bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Bottlebrush Random Copolymers at Oil‐Oil Interfaces
Authors: Wang Yaxin , Wen Yunhui , Luo Yuzheng , Li Shuailong , Luo Jiaqiu , Shi Shaowei 
Published: October 2024

Comprehensive SummaryOil‐in‐oil nonaqueous emulsions are of great interest for developing emulsion‐templated polymers and encapsulation systems that are incompatible with water‐sensitive substances. Tailor‐made amphiphilic block copolymers are by far the most efficient stabilizers for oil‐in‐oil emulsions while less attention is given to copolymers with more complex architectures. Here, we report the stabilization of DMSO‐silicone oil interface by bottlebrush random copolymers (BRCPs) containing norbornene backbones with densely grafted poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and polystyrene (PS) side chains. The assembly kinetics of BRCPs at the DMSO‐silicone oil interface can be divided into three processes, including diffusion, reconfiguration and reorganization, and can be varied by tuning the degree of polymerization of the backbone (NB). Due to the high efficiency of BRCPs in reducing the interfacial tension, when using BRCPs as stabilizers, stable silicone oil‐in‐DMSO traditional emulsions and high internal phase emulsions (HIPEs) can be successfully obtained, while no stable emulsions can be achieved with linear PMMA‐b‐PS serving as the stabilizer. This study, for the first time, underscores the great potential of amphiphilic bottlebrush copolymers in preparing oil‐in‐oil emulsions. Given the advances in polymerization strategy, a broad variety of amphiphilic bottlebrush copolymers are expected to be synthesized and applied in the stabilization of nonaqueous biphasic systems.
Catalyst‐Free, Radical Tri‐ and Difluoromethylation of Isocyanides and N‐Arylacrylamides Using Rotating Magnetic Field and Metal Rods
Authors: Han Xuliang , Liu Haodong , Feng Xiaomei , Jia Fuchao , Zhao Zengdian , Li Xinjin 
Published: October 2024

Comprehensive SummaryThe pursuit of sustainable and environmentally benign synthetic methods continues to challenge organic chemists. Herein, we introduce a magnetoredox system for tri‐ and difluoromethylation of isocyanides and N‐arylacrylamides using a rotating magnetic field and steel rods. This magnetoredox approach enables facile synthesis of functionalized phenanthridines and oxindoles without the need for catalysts and additives under mild conditions. Such a system potentially represents an attractive strategy for selective formation of bonds through multifaceted regulation of magnetic intensity, rotating frequency, and rod size.
Improved survival and decreased cancer deaths in young adults with cancer after passage of the Affordable Care Act Dependent Coverage Expansion
Authors: Roth Michael , Andersen Clark R. , Berkman Amy , Siegel Stuart , Cuglievan Branko , Livingston J. Andrew , Hildebrandt Michelle , Estrada Jaime , Bleyer Archie 
Published: October 2024

AbstractBackgroundThe Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) allowed Americans aged 19–25 years to remain on their parents' health insurance plans until age 26 years (the Dependent Care Expansion [DCE]). Have those with cancer diagnoses benefited?MethodsThe ACE DCE 7‐year age range of 19–25 years was compared for changes in cancer survival and mortality before and after enactment of the ACA with groups that were younger and older (in 7‐year age spans: ages 12–18 and 26–32 years, respectively). Cancer death data for the entire United States were obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and relative survival data of patients who were diagnosed with cancer were obtained from the National Cancer Institute Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results regions representing 42%–44% of the country.ResultsJoinpoint analysis identified the DCE‐eligible cohort as the only age group of the three groups evaluated that have had improvements in both cancer survival and death rate trends after ACA implementation and that 2010, the year the ACA was passed, was the inflection year for both survival and deaths. By 6 years, the relative survival after cancer diagnosis was 2.6 and 3.9 times greater in the DCE‐eligible age group than in the younger and older control groups, respectively (both p < .001), and the cancer death rate in the DCE‐eligible age group improved 2.1 and 1.5 times greater than in the younger and older control age groups, respectively (both p < .01).ConclusionsDuring the first decade of the ACA, eligible young adults with cancer have had significantly improved survival and mortality. Additional policies expanding insurance coverage and enabling earlier cancer diagnosis among young adults are needed.Plain Language Summary

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) Dependent Care Expansion (DCE) that began in the United States in 2011 allowed young adults aged 19–25 years to remain on their parents' health insurance plans until age 26 years.
The survival rate at 6 years in young adult patients diagnosed with cancer was 2.6 to 3.9 times greater in the DCE‐eligible age group compared with the younger and older age groups, and the rate of deaths from cancer improved 1.5 to 2.1 times more.
During the first decade of the ACA, young adults with cancer who were in the eligible group had significantly longer survival and reduced deaths from cancer.
Additional policies that expand insurance coverage and allow the diagnosis of cancer sooner are needed in young adults.
Integral formulation of Klein–Gordon singular waveguides
Authors: Bal Guillaume , Hoskins Jeremy , Quinn Solomon , Rachh Manas 
Published: October 2024

AbstractWe consider the analysis of singular waveguides separating insulating phases in two‐space dimensions. The insulating domains are modeled by a massive Schrödinger equation and the singular waveguide by appropriate jump conditions along the one‐dimensional interface separating the insulators. We present an integral formulation of the problem and analyze its mathematical properties. We also implement a fast multipole and sweeping‐accelerated iterative algorithm for solving the integral equations, and demonstrate numerically the fast convergence of this method. Several numerical examples of solutions and scattering effects illustrate our theory.
High‐Throughput Assessment of Metabolism‐Mediated Neurotoxicity by Co‐Culture of Neurospheres and Liver Spheroids
Authors: Joshi Pranav , Kang Soo‐Yeon , Acharya Prabha , Vanga Manav Goud , Lee Moo‐Yeal 
Published: October 2024

AbstractThe liver's role in the biotransformation of chemicals is critical for both augmented toxicity and detoxification. However, there has been a significant lack of effort to integrate biotransformation into in vitro neurotoxicity testing. Traditional in vitro neurotoxicity testing systems are unable to assess the qualitative and quantitative differences between parent chemicals and their metabolites as they would occur in the human body. As a result, traditional in vitro toxicity screening systems cannot incorporate hepatic biotransformation to predict the neurotoxic potential of chemical metabolites. To bridge this gap, a high‐throughput, metabolism‐mediated neurotoxicity testing system has been developed, which combines metabolically competent HepaRG cell spheroids with a three‐dimensional (3D) culture of ReNcell VM human neural progenitor cell line. The article outlines protocols for generating HepaRG cell spheroids using an ultralow attachment (ULA) 384‐well plate and for cultivating ReNcell VM in 3D on a 384‐pillar plate with sidewalls and slits (384PillarPlate). Metabolically sensitive test compounds are introduced into the ULA 384‐well plate containing HepaRG spheroids and then tested with 3D‐cultured ReNcell VM on the 384PillarPlate. This configuration permits the in situ generation of metabolites by HepaRG cells and their subsequent testing on neurospheres. By analyzing cell viability data, researchers can determine the IC50 values for each compound, thus evaluating metabolism‐mediated neurotoxicity. © 2024 Wiley Periodicals LLC.Basic Protocol 1: HepaRG spheroid culture in an ultralow attachment (ULA) 384‐well plate and the assessment of drug‐metabolizing enzyme (DME) activitiesBasic Protocol 2: 3D neural stem cell (NSC) culture on a 384PillarPlate and compound treatment for the assessment of metabolism‐mediated neurotoxicityBasic Protocol 3: Image acquisition, processing, and data analysis
Detection of Neutralizing Antibodies in Serum Samples Using a SARS‐CoV‐2 Pseudotyped Virus Assay
Authors: Ferrero Sol , Batto María Victoria , Gatto Matías Iván , Dimase Federico , Helguera Gustavo 
Published: October 2024

AbstractConventional live virus research on severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2), the causal agent of coronavirus disease‐19 (COVID‐19), requires Biosafety Level 3 (BSL‐3) facilities. SARS‐CoV‐2 pseudotyped viruses have emerged as valuable tools in virology, mimicking the entry process of the SARS‐CoV‐2 virus into human cells by expressing its spike glycoprotein in a surrogate system using recombinant plasmids. One significant application of this tool is in functional assays for the evaluation of neutralizing antibodies. Pseudotyped viruses have the advantage of being competent for only a single cycle of infection, providing better safety and versatility and allowing them to be studied in BSL‐2 laboratories. Here, we describe three protocols for the detection of SARS‐CoV‐2 neutralizing antibodies through a pseudotyped virus assay. First, SARS‐CoV‐2 S pseudotyped viruses (PV SARS‐CoV‐2 S) are produced using a Moloney murine leukemia virus (MuLV) three‐plasmid system. The plasmids are designed to express the GagPol packing proteins, enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) as a readout system, and the SARS‐CoV‐2 S protein modified to remove the endoplasmic reticulum retention domain and to improve infection. Next, the internalization of PV SARS‐CoV‐2 S protein in human embryonic kidney 293T (HEK‐293T) cells overexpressing angiotensin‐converting enzyme 2 (HEK‐293T‐ACE2) is confirmed by fluorescence microscopy and quantified using flow cytometry. Finally, PV SARS‐CoV‐2 S is used to screen neutralizing antibodies in serum samples from convalescent COVID‐19 patients; it can also be used for studying the cell entry mechanisms of different SARS‐CoV‐2 variants, evaluating antiviral agents, and designing vaccines. © 2024 Wiley Periodicals LLC.Basic Protocol 1: Generation of PV SARS‐CoV‐2 S pseudotyped virusBasic Protocol 2: Assay of PV SARS‐CoV‐2 S internalization in target cells.Basic Protocol 3: Detection of neutralizing antibodies in serum samples.
High‐Quality Genomic DNA Extraction Protocol for Bacillus and Clostridium Species
Authors: Mekonnen Yohannes Beyene , Aspholm Marina Elisabeth , Zegeye Ephrem Debebe 
Published: October 2024

AbstractHigh‐quality DNA with sufficient yield is the goal of DNA extraction protocols. We present an optimized, cost‐effective method for extracting next‐generation sequencing (NGS)‐quality genomic DNA from Bacillus and Clostridium species using the chloroform‐isoamyl approach. The protocol involves two main procedures: cultivation of the bacteria under appropriate conditions, followed by DNA extraction through cell lysis, phase separation, DNA precipitation, and cleanup. This method has been successfully applied to several hundred strains of Bacillus and Clostridium species in our laboratory, including B. cereus, B. licheniformis, C. sporogenes, and C. tyrobutyricum, demonstrating its efficacy and reliability for producing high‐quality DNA that meets NGS quality control standards. © 2024 The Author(s). Current Protocols published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.Basic Protocol 1: Culturing Bacillus and Clostridium speciesBasic Protocol 2: DNA extraction © 2024 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Corporate sustainability strategy deployment: A case study on the implementation of corporate sustainability using hoshin kanri
Authors: Roche Katharina E. , Baumgartner Rupert J. 
Published: October 2024

AbstractCompanies face difficulties when attempting to implement corporate sustainability (CS), especially linking operational activities to their overall sustainability strategy remains a main challenge. The present study applies a single‐case study approach to contribute to literature on CS implementation and to provide a framework for the deployment of CS strategies. The company under study is a medium‐sized company that has set sustainability targets using a typical management system for strategy deployment, namely hoshin kanri. The data collected is derived from company documents, observations, and 12 semi‐structured interviews with department managers and employees, and qualitative content analysis was used for data analysis. The results illustrate that clear definition of sustainability, measurability of sustainability targets, employee involvement, and motivation, and prioritization of long‐term sustainability objectives are necessary prerequisites for successful CS strategy deployment. Challenges relate to lack of time capacity (workload), specific industry‐context, and the difficulty of social impact assessment. Finally, a framework for CS implementation is proposed which incorporates stakeholder, systems, and dynamic capabilities perspectives. This research contributes to the literature linking CS strategy to practice, illustrating the related prerequisites and challenges in implementation, and provides a practical approach towards the deployment of CS strategies.
Impact of Ball Milling on the Microstructure of Polyethylene Terephthalate
Authors: Zaker Ali , Auclair Karine 
Published: October 2024

AbstractPolyethylene terephthalate (PET) is a semi‐crystalline polymer that finds broad use. Consequently, it contributes to the accumulation of plastics in the environment, warranting PET recycling technologies. Ball milling is a commonly used technique for the micronization of plastics before transformation. It has also recently been reported as an efficient mixing strategy for the enzymatic hydrolysis of plastics in moist‐solid mixtures. However, the effect of milling on the microstructure of PET has not been systematically investigated. Thus, the primary objective of this study is to characterize the changes to the PET microstructure caused by various ball milling conditions. PET of different forms was examined, including pre‐ and post‐consumer PET, as well as textiles. The material was treated to a range of milling frequencies and duration, before analysis of particle size, crystallinity by differential scanning calorimetry and powder X‐ray diffraction, and morphology by scanning electron microscopy. Interestingly, our results suggest the convergence of crystallinity to ~30 % within 15 minutes of milling at 30 Hz. These results are consistent with an equilibrium between amorphous and crystalline regions of the polymer being established during ball milling. The combined data constitutes a reference guide for PET milling and recycling research.
Novel Roles of Catalysts in Producing High‐Purity High‐Pressure Hydrogen from Sodium Borohydride
Authors: Theda Felicia Alvita , Lee Kimoon , Kim Chan , Lee Yu‐Jin , Kim Keunsoo , Sohn Hyuntae , Nam Suk Woo , Kim Yongmin , Jeong Hyangsoo 
Published: October 2024

AbstractHydrogen has received enormous attention as a clean fuel with its high specific energy (HHV=142 MJ kg−1). To apply hydrogen as a practically available energy vector, the direct production of high‐pressure hydrogen with high purity is pivotal as it allows for circumventing the mechanical compression process. Recently, the concept of utilizing sodium borohydride (SBH) dehydrogenation as a chemical compressor that can generate high‐pressure hydrogen gas was demonstrated by adopting formic acid as an acid catalyst. However, the presence of impurities (e.g., CO, CO2) in the final gas product requires an alternative method to enhance the use of SBH as a chemical compressor. Here, we highlighted the feasibility of producing high‐purity, high‐pressure hydrogen gas from the SBH dehydrogenation with and without Co‐based catalysts. The scrutiny behind the thermodynamics and kinetics of the SBH dehydrogenation was conducted under the elevated pressure condition. As a result, the dual roles of the catalysts as proton collectors and heat sources were revealed, both of which are essential for improving hydrogen production efficiency. We hope that our research stimulates subsequent research that pave the way to exploit hydrogen as an energy vector and achieve a more sustainable future society.
Sedimentary factors controlling the organic matter enrichment in oil shale, Seyitömer Lacustrine Basin, Western Anatolia: New implications from organic and inorganic geochemistry
Authors: Kara Gülbay Reyhan , Özyurt Merve , Korkmaz Sadettin 
Published: October 2024

AbstractWestern Anatolia, an important segment of the Alp‐Himalayan Belt, hosts numerous Neogene lacustrine basins with potential oil shale reserves surpassing 1.6 billion tonnes. Among these basins, the Seyitömer Basin (Kütahya) stands out, containing oil shales that are intercalated with claystone, marl, limestone and coal layers. This study presents a comprehensive dataset of organic and inorganic chemistry to gain insight into the palaeoclimate and palaeoenvironmental factors that control the enrichment of organic matter. The studied samples exhibit high total organic carbon contents, averaging 12.85% (ranging from 2.22 to 36.21%), high hydrogen indices (486–812 mgHC/g rock) and low oxygen indices (33–70 mgCO2/g total organic carbon), indicating their substantial hydrocarbon‐source potential. These characteristics indicate predominantly ‘excellent’ to occasionally ‘very good’ source rock qualities and very high oil potential. Their pyrolysis, gas chromatography and gas chromatography–mass spectrometer parameters indicate an immature‐early mature characteristic for Seyitömer oil shale samples. They comprise dominantly Type‐I kerogen with minor Type‐II kerogen and lacustrine algal organic matter. Their sedimentological characteristics, along with various geochemical values, such as total organic carbon versus S, B versus Ga and dibenzothiophene/phenanthrene, reveal a moderately deep fresh/brackish to saline lacustrine environment. The Ga/Rb, K/Al and Sr/Cu ratios suggest dominantly humid and warm climate conditions, occasionally interrupted by periods of less humidity. The prevalence of warm and humid climate conditions leads to intense chemical weathering processes, supported by high Chemical Index of Alteration and low Rb/Sr ratios in the associated oil shale samples. Intense chemical weathering and high runoff resulted in dissolved nutrient enrichment, promoting ecological dynamics favourable to increased productivity. Their low Pr/Ph and Mo/total organic carbon ratios, high Ni/Co ratio and, relatively low MoEF/UEF ratio, along with well‐developed lamination of the oil shales, indicate the presence of anoxic conditions in the bottom water. These anoxic conditions would have facilitated the preservation potential of organic matter in the samples. Thus, the palaeoclimate conditions integrated with sedimentary factors have an important role in the ecological dynamic and physical–chemical environmental conditions, ultimately contributing to the organic matter enrichment of the studied samples. This work provides a case study to better understand the sedimentary factors controlling organic matter enrichment in the lacustrine basins of the Alp‐orogenic belt.
Seasonal and anthropogenic effects on niche overlap and habitat selection by sympatric bears (Ursus arctos marsicanus) and wolves (Canis lupus) in a human‐dominated landscape
Authors: Parracciani Cecilia , Maiorano Luigi , Ciucci Paolo 
Published: October 2024

AbstractInterspecific interactions among species of the same guild play a critical role in shaping their realized niches, and their understanding may disclose mechanisms of coexistence. Investigating interactions among apex predators is of ecological and management interest, especially in human‐dominated landscapes where type and intensity of their interspecific competition may be affected by human interference. During 2005–2010, we investigated, by means of GPS‐telemetry, interactions between brown bears (n = 19) and wolves (n = 7) in a long‐established national park in the central Apennines, Italy, where bears and wolves have always coexisted close to humans. Based on a K‐select analysis and a randomization approach, we assessed the extent of overlap between the species' niches on a seasonal basis. Bears and wolves clearly segregated in fall but not during summer when overlap between their realized niches suggests a convergent adaptation to a seasonal peak of anthropogenic pressure. However, using multi‐species resource selection functions (RSFs) at the home range level (i.e., third‐order selection), we revealed that habitat selection by bears and wolves was reciprocally affected also when their niches overlapped, possibly disclosing mechanisms of fine‐scale resource partitioning. In early summer, bears selected areas with a high probability of resource selection by wolves, but in late summer avoided areas positively selected by wolves. On the contrary, wolves avoided areas where the probability of resource selection by bears was high, both in late summer and fall. These results indicate that bears and wolves do interact in our study area and, although the actual behavioral mechanisms are unknown, they reciprocally and asymmetrically affect their realized niche and habitat selection patterns. Further research is needed to better understand how anthropogenic factors impact intraguild interactions and what are the effects at the population and community levels.
It's about (taking up) space: Discreteness of individuals and the strength of spatial coexistence mechanisms
Authors: Ellner Stephen P. , Snyder Robin E. , Adler Peter B. , Hernández Christina M. , Hooker Giles 
Published: October 2024

AbstractOne strand of modern coexistence theory (MCT) partitions invader growth rates (IGR) to quantify how different mechanisms contribute to species coexistence, highlighting fluctuation‐dependent mechanisms. A general conclusion from the classical analytic MCT theory is that coexistence mechanisms relying on temporal variation (such as the temporal storage effect) are generally less effective at promoting coexistence than mechanisms relying on spatial or spatiotemporal variation (primarily growth‐density covariance). However, the analytic theory assumes continuous population density, and IGRs are calculated for infinitesimally rare invaders that have infinite time to find their preferred habitat and regrow, without ever experiencing intraspecific competition. Here we ask if the disparity between spatial and temporal mechanisms persists when individuals are, instead, discrete and occupy finite amounts of space. We present a simulation‐based approach to quantifying IGRs in this situation, building on our previous approach for spatially non‐varying habitats. As expected, we found that spatial mechanisms are weakened; unexpectedly, the contribution to IGR from growth‐density covariance could even become negative, opposing coexistence. We also found shifts in which demographic parameters had the largest effect on the strength of spatial coexistence mechanisms. Our substantive conclusions are statements about one model, across parameter ranges that we subjectively considered realistic. Using the methods developed here, effects of individual discreteness should be explored theoretically across a broader range of conditions, and in models parameterized from empirical data on real communities.