bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Inhibition of neutrophil elastase attenuates airway hyperresponsiveness and inflammation in a mouse model of secondary allergen challenge: neutrophil elastase inhibition attenuates allergic airway responses
Authors: Koga Hikari , Miyahara Nobuaki , Fuchimoto Yasuko , Ikeda Genyo , Waseda Koichi , Ono Katsuichiro , Tanimoto Yasushi , Kataoka Mikio , Gelfand Erwin W , Tanimoto Mitsune , Kanehiro Arihiko 
Published: January 2013

Abstract

Background
Chronic asthma is often associated with neutrophilic infiltration in the airways. Neutrophils contain elastase, a potent secretagogue in the airways, nonetheless the role for neutrophil elastase as well as neutrophilic inflammation in allergen-induced airway responses is not well defined. In this study, we have investigated the impact of neutrophil elastase inhibition on the development of allergic airway inflammation and airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) in previously sensitized and challenged mice.

Methods
BALB/c mice were sensitized and challenged (primary) with ovalbumin (OVA). Six weeks later, a single OVA aerosol (secondary challenge) was delivered and airway inflammation and airway responses were monitored 6 and 48 hrs later. An inhibitor of neutrophil elastase was administered prior to secondary challenge.

Results
Mice developed a two-phase airway inflammatory response after secondary allergen challenge, one neutrophilic at 6 hr and the other eosinophilic, at 48 hr. PAR-2 expression in the lung tissues was enhanced following secondary challenge, and that PAR-2 intracellular expression on peribronchial lymph node (PBLN) T cells was also increased following allergen challenge of sensitized mice. Inhibition of neutrophil elastase significantly attenuated AHR, goblet cell metaplasia, and inflammatory cell accumulation in the airways following secondary OVA challenge. Levels of IL-4, IL-5 and IL-13, and eotaxin in BAL fluid 6 hr after secondary allergen challenge were significantly suppressed by the treatment. At 48 hr, treatment with the neutrophil elastase inhibitor significantly reduced the levels of IL-13 and TGF-β1 in the BAL fluid. In parallel, in vitro IL-13 production was significantly inhibited in spleen cells from sensitized mice.

Conclusion
These data indicate that neutrophil elastase plays an important role in the development of allergic airway inflammation and hyperresponsiveness, and would suggest that the neutrophil elastase inhibitor reduced AHR to inhaled methacholine indicating the potential for its use as a modulator of the immune/inflammatory response in both the neutrophil- and eosinophil-dominant phases of the response to secondary allergen challenge.
Towards remote monitoring of sub-seasonal glacier mass balance
Authors: Huss Matthias , Sold Leo , Hoelzle Martin , Stokvis Mazzal , Salzmann Nadine , Farinotti Daniel , Zemp Michael 
Published: January 2013

AbstractThis study presents a method that allows continuous monitoring of mass balance for remote or inaccessible glaciers, based on repeated oblique photography. Hourly to daily pictures from two automatic cameras overlooking two large valley glaciers in the Swiss Alps are available for eight ablation seasons (2004–11) in total. We determine the fraction of snow-covered glacier surface from orthorectified and georeferenced images and combine this information with simple accumulation and melt modelling using meteorological data. By applying this approach, the evolution of glacier-wide mass balance throughout the ablation period can be directly calculated, based on terrestrial remote-sensing data. Validation against independent in situ mass-balance observations indicates good agreement. Our methodology has considerable potential for the remote determination of mountain glacier mass balance at high temporal resolution and could be applied using both repeated terrestrial and air-/spaceborne observations.
Coverage and Access Changes During Medicaid Unwinding
Authors: McIntyre Adrianna , Sommers Benjamin D. , Aboulafia Gabriella , Phelan Jessica , Orav E. John , Epstein Arnold M. , Figueroa Jose F. 
Published: June 2024

ImportanceStates resumed Medicaid eligibility redeterminations, which had been paused during the COVID-19 public health emergency, in 2023. This unwinding of the pandemic continuous coverage provision raised concerns about the extent to which beneficiaries would lose Medicaid coverage and how that would affect access to care.ObjectiveTo assess early changes in insurance and access to care during Medicaid unwinding among individuals with low incomes in 4 Southern states.Design, Setting, and ParticipantsThis multimodal survey was conducted in Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, and Texas from September to November 2023, used random-digit dialing and probabilistic address-based sampling, and included US citizens aged 19 to 64 years reporting 2022 incomes at or less than 138% of the federal poverty level.ExposureMedicaid enrollment at any point since March 2020, when continuous coverage began.Main Outcomes and MeasuresSelf-reported disenrollment from Medicaid, insurance at the time of interview, and self-reported access to care. Using multivariate logistic regression, factors associated with Medicaid loss were evaluated. Access and affordability of care among respondents who exited Medicaid vs those who remained enrolled were compared, after multivariate adjustment.ResultsThe sample contained 2210 adults (1282 women [58.0%]; 505 Black non-Hispanic individuals [22.9%], 393 Hispanic individuals [17.8%], and 1133 White non-Hispanic individuals [51.3%]) with 2022 household incomes less than 138% of the federal poverty line. On a survey-weighted basis, 1564 (70.8%) reported that they and/or a dependent child of theirs had Medicaid at some point since March 2020. Among adult respondents who had Medicaid, 179 (12.5%) were no longer enrolled in Medicaid at the time of the survey, with state estimates ranging from 7.0% (n = 19) in Kentucky to 16.2% (n = 82) in Arkansas. Fewer children who had Medicaid lost coverage (42 [5.4%]). Among adult respondents who left Medicaid since 2020 and reported coverage status at time of interview, 47.8% (n = 80) were uninsured, 27.0% (n = 45) had employer-sponsored insurance, and the remainder had other coverage as of fall 2023. Disenrollment was higher among younger adults, employed individuals, and rural residents but lower among non-Hispanic Black respondents (compared with non-Hispanic White respondents) and among those receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits. Losing Medicaid was significantly associated with delaying care due to cost and worsening affordability of care.Conclusions and RelevanceThe results of this survey study indicated that 6 months into unwinding, 1 in 8 Medicaid beneficiaries reported exiting the program, with wide state variation. Roughly half who lost Medicaid coverage became uninsured. Among those moving to new coverage, many experienced coverage gaps. Adults exiting Medicaid reported more challenges accessing care than respondents who remained enrolled.
Hierarchically Piezoelectric Aerogels for Efficient Sound Absorption and Machine‐Learning‐Assisted Sensing
Authors: Shen Shuyi , Zhang Yan , Guo Wei , Gong Hanyu , Xu Qianqian , Yan Mingyang , Li Huimin , Zhang Dou 
Published: June 2024

AbstractUbiquitous noise pollution has been associated with significant negative impacts on human health. However, current porous sound‐absorbing materials encounter considerable obstacles such as thick density, narrow absorbing band, and limited function. Here, a facile‐producing method for lightweight and efficiently sound‐absorbing aerogels made from bacterial cellulose (BC) and poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) is presented. The fabricated anisotropic aerogels with directional pores exhibit a minimum density as low as 11.3 mg cm−3. Meanwhile, the lamellar aerogels with low areal density (20.89 mg cm−2) exhibit remarkable noise attenuation performance with the noise reduction coefficient of 0.51.Furthermore, the BC‐PVA‐Ba0.85Ca0.15Zr0.9Ti0.1O3 (BCZT) aerogels show enhanced sound absorption performance, and these aerogels are self‐powered sensors to monitor vehicle collisions and human gestures. The algorithm yields high accuracy in human gesture recognition (100%) based on the deep‐learning model. These aerogels offer an encouraging application prospect in the automobile field to realize car weight reduction and vehicle's intelligent control system.
Robust Epoxy Resins with Autonomous Visualization of Damaging‐Healing and Green Closed‐Loop Recycling
Authors: Jiao Xuewei , Ma Yaning , Zhao Zihan , Gao Liang , Zhang Baoyan , Yang Jigang , Li Min‐Hui , Hu Jun 
Published: June 2024

AbstractEpoxy resins‐based engineering plastics are indispensable in the global economy, but they have created a serious waste crisis caused by their chemical cross‐linked networks. To solve this problem, current strategies often require the assistance of catalysts or solvents at the expense of thermal and mechanical performance. In this work, a high‐performance epoxy resin featuring dynamic ester and disulfide bonds (TDS) is reported, which exhibits higher thermal and mechanical properties than common engineering plastics, i.e., tensile strength and modulus of 66.6 MPa and 2.63 GPa, flexural strength and modulus of 103.2 MPa and 3.52 GPa, and glass transition temperature (Tg) of 133 °C. Moreover, the reversible transformation between aromatic disulfide bonds and thiyl radicals endows TDS epoxy resin with autonomous visualization of damage and healing. In addition, the harmonious interplay between disulfide and ester bonds‐promoted by tertiary amine accelerated the topological network rearrangements, enabling TDS to easily reshape and weld. Specifically, TDS can be completely degraded in pure water at 200 °C without any catalyst, and the degraded products can be directly re‐polymerized to achieve green closed‐loop recycling. This work proposes a simple and economical strategy for the development of epoxy resin‐based cutting‐edge engineering plastics that are both functional and sustainable.
Lead‐Free Halide Perovskite Nanoparticles for Up‐Conversion Lasing and Efficient Second Harmonic Generation
Authors: Ilin Stepan , Khmelevskaia Daria , Nikolaeva Anna , Maragkakis George M. , Psilodimitrakopoulos Sotiris , Mouchliadis Leonidas , Talianov Pavel M. , Khubezhov Soslan A. , Stratakis Emmanuel , Zelenkov Lev E. , Makarov Sergey V. 
Published: June 2024

AbstractLead‐free halide perovskites is a novel class of environment‐friendly nonlinear optical materials, that already demonstrate high potential for second harmonics generation (SHG). Here a synthesis protocol is optimized to create single‐crystal CsGeI3 nanoparticles (NPs) supporting optical Mie resonances that efficiently convert infrared light to visible both via lasing and SHG mechanisms. Such high‐quality resonant NPs allow us to achieve up‐conversion lasing in the broadband excitation wavelength (1200–1520 nm), which is accompanied by efficient spectrally tunable SHG with intensity comparable with that for lasing depending on temperature. Experimental and theoretical study of linear and nonlinear optical properties of CsGeI3 material in the form of high‐quality thin film and NPs of different sizes reveal that coupling incident light with a magnetic dipole resonance leads to a strong enhancement of SHG by one order of magnitude. As a result, the study provides a novel strategy where individual NPs can support both up‐conversion lasing and SHG in a broad range of excitation wavelengths.
Multifunctional “Solvent‐in‐Diluent” High Voltage Electrolyte for Lithium Metal Batteries
Authors: Lv Jian , Wang Zhuyu , Wang Yiwen , Wu Tong , Shen Danni , Jia Qinggong 
Published: June 2024

AbstractSulfone liquids can be used as solvents for high‐voltage electrolytes and have been extensively studied for their strong oxidation resistance. However, the problem of high viscosity and susceptibility to side reactions with metallic lithium has been the subject of criticism. To solve the issue of incompatibility with lithium, researchers adopted a high‐concentration electrolyte, namely solvent‐in‐salt, which allows the anions in the lithium salt to preferentially contact the surface of the lithium metal and react to form an SEI film to block the reaction between sulfone solvents and lithium. However, the issue of high viscosity is particularly severe. This work proposes a new solvent model called “solvent‐in‐diluent” electrolyte to address both of these issues simultaneously, different from previous models of salt‐in‐solvent, the model not only effectively prevents sulfone contact with lithium metal surfaces, but also maintains a capacity retention rate of 82% after 500 cycles in the voltage range of 2.8–4.6 V, additionally, the temperature range in which the battery can operate using this electrolyte model has been extended (−20–60°C). This work proposes a new solvent model and challenges the minimum concentration of high‐voltage electrolytes (0.04 m), providing a new approach and possibility for studying high‐voltage electrolytes.
Phase Transformation Driven by Oxygen Vacancy Redistribution as the Mechanism of Ferroelectric Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 Fatigue
Authors: Zhang Zimeng , Craig Isaac , Zhou Tao , Holt Martin , Flores Raul , Sheridan Evan , Inzani Katherine , Huang Xiaoxi , Nag Joyeeta , Prasad Bhagwati , Griffin Sinéad M. , Ramesh Ramamoorthy 
Published: June 2024

AbstractAs a promising candidate for nonvolatile memory devices, the hafnia‐based ferroelectric system has recently been a hot research topic. Although significant progress has been made over the past decade, the endurance problem is still an obstacle to its final application. In perovskite‐based ferroelectrics, such as the well‐studied Pb[ZrxTi1−x]O3 (PZT) family, polarization fatigue has been discussed within the framework of the interaction of charged defects (such as oxygen vacancies) with the moving domains during the switching process, particularly at the electrode‐ferroelectric interface. Armed with this background, a hypothesis is set out to test that a similar mechanism can be in play with the hafnia‐based ferroelectrics. The conducting perovskite La‐Sr‐Mn‐O is used as the contact electrode to create La0.67Sr0.33MnO3 / Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 (HZO)/ La0.67Sr0.33MnO3 capacitor structures deposited on SrTiO3‐Si substrates. Nanoscale X‐ray diffraction is performed on single capacitors, and a structural phase transition from polar o‐phase toward non‐polar m‐phase is demonstrated during the bipolar switching process. The energy landscape of multiphase HZO has been calculated at varying oxygen vacancy concentrations. Based on both theoretical and experimental results, it is found that a polar to non‐polar phase transformation caused by oxygen vacancy redistribution during electric cycling is a likely explanation for fatigue in HZO.
Investigation of Gallium Nitride Based HEMTs with Thermal Dissipation
Authors: Zheng Hao‐Xuan , Lee Sanchez William Anderson , Lin Kun‐Lin , Horng Ray‐Hua 
Published: June 2024

AbstractThe heat dissipation optimization process is a crucial element in high power high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) components fabricated using the Gallium Nitride grown on silicon (Si) substrate. In this study, the Si substrate is thinned from 1000 to 600 µm, and then the partial device area (under the HEMT two dimension (2D electron concentration gas channel) is etched to 20 µm by a deep etching system. After, three different materials are utilized to fill the gap. There are electroplate copper sheets, silver paste, and copper paste. Afterward, the electrical properties and thermal management of the device are compared before and after the implementation of the heat dissipation process. The horizontal breakdown voltage of the gate and drain at 10 µm distance of copper paste is increased to 430 V compared to 405 V before the heat dissipation process. More importantly, the surface temperature of the device dropped approximately from 58 to 38 °C and the percentage drop in output current is reduced from 10.18% to 5.23%.
Intramolecular [2+2] Cycloadditions of α‐Heteroatom Substituted γ,δ‐Unsaturated Ketenes
Authors: Liu Tzi‐Chi , Lin Zih‐Hao , Yoo Woo‐Jin 
Published: June 2024

AbstractAn improved synthetic procedure for the intramolecular ketene [2+2] cycloaddition was developed for the preparation of 1‐heteroatom‐substituted bicyclo[2.1.1]hexan‐5‐ones. It was found that the use of the Mukaiyama reagent (2‐chloro‐N‐methyl‐pyridinium iodide) was key to efficiently generate the α‐heteroatom substituted homoallyl ketene intermediate for the cycloaddition reaction. The synthetic utility of the resulting bicyclic ketone was demonstrated through the preparation of a saturated variant of vortioxetine.
The Roles of Thomson and Rutherford in the Birth of Atomic Physics:The Interaction of Experiment and Theory
Authors: Hon Giora , Goldstein Bernard R. 
Published: June 2024

AbstractThe discovery of the electron in 1897 by J. J. Thomson meant that the atom was no longer the smallest unit of matter. This led to a set of responses both experimental and theoretical which consolidated a new branch of physics—atomic physics. What were the tools available at the time to address atomic physics and how were they deployed? The research begins with Thomson who sought to describe a structure of the atom that accommodates both mechanical and electromagnetic properties, but he had little experimental data to base it on. It was indeed an experimental finding which paved the way for the modern conception of the structure of the atom—Rutherford's scattering experiment. A complex relation between theory and experiment in a new domain of physics is uncovered. While the revolutionary discovery of the electron was the result of a classical propagation experiment, the discovery of the concentrated charge at the center of the atom was an outcome of a scattering experiment—a bombardment technique. This technique has turned out to be the hallmark of experimental atomic physics.
Entropy‐Driven Hydrated Eutectic Electrolytes with Diverse Solvation Configurations for All‐Temperature Zn‐ion Batteries
Authors: Qiu Meijia , Liang Yuxuan , Hong Jiahong , Li Jiale , Sun Peng , Mai Wenjie 
Published: June 2024

AbstractBatteries always encounter uncontrollable failure or performance decay under extreme temperature environments, which is largely limited by the properties of electrolytes. Herein, an entropy‐driven hydrated eutectic electrolyte (HEE) with diverse solvation configurations is proposed to expand the operating temperature range of Zn‐ion batteries. The HEE possesses over 40 types of Zn2+ solvation structure with uniform distribution, contributing to its much higher solvation configurational entropy compared to the conventional aqueous counterpart (only 6 types). These effectively promote its anti‐freezing ability under ultralow temperatures, with a high ionic conductivity of 0.42 mS cm−1 even at a low temperature of −40 °C. Moreover, the entropy‐driven property can simultaneously enhance the thermal stability under a high temperature over +140 °C. Therefore, the HEE can enable full cells stably working over a wide temperature range of −40~+80 °C, performing over 1500 cycles with 100 % capacity retention at −40 °C and 1000 cycles with ~72 % capacity retention at +80 °C. This inspiring concept of entropy‐driven electrolyte with quantized solvation configurational entropy value has charming potential for designing future special batteries with excellent adaptability towards extreme temperature environments.
Self‐Adaptive Synthesis of Non‐Covalent Crosslinkers while Folding Single‐Chain Polymers
Authors: Qi Dawei , Shi Xuncheng , Lin Caihong , Holzhausen Ferdinand , Ville Liljeström , Sun Xun , Luo Jinghui , Pitkänen Leena , Zhu Ya , Rosenholm Jessica , Jalkanen Sirpa , Li Jianwei 
Published: June 2024

AbstractPeptide folding is a dynamic process driven by non‐covalent cross‐linking leading to functional nanostructures for essential biochemical activities. However, replicating this process in synthetic systems is challenging due to the difficulty in mimicking nature‘s real‐time regulation of non‐covalent crosslinking for single‐chain polymer folding. Here, we address this by employing anionic dithiol building blocks to create macrocyclic disulfides as non‐covalent crosslinkers that adapted to the folding process. Initially, small macrocycles facilitated a low degree folding of a polycation. Then, this preorganized structure catalysed the production of larger macrocycles that enhanced the folding conversely. The self‐adaptive synthesis was verified through the encapsulation of an anticancer drug, showing an updated production distribution of non‐covalent crosslinkers and maximizing drug‐loading efficiency against drug‐resistant cancer in vitro. Our research advances the understanding of molecular systems by exploring species evolution via the structural dynamics of polymer folding. Additionally, adaptive synthesis enables controlled, sequential folding of synthetic polymers, with the potential to mimic protein functions.
A theoretical and experimental study on the degradation mechanism of polyglycolic acid under acidic, neutral, and basic conditions
Authors: Zhang Zongying , Peng Qiong , Shi Xiaofan , Niu He , Guo Peng , Li Zhewei , Lyu Mingfu , Lei Ming 
Published: June 2024

AbstractIn recent years, the development on sustainable and environmentally friendly materials has paid more and more attention. The polyglycolic acid (PGA), a biodegradable polymer, has emerged as a prime candidate due to its remarkable mechanical strength, rigidity, and gas barrier properties, which has been widely used in various practical applications. To gain insights into the PGA's behavior and properties under acidic and neutral and basic situations, a comprehensive theoretical and experimental study were performed to investigate PGA's hydrolysis behaviors in aqueous solutions. The density functional theory calculation was carried out to unveil the difference of PGA degradation mechanisms. The calculated results demonstrate that different degradation solutions play a significant impact on the degradation rates of PGA. Specifically, PGA degradation was the fastest in NaOH solution, followed by acidic solutions, with the slowest degradation observed in deionized water. Meanwhile, the experiments were performed and verified this preference of PGA degradation under basic condition. It was observed that the PGA experienced a greater degree of mass loss when exposed to basic condition, compared to those exposed to neutral and acidic environments. This work pointed out that the alkaline environment will facilitate the hydrolysis reaction of PGA.
Controlled assembly of gold nanoparticles: Methods and plasmon coupling properties
Authors: Yoon Sangwoon 
Published: June 2024

AbstractGold nanoparticles (AuNPs) exhibit excellent plasmonic properties, including bright color and generation of localized electric field, hot carriers, and heat. These properties are widely applied in biology, sensing, spectroscopy, catalysis, and medicine. More attractive is that these properties are tremendously enhanced when AuNPs are assembled and form nanogaps between the particles. Therefore, assembling AuNPs in a controlled fashion is a key step for the study and applications of plasmonic properties. In this Account, I will introduce my group's collective efforts that have been made for a decade to develop the best assembly method. I will describe the assembly procedure in detail and demonstrate the various nanoassemblies produced by the method. The controlled assembly allows us to systematically examine the relationship between the plasmonic properties and structural parameters of the nanogaps. Among many properties, I focus on plasmon coupling. To conclude, I will discuss the prospects of nanoassembly plasmonics.