bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Signal Amplification by Spatial Concentration for Immunoassay on Cellulose Media
Authors: Kim Hyeokjung , Noh Hyeran 
Published: November 2023

AbstractImmunoassay is one of the most common bioanalytical techniques from lab‐based to point‐of‐care settings. Over time, various approaches have been developed to amplify signals for greater sensitivity. However, the need for effective, versatile, and simple signal amplification methods persists yet. This paper presents a novel signal amplification method for immunoassay that utilizes spatial concentration of a cellulose‐based plate possessing sensor transducers, specifically gold nanoparticles. By modifying the dimensions of the plate, the density of nanoparticles increased, resulting in intensified color signals. The coating material, polydopamine, which is utilized to protect the gold nanoparticles. Chemical changes in nanocomposites are characterized using scanning electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. The application of this method to colorimetric quantification demonstrated great consistency across various concentrations of nanoparticles, with better reliability at lower concentration ranges. A model immunoassay is designed to evaluate the analytical performance. As a result, this method successfully corrected a false‐negative result with a lowered Kd of 0.509 pmol per zone. This method shows strong signal enhancement capability that can correct false‐negative signals in the immunoassays, with potential benefits including versatility, simplicity, low cost, and the ability to operate multiple plates simultaneously.
AIB3IIC2IIIQ6VIXVII: A Thioborate Halide Family for Developing Wide Bandgap Infrared Nonlinear Materials by Coupling Planar [BS3] and Polycations
Authors: Zhou Jiazheng , Hou Ketian , Chu Yu , Yang Zhihua , Li Junjie , Pan Shilie 
Published: November 2023

AbstractDeveloping high‐performance infrared (IR) nonlinear optical (NLO) materials is urgent but challenging due to the competition between NLO coefficient and bandgap in one compound. Herein, by coupling NLO‐active [BS3] planar units and halide‐centered polycations, six new metal thioborate halides ABa3B2S6X (A = Rb, Cs; X = Cl, Br, I) composed of zero‐dimensional [XBamRbn/Csn] polycations and [BS3] units, belonging to a new family, are rationally designed and fabricated. The compounds show an interesting structural transition from Pbcn (ABa3B2S6Cl) to Cmc21 (ABa3B2S6Br and ABa3B2S6I) driven by the clamping effect of polycationic frameworks. ABa3B2S6Br and ABa3B2S6I are the first series metal thioborate halide IR NLO materials, and the introduction of [BS3] unit effectively widens the bandgap of planar unit‐constructed chalcogenides. ABa3B2S6Br and ABa3B2S6I, exhibiting wide bandgaps (3.55–3.60 eV), high laser‐induced damage thresholds (≈ 6 × AgGaS2), and strong SHG effects (0.5–0.6 × AgGaS2) with phase‐matching behaviors, are the promising IR NLO candidates for high‐power laser applications. The results enrich the chemical and structural diversity of boron chemistry and give some insights into the design of new IR NLO materials with planar units.
Fluorinated Carbon Nanohorns as Cathode Materials for Ultra‐High Power Li/CFx Batteries
Authors: Peng Cong , Zhang Shixue , Kong Lingchen , Xu Hang , Li Yu , Feng Wei 
Published: November 2023

AbstractFluorinated carbon (CFx) has ultrahigh theoretical energy density among cathode materials for lithium primary batteries. CFx, as an active material in the cathode, plays a decisive role in performance. However, the performance of commercialized fluorinated graphite (FG) does not meet this continuously increasing performance demand. One effective way to increase the overall performance is to manipulate carbon‐fluorine (C─F) bonds. In this study, carbon nanohorns are first used as a carbon source and are fluorinated at relatively low temperatures to obtain a new type of CFx with semi‐ionic C─F bonds. Carbon nanohorns with a high degree of fluorination achieved a specific capacity comparable to that of commercial FG. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations revealed that curvature structure regulated its C─F bond configuration, thermodynamic parameters, and ion diffusion pathway. The dominant semi‐ionic C─F bonds guarantee good conductivity, which improves rate performance. Fluorinated carbon nanohorns delivered a power density of 92.5 kW kg−1 at 50 C and an energy density of 707.6 Wh kg−1. This result demonstrates the effectiveness of tailored C─F bonds and that the carbon nanohorns shorten the Li+ diffusion path. This excellent performance indicates the importance of designing the carbon source and paves new possibilities for future research.
Micro “Hyper‐Channels” on Laser‐Refined Cellulose Structures
Authors: Zhang Lishen , Reddy Daniel O. , Salomons Timothy T. , Oleschuk Richard D. 
Published: November 2023

AbstractControlled liquid transportation is widely applied in both academia and industry. However, liquid transport applications are limited by parameters such as driving forces, precision, and velocity. Herein, a simple laser‐refining technology is presented to produce micro “hyper‐channels”. A cellulose substrate is rendered hydrophobic through silanization and refined with a laser to produce both hierarchical nanostructures and a wettability contrast simultaneously. Such a method enables faster (“hyper”‐channel) aqueous liquid transportation (≈25X, 50 mm s−1) compared to conventional methods. Complex patterns can be readily produced at different scales with spatial resolution as low as 50 µm. This technique also controls the refining depth on the thin paper substrate. Shallow channels can be fabricated on thin paper substrates that enable fluidic channel‐crossover without liquid mixing. With certain parameters, the technique creates “portals” through the substrate, allowing trans‐dimensional liquid transportation between two layers of a single sheet of substrate. The fluid throughput can be increased, while also permitting fluidic channel crossover without liquid mixing. By introducing multiple portals, the controlled fluid can transfer trans‐dimensionally several times, enabling further fluidic complexity. The real‐life utility of the method is demonstrated by creating a trans‐dimensional microfluidic device for colorimetric detection.
Highly Multiplexed, Efficient, and Automated Single‐Cell MicroRNA Sequencing with Digital Microfluidics.
Authors: Chen Yingwen , Wang Xuanqun , Na Xing , Zhang Yingkun , Li Zan , Chen Xiaohui , Cai Linfeng , Song Jia , Xu Ren , Yang Chaoyong 
Published: November 2023

AbstractSingle‐cell microRNA (miRNA) sequencing has allowed for comprehensively studying the abundance and complex networks of miRNAs, which provides insights beyond single‐cell heterogeneity into the dynamic regulation of cellular events. Current benchtop‐based technologies for single‐cell miRNA sequencing are low throughput, limited reaction efficiency, tedious manual operations, and high reagent costs. Here, a highly multiplexed, efficient, integrated, and automated sample preparation platform is introduced for single‐cell miRNA sequencing based on digital microfluidics (DMF), named Hiper‐seq. The platform integrates major steps and automates the iterative operations of miRNA sequencing library construction by digital control of addressable droplets on the DMF chip. Based on the design of hydrophilic micro‐structures and the capability of handling droplets of DMF, multiple single cells can be selectively isolated and subject to sample processing in a highly parallel way, thus increasing the throughput and efficiency for single‐cell miRNA measurement. The nanoliter reaction volume of this platform enables a much higher miRNA detection ability and lower reagent cost compared to benchtop methods. It is further applied Hiper‐seq to explore miRNAs involved in the ossification of mouse skeletal stem cells after bone fracture and discovered unreported miRNAs that regulate bone repairing.
Effect of Starch Nanoparticles and Tea Polyphenol Inclusion on Physicochemical and Mechanical Properties of Starch‐Based Films
Authors: Yang Qiang , Zhao Yidi , Hu Xiaopei , Bao Qiqi , Zhao Qiyue , Zhang Fenshu , Guo Kai , Li Suhong , Li Tuoping 
Published: November 2023

AbstractStarch nanoparticles (SNPs) and tea polyphenols (TPs) are combined with potato starch (PS) to prepare food packaging film with improved quality. The developed film and its components are characterized using various methods and techniques. The results show that the tensile strength of the obtained film increases from 5.72 ± 0.11 to 9.57 ± 0.18 MPa after the incorporation of SNPs at a concentration of 5%. Also, tensile strength and elongation at break of PS‐based film are improved significantly with addition of TP (5%). However, the mechanical properties of PS‐based film are weakened with addition of SNPs (≥5%). To increase the TP content of the film, PS and TP are combined separately at different ratios and the complex is incorporated into the film formulation. Combining PS and TP at a ratio of 1:6 is found to be optimal, and the prepared films show maximum tensile strength. The PS and TP form a complex non‐inclusive combination without chemical bonds. Additionally, PS‐TP complex has a typical B‐type crystalline structure, and TP is absorbed on the surface of PS particles. The obtained results indicate that the incorporation of SNPs and TP at a certain concentration significantly improves the mechanical properties of starch‐based films.
Glutathione carbon dots as an intracellular reactive oxygen species scavenger for reducing cisplatin‐induced ototoxicity
Authors: Tu Yaqin , Fan Guorun , Wu Nan , Liu Bo , Sun Haiying , Wang Qiong , Zou Wenqing , Xiao Hongjun , Tan Songwei 
Published: November 2023

AbstractIt is widely recognized that platinum‐based chemotherapy, particularly cisplatin therapy, can cause ototoxicity. At present, there are no Food and Drug Administration‐approved drugs to prevent or alleviate ototoxicity. Ototoxicity is generally believed to be caused by excessive reactive oxygen species production in the inner ear. Accordingly, a variety of antioxidants have been developed to protect against ototoxicity. To improve the efficiency of drug delivery to the cochlea, here, we synthesized simple and easy‐to‐obtain glutathione carbon dots (GSH CDs) with ultra‐small dimensions. The experimental results revealed that the GSH CDs have strong free‐radical scavenging activity and can restore mitochondrial function, maintain hair cell stability, and protect hair cells from cisplatin‐induced oxidative stress. Thus, GSH CDs may serve as a new therapeutic agent for preventing cisplatin‐induced ototoxicity.
Linking horizontal crosshole GPR variability with root image information for maize crops
Authors: Lärm Lena , Bauer Felix Maximilian , van der Kruk Jan , Vanderborght Jan , Morandage Shehan , Vereecken Harry , Schnepf Andrea , Klotzsche Anja 
Published: November 2023

AbstractNon‐invasive imaging of processes within the soil–plant continuum, particularly root and soil water distributions, can help optimize agricultural practices such as irrigation and fertilization. In this study, in‐situ time‐lapse horizontal crosshole ground penetrating radar (GPR) measurements and root images were collected over three maize crop growing seasons at two minirhizotron facilities (Selhausen, Germany). Root development and GPR permittivity were monitored at six depths (0.1–1.2 m) for different treatments within two soil types. We processed these data in a new way that gave us the information of the “trend‐corrected spatial permittivity deviation of vegetated field,” allowing us to investigate whether the presence of roots increases the variability of GPR permittivity in the soil. This removed the main non‐root‐related influencing factors: static influences, such as soil heterogeneities and rhizotube deviations, and dynamic effects, such as seasonal moisture changes. This trend‐corrected spatial permittivity deviation showed a clear increase during the growing season, which could be linked with a similar increase in root volume fraction. Additionally, the corresponding probability density functions of the permittivity variability were derived and cross‐correlated with the root volume fraction, resulting in a coefficient of determination (R2) above 0.5 for 23 out of 46 correlation pairs. Although both facilities had different soil types and compaction levels, they had similar numbers of good correlations. A possible explanation for the observed correlation is that the presence of roots causes a redistribution of soil water, and therefore an increase in soil water variability.
Science Education: From an Ideology of Greed to an Ideology of Thriving
Authors: Love Kurt 
Published: November 2023

AbstractLife in the Anthropocene is heavily impacted by a small group of humans who, despite falling into a statistical anomaly, have an inordinate amount of influence and systematic control. Science and technology are often bent in the direction of those human interests with inordinate influence in the Anthropocene, resulting in global crisis. Science education tends to be controlled by a mainstream message that ideologically promotes the same value system via anthropocentric and techno-dominant thinking because it is driven by corporate interests and reinforced by educational leaders with similar mindsets. Today’s science education is an effort to make students into workers, which ultimately means that they are servants to corporate profit and limited in their abilities to be stewards of nature. Science education’s discursive “connective tissue” is in service to corporate competition and profit (an ideology of greed). However, science education can be reoriented around an ideology of thriving, where well-being, sociocultural solidarity, ecological restoration, and societal regeneration are intended outcomes. This chapter explores the internalized greed that drives science education at the level of higher education and counternarratives that aim to redesign science education toward a balanced, thriving planet where humans are a more responsible, sustainability-based species.
Management and outcomes of acute appendicitis in children during the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Miscia Maria Enrica , Lauriti Giuseppe , Di Renzo Dacia , Cascini Valentina , Lisi Gabriele 
Published: November 2023

Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way to manage the emergencies, as people faced fear of the hospitals, with possible delay in the diagnosis. Moreover, clinicians had to rearrange protocols for diagnosis and treatment. We aimed to assess whether COVID-19 pandemic influenced severity of inflammation, management, and outcomes of acute appendicitis (AA), when compared to the pre-COVID era. Using defined search strategy, two independent investigators identified those studies comparing pediatric AA during COVID-19 pandemic versus the pre-COVID-19 period. Meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.3. Data are mean ± SD. Of 528 abstracts, 36 comparative studies were included (32,704pts). Time from symptoms onset to surgery was longer during the pandemics compared to the pre-COVID-19 (1.6 ± 0.9 versus 1.4 ± 0.9 days; p < 0.00001). Minimally Invasive Surgery was similar during COVID-19 (70.4 ± 30.2%) versus control period (69.6 ± 25.3%; p = ns). Complicated appendicitis was increased during the pandemics (35.9 ± 14.8%) compared to control period (33.4 ± 17.2%; p < 0.0001). Post-operative complications were comparable between these two groups (7.7 ± 6.5% versus 9.1 ± 5.3%; p = ns). It seems that the COVID-19 pandemic influenced the time of diagnosis, severity of inflammation, and type of surgery. However, the number of post-operative complications was not different between the two groups, leading to the conclusion that the patients were correctly managed.

Level of Evidence
Level 3 Meta-analysis on Level 3 studies
Multilevel modeling for investigating the probability of digital innovation in museums
Authors: Maggio Sabrina , De Iaco Sandra , Cappello Claudia 
Published: November 2023

AbstractMuseums represent a fundamental asset for the Italian cultural and social background, and the use of digital technologies can be considered as a keystone for their attractiveness. Thus, assessing the specific determinants which stimulate to invest in new digital solutions and to provide a competitive museum offer is of crucial interest. For this reason, a performing multilevel approach for modeling the probability of including digital innovations in museums will be discussed and different modeling options will be compared. In particular, the implementation of a multilevel binary logit model will be useful to detect the factors of adopting at least basic digital tools. Then, the development of an innovative and flexible multilevel multinomial ordered model will be suitable to further investigate on the probability for the museums to move towards medium/low or high levels of digitalization, on the basis of an increasing sorting criterion. This will be realized by considering the variation of such probability both at regional and provincial levels for some key specific museums features, as well as by including some regional/provincial contextual factors.
Totally Administered Heteronomy: Adorno on Work, Leisure, and Politics in the Age of Digital Capitalism
Authors: Reeves Craig , Sinnicks Matthew 
Published: November 2023

AbstractThis paper aims to demonstrate the contemporary relevance of Adorno’s thought for business ethicists working in the critical tradition by showing how his critique of modern social life anticipated, and offers continuing illumination of, recent technological transformations of capitalism. It develops and extrapolates Adorno’s thought regarding three central spheres of modern society, which have seen radical changes in light of recent technological developments: work, in which employee monitoring has become ever more sophisticated and intrusive; leisure consumption, in which the algorithmic developments of the culture industry have paved the way for entertainment products to dominate us; and political discourse, in which social media has exacerbated the anti-democratic tendencies Adorno warned of in the mid-twentieth century. We conclude by presenting, as a rejoinder to these developments, the contours of an Adornian ethics of resistance to the reification and dehumanisation of such developments.
Physicochemical properties of mountain streams in the High and Western Tatras
Authors: Solár Jaroslav , Tomaškovič Jakub 
Published: November 2023

AbstractThe aim of this study was to measure the physicochemical properties of 28 mountain streams in Tatra National Park, Slovakia. Sampling sites (119) were selected based on a previous study conducted in 2010. Physical properties (e.g., temperature, conductivity, total dissolved solids, pH, and dissolved oxygen) and chemical components (e.g., nitrogen oxides, ammonia oxides, chloride compounds, and chemical oxygen demand) of the water were determined. Environmental parameters of streams (elevation, slope, aspect, width, depth, flow accumulation, watershed size, bedrock, and presence of mountain lakes) at sampling sites were examined. While comparing results from both periods (2010 and 2017), we found a correlation in data trends, concluding that elevation plays a significant role in almost all investigated parameters. Downstream, streams were more saturated by dissolved solids, CaCO3, and nitrates, increasing the pH level. Despite this well-known trend, we observed significant higher levels of ammonias and chlorides in the alpine zone, especially at sites where higher water temperature and lower values of dissolved oxygen were observed. This occurred in the Eastern Tatras, below mountain lakes, and where watersheds had granite origins. There are indications that denitrification processes were significantly stronger in 2017, but, on the other hand, increased chlorides resulted in stronger inhibition of nitrification processes in alpine zones at sites below mountain lakes.
Dominant Smart Contracts Based on Major Bargaining Solutions
Authors: Mohammadhosseini Fadafan Elmira , Vetschera Rudolf 
Published: November 2023

AbstractWe consider a situation in which two parties have concluded an efficient contract corresponding to one major bargaining solution. After the parties have agreed on one particular contract, an unanticipated shock may change the contract outcomes in a way that benefits one party but harms the other party. If this happens, they have the option to either stay with the original exchange contract or adjust some contract parameters such as the price. We propose a model to perform such adjustments automatically, to obtain the same bargaining solution as in the initial contract under the restriction that the new contract dominates the outcomes of the original contract. We study several bargaining solutions within this general framework. These bargaining solutions offer various sharing rules to distribute the benefit between the parties. To reflect practical considerations, we only consider adjustments made via one contract parameter (the price), while all other parameters result from the original contract and the random shock. To evaluate the efficiency of the proposed approach, we also compare it to a full re-negotiation scenario, in which all parameters can be modified within the boundaries resulting after the random shock. However, waiting and re-negotiation might be costly compared to the situation when the smart contract executes the adjustment automatically. Therefore, the automatic adjustment might be more efficient compared to the other types of contracts. We present several numerical examples and run large random simulations, which we also check statistically.
Deep reinforcement learning for multi-class imbalanced training: applications in healthcare
Authors: Yang Jenny , El-Bouri Rasheed , O’Donoghue Odhran , Lachapelle Alexander S. , Soltan Andrew A. S. , Eyre David W. , Lu Lei , Clifton David A. 
Published: November 2023

AbstractWith the rapid growth of memory and computing power, datasets are becoming increasingly complex and imbalanced. This is especially severe in the context of clinical data, where there may be one rare event for many cases in the majority class. We introduce an imbalanced classification framework, based on reinforcement learning, for training extremely imbalanced data sets, and extend it for use in multi-class settings. We combine dueling and double deep Q-learning architectures, and formulate a custom reward function and episode-training procedure, specifically with the capability of handling multi-class imbalanced training. Using real-world clinical case studies, we demonstrate that our proposed framework outperforms current state-of-the-art imbalanced learning methods, achieving more fair and balanced classification, while also significantly improving the prediction of minority classes.
Asymmetric electrochemical synthesis in flow
Authors: Mazzarella Daniele 
Published: November 2023

AbstractWe are currently experiencing a resurgence in the realm of electrochemical organic synthesis, driven by the transformative potential of conducting redox chemistry under mild conditions through the simple use of electrons, thereby circumventing the use of harmful reductants and oxidants. This renaissance is further bolstered by the fusion of electrochemistry with flow chemistry, which not only grants precise control over reaction parameters but also promotes sustainability and heightened reproducibility. Despite these promising advancements, the application of flow electrochemistry to steer asymmetric processes remains in its nascent stage. This perspective delves into the limited contributions to date, shedding light on critical challenges and presenting prospective solutions that are essential for fully unleashing the untapped potential of this field.
Graphical abstract