High Active Area Research Articles

Decompensated Liver Cirrhosis Research Network (UK-CLIF): Building consensus for hepatology trials in the UK

Liver disease is a major, and increasing, cause of death in the UK. The UK Chronic Liver Failure network (UK-CLIF) was developed as a multi-stakeholder network with the aim to advance cirrhosis research, with emphasis on geographical areas of high disease prevalence or limited research activity. The process involved network development through dissemination and snowball sampling techniques, with monitoring of network development and connections between participants, developed over two online meetings. Network membership included representatives from patients, carers, clinicians, researchers, R&D professionals, industry representatives, and the third sector. Subsequently, two facilitated in-person workshops were conducted with network participants. World Café methodology and participant dot voting was used to develop areas of priority and consensus in: (i) research infrastructure for cirrhosis clinical trials, (ii) clinical factors affecting research delivery, and (iii) research priorities for future trials. Thematic analysis demonstrated that the need for patient-centric trial materials, a lack of resource for clinicians to participate in research, and variability in the standard of inpatient care for cirrhosis, were barriers for cirrhosis clinical trials. Future activities for UK-CLIF include participation in a process of quality standard setting for inpatient care for cirrhosis, and coordination of a James Lind Alliance Priority Setting Partnership to develop research questions for liver cirrhosis.

“Nanoregion” effect of ionic liquid mixture system for preparing highly active porous electrocatalytic hydrogen production materials

The development of porous electrocatalytic materials with high activity and large specific surface area is the key to realizing efficient hydrogen production by water electrolysis. In this paper, a universial strategy for preparing porous non-precious metal electrocatalysts with high effective surface area is provided based on the “nanoregion” formed by ionic liquid mixture system, and the feasibility is verified by constructing a porous NiCo@NC based electrocatalyst. The microstructure, surface composition, specific surface area and electrochemical properties of the porous electrocatalyst are investigated systematically. Compared with the traditional hydrothermal synthesis, the “nanoregion” effect can give the NiCo@NC electrocatalyst rich pore structure and good hydrophilicity, thus effectively improve the effective surface area available for the electrochemical reaction. As a result, the overpotential for HER on NiCo@NC-500 prepared in the ionic liquid mixing system is 113 mV lower than that on NiCo@NC-500-w prepared by common hydrothermal process, and the Tafel slope decreases by 37 mV dec−1 (33.9 %), further verifying the effectiveness of this simple and green strategy to develop porous non-precious metal electrocatalysts for hydrogen production by the “nanoregion” effect of ionic liquid mixture system.

Large-cell Basaloid Adenocarcinoma of the Lung: A Clinicopathologic Study of 12 Cases of a Distinctive Form of Lung Cancer Often Mistaken for Large-cell Neuroendocrine Carcinoma.

A distinctive form of lung adenocarcinoma that closely mimics large-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma is described. The tumors arose in 6 women and 6 men aged 46-86 years (mean=58.4). They presented as peripheral subpleural masses measuring 2-12cm (mean=6.5cm). Histologically they were characterized by islands or anastomosing and serpiginous strands of large, atypical cells showing striking peripheral palisading of nuclei, with high mitotic activity and prominent comedo-like areas of necrosis. Because of the striking resemblance to neuroendocrine tumors, some of the cases were initially diagnosed as large-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma despite the absence of neuroendocrine markers. Immunohistochemistry showed positivity of the tumor cells for TTF1 and napsin-A, and negative staining for p40. The tumors were also uniformly negative for multiple neuroendocrine markers, including chromogranin, synaptophysin, CD56, and INSM1. Electron microscopy performed in 2 cases was negative for membrane-bound dense core neurosecretory granules. Pathogenic alterations were detected in 5 of 8 tumors tested by next-generation sequencing. Point mutations in KRAS and TP53 were identified in 5 patients. Low-level amplification of GNAS, KIT, and FGFR1 was present in 2 patients. No RB1 mutations were identified. Clinical follow-up in 10 cases showed that 2 patients died of their tumors, 2 experienced distant metastases, and 6 were alive and well from 1 to 13 years after diagnosis (median=7.1y). Large-cell basaloid adenocarcinoma is an unusual variant of lung cancer that is easily confused with large-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma. Awareness of this unusual variant of lung adenocarcinoma is important for treatment and prognosis and for avoiding misdiagnosis.

Establishing a plastic waste map using remote sensing data in the coastal area of Thanh Hoa province (Vietnam)

Plastic pollution, particularly in oceans, is a growing environmental threat. Monitoring this pollution is challenging due to the shortage of data and tools. Remote sensing offers a promising solution by using various types of satellite and aerial images to detect and track plastic waste movement. Purpose. The study aims to establish a plastic waste map using remote sensing technology, focusing on the case study of the coastal area of Thanh Hoa province, Vietnam. Methodology. The study involves several steps, including the collection of plastic waste data (samples in the case study and indices from remote sensing images) as well as topographic and base map collection, statistics of plastic samples, grid design, calculation, interpolation, accuracy assessment, and mapping. Field surveys involved taking pictures of plastic debris along designated routes and a grid system was used to classify and calculate waste samples. Satellite images, especially Sentinel-2 MSI optical satellite imagery, are utilized to identify water areas of high plastic concentration. Findings. A map of plastic wastes in coastal areas of Thanh Hoa was created, with indices like NDWI (Normalized Difference Water Index) and FDI (Floating Debris Index) helping identify potential plastic waste signals. The resulting map reveals high concentrations of plastic waste in sea areas near the major river mouths of the Ma River basin and tourist areas, which aligns with areas of high human activity. Originality. This is the first study of plastic waste in the coastal area using remote sensing data in Thanh Hoa province, Vietnam. Practical value. This study can contribute to the effective management of marine plastic waste in Thanh Hoa while opening up opportunities for applying the method to create marine plastic waste maps throughout Vietnam and foster long-term monitoring and management.

Advanced (Cu,Co)Se2 Nanocubes and Ti‐MXene Based Screen Printed Electrodes for High Performance Flexible Microsupercapacitors

AbstractNowadays, the demand for portable micro‐energy storage devices with high energy density and scalable printing with cost‐effective fabrication for microsupercapacitors (MSC) are essential. Furthermore, the urgent need for this high‐performance MSC to meet all industrial sector requirements are very challenging. Herein, the screen printable MSC with high energy density is demonstrated by using copper hexacyanocobaltate (CuHCCo) derived (Cu,Co)Se2 nanocubes as the positive electrode and Ti‐MXene (Ti3C2Tx) as the negative electrode. The prepared battery type (Cu,Co)Se2 nanocubes greatly enhance the high electrochemical activity and active surface area. As a result, it delivers a high specific capacity of 602 C g−1 at the current density of 1 A g−1. The fabricated screen printable asymmetric MSC has enhanced ion‐to‐electron transfer in printable microelectrodes with numerous electrochemical active sites and delivered the high areal capacitance of 58 mA cm−2 at the current density of 1 mA cm−2 with a wide potential window. The device gives a high energy density of 8.06 µWh cm−2 and a high power density of 5 mW cm−2. These results demonstrate the new strategies of fabricating electrode materials in screen printable asymmetric MSC and show promising in microscale energy storage devices in the miniaturized devices with sustainable self‐powered compatibility.

Spatio-temporal tendencies of urban land surface temperature on the Andean piedmont under climate change: A case study of Metropolitan Lima, Peru (1986–2024)

The increase in land surface temperature (LST) in megacities has contributed to global warming due to poor urban planning and high population concentration. This study analyzes spatio-temporal trend patterns of LST in the city of Metropolitan Lima, Peru, during the summers of 1986–2024. The Mann-Kendall tests and the Theil-Sen Slope method were used to analyze the spatio-temporal trends of LST, relating R2 and the Mann-Kendall p-value of the annual average LST in each district. A hierarchical cluster analysis was performed to group districts according to their average yearly LST. Urban heat islands were identified based on basin configuration and distance to the sea at 1 km intervals. The results reveal a significant increase in LST (p < 0.001) related to El Niño-Southern Oscillation phenomena, in addition to urban growth and land cover change. The significant positive trend of LST showed a heterogeneous distribution in all districts. The districts were grouped into three clusters with statistically significant differences in LST (p < 0.001), spatially configured radially from the sea to the foot of the Andes, up to 1179 m a.s.l. Urban heat islands did not correlate with significant positive trends in basins. Still, they showed a considerable increase in LST in areas of high economic activity, including dense commercial, industrial, and residential areas. This information is crucial to managing climate change adaptation and mitigation measures and contributing to sustainable urban planning focused on the population's well-being.

Investigation on the Instability Mechanism of Expansive Soil Slope With Weak Interlayer Based on Strain Softening

ABSTRACTExpansive soils are widespread in the world and coincide with areas of high human activity. The main cause of deep instability of expansive soil slopes is due to their softening caused by excavation and seepage. By developing a comprehensive numerical model based on the theory of unsaturated soil, this study examines the characteristics of stress and displacement distribution of expansive soil slopes through hydraulic‐mechanical coupled numerical simulation. This study analyzes the evolution patterns of slopes with excavation unloading and seepage of water storage to reveal the mechanisms of deep‐seated instability of expansive soil slopes. The findings demonstrate that: The instability of expansive soil slopes begins at the foot of the slope and propagates along the interlayer, affecting the entire slope. Excavation leads to the softening of the expansive soil interlayer and the transfer of shear stress. During water storage, the weakening of the soil strength results in slope instability along the weak interlayer slip. Softening of the expansive soil interlayer facilitates the redistribution of shear forces in the slope and alters the distribution law of the plastic zone in the deep layer. Overly slowing down the slope leads to significant excavation unloading, which is detrimental to the slope's stability.

Understanding the role of street network configurations in the placement of illegitimately operating facilities

AbstractThe role of street networks in shaping the spatial distribution of crime has become a foundational component within environmental criminology. Most studies, however, have focused on opportunistic crime types, such as property offenses. In this study, we instead research a theoretically distinct phenomenon by examining the placement of venues that host criminal activity. In particular, we study the relationship between network structure and the placement of illicit massage businesses, which operate on the intersections of illicit and legitimate activity by hosting illicit commercial sex under the guise of legitimate massage. We model their placement as a function of two network metrics: betweenness, which measures a street's usage potential, and a variant called “local betweenness,” which measures the potential of nearby streets. Multilevel models are used to examine the importance of these street‐level metrics while accounting for tract‐level covariates. Our findings demonstrate that, unlike property crimes, illicit massage businesses tend to be located on streets that are themselves quiet but that are close to areas of high activity. Such locations seem to combine accessibility and discretion, and therefore, represent ideal conditions for such businesses to thrive. Our findings can inform problem‐oriented approaches to prevent the harms associated with illegitimately operating businesses.

3D height-alternant island arrays for stretchable OLEDs with high active area ratio and maximum strain

Stretchable optoelectronic devices are typically realized through a 2D integration of rigid components and elastic interconnectors to maintain device performance under stretching deformation. However, such configurations inevitably sacrifice the area ratio of active components to enhance the maximum interconnector strain. We herein propose a 3D buckled height-alternant architecture for stretchable OLEDs that enables the high active-area ratio and the enhanced maximum strain simultaneously. Along with the optimal dual serpentine structure leading to a low critical buckling strain, a pop-up assisting adhesion blocking layer is proposed based on an array of micro concave structures for spatially selective adhesion control, enabling a reliable transition to a 3D buckled state with OLED-compatible processes. Consequently, we demonstrate stretchable OLEDs with both the high initial active-area ratio of 85% and the system strain of up to 40%, which would require a lateral interconnector strain of up to 512% if it were attained with conventional 2D rigid-island approaches. These OLEDs are shown to exhibit reliable performance under 2,000 biaxial cycles of 40% system strain. 7 × 7 passive-matrix OLED displays with the similar level of the initial active-area ratio and maximum system strain are also demonstrated.

Influence of Y2O3 content on the properties of Ni-Y2O3-MgO nanocomposite coatings prepared by pulse electrodeposition

This research examines the influence of yttrium oxide (Y2O3) nanoparticles as reinforcing particles on the microstructure and corrosion resistance of Ni-Y2O3-MgO composite coatings deposited by pulse electrodeposition. Varying Y2O3 contents are prepared on the Q235 steel substrate using the composite electrodeposition technology. The efficacy of the coatings was evaluated using a range of analytical methods, including SEM, EDS, XRD, wear investigation, and electrochemical testing. The results demonstrate that the incorporation of Y2O3 nanoparticles has a substantial effect on refining the grains of the composite coating, thereby improving its surface flatness and density. Particularly, the coating demonstrated the highest surface quality and the smallest particle size at 10 g/L Y2O3 content which may be associated with the fact that the high surface activity and large specific area of the Y2O3 nanoparticles promote the nucleation rate and inhibit the crystal growth during the deposition process of the composite coating. The presence of Y2O3 in the coating increased the self-corrosion potential and decreased the self-corrosion current density, thereby improving its corrosion resistance. Particularly, the composite coating containing Y2O3 at a concentration of 10 g/L exhibits the most effective resistance against corrosion. Furthermore, the inclusion of Y2O3 (10 g/L) effectively decreases the wear volume of the coating while simultaneously enhancing its hardness and wear resistance. This study provides a new way for the preparation and characterization of metal-based nanocomposite coatings.

Green space coverage versus air pollution: a cloud-based remote sensing data analysis in Sichuan, Western China

ABSTRACT Air pollution is the greatest health risk to human health, as acknowledged in several Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), such as SDG-1, SDG-3, SDG-7, and SDG-11. Despite global comprehension of the positive effect of Green Space Coverage (GSC) on mitigating air pollution, investigating the impact of different GSC types has received little attention. Here, we utilized multiple air pollution data and a cloud-computing platform to examine the role of different GSC types in mitigating NO2 and PM2.5 pollutants across 2019 and 2022 in Sichuan Province, China. We classified GSC areas into tall GSC and short GSC classes, taking into account the recognized importance of vegetation height in prior studies. Our analysis revealed that tall GSCs exhibit lower pollutant levels across all areas studied, indicating a potential correlation between GSC height and pollution mitigation efficacy. Furthermore, in high human activity areas, while tall GSC emerged as effective sinks for PM 2.5 compared to short GSC (25% and 20% lower average annual in 2019 and 2022, respectively), their performance in reducing NO2 pollutant levels was relatively limited (9% and 4% lower average annual in 2019 and 2022, respectively). These findings can contribute to urban planning and environmental management.

Bioaccumulation and Translocation of Heavy Metals in Solanum elaeagnifolium

Heavy metal pollution is becoming an increasingly common problem. Heavy metals including Chromium, Cadmium, Mercury, Copper, and lead are hazardous environmental pollutants, especially in high anthropogenic activity areas. Heavy metals accretion in soil is a serious concern for agricultural productivity due to its negative influence on food safety, market potential, and the phytotoxicity it causes in crops. Plant ascendancy and metabolic processes affect the geological and biological re-distribution of heavy metals through air, soil, and water pollution. The typical result of heavy metals toxicity is excessive accumulation of reactive methylglyoxal and oxygen species, which lead to lipid peroxidation, enzyme inactivation, nucleic acid damage, and protein oxidation in plants. In this study, bioaccumulation and Translocation of Heavy Metals in Solanum elaeagnifolium was conducted by using standard biological techniques. Twenty-four samples of both shoot and root systems collected ‎from the study sites and Three replications of soil samples from each habitat, including topsoil (0-50 cm depth) were studied.our results showed that the quantitative concentration of heavy metals in the shoots of S. elaeagnifolium for each metal indicated a high enrichment value for (Cr), (Fe), and (Mn), on the other hand, it showed low enrichment values for (Ni) &amp; (Pb). In addition, the concentration of heavy metals in the roots of the plant was differentiated.

The use of anthropogenic areas helps explain male brown bear movement rates and distance travelled during the mating season

AbstractDuring the reproductive period, mating strategies are a significant driver of adaptations in animal behaviour. For instance, for polygamous species, greater movement rates during the mating season may be advantageous due to the increased probability of encountering several potential mates. The brown bear Ursus arctos is a solitary carnivore that lives at low densities, with a polygamous mating system and an extended mating season of nearly 3 months. Here, we hypothesized that male brown bears may show changes in movement patterns and space‐use behaviour during their mating season. Using long‐term (2002–2013) telemetry data from the Finnish Karelia male population (n = 24 individuals; n = 10 688 GPS locations), we first analysed daily movement metrics, that is, speed, net and total distance with respect to the period (mating vs. post‐mating) and several environmental predictors. Then, we conducted a step‐selection analysis for each of these periods. Throughout the year, male bears selected forested/shrub habitats and increased movement rates near main roads. During the mating season, reproductive needs seem to trigger roaming behaviour in adult males to maximize encounter rates with potential receptive females. However, all movement metrics increased within areas of high human activity, suggesting a bear response to a higher risk perception while using those areas. During the post‐mating period, overlapping with the bear hyperphagia and the hunting season, males selected anthropogenic areas farther from main roads and trails, suggesting a trade‐off between foraging opportunities and risk avoidance.

Development of three-dimensional iron-doped cobalt phosphides nanorod arrays coupled on nickel substrate for effective hydrogen and oxygen production

To reach practical generation of hydrogen energy from water, it is necessary to synthesize bifunctional effective and durable electrocatalyst towards hydrogen evolution and oxygen evolution reaction (HER and OER). However, the slow kinetics of HER and OER at the cathode and anode is the main bottleneck. Herein, a novel fabrication nanostructure of iron-doped cobalt phosphides nanorod arrays on a conducting nickel foam substrate (Fe-CoxPy NR/NF) is developed with uniform spreading of dopant, high catalytic activity area, rapid efficiency of interfacial charge transfer, and long-time operation by using a facile hydrothermal process and phosphidization. The results displayed that Fe-CoxPy NR/NF exhibited an effective overpotential of 98 mV towards HER and 290 mV towards OER at 10 mA cm−2, which are much lower than those individual CoxPy NR and Fe-CoOH NR materials. In addition, the Fe-CoxPy NR/NF show significant stability in 1.0 M KOH, compared to commercial materials.

CLEM, a universal tool for analyzing structural organization in thylakoid membranes

AbstractChlorophyll (Chl) plays a crucial role in photosynthesis, functioning as a photosensitizer. As an integral component of this process, energy absorbed by this pigment is partly emitted as red fluorescence. This signal can be readily imaged by fluorescence microscopy and provides a visualization of photosynthetic activity. However, due to limited resolution, signals cannot be assigned to specific subcellular/organellar membrane structures. By correlating fluorescence micrographs with transmission electron microscopy, researchers can identify sub‐cellular compartments and membranes, enabling the monitoring of Chl distribution within thylakoid membrane substructures in cyanobacteria, algae, and higher plant single cells. Here, we describe a simple and effective protocol for correlative light‐electron microscopy (CLEM) based on the autofluorescence of Chl and demonstrate its application to selected photosynthetic model organisms. Our findings illustrate the potential of this technique to identify areas of high Chl concentration and photochemical activity, such as grana regions in vascular plants, by mapping stacked thylakoids.

Electrode microstructure design to improve effective utilization of Fe-N/C catalysts towards oxygen reduction reaction process

Fe-N/C materials have shown intrinsic activities comparable to Pt/C catalysts for oxygen reduction reaction on rotating ring-disk electrodes (RRDE). However, due to the insufficient three-phase interfaces (TPIs) and high oxygen transport resistance (RT), the high intrinsic activity cannot be sufficiently utilized in electrodes, resulting in a gap between the intrinsic catalytic activity on RRDE and the performance in devices. To expand the TPIs and promote oxygen transport, a novel electrode with a transition layer structure is proposed to disperse the active sites. The dispersion degree of active sites is optimized by tuning the solid–liquid interfacial energy between the ink solvent and the substrate. A high electrochemical active area of 1264 cm2 and a low RT of 2.0 s cm−1 are achieved for the electrode prepared by an alcohol-rich ink. The simulation and experimental results demonstrate that the microstructure can benefit the extension of TPIs and facilitate oxygen transport in the air cathode, ultimately achieving efficient utilization of catalytic activities. A maximum power density of 35.4 mW cm−2 is achieved in a membrane-less direct formate fuel cell, surpassing most congeneric devices. Our approach clarifies the relationship between TPI construction, mass transport, and electrode microstructure, which successfully exploits the intrinsic activity on air cathodes and improves the power generation ability.

Three-dimensional porous polyimide anode for high-rate lithium ion batteries

Polymeric electrode materials are widely used in many applications but still suffer from poor electrical conductivity and slow transport kinetics, especially poor performance at high current densities. Herein, a polyimide electrode structure with 3D-ordered interconnected gradient pores was developed to improve the lithium-ion transport efficiency. The homogeneous mixed PMTA-PMMA composite was prepared by a simple one-pot method, followed by removal of PMMA (polymethyl methacrylate) spherical porogenic agent during the synthesis of polyimide material at high temperatures to form a low curvature gradient-pore structure. The large pores in the electrode enhanced the ion transport ability and improved the electrolyte infiltration rate, while the small pores improved the active specific surface area and guided the deposition of lithium ions. As a result, a high specific capacity reaching 907 mAh/g was maintained even after 1000 cycles at 5 A/g, a value about 3-fold that of un-pored electrode materials. The experimental studies and DFT calculations were used to develop a 24Li storage mechanism of PMTA, and the active electrode material was fully electrochemically activated by the constructed three-dimensional porous electrode structure. Overall, the proposed porous material with a high active area and porosity looks potential for use as an ultra-fast charging and discharging electrode of lithium-ion batteries with high specific capacity and excellent cycling performance.

A facile paper-based chromatography coupled Au nanodendrite on nickel foam for application in separation and SERS measurement

A simple paper-based chromatography coupling with nickel foam decorated Au nanodendrite (PP-AuND/NiF) was fabricated for simultaneous separation and surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) detection of Rhodamine-6G (R6G) from a mixture of analytes. The three-dimensional porous nickel foam (NiF) was employed as a sampling diffusion platform, and AuND with a high surface active area beneficial for SERS efficiency was electro-deposited directly onto the NiF frame. The structure of AuND/NiF was characterized by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. The AuND/NiF could detect R6G at 0.1 nM, and the enhancement factor was 1.84 x 106. The AuND/NiF was durable, with a slight signal decrease after 6 m of drop-testing. Also, upon three days of exposure to ambient air, the signal droped only 3.35 %. Subsequently, the PP-AuND/NiF was constructed by directly situating AuND/NiF on a paper strip, serving as a sample in and out to AuND/NiF. A mixture of two SERS active compounds, namely 2-Naphthalenethiol (2-NpSH) and Rhodamine 6G (R6G), was prepared in ethanol: water (1:1) solution to evaluate PP-AuND/NiF separation capability. Raman measurements along different distances of AuND/NiF were performed, and the signal of 2-NpSH was dismissed after 3.0 mm, while R6G’s signals were observed throughout AuND/NiF. In general, the PP-AuND/NiF demonstrated effective separation and SERS measurement of analytes in a mixture, which could be applicable for more complex samples in the future, especially in clinical analysis.

3-Dimensional CFD Simulation of Pre-Wastewater Treatment via Multi-Channel Porous Ceramic Membrane

Multi-channel microfiltration (MF) membranes are considered as one of the most efficient separation methods for wastewater treatment, mainly due to their relatively high thermal and chemical resistance. Among various types of MF membranes, Ceramic Membranes attract great attention because of their high active area and superb mechanical strength, making them an industrially applicable pretreatment process for Reverse Osmosis (RO) unit operation. Here, a thorough 3-dimensional modeling of a 19-channel Ceramic Membrane was employed in order to gain insight into pressure drop, velocity distribution, and concentration profile in each channel. Experimental data from a lab-scale multi-channel Ceramic Membrane fed with oily wastewater was used to validate the model. The permeate flux was predicted as 200 to 250 L/m2.hr based on the porous media transmission pressure in such configurations. Further, permeate mass flux was also calculated based on the inlet flow velocities ranging from 0.75 to 2.25 m/s.

High Resolution Seismicity Smoothing Method for Seismic Hazard Assessment

A high resolution smoothing method is proposed for performing local estimates of the parameters of the Gutenberg-Richter law (GR). Using this method, the smoothing radius can be chosen large enough to ensure that the condition of applicability of GR law is met, while the distinguished areas of high activity align well with the distribution of epicenters and there is no “smearing” of narrow areas of really high seismic activity into wider zones, which are not actually active at the edges.