniocervical junction CT and brain and spine MRI. The diagnostic criteria for CNS injury were abnormal clinical and/or radiographic examination of the CNS. Brain injury included malacia, encephalopathies and malformation. Spinal cord injury included malacia, hydrosyringomyelia and spinal cord injury without radiographic abnormalities. CNS injury was diagnosed in more than 25% of GSD patients. Spinal cord injury was found in 21.7% of patients, and brain injury was found in 5.9%. The presence of low back pain, os odontoideum and abnormal NPMD remained independently associated with CNS injury in the multivariable analysis. Early identification of these abnormalities may have some role in preventing compressive CNS injury, which is a priority in GSD patients.
Association of killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors with endemic Burkitt lymphoma in Kenyan children
Authors: Muriuki Beatrice M. , Forconi Catherine S. , Oluoch Peter O. , Bailey Jeffrey A. , Ghansah Anita , Moormann Ann M. , Ong’echa John M.
Published: May 2021

Endemic Burkitt lymphoma (eBL) is an aggressive pediatric B cell lymphoma, common in Equatorial Africa. Co-infections with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and Plasmodium falciparum, coupled with c-myc translocation are involved in eBL etiology. Infection-induced immune evasion mechanisms to avoid T cell cytotoxicity may increase the role of Natural killer (NK) cells in anti-tumor immunosurveillance. Killer immunoglobulin-like receptor (KIR) genes on NK cells exhibit genotypic and allelic variations and are associated with susceptibility to diseases and malignancies. However, their role in eBL pathogenesis remains undefined. This retrospective study genotyped sixteen KIR genes and compared their frequencies in eBL patients (n = 104) and healthy geographically-matched children (n = 104) using sequence-specific primers polymerase chain reaction (SSP-PCR) technique. The relationship between KIR polymorphisms with EBV loads and eBL pathogenesis was investigated. Possession of ≥ 4 activating KIRs predisposed individuals to eBL (OR = 3.340; 95% CI 1.530–7.825; p = 0.004). High EBV levels were observed in Bx haplogroup (p = 0.016) and AB genotypes (p = 0.042) relative to AA haplogroup and AA genotype respectively, in eBL patients but not in healthy controls. Our results suggest that KIR-mediated NK cell stimulation could mute EBV control, contributing to eBL pathogenesis.
Optimization of OPEFB lignocellulose transformation process through ionic liquid [TEA][HSO4] based pretreatment
Authors: Nurdin Muhammad , Abimanyu Haznan , Putriani Hadijah , Setiawan L. O. M. Idal , Maulidiyah Maulidiyah , Wibowo Dwiprayogo , Ansharullah Ansharullah , Natsir Muh. , Salim La Ode Agus , Arham Zul , Mustapa Faizal
Published: May 2021

Research on the transformation of Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunches (OPEFB) through pretreatment process using ionic liquid triethylammonium hydrogen sulphate (IL [TEA][HSO4]) was completed. The stages of the transformation process carried out were the synthesis of IL with the one-spot method, optimization of IL composition and pretreatment temperature, and IL recovery. The success of the IL synthesis stage was analyzed by FTIR, H-NMR and TGA. Based on the results obtained, it showed that IL [TEA][HSO4] was successfully synthesized. This was indicated by the presence of IR absorption at 1/λ = 2814.97 cm−1, 1401.07 cm−1, 1233.30 cm−1 and 847.92 cm−1 which were functional groups for NH, CH3, CN and SO2, respectively. These results were supported by H-NMR data at δ (ppm) = 1.217–1.236 (N–CH2–CH3), 3.005–3.023 (–H), 3.427–3.445 (N–H+) and 3.867 (N+H3). The TGA results showed that the melting point and decomposition temperature of the IL were 49 °C and 274.3 °C, respectively. Based on pretreatment optimization, it showed that the best IL composition for cellulose production was 85 wt%. Meanwhile, temperature optimization showed that the best temperature was 120 °C. In these two optimum conditions, the cellulose content was obtained at 45.84 wt%. Testing of IL [TEA][HSO4] recovery performance for reuse has shown promising results. During the pretreatment process, IL [TEA][HSO4] recovery effectively increased the cellulose content of OPEFB to 29.13 wt% and decreased the lignin content to 32.57%. The success of the recovery process is indicated by the increasing density properties of IL [TEA][HSO4]. This increase occurs when using a temperature of 80–100 °C. The overall conditions obtained from this work suggest that IL [TEA][HSO4] was effective during the transformation process of OPEFB into cellulose. This shows the potential of IL [TEA][HSO4] in the future in the renewable energy sector.
Electrocatalytic generation and tuning of ultra-stable and ultra-dense nanometre bubbles: an in situ molecular dynamics study
Authors: Xi Wenjing , Feng Hao , Liu Dong , Chen Longfei , Zhang Ying , Li Qiang
Published: May 2021

An in situ MD study shows that the classical nucleation theory is still valid even for the scale down to several nanometers, to describe the behaviors of electrocatalytically generated nanobubbles and to design efficient nanoelectrodes.
Ultrafast switching and linear conductance modulation in ferroelectric tunnel junctionsviaP(VDF-TrFE) morphology control
Authors: Majumdar Sayani
Published: May 2021

Ferroelectric copolymer morphology dependent resistive switching in tunneling devices shows operation down to nanosecond timescales and emulation of synaptic functions with good conductance linearity.
Extending nanoscale patterning with multipolar surface plasmon resonances
Authors: Kherbouche Issam , MacRae Danielle , Geronimi Jourdain Théo , Lagugné-Labarthet François , Lamouri Azedine , Chevillot Biraud Alexandre , Mangeney Claire , Félidj Nordin
Published: May 2021

Plasmonic excitation of metallic nanoparticles can trigger chemical reactions at the nanoscale.
Custom-made polar monomers utilized in nickel and palladium promoted olefin copolymerization
Authors: Zhou Guanglin , Cui Lei , Mu Hongliang , Jian Zhongbao
Published: May 2021

In this review, the functions of custom-made polar monomers are insightfully emphasized in the preparation of functional polyolefins.
Enhanced solar cell performance of Cu2ZnSnSe4 thin films through structural control by using selenide stacked nanolayers in a non-toxic selenium atmosphere
Authors: Lai Fang-I , Yang Jui-Fu , Hsu Yu-Chao , Kuo Shou-Yi
Published: May 2021

A simple method for alleviating the double layer distribution in CZTSe films by modifying the laminated structures of precursors through a non-toxic selenium atmosphere.
Flexible, high‐strength titanium nanowire for scaffold biomimetic periodontal membrane
Authors: Li Jin , Hua Licheng , Wang Weiyuan , Gu Chenjie , Du Jianke , Hu Conghu
Published: May 2021

A layer of micro‐sized periodontal membrane can buffer most chewing forces to protect the interface between the natural tooth root and alveolar bone. Artificial dental implants usually direct contact onto the alveolar bone without a buffer layer, which increases the risk of surface damage. The main purpose of this work was the bionic design of a flexible layer of nanowire scaffold on a titanium implant surface according to the function of the periodontal membrane. Millions of nanowires were woven into a superhydrophilic layer of porous scaffold. The evolution of mechanical properties displayed that the biomimetic nanowire scaffold could absorb a maximum of about 1.59 KJ energy per square centimeter by low‐speed impact. The minimum tensile strength of one nanowire was 2 GPa. A biomimetic flexible periodontal membrane connection functioning between the natural tooth root and alveolar bone has great potential value for developing advanced artificial dental implants for dental restorations.
Resonance propagation analysis for inverter‐dominated multi‐AC‐bus systems
Authors: Liang Beihua , He Jinwei , Wang Chengshan
Published: May 2021

Harmonic resonance in a system with multiple inverters connecting to a single AC bus has been well studied in previous literature. However, in reality, a large number of distributed inverters are often classified into several groups using a few matching transformers. Due to the impact of matching transformers’ leakage impedance, the entire system presents a multi‐AC‐bus grid‐tied system with more complicated resonance interactions. In this work, a completed analytical method is developed. It reveals that there are different resonance types in such a system, and the determining factors of these resonance types are analysed. Moreover, the simplified calculation formulas for each resonance frequency are derived. For parallel resonance problems, under normal circumstances, the harmonic source tends to cause resonance with its neighbouring converters, but it has little effect on remote converters with long electrical distances. However, under special circumstances, the harmonic source has almost no effect on neighbouring converters, but causes resonance with the remote converters. In this situation, the resonance path passes through the transformer and multiple AC buses. Verification results are provided to validate the correctness of theoretical analysis.
High‐resolution velocity‐azimuth joint estimation for random‐time‐division‐multiplexing multiple‐input‐multiple‐output automotive radar using matrix completion
Authors: Hu Xueyao , Zhang Liang , Long Jiamin , Liang Can , Liu Jianhu , Wang Yanhua
Published: May 2021

Due to its low hardware complexity, small volume and simple structure, time‐division‐multiplexing multiple‐input‐multiple‐output (TDM MIMO) radar has been widely applied in automotive applications. The transmitting antennas of TDM MIMO automotive radar are usually switched according to a sequential‐TDM pattern. However, moving targets can introduce a motion‐induced phase into the sequential‐TDM pattern, which is coupled to the spatial phase, resulting in errors in velocity and azimuth estimation. Herein, a random‐TDM pattern with the matrix completion (MC)‐based estimation method is proposed to address these issues. In the proposed method, the random‐TDM pattern, which means randomly activating the transmitting antenna instead of sequentially, can decouple the linear temporal‐spatial coupling phase, avoiding the coupling problem in velocity and azimuth estimation. Then, by reshaping the echo data into a matrix form of sparse sampling, the inexact augmented Lagrange multiplier algorithm is adopted to recover this matrix, solving the underdetermined estimation problem caused by sparse sampling. Finally, the high‐accuracy velocity and azimuth can be jointly estimated by applying the estimation of signal parameters via rotational invariance technique algorithm to the recovered full sampling data. Moreover, compared with the compressed sensing‐based method, the proposed method overcomes the grid mismatch problem. The results of comparative simulations and real‐data experiments demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed method.
The sulphur saga in TMC-1: Discovery of HCSCN and HCSCCH
Authors: Cernicharo J. , Cabezas C. , Endo Y. , Agúndez M. , Tercero B. , Pardo J. R. , Marcelino N. , de Vicente P.
Published: May 2021

We report the detection, for the first time in space, of cyano thioformaldehyde (HCSCN) and propynethial (HCSCCH) towards the starless core TMC-1. Cyano thioformaldehyde presents a series of prominent a- and b-type lines, which are the strongest previously unassigned features in our Q-band line survey of TMC-1. Remarkably, HCSCN is four times more abundant than cyano formaldehyde (HCOCN). On the other hand, HCSCCH is five times less abundant than propynal (HCOCCH). Surprisingly, we find an abundance ratio HCSCCH/HCSCN of ∼0.25, in contrast with most other ethynyl-cyanide pairs of molecules for which the CCH-bearing species is more abundant than the CN-bearing one. We discuss the formation of these molecules in terms of neutral-neutral reactions of S atoms with CH2CCH and CH2CN radicals as well as of CCH and CN radicals with H2CS. The calculated abundances for the sulphur-bearing species are, however, significantly below the observed values, which points to an underestimation of the abundance of atomic sulphur in the model or to missing formation reactions, such as ion-neutral reactions.
State and law: transformation vectors in modern conditions
Authors: Nizhnik Nadezhda Stepanovna , Bavsun Maksim Viktorovich , Aliev Yakub Lomalievich , Astafichev Pavel Aleksandrovich , Kvitchuk Anatoliy Sergeevich
Published: May 2021

Contemporaneity represents an epoch of qualitative changes in social life, which creates due grounds for different scenarios of development of the state and law. The concern for the prospects of state/legal organisation of the society has placed the problem of transformation of the state and law in the centre of scientific conceptualisation, made it a subject of heated debate and accounted for the creation of annalistic history. The authors of the article take part in the polylogue on the given subject by formulating their position on the future of the cultural phenomena – the state and the law. The philosophical/legal research is based on the recognition of the fact that the global scientific revolution has in fact become a reality, and there are due grounds for the formation of the post-classical legal science. The complexity and multidimensionality of the subject of the research – the prospects of transformation of a nation state and law in the conditions of contemporaneity – required a resort to interdisciplinary methodology. The accomplished research largely relied on the anthropocentric approach that allowed the authors to focus on a human being and its consciousness, considering that the latter has an ability to adapt to the challenges of globalisation and the development of digital technologies. As a result of the research, the authors came to the conclusion that the modern state is transforming and acquiring new characteristics under the powerful influence of globalisation processes. The claims of scholars who presume that the state will wither in the foreseeable stage of human development were subjected to criticism. The authors believe that the state continues to be the core of social organisation and adapts to the challenges and threats of the modern time by acquiring new characteristics. Transformation takes place as well in the sphere of legal regulation. The law is comprehended not just as a set of norms or daily activity of people aimed to realise these norms. The law is realised to construct the reality; at the same time the law as such becomes an object of influence of social transformation processes following which the content, forms, legal systems, as well as the mechanisms of law development and law enforcement, undergo changes. An important component of changes is transformation of the philosophical core of law reflecting the processes of change in the paradigm of values.
Criminological and socio-psychological research of suicidal terrorism in the postmodern era
Authors: Lobach Dmitry Vladimirovich , Kvasnikova Tatiana Vladimirovna , Smirnova Nina Leonidovna , Khabibulina Olga Vladimirovna , Shestopal Sergey Stanislavovich
Published: May 2021

The article examines the criminological and socio-psychological characteristics of suicidal terrorism as a type of political violence at the present stage. The use of the historical method of scientific research allows concluding that although suicidal terrorism manifests itself in different historical epochs, only since the second half of the 20th century, suicidal terrorism has become a widely used violent practice. The analysis of the positions on this topic allows defining suicidal terrorism as a violent practice aimed at causing maximum damage to the population and (or) civilian items, as well as state authorities, institutions, or international organizations to intimidate the population and influence official authorities, which is accompanied by a conscious refusal of the perpetrator to save his/her life. At the same time, suicidal terrorism itself is represented in two forms: classic suicidal terrorism and high-probability suicidal terrorism. Based on the analysis of statistical data on the spread of suicidal terrorism in the world, a sharp trend in the growth of this type of terrorism in the 21st century is determined, as well as correlation changes in the specific coefficient of harm caused depending on the tactics of suicidal terrorism. Two key approaches to understanding the causes of suicidal terrorism are considered. As to the first approach, suicidal terrorism is explained from the perspective of religious self-consciousness and the crisis of cultural and national values that have been historically developed in traditional society. Within the second approach, the determination of suicidal terrorism is due to social protest against an unfair system of social organization and established social relations.
Blockchain Technology in Countering Cyber Threats
Authors: Antonyan Elena Aleksandrovna , Grishko Natalya Aleksandrovna , Milovanova Marina Mikhailovna
Published: May 2021

The prerequisites for the study are the widespread use of blockchain technology in various sectors of human life support where its application is an opportunity to repel cyber threats the forms of manifestation of which will only increase in the age of new technologies. The spread of cyber threats necessitates a set of measures aimed not only at identifying and combating them but also at active working to prevent their spread. The study aims to comprehensively study the use of blockchain technology in countering cyber threats. The research methods are as follows: a reasonable combination of the general scientific dialectical method with legal positivism; social relations and phenomena and their interaction with scientific categories in dialectical unity; consideration of a separate process based on comparative legal positivism; scientific methods of analysis and synthesis, induction and deduction. Results and novelty: today the creation and functioning of security systems, given the multiple nature of the factors of influence on electronic and telecommunication systems, should be complex; local attempts to counter cybercrime give short-term and ineffective results. Arguments are presented for the fact that today blockchain technology is one of the most modern means of countering cybercrime. This is due to the fact that it has a significant period of operation which allows conclusions to be drawn about its functionality and effectiveness, the availability of proven material and technical means and technologies for its implementation in the social sphere, as well as the possibility of its further development and improvement in relation to countering cyber threats in the conditions and vulnerabilities of the blockchain.
Features of the search for persons suspected (accused) of committing economic crimes
Authors: Timofeev Aleksander Vladimirovich , Glubokovskikh Roman Vladimirovich
Published: May 2021

The article examines the issues related to the construction of typical intelligence cases arising in the search activity, in its narrow sense, by which the authors mean the search for known persons hiding from responsibility for the crimes committed. By identifying typical intelligence cases in investigative work, and ways to resolve them, operational officers would be able to more successfully solve intelligence tasks to find hiding persons. The methodology was made up of a universal dialectical method of cognition and a method of modeling. The authors proposed to single out a typical intelligence case arising in the search for a suspect (accused) of committing a crime in the field of economic activity. Based on the results of the study of cases of criminal records, typical features have been identified that are manifested in situations of the search for persons who have committed economic crimes. Based on those a typical intelligence case has been determined. An algorithm for the actions of operational officers is proposed, which contributes to a more effective search for suspects (accused) of economic crimes. The algorithm provides for various types of activities and practical recommendations for actions at various stages of the search.
The structure of the e-state and public administration at the digital age
Authors: Barkov Alexey , Sokolov Aleksey , Kiselev Alexander
Published: May 2021

The introduction of information technologies into public life in all spheres of the life of the state and society has set the scientific community the task of scientific understanding of the theory and practice of the introduction and application of these technologies, modernization of the legal policy of the state in the information society. The consequence of this was the formation at the turn of the XX-XXI centuries. In the political and legal though of views on the electronic state, embodying ideas about how the state should function in the era of high technologies. Management in modern conditions begins to be built through the use of electronic communication systems at all levels. In the modern legal doctrine, the structure of the electronic state has ambiguous content. And this expresses not just the vision of the structure of the idea by various scientists, moreover, the consolidation of such provisions in scientific research is a trigger for the institutionalization of the idea, its development at the theoretical level and obtaining its expression in building its own infrastructure. The idea of an electronic state as its main goal is aimed at modernizing the public administration system through information and communication technologies and the capabilities of the global Internet. It must solve the accumulated problems and meet the criteria set by modern society.
Model of registration of road accidents: problems of law enforcement
Authors: Fokina Marina , Voitovich Lilia , Egorova Olga
Published: May 2021

This publication focuses on the theoretical investigation of issues arising in the Russian Federation in law enforcement related to the recently introduced digital procedure for the registration of road accidents through the “DTP.Europrotokol” electronic application running on the Android or Apple iOS operating systems. The purpose of the study is to examine the above method of independent registration of a road accident without authorized police officers, developed by the Russian Association of Motor Insurers, with a substantiation of the possibility of subsequent attaching evidentiary value to the information contained in such an application in legal proceedings for the recovery of insurance compensation in connection with the occurrence of this road accident. The authors assessed the effectiveness and feasibility of this digital traffic accident model, including the lack of sufficient regulatory guarantees for the safety of the information uploaded by the user to the mobile application, the existence of virtually unlimited powers of the application developer to control its functioning. They drew attention to certain enforcement problems associated with the assessment of the information available from the “DTP.Europrotokol” application, which is not possible to use in all cases, data the accuracy of which depends on many technical factors.
The economic approach to designing anticorruption institutions
Authors: Molokanov Viktor , Malysheva Elena , Chumakova Ekaterina , Yakovenko Vadim , Zelensky Andrey
Published: May 2021

Contemporary economic analysis of corrupt behaviour requires practical consideration of the issues concerning projecting of social anti-corruption institutions. The economic science has accumulated sufficient practical experience of institutional construction in society, for instance approaches provided by K. Sunstein’s and E. Ostrom. The requirement of reasonability in managing economic interactions makes the society refuse from the dichotomy of market (anarchical, spontaneous) and non-market (hierarchical) institutions. The same tendency can be observed in arranging anti-corruption struggle in state management. Both approaches - aimed at creating fixed vertical hierarchy as well as at creating competition at the lowest bureaucratic level - are inappropriate. That is why anticorruption institutions arranging should be based on economic models of rational criminal and citizens involvement in law enforcement activity. These models enable to harmonize state dirigisme related to the state management ex ante with basic provision of laissez-faire doctrine – personal motives of people’s behaviour. Standard economic supply and demand model has shown inelasticity of corruption crimes supply in Russia. Non-price determinants (cultural norms, “tabu”) seem to be more significant in motivating corruption behaviour than price determinants (seriousness and probability of punishment). Economic characteristics of elasticity and inelasticity of supply and demand in the model of involvement into law enforcement activity enable to create strategy of developing social anti-corruption institutions.
The influencing potential of the conflictogenic media space in the aspect of legal culture
Authors: Rogozhnikova Tatiana , Salikhova Elvina
Published: May 2021

The authors consider the problematic field of conflictogenic media space in a linguistic-legal aspect. The goal of the article is to present the individual results of linguistic and psycholinguistic studies of polycode controversial texts. In expert practice the authors actively employ the emotional-lexical assessment of verbal and non-verbal models, the assessment of the rhythmic brain activity during the perception of the entire text, the assessment of the rhythmic coherence in the perception of individual parts of the text and their comparison, the technique for recognizing the hidden motives of the object behavior in the process of its professional activity, analysis of the individual coefficients of the text impact on the individual and mass consciousness and subconsciousness. Conflict genes are demonstrated and described in this work. These are the minimum significant units of the component of the conflictogenic media space. The specific character of the polycode text, the texture of which consists of verbal and non-verbal parts, is demonstrated. The quantitative and qualitative results of the research performed are determined by the potential of classical linguistics and related branches of knowledge for solving polycode text problems using the developed software products in the field of psycholinguistic investigations.