bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Meeting 24‐h movement guidelines: Prevalence, correlates, and associations with socioemotional behavior in Spanish minors
Authors: López‐Gil José Francisco , Roman‐Viñas Blanca , Aznar Susana , Tremblay Mark S.
Published: January 2022

The aims of this study were to determine for the first time the prevalence of a national sample of Spanish minors meeting the 24‐h movement guidelines; to determine their correlates; and to examine their associations with socioemotional behavioral problems. Cross‐sectional data from the Spanish National Health Survey (2017) were analyzed for this study. A total of 3772 Spanish minors were included. Physical activity was parent‐reported by a modified short version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire, which included a single question related to the participation in physical activity in free time. Recreational screen time was parent‐reported by asking respondents for weekdays and weekends independently: “How much time does your child typically spend in front of a screen, including a computer, tablet, television, video, video game, or cell phone screen?”. Sleep duration was parent‐reported by the following question: “Can you tell me approximately how many hours your child usually sleeps daily?”. The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire was applied for the evaluation of socioemotional behavioral problems. The prevalence of meeting of all the three guidelines was 13.5%. Compared to meeting all guidelines, higher odds of socioemotional behavioral problems were found in participants meeting two guidelines (OR = 1.42; CI95%, 1.10–1.83), one guideline (OR = 1.50; 95%CI,1.14–1.96), or none of the guidelines (OR = 1.92; 95%CI,1.30–2.83). Our study demonstrated that the proportion of Spanish minors who meet with all the 24‐h movement guidelines is low. Furthermore, it could be relevant to the promotion of the 24‐h movement guidelines to prevent the risk of socioemotional behavioral problems.
A scooping review of Scandinavian studies of sick‐listed' and social insurance officers' experiences of their encounters'
Authors: Hakvaag Tonje C. , Knapstad Marit , Bjornestad Jone Ravndal , Tjora Tore
Published: January 2022

In the Scandinavian countries, social insurance officers (SIOs) hold key positions with regard to coordinating the return‐to‐work (RTW) process of workers on long‐term sick‐leave. This article aimed to systematically explore the experience of encounters between the sick‐listed and SIOs and set out the current scientific knowledge base on factors related to the encounter that are perceived as having an impact on the sick‐listed's RTW. A scoping review was conducted that included peer‐reviewed articles published in the English language in the period January 2000 to February 2021. Of the 435 articles reviewed to determine eligibility, 38 were included. Most of the articles included were qualitative (68%) and focused on the sick‐listed's experience of encounters with RTW professionals. The main finding of this review is that the majority of the sick‐listed perceived the encounters with SIOs as positive. The perspective of SIOs was less subject to study, and the research focus was more often concerned with practical aspects of the encounter, such as stakeholder cooperation and the impact of policy on SIOs' working conditions. Furthermore, we found that SIOs experience challenges in stakeholder cooperation and in performing workability assessments, especially where objective medical information is scarce. The findings of this review suggest that future studies should pay more attention to the SIO perspective in encounters between sick‐listed and SIOs.
Mycorrhizal colonization associated with roots of field‐grown maize does not decline with increasing plant‐available phosphorus
Authors: Sobat Emal , Whalen Joann K.
Published: January 2022

Maize roots are colonized by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, but less mycorrhizal symbiosis is expected as the plant‐available phosphorus (P) concentration of soil increases, based on greenhouse and growth bench experiments. The objective of this study was to evaluate maize root colonization by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in a sandy loam soil with a gradient of plant‐available P concentrations resulting from P fertilizer inputs. The field experiment received inorganic and organic P fertilizers for 3 years, and this created a 20‐fold difference in the plant‐available P concentration, from 12 to 204 mg Mehlich‐3 extractable P kg−1. The proportion of maize roots colonized with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi increased from 26 ± 2% during vegetative growth (V8 and VT growth stages) to 46 ± 2% in the reproductive R2 and R6 stages. The P fertilizer input did not affect maize root colonization by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. More arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi colonization of maize roots occurred in soil with increasing plant‐available P concentrations (r = .12, p = .05, n = 237), and this was associated with greater P uptake in the maize shoots (r = .53, p < .001, n = 240). We conclude that the root‐mycorrhizal symbiosis was more strongly related to maize growth than the plant‐available P concentration under field conditions.
Nitrogen recovery in reclaimed mine soil under different amendment practices in tandem with legume and non‐legume revegetation: A review
Authors: Kumari Sneha , Maiti Subodh Kumar
Published: January 2022

Nitrogen (N) supply is the major limiting nutrient in most reclamation schemes. In reclaimed mine soil (RMS), examining the N dynamics can be especially informative for understanding constraints on recovery that restrict revegetation success. Scholarly studies worldwide have focused on exogenous N incorporation to alleviate N shortages in the agriculture, and forestry sectors. Currently, growing concerns for the negative consequences of mining have highlighted N deficiency as one of the most significantly identified abiotic limits. Only a few researchers have focused on the N transformation mechanisms in drastically altered mine soils. The review comprises the last 10 years’ research on mine reclamation approaches using legume and non‐legume plant communities. Also the capacity of different amendments to alleviate N shortages in mine soils is emphasized. The major findings of the present review suggest: (i) Revegetation using legume and non‐legume species is a self‐sustaining and economical alternative to mineral N fertilizer application; however, they cannot fully activate the biological N cycle in RMS. (ii) A more biological amendment‐assisted revegetation would enhance the key concepts of “soil‐biomass N balance” and would be ideal for N recovery in imbalanced mine soil. Altogether, grass‐legume seeding offers a potentially valuable mine reclamation tool for managing N and addressing the challenges of sustainable development.
Behaviour of nutrients released from crystalline minerals of artificial potassium silicate fertilizer and their supply to the Japanese mustard spinach (Brassica rapavar.perviridis)
Authors: Hirata Shin , Katoh Masahiko
Published: January 2022

Artificial potassium silicate fertilizer (PSF) is a typical slow‐release potassium fertilizer. However, the exact minerals that are released by PSF and the nutrients that are made available to plants remain unclear. This study quantitatively investigated the behaviour of nutrients released from PSF by the batch‐release test and their supply to plants by the plant growth tests, respectively, to determine the quantitative relationship between nutrients released from PSF and taken up by the plant. X‐ray diffraction (XRD) analysis showed that kalsilite, åkermanite, and potassium–magnesium silicate were the most abundant crystalline minerals in PSF. The XRD peaks of åkermanite and potassium–magnesium silicate were absent after citric acid extraction at a liquid/solid ratio of 20 to 100 (CA20 and CA100). Magnesium‐use efficiencies in PSF (11%) and residue treatments after ammonium acetate extraction (AC, 10%) were higher than those in residue treatments after CA20 (1.8%) and CA100 (6.0%). Potassium (%) released by AC in the batch‐release test (4.5%) was compatible with the difference of potassium‐use efficiencies between the treatments of PSF (21%) and the AC‐residue (16%). Likewise, potassium (%) released by CA20 (8.8%) was lower than the difference of potassium‐use efficiencies between the treatments of PSF (21%) and CA20‐residue (7.9%). This study suggests that potassium is rapidly released from potassium–magnesium silicate in PSF and is readily available to plants.
Direct regulation of shikimate, early phenylpropanoid, and stilbenoid pathways by Subgroup 2 R2R3‐MYBs in grapevine
Authors: Orduña Luis , Li Miaomiao , Navarro‐Payá David , Zhang Chen , Santiago Antonio , Romero Pablo , Ramšak Živa , Magon Gabriele , Höll Janine , Merz Patrick , Gruden Kristina , Vannozzi Alessandro , Cantu Dario , Bogs Jochen , Wong Darren C. J. , Huang Shao‐shan Carol , Matus José Tomás
Published: January 2022

The stilbenoid pathway is responsible for the production of resveratrol in grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.). A few transcription factors (TFs) have been identified as regulators of this pathway but the extent of this control has not been deeply studied. Here we show how DNA affinity purification sequencing (DAP‐Seq) allows for the genome‐wide TF‐binding site interrogation in grape. We obtained 5190 and 4443 binding events assigned to 4041 and 3626 genes for MYB14 and MYB15, respectively (approximately 40% of peaks located within −10 kb of transcription start sites). DAP‐Seq of MYB14/MYB15 was combined with aggregate gene co‐expression networks (GCNs) built from more than 1400 transcriptomic datasets from leaves, fruits, and flowers to narrow down bound genes to a set of high confidence targets. The analysis of MYB14, MYB15, and MYB13, a third uncharacterized member of Subgroup 2 (S2), showed that in addition to the few previously known stilbene synthase (STS) targets, these regulators bind to 30 of 47 STS family genes. Moreover, all three MYBs bind to several PAL, C4H, and 4CL genes, in addition to shikimate pathway genes, the WRKY03 stilbenoid co‐regulator and resveratrol‐modifying gene candidates among which ROMT2‐3 were validated enzymatically. A high proportion of DAP‐Seq bound genes were induced in the activated transcriptomes of transient MYB15‐overexpressing grapevine leaves, validating our methodological approach for delimiting TF targets. Overall, Subgroup 2 R2R3‐MYBs appear to play a key role in binding and directly regulating several primary and secondary metabolic steps leading to an increased flux towards stilbenoid production. The integration of DAP‐Seq and reciprocal GCNs offers a rapid framework for gene function characterization using genome‐wide approaches in the context of non‐model plant species and stands up as a valid first approach for identifying gene regulatory networks of specialized metabolism.
Identification of the genome‐wide distribution of cyanobacterial group‐2 sigma factor SigE, accountable for its regulon
Authors: Kariyazono Ryo , Osanai Takashi
Published: January 2022

Sigma factors are the subunits of bacterial RNA polymerase that govern the expression of genes by recognizing the promoter sequence. Cyanobacteria, which are oxygenic phototrophic eubacteria, have multiple alternative sigma factors that respond to various environmental stresses. The subgroup highly homologous to the primary sigma factor (SigA) is called the group‐2 sigma factor. The model cyanobacteriumSynechocystis sp. PCC 6803 has four group‐2 sigma factors (SigB–SigE) conserved within the phylum Cyanobacteria. Among the group‐2 sigma factors in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803, SigE is unique because it alters metabolism by inducing the expression of genes related to sugar catabolism and nitrogen metabolism. However, the features of the promoter sequences of the SigE regulon remain elusive. Here, we identified the direct targets of SigA and SigE by chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP‐seq). We then showed that the binding sites of SigE and SigA overlapped substantially, but that SigE localized exclusively to SigE‐dependent promoters. We also found consensus sequences from SigE‐dependent promoters and confirmed their importance. ChIP‐seq analysis showed both the redundancy and the specificity of SigE, compared with SigA, integrating information obtained from a previously adopted genetic approach and in vitro assays. The features of SigE elucidated in our study indicate its similarity with group‐2 sigma factors of other bacteria, even though they are evolutionarily irrelevant. Our approach is also applicable to other organisms and organelles, such as plant plastids, which have multiple group‐2 sigma factors.
HuManitarianism: Race and the overrepresentation of ‘Man’
Authors: Pallister‐Wilkins Polly
Published: January 2022

This paper explores the foundational role of race in humanitarianism, its historical geographies, genealogy, and contemporary practice. I pay particular attention to the work of Sylvia Wynter on the overrepresentation of (white bourgeois) Man in modernist understandings of the human that form the basis of humanitarianism in the present. Building on Wynter's work, I offer an alter‐historical geography of humanitarianism – locating its genus in the voyages of 1441 and 1492 – that unsettles other critical work on the colonial origins of humanitarianism as both a normative and instrumental form of governance and their geographies. In following what Wynter terms a “human view”, I explore the racist orderings of Rational Man and his irrational, racialised “others” that work to structure humanitarianism's subjects. Alongside this, I consider the parasitic relations of humanitarianism to the negation of life enacted through the genocide of Black and Indigenous peoples, arguing humanitarianism's claims to save lives and relieve suffering cannot be divorced from conquistador violence. I argue that grappling with what Wynter calls “category problems” is necessary as humanitarianism – or huManitarianism – faces the contemporary challenges raised by Black Lives Matter that undermine and question its universalist legitimacy.
Three-Dimensional Computational Fluid Dynamics Simulation and Mesh Size Effect of the Conversion of a Heavy-Duty Diesel Engine to Spark-Ignition Natural Gas Engine
Authors: Aktas Fatih
Published: January 2022

With developing in computer technology, three-dimensional (3D) computational fluid dynamics (CFD) internal combustion (IC) engine simulations, which generally use reduced chemical kinetic mechanisms and simplified combustion models, can provide more accurate results along with less initial investment and calculation costs compared to experimental setup. In this study, a heavy-duty diesel engine effects on performance, combustion, and emission characteristics by spraying natural gas from the intake port and transforming it into a spark-ignition engine were investigated through 3D ansysfortecfd program. The spark time was accepted as 0.5 °CA before top dead center (bTDC), which was the start of injection time for the diesel injector. Analyzes were carried out at 2300 rpm, full load, 17.5: 1 of high compression ratio, constant air/fuel ratio. Six different global mesh sizes were used in the converted engine model. Performance, in-cylinder combustion, and emission values were examined for these six different global mesh sizes and the most suitable one was tried to be found. As a result of the global mesh size study, it was concluded that the most suitable size was 2.25 mm. In terms of performance, when the data obtained with usage of natural gas were compared to that of diesel fuel, the gross indicated power (GIP), indicated mean effective pressure (IMEP), and indicated thermal efficiency (ITE) values were increased by 12.02%, 8.93%, and 8.7%, respectively, while the gross indicated specific fuel consumption (GISFC) value was decreased by 9.78%. When the emission values were examined, it was seen that the engine met the stage IIIB norms without usage of selective catalytic reduction (SCR), diesel particulate filter (DPF), and diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC) under the conditions.
Towards the web of quantum chaos diagnostics
Authors: Bhattacharyya Arpan , Chemissany Wissam , Haque S. Shajidul , Yan Bin
Published: January 2022

We study the connections between three quantities that can be used as diagnostics for quantum chaos, i.e., the out-of-time-order correlator (OTOC), Loschmidt echo (LE), and complexity. We generalize the connection between OTOC and LE for infinite dimensions and extend it for higher-order OTOCs and multi-fold LEs. Novel applications of this intrinsic relation are proposed. We also investigated the relationship between a specific circuit complexity and LE by using the inverted oscillator model and made a conjecture about their relationship. These relationships signal a deeper connection between these three probes of quantum chaos.
Role of energy–momentum squared gravity on the dynamics of charged dissipative plane symmetric collapse
Authors: Sharif M. , Gul M. Zeeshan
Published: January 2022

This paper deals with the dynamics of charged plane symmetric collapse with dissipative fluid distribution in the framework of energy–momentum squared gravity. For this purpose, we consider non-static plane symmetric spacetime in the inner and static charged Vaidya spacetime in the outer regions of a star. We use Darmois junction conditions to match the interior and exterior geometries and find that masses of both spacetimes are identical if and only if their correspondence charges are same. To investigate the dynamics of the system, we apply Misner–Sharp and Müler–Israel–Stewart approaches to formulate dynamical as well as transport equations, respectively. We then couple these equations to analyze the effect of physical quantities and modified terms on the collapse rate. A relation among Weyl tensor, electromagnetic field and fluid variables, is also developed. Due to the influence of charge, anisotropic pressure and modified terms, the spacetime is not conformally flat. Further, we assume isotropic fluid and ignore the impact of electromagnetic field which yields the conformally flat spacetime and inhomogeneous energy density. We conclude that the collapse rate reduces as compared to general relativity due to the presence of a charge, effective pressure, heat flux and additional terms of this gravity.
Prediction of Thermal-Induced Buckling Failures of Ballasted Railway Tracks Using Artificial Neural Network (ANN)
Authors: Ngamkhanong Chayut , Kaewunruen Sakdirat
Published: January 2022

This paper investigates the possibility for implementing machine learning-aided prediction in analyzing the buckling phenomena of ballasted railway tracks induced by extreme temperature. In this study, artificial neural networks (ANNs) have been developed to identify the relationship between various ballasted track conditions and outputs, namely safe temperature and buckling temperature. The variables included in the objective function of the optimization problems are the lateral resistance of ballasted track provided by ballast-sleeper interaction, torsional resistance provided by fastening systems, and misalignment of the track. Due to its complexity in parameter combinations, the objective of this study is to create predictive models with the aim of minimizing the usage of scarce resources. Thus, this paper is the first to develop a novel machine learning-aided prediction of railway track buckling due to extreme temperature. Comprehensively, all 353 datasets of the safe and buckling temperatures derived from previous finite element (FE) simulation results have been collected and trained. Note that the mean squared error (MSE) and the coefficient of determination ([Formula: see text] are considered to quantify the performance of the ANN architectures. The optimal ANN architecture with a very high rate of accuracy has been determined and highlighted. Thus, the suggested neural network model can be applied conveniently to help estimate safe and buckling temperatures of the complex track models in order to improve track conditions and thus prevent track buckling in summer.
Pattern-Based Prefetching with Adaptive Cache Management Inside of Solid-State Drives
Authors: Li Jun , Xu Xiaofei , Cai Zhigang , Liao Jianwei , Li Kenli , Gerofi Balazs , Ishikawa Yutaka
Published: January 2022

This article proposes a pattern-based prefetching scheme with the support of adaptive cache management, at the flash translation layer of
solid-state drives
(
SSDs
). It works inside of SSDs and has features of OS dependence and uses transparency. Specifically, it first mines frequent block access patterns that reflect the correlation among the occurred I/O requests. Then, it compares the requests in the current time window with the identified patterns to direct prefetching data into the cache of SSDs. More importantly, to maximize the cache use efficiency, we build a mathematical model to adaptively determine the cache partition on the basis of I/O workload characteristics, for separately buffering the prefetched data and the written data. Experimental results show that our proposal can yield improvements on average read latency by
1.8
%–
36.5
% without noticeably increasing the write latency, in contrast to conventional SSD-inside prefetching schemes.
Reprogramming 3D TLC Flash Memory based Solid State Drives
Authors: Gao Congming , Ye Min , Xue Chun Jason , Zhang Youtao , Shi Liang , Shu Jiwu , Yang Jun
Published: January 2022

NAND flash memory-based SSDs have been widely adopted. The scaling of SSD has evolved from plannar (2D) to 3D stacking. For reliability and other reasons, the technology node in 3D NAND SSD is larger than in 2D, but data density can be increased via increasing bit-per-cell. In this work, we develop a novel reprogramming scheme for TLCs in 3D NAND SSD, such that a cell can be programmed and reprogrammed several times before it is erased. Such reprogramming can improve the endurance of a cell and the speed of programming, and increase the amount of bits written in a cell per program/erase cycle, i.e., effective capacity. Our work is the first to perform a real 3D NAND SSD test to validate the feasibility of the reprogram operation. From the collected data, we derive the restrictions of performing reprogramming due to reliability challenges. Furthermore, a reprogrammable SSD (ReSSD) is designed to structure reprogram operations. ReSSD is evaluated in a case study in RAID 5 system (RSS-RAID). Experimental results show that RSS-RAID can improve the endurance by 35.7%, boost write performance by 15.9%, and increase effective capacity by 7.71%, with negligible overhead compared with conventional 3D SSD-based RAID 5 system.
A Genetic-algorithm-based Approach to the Design of DCT Hardware Accelerators
Authors: Barbareschi Mario , Barone Salvatore , Bosio Alberto , Han Jie , Traiola Marcello
Published: January 2022

As modern applications demand an unprecedented level of computational resources, traditional computing system design paradigms are no longer adequate to guarantee significant performance enhancement at an affordable cost. Approximate Computing (AxC) has been introduced as a potential candidate to achieve better computational performances by relaxing non-critical functional system specifications. In this article, we propose a systematic and high-abstraction-level approach allowing the automatic generation of near Pareto-optimal approximate configurations for a Discrete Cosine Transform (DCT) hardware accelerator. We obtain the approximate variants by using approximate operations, having configurable approximation degree, rather than full-precise ones. We use a genetic searching algorithm to find the appropriate tuning of the approximation degree, leading to optimal tradeoffs between accuracy and gains. Finally, to evaluate the actual HW gains, we synthesize non-dominated approximate DCT variants for two different target technologies, namely, Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) and Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs). Experimental results show that the proposed approach allows performing a meaningful exploration of the design space to find the best tradeoffs in a reasonable time. Indeed, compared to the state-of-the-art work on approximate DCT, the proposed approach allows an 18% average energy improvement while providing at the same time image quality improvement.
Fabrication and Characterization of YSZ/GDC Bilayer Electrolyte Thin Films by Spray-Coating and Co-Sintering
Authors: Ding Changsheng , Iwai Hiroshi , Kishimoto Masashi
Published: January 2022

Yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) is the most popular electrolyte material for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). However, when cobaltite-based perovskite cathode materials, for example lanthanum strontium cobalt ferrite (LSCF), are used, an insulating layer is easy to be formed at the cathode-electrolyte interface. For preventing the interfacial reaction, a gadolinium-doped ceria (GDC) interlayer is usually employed between YSZ and cathode. In this work, we investigated the fabrication of YSZ/GDC bilayer electrolyte thin films by a simple spray coating process and co-sintering. Dense YSZ/GDC bilayer electrolyte thin films were successfully fabricated. There is no crack and delamination observed for the YSZ/GDC bilayer. A Ni-YSZ/YSZ/GDC/LSCF-GDC anode-supported single cell with 4 µm thick YSZ layer and 2 µm thick GDC layer shows an open-circuit voltage of 1.1 V and a maximum power density of about 0.6 W/cm2 with humidified H2 as fuel and air as oxidant at 700°C.
Progress Towards Electrochemical Methods for Pyrolysis-Oil Hydrogenation
Authors: Holladay Jamelyn , Lopez Ruiz Juan A , Egbert Jonathan , Gutiérrez Tinoco Oliver Y , Sanyal Udishnu
Published: January 2022

Liquid fuels generation via flash pyrolysis of biomass followed by thermochemical upgrading has been a research topic for many years. The pyrolysis-oil produced from this process is a complex mixture of hundreds of organic and inorganic compounds. The reactive species in pyrolysis-oil complicate storage, transportation, and downstream processing because of secondary reactions. Currently these oils require a complex three-stage process operating at moderate temperatures between 433 and 678 K, and high hydrogen pressures of up to14,000 kPa. The process economics are limited by the high temperature and high pressure hydrogen requirement. Recent research suggests that the hydrogenation reactions can be performed using electrochemical reactors operating at much lower temperatures and pressures (293 K and 101 kPa) with no supplied dihydrogen.

We have been exploring electrocatalytic upgrading of pyrolysis oil. Early tests show the feasibility of pyrolysis oil upgrading when tested in a flow cell configuration. 13C NMR and 1H NMR indicates a significant decrease in carbonyl and aromatic species post electrolysis (Figure 1) illustrating the viability of the approach.

To better understand the influence of electrode catalysts on kinetics, probe molecules and probe molecule mixtures are being tested. The results indicate that Pd is the most active catalyst for electrochemical reduction of aldehydes and ketones, but was inactive for phenol reduction. However, Rh catalysts were active for phenol, but had lower activity for aldehyde and ketone reactions. Based on this research, a bi-metal catalyst is being developed and the experimental results will be presented. Reaction kinetics as well as the impact of site competition in mixtures will be discussed.

Figure 1
(Invited) A Wired Photosynthesis of Formate from Aqueous CO2 Using Earth Abundant Catalysts
Authors: Park Hyunwoong
Published: January 2022

Harnessing and utilizing sunlight at high efficiency have represented an enormous challenge to the achievement of a carbon neutral society over the past four decades. Photocatalysis uniquely mimics natural photosynthesis in terms of light absorption and conversion, as well as storage of the absorbed photon energy into chemical bond energy. Despite this similarity, the development of low cost photocatalysts capable of selectively producing liquid chemicals from CO2 and water with efficiency and durability comparable to those in typical photosynthesis remains a great challenge. Most of the photocatalyst suspension systems produce mixtures of gas and liquid products at poor efficiencies, whereas electrically biased film systems exhibit a near-commercial gas production efficiency, albeit only for disappointingly short periods. Herein, we report the facile, environmentally benign synthesis of CuFeO2 and CuO binary films via electrodeposition, and demonstrate that these binary films produce only liquid formate from aqueous CO2 at ~1% energy efficiency, while driving O2 evolution from water on a wired Pt plate under continuous irradiation of simulated sunlight (AM 1.5G; 100 mW×cm-
2) over 24 h. An as-synthesized photocatalyst film with a three-dimensional, double-layer configuration further shows the continued production of formate for over 17 days. However, the crystalline structure and elemental state of the used photocatalysts undergo gradual chemical reduction. Such a deformation can be thermally healed by recycling the weekly used samples via oxidative annealing. Thus, a single photocatalyst sample produces formate continuously for 35 days. The photocatalyst components (Cu, Fe, and O) are earth-abundant, and the photocatalyst synthesis is straightforward, facile, environmentally benign, reproducible, and scalable. On achieving higher efficiencies in the future, the practical applicability of these photocatalysts will become enormous.
(Invited) Understanding Photoelectrode/Catalyst Interface for Solar Water Splitting
Authors: Wang Dunwei
Published: January 2022

As a potentially low-cost, high-efficiency solar energy storage solution, solar water splitting faces great challenges. One of the issues is the poor catalytic activity and low stability. Applications of co-catalysts have been shown effective to correct the deficiency by promoting desired chemical reactions so as to minimize charge recombination at the surface and to reduce parasitic corrosion reactions. The detailed behaviors of the light absorber/catalyst interface, however, remain poorly understood. Here we present our recent research in this area. We show that the application of the co-catalysts may greatly influence the charge separation behaviors of the photoelectrode. Detailed thermodynamic and kinetic measurements support our understanding. Furthermore, we show that the photoelectrode substrate also exerts great influences on the co-catalyst behaviors. A strong interaction between the photoelectrode and the catalyst can be beneficial. The combined system may also serve as a new platform to understand heterogeneous catalysis such as water oxidation at a level previously inaccessible. The knowledge generated by our work will likely contribute significantly to the development of solar water splitting technology for a future powered by renewable energies.
(Invited) Development and Integration of Heterojunctions for Enhanced Solar Energy Conversion
Authors: Solarska Renata Anna , Bienkowski Krzysztof , Arasimowicz Monika
Published: January 2022

Photoelectrochemical applications of semiconducting metal oxides are continuously growing and gaining a considerable interest in view of enhanced production of renewable energy. However, overcoming intrinsic limitations of well-known and recognized towards specific action semiconducting oxides such as iron oxide, titanium oxide, tungsten oxide or copper oxide requires development of new nanoarchitectures. Given the band edges positions are not always suitable for a desired solar driven process, of primary importance is to enhance the intrinsic properties of the building materials and couple them with a catalytic modification of the surface. Therefore, efforts including development of new hetero-nanostructures and their implementation to the different type of junctions employed in solar arrangements, are continuously devoted to minimization of the required bias voltage, improvement of light capture or charge separation and collection. Recently, these approaches allowed to develop a highly active catalytic system consisting of a mesoporous semiconducting metal oxide (tungsten trioxide, titanium dioxide or iron oxide) and attached thereto polyoxometalate based WOC. The stable and reproducible water splitting photocurrents reached 4.5 mA cm-2 for WO3 based working system and were attained at standard conditions. In this scenario, incorporated in small amount polyoxometalates act as highly effective molecular OER catalysts leading to very large enhancement of water oxidation photocurrents [1]. These findings have also been transferred to other semiconducting systems relying onto engineered low sub-stoichiometric disorder in TiO2 or hexagonal WO3 conjugated to copper (I) oxide, enhanced and stabilized by the presence of heterojunction [2]. A special attention will be paid to their stabilization, intentional modification, as well as optimization of experimental conditions, permitting control and diversification of the reaction products.

[1] M. Sarnowska, K. Bienkowski, P. J. Barczuk, R. Solarska, J. Augustynski, Adv. Energy Mater. (2016), 1600526

[2] E. Szaniawska, K. Bienkowski, I. Rutkowska, P. Kulesza, R. Solarska, Cat. Today (2017) doi.org/10.1016/j.cattod.2017.05.099
(Invited) Towards Unassisted Water-Splitting Systems: Development of Catalysts, Semiconductors, and Interfaces
Authors: Jaramillo Thomas F
Published: January 2022

Hydrogen (H2) is an important industrial chemical, produced at a global rate > 50 billion kg/year. Nearly all of this H2 is derived from fossil fuels using today’s conventional processes. Developing new pathways for the renewable production of H2 could play an important role in reaching sustainability goals for the globe.

Two particularly intriguing pathways to renewable H2 production include solar photoelectrochemical (PEC) water-splitting and PV-powered water electrolysis. This talk will describe advances in both areas, with a focus on the development of catalysts, semiconductors, and interfaces. Examples will include unassisted PEC water-splitting systems with different configurations, involving a range of semiconductor and catalyst materials, as well as non-precious metal catalyst development for PEM electrolysis.
(Invited) Thermodynamic Aspects of Devices for Solar Energy and Chemical Conversions
Authors: Osterloh Frank E.
Published: January 2022

The chemical literature does not strongly differentiate between photocatalytic (PC) and photosynthetic (PS) reactions (including artificial photosynthesis), even though these are different processes. Photocatalytic processes are thermodynamically downhill (ΔG<0) and are merely accelerated by a catalyst whereas photosynthetic processes are thermodynamically unfavorable (ΔG>0) and require photochemical energy input to occur. Here we apply this differentiation to formulate design criteria for PC and PS devices, with a special emphasis on solar water photoelectrolysis / solar hydrogen generation. As will be shown, under conditions of optimal light absorption, carrier lifetimes, and electrochemical rates, the performance of PCs is limited only by their surface area, while type 1 PS devices are limited by their carrier mobility and mass transport, and type 2 PS devices are limited by electrochemical charge-transfer selectivity. Strategies for the optimization of type 1 and 2 photosynthetic devices and photocatalysts are also discussed.

Figure 1
(Invited) Charge Transfer Behaviour of Modified Titania Nanotube Arrays Transplanted on Transparent Conducting Oxides
Authors: Jeong Hye Won , Park Hyunwoong
Published: January 2022

Free-standing, one-dimensional TiO2 nanotube arrays (TNAs) with disordered surface structure are synthesized on transparent conducting substrates, and their opto-physicochemical properties and photoelectrocatalytic (PEC) performances are examined in detail. TNAs grown on titanium foils are transplanted onto fluorine-doped SnO2 substrates via a two-step anodization process (denoted W-TNAs), followed by being reduced electrochemically for 20 and 90 s (denoted B-TNAs-20 and 90, respectively). As-transplanted W-TNAs exhibit the low PEC activities in terms of photocurrent, and oxygen evolution reaction (OER), and oxidations of inorganic and organic substrates (iodide and urea, respectively) under simulated sunlight (AM 1.5; 100 mW×cm-
2) primarily because of sluggish charge transfers through low electrical conductive TNAs framework. The quick electrochemical reduction of W-TNAs leads to 8-fold larger photocurrent, while significantly accelerating the OER by three times, and the oxidations of iodide and urea by 2 and ~20 times, respectively. Such enhanced PEC activity of B-TNAs is attributed to creation of Ti3+ and associated oxygen vacancy (examined with XPS, EPR, and Raman), strengthening n-type character and thereby increasing electrical conductivity (examined with Mott-Schottky and Nyquist). Time-resolved photoluminescence spectra further reveal that the lifetime (t) of photogenerated charge carriers in B-TNAs (t = 0.33 ns) is an order of magnitude shorter than that of W-TNAs (t = 3.63 ns). The disordered surface exhibits lower Faradaic efficiency for multi-electron transferred oxidation reactions whereas higher Faradaic efficiency for single-electron transfer oxidations compared to W-TNAs. Detailed surface characterization and PEC mechanism are discussed.
(Invited) Wide Bandgap Copper Chalcopyrite Candidates for Renewable Hydrogen Generation
Authors: Gaillard Nicolas , DeAngelis Alexander D , Horsley Kimberly
Published: January 2022

Photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting has the potential to become an efficient method to produce renewable hydrogen. However, the requirements in terms of efficiency, projected cost, and durability of lab-scale systems required to make this technology economically feasible have still not been met. Amongst all materials studied to date, the chalcopyrite class is arguably one of the best classes for PEC water splitting, as it has already demonstrated low cost and high photoconversion capabilities as a solar material. As we have previously reported, co-evaporated 1.7 eV bandgap (EG) CuGaSe2 generates very high-saturated photocurrent densities (>15 mA.cm-­2) and high Faradaic efficiency (>85%). Unfortunately, CuGaSe2’s narrow EG prohibits its integration as top absorber into a dual junction stacked PEC device (also known as hybrid photoelectrode, HPE). In the present communication, we report on our latest efforts to synthesize wide EG (1.8-2.0 eV) chalcopyrites, compatible with the HPE integration scheme, and capable of generating a saturated photocurrent density greater than 10 mA/cm2. We present specifically results on EG tunable Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se)2, Cu(In,Ga)S2, CuGa(S,Se)2 as well as 1.85 eV CuGa3Se5. We discuss some of the strategies developed to improve their surface energetics for the hydrogen evolution reaction, including the use of In2S3 n-type buffer layers. Finally, we present solid-state techniques to identify possible pitfalls in some of these material systems and discuss potential paths for improvement.
(Invited) Bismuth-Based Ternary Oxide Thin Film for Solar Water Oxidation
Authors: Ng Yun Hau
Published: January 2022

Bismuth based ternary oxide such as BiVO4, Bi2WO6 and Bi2MoO6 have been reported to oxidise water into oxygen under visible light. These materials have sufficient absorption within the solar spectrum (UV and visible region) and stability against photocorrosion. The hybridized valence band of these ternary oxides made them active towards water oxidation. In this presentation, we investigate the performance of these bismuth based ternary oxides in photoelectrochemical water oxidation. A few aspects will be discussed to highlight the differences when they were employed in photocatalytic water splitting or through photoelectrochemical means. It is generally acknowledged that surface area and crystallinity of photocatalysts are critical factors regulating performances in powder type suspension reactions. When they were made into thin film, quality of the contact between bismuth based ternary oxides and the charge collecting substrate becomes another crucial factor.

BiVO4, Bi2WO6 and Bi2MoO6 thin films are synthesised in this work. BiVO4 with controlled exposed facet is engineered to study the dynamic of charge interactions between their respective facets. It is revealed that a balance of charge transfer and charge trapping are occurring to govern the overall performance of BiVO4. From that point of view, specific interface is engineered to boost the higher charge transfer efficiency, for example, by using graphene as electron mediator. Bi2WO6 and Bi2MoO6 thin films are synthesised by a direct conversion of anodised WO3 and MoO3 films. The adhesion of the resultant Bi2WO6 and Bi2MoO6 on the substrate is highly stable. With the control of synthesis parameter, a concentration gradient can be introduced to form the composite of Bi2WO6/WO3 and Bi2MoO6/MoO3 with desired composition. With the favourable band alignment in this composite material, an improved photoelectrochemical performance is observed.
Solar Water Splitting Based on Organic Metal Halide Perovskite Solar Cells with Metal Protection and Catalyst
Authors: Nam Seongsik , Ilhwan Oh
Published: January 2022

The express Improvement of perovskite solar cells(PSC) has made them the highest Interest to studied for PV(Photovoltaics) and application in renewable energy. Here in we report on PSC applied on photoelectrolysis of water. Basically, it is easily decomposed by moisture and water. Thus, when it applied to water splitting. It is Important to protect device for stability of PSC. In this work, we demonstrate a method that improved stability of PSC during oxygen evolution in water. Field’s metal, a fusible In-Bi-Sn alloy, is used efficiently as a protection. Because of this it prevents the electrolyte from attacking the perovskite layer, and at the same time stably operates the reaction that the generated electrons transfer to oxygen evolution reaction(OER). Also it is deposited the Ni layer on the device by electrodeposition method. Ni as a catalyst for OER and it is abundant. As a result, the photo-electrode shows remarkable stability and performance in neutral and alkaline solutions, Under the continuous illumination(AM1.5G).

Figure 1
Effects of the Chinese Herb Medicine Formula “She-Xiang-Yu-Hong” Ointment on Wound Healing Promotion in Diabetic Mice
Authors: Li Qingjie , Liu Xinjun , Yang Shihui , Li Chunrun , Jin Wei , Hou Weiwei
Published: January 2022

Wound healing in diabetic patients is a difficult problem to be solved at present. In addition, patients with diabetes have an increased risk of postoperative wound complications. “She-Xiang-Yu-Hong” (SXYH) ointment is a type of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) compound used to treat wounds. Over the past few years, SXYH has been applied in the Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu University of TCM (Chengdu, China) for the treatment of diabetic foot infections and bedsores, whereas there has been rare research on the effect of SXYH ointment on wound healing. In this study, SXYH ointment was first applied to streptozotocin (STZ)-triggered diabetic ICR mice (4–6 weeks, 20 ± 2 g) to observe the accelerated wound healing and the shortened wound healing period. As indicated by the histology and biochemistry analyses of skin biopsies, the wounds treated using SXYH ointment showed an increase in the granulation tissue. Moreover, SXYH also modulated the inflammation response by regulating affinity proinflammatory cytokines release (e.g., IL-6 and TNF-α). Furthermore, SXYH ointment obviously improved collagen fiber deposition and tissue on the wound surface. On the whole, this study indicated that SXYH ointment could accelerate wound healing, promote blood vessel formation, and suppress inflammations. Thus, the clinical potential of SXYH ointment was demonstrated in the treatment of diabetes and refractory wounds.
A Methodical Review on the Applications and Potentialities of Using Nanobiosensors for Disease Diagnosis
Authors: Ukhurebor Kingsley Eghonghon , Onyancha Robert Birundu , Aigbe Uyiosa Osagie , UK-Eghonghon Gladys , Kerry Rout George , Kusuma Heri Septya , Darmokoesoemo Handoko , Osibote Otolorin Adelaja , Balogun Vincent Aizebeoje
Published: January 2022

Presently, with the introduction of nanotechnology, the evolutions and applications of biosensors and/or nanobiosensors are becoming prevalent in various scientific domains such as environmental and agricultural sciences as well as biomedical, clinical, and healthcare sciences. Trends in these aspects have led to the discovery of various biosensors/nanobiosensors with their tremendous benefits to mankind. The characteristics of the various biosensors/nanobiosensors are primarily based on the nature of nanomaterials/nanoparticles employed in the sensing mechanisms. In the last few years, the identification, as well as the detection of biological markers linked with any form of diseases (communicable or noncommunicable), has been accomplished by several sensing procedures using nanotechnology vis‐à‐vis biosensors/nanobiosensors. Hence, this study employs a systematic approach in reviewing some contemporary developed exceedingly sensitive nanobiosensors alongside their biomedical, clinical, or/and healthcare applications as well as their potentialities, specifically for the detection of some deadly diseases drawn from some of the recent publications. Ways forward in the form of future trends that will advance creative innovations of the potentialities of nanobiosensors for biomedical, clinical, or/and healthcare applications particularly for disease diagnosis are also highlighted.
Sirt1 Mediates Vitamin D Deficiency-Driven Gluconeogenesis in the Liver via mTorc2/Akt Signaling
Authors: Yuan Qi , Zhang Ridong , Sun Mengyue , Guo Xiao , Yang Jinglei , Bian Wen , Xie Chunfeng , Miao Dengshun , Mao Li
Published: January 2022

As an active form of vitamin D (VD), 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25(OH)2D3) is involved in the development of many metabolic diseases, such as diabetes, autoimmune diseases, and tumours. While prospective epidemiological studies have consistently implicated VD deficiency in the regulation of glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity, the specific mechanism remains unclear. Here, we generated 1α(OH)ase-null mice (targeted ablation of the 25-hydroxyvitamin D 1α hydroxylase enzyme) and found that these mice developed hepatic glucose overproduction, glucose intolerance, and hepatic insulin resistance accompanied by reduced Sirtuin 1 (Sirt1) expression. The chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) and a luciferase reporter assay revealed that 1,25(OH)2D3-activated VD receptor (VDR) directly interacted with one VD response element (VDRE) in the Sirt1 promoter to upregulate Sirt1 transcription, triggering a cascade of serine/threonine kinase (AKT) phosphorylation at S473 and FOXO1 phosphorylation at S256. This phosphorylation cascade reduced the expression of gluconeogenic genes, eventually attenuating glucose overproduction in the liver. In addition, a signaling pathway was found to modulate gluconeogenesis involving VDR, Sirt1, Rictor (a component of mTOR complex 2 [mTorc2]), AKT, and FOXO1, and Sirt1 and FOXO1 were identified as key modulators of dysregulated gluconeogenesis due to VD deficiency.