bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Game Wizards
Authors: Peterson Jon 
Published: October 2021

The story of the arcane table-top game that became a pop culture phenomenon and the long-running legal battle waged by its cocreators.
When Dungeons & Dragons was first released to a small hobby community, it hardly seemed destined for mainstream success—and yet this arcane tabletop role-playing game became an unlikely pop culture phenomenon. In Game Wizards, Jon Peterson chronicles the rise of Dungeons & Dragons from hobbyist pastime to mass-market sensation, from the initial collaboration to the later feud of its creators, Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. As the game's fiftieth anniversary approaches, Peterson—a noted authority on role-playing games—explains how D&D and its creators navigated their successes, setbacks, and controversies.
Peterson describes Gygax and Arneson's first meeting and their work toward the 1974 release of the game; the founding of TSR and its growth as a company; and Arneson's acrimonious departure and subsequent challenges to TSR. He recounts the “Satanic Panic” accusations that D&D was sacrilegious and dangerous, and how they made the game famous. And he chronicles TSR's reckless expansion and near-fatal corporate infighting, which culminated with the company in debt and overextended and the end of Gygax's losing battle to retain control over TSR and D&D.
With Game Wizards, Peterson restores historical particulars long obscured by competing narratives spun by the one-time partners. That record amply demonstrates how the turbulent experience of creating something as momentous as Dungeons & Dragons can make people remember things a bit differently from the way they actually happened.
Factors Shaping the Evolution of EarlyHomo
Authors: Schroeder Lauren 
Published: October 2021

AbstractThe origin of the genusHomois marked by a period of widespread morphological diversity across eastern and southern Africa. While the evolution of earlyHomois recognised as a significant evolutionary juncture, this extensive variability makes it difficult to delimit a clear boundary between the australopiths andHomo, with the transition between the two reflecting a continuum, rather than a distinct transformation. This is also highlighted by disputes related to the most likely ancestor ofHomo. Moreover, the period is marked by large‐scale climatic and environmental fluctuations, which have, in the past, been used to generate correlative adaptive hypotheses for the emergence of our genus. However, recent studies of fine‐scale palaeoenvironmental patterns, and applications of quantitative genetics theory to the fossil record, have identified a more complex picture of multiple lineages, habitat fragmentation and the influence of multiple evolutionary processes that defines the evolution of early members of our genus.Key ConceptsThe transition to the genusHomotook place along a morphological continuum between 2 and 3 million years ago.Variability across the earliestHomofossil specimens is extensive, temporally, geographically and morphologically.The period marking the early evolution ofHomois characterised by extreme climatic and environmental oscillations.There is no consensus as to the most likely ancestral species of the genusHomo.Emerging research suggests that the diversification ofHomowas multifaceted and included a range of evolutionary processes and multiple lineages.
Cell‐Friendly Isolation and pH‐Sensitive Controllable Release of Circulating Tumor Cells by Fe3O4@CaCO3 Nanoplatform
Authors: Wang Peng , Xue Junli , Wu Shengming , Pei Yanbai , Xu Lehua , Wang Yilong 
Published: October 2021

AbstractCirculating tumor cells (CTCs) have been recognized as significant research target for cancer prognosis and metastasis mechanism. Efficient and all‐subpopulations‐covered isolation and facile release of CTCs with good viability are pivotal for profound mechanism research and molecular profiling. However, integrated nanoplatform with these two functions is yet to be elucidated. Among existing release techniques including physical, biological, and chemical methods, acid responsive release of CTCs attracts intensive interests due to its straightforward and easily accessible feature. However, extra acidic substance seems indispensable so far, which poses potential hazard to the rare and susceptible CTCs. To address this challenge, polyelectrolyte functionalized CaCO3 coated magnetic nanocrystal clusters are developed as the nanoplatform for multi‐subpopulations isolation and pH‐sensitive release of CTCs. Only buffer solution components are needed rather than other acidic substance to provide mild acidic environment with pH value of 6.5, facilitate highly efficient release. Moreover, the bioefficacy of CTC capture and mild condition recovery is not compromised by formation of protein corona on the cell‐friendly nanoplatform. This nanoplatform exhibits good performance in both mimic blood samples and cancer patients’ clinical samples.
Scalable, Membrane‐Based Microfluidic Passive Cross‐Flow Platform for Monodispersed, Water‐in‐Water Microdroplet Production
Authors: Thompson Shyan , Hwang Dae Kun 
Published: October 2021

AbstractThe generation of water‐in‐water droplets has recently received great attention for its applicability in biological applications over traditional oil‐water droplet systems because of their high biocompatibility. An aqueous two‐phase system (ATPS), aqueous mixture of polyethylene glycol (PEG) and dextran (DEX), has an ultra‐low interfacial tension which makes monodispersed droplet formation challenging. Recent passive methods in microfluidics with flow‐focusing configurations overcome this challenge, but they suffer either from polydispersity, narrow droplet size range, or low throughput. Successful droplet formation in such passive methods occurs in jetting flow regimes with low continuous phase flowrates, Qc < 1 μL min‐1. Gravity‐driven hydrostatic or highly precise pressure flow control has been used to apply constant, low flowrates that conventional syringe pumps struggle to emulate. Here, a new passive cross‐flow configuration is introduced to generate monodispersed ATPS droplets. The microfluidic device developed by the authors is membrane‐integrated with constant flowrate syringe pumps. Additionally, the membrane with three uniform pores enables this device to operate as a parallel system capable of three controlled droplet formations simultaneously, with a wide range of monodispersed droplet diameters from ≈17 to 90 μm (coefficient of variation, CV ≤ 5%) and from ≈90 to 180 μm (CV ≤ 10%).
Building Ni9S8/MoS2 Nanosheets Decorated NiMoO4 Nanorods Heterostructure for Enhanced Water Splitting
Authors: Chen Lu , Deng Zhiping , Chen Zhi , Wang Xiaolei 
Published: October 2021

AbstractDesigning economic and efficient electrocatalysts for both oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is desired to produce green hydrogen through electrochemical water splitting. Herein, a Ni9S8/MoS2 decorated NiMoO4 nanorod heterostructure (Ni9S8/MoS2@NiMoO4) is successfully developed via a facile hydrothermal process followed by a direct sulfurization. The resulting hierarchical nanoarchitecture with outer Ni9S8/MoS2 nanosheets shell on the inner NiMoO4 core supplies affordable active sites and plentiful charge transportation channels in continuous heterointerfaces. Accordingly, the Ni9S8/MoS2@NiMoO4 only needs low overpotentials of 190 and 360 mV to enable 10 mA cm−2 current density for HER and OER in alkaline solution, respectively. This work provides a rational strategy for designing electrocatalysts with high efficiency for water splitting, enlightening the road of developing low‐cost bifunctional materials in energy conversion area.
Tungsten Ditelluride: Synthesis, Structure, and Magnetoresistance Property
Authors: Cao Mingxing , Wang Zhihong , Ma Liwen , Zhang Liwen , Wang Man , Liu Yangsi , He Jian , Xi Xiaoli 
Published: October 2021

AbstractTungsten ditelluride (WTe2) is arising as an attractive material in magnetoresistance (MR) properties filed. The magnetoresistance properties of WTe2 makes it an ideal material for its magnetoresistive heads of computer and magnetic sensor device applications. So far, people have developed various controlled synthesis methods to produce large‐quantity uniform flat WTe2 crystals. Nevertheless, none of the methods are sustainable, some methods use reducing gases, and some use very long heat preservation, and the process is very complicated. Here, a mild and fast self‐flux method is described for WTe2 synthesis that can avoid producing reducing gases. After conducting structural and physical tests, it is found that annealing time is critical for WTe2 structure formation. Long annealing time improves the crystallinity of WTe2 and makes its texture more obvious, increasing the conductivity of WTe2. Therefore, it will lead to the anomalous nonsaturating positive magnetoresistance with different field dependent behaviors, reaching the ultrastrong magnetoresistive value of 1040% at 5 K and 14 T. The results provide a sustainable approach for uniform WTe2 crystal synthesis, which will benefit the large‐quantity production of WTe2 magnetoresistive materials.
Two‐stage Regioselective Access to Non‐symmetric 3,5‐Diarylisoxazoles: Synthesis of Combretastatin A‐4 analogues
Authors: Karetnikov Georgy L. , Skvortsov Dmitry A. , Lopatukhina Elena V. , Nikolaeva Svetlana N. , Bondarenko Oksana B. 
Published: October 2021

AbstractA new two‐stage regioselective access to non‐symmetric 3,5‐diarylisoxazoles starting from readily available 2‐aryl‐1,1‐dibromocyclopropanes is developed. The strategy based on the nitrosation/Suzuki arylation sequence ensures good yields of the products and a wide scope of substituents in both aryl rings. Using this strategy, a panel of combretastatin A‐4 (CA‐4) analogues presented by 3,5‐diarylisoxazole structural motif was synthesized and evaluated for their biological activity
A DNA‐Encoded FRET Biosensor for Visualizing the Tension across Paxillin in Living Cells upon Shear Stress
Authors: Shao Shuai , Deng Sha , Jiang Qingyun , Zhang Hangyu , Zhang Zhengyao , Li Na , Cong Fengyu , Tiihonen Timo , Liu Bo 
Published: October 2021

AbstractPaxillin is a potential participant in direct intracellular force transmission, which is considered as the foundation of cells sensing and responding to the extracellular environment. However, the detection of tension across paxillin has not been achieved due to lacking microsized tools. Herein, a paxillin tension sensor (PaxTs) based on the Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) technique was constructed. PaxTs can be expressed and assembled to FA sites spontaneously to visualize the tension across paxillin with FRET efficiency of ∼62.4 % in living cells. The tension across paxillin was found to decrease upon shear stress, in which the membrane fluidity and contractility of actin acted as cushions. It is observed that paxillin participates in the pathway of cell membrane‐cytoskeleton‐FAs for force transmission upon mechanical force in real time visualization, which provides a promising new method to investigate the direct intracellular force transmission in biology and technology.
Cell‐Free Multi‐Enzyme Synthesis and Purification of Uridine Diphosphate Galactose
Authors: Mahour Reza , Lee Ju Weon , Grimpe Pia , Boecker Simon , Grote Valerian , Klamt Steffen , Seidel‐Morgenstern Andreas , Rexer Thomas F. T. , Reichl Udo 
Published: October 2021

AbstractHigh costs and low availability of UDP‐galactose hampers the enzymatic synthesis of valuable oligosaccharides such as human milk oligosaccharides. Here, we report the development of a platform for the scalable, biocatalytic synthesis and purification of UDP‐galactose. UDP‐galactose was produced with a titer of 48 mM (27.2 g/L) in a small‐scale batch process (200 μL) within 24 h using 0.02 genzyme/gproduct. Through in‐situ ATP regeneration, the amount of ATP (0.6 mM) supplemented was around 240‐fold lower than the stoichiometric equivalent required to achieve the final product yield. Chromatographic purification using porous graphic carbon adsorbent yielded UDP‐galactose with a purity of 92 %. The synthesis was transferred to 1 L preparative scale production in a stirred tank bioreactor. To further reduce the synthesis costs here, the supernatant of cell lysates was used bypassing expensive purification of enzymes. Here, 23.4 g/L UDP‐galactose were produced within 23 h with a synthesis yield of 71 % and a biocatalyst load of 0.05 gtotal_protein/gproduct. The costs for substrates per gram of UDP‐galactose synthesized were around 0.26 €/g.
Hydrogenolysis of Glycerol to 1,3‐Propanediol: Are Spatial and Electronic Configuration of “Metal‐Solid Acid” Interface Key for Active and Durable Catalysts?
Authors: Zhang Dongpei , Zhang Quanxing , Zhou Ziqi , Li Ze , Meng Kexin , Fang Tianqi , You Zhenchao , Zhang Guangyu , Yin Bin , Shen Jian , Yang Chaohe , Yan Wenjuan , Jin Xin 
Published: October 2021

AbstractCatalytic conversion of glycerol to 1,3‐propanediol represents a most promising synthetic route for various specialty products in plastics, pharmaceuticals and textile industries. How to enhance chemoselectivity of 1,3‐propanediol over other co‐products still remains a grand challenge in this area in the past two decades. While particle size, metal‐support and surface acidity have been extensively investigated for catalyst development in literature, fundamental studies on spatial and electronic configuration of “metal‐solid acid” interfacial catalysts for tunable activity and selectivity are yet to be established in this field. In this context, interfacial steric hindrance and electronic transfer effect is critical for tunable activity and selectivity for metal catalysts. Therefore, in this review article, we have conducted a comprehensive and critical discussion on how steric hindrance and electronic coupling at metal‐acid interfaces affect catalytic activation of internal −OH group in glycerol molecule. Selected highlights on the mechanistic investigation for ex‐situ and in‐situ formed Brønsted acidity over Pt‐WOx and Ir−ReOx catalysts, have been discussed with experimental and computational details. The outcome of this review will provide important insights on controllable manipulation of spatial and electronic structures for selective hydrogenation reactions with broader industrial applications.
Working Mechanisms and Structure Engineering of Renewable Biomass‐Derived Materials for Advanced Lithium‐Sulfur Batteries: A Review
Authors: Tian Xiaohui , Yan Chenzheng , Kang Junbao , Yang Xiaoya , Li Quanxiang , Yan Jing , Deng Nanping , Cheng Bowen , Kang Weimin 
Published: October 2021

AbstractLithium‐sulfur (Li−S) batteries have attracted attention in the field of energy storage due to their high energy density and theoretical capacity. However, there are still some obstacles to achieve commercial applications such as large volume expansion of sulfur, low electrical conductivity, the growth of lithium dendrites, and the polysulfide shuttle effect. Through continuous research on Li−S batteries, renewable biomass materials have been discovered by scholars and scientists due to their sustainable development, low cost, and extensive sources. The results showed that renewable biomass‐derived carbons had outstanding advantages such as high specific surface area and large pore volume, as well as inherent heteroatom doping after being applied to Li−S batteries, which had a significant effect on improving the electrochemical performance. This Review summarizes the research progress of Li−S batteries in renewable biomass materials in recent years, starting from three aspects: biomass carbon‐sulfur composite cathodes, biomass modified separators, and biomass independent flexible carbon interlayers. Firstly, the Review summarizes its physical barrier and adsorption mechanism (the effect of various porous structures), chemical reaction and adsorption mechanism, catalysis and conversion mechanism. Then, it classifies materials based on the source of renewable biomass as well as elaborating and analyzing the structures, mechanism, and performance among them. Finally, the Review summarized the shortages in this field, as well as the challenges and opportunities faced. The authors hope that this Review will have a certain reference value for the development of various biomasses for high performance Li−S batteries, and will inspire more scholars to devote themselves to the research of biomass materials for Li−S batteries.
Hematite as an Electrocatalytic Marker for the Study of Archaeological Ceramic Clay bodies: A VIMP and SECM Study**
Authors: Doménech‐Carbó Antonio , Giannuzzi Michele , Mangone Annarosa , Giannossa Lorena Carla , Di Turo Francesca , Cofini Elena , Doménech‐Carbó María Teresa 
Published: October 2021

AbstractThe electrocatalytic effect exerted by hematite, a ubiquitous component of clay bodies, on the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) can be used to acquire information on archaeological ceramics. The solid‐state voltammetric response of different hematite and ochre specimens, accompanied by SECM analysis in contact with 0.10 M HCl aqueous solution, is described. In air‐saturated solutions, catalytic effects on the ORR and OER are accompanied by Fe(III)/Fe(II) and Fe(IV)/Fe(III) redox reactions. Such processes are conditioned by a variety of factors, the hydroxylation degree of the mineral surfaces being particularly influential, and exhibit significant variations upon heating the specimens between 300 and 900 °C. Voltammetric measurements carried out on a set of archaeological samples of Apulian red‐figured pottery dated back within 5th and 4th centuries BCE permit to obtain site‐characteristic voltammetric profiles.
Au(I)‐Catalyzed 6‐endo‐dig Cyclizations of Aromatic 1,5‐Enynes to 2‐(Naphthalen‐2‐yl)anilines Leading to Divergent Syntheses of Benzo[α]carbazole, Benzo[c,h]cinnoline and Dibenzo[i]phenanthridine Derivatives
Authors: Fu Jiayue , Li Bingbing , Wang Xiugui , Liang Qida , Peng Xiaoshi , Yang Lu , Wan Tao , Wang Xinxiu , Lin Bin , Cheng Maosheng , Liu Yongxiang 
Published: October 2021

Comprehensive SummaryA gold(I)‐catalyzed 6‐endo‐dig cyclization of aromatic 1,5‐enynes was developed to synthesize 2‐(naphthalen‐2‐yl)anilines. The functional group tolerance of this cyclization was examined systematically and a possible mechanism was proposed. The derivatization of 2‐(naphthalen‐2‐yl)aniline was carried out to facile access to benzo[α]carbazole, benzo[c,h]cinnoline and dibenzo[i]phenanthridine derivatives in a divergent way.
Crystal Engineering of Supramolecular 1,4‐Benzene Bisamides by Side‐Chain Modification – Towards Tuneable Anisotropic Morphologies and Surfaces
Authors: van der Zwan Kasper P. , Steinlein Christoph , Kreger Klaus , Schmidt Hans‐Werner , Senker Jürgen 
Published: October 2021

AbstractBenzene bisamides are promising building blocks for supramolecular nano‐objects. Their functionality depends on morphology and surface properties. However, a direct link between surface properties and molecular structure itself is missing for this material class. Here, we investigate this interplay for two series of 1,4‐benzene bisamides with symmetric and asymmetric peripheral substitution. We elucidated the crystal structures, determined the nano‐object morphologies and derived the wetting behaviour of the preferentially exposed surfaces. The crystal structures were solved by combining single‐crystal and powder X‐ray diffraction, solid‐state NMR spectroscopy and computational modelling. Bulky side groups, here t‐butyl groups, serve as a structure‐directing motif into a packing pattern, which favours the formation of thin platelets. The use of slim peripheral groups on both sides, in our case linear perfluorinated, alkyl chains, self‐assemble the benzene bisamides into a second packing pattern which leads to ribbon‐like nano‐objects. For both packing types, the preferentially exposed surfaces consist of the ends of the peripheral groups. Asymmetric substitution with bulky and slim groups leads to an ordered alternating arrangement of the groups exposed to the surface. This allows the hydrophobicity of the surfaces to be gradually altered. We thus identified two leitmotifs for molecular packings of benzene bisamides providing the missing link between the molecular structure, the anisotropic morphologies and adjustable surface properties of the supramolecular nano‐objects.
Laser Induced Thermal Effect on the Polymerization Behavior in Upconversion Particle Assisted Near‐Infrared Photopolymerization
Authors: Hu Peng , Xu Hang , Pan Yue , Sang Xinxin , Liu Ren 
Published: October 2021

AbstractLaser induced thermal effect is inevitable in upconversion particle assisted near‐infrared polymerization (UCAP). Herein, the influence of thermal effects on the polymerization behavior are investigated. The effects of up‐conversion particles content and NIR laser intensity on the polymerization rate and surface oxygen inhibition were systematically investigated, and the temperature evolution and complex viscosity changes in the polymerization system during the polymerization process were also monitored. In addition, polymerization experiments conducted on a controlled temperature platform were used to study the effect of NIR heating on the polymerization behavior. The results show that the near‐infrared thermal effect promotes the polymerization reaction, but also causes severe oxygen inhibition which has an adverse effect on polymerization. Finally, NIR curing materials with enhanced mechanical properties than those of conventional UV curing materials were obtained.
The Quest for the Right Trade‐Off for an Efficient Photoclick Monitoring Reaction
Authors: Benassi Alessandra , Pirota Valentina , Doria Filippo , Freccero Mauro 
Published: October 2021

AbstractPhotoinduced cycloaddition of 2,5‐diaryltetrazoles with alkenes, to produce 2,5‐diarylpyrazolines, has been widely exploited as orthogonal ligation for bio‐labeling and cross‐linking. This reaction is particularly interesting and useful, as it combines mild activation conditions to the generation of a fluorescent product. However, it suffers from two major drawbacks, as under physiological conditions hydration by‐products are formed and the fluorescent quantum yield of the emitting pyrazoline is often reduced in water. In this work, we have thoroughly investigated both the photoreactivity of a small library of water soluble tetrazoles and the optical properties of the resulting pyrazolines, to optimize both chemical selectivity (cycloaddition vs hydration) and photo‐physical efficiency. Electron‐withdrawing (A) and electron‐donating (D) substituents tune pyrazoline reaction yields and their fluorescence quantum yields in opposite directions. The combination of two D‐substituents on the tetrazoles ensures quantitative pyrazoline formation with low emission. On the contrary, two A‐substituents afforded very emitting pyrazolines in low chemical yield. We have identified the water‐soluble tetrazole T7 as the best compromise, able to afford a highly fluorescent pyrazoline, in high yields.