bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Two‐Dimensional Conjugated Benzo[1,2‐b:4,5‐b′]diselenophene‐Based Copolymer Donor Enables Large Open‐Circuit Voltage and High Efficiency in Selenophene‐based Organic Solar Cells
Authors: Liu Yan‐Qiang , Zhi Hong‐Fu , Bai Hai‐Rui , Jiang Zhao , Wan Shi‐Sheng , Jiang Mengyun , Mahmood Asif , Yang Can , Sun Shuo , An Qiaoshi , Wang Jin‐Liang 
Published: July 2021

AbstractA two‐dimensional electron‐rich fused‐ring moiety (ClBDSe) based on benzo[1,2‐b:4,5‐b′]diselenophene is synthesized. Three copolymers (PBDT−Se, PBDSe−T, and PBDSe−Se) are obtained by manipulating the connection types and number of selenophene units on the conjugated main chains with two 2D fused‐ring units and two different π‐bridges, respectively. In comparison with PBDT−Se and PBDSe−Se, PBDSe−T with benzo[1,2‐b:4,5‐b′]diselenophene unit and thiophene π‐bridge exhibits the deepest HOMO energy level and the strongest crystallinity in neat films. The PBDSe−T:Y6 blend film exhibits the best absorption complementarity, the most distinctive face‐on orientation with proper phase separation, the highest carrier mobilities, and the lowest charge recombination among three blend films. Finally, the PBDSe−T:Y6‐based device delivers an impressive power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 14.50 %, which is higher than those of PBDT−Se:Y6 and PBDSe−Se:Y6. Moreover, a decent open‐circuit voltage (Voc) of 0.89 V with a remarkably small energy loss of 0.44 eV is achieved for PBDSe−T:Y6. The efficiency of 14.50 % is the highest value for selenophene‐containing copolymer‐based binary organic solar cells (OSCs). This study provides evidence that introduction of 2D‐benzo[1,2‐b:4,5‐b′]diselenophene as a fused electron‐rich unit with π‐bridging into copolymeric donors is a valid strategy for providing high Voc and excellent PCE simultaneously in selenophene‐based OSCs.
Thiol‐Amine‐Based Solution Processing of Cu2S Thin Films for Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting
Authors: Zhang Xi , Yang Wooseok , Niu Wenzhe , Adams Pardis , Siol Sebastian , Wang Zhenbin , Tilley S. David 
Published: July 2021

AbstractCu2S is a promising solar energy conversion material owing to its good optical properties, elemental earth abundance, and low cost. However, simple and cheap methods to prepare phase‐pure and photo‐active Cu2S thin films are lacking. This study concerns the development of a cost‐effective and high‐throughput method that consists of dissolving high‐purity commercial Cu2S powder in a thiol‐amine solvent mixture followed by spin coating and low‐temperature annealing to obtain phase‐pure crystalline low chalcocite Cu2S thin films. After coupling with a CdS buffer layer, a TiO2 protective layer and a RuOx hydrogen evolution catalyst, the champion Cu2S photocathode gives a photocurrent density of 2.5 mA cm−2 at −0.3 V vs. reversible hydrogen electrode (VRHE), an onset potential of 0.42 VRHE, and high stability over 12 h in pH 7 buffer solution under AM1.5 G simulated sunlight illumination (100 mW cm−2). This is the first thiol‐amine‐based ink deposition strategy to prepare phase‐pure Cu2S thin films achieving decent photoelectrochemical performance, which will facilitate its future scalable application for solar‐driven hydrogen fuel production.
BER analysis of truncated SVD‐based MU‐MIMO ZF detection scheme under correlated Rayleigh fading channel
Authors: Eduru Supraja , Rangaswamy Nakkeeran 
Published: July 2021

SummaryIn multi‐user multiple input multiple output (MU‐MIMO) uplink, the bit error rate (BER) of linear detection schemes, namely, zero forcing (ZF) and minimum mean square error (MMSE) under correlated Rayleigh fading channel deteriorates with increase in spatial correlation and load factor due to the increase in the condition number of the channel matrix. Moreover, the performance gap between ZF and MMSE increases with increase in the antenna number for large load factors. To address this issue, in this paper, truncated singular value decomposition (TSVD), which is a popular method for solving ill‐posed problem, is used in the ZF detection process through proper selection of hard threshold. However, the pseudo‐inverse computed using TSVD is an approximate inverse, which results in interference at the output of the detection process. Therefore, a mathematical expression for the post‐processing signal‐to‐interference‐plus‐noise ratio (SINR) of the substream is derived and subsequently BER is evaluated. Further, the analytical BER is analyzed with respect to the parameters namely, average signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR) (
), correlation coefficient (
), load factor (
), and number of singular values considered to compute the hard threshold (
) and also validated by Monte Carlo trails. From the simulation results, it is observed that for higher order MU‐MIMO systems and at lower values of
, the performance of TSVD‐based scheme is comparable with that of MMSE by decreasing the truncation parameter (
). Moreover, as the complexity of TSVD‐based ZF using randomized schemes is
), therefore, the complexity of detection significantly decreases with decrease in
.
Postembryonic development and aging of the appendicular skeleton in Ambystoma mexicanum
Authors: Riquelme‐Guzmán Camilo , Schuez Maritta , Böhm Alexander , Knapp Dunja , Edwards‐Jorquera Sandra , Ceccarelli Alberto S. , Chara Osvaldo , Rauner Martina , Sandoval‐Guzmán Tatiana 
Published: July 2021

AbstractBackgroundThe axolotl is a key model to study appendicular regeneration. The limb complexity resembles that of humans in structure and tissue components; however, axolotl limbs develop postembryonically. In this work, we evaluated the postembryonic development of the appendicular skeleton and its changes with aging.ResultsThe juvenile limb skeleton is formed mostly by Sox9/Col1a2 cartilage cells. Ossification of the appendicular skeleton starts when animals reach a length of 10 cm, and cartilage cells are replaced by a primary ossification center, consisting of cortical bone and an adipocyte‐filled marrow cavity. Vascularization is associated with the ossification center and the marrow cavity formation. We identified the contribution of Col1a2‐descendants to bone and adipocytes. Moreover, ossification progresses with age toward the epiphyses of long bones. Axolotls are neotenic salamanders, and still ossification remains responsive to l‐thyroxine, increasing the rate of bone formation.ConclusionsIn axolotls, bone maturation is a continuous process that extends throughout their life. Ossification of the appendicular bones is slow and continues until the complete element is ossified. The cellular components of the appendicular skeleton change accordingly during ossification, creating a heterogenous landscape in each element. The continuous maturation of the bone is accompanied by a continuous body growth.
Variable precipitation leads to dynamic range limits of forest songbirds at a forest‐grassland ecotone
Authors: Sinnott Emily A. , Papeş Monica , O’Connell Timothy J. 
Published: July 2021

AbstractBoundaries between vegetation types, known as ecotones, can be dynamic in response to climatic changes. The North American Great Plains includes a forest‐grassland ecotone in the southcentral United States that has expanded and contracted in recent decades in response to historical periods of drought and pluvial conditions. This dynamic region also marks a western distributional limit for many passerine birds that typically breed in forests of the eastern United States. To better understand the influence that variability can exert on broad‐scale biodiversity, we explored historical longitudinal shifts in the western extent of breeding ranges of eastern forest songbirds in response to the variable climate of the southern Great Plains. We used climatic niche modeling to estimate current distributional limits of nine species of forest‐breeding passerines from 30‐year average climate conditions from 1980 to 2010. During this time, the southern Great Plains experienced an unprecedented wet period without periodic multi‐year droughts that characterized the region's long‐term climate from the early 1900s. Species’ climatic niche models were then projected onto two historical drought periods: 1952–1958 and 1966–1972. Threshold models for each of the three time periods revealed dramatic breeding range contraction and expansion along the forest‐grassland ecotone. Precipitation was the most important climate variable defining breeding ranges of these nine eastern forest songbirds. Range limits extended farther west into southern Great Plains during the more recent pluvial conditions of 1980–2010 and contracted during historical drought periods. An independent dataset from BBS was used to validate 1966–1972 range limit projections. Periods of lower precipitation in the forest‐grassland ecotone are likely responsible for limiting the western extent of eastern forest songbird breeding distributions. Projected increases in temperature and drought conditions in the southern Great Plains associated with climate change may reverse range expansions observed in the past 30 years.
Taxonomic and functional diversity covary in rock pool microalgal communities despite their different drivers
Authors: Aarnio Sonja , Soininen Janne 
Published: July 2021

AbstractLocal biodiversity has traditionally been estimated with taxonomic diversity metrics such as species richness. Recently, the concept of biodiversity has been extended beyond species identity by ecological traits determining the functional role of a species in a community. This interspecific functional diversity typically responds more strongly to local environmental variation compared with taxonomic diversity, while taxonomic diversity may mirror more strongly dispersal processes compared with functional metrics. Several trait‐based indices have been developed to measure functional diversity for various organisms and habitat types, but studies of their applicability on aquatic microbial communities have been underrepresented. We examined the drivers and covariance of taxonomic and functional diversity among diatom rock pool communities on the Baltic Sea coast. We quantified three taxonomic (species richness, Shannon's diversity, and Pielou's evenness) and three functional (functional richness, evenness, and divergence) diversity indices and determined abiotic factors best explaining variation in these indices by generalized linear mixed models. The six diversity indices were highly collinear except functional evenness, which merely correlated significantly with taxonomic evenness. All diversity indices were always explained by water conductivity and temperature–sampling month interaction. Taxonomic diversity was further consistently explained by pool distance to the sea, and functional richness and divergence by pool location. The explained variance in regression models did not markedly differ between taxonomic and functional metrics. Our findings do not clearly support the superiority of neither set of diversity indices in explaining coastal microbial diversity, but rather highlight the general overlap among the indices. However, as individual metrics may be driven by different factors, the greatest advantage in assessing biodiversity is nevertheless probably achieved with a simultaneous application of the taxonomic and functional diversity metrics.
Examining the fluvial alteration hypothesis amidst recovery of the Interior Least Tern (Sternula antillarum)
Authors: Alexander J. S. , Huzurbazar S. , McElroy B. J. 
Published: July 2021

AbstractThe world's large river systems are under increasing stress to support growing populations and economies. Balancing inevitable fluvial alteration with protections of river ecosystems will require awareness of lessons learned in big river systems where system‐scale alterations have already occurred. In 1985, the Interior Least Tern (Sternula antillarum; terns) was listed as endangered, citing “alteration of natural river dynamics” as cause for population declines. We refer to this as the “fluvial alteration hypothesis” and examine it by attempting to answer two primary questions: [Q1] What are the first‐order physical and hydrologic metrics associated with tern nesting reach selection at the regional scale? [Q2] Did human‐induced changes in these metrics differ between regions where tern breeding populations have recovered and where it has been stable or declined? We compiled metrics of sandbar nesting habitat across the nesting region for modern conditions and used regression modeling to assess the relative effects of each metric on nesting reach selection. At the scale of a nesting region, terns selected for nesting reaches that are wider have greater potential to braid, and are less likely to flood during nesting season. A comparison between subregions indicates that modern tern nesting conditions are substantially better in the lower Mississippi River and tributaries (LMRT) systems than the Missouri River and tributaries (MORT) system. However, both subregions had nearly equivalent sandbar nesting habitat quality prior to major human modifications. The fluvial alteration hypothesis was consistent with geomorphic assessments for the MORT system, but overlooked potential for human alterations to have differing, even beneficial effects to tern nesting habitat in the LMRT system.
Transcriptional and posttranslational regulation of Th17/Treg balance in health and disease
Authors: Zhang Weiqi , Liu Xu , Zhu Yicheng , Liu Xinnan , Gu Yunting , Dai Xueyu , Li Bin 
Published: July 2021

AbstractRegulatory T (Treg) cells and T helper type 17 (Th17) cells play important roles in adaptive immune responses, antagonizing each other in immune disorders. Th17/Treg balance is critical to maintaining the immune homeostasis of human bodies and is tightly regulated under healthy conditions. The transcription factors that are required for driving Th17 and Treg cell lineages differentiation respectively, RORγt and FOXP3 are tightly regulated under different tissue microenvironment, especially the transcriptional induction, posttranslational modifications, and dynamic enzymatic cofactors binding. The imbalance caused by alteration of the quantity or properties of RORγt+ Th17 or FOXP3+ Treg can contribute to inflammatory disorders in humans. Restoring Th17/Treg balance by modifying the enzymatic activities of RORγt and FOXP3 binding partners may be therapeutically applied to treat severe immune disorders. In this review, we focus on the transcriptional and posttranslational regulations of Th17/Treg balance, immune disorders caused by Th17/Treg imbalance, and new therapeutic strategies for restoring immune homeostasis.
Mutant B2M‐HLA‐E and B2M‐HLA‐G fusion proteins protects universal chimeric antigen receptor‐modified T cells from allogeneic NK cell‐mediated lysis
Authors: Guo Yelei , Xu Beilei , Wu Zhiqiang , Bo Jian , Tong Chuan , Chen Deyun , Wang Jin , Wang Haoyi , Wang Yao , Han Weidong 
Published: July 2021

AbstractRecent studies have indicated the antitumor activity and reduced allogeneic response of universal chimeric antigen receptor‐modified T (UCAR T) cells lacking endogenous T cell receptors and beta‐2 microglobulin (B2M) generated using gene‐editing technologies. However, these cells are vulnerable to lysis by allogeneic natural killer (NK) cells due to their lack of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I molecule expression. Here, constitutive expression of mutant B2M‐HLA‐E (mBE) and B2M‐HLA‐G (mBG) fusion proteins in anti‐CD19 UCAR T (UCAR T‐19) cells was conducted to protect against allogeneic NK cell‐mediated lysis. The ability of cells expressing mBE or mBG to resist NK cell‐mediated lysis was observed in gene‐edited Jurkat CAR19 cells. UCAR T‐19 cells constitutively expressing the mBE and mBG fusion proteins were manufactured and showed effective and specific anti‐tumor activity. Constitutive expression of the mBE and mBG fusion proteins in UCAR T‐19 cells prevented allogeneic NK cell‐mediated lysis. In addition, these cells were not recognizable by allogeneic T cells. Additional experiments, including those in animal models and clinical trials, are required to evaluate the safety and efficacy of UCAR T‐19 cells that constitutively express mBE and mBG.
A conserved pathway of transdifferentiation in murine Kupffer cells
Authors: Li Xinyu , Hollingshead Nicole , Lampert Sarah , Truong Camtu D. , Li Wanyu , Niu Junqi , Crispe Ian N. , Soysa Radika 
Published: July 2021

AbstractAbundant long‐lived liver‐resident macrophages, termed Kupffer cells, are activated during chronic liver injury. They secrete both pro‐inflammatory and pro‐fibrotic cytokines, which act on hepatic stellate cells causing their transdifferentiation into myofibroblasts that deposit collagen. In other tissues, wound‐associated macrophages go further, and transdifferentiate into fibrocytes, secreting collagen themselves. We tested Kupffer cells for this property in two experimental models: mixed non‐parenchymal cell culture, and precision‐cut liver slice culture. Using the Emr1‐Cre transgene as a driver and the RiboTag transgene as a reporter, we found that Kupffer cells undergo transdifferentiation under these circumstances. Over time, they lose the expression of both Kupffer cell‐specific and macrophage‐specific genes and the transcription factors that control their expression, and they begin to express multiple genes and proteins characteristic of either myofibroblasts or tissue fibroblasts. These effects were strongly conserved between non‐parenchymal cell culture and liver tissue slice culture, arguing that such transdifferentiation is a conserved function of Kupffer cells. We conclude that in addition to supporting fibrosis through an action on stellate cells, Kupffer cells also participate in liver fibrosis through transdifferentiation into fibrocytes.
Human herpesvirus 6 and epilepsy
Authors: Theodore William H. , Leibovitch Emily , Billioux Bridgette J. , Inati Sara K. , Zaghloul Kareem , Heiss John , Gaillard William D. , Jacobson Steven 
Published: July 2021

AbstractWe investigated the association between human herpesvirus 6 (HHV‐6) and mesial temporal sclerosis (MTS) in 87 patients who had surgery for drug‐resistant epilepsy. Fifty‐four had MTS, 22 focal cortical dysplasia (FCD), four tumors, three vascular malformations, and three a history of encephalitis. We extracted DNA from fresh brain tissue immediately after surgery and performed viral detection with quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or digital droplet PCR specific for HHV‐6A and HHV‐6B. Tissue was studied with standard clinical techniques, including hematoxylin and eosin, glial fibrillary acidic protein, and NeuN stains. Twenty‐nine of 54 patients with MTS, six of 23 with focal cortical dysplasia (FCD), and one of three with a history of encephalitis were positive for HHV‐6 (P < .02). Febrile seizure history was not associated with HHV‐6 detection. Patients with MTS had significantly lower seizure onset age than those with other pathologies. Thirteen patients had positron emission tomography with [11C]PBR28, a marker for reactive astrocytes and activated microglia; there was a trend for HHV‐6‐positive patients to have higher binding in their seizure foci, suggesting inflammation. Our study supports a potential role for HHV‐6 in the etiology of MTS.
C‐doped SnO2 nanostructure/MoS2/p‐Si electrodes for visible light‐driven photoelectrochemical hydrogen evolution reaction
Authors: Mallikarjuna Koduru , Tekalgne Mahider Asmare , Hasani Amirhossein , Hong Sung Hyun , Ahn Sang Hyun , Kim Soo Young , Kim Haekyoung 
Published: July 2021

SummaryRecently, the increase in the CO2 content in the Earth's atmosphere causes global warming and the rapid consumption of fossil fuel resources such as coal and oil. Therefore, effort is required to create clean and sustainable energy resources to address these environmental issues. In this context, hydrogen evolution from water splitting‐based photoelectrochemical technologies plays a significant role as a zero CO2 emission fuel. Here, we design and prepare carbon‐doped SnO2 nanostructures by a simple single‐step thermal decomposition method and coated on a MoS2/p‐Si substrate for hydrogen evolution by photoelectrochemical water splitting. The C‐doped SnO2/MoS2/p‐Si shows enhanced activity in the hydrogen evolution reaction, with an onset potential of −0.17 V at 2.73 mA/cm2, and high stability for over 45 hours. In addition, the doping of carbon influences the shape of the nanostructures, inducing their transformation from cubical rods to polyhedral structures. This study provides a promising method for the fabrication of heterogeneous photoelectrocatalysts for overall water splitting.
Sources and Fate of the Antiandrogenic Fluorescent Dye 4-Methyl-7-Diethylaminocoumarin in Small River Systems
Authors: Muschket Matthias , Brack Werner , Inostroza Pedro A. , Beckers Liza-Marie , Schulze Tobias , Krauss Martin 
Published: July 2021

Abstract
Recently, the potent antiandrogen 4-methyl-7-diethylaminocoumarin (C47) and its potential transformation products 4-methyl-7-ethylaminocoumarin (C47T1) and 4-methyl-7-aminocoumarin (C47T2) were identified as novel environmental contaminants. We assessed for the first time the sources, distribution, and fate of these compounds in aquatic systems using the Holtemme River (Saxony-Anhalt, Germany), which is a hotspot for these contaminants. To this end, wastewater-treatment plant (WWTP) influent and effluent samples, surface water samples over 3 years, and the longitudinal profiles in water, sediment, and gammarids were analyzed. From the longitudinal profile of the river stretch, the WWTP of Silstedt was identified as the sole point source for these compounds in the River Holtemme, and exposure concentrations in the low micrograms per liter range could be recorded continuously over 3 years. Analysis of WWTP influent and effluent showed a transformation of approximately half of the C47 into C47T1 and C47T2 but no complete removal. A further attenuation of the three coumarins after discharge into the river could be largely attributed to dilution, while transformation was only approximately 20%, thus suggesting a significant persistence in aquatic systems. Experimentally derived partitioning coefficients between water and sediment organic carbon exceeded those predicted using the OPERA quantitative structure–activity relationship tools and polyparameter linear free-energy relationships by up to 93-fold, suggesting cation binding as a significant factor for their sorption behavior. Near-equilibrium conditions between water and sediment were not observed close to the emitting WWTP but farther downstream in the river. Experimental and predicted bioaccumulation factors for gammarids were closely matching, and the concentrations in field-sampled gammarids were close to steady state with exposure concentrations in the water phase of the river. Environ Toxicol Chem 2021;40:3078–3091. © 2021 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC.