bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Ethane and Propane Dehydrogenation on Small Platinum Clusters Supported on Silica: An Ab Initio Molecular Dynamics and DFT Study
Authors: Kumar Pankaj , Srivastava Vimal Chandra 
Published: November 2023

AbstractThe size‐dependent activity of catalysts has been researched for a long time in the field of catalysis. Positively charged small Pt clusters enhance catalytic activity than bigger clusters and bulk for propane dehydrogenation. We performed DFT calculations on small Pt clusters adsorbed on silica support. The planar structure of Pt clusters is present till 4 Pt atoms, after which three‐dimensional structures are observed. AIMD and DFT calculations for silica showed that it has a high surface area and thermal stability suitable to conduct dehydrogenation reactions. The adsorption of Pt cluster on silica results in the formation of directional bonds which affects the properties of the adsorbed Pt catalysts by changing the redox properties. In the bulk phase, ethane and propane molecules undergo dehydrogenation reactions with 0.133 eV atom−1 and 0.244 eV atom−1 energies, respectively. NEB calculations showed that except for Pt‐2/SiO2, all the even Pt clusters require less activation energy than the neighboring odd Pt clusters. Ethane molecule interacting with Pt‐4/SiO2, Pt‐5/SiO2, Pt‐6/SiO2, and propane with Pt‐3/SiO2, Pt‐4/SiO2, Pt‐5/SiO2, Pt‐6/SiO2, follows the reverse Horiuti–Polanyi mechanism during dehydrogenation, whereas non‐reverse Horiuti–Polanyi mechanism (which requires comparatively lower activation energy) is followed for smaller Pt clusters.
Environmental metagenetics unveil novel plant‐pollinator interactions
Authors: Wizenberg Sydney B. , Newburn Laura R. , Richardson Rodney T. , Pepinelli Mateus , Conflitti Ida M. , Moubony Mashaba , Borges Daniel , Guarna M. Marta , Guzman‐Novoa Ernesto , Foster Leonard J. , Zayed Amro 
Published: November 2023

AbstractHoney bees are efficient pollinators of flowering plants, aiding in the plant reproductive cycle and acting as vehicles for evolutionary processes. Their role as agents of selection and drivers of gene flow is instrumental to the structure of plant populations, but historically, our understanding of their influence has been limited to predominantly insect‐dispersed flowering species. Recent metagenetic work has provided evidence that honey bees also forage on pollen from anemophilous species, suggesting that their role as vectors for transmission of plant genetic material is not confined to groups designated as entomophilous, and leading us to ask: could honey bees act as dispersal agents for non‐flowering plant taxa? Using an extensive pollen metabarcoding dataset from Canada, we discovered that honey bees may serve as dispersal agents for an array of sporophytes (Anchistea, Claytosmunda, Dryopteris, Osmunda, Osmundastrum, Equisetum) and bryophytes (Funaria, Orthotrichum, Sphagnum, Ulota). Our findings also suggest that honey bees may occasionally act as vectors for the dispersal of aquatic phototrophs, specifically Coccomyxa and Protosiphon, species of green algae. Our work has shed light on the broad resource‐access patterns that guide plant‐pollinator interactions and suggests that bees could act as vectors of gene flow, and potentially even agents of selection, across Plantae.
Applicability of environmental DNA metabarcoding for the hyporheic zone of a stream bed
Authors: Tanaka Aki , Katano Izumi , Doi Hideyuki , Iguchi Mami , Koike Shohei 
Published: November 2023

AbstractHyporheic zones play a crucial role in ecological processes primarily orchestrated by hyporheic organisms, known as hyporheos. Our understanding of riverine biodiversity, encompassing hyporheic zones, remains limited. Therefore, the development of a method for the facile and accurate detection of hyporheic communities is imperative. Thus, we evaluated the applicability of environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding surveys in the hyporheic zone in a small stream in Japan. We conducted simultaneous direct sampling and eDNA surveys at two different locations (head and tail of a rapid and a bar) and during two different seasons (less and more disturbed periods). Subsequently, we compared the outcomes of these sampling methods, locations, and seasons. Through eDNA metabarcoding targeting the cytochrome‐c oxidase subunit I (COI) regions, we successfully identified a diverse array of hyporheic and benthic taxa in all samples. Remarkably, the performance of eDNA metabarcoding was comparable to the identification of directly sampled benthos and hyporheos. We observed a 62%–78% concordance between direct sampling and eDNA metabarcoding. Notably, eDNA metabarcoding revealed a higher number of hyporheic taxa compared to direct sampling. Moreover, the relative detectability of hyporheos by eDNA metabarcoding differed between the seasons, unlike direct sampling. Our findings underscore the importance of conducting both eDNA surveys and direct sampling to comprehensively assess the composition of the stream community while accounting for seasonal variations. This study demonstrates the utility of eDNA metabarcoding as a non‐destructive approach for investigating the hyporheic zone, enabling a more effective assessment of riverine biodiversity.
Accountability in the Anthropocene: Activating responsible agents of reform or futile finger‐pointing?
Authors: Macdonald Kate 
Published: November 2023

AbstractConfronted by intersecting ecological and social crises associated with the rise of the Anthropocene, architects of global environmental governance have often attempted to harness accountability claims to single out the individual or organisational actors contributing most significantly to these crises and pressure them to uphold responsibilities to society and the planet. Yet critics have cautioned against excessive reliance on individualised accountabilities as means of tackling planetary crises, given the constrained ability of such approaches to lead the large‐scale transformations required to redirect anthropogenic drivers of global environmental change. This article adapts agent‐centered approaches to accountability to address such critiques. It is first argued that agent‐centered accountability is an important element in broader efforts to support systemic change, helping to identify responsible powerholders, redefine normative standards of responsibility and empower advocates of strengthened global environmental governance to demand compliance with expanded responsibilities. However to take seriously the distinctive demands of large‐scale institutional change, such approaches need to be: (a) differentiated in ways that account for the contrasting roles of different individual and organisational actors within de‐centred accountability systems; (b) materially extended in ways that enable agents to be held more effectively to account for their contributions to collective social and political processes; and (c) discursively challenged in ways that resist discursive efforts to present individualised accountabilities as substitutes for more radical and large‐scale institutional interventions. The article's argument is elaborated and illustrated through exploration of problems and practices of accountability associated with the contested governance of global production systems.
Uncertainty and investment: Evidence from domestic oil rigs
Authors: Dossani Asad , Elder John 
Published: November 2023

AbstractWe provide new evidence on the response of investment to uncertainty, using granular and high‐frequency (weekly) data on domestic oil drilling and oil prices since 2012, corresponding to the period of widespread horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing in the United States. Weekly data permits much weaker identifying restrictions than is required with monthly data that is common in the literature. We measure domestic drilling activity by the number of rigs drilling for oil, and we measure oil uncertainty by implied volatility from options on oil futures and the return on delta‐neutral straddles from options on oil futures. We show that the number of oil drilling rigs are tightly linked to both oil prices and oil uncertainty, and we find that oil uncertainty significantly decreases the number of drilling rigs, with a one standard deviation increase in uncertainty reducing the number of drilling rigs by up to 5%.
Understanding the interplay of self‐regulated learning strategies in medical education: A cross‐sectional structural equation modeling study
Authors: Faisal Eman 
Published: November 2023

AbstractBackground and AimsAlthough previous studies have investigated self‐regulated learning strategies, a holistic study has not been conducted on note‐taking, environmental structuring, self‐evaluation, and self‐consequence strategies among medical students. The current study focused on the relationships between these four self‐regulated learning strategies in a medical context.MethodsA conceptual model of the four strategies was developed, supported by the relevant literature. This cross‐sectional study used an electronic structured questionnaire. The sample consisted of 557 medical undergraduates. The data were analysed using confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling to investigate the hypothetical model.ResultsThe conceptual model fits the data well. All relationships between the strategies were significantly positive, except for a regression between environmental structuring and self‐evaluation, which was nonsignificant. Self‐evaluation strategies represented the highest mean, whereas self‐consequence strategies represented the lowest.ConclusionThe findings of this study have implications for medical students, their teachers, and their universities regarding ways to enhance learners' regulated learning strategies. Future research should be conducted to develop additional statistical and comparison models for use in experimental studies and longitudinal investigations.
Recent Advances in Electrochemical Reductive Transformation of C−C and C−O Multiple Bonds
Authors: Halder Atreyee , Mahanty Kingshuk , Maiti Debabrata , De Sarkar Suman 
Published: November 2023

AbstractIn recent decades, electro‐organic synthesis is indubitably emerging as a cornerstone of modern organic chemistry. Electrochemical organic transformations especially reduction reactions have made massive advancements in the last few years because of their sustainable and environ‐friendly nature. Electro‐reductive protocols can be used as a promising substitute for conventional reductants by expelling the requirement of the stoichiometric amount of metal reductants. The major challenges for these electro‐reductive reactions are primarily the use of a sacrificial electrode and divided cells. These limitations can be resolved through smart reaction planning by employing cheap sacrificial reagents or paired electrolysis without compromising the sustainable viewpoint. Considering the rapid enhancement in this field, imparting an intangible understanding of this evolving area is essential and substantial. In this review, we portrayed the electrochemical reductive transformations of C−C and C−O bonds after 2015 along with detailed mechanistic insights.
Crude collection efficiency of CD34+ hematopoietic stem cell apheresis
Authors: Castillo‐Aleman Yandy Marx 
Published: November 2023

AbstractUnderstanding the apheresis principles for harvesting hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) is critical for performing efficient procedures. However, despite significant advances in estimating the collection efficiency (CE) of aphereses, many confounding factors still need to be addressed in the classical calculations. The CE values are unrestricted, and many procedures exhibit CEs of a given cell population greater than 100%. This report introduces a simple equation that estimates the “crude” CE, which ranges from 0% to 100% and intrinsically considers the contribution of donor‐related variables such as the pre‐procedure mobilization and intra‐apheresis recruitment of CD34+ cells (as a convenient marker for HSCs), as well as the performance of the apheresis system itself.
Erxian Decoction‐induced serum exosomes slowed bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell senescence through mitophagy
Authors: Huang Haoqiang , Qian Yinhua , Feng Ye , Wang Yitao , Qian Pingkang , Xu Feng , Wang Qing 
Published: November 2023

AbstractObjectiveErxian Decoction (EXD) is traditionally employed in the treatment of menopausal syndromes, although its underlying mechanisms remain largely undefined. Given that the senescence of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) is intertwined with organismal aging and associated diseases, this study endeavored to elucidate the influence of EXD on aging BMSCs and uncover the mechanisms through which EXD impedes BMSC senescence.MethodsInitially, we probed the anti‐senescent mechanisms of EXD on BMSCs via network pharmacology. We subsequently isolated and identified exosomes from the serum of EXD‐fed rats (EXD‐Exos) and administered these to H2O2‐induced aging BMSC. Assays were conducted to assess BMSC senescence indicators and markers pertinent to mitochondrial autophagy. Treatments with mitophagy inhibitors and activators were then employed to substantiate our findings.ResultsProtein–protein interaction (PPI) network analyses spotlighted AKT1, TP53, TNF, JUN, VEGFA, IL6, CASP3 and EGFR as focal targets. Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encylcopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analyses underscored oxidative stress, mitophagy and cell proliferation as pivotal processes. Our cellular assays ascertained that EXD‐Exos mitigated H2O2‐induced senescence phenotypes in BMSCs. Moreover, EXD‐Exos ameliorated disrupted mitophagy in BMSCs, as evidenced by enhanced cellular membrane potential and diminished reactive oxygen species levels. Intriguingly, EXD‐Exos also preserved the osteogenic differentiation potential of BMSCs while curtailing their adipogenic propensity.ConclusionOur findings compellingly suggest that EXD counteracts BMSC senescence by fostering mitophagy.
Empathy‐related differences in the anterior cingulate functional connectivity of regular cannabis users when compared to controls
Authors: Olalde‐Mathieu Víctor E. , Atilano‐Barbosa Daniel , Angulo‐Perkins Arafat , Licea‐Haquet Giovanna L , Dominguez‐Frausto Cesar Arturo , Barrios Fernando A. , Alcauter Sarael 
Published: November 2023

AbstractIt has been reported that cannabis consumption affects the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), a structure with a central role in mediating the empathic response. In this study, we compared psychometric scores of empathy subscales, between a group of regular cannabis users (85, users) and a group of non‐consumers (51, controls). We found that users have a greater Emotional Comprehension, a cognitive empathy trait involving the understanding of the “other” emotional state. Resting state functional MRI in a smaller sample (users = 46, controls = 34) allowed to identify greater functional connectivity (FC) of the ACC with the left somatomotor cortex (SMC), in users when compared to controls. These differences were also evident within the empathy core network, where users showed greater within network FC. The greater FC showed by the users is associated with emotional representational areas and empathy‐related regions. In addition, the differences in psychometric scores suggest that users have more empathic comprehension. These findings suggest a potential association between cannabis use, a greater comprehension of the other's affective state and the functional brain organization of the users. However, further research is needed to explore such association, since many other factors may be at play.
We were all in it together: Managing work from home as dual‐earner households with school‐age children
Authors: Beigi Mina , Shirmohammadi Melika , Au Wee Chan , Tochia Chira 
Published: November 2023

SummaryWe examine how professional dual‐earner couples, with school‐age children, who worked from home during the COVID‐19 lockdown, adjusted to the changes it brought to their lives. To do so, we conducted a qualitative study of 28 dual‐earner households that had at least one school‐age child, resided in China, Iran, Malaysia, the United Kingdom, or the United States, and worked from home during their local lockdown period. In each household, we interviewed the parents (56 total), and we asked at least one child to draw their perception of their parents' work‐from‐home experience and narrate the drawing (31 total). Informed by work–home interface and family stress scholarships, we outline the resources and demands generated by working at home as a family, as well as the strategies families employed to manage their collective work from home. We extend work‐from‐home scholarship beyond the individual level by accounting for the roles of all collective members in the work‐from‐home experience. We complement the research that has studied individual‐ and couple‐level work–family strategies by theorizing the supportive, attentive, relational, delegative, and compromising strategies families adopted to generate changes in resource‐demand dynamics. In doing so, we introduce family adaptive capability for the context of adjusting to work from home and define it as a collective ability to initiate strategies to meet remote work demands with resources generated from the new work arrangement. At a practical level, the strategies presented in our work can inform employers of dual‐earner couples and families experiencing similar dynamics.
Sex differences in corticospinal excitability and quadriceps performance after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction
Authors: Leung Anne , Kantak Shailesh , Hammoud Sommer , Abraham Rebekah , Zarzycki Ryan 
Published: November 2023

AbstractAnterior cruciate ligament (ACL) ruptures result in lasting quadriceps dysfunction that contributes to secondary injury risk and development of osteoarthritis. There is evidence of persistent reduced nervous system drive (corticospinal excitability [CSE]) to the quadriceps and sex differences in both quadriceps performance and CSE post‐ACL reconstruction (ACLR). The purposes of this study were to investigate the differences in CSE and quadriceps dysfunction after ACLR between sexes and relative to controls. Twenty subjects 4–9 months post‐ACLR and 20 age, sex, and activity matched controls participated in this study. Quadriceps performance (peak torque, PT; rate of torque development from onset to 100 ms, RTD100; and RTD from 100 to 200ms, RTD200) and CSE (active motor threshold; slope of the stimulus response (SR) curve, SR curve slope) were measured using an isokinetic dynamometer (HUMAC NORM) and transcranial magnetic stimulation respectively. Significant group differences were found for SR curve slope, PT, RTD100, and RTD200 on the surgical limb. Males after ACLR had higher slopes (higher CSE) than females. Females after ACLR had worse surgical limb quadriceps PT than control males and slower RTD100 and RTD200 than control males and control females. Higher CSE in males after ACLR may point to a potentially adaptive neurological change in males post‐ACLR and indicate greater need for novel interventions to address cortical drive in females after ACLR.
Xylobiose treatment strengthens intestinal barrier function by regulating claudin 2 and heat shock protein 27 expression in human Caco‐2 cells
Authors: Rini Dina Mustika , Nakamichi Yusuke , Morita Tomotake , Inoue Hiroyuki , Mizukami Yoichi , Yamamoto Yoshinari , Suzuki Takuya 
Published: November 2023

AbstractBACKGROUNDXylobiose, a non‐digestible disaccharide, largely contributes to the beneficial physiological effects of xylooligosaccharides. However, there is insufficient evidence to assess the direct effect of xylobiose on intestinal barrier function. Here, we investigated the intestinal barrier function in human intestinal Caco‐2 cells treated with xylobiose.RESULTSIn total, 283 genes were upregulated and 256 genes were downregulated in xylobiose‐treated Caco‐2 cells relative to the controls. We focused on genes related to intestinal barrier function, such as tight junction (TJ) and heat shock protein (HSP). Xylobiose decreased the expression of the TJ gene Claudin 2 (CLDN2) and increased the expression of the cytoprotective HSP genes HSPB1 and HSPA1A, which encode HSP27 and HSP70, respectively. Immunoblot analysis confirmed that xylobiose suppressed CLDN2 expression and enhanced HSP27 and HSP70 expression. A quantitative reverse transcription‐PCR and promoter assays indicated that xylobiose post‐transcriptionally regulated CLDN2 and HSPB1 levels. Additionally, selective inhibition of phosphatidyl‐3‐inositol kinase (PI3K) inhibited xylobiose‐mediated CLDN2 expression, whereas HSP27 expression induced by xylobiose was sensitive to the inhibition of PI3K, mitogen‐activated protein kinase kinase and Src.CONCLUSIONThe results of the present study reveal that xylobiose suppresses CLDN2 and increases HSP27 expression in intestinal Caco‐2 cells via post‐transcriptional regulation, potentially strengthening intestinal barrier integrity; however, these effects seem to occur via different signaling pathways. Our findings may help to assess the physiological role of xylobiose. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.
Quality by design‐guided development of a capillary electrophoresis method for the simultaneous chiral purity determination and impurity profiling of tamsulosin
Authors: Modroiu Adriana , Krait Sulaiman , Hancu Gabriel , Scriba Gerhard K. E. 
Published: November 2023

Analytical Quality by Design principles using the design of experiments were applied for the development of a capillary electrophoresis method for the determination of enantiomeric purity and chemically related impurities of tamsulosin. From initial scouting experiments, a dual cyclodextrin (CD) system composed of sulfated β‐CD and carboxymethyl‐α‐CD was selected as the chiral selector. A fractional factorial resolution V+ design was used for the identification of the critical process parameters, while a face‐centered central composite design and Monte Carlo simulations were employed for final optimization and defining the design space of the method. The experimental conditions of the working point were: 30 mM sodium phosphate buffer, pH 3.0, containing 40 mg/mL sulfated β‐CD and 7 mg/mL carboxymethyl‐α‐CD, capillary temperature 18°C, applied voltage ‐23 kV. Following the assessment of robustness by applying a Plackett‐Burman design, the method was validated according to the International Council for Harmonization of Technical Requirements for Pharmaceuticals for Human Use guideline Q2(R1). The method allowed the quantification of the chiral impurity and three other related impurities at the 0.1 % level with acceptable accuracy and precision.