bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Surface Modification of PAN‐Derived Commercial Graphite Felts Using Deep Eutectic Solvents for their Application as Electrodes in All‐Vanadium Redox Flow Batteries
Authors: Murillo‐Herrera L. Mauricio , Aguilar Eneith S. , Thielke Michael W. , Jorge Sobrido Ana 
Published: January 2023

AbstractAll‐vanadium redox flow batteries are promising large‐scale energy storage solutions to support intermittent power generation. Commercial graphite felts are among the most used materials as electrodes for these batteries due to their cheap price, high conductivity, and large surface area. However, these materials exhibit poor wettability and electrochemical activity towards vanadium redox reactions, which translates into overpotentials and lower efficiencies. Deep eutectic solvents (DES) are mixtures of Lewis acids and bases that exhibit lower melting points than their original components. Here, a DES composed of choline chloride and urea, and a DES composed of FeCl3 and NH4Cl have been employed to modify the surface of graphite felts alongside a series of re‐carbonization steps. The resulting materials were compared against pristine, thermally activated, and oxidatively activated graphite felts. Our results indicated that the treatments introduced new oxygen and nitrogen functionalities to the carbonaceous surface and increased the surface area, the degree of disorder and defects in the graphitic layers of the fibres. Cyclic voltammetry studies demonstrated higher electrochemical activity towards vanadium redox reactions and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy experiments showed the modified materials exhibited significantly lower charge transfer resistances. When tested in full cell configuration the electrode modified with the urea‐based DES exhibited comparable coulombic efficiencies and superior energy storage capacity retention than the thermally oxidized felt used as benchmark, suggesting that the introduction of oxygen‐ and nitrogen‐rich functional groups had a positive effect on the overall electrochemical performance of graphite felts.
Potential biofuel exploitation from two common Vietnamese Euphorbia plants (Euphorbiaceae)
Authors: Duy Khang Nguyen Vu , Y Nhi Nguyen Thi , Quan Tran Le 
Published: January 2023

AbstractIn this work, two common Vietnamese Euphorbia plants, Euphorbia tirucalli Linn. (the milk bush) and Euphorbia tithymaloides Linn. (the milk hedge), have been investigated for potential use as biofuels. Their aerial parts were macerated with different solvents [petroleum ether, ethyl acetate (EA), methanol and water] to obtain extracts. The extracts were put through petrochemical composition analyses, including elemental analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectra recording and fatty acids composition analysis by HPLC. Subsequently, extracts were subjected to thermal gravimetric analysis for determination of some petrochemical contents. In addition, the gross calorific values (GCVs) of all extracts were determined and compared with those of other Euphorbia species and fuels. The obtained results showed the high petrochemical properties of Euphorbia tirucalli and moderately high ones of Euphorbia tithymaloides. Their estimated total rubber content values were then determined and compared with those of strains of other countries. The petroleum ether extract possessed the highest GCV, followed by the EA extract of E. tirucalli, then the EA extract of E. tithymaloides. Their GCVs were higher than those of some of other Euphorbia plants, conventional fuels like anthracite or lignite, and asymptotic to those of present fuels, including diesel and gasoline. Together with the plants’ well‐known tolerance of harsh conditions, such interesting phytochemical and petrochemical results significantly contribute to the potential for biofuel exploitation of Vietnamese E. tirucalli and E. tithymaloides. © 2023 Society of Industrial Chemistry and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
A review of electrical properties of biodiesel and its blends: experimental data, prediction models and applications
Authors: Alviso Dario , Corach Julián 
Published: January 2023

AbstractBiodiesel is widely used pure or mixed with diesel fossil fuel in diesel engines. Standards for determining biodiesel quality establish limits for the values of several physicochemical properties. However, the procedures to determine many properties are time‐consuming and demand specialized personnel and expensive equipment. Other methods to characterize biodiesel, such as electrical methods, are particularly interesting. Measurements of electrical properties (permittivity and conductivity) give valuable information about biodiesel, its feedstocks, and its blends with fossil fuel diesel, and solve the usual cost and time drawbacks. This work aims to present a thorough and systematic review of the literature on applications of electrical properties measurements of biodiesel, its feedstocks, and mixtures with other fuels. An overview of the experimental data, typical ranges of values, prediction models, and applications is presented and analyzed in detail, emphasizing blends of biodiesel with fossil fuel diesel. Correlations with important properties (kinematic viscosity, methanol content) are reviewed. Applications include transesterification monitoring, biodiesel aging, the detection of contaminants and electromagnetic heating. This research aimed to determine whether electrical properties are a valuable tool for the biodiesel industry, and what applications may be realized in light of current scientific development. It was determined that, in the current state of research, permittivity measurements could be used to accurately determine the amount of diesel and biodiesel in mixtures. © 2023 Society of Industrial Chemistry and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Interferon and myeloproliferative neoplasms: Evolving therapeutic approaches
Authors: Swaroop Alok , Saleiro Diana , Platanias Leonidas C. 
Published: January 2023

AbstractInterferons (IFNs) are a diverse group of cytokines whose potent antitumor effects have piqued the interest of scientists for decades. Some of the most sustained clinical accomplishments have been in the field of myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs). Here, we discuss how both historical and novel breakthroughs in our understanding of IFN function may lead to more effective therapies for MPNs. The particular relevance and importance of modulating the novel IFN‐regulated ULK1 pathway to optimize IFN responses is highlighted.
Bayesian design for minimizing prediction uncertainty in bivariate spatial responses with applications to air quality monitoring
Authors: Senarathne S. G. J. , Müller Werner G. , McGree James M. 
Published: January 2023

AbstractModel‐based geostatistical design involves the selection of locations to collect data to minimize an expected loss function over a set of all possible locations. The loss function is specified to reflect the aim of data collection, which, for geostatistical studies, could be to minimize the prediction uncertainty at unobserved locations. In this paper, we propose a new approach to design such studies via a loss function derived through considering the entropy about the model predictions and the parameters of the model. The approach includes a multivariate extension to generalized linear spatial models, and thus can be used to design experiments with more than one response. Unfortunately, evaluating our proposed loss function is computationally expensive so we provide an approximation such that our approach can be adopted to design realistically sized geostatistical studies. This is demonstrated through a simulated study and through designing an air quality monitoring program in Queensland, Australia. The results show that our designs remain highly efficient in achieving each experimental objective individually, providing an ideal compromise between the two objectives. Accordingly, we advocate that our approach could be adopted more generally in model‐based geostatistical design.
Bayesian and influence function‐based empirical likelihoods for inference of sensitivity to the early diseased stage in diagnostic tests
Authors: Hai Yan , Shi Shuangfei , Qin Gengsheng , for the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging  
Published: January 2023

AbstractIn practice, a disease process might involve three ordinal diagnostic stages: the normal healthy stage, the early stage of the disease, and the stage of full development of the disease. Early detection is critical for some diseases since it often means an optimal time window for therapeutic treatments of the diseases. In this study, we propose a new influence function‐based empirical likelihood method and Bayesian empirical likelihood methods to construct confidence/credible intervals for the sensitivity of a test to patients in the early diseased stage given a specificity and a sensitivity of the test to patients in the fully diseased stage. Numerical studies are performed to compare the finite sample performances of the proposed approaches with existing methods. The proposed methods are shown to outperform existing methods in terms of coverage probability. A real dataset from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ANDI) is used to illustrate the proposed methods.
Business strategies and corruption in small‐ and medium‐sized enterprises: The impact of business group affiliation, external auditing, and international standards certification
Authors: Changwony Frederick Kibon , Kyiu Anthony Kwabena 
Published: January 2023

AbstractWe examine the impact of three business strategies separately and in combination on the tendency for firms to engage in corruption. Using a sample of 56,827 firm‐year observations for small‐ and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) over the 2006–2018 period, we find that firms with business group affiliations are more likely to engage in corrupt practices in countries with low business freedom. However, those in countries with high business freedom are less likely to do so. We also find that firms that engage the services of external auditors and adopt international standards are less likely to be corrupt, especially in countries with weak financial reporting standards. Our results also show that corruption intensity reduces even more for firms that employ the three strategies, whether we consider institutional factors or not. This result holds when we use a three‐way interaction term. We conclude that the three strategies are mutually reinforcing and that firm‐level and country‐level efforts complement each other in mitigating corruption.
Peripheral and tumor‐infiltrating immune cells are correlated with patient outcomes in ovarian cancer
Authors: Zhang Weiwei , Ling Yawen , Li Zhidong , Peng Xingchen , Ren Yazhou 
Published: January 2023

AbstractObjectiveAt present, there is still a lack of reliable biomarkers for ovarian cancer (OC) to guide prognosis prediction and accurately evaluate the dominant population of immunotherapy. In recent years, the relationship between peripheral blood markers and tumor‐infiltrating immune cells (TICs) with cancer has attracted much attention. However, the relationship between the survival of OC patients and intratumoral‐ or extratumoral‐associated immune cells remains controversial.MethodsIn this study, four machine‐learning algorithms were used to predict overall survival in OC patients based on peripheral blood indicators. To further screen out immune‐related gene and molecular targets, we systematically explored the correlation between TICs and OC patient survival based on The Cancer Genome Atlas database. Using the TICs score method, patients were divided into a low immune infiltrating cell group and a high immune infiltrating cell group.ResultsThe results showed that there was a significant statistical significance between the peripheral blood indicators and the survival prognosis of OC patients. Survival analysis showed that TICs play a crucial role in the survival of OC patients. Four core genes, CXCL9, CD79A, MS4A1, and MZB1, were identified by cross‐PPI and COX regression analysis. Further analysis found that these genes were significantly associated with both TICs and survival in OC patients.ConclusionsThese results suggest that both peripheral blood markers and TICs can be used as prognostic predictors in patients with OC, and CXCL9, CD79A, MS4A1, and MZB1 may be potential therapeutic targets for OC immunotherapy.
Adequate lymph node dissection is essential for accurate nodal staging in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma: A population‐based study
Authors: Zhu Jiang , Liu Chang , Li Hui , Ren Haoyu , Cai Yunshi , Lan Tian , Wu Hong 
Published: January 2023

AbstractPurposeTo comprehensively investigate the implications of lymph node dissection (LND) and the prognostic impact of the number of lymph node (LN) metastases on survival in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) using a large‐scale study.MethodsPatients who underwent surgical resection for ICC between 2004 and 2018 were identified from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) registries. The Kaplan–Meier and log‐rank tests were used to compare cancer‐specific survival (CSS) and overall survival (OS) between different groups. Propensity score matching (PSM) and subgroup analyses were performed to balance potential confounding factors. A multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to identify prognostic factors of survival outcomes. Restricted cubic splines fitted in the Cox proportional hazard regression models were also conducted to examine associations between continuous variables and outcomes.ResultsIn all, 1028 patients were enrolled. There were 652 (63.4%) patients undergoing LND, with lymph node metastasis (LNM) confirmed in 212 (32.5%) cases. Patients receiving LND did not show better survival outcomes than those receiving non‐LND (NLND). We divided the LND group into two subgroups: patients with LNM (+) and those without LNM (−). Among these three groups, patients with LNM experienced the worst CSS and OS, while NLND patients had similar survival times to LNM (−) patients. Restricted cubic spline analysis indicated that an increased number of LNM was associated with a decreased chance of survival (p < 0.001). Patients who received LND were further categorized as having no nodal metastasis (N0), 1–2 LNM (N1), or ≥3 LNM (N2) according to the number of LNM. The Kaplan–Meier curves showed that the mortality risk of patients with N0, N1, and N2 disease (median CSS, N0 50.0 vs. N1 22.0 vs. N2 14.0 months; median OS, N0 46.0 vs. N1 21.0 vs. N2 14.0 months, all p < 0.01) increased significantly, except for patients who had <6 LNs harvested. On multivariable survival analysis, a higher nodal stage (N1 vs. N0: CSS, hazard ratio [HR] 2.135, 95% CI 1.636–2.788, p < 0.001; OS, HR 2.100, 95% CI 1.624–2.717, p < 0.001; N2 vs. N0: CSS, HR 4.027, 95% CI 2.791–5.811, p < 0.001; OS, HR 3.678, 95% CI 2.561–5.282, p < 0.001) was an independent prognostic risk factor for survival.ConclusionsDespite the lack of a clear survival benefit of LND in patients with ICC, a significant positive association between the number of LNM and poor outcomes was observed. We still suggest adequate LND by examining at least six LNs to ensure precise staging. On this basis, the recently proposed nodal classification of N0, N1, and N2 stages may also allow better prognostic stratification of ICC patients.
Changing incentives to ACCELERATE drug development for paediatric cancer
Authors: de Rojas Teresa , Kearns Pamela , Blanc Patricia , Skolnik Jeffrey , Fox Elizabeth , Knox Leona , Rousseau Raphael , Doz François , Bird Nick , Pearson Andrew J. , Vassal Gilles 
Published: January 2023

AbstractBackgroundMore effective incentives are needed to motivate paediatric oncology drug development, uncoupling it from dependency on adult drug development. Although the current European and North‐American legislations aim to promote drug development for paediatrics and rare diseases, children and adolescents with cancer have not benefited as expected from these initiatives and cancer remains the first cause of death by disease in children older than one. Drug development for childhood cancer remains dependent on adult cancer indications and their potential market. The balance between the investment needed to execute a Paediatric Investigation Plan (PIP) in Europe and an initial Paediatric Study Plan (iPSP) in the US, coupled with the potential financial reward has not been sufficiently attractive to incite the pharmaceutical industry to develop drugs for rare indications such as childhood cancer.MethodsWe propose changes in the timing and nature of the rewards within the European Paediatric Medicine Regulation (PMR) and Regulation on Orphan Medicinal Products (both currently under review), which would drive earlier initiation of paediatric oncology studies and provide incentives for drug development specifically for childhood indications.ResultsWe suggest modifying the PMR to ensure mechanism‐of‐action driven mandatory PIP and reorganization of incentives to a stepwise and incremental approach. Interim and final deliverables should be defined within a PIP or iPSP, each attracting a reward on completion. A crucial change would be the introduction of the interim deliverable requiring production of paediatric data that inform the go/no‐go decisions on whether to take a drug forward to paediatric efficacy trials.ConclusionAdditionally, to address the critical gap in the current framework where there is a complete lack of incentives to promote paediatric‐specific cancer drug development, we propose the introduction of early rewards in the Orphan Regulation, with a variant on the US‐Creating Hope Act and its priority review vouchers.
A Novel Viologen‐Derived Covalent Organic Framework Based Metal Free Catalyst for Nitrophenol Reduction
Authors: Altınışık Sinem , Koyuncu Sermet 
Published: January 2023

AbstractIt is highly desirable to develop new metal free catalysts to reduction of toxic organic pollutants such as 4‐nitrophenol (4‐NP). Viologens are efficient electron‐transfer mediators (ETMs) for reduction reactions with NaBH4 as an effective hydrogen source. NaBH4‐assisted reduction of 4‐NP via a novel viologen‐based covalent organic framework as metal free catalyst has been reported. The butyl bridge between the pyridine moieties at viologen based COF‐TPCBP structure provides flexibility to the framework and gives the structure and amorphous character according to SEM, TEM and XRD results. The flexible 3D structure was also demonstrated by the geometric optimization. The structure without any metal moiety was fully completed to 4‐NP reduction in only 12 minutes and have 88 % efficiency after 5 catalytic cycles because of the porous surface of the COF‐TPCBP powder.
Direct Z‐scheme among Niobium Pentoxide and Poly(heptazine imide) for NH3 Photoelectrosynthesis under Ambient Conditions
Authors: Blaskievicz Sirlon F. , Freitas Teixeira Ivo , Mascaro Lucia Helena , Ferreira de Brito Juliana 
Published: January 2023

AbstractThere is a crescent need to improve well‐known processes to environmentally friendly options, and NH3 production is not an exception. Herein, we describe the photoelectrochemical nitrogen reduction reaction under a carbon nitride, the poly(heptazine imide) (PHI) using mild conditions for NH3 synthesis. For this purpose, PHI was combined with Nb2O5 nanotubes, leading to a new photocathode with a charge transfer process in a Z‐scheme structure. The photoelectrocatalytic N2 reduction was carried out in Nb2O5Nt/PHI using solar‐simulated radiation and with an applied bias of −0.3 VAg/AgCl. The PHI presence in the photocathode showed not only superior stability compared to bare Nb2O5, but also an ammonia generation rate of 0.156 mmol L−1 h−1 cm−2, which is about 10‐fold higher than the amount obtained with niobium oxide alone. The mild and green conditions employed for ammonia generation place the obtained photocathode as a promising option for the currently used Haber‐Bosch process.
Preparation, Characterization and Experimental Investigation of the Separation Performance of a Novel CaO‐based CO2 Sorbent for Direct Air Capture
Authors: Dott Anton , Gavrilis Dimitrios Georgakis , Drews Anja , Werner Andre 
Published: January 2023

AbstractThe capture of CO2 from air via direct air capture (DAC) is a promising way to reduce the carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere. The carbonation of calcium‐based adsorbents using ambient conditions is particularly interesting for DAC due to its high theoretical CO2 uptake capacity and its low cost. In this paper, a new preparation method of synthetic calcium oxide‐based pellets for a DAC process was investigated. Their CO2 capture performance was studied experimentally in a fixed‐bed column and characterization was performed via Brunauer‐Emmett‐Teller (BET) analysis, mercury porosimetry, X‐ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscopy. Higher heating rates during the precursor calcination process and higher relative humidities during the carbonation process were found to lead to higher CO2 capture efficiencies. All prepared pellets showed good mechanical stability.
Identification of Intermediates in the Reaction Pathway of SO2 on the CaO Surface: From Physisorption to Sulfite to Sulfate
Authors: Schewe Nils , Maleki Farahnaz , Di Liberto Giovanni , Gerdes Andreas , Idriss Hicham , Pacchioni Gianfranco , Wöll Christof 
Published: January 2023

AbstractThe interaction of CaO and Ca(OH)2 with solvated or gaseous SO2 plays a crucial role in the corrosion of urban infrastructure by acid rain or in the removal of SO2 from flue gas. We carried out a combined spectroscopic and theoretical investigation on the interaction of SO2 with a CaO(001) single crystal. First, the surface chemistry of SO2 was investigated at different temperatures using polarization‐resolved IR reflection absorption spectroscopy. Three species were identified, and an in‐depth density functional theory study was carried out, which allowed deriving a consistent picture. Unexpectedly, low temperature exposure to SO2 solely yields a physisorbed species. Only above 100 K, the transformation of this weakly bound adsorbate first to a chemisorbed sulfite and then to a sulfate occurs, effectively passivatating the surface. Our results provide the basis for more efficient strategies in corrosion protection of urban infrastructure and in lime‐based desulfurization of flue gas.
Visible Light‐Driven Catalyst‐Free Amination of Indoles Initiated by Electron Donor‐Acceptor Complexes
Authors: Sui Jiahong , Yang Zhonglie , Li Shuangqiao , Chen Xueqin , Zhang Xiaobin , Shen Qing , Jiang Hezhong , Li Jiahong 
Published: January 2023

Comprehensive SummaryThe visible light‐driven C2 or C3 amination of indoles without any additives was initiated via electron donor‐acceptor (EDA) complex formed by indole and N‐aminopyridinium salt. This method was compatible with a wide range of substrates and could proceed smoothly without the addition of any photocatalysts, transition‐metal catalysts, or bases. A variety of studies were carried out to examine the presence of EDA complex.