bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Functionalized UiO‐66 as an efficient catalyst for the synthesis of bio‐based poly(1,3‐propylene sebacate)
Authors: Ma Xiaojun , Li Dexing , Wang Hongji , Wang Ziqing , Lv Yin , Wei Zhong 
Published: December 2023

AbstractOrganometallic catalysts such as titanium‐based ones are often used for the melt polycondensation to obtain polyesters. However, they are prone to hydrolysis and may discolor, which may have adverse effects on the molecular weight of the resulting polyesters and their applications. This work aims to use functionalized UiO‐66 catalysts for the melt polycondensation of polyesters composed of 1,3‐propanediol and 1,10‐decanedioic acid ether. The melt polycondensation proceeds in two steps: esterification and polycondensation. A catalytic mechanism is proposed. Compared with tetrabutyl titanate, a classical catalyst, the functionalized UiO‐66 ones are more water resistant, less toxic to, and do not discolor. It yields poly(1,3‐propylene sebacate) with higher molecular weights. Thus, they are efficient and greener catalysts.
The influence of quark anomalous magnetic moment in the Nambu–Jona‐Lasinio model with different regularizations
Authors: Tavares William R. , Nunes Rodrigo M. , Avancini Sidney S. , Farias Ricardo L. S. 
Published: December 2023

AbstractThe Nambu–Jona‐Lasinio model is known for its simplicity and capacity to reproduce some of the basic characteristics of the quantum chromodynamics phase diagram. However, since it is a nonrenormalizable model, there are regularization issues that should be treated conveniently. This is the case when considering the quark anomalous magnetic moment (AMM) when external constant magnetic fields are present. Regularization procedures based on entangled functions between the magnetic field and the cutoff of the model can predict first‐order phase transitions for chiral symmetry restoration at finite values of magnetic fields and inverse magnetic catalysis. The strengths of magnetic fields explored in NJL model and lattice QCD do not show first‐order phase transition. In the present work, we show that some of the previous results are regularization‐dependent effects and how to handle the divergences using the vacuum magnetic regularization scheme.
Exploring the intratumoral heterogeneity of DNA ploidy in prostate cancer
Authors: Vlajnic Tatjana , Müller David C. , Ruiz Christian , Schönegg René , Seifert Hans‐Helge , Thalmann George N. , Zellweger Tobias , Le Magnen Clémentine , Rentsch Cyrill A. , Bubendorf Lukas 
Published: December 2023

AbstractBackgroundProstate cancer is morphologically and molecularly heterogeneous. Genomic heterogeneity might be mirrored by variability in DNA ploidy. Aneuploidy is a hallmark of genomic instability and associated with tumor aggressiveness. Little attention has been paid to the biological significance of the diploid tumor cell population that often coexists with aneuploid populations. Here, we investigated the role of DNA ploidy in tumor heterogeneity and clonal evolution.MethodsThree radical prostatectomy specimens with intratumoral heterogeneity based on nuclear features on H&E were selected. DNA content of each subpopulation was determined by DNA image cytometry and silver in situ hybridization (SISH). Genomic evolution was inferred from array comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH). Additionally, immunohistochemistry was used to examine the stemness‐associated marker ALDH1A1.ResultsNuclear morphology reliably predicted DNA ploidy status in all three cases. In one case, aCGH analysis revealed several shared deletions and one amplification in both the diploid and the aneuploid population, suggesting that these populations could be related. In the other two cases, a statement about relatedness was not possible. Furthermore, ALDH1A1 was expressed in 2/3 cases and exclusively observed in their diploid populations.ConclusionsIn this proof‐of‐concept study, we demonstrate the feasibility to predict the DNA ploidy status of distinct populations within one tumor by H&E morphology. Future studies are needed to further investigate the clonal relationship between the diploid and the aneuploid subpopulation and test the hypothesis that the aneuploid population is derived from the diploid one. Finally, our analyses pointed to an enrichment of the stemness‐associated marker ALDH1A1 in diploid populations, which warrants further investigation in future studies.
The role of κ‐deformed Kaniadakis distributed electrons on the dust ion‐acoustic waves in charge‐varying dusty plasma
Authors: Bellahsene Zakaria , Bacha Mustapha , Zerguini Taha Houssine 
Published: December 2023

AbstractThe one‐dimensional dynamics of nonlinear electrostatic dust‐ion acoustic waves (DIAWs), in a plasma containing Kaniadakis‐distributed electrons, fluid ions, and variable‐charge dust grains has been investigated. The κ−generalized electron charging current is derived based on the orbit‐motion limited approach. The reductive perturbation technique has been used to derive a KdV Burger equation of propagation. We have highlighted the dependence between the values of the dust particles charge Qd0 and the validity domain of the Kaniadakis parameter κ, where the Burger term C has positive. By integrating the KdV Burger equation numerically and assuming a laboratory dusty plasma, a transition from oscillatory to monotonic shock waves is observed with increasing values of κ. We have also found that the phase velocity of DIA shock waves decreases, and the dissipation can prevail over that of dispersion as the electrons move further away from thermal equilibrium (κ is increased). The coexistence of compressive and rarefactive of monotonic shock profile is observed. It is found that an increase in κ leads to an increase of the compressive monotonic shock wave and decrease the rarefactive monotonic shock wave.
Impact of typical land use type on the stability and content of carbon and nitrogen of soil aggregates in western Hubei
Authors: Luo Ting , Xia Lu , Xia Dong , Liu Wenjing , Xu Yakun , He Zhiteng , Xu Wennian 
Published: December 2023

AbstractIn order to investigate the characteristics of soil structural stability and the factors influencing it under typical land use types in the karst region of western Hubei, soil samples were collected from five land use types (natural mixed forest [NF], cypress forest [CF], stone dike terrace [ST], stone dike forest [SF], and abandoned land [AL]) in Xialaoxi to analyze the particle size distribution of aggregates, structural stability, and the distribution characteristics of carbon, nitrogen, and extracellular enzyme contents. The results showed that the aggregates of NF, CF, SF, and AL were dominated by >2‐mm aggregates, while ST showed mostly 2–0.25‐mm aggregates. The mean weight diameter (EMWD) and the geometric mean diameter (EGMD) of mechanical aggregates showed a trend of CF > NF > SF > AL > ST, whereas the erodibility factor K showed an opposite trend. The total organic carbon (TOC), labile organic carbon (LOC), and total nitrogen (TN) contents of aggregates of each particle size were significantly higher in NF and CF than in ST and AL under the five land types. The content of available nitrogen (AN) was highest in NF and ST. The content of carbon and nitrogen and extracellular hydrolases (β‐glucosidase [BG], cellulose disaccharide hydrolase [CBH], β‐N‐acetyl‐aminoglucosidase [NAG], and leucine aminopeptidase [LAP]) in soil aggregates were mainly concentrated in <0.25–0.053‐mm aggregates. The variation in carbon and nitrogen abundance of each particle size agglomerate mainly originated from the LAP content of that particle size agglomerate and showed significant correlation. The partial least squares path models (PLS‐PM) showed that the main influences on the stability of soil aggregates in small watersheds were land use types, soil physical properties, carbon and nitrogen abundance, and extracellular enzyme activity. In conclusion, the structural stability of soil aggregates in Xialaoxi watershed is the result of the interaction between human disturbance and soil nutrient self‐cycling. In general, NF and CF have better soil aggregate stability and are conducive to soil carbon and nitrogen accumulation, whereas for later development and management of SF, ST, and AL sample plots, scientific cultivation means should be adopted, and attention should be paid to long‐term carbon and nitrogen accumulation and conservation.
Digital consults to optimize guideline‐directed therapy: design of a pragmatic multicenter randomized controlled trial
Authors: Man Jelle P. , Dijkgraaf Marcel G.W. , Handoko M. Louis , de Lange Frederik J. , Winter Michiel M. , Schijven Marlies P. , Stienen Susan , Meregalli Paola , Kok Wouter E.M. , Kuipers Dorianne I. , van der Harst Pim , Koole Maarten A.C. , Chamuleau Steven A.J. , Schuuring Mark J. 
Published: December 2023

AbstractAimsMany heart failure (HF) patients do not receive optimal guideline‐directed medical therapy (GDMT) despite clear benefit on morbidity and mortality outcomes. Digital consults (DCs) have the potential to improve efficiency on GDMT optimization to serve the growing HF population. The investigator‐initiated ADMINISTER trial was designed as a pragmatic multicenter randomized controlled open‐label trial to evaluate efficacy and safety of DC in patients on HF treatment.Methods and resultsPatients (n = 150) diagnosed with HF with a reduced ejection fraction will be randomized to DC or standard care (1:1). The intervention group receives multifaceted DCs including (i) digital data sharing (e.g. exchange of pharmacotherapy use and home‐measured vital signs), (ii) patient education via an e‐learning, and (iii) digital guideline recommendations to treating clinicians. The consults are performed remotely unless there is an indication to perform the consult physically. The primary outcome is the GDMT prescription rate score, and secondary outcomes include time till full GDMT optimization, patient and clinician satisfaction, time spent on healthcare, and Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire. Results will be reported in accordance to the CONSORT statement.ConclusionsThe ADMINISTER trial will offer the first randomized controlled data on GDMT prescription rates, time till full GDMT optimization, time spent on healthcare, quality of life, and patient and clinician satisfaction of the multifaceted patient‐ and clinician‐targeted DC for GDMT optimization.
A novel extended inverse‐exponential distribution and its application to COVID‐19 data
Authors: Kargbo Moses , Gichuhi Anthony Waititu , Wanjoya Anthony Kibira 
Published: December 2023

AbstractThe aim of this article is to define a new flexible statistical model to examine the COVID‐19 data sets that cannot be modeled by the inverse exponential distribution. A novel extended distribution with one scale and three shape parameters is proposed using the generalized alpha power family of distributions to derive the generalized alpha power exponentiated inverse exponential distribution. Some important statistical properties of the new distribution such as the survival function, hazard function, quantile function, moment, Rényi entropy, and order statistics are all derived. The method of maximum likelihood estimation is used to estimate the parameters of the new distribution. The performance of the estimators are assessed through Monte Carlo simulation, which shows that the maximum likelihood method works well in estimating the parameters. The GAPEIEx distribution was applied to COVID‐19 data sets in order to access the flexibility and adaptability of the distribution, and it happens to perform better than its submodels and other well‐known distributions.
Preparation of transition metal‐modified biochar materials and their effects on the removal of bisphenol A by persulfate activation
Authors: Hua Li , Zhao Hui , Dang Fanglin , Yu Lumengfei , Wei Ting 
Published: December 2023

AbstractMetal‐loaded biochar (BC) catalytic systems are widely used for the removal of organic pollutants. However, there is still a lack of relevant research on the impact of different preparation conditions on the performance of synthetic materials. In the present research, CuO and Fe2O3 were loaded on the surface of Ginkgo biloba BC by a hydrothermal method and a chemical co‐precipitation method to prepare carbon‐based metal catalytic materials. Bisphenol A (BPA) was selected as the target pollutant to study the activation effect of the metal‐loaded BC to persulfate (PS). The results showed that the catalytic performance of the CuO/BC materials was better than that of Fe2O3/BC and Fe2O3/CuO/BC. By exploring the influence of the preparation process on the catalytic performance, it can be obtained that the optimal calcination temperature was 350°C and the optimal loading ratio was 2.5:1(w/w) for CuO/BC materials. The CuO/BC prepared under this condition could remove 81.5% of BPA within 60 min. The research results are beneficial to promote the efficient utilization of metal‐loaded BC in the field of organic pollutant removal.
Studies on sodium carboxymethyl cellulose + sodium triflate polymer electrolyte
Authors: Gupta Awanish , Rai Devendra Kumar 
Published: December 2023

AbstractThis paper presents the effect of salt concentration on the electrochemical, thermal, and structural properties of the solid polymer electrolyte (SPE) prepared with the polymer sodium carboxymethylcellulose (NaCMC) and the salt sodium triflate (NaCF3SO3). The electrolyte was prepared in the form of membranes using solution cast technique. Deionized water was used as a common solvent for both the precursor materials. The membranes were characterized using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X‐ray diffraction (XRD), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). XRD results show reduction in crystallinity of the electrolyte with an increase in the salt concentration. The FTIR result confirms polymer‐salt interaction. The ionic conductivity of the electrolyte membrane was found to be dependent on the concentration of NaCF3SO3. The maximum ionic conductivity of the SPE membranes was observed to be 1 × 10−4 Scm−1 at room temperature (36°C). DSC results show an increase in glass transition temperature (Tg) with increasing salt concentration. The total ionic transference number of the highest conducting sample was found to be ~1, which shows that the conductivity of SPE membranes is predominantly due to the transport of ions.
Understanding retort processing: A review
Authors: Jimenez Paulina Simoneth , Bangar Sneh Punia , Suffern Mathew , Whiteside William Scott 
Published: December 2023

AbstractRetort processing is a food preservation technique to address the challenge posed by Clostridium botulinum for commercial sterility of a food product to get microbiologically safe and stable products by heating. This review aims to explore the journey of retort processing, starting from its early use in single‐batch canned foods and progressing to its contemporary applications with different types of containers and heating mediums. Additionally, it will delve into the adaptability of retort equipment, including its ability to operate in stationary and various agitation states, as well as its flexibility in processing speed for both single‐batch and continuous operations.
Hedging performance analysis of energy markets: Evidence from copula quantile regression
Authors: Ren Xianling , Yu Xinping 
Published: December 2023

AbstractThis study investigates hedging performance with respect to different market structures for energy‐related commodities, including West Texas Intermediate crude oil, Brent crude oil, Chinese crude oil, and Heating oil. Copula quantile regression functions and the generalized autoregressive conditionally heteroscedasticity model are combined to analyze the nonlinear impact of dependence and the heterogeneous impact of market structure changes on hedging performance. Results show that hedging performance presents nonlinearity and market structure changes have surprisingly strong heterogeneous effects on the quantile hedge ratio, where bearish and bullish have lower hedge ratios than normal markets, which is captured better by Clayton copula quantile regression. Additionally, the trend of hedging effectiveness over different market structures also shows an inverted U shape. After changing data frequency or the types of futures contracts, the conclusions remain the same. Our empirical findings imply that hedgers are supposed to adjust the hedging number of futures according to market structure changes to hedge price risk effectively.
Effects of molybdenum addition to activated carbon supported Ni‐based catalysts for CO2 methanation
Authors: Akpasi Stephen Okiemute , Isa Yusuf Makarfi , Mahlangu Thembisile Patience , Kiambi Sammy Lewis 
Published: December 2023

AbstractRecently, CO2 methanation has become a technique that aims to reduce anthropogenic CO2 emissions by converting CO2 captured from stationary and mobile sources and H2 produced from renewable sources into CH4. Due to their excellent performance‐to‐cost ratio, Ni‐based catalysts were frequently used in such conversions. The main drawbacks, however, are that Ni has the propensity to aggregate and deposit carbon during the high‐temperature reaction. These issues can be partially resolved by including a support (e.g., MOF, zeolite, activated carbon, etc.) and a second transition metal (e.g., Mo, Co, or Fe) in Ni‐based catalysts. Therefore, the activity of Ni‐based catalysts at low temperatures needs to be improved. In this study, a series of mesoporous activated carbon (AC) supported bimetallic Ni–Mo catalysts (Ni–xMo/AC, Ni = 13 wt.%, x = 5, 7, 9, 11 wt.%) were synthesized using the incipient wetness impregnation method. The effect of Mo content on the catalyst's activity was examined in a fixed‐bed reactor. At 250–650°C, 1‐atmosphere pressure, gas hourly space velocity (GHSV): 1200 mL h−1 g−1, and H2/CO2 ratio: 4:1, the catalytic efficiency of these catalysts was examined. The catalysts were analyzed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X‐ray powder diffraction (XRD), N2‐physisorption, and scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy (SEM‐EDX). Ni–7%Mo/AC catalyst showed the lowest carbon deposition rate, superior stability, and the best activity. The addition of Mo can improve the heat resistance of the Ni/AC catalyst and the interaction between the metal nickel and the support, which prevents the sintering of the catalyst. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Examining the generalisability of the simple view of reading comprehension for emergent bilinguals
Authors: Schaefer Maxine , Mohohlwane Nompumelelo , Wilsenach Carien 
Published: December 2023

AbstractReading comprehension depends on oral language competence and word reading ability, as per the simple view of reading. While this theory has been studied in Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich and Democratic contexts, its applicability in different educational settings characterized by multilingualism, a lack of explicit reading instruction, and the challenges of poverty (as in South Africa) remains under‐explored. We use secondary data from approximately 263 emergent bilinguals (approximately one‐quarter isiZulu‐English, three quarters Siswati‐English) from the Second Early Grade Reading Study intervention. Participants completed tests of word reading fluency, vocabulary and reading comprehension in both of their school languages. Using within‐language path models, we examine the effects of word reading fluency and vocabulary on reading comprehension and explore whether these relations differ by first language group or intervention group. Thus, we tease out the role of the language and educational context in influencing the skills related to reading comprehension in first language and English additional language.
Mucosal response of inactivated and recombinant COVID‐19 vaccines in Congolese individuals
Authors: Mouzinga Freisnel H. , Heinzel Constanze , Lissom Abel , Kreidenweiss Andrea , Batchi‐Bouyou Armel L. , Mbama Ntabi Jacques D. , Djontu Jean C. , Ngumbi Etienne , Kremsner Peter G. , Fendel Rolf , Ntoumi Francine 
Published: December 2023

AbstractBackgroundThe efficacy of immunization against an airborne pathogen depends in part on its ability to induce antibodies at the major entry site of the virus, the mucosa. Recent studies have revealed that mucosal immunity is poorly activated after vaccination with messenger RNA vaccines, thus failing in blocking virus acquisition upon its site of initial exposure. Little information is available about the induction of mucosal immunity by inactivated and recombinant coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) vaccines. This study aims to investigate this topic.MethodsSaliva and plasma samples from 440 healthy Congolese were collected including (1) fully vaccinated 2 month postvaccination with either an inactivated or a recombinant COVID‐19 vaccine and (2) nonvaccinated control group. Total anti‐severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 receptor‐binding domain IgG and IgA antibodies were assessed using in‐house enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assays for both specimens.FindingsAltogether, the positivity of IgG was significantly higher in plasma than in saliva samples both in vaccinated and nonvaccinated control groups. Inversely, IgA positivity was slightly higher in saliva than in plasma of vaccinated group. The overall IgG and IgA levels were respectively over 103 and 14 times lower in saliva than in plasma samples. We found a strong positive correlation between IgG in saliva and plasma also between IgA in both specimens (r = .70 for IgG and r = .52 for IgA). Interestingly, contrary to IgG, the level of salivary IgA was not different between seropositive control group and seropositive vaccinated group. No significant difference was observed between recombinant and inactivated COVID‐19 vaccines in total IgG and IgA antibody concentration release 2 months postvaccination both in plasma and saliva.ConclusionInactivated and recombinant COVID‐19 vaccines in use in the Republic of Congo poorly activated mucosal IgA‐mediated antibody response 2 months postvaccination.