bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Stacking Relations and Substrate Interaction of Graphene on Copper Foil
Authors: Schädlich Philip , Speck Florian , Bouhafs Chamseddine , Mishra Neeraj , Forti Stiven , Coletti Camilla , Seyller Thomas 
Published: February 2021

AbstractThe crystallinity of graphene flakes and their orientation with respect to the Cu(111) substrate are investigated by means of low‐energy electron microscopy (LEEM). The interplay between graphene and the metal substrate during chemical vapor deposition (CVD) introduces a restructuring of the metal surface into surface facets, which undergo a step bunching process during the growth of additional layers. Moreover, the surface facets introduce strain between the successively nucleated layers that follow the topography in a carpet‐like fashion. The strain leads to dislocations in between domains of relaxed Bernal stacking. After the transfer onto an epitaxial buffer layer, the imprinted rippled structure of even monolayer graphene as well as the stacking dislocations are preserved. A similar behavior might also be expected for other CVD grown 2D materials such as hexagonal boron nitride or transition metal dichalcogenides, where stacking relations after transfer on a target substrate or heterostructure could become important in future experiments.
Formation and Activity Enhancement of Surface Hydrides by the Metal–Oxide Interface
Authors: Wang Beibei , Zhang Lunjia , Cai Jun , Peng Zheng , Cheng Peihong , Li Xiaobao , Zhang Hui , Yang Fan , Liu Zhi 
Published: February 2021

AbstractThe observation of hydride species in reduced ceria has triggered recent interest because the formation of hydrides in solid catalysts is limited although hydrides are widely explored in homogeneous catalysis as active species for hydrogenation reactions. Here, a strategy is proposed to enhance the formation and activity of surface hydrides on oxide‐based catalysts via the construction of metal–oxide interface. Specifically, during the reaction with H2, Cu supported on CeO2 nanorods (NRs) is found to enhance the formation of hydride species, with the capacity more than an order of magnitude higher than that of CeO2 NRs. Moreover, sub‐nanometer clusters (sub‐NCs) of Cu supported on CeO2 NRs can enhance the formation and activity of surface hydrides, much more superior to that of Cu nanoparticles on CeO2 NRs. A combination of ambient‐pressure photoelectron spectroscopy techniques has enabled in situ measurements of hydrogen interaction and as such to directly correlate the electronic structures of solid catalysts with their activity. A strong metal–support interaction between undersaturated Cu clusters with CeO2 is found to account for the enhanced stability and reactivity of surface hydrides at the (sub‐NCs) Cu–CeO2 interface, which provides insight for the design of highly efficient catalysts for catalytic hydrogenation reactions.
Cadmium Selenide Quantum Dots for Solar Cell Applications: A Review
Authors: Rahman Mohammad Mominur , Karim Mohammad Rezaul , Alharbi Hamad F. , Aldokhayel Belal , Uzzaman Tauriq , Zahir Hasan 
Published: February 2021

AbstractQuantum dot‐sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs) are significant energy‐producing devices due to their remarkable capability to growing sunshine and produce many electrons/holes pairs, easy manufacturing, and low cost. However, their power conversion efficiency (4%) is usually worse than that of dye‐sensitized solar cells (≤12%); this is mainly due to their narrow absorption areas and the charge recombination happening at the quantum dot/electrolyte and Ti
/electrolyte interfaces. Thus, to raise the power conversion efficiency of QDSSC, new counter electrodes, working electrodes, sensitizers, and electrolytes are required. CdSe thin films have shown great potential for use in photodetectors, solar cells, biosensors, light‐emitting diodes, and biomedical imaging systems. This article reviews the CdSe nanomaterials that have been recently used in QDSSCs as sensitizers. Their size, design, morphology, and density all noticeably influence the electron injection efficiency and light‐harvesting capacity of these devices. A detailed overview of the development of QDSSCs is presented, including their basic principles, the synthesis methods for their CdSe quantum dots, and the device fabrication processes. Finally, the challenges and opportunities of realizing high‐performance CdSe QDSSCs are discussed and some future directions are suggested.
On the critical endpoint and the first‐order phase transition in the extended Polyakov Nambu Jona‐Lasinio Lagrangian
Authors: Aichelin Jörg , Fuseau David , Torres‐Rincon Juan 
Published: February 2021

AbstractThe (Polyakov) Nambu‐ Jona‐Lasinio (PNJL) approach is an effective theory for low energies which shares with Quantumchromodynamics (QCD) the global symmetries. This approach is easy to handle and allows for analytical results for many of the observables which are of interest for the studies of ultrarelativistic heavy‐ion collisions but also for the merger and collisions of neutron stars. It allows in particular to study the density and temperature dependence of quark masses and of the masses of mesons and baryons as well as the chiral phase transition. In recent times, this transition came in the focus of interest because it is expected that the upcoming experiments at the Fair (Germany) and NICA (Russia) facilities will observe a Quark‐Gluon‐Plasma (QGP) at finite baryon chemical potential. In this contribution, we show that the extended PNJL model is able to describe the properties of symmetric matter at vanishing chemical potential, as determined by lQCD calculations.
Giant hepatic cyst causing lower extremity edema and scoliosis
Authors: Hirayama Ichiro , Inokuchi Ryota , Fukue Masataka , Doi Kent 
Published: February 2021

AbstractHepatic cysts usually do not cause symptoms and may be detected incidentally on abdominal imaging. However, a giant hepatic cyst can rarely compress the inferior vena cava, right lung, and spine, leading to edema of lower extremities and scoliosis.
Eclampsia and postpartum onset of subarachnoid hemorrhage in dual setting of cerebral venous thrombosis and posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome: A case report
Authors: Tshering Sangay , Youden Sonam , Pema Dechen 
Published: February 2021

AbstractSubarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) can be an initial presentation of cerebral venous thrombosis. Eclampsia and postpartum onset of SAH should prompt physicians to identify possible causes and institute prompt management to avert irreversible cerebrovascular sequelae.
Three‐dimensional Porous Co Doped VN Nanosheet Arrays as Cathode Electrode for Alkaline Water Electrolysis
Authors: Xu Haitao , Du Peng , Zhang Xiaofan , Qiu Hua‐Jun 
Published: February 2021

AbstractAlkaline anion exchange membrane (AEM) water electrolysis is currently the most promising hydrogen production technology, and the development of non‐precious metal‐based hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) electrocatalysts with high performance and low price is one of the greatest challenges for large‐scale AEM. Although the reaction mechanism of HER under alkaline conditions is very different from acidic conditions, many researchers still believe that the HER activity is determined by Gibbs free energy for hydrogen absorption (ΔGH*) in all pH environments. In the meantime, vanadium‐based nitrides are rarely reported as alkaline HER catalysts due to the large density unoccupied orbitals of V cause high ΔGH* value. Herein, we prepare nanoporous VN sheet arrays (NSAs) with high specific surface by hydrothermal‐nitriding treatment, and then optimize its electronic structure via varying the doping amount of Co. As a result, the Co doped VN NSAs display an outstanding HER performance (overpotential of 37 mV at 10 mA cm−2 and Tafel slope of 41 mV dec−1), which is even close to the commercial Pt/C catalyst under alkaline conditions. Moreover, by combining theoretical calculations and HER performances under acid and basic conditions, we find that the adsorption/desorption of hydrogen on activity sites could not fully revealed by ΔGH*. This work opens up a new door to understand the mechanism of alkaline HER reaction and the development of HER electrocatalysts.
Molten Salt Derived Nb2CTx MXene Anode for Li‐ion Batteries
Authors: Dong Hanyu , Xiao Peng , Jin Na , Wang Binbin , Liu Ying , Lin Zifeng 
Published: February 2021

Abstract2D MXenes, are receiving increasing attention thanks to their outstanding performance for electrochemical energy‐storage applications. So far, Ti3C2 is the most studied MXene, while less effort is dedicated to investigating many other MXenes. In this paper, we report the preparation of Nb2CTx MXene by Lewis acidic etching in molten salts. The achieved Nb2CTx MXene is able to deliver a maximum lithium storage capacity up to 330 mAh g−1 at 0.05 A g−1, outperforming the maximum capacity (205 mAh g−1) achieved by molten salt derived Ti3C2Tx MXene. The high‐rate performance is also obtained with a capacity of 80 mAh g−1 at 10 A g−1 (100 C). This work highlights the promising potential of Nb‐based MXenes to be explored as high‐rate lithium storage electrodes.
Air‐Steam Etched Construction of Hierarchically Porous Metal‐Organic Frameworks
Authors: Huang Hongliang , Sun Yuxiu , Jia Xuemeng , Xue Wenjuan , Geng Chenxu , Zhao Xin , Mei Donghai , Zhong Chongli 
Published: February 2021

Main observation and conclusionThe introduction of mesoporosity into the microporous metal‐organic frameworks (MOFs) is expected to expand their applications. Herein, we report a green and facile method to obtain hierarchically porous MOF structures by using an air‐steam etching process. By virtue of the protonation reaction between the imidazole moiety and water vapor, the protonated imidazole related linkers leave the framework, resulting in the formation of mesopores in the zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIFs), as exemplified by ZIF‐8. Given the mild etching process, the materials’ structural integrity and crystallinity are well maintained. Accordingly, the hierarchical porous ZIF‐8 exhibited enhanced performance in the dye removal as well as CO2 cycloaddition reaction with epichlorohydrin in comparison with microporous ZIF‐8, owing to the accelerated mass transfer arising from mesoporous structures. Remarkably, the proposed steam etching approach is generally applicable, which can be readily extended to other ZIFs, such as ZIF‐14, ZIF‐69, and ZIF‐71, thus representing a powerful strategy to construct hierarchically porous MOF materials.
Adaptive banding covariance estimation for high‐dimensional multivariate longitudinal data
Authors: Qian Fang , Zhang Weiping , Chen Yu 
Published: February 2021

AbstractModelling the covariance matrix of multiple responses in longitudinal data plays a vital role. It is more challenging than its univariate counterpart due to the presence of correlations among multiple responses. Using the modified Cholesky block decomposition, we impose an adaptive block‐banded structure on the Cholesky factor and sparsity on the innovation variance matrices via a novel convex hierarchical penalty and lasso penalty, respectively. The resulting adaptive block‐banding regularized estimator is fully data‐driven and has more flexibility than regular banding estimators. We develop an efficient alternative convex optimization algorithm using the Alternating Direction Method of Multipliers (ADMM) algorithm. The resulting estimators converge optimally in the Frobenius norm. We establish row‐specific support recovery for the precision matrix. Simulations and real data analysis show that the proposed estimator is better able to reveal banding sparsity patterns in data.
A structured brain‐wide and genome‐wide association study using ADNI PET images
Authors: Li Yanming , Nan Bin , Zhu Ji ,   for the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative
Published: February 2021

AbstractA multistage variable selection method is introduced for detecting association signals in structured brain‐wide and genome‐wide association studies (brain‐GWAS). Compared to conventional methods that link one voxel to one single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), our approach is more efficient and powerful in selecting the important signals by integrating anatomic and gene grouping structures in the brain and the genome, respectively. It avoids resorting to a large number of multiple comparisons while effectively controlling the false discoveries. Validity of the proposed approach is demonstrated by both theoretical investigation and numerical simulations. We apply our proposed method to a brain‐GWAS using Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative positron emission tomography (ADNI PET) imaging and genomic data. We confirm previously reported association signals and also uncover several novel SNPs and genes that are either associated with brain glucose metabolism or have their association significantly modified by Alzheimer's disease status.
Genomic Epidemiology Analysis of Infectious Disease Outbreaks Using TransPhylo
Authors: Didelot Xavier , Kendall Michelle , Xu Yuanwei , White Peter J. , McCarthy Noel 
Published: February 2021

AbstractComparing the pathogen genomes from several cases of an infectious disease has the potential to help us understand and control outbreaks. Many methods exist to reconstruct a phylogeny from such genomes, which represents how the genomes are related to one another. However, such a phylogeny is not directly informative about transmission events between individuals. TransPhylo is a software tool implemented as an R package designed to bridge the gap between pathogen phylogenies and transmission trees. TransPhylo is based on a combined model of transmission between hosts and pathogen evolution within each host. It can simulate both phylogenies and transmission trees jointly under this combined model. TransPhylo can also reconstruct a transmission tree based on a dated phylogeny, by exploring the space of transmission trees compatible with the phylogeny. A transmission tree can be represented as a coloring of a phylogeny where each color represents a different host of the pathogen, and TransPhylo provides convenient ways to plot these colorings and explore the results. This article presents the basic protocols that can be used to make the most of TransPhylo. © 2021 The Authors.This article was corrected on 19 July 2022. See the end of the full text for details.Basic Protocol 1: First steps with TransPhyloBasic Protocol 2: Simulation of outbreak dataBasic Protocol 3: Inference of transmissionBasic Protocol 4: Exploring the results of inference
An integrative analysis of yield stability for a GWAS in a small soybean breeding population
Authors: Quero Gastón , Simondi Sebastián , Ceretta Sergio , Otero Álvaro , Garaycochea Silvia , Fernández Schubert , Borsani Omar , Bonnecarrère Victoria 
Published: February 2021

AbstractDrought stress is one of the most important factors limiting soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] productivity and reducing yield stability. Soybean breeders need phenotypic and genotypic tools to improve drought stress tolerance, but most of available strategies are expensive and unaffordable for small‐scale public breeding programs. In this study, elite germplasm of a locally adapted breeding population was used to estimate a yield stability index as an indicator of drought response. In order to associate yield stability of analyzed genotypes to drought response, water deficit scenarios related to the crop cycle group were defined. Four groups of genotypes were identified in relation to yield stability: two groups showed stables yield (without interaction with water deficit scenarios), and two groups showed unstable yield (with crossover interaction with water deficit scenarios). This phenotypic information was used to identify genomic regions and candidate genes associated with yield stability index. A new method for the definition of a quantitative trait loci (QTL) region was developed based on the probability of marker pairwise of belonging to four linkage disequilibrium (LD) categories. Seven QTL were found and their implication on drought tolerance was further supported by linkage to previously reported QTL for water use efficiency trait.
Human neutralising antibodies elicited by SARS‐CoV‐2 non‐D614G variants offer cross‐protection against the SARS‐CoV‐2 D614G variant
Authors: Lee Cheryl Yi‐Pin , Amrun Siti Naqiah , Chee Rhonda Sin‐Ling , Goh Yun Shan , Mak Tze‐Minn , Octavia Sophie , Yeo Nicholas Kim‐Wah , Chang Zi Wei , Tay Matthew Zirui , Torres‐Ruesta Anthony , Carissimo Guillaume , Poh Chek Meng , Fong Siew‐Wai , Bei Wang , Lee Sandy , Young Barnaby Edward , Tan Seow‐Yen , Leo Yee‐Sin , Lye David C , Lin Raymond TP , Maurer‐Stroh Sebastien , Lee Bernett , Wang Cheng‐I , Renia Laurent , Ng Lisa FP 
Published: February 2021

AbstractObjectivesThe emergence of a SARS‐CoV‐2 variant with a point mutation in the spike (S) protein, D614G, has taken precedence over the original Wuhan isolate by May 2020. With an increased infection and transmission rate, it is imperative to determine whether antibodies induced against the D614 isolate may cross‐neutralise against the G614 variant.MethodsAntibody profiling against the SARS‐CoV‐2 S protein of the D614 variant by flow cytometry and assessment of neutralising antibody titres using pseudotyped lentiviruses expressing the SARS‐CoV‐2 S protein of either the D614 or G614 variant tagged with a luciferase reporter were performed on plasma samples from COVID‐19 patients with known D614G status (n = 44 infected with D614, n = 6 infected with G614, n = 7 containing all other clades: O, S, L, V, G, GH or GR).ResultsProfiling of the anti‐SARS‐CoV‐2 humoral immunity reveals similar neutralisation profiles against both S protein variants, albeit waning neutralising antibody capacity at the later phase of infection. Of clinical importance, patients infected with either the D614 or G614 clade elicited a similar degree of neutralisation against both pseudoviruses, suggesting that the D614G mutation does not impact the neutralisation capacity of the elicited antibodies.ConclusionsCross‐reactivity occurs at the functional level of the humoral response on both the S protein variants, which suggests that existing serological assays will be able to detect both D614 and G614 clades of SARS‐CoV‐2. More importantly, there should be negligible impact towards the efficacy of antibody‐based therapies and vaccines that are currently being developed.
Improving mitochondria and ER stability helps eliminate upper motor neuron degeneration that occurs due to mSOD1 toxicity and TDP‐43 pathology
Authors: Genç Barış , Gautam Mukesh , Gözütok Öge , Dervishi Ina , Sanchez Santana , Goshu Gashaw M. , Koçak Nuran , Xie Edward , Silverman Richard B. , Özdinler P. Hande 
Published: February 2021

AbstractBackgroundUpper motor neurons (UMNs) are a key component of motor neuron circuitry. Their degeneration is a hallmark for diseases, such as hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP), primary lateral sclerosis (PLS), and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Currently there are no preclinical assays investigating cellular responses of UMNs to compound treatment, even for diseases of the UMNs. The basis of UMN vulnerability is not fully understood, and no compound has yet been identified to improve the health of diseased UMNs: two major roadblocks for building effective treatment strategies.MethodsNovel UMN reporter models, in which UMNs that are diseased because of misfolded superoxide dismutase protein (mSOD1) toxicity and TDP‐43 pathology are labeled with eGFP expression, allow direct assessment of UMN response to compound treatment. Electron microscopy reveals very precise aspects of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and mitochondrial damage. Administration of NU‐9, a compound initially identified based on its ability to reduce mSOD1 toxicity, has profound impact on improving the health and stability of UMNs, as identified by detailed cellular and ultrastructural analyses.ResultsProblems with mitochondria and ER are conserved in diseased UMNs among different species. NU‐9 has drug‐like pharmacokinetic properties. It lacks toxicity and crosses the blood brain barrier. NU‐9 improves the structural integrity of mitochondria and ER, reduces levels of mSOD1, stabilizes degenerating UMN apical dendrites, improves motor behavior measured by the hanging wire test, and eliminates ongoing degeneration of UMNs that become diseased both because of mSOD1 toxicity and TDP‐43 pathology, two distinct and important overarching causes of motor neuron degeneration.ConclusionsMechanism‐focused and cell‐based drug discovery approaches not only addressed key cellular defects responsible for UMN loss, but also identified NU‐9, the first compound to improve the health of diseased UMNs, neurons that degenerate in ALS, HSP, PLS, and ALS/FTLD patients.
Electricity generation in microbial fuel cell from wet torrefaction wastewater and locally developed corncob electrodes
Authors: Musa Bishir , Arauzo Pablo José , Olszewski Maciej Pawel , Kruse Andrea 
Published: February 2021

AbstractCorncob pyrochar activated with steam (CCA) and nonactivated corncob pyrochar (NCC) were produced and characterized. The performance of the best material was tested in a dual‐chambered microbial fuel cell (MFC) as an electrode for bioelectricity generation using wet torrefaction wastewater as substrate. Pyrolysis of 80.3 g of dried corncobs was carried out at 600°C under a constant N2 flow of 3 L min−1 for 30 min and the resulting pyrochar was activated using steam also at 600°C. Voltage and current outputs from the MFC were recorded daily for 18 days. The proximate and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area analyses revealed that CCA had the highest fixed carbon content of 71.9 % and higher surface area of 104.0 m2 g−1 respectively. A larger pore diameter of 1.9 × 10−3 µm was also recorded with the CCA than 1.2 × 10−3 µm for NCC. The MFC produced a maximum power output of 21.5 mW. The physicochemical analyses of the wastewater effluent revealed an increased electrical conductivity from 1724 to 3460 µS cm−1 with a significant decrease by 91.9% in the total organic carbon (TOC) from 3700 to 298 mg L−1. Steam activation increases the surface area, porosity, stability and redox reversibility of the corncob pyrochar. Therefore, steam‐activated corncob pyrochar performed well in MFCs due to the high power output observed.