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1. Temperature shifts associated with bat arousals during hibernation inhibit the growth of Pseudogymnoascus destructans

   https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.211986  

   Forney, Ronny; Rios-Sotelo, Gabriela; Lindauer, Alexa; Willis, Craig K.; Voyles, Jamie (November 2022, Royal Society Open Science)

   Temperature is a critically important factor in many infectious disease systems, because it can regulate responses in both the host and the pathogen. White-nose syndrome (WNS) in bats is a severe infectious disease caused by the temperature-sensitive fungus, Pseudogymnoascus destructans ( Pd ). One feature of WNS is an increase in the frequency of arousal bouts (i.e. when bat body temperatures are elevated) in Pd -infected bats during hibernation. While several studies have proposed that increased frequency of arousals may play a role in the pathophysiology of WNS, it is unknown if the temperature fluctuations might mediate Pd growth. We hypothesized that exposure to a high frequency of elevated temperatures would reduce Pd growth due to thermal constraints on the pathogen. We simulated the thermal conditions for arousal bouts of uninfected and infected bats during hibernation (fluctuating from 8 to 25°C at two different rates) and quantified Pd growth in vitro . We found that increased exposure to high temperatures significantly reduced Pd growth. Because temperature is one of the most critical abiotic factors mediating host–pathogen interactions, resolving how Pd responds to fluctuating temperatures will provide insights for understanding WNS in bats and other fungal diseases. 

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2. An environmentally responsible 3-pot, 5-step synthesis of the antitumor agent sonidegib using ppm levels of Pd catalysis in water

   https://doi.org/10.1039/c9gc03495a  

   Takale, Balaram S.; Thakore, Ruchita R.; Kong, Fan Yi; Lipshutz, Bruce H. (November 2019, Green Chemistry)

   The current industrial approach to sonidegib utilizes wasteful organic solvents and relies on high loadings of endangered Pd. This anticancer drug can now be synthesized in 5 steps using only 3 pots, along with ppm levels of a Pd catalyst, all done in water at ambient temperatures. 

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3. Navigating Strategies to Mitigate Insulation Issues Within High Power Density (U)WBG Power Module Packages: A Comprehensive Review Emphasizing Alternative Encapsulation Materials

   https://doi.org/10.1109/TIA.2024.3520096  

   Adhikari, Pujan; Ghassemi, Mona (March 2025, IEEE Transactions on Industry Applications)

   The future of packaging for power modules hinges on the advancement of (U)WBG) materials like SiC, AlN, and diamond. However, pushing these boundaries faces significant challenges in insulation systems, which must withstand the demanding parameters involved. The repercussions include high electric fields, space charge accumulation, electrical treeing, and partial discharge (PD), all of which can lead to power module failure. This paper delves into reviewing these challenges within insulation materials of (U)WBG power modules and recent research aimed at mitigating electric field stress at triple points (TPs) and addressing PD issues. Beginning with the issue of high electric fields at TPs, the paper explores space charge, electrical treeing, and PD problems within encapsulation materials under practical operating conditions, such as high frequency, and high temperatures. Various strategies to tackle these insulation challenges are thoroughly discussed. While three prevalent mitigation strategies can address electric field issues at TPs, their validation under high-temperature conditions of (U)WBG power modules remains relatively unexplored, suggesting a potential shift towards alternative encapsulation materials. It is observed that the high-temperature dielectric liquids emerge as a promising solution to address thermal stresses for temperatures up to 350 °C with their stable dielectric properties and breakdown strength under repeated tests. Overall, this review provides a valuable framework by outlining the limitations of current mitigation strategies and offering recommendations for future research endeavors, with a particular emphasis on alternative encapsulants. 

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4. Impact of Flame Conditions on the Pd‐O Structure and Methane Oxidation Activity over Ceria Support

   https://doi.org/10.1002/cctc.202401449  

   Wang, Can; Najimu, Musa; Ko, Ben; Sasmaz, Erdem (October 2024, ChemCatChem)

   Abstract In this work, we employed flame spray pyrolysis (FSP), a high‐temperature synthesis method, to control the formation of Pd structures on the CeO₂support. Multiple types of Pd structures deposited on CeO₂are observed on FSP‐made samples. Our results show that the oxidizing environment during FSP synthesis facilitates the formation of incorporated Pd²⁺structures, along with highly dispersed Pd²⁺, Pd⁰nanoparticles, and Pd° clusters formed under the reducing synthesis condition. Notably, these Pd²⁺species remained stable at temperatures up to 400 °C. The catalysts containing both highly dispersed Pd²⁺nanoparticles and incorporated Pd²⁺species demonstrated superior methane oxidation activity, with higher turnover frequencies than those containing only one type of Pd²⁺structure. However, hydrothermal pretreatment in the presence of water vapor led to partial deactivation, likely due to structural alterations in the Pd species or the interaction with the CeO₂support, which reduced the stability and effectiveness of the active sites. This study underscores the importance of both highly dispersed and incorporated Pd²⁺species in enhancing catalytic performance and highlights the challenges posed by water‐induced deactivation in practical applications. 

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5. Reaction pathways for HCN on transition metal surfaces

   https://doi.org/10.1039/C8CP07548D  

   Abdel-Rahman, Mohammed; Feng, Xu; Muir, Mark; Ghale, Kushal; Xu, Ye; Trenary, Michael (February 2019, Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics)

   The adsorption and decomposition of HCN on the Pd(111) and Ru(001) surfaces have been studied with reflection absorption infrared spectroscopy and density functional theory calculations. The results are compared to earlier studies of HCN adsorption on the Pt(111) and Cu(100) surfaces. In all cases the initial adsorption at low temperatures gives rise to a ν (C–H) stretch peak at ∼3300 cm −1 , which is very close to the gas phase value indicating that the triple CN bond is retained for the adsorbed molecule. When the Pd(111) surface is heated to room temperature, the HCN is converted to the aminocarbyne species, CNH 2 , which was also observed on the Pt(111) surface. DFT calculations confirm the high stability of CNH 2 on Pd(111), and suggest a bi-molecular mechanism for its formation. When HCN on Cu(100) is heated, it desorbs without reaction. In contrast, no stable intermediates are detected on Ru(001) as the surface is heated, indicating that HCN decomposes completely to atomic species. 

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