bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Talk green, act brown: Transition risks and drilling investments of U.S. upstream oil and gas firms
Authors: Yeo Yun Dong 
Published: November 2024

AbstractThis paper explores the relationship between upstream oil and gas firms' proactiveness in addressing climate change transition risks and their drilling investments. We propose that due to limited capabilities to transition to renewable energy, these firms may strategically display proactiveness to greenwash their intentions to increase drilling activities. Leveraging a unique dataset comprising manually collected information on upstream firms' drilling investments, we find empirical evidence supporting our hypotheses. Specifically, firms showing greater proactiveness toward transition risk during earnings calls paradoxically increase their drilling investments. Additionally, high oil prices negatively moderate this relationship by creating a lucrative environment that benefits stakeholders, such as shareholders and investors, and simultaneously alleviates internal resource constraints, thereby reducing the need for greenwashing. This study contributes to the literature by illustrating how firms, under significant societal pressure but lacking transition capabilities, employ greenwashing tactics to obscure their investment activities.
An Efficient Cathode Catalyst for Rechargeable Zinc‐air Batteries based on the Derivatives of MXene@ZIFs
Authors: Zhao Fei , Kang Li , Long Jilan , Chen Keyu , Ding Simeng 
Published: November 2024

AbstractOxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) are crucial processes at the cathode of zinc‐air batteries. Developing highly efficient and durable electrocatalysts at the air cathode is significant for the practical application of rechargeable zinc‐air batteries. Herein, N‐doped layered MX containing Co2P/Ni2P nanoparticles is synthesized by growing CoNi‐ZIF on the surface and interlayers of the two‐dimensional material MXene (Ti2C3) followed by phosphating calcination. The growth of CoNi‐ZIF on the surface of MXene results in the attenuation of high‐temperature structural damage of MXene, which in turn leads to the formation of Co2P/Ni2P@MX with a hierarchical configuration, higher electron conductivity, and abundant active sites. The optimized Co2P/Ni2P@MX achieves a half‐wave potential of 0.85 V for the ORR and an overpotential of 345 mV for the OER. In addition, DFT calculations were adopted to investigate the mechanism at the atomic and molecular levels. The liquid zinc‐air battery with Co2P/Ni2P@MX as the cathode exhibits a specific capacity of 783.7 mAh g‐1 and exceeds 280 h (840 cycles) cycle stability, superior to zinc‐air batteries constructed by the cathode of commercial Pt/C+RuO2 and other previous works. Furthermore, a solid‐state battery synthesized with Co2P/Ni2P@MX as the cathode exhibits stable cycle performance (154 h/462 cycles).
Comparing Methods of Detecting an Elusive Dasyurid Marsupial, the Threatened Julia Creek Dunnart (Sminthopsis douglasi), in Central Western Queensland, Australia
Authors: Bakker Alice H. , Schoenefuss Pia , Mifsud Greg , Fuller Susan , Baker Andrew M. 
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACTThe Julia Creek dunnart, Sminthopsis douglasi, is a small, threatened carnivorous marsupial occurring in scattered populations in the grasslands of central and northwestern Queensland, Australia. The distribution of the species is largely unknown due to sporadic survey efforts and its historically low detection using traditional live trapping methods. There is an urgent need to determine the best methods of detection to optimise survey methodologies and more effectively manage species conservation efforts. In this study, we compared the effectiveness of live (Elliott) traps, baited white flash camera traps and thermal imagery binocular surveying for detecting S. douglasi. We deployed 40 white flash camera traps at two sites in Bladensburg National Park (south of Winton), where the species is known to occur, for three consecutive periods between June and November 2022. Four comparative sessions of live trapping were undertaken between April and August 2022 at the same locations. During the live trapping periods, a total of 12 nights of surveying were conducted with thermal imagery binoculars in a preliminary assessment of the technique. The total live trapping effort was 3600 trap nights (approximately 700 trap nights per site in each trapping event). Live trapping resulted in 12 detections of individual S. douglasi from 19 total captures. The highest trap success on a given trapping session was 1.71%, and overall trap success from both sites across all sessions was 0.53%. In comparison, baited camera traps (deployed facing the ground at 70 cm range) took 1,269,884 images over 5383 trap nights. There were 11 confirmed images of S. douglasi, on three individual occasions, which represented 2.10% of all small mammal captures and just 0.0009% of the total images. Four species of small mammals were detected using camera traps, whereas live trapping detected only two species. No small mammals were detected on any of the 12 thermal binocular surveys. Overall, our study highlights the comparative high utility of traditional live trapping for detecting S. douglasi. This research provides a framework for ongoing monitoring of the Bladensburg National Park population. It will be more broadly beneficial for informing the best detection techniques of S. douglasi in ongoing work investigating the overall distribution of the species. Similar studies assessing multiple detection methods for small terrestrial mammals have shown an advantage of white flash camera traps compared to other traditional detection techniques. Our contrasting results serve as a reminder that the utility of different techniques for detecting small mammals is best assessed on a species‐by‐species basis.
A modeling approach to forecast local demographic trends in metapopulations
Authors: Chambert Thierry , Barbraud Christophe , Cam Emmanuelle , Chabrolle Antoine , Sadoul Nicolas , Besnard Aurélien 
Published: November 2024

AbstractPredicting animal population trajectories into the future has become a central exercise in both applied and fundamental ecology. Because demographic models classically assume population closure, they tend to provide inaccurate predictions when applied locally to interconnected subpopulations that are part of a larger metapopulation. Ideally, one should explicitly model dispersal among subpopulations, but in practice this is prevented by the difficulty of estimating dispersal rates in the wild. To forecast the local demography of connected subpopulations, we developed a new demographic model (hereafter, the two‐scale model) that disentangles two processes occurring at different spatial scales. First, at the larger scale, a closed population model describes changes in metapopulation size over time. Second, total metapopulation size is redistributed among subpopulations, using time‐varying proportionality parameters. This two‐step approach ensures that the long‐term growth of every subpopulation is constrained by the overall metapopulation growth rate. It implicitly accounts for the interconnectedness among subpopulations and avoids unrealistic trajectories. Using realistic simulations, we compared the performance of this new model with that of a classical closed population model at predicting subpopulations' trajectories over 30 years. While the classical model predicted future subpopulation sizes with an average bias of 30% and produced predictive errors sometimes >500%, the two‐scale model showed very little bias (<3%) and never produced predictive errors >20%. We also applied both models to a real dataset on European shags (Gulosus aristotelis) breeding along the Atlantic coast of France. Again, the classical model predicted highly unrealistic growths, as large as a 200‐fold increase over 30 years for some subpopulations. The two‐scale model predicted very sensible growths, never larger than a threefold increase over the 30‐year time horizon, which is more in accordance with this species' life history. This two‐scale model provides an effective solution to forecast the local demography of connected subpopulations in the absence of data on dispersal rates. In this context, it is a better alternative than closed population models and a more parsimonious option than full‐dispersal models. Because the only data required are simple counts, this model could be useful to many large‐scale wildlife monitoring programs.
Left ventricular diastolic dysfunction worsens prognosis in patients with heart failure due to dilated cardiomyopathy
Authors: Winiarczyk Mateusz , Dziewięcka Ewa , Wiśniowska‐Śmiałek Sylwia , Stępień Agnieszka , Graczyk Katarzyna , Leśniak‐Sobelga Agata , Hlawaty Marta , Woźniak Jakub , Savitskaya Maryia , Holcman Katarzyna , Kostkiewicz Magdalena , Podolec Piotr , Rubiś Paweł 
Published: November 2024

AbstractAimsThe prognostic significance of left ventricular (LV) diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) severity in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) remains uncertain. This study aimed to evaluate the association of LVDD severity and elevated left atrial pressure (eLAP) with patient outcomes in stable, non‐acutely decompensated patients with DCM.MethodsThis single‐centre, retrospective, observational study involved 740 DCM patients (either inpatients or outpatients) managed at our tertiary cardiac centre between 2010 and 2021. Due to incomplete data, 96 patients were excluded. LVDD and eLAP were assessed using echocardiography according to the 2016 guidelines of the European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging (EACVI). The primary outcomes were all‐cause mortality and heart failure (HF)‐related mortality.ResultsThe final cohort comprised of 644 DCM patients [mean age: 52 ± 12 years, LV ejection fraction (LVEF): 26 ± 10%]. Over a median follow‐up period of 41 (18.5–66.7) months, 105 (16.3%) patients died: 8 (5.3%) patients in the normal left atrial pressure (nLAP) group and 97 (19.6%) patients in the eLAP group. eLAP was identified as an independent prognostic factor for both all‐cause mortality [hazard ratio (HR) 2.0; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.1–3.7; P = 0.01] and HF‐related mortality (HR 2.5; 95% CI 1.01–6.5; P = 0.04), even after adjusting for LVEF and atrial fibrillation (AF) presence. Additionally, HF‐related mortality rates were significantly higher in patients with moderate to severe LVDD compared with those with mild LVDD [5 (3.3%) vs. 67 (13.6%), P < 0.05].ConclusionsThis study's findings highlight the importance of assessing the severity of LVDD in patients with DCM, which provides incremental prognostic information over LVEF.
First Evidence of Au‐CH3 Bonding in Superatomic Au13 Clusters
Authors: Bevilacqua Matteo , Roverso Marco , Bogialli Sara , Graiff Claudia , Biffis Andrea 
Published: November 2024

AbstractChemical reduction of a dinuclear [(di‐NHC)Au2Cl2(di‐NHC)] complex (NHC=imidazol‐2‐ylidene), using excess NaBH4 as reducing agent in presence of dichloromethane (DCM) as solvent, provides a molecular cluster with formula [Au13(di‐NHC)5(CH3)2]Cl3, exhibiting covalent bonds between gold atoms of the cluster core and methyl groups. The presence of Au‐CH3 bonds, which is unprecedented in gold cluster chemistry, is confirmed by high resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS), NMR and the reactivity of the reported cluster in solid state. The cluster has been further characterized with single crystal X‐ray diffractometry, UV‐Vis and emission spectroscopies. The cluster displays remarkable stability in solution, which is indicative of the possible role played by Au‐CH3 bond formation in the conventional preparation of molecular gold nanoclusters by reduction with excess borohydride in DCM.
A Reversibly Photoswitchable Zinc Metallocycle based on Azobenzene
Authors: Müller Oliver A. , Schmitt Marcel J. P. , Riehn Christoph , Becker Sabine 
Published: November 2024

AbstractPhotoswitchable metallocycles and cages are of special interest for a photocontrolled uptake and/or release of guest molecules. While most compounds undergo a disassembly‐re‐assembly mechanism among photoisomerization, examples for reversibly switchable compounds without decomposition are extremely rare. Furthermore, most metallocycles and cages are based on 4d and 5d metal ions that form kinetically inert bonds. We here present a dinuclear Zn(II) metallocycle that despite the usually high ligand exchange rate of Zn(II) reversibly undergoes photoisomerization without disassembly. Therefore, we prepared the novel ligand 3,3’‐Azobenz(BPA)2 (1) that is based on an azobenzene scaffold equipped with two benzylpicolylamine (BPA) moieties for metal complexation. With this ligand, the Zn(II) complexes [{ZnCl2}2(1)] (2) and the cyclic 2 : 2 complex [Zn2(1)2](BF4)4 (3) were prepared and characterized. The photophysical switching properties of all compounds have been assessed using NMR and UV/Vis spectroscopy as well as quantum chemical calculations by density functional theory (DFT) at the CAM−B3LYP/D4/def2‐TZVPP level. These studies show the highly quantitative and reversible photoinduced cyclic E/Z isomerization of 1–3. To the best of our knowledge, 3 thus represents the only second metallocycle based on azobenzene and first one using Zn(II), which reversibly undergoes photoisomerization.
Facile synthesis of Bidentate Boron Lewis Acids by Pentafluorobenzene Elimination
Authors: Kudina Polina I. , Lisovenko Anna S. , Kryukova Mariya A. , Kazakov Igor V. 
Published: November 2024

AbstractThe obtained results reveal simple synthetic approach for bidentate boron Lewis acids with the ‐OB(C6F5)2 acid group and aliphatic or aromatic linkers. Computational results showed comparable FIA for the ‐OB(C6F5)2 site in boron bidentate Lewis acids relative to initial B(C6F5)3. The relative Lewis acid strength of R[OB(C6F5)2]2 (R=C2H4, p‐C6H4, m‐C6H4) was characterized by Gutman‐Beckett tests. The elimination of pentafluorobenzene by the reaction of R‐OH with B(C6F5)3 can be used for the synthesis of R‐OB(C6F5)2 derivatives and polydentate strong Lewis acids.
Syntheses of Pyrazolato‐ and Formamidinato‐lanthanoid(III) Diiodides from in Situ Generated lanthanoid(III) Pseudo‐Grignard Reagents
Authors: Abdul Halim Md , Guo Zhifang , Blair Victoria L. , Deacon Glen B. , Junk Peter C. 
Published: November 2024

AbstractTrivalent lanthanoid pseudo‐Grignard reagents PhpLnIIII(3‐p) (P=1 or 2; Ln=La, Ce, Nd, Er and Lu) are readily prepared by the oxidation of lanthanoid metals with iodobenzene at 25 °C, following pre‐activation of the metal with 1 drop Hg in tetrahydrofuran (thf) or acetonitrile (CH3CN) and brief sonication. The protolysis of PhpLnIIII(3‐p) with 3,5‐diphenylpyrazole (Ph2pzH) yields pyrazolato complexes [Ln(Ph2pz)I2(thf)n] (n=4: Ln=La 1, Ce 2, Nd 3; n=3: Ln=Er 4, Lu 5). Interestingly, for Er, a competing complex [ErPh(Ph2pz)I(thf)3]⋅thf (4 a) was obtained along with the expected [Er(Ph2pz)I2(thf)3] (4). In contrast, in CH3CN, [Ln(Ph2pz)3(CH3CN)3]⋅2CH3CN (Ln=Nd 6, Gd 7) complexes were obtained through Schlenk equilibrium redistribution. Reactions with bulky N,N′‐bis(2,6‐di‐isopropylphenyl)formamidine (DippFormH) and N,N’ –bis(2,6‐dimethylphenyl)formamidine (XylFormH) produced the Ln(III) complexes, [Ln(DippForm)I2(thf)3]⋅nthf (n=1, Ln=Nd 8; n=0.5, Ln=Er 9) and [Ln(XylForm)I2(thf)3]⋅thf (Ln=Nd 10, Er 11). All the complexes isolated in this study are monomeric; 4–5 and 8–11 are seven coordinate, complexes 1–3 are eight coordinate with one η2‐N‐donor ligand and two trans iodine ligands, and complexes 6–7 are nine coordinate, featuring three η2‐Ph2pz ligands, and three CH3CN ligands.
mRNA for Body Fluid and Individual Identification
Authors: Liu Zidong , Wang Jiaqi , Li Zeqin , Zhang Gengqian 
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACTBiological stains are one of the most important pieces of evidence, playing a multifaceted role in forensic investigations. An integral facet of forensic practice involves the identification of body fluids, typically achieved through chemical and enzymatic reactions. In recent decades, the introduction of mRNA markers has been posited as a pivotal advancement to augment the capabilities of body fluid identification (BFID). The mRNA coding region single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (cSNPs) also present notable advantages, particularly in the task of individual identification. Here, we review the specificity and stability of mRNA markers in the context of BFID and the prowess of mRNA polymorphism in individual identification. Additionally, innovative methods for mRNA detection are discussed.
Insights into Martian bedform migration: Results from Gale, Jezero and Pasteur craters
Authors: Sahu Anurag , Mandal Anirban , Banerjee Satyaki , Panda Jagabandhu 
Published: November 2024

AbstractAn attempt is made in this study to advance the understanding of the sand movement on Mars by studying the bedform migration at Gale, Jezero and Pasteur craters. The study on the grain size distribution at Gale Crater using Curiosity rover (MAHLI and APXS) observations reveals that the grains with smaller diameters (~50–150 μ) are more prone to migration and vice‐versa, which gives an idea of the necessary requirements that initiate bedform migration. The chemical analysis of the surface materials at the Gale crater revealed elevated concentrations of P2O5, SO3, Cl and Zn in soil compared to sand and active transportation processes for sand but not soil. The comprehensive chemical makeup of the Martian soil (inactive bedforms) and sand (active bedforms) is characterized by its basaltic nature, with enriched volatile elements such as sulphur, chlorine and zinc, and the presence of minerals like plagioclase, pyroxene and olivine due to the cohesive nature of inactive bedforms. Physical weathering and wind flow velocity play a pivotal role in the formation of different sedimentary bodies, impacting grain size distribution and mineralogy. The effect of dust‐lifting on surface features is studied by analysing Perseverance‐MEDA observations at the Jezero crater to understand the short‐term changes in the bedform. These events are found to involve the redistribution of only a small amount of materials and, thereby, changing surface features on Mars over a short period. To detect the bedform migration in the Pasteur crater, several HiRISE images acquired over different time intervals were used. The changes in the ripple crest (~0.29–1.18 m/Earth year) and dune slip face suggest new grain flow events. In the Pasteur crater, extensive changes in sand deposits near the dunes signify a widespread bedform migration. The stronger north‐westerly and north‐easterly winds dominate these changes. Thus, the bedform migration in the three tropical craters exhibits significant variability driven by localized aeolian processes. This variability is crucial for understanding Mars' geological history, current surface dynamics and eventually, helps in planning future missions.
Kinetic analysis on low‐temperature oxidation of wood pellets by isothermal microcalorimetry
Authors: Yao Can , Sheng Changdong 
Published: November 2024

AbstractLow‐temperature chemical oxidation is the major driver of self‐heating during storage of wood pellets and its kinetics is essential to describe the heat evolution. In the present work, isothermal microcalorimetry was used to characterize heat generation behavior of three types of wood pellets (pine, fir, and redwood pellets) at 30–70°C. The obtained data were employed to derive the kinetics of low‐temperature oxidation by the peak power, iso‐conversional method, and non‐steady analysis. The consistency and applicability of the kinetics derived by the three methods were evaluated. Kinetic parameters determined by the peak power method were observed to match those from the iso‐conversional method at lower conversions of the oxidation for heat generation. The kinetics derived by the iso‐conversional method indicated the oxidation reactivity generally decreasing and activation energy increasing with the conversion because of O2 consumption and reaction mechanism changing. With the impact of O2 consumption considered separately, the kinetics from the non‐steady analysis is capable of describing the evolution of heat power with the conversion and also consistent with that from the peak power method in describing intrinsic reactivity of pellet materials. The kinetics from the peak power and iso‐conversional methods lump the impact of O2 concentration with the reaction reactivity, suggesting their applications requiring additional models for connecting with O2 consumption.
Comparison of Contact Angle Models in Two‐Phase Flow Simulations Using a Conservative Phase Field Equation
Authors: Shen Mingguang , Li Ben Q. 
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACTIn phase field methods based on a second‐order Allen‐Cahn (AC) equation, contact angles are prescribed mostly via a geometric formulation. However, it is of great interest to utilize the surface‐energy formulation, which is often employed in the Cahn‐Hilliard (CH) phase field method, in the AC phase field method. This article thus put forward a surface‐energy formulation of contact angles. The model was compared with the geometric one in a number of impact problems, including both normal and oblique impacts. The governing equations were discretized using a finite difference method on a half‐staggered grid. The Navier–Stokes equation was tackled using an explicit projection method. The major findings are as follows. First, the geometric model can maintain a fixed contact angle throughout contact line motion, while the surface‐energy one predicts a changeable contact angle, with a fluctuation of about 5°. In the oblique drop impact, contact angle hysteresis was captured even if a static contact angle was applied in the surface‐energy formulation.
Phytochemical composition, antioxidant activities and anti‐obesity potential of selected vegetables as affected by drying methods
Authors: Sanni‐Olayiwola Halimat O. , Kolawole Fausat L. , Onifade Favour O. , Oyeyinka Samson A. 
Published: November 2024

AbstractObesity has reached epidemic statistics worldwide and there is an urgent need to explore more available options in addressing the condition. The potential of vegetables as natural sources of enzyme inhibitors that can regulate the progression of obesity is of great interest particularly due to possible synergistic antioxidant activities. In this study, we evaluated the phytochemical composition, antioxidant activities, and in vitro enzyme inhibition properties of selected vegetables as influenced by sun and cabinet drying methods. While a significant increase was observed in the phytochemical composition of most of the vegetables, the two drying methods had varying effects on all parameters. Cabinet drying yielded higher saponin (2.86–4.67 mg/100 g), phenolics (19.30–57.02 mg/100 g), and alkaloids (31.58–37.61 mg/100 g) contents while sun drying gave better results for flavonoids (88.13–234.15 mg/100 g). The DPPH (11.45%–29.61%) and ABTS (22.70%–35.48%) antioxidant activities varied significantly. Cabinet‐dried cabbage and sun dried carrot flours displayed the highest inhibition against alpha amylase and pancreatic lipase, respectively. A strong positive correlation was observed between phenolics and amylase inhibition and also between saponin and pancreatic lipase inhibition. Consequently, vegetable flours could serve as versatile products for the therapeutic management of obesity and related diseases.