bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Microplastics in Urban Soils From Different Land Use Activities of Cyberjaya (Malaysia): Exploring Occurrence, Relationships, Sources and Pollution Level
Authors: Praveena Sarva Mangala , Zaidi Nik Munirah Nik Mohd , Nafisyah Ayu Lana , Lingaraju H. G. 
Published: September 2024

ABSTRACTAs human activities continue to increase, the production and utilisation of plastics have become pervasive, leading to a surplus of plastic waste in the environment. This has turned the terrestrial ecosystem, encompassing soil, into a significant receptacle for the growing accumulation and discharge of plastic waste. Thus, the objective of this study is to investigate the occurrence, relationships, sources and pollution levels of microplastics in urban soils from different land use activities in Cyberjaya, Malaysia. Surface soil samples were collected from land uses (i.e., vacant areas, residential areas, commercial areas, construction areas and roadways). These surface soil samples were analysed for microplastic occurrence using density separation, microscopy and spectroscopy methods. The microplastics particles were analysed for size, colour and shape. Selected microplastics particles were also analysed for its plastics polymers using Fourier‐Transform Infrared Spectroscopy. Microplastics occurrence ranged from 0.3 to 1.5 particle/kg, with the highest average occurrence in the construction area (0.69 particle/kg) and lowest in the vacant area (0.33 particle/kg). Microplastics particle size was shortest in commercial areas (586.08 μm) and longest in vacant areas (793.78 μm). There were no similarities between microplastics occurrence and particle size across these different land use activities, suggesting that the microplastics occurrence in urban soils depends on external disturbances during each land use activity. Significant correlation between microplastic particle size and temperature (r
2 = 0.517) showed that each land use activity is influenced by external disturbances. The I
geo values showed that the microplastics pollution level in urban soils is classified as uncontaminated to moderately contaminated. Microplastic particles in urban soils were found in various shapes (i.e., fragments, films and fibres) and colours (i.e., transparent, grey, blue, red, green, purple, black, white and yellow) along with plastic polymer types (i.e., ABS, PET, PP, PE and PS) due to traffic volume, tyre wear, mismanaged plastic waste and degradation rate. This study highlights the need for pollution management and waste disposal to avoid urban environmental problems and adverse health effects.
Chondroitin Sulfate from Halaelurus burgeri Skin Inhibits Hepatic Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress and Inflammation, and Regulates Gut Microbiota
Authors: Ren Zhaocai , Gao Shang , Hu Shiwei , Chen Sichun , Jiang Wei , Ge Yaming 
Published: September 2024

ScopePrevious study has demonstrated the chemical structure of chondroitin sulfate (CHS) from Halaelurus burgeri skin and its effects on insulin resistance. However, the precise impact of this phenomenon on endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and inflammation, which contribute to insulin resistance, remains unclear. This study is to investigate the impact of CHS on ER stress, inflammatory response and signaling, and gut microbiota in high‐fat diet (HFD)‐fed mice.Methods and resultsHFD‐fed C57BL/6J mice receive dietary gavage intervention of CHS for 18 weeks. Blood, liver tissue, and feces are harvested for further investigation. Results show that CHS inhibits ER stress, accompanied by lowered blood glucose, nitric oxide (NO), reactive oxygen (ROS), and free fatty acids (FFA) levels, and increases hepatic glycogen accumulation. Moreover, hepatic inflammation is improved by CHS treatment via inactivation of Toll‐like receptor 4 (TLR4) signaling and its downstream c‐jun N‐terminal kinase (JNK) and nuclear factor kappa B (NFκB) pathways. Additionally, CHS regulates gut microbiota, particularly the decline in the Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes ratio. CHS also lowers fecal lipopolysaccharide and elevates several fecal short chain fatty acids.ConclusionThese findings suggest that CHS from H. burgeri skin may be an alternative functional food supplement for anti‐ER stress, anti‐inflammtion, and regulation of gut microbiota.
Analytical Solution for 2D Electro‐Osmotic Consolidation of Unsaturated Soil With Non‐linear Voltage Distribution
Authors: Zhao Xudong , Min Jie , Ding Shaolin , Liu Yang , Liao Jiaxin , Zhang Shuai 
Published: September 2024

ABSTRACTExisting solutions for electro‐osmotic consolidation assume a linear voltage distribution, which is inconsistent with the experimental findings. The present study introduces a novel two‐dimensional electro‐osmotic consolidation model for unsaturated soils, which considers the influence of non‐linear voltage distribution. The closed‐form solution is derived by employing the eigenfunction expansion method and the Laplace transform technique. The accuracy of the analytical solutions is validated through the implementation of finite element simulations. The findings from the parametric studies indicate that the excess pore water pressure (EPWP) observed in electro‐osmotic consolidation is influenced by the distribution of voltage. The dissipation rate of EPWP is observed to be higher when subjected to non‐linear voltage conditions compared to linear voltage conditions. Moreover, the impact of non‐linear voltage distribution becomes more pronounced in unsaturated soil characterised by higher electro‐osmosis conductivity and a lower ratio of kx/ky. In contrast, the excess pore air pressure (EPAP) remains unaffected by the voltage distribution.
Bacillus siamensis orchestrates plant gene reprogramming and rhizosphere microbiome reshaping to bolster maize crop performance
Authors: Sun Bin , Sun Chenyu , Fu Wenjiang , Fu Huijing , Shu Xiaolong , Wu Mengfan , Guo Qiao , Lai Hangxian 
Published: September 2024

AbstractPlant growth‐promoting rhizobacteria (e.g., Bacillus) confer health benefits to the host. Bacillus siamensis has been used to control plant disease in fruits and vegetables, but its potential effects on crop performance remain unclear. This study investigated changes in the growth, root transcriptomic profile, and rhizosp here microbiome of maize plants (Zea may L.) following inoculation with B. siamensis 33. All inoculated plants grew better than non‐inoculated controls in pots, as exemplified by 24.0% and 6.8% increase in plant height and stem diameter, respectively (p < 0.01). Shoot dry weight also increased by 20.6% upon inoculation, accompanied by 46.9% increase in root dry weight (p < 0.01). Transcriptomic analysis revealed that inoculation induced (2.16‐ to 5.53‐fold) upregulated expression of genes related to auxin signal transduction in maize. The expression of genes involved in phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, glutathione metabolism, and plant defense‐related signal (e.g., jasmonic acid and salicylic acid) transduction was (2.06‐ to 11.30‐fold) upregulated in inoculated plants. Upon inoculation, bacterial α‐diversity trended higher and potentially beneficial taxa (e.g., Sphingobium, Flavihumibacter, and Parasegetibacter) were enriched in the rhizosphere, likely a result of enhanced root exudation of specific metabolites (e.g., flavonoids) and subsequent recruitment of beneficial microbial taxa. Potential microbial functions associated with nitrogen cycling and pollutant degradation were stimulated by inoculation. These findings indicate that B. siamensis 33 mediates the reprogramming of plant gene expression and reshaping of rhizosphere microbiome structure to bolster maize crop performance.
Isomerization of Covalent Organic Frameworks for Efficiently Activating Molecular Oxygen and Promoting Hydrogen Peroxide Photosynthesis
Authors: Wang Wenjiao , Zhang Rui , Chu Hongqi , Zhan Zhen , Huang Qi , Li Zhenzi , Wang Xuepeng , Bai Fuquan , Zhou Wei 
Published: September 2024

AbstractConstitutional‐isomerized covalent organic frameworks (COFs), constructed by swapping monomers around imine bonds, have attracted attention for their distinct optoelectronic properties, which significantly impact photocatalytic performance. However, limited research has delved into the inherent relationship between isomerization and the enhancement of H2O2 photosynthesis. Herein, a pair of isomeric COFs linked by imine bonds (PB‐PT‐COF and PT‐PB‐COF) is synthesized, and it is proved that isomeric COFs exhibit different rate‐determining steps in the generation process of H2O2, resulting in a twofold increase in photocatalytic efficiency. Specifically, PT‐PB‐COF demonstrates effective adsorption and activation of molecular oxygen (O2 + e− → •O2− + e− → H2O2), leading to a significant improvement in H2O2 photocatalytic efficiency. In contrast, PB‐PT‐COF exhibits robust interaction with H2O, enabling direct oxidation of H2O (H2O + h+ → H2O2). This study provides a thorough understanding of the intrinsic mechanism underlying the constitutional‐isomerized COFs in the photocatalytic H2O2 generation, offering insights for further optimizing building units.
Impact of magnetic field on tangent hyperbolic liquid flow through a permeable channel with heat transfer: Application to dialyzer
Authors: Khan A. A. , Fatima A. , Zaman Akbar 
Published: September 2024

AbstractThe creeping flow of a tangent hyperbolic liquid via a channel of porous walls is discussed in this article. For the formulation of problem, the laws of conservation of mass, momentum, and energy are used. A description of fluid leakage through channel walls is provided by Darcy's law. An analytical solution to the equations of motion is determined with appropriate physical approximations by applying the perturbation technique. Expressions for the hydrostatic pressure, velocity field, and temperature are found. The flow characteristics of tangent hyperbolic fluid are affected by the filtration coefficient and inlet pressure, which are also discussed. Graphs are used to discuss the effects of the inlet pressure, the Wiessenberg number, the magnetic field, the law index, the Brickman number, and the wall filtration parameter on the flow characteristics. The mean pressure difference is shown to be increased by the magnetic field. The derived data are used in a flat plate hemodialyzer to investigate the filtrate flow. The theoretical values for the hemodialyzer's mean pressure difference and filtration rate are computed using the derived solutions. A reasonable agreement is established between the calculated results and the experimental data. It is determined that the fluid flow in a flat plate hemodialyzer can be studied hydrodynamically using the model that is presented. A flat plate hemodialyzer's filtrate flow is examined by using the results that were obtained.
Der pädiatrische Schlaganfall: Time is brain
Authors: Margreitter Julian , Mitterer W. , Janjic T. , Streif W. , Müller T. , Heinz-Erian E. , Krösslhuber J. , Baumann M. , Brunner J. 
Published: September 2024

ZusammenfassungWir berichten über den Fall eines 10-jährigen Patienten mit einer plötzlich aufgetretenen Hemiparese und Fazialisparese der rechten Körperhälfte. Als Ursache dieses kindlichen Schlaganfalls fand sich eine Angiographie-positive, nichtprogrediente Großgefäßvaskulitis als Subtyp einer cPACNS. Eine unmittelbare Diagnostik und Therapie der geschilderten Notfallsituation führte zu einer annähernden Restitutio ad integrum. Die cPACNS ist eine relevante Differenzialdiagnose eines kindlichen Schlaganfalls.
Health Care Utilisation in a Cohort of Patients with Primary and Secondary Antibody Deficiency in the United Kingdom
Authors: Dimbleby Benjamin , Greenway Will , Burns Siobhan O. , Richter Alex G. , Shields Adrian M. 
Published: September 2024

Abstract
Introduction
This study investigates the frequency of hospital attendances, emergency care attendances and geographical influences on service interaction in cohorts of patients with primary and secondary antibody deficiency, to inform future service planning and delivery.

Methods
The COVID-19 in Antibody Deficiency (COV-AD) study was a United Kingdom study that enrolled 525 participants between April 2021 and September 2022. Data on health care utilisation was extracted from a screening cohort of participants at one participating site (Birmingham, UK). Hospital attendance (i.e. all outpatient and inpatient care episodes, including hospital-based IVIG treatment) and emergency care attendance patterns were analysed. Geographical differences in travel times to hospitals and associated costs were considered for all participants at all recruiting sites.

Results
Individuals with antibody deficiency had a median of 7 hospital attendances per year. A diagnosis of secondary antibody deficiency, and antibody deficiency severe enough to require treatment with immunoglobulin replacement were associated with an increased frequency of hospital attendance. 12.7% of the cohort attended the Emergency Department at least once in the preceding twelve months. Individuals with secondary antibody deficiency were at greater risk of requiring emergency care over the preceding one-year and five-year periods. Individuals receiving subcutaneous immunoglobulin lived further from their local immunology centre and were more likely to engage with the COV-AD research study remotely, via dried blood spots sampling.

Conclusion
This study highlights the utilisation of emergency and secondary care usage amongst patient with immunodeficiency and may inform service adaptation and development to better accommodate patient needs and circumstances.
Structural, optical, and dielectric properties of sol-gel derived perovskite ZnSnO3 nanomaterials
Authors: Ibrahim D. M. , Gaber A. A. , Reda A. E. , Abdel Aziz D. A. , Ajiba N. A. 
Published: September 2024

AbstractZinc stannate (ZnSnO3) ceramic nanoparticles were synthesized via a sol-gel polymeric technique utilizing polyacrylic acid as a template polymer. The effect of pH during the synthesis process was investigated by preparing the ZnSnO3 nanoparticles at pH 3 and 8. The structural, molecular, morphological, optical, and dielectric properties of the synthesized ZnSnO3 nanoparticles were thoroughly characterized using FTIR, XRD, SEM, and TEM, with optical and dielectric measurements. FTIR and XRD analyses confirmed the phase purity of the synthesized ZnSnO3 nanoparticles, which exhibited an orthorhombic perovskite crystal structure. As observed in the SEM and TEM images, the ZnSnO3 nanoparticles prepared at pH 8 displayed a more defined cubic crystalline morphology, with an average particle size of 128 nm. The optical properties of the ZnSnO3 nanoparticles showed a high absorption edge in the UV region for both pH conditions. The calculated bandgap energies were 3.67 eV for pH 3 and 3.57 eV for pH 8. The dielectric properties at pH 3 and 8 exhibited a low dielectric constant (ε′ = 4 and 5, respectively) and very low dielectric loss (tan δ = 0.1 and 0.06, respectively) at 1 MHz. These exceptional optical and dielectric properties make the prepared ZnSnO3 nanoparticles a promising material for various applications.
Graphical Abstract
Identification of genomic regions associated with Ug99 adult plant resistance on wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)
Authors: Vikram Prashant , Lopez-Vera Eric E. , Bhavani Sridhar , Thiyagarajan Karthikeyan , Singh Sukhwinder 
Published: September 2024

AbstractUg99 is a highly destructive race of stem rust fungus known as Puccinia graminis Pers. f. sp. tritici Eriks. & E. Henn. (Pgt). To address this problem, the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center, Mexico (CIMMYT) has extensively employed adult plant resistance (APR), which combines multiple genes that provide slow rusting resistance. CIMMYT’s advanced germplasm, “Diniza,” has proven to possess a good level of APR for the Ug99 race group. This study identified the genomic regions responsible for providing APR in the PBW343/Diniza RIL population. Study identified four quantitative trait loci (QTLs) that provide slow rusting APR on chromosomes 2B (QSr.cimm-2B), 3BS (QSr.cimm-3BP1 and QSr.cimm-3BP2), and 7DS (QSr.cimm-7D). These QTLs explained phenotypic variances of 17.0, 18, 8.9, and 11.6%, respectively. Three QTLs, QSr.cimm-2B, QSr.cimm-3BP2, and QSr.cimm-7D, were derived from APR parent ‘Diniza’, while QSr.cimm-3BP1 was derived from ‘PBW343’. Further, QTL class analysis revealed the additive and epistatic interaction results of the identified QTL(s), suggesting that combinations of several QTLs can effectively reduce disease severity. Unlike, QSr.cimm-2B, QTLs QSr.cimm-3BP1 and QSr.cimm-7D co-localized with the previously identified stem rust resistance genes. The identified QTL can be combined to enhance stem rust resistance in breeding materials.
Effect of nanoparticle reinforcement and cryogenic treatment on aluminum alloys for enhancement of mechanical and microstructural characteristics-a review
Authors: Venkateswarlu Kavati , Varma K. P. V. Krishna , Nutakki Uday Kumar 
Published: September 2024

AbstractOwing to the superior mechanical properties, higher specific strength, higher electrical and thermal conductivities, better corrosion and oxidation resistances, aluminum alloys (Al-alloys) are being utilized in multiple applications like automobiles, aviation structures, and marine constructions. However, their use is constrained by their low ductility, low wear resistance and poor tribological properties. While several approaches have been in use to address these issues, nano-treating and cryogenic treatment (CT) appear to be more promising amongst. This work systematically reviews two of the aforementioned approaches for enhancing the mechanical, microstructural, and wear resistance properties of Al-alloys. It elaborates the discussion on various nanoparticles reinforced with Al-alloys to address the issues such as corrosion; and hot cracking which is prevalent when Al-alloys undergo fusion welding and stir-casting processes. A comparison of deep and shallow cryogenic treatments is done to highlight their pros and cons in terms of properties enhancement and ease of application. A critical review of the contributions made by various researchers existing in the literature with the identification of gaps in current knowledge and recommendations being made for future scope of research is presented to provide meaningful insights for researchers and technologists working on Al-alloys.
“Zero-Strain” NiNb2O6 Fibers for All-Climate Lithium Storage
Authors: Zhao Yan , Yuan Qiang , Yang Liting , Liang Guisheng , Cheng Yifeng , Wu Limin , Lin Chunfu , Che Renchao 
Published: September 2024

AbstractNiobates are promising all-climate Li+-storage anode material due to their fast charge transport, large specific capacities, and resistance to electrolyte reaction. However, their moderate unit-cell-volume expansion (generally 5%–10%) during Li+ storage causes unsatisfactory long-term cyclability. Here, “zero-strain” NiNb2O6 fibers are explored as a new anode material with comprehensively good electrochemical properties. During Li+ storage, the expansion of electrochemical inactive NiO6 octahedra almost fully offsets the shrinkage of active NbO6 octahedra through reversible O movement. Such superior volume-accommodation capability of the NiO6 layers guarantees the “zero-strain” behavior of NiNb2O6 in a broad temperature range (0.53%//0.51%//0.74% at 25// − 10//60 °C), leading to the excellent cyclability of the NiNb2O6 fibers (92.8%//99.2% // 91.1% capacity retention after 1000//2000//1000 cycles at 10C and 25// − 10//60 °C). This NiNb2O6 material further exhibits a large reversible capacity (300//184//318 mAh g−1 at 0.1C and 25// − 10//60 °C) and outstanding rate performance (10 to 0.5C capacity percentage of 64.3%//50.0%//65.4% at 25// − 10//60 °C). Therefore, the NiNb2O6 fibers are especially suitable for large-capacity, fast-charging, long-life, and all-climate lithium-ion batteries.
An Efficient Boron Source Activation Strategy for the Low-Temperature Synthesis of Boron Nitride Nanotubes
Authors: Wang Ying , Zhang Kai , Ding Liping , Wu Liyun , Songfeng E , He Qian , Wang Nanyang , Zuo Hui , Zhou Zhengyang , Ding Feng , Hu Yue , Zhang Jin , Yao Yagang 
Published: September 2024

AbstractLowering the synthesis temperature of boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) is crucial for their development. The primary reason for adopting a high temperature is to enable the effective activation of high-melting-point solid boron. In this study, we developed a novel approach for efficiently activating boron by introducing alkali metal compounds into the conventional MgO–B system. This approach can be adopted to form various low-melting-point AM–Mg–B–O growth systems. These growth systems have improved catalytic capability and reactivity even under low-temperature conditions, facilitating the synthesis of BNNTs at temperatures as low as 850 °C. In addition, molecular dynamics simulations based on density functional theory theoretically demonstrate that the systems maintain a liquid state at low temperatures and interact with N atoms to form BN chains. These findings offer novel insights into the design of boron activation and are expected to facilitate research on the low-temperature synthesis of BNNTs.
Bioinspired Passive Tactile Sensors Enabled by Reversible Polarization of Conjugated Polymers
Authors: He Feng , Chen Sitong , Zhou Ruili , Diao Hanyu , Han Yangyang , Wu Xiaodong 
Published: September 2024

AbstractTactile perception plays a vital role for the human body and is also highly desired for smart prosthesis and advanced robots. Compared to active sensing devices, passive piezoelectric and triboelectric tactile sensors consume less power, but lack the capability to resolve static stimuli. Here, we address this issue by utilizing the unique polarization chemistry of conjugated polymers for the first time and propose a new type of bioinspired, passive, and bio-friendly tactile sensors for resolving both static and dynamic stimuli. Specifically, to emulate the polarization process of natural sensory cells, conjugated polymers (including poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate), polyaniline, or polypyrrole) are controllably polarized into two opposite states to create artificial potential differences. The controllable and reversible polarization process of the conjugated polymers is fully in situ characterized. Then, a micro-structured ionic electrolyte is employed to imitate the natural ion channels and to encode external touch stimulations into the variation in potential difference outputs. Compared with the currently existing tactile sensing devices, the developed tactile sensors feature distinct characteristics including fully organic composition, high sensitivity (up to 773 mV N−1), ultralow power consumption (nW), as well as superior bio-friendliness. As demonstrations, both single point tactile perception (surface texture perception and material property perception) and two-dimensional tactile recognitions (shape or profile perception) with high accuracy are successfully realized using self-defined machine learning algorithms. This tactile sensing concept innovation based on the polarization chemistry of conjugated polymers opens up a new path to create robotic tactile sensors and prosthetic electronic skins.
Methods in causal inference. Part 1: causal diagrams and confounding
Authors: Bulbulia Joseph A. 
Published: September 2024

Abstract
Causal inference requires contrasting counterfactual states under specified interventions. Obtaining these contrasts from data depends on explicit assumptions and careful, multi-step workflows. Causal diagrams are crucial for clarifying the identifiability of counterfactual contrasts from data. Here, I explain how to use causal directed acyclic graphs (DAGs) to determine if and how causal effects can be identified from non-experimental observational data, offering practical reporting tips and suggestions to avoid common pitfalls.