bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Systematic review of the association between socioeconomic status and bladder cancer survival with hospital type, comorbidities, and treatment delay as mediators
Authors: Russell Beth , Häggström Christel , Holmberg Lars , Liedberg Fredrik , Gårdmark Truls , Bryan Richard T , Kumar Pardeep , Van Hemelrijck Mieke
Published: January 2021

Objectives

To review the current evidence on the relationship between three proposed mediators (comorbidities, hospital type, and treatment delays) for the relationship between socioeconomic status (SES) and bladder cancer survival.

Materials and methods

Six different searches using OVID (Medline and Embase) were carried out to collate information available between the proposed mediators with both SES and survival in bladder cancer. This systematic review was conducted according to a pre‐defined protocol and in line with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines.

Results

A total of 49 studies were included in the review across the six searches (one appeared in two searches). There was a wealth of studies investigating the relationship between each of the proposed mediators with survival in bladder cancer patients. In general, a higher SES, lower comorbidities, and a larger hospital volume were all found to be associated with a decreased risk of death in bladder cancer patients. There was, however, a paucity of studies investigating the associations between these mediators and SES in bladder cancer patients.

Conclusions

To gain a deeper understanding of the relationship between SES and survival identified in several observational studies, further investigations into the relationship between the proposed mediators and SES are warranted. Moreover, modifiable mediators, eg, treatment delay, highlight the importance of the standardization of clinical care across SES groups for all bladder cancer patients.
Biochemical characterization of a novel thermo‐halo‐tolerant GH5 endoglucanase from a thermal spring metagenome
Authors: Joshi Namrata , Kaushal Girija , Singh Sudhir P.
Published: January 2021

A novel endoglucanase gene, celM, was cloned from a thermal spring metagenome. The gene was expressed in Escherichia coli, and the protein was extracted and purified. The protein catalyzed the hydrolysis of amorphous cellulose in a wide range of temperatures, 30–95°C, with optimal activity at 80°C. It was able to tolerate high temperature (80°C) with a half‐life of 8 h. Its activity was eminent in a wide pH range of 3.0–11.0, with the highest activity at pH 6.0. The enzyme was tested for halostability. Any significant loss was not recorded in the activity of CelM after the exposure to salinity (3 M NaCl) for 30 days. Furthermore, CelM displayed a substantial resistance toward metal ions, denaturant, reducing agent, organic solvent, and non‐ionic surfactants. The amorphous cellulose, treated with CelM, was randomly cleaved, generating cello‐oligosaccharides of 2–5 degree of polymerization. Furthermore, CelM was demonstrated to catalyze the hydrolysis of cellulose fraction in the delignified biomass samples, for example, sweet sorghum bagasse, rice straw, and corncob, into cello‐oligosaccharides. Given that CelM is a thermo‐halo‐tolerant GH5 endoglucanase, with resistance to detergents and organic solvent, the biocatalyst could be of potential usefulness for a variety of industrial applications.
Pilot‐scale demonstration of an end‐to‐end integrated and continuous biomanufacturing process
Authors: Coolbaugh Michael J. , Varner Chad T. , Vetter Tarl A. , Davenport Emily K. , Bouchard Brad , Fiadeiro Marcus , Tugcu Nihal , Walther Jason , Patil Rohan , Brower Kevin
Published: January 2021

There has been increasing momentum recently in the biopharmaceutical industry to transition from traditional batch processes to next‐generation integrated and continuous biomanufacturing. This transition from batch to continuous is expected to offer several advantages which, taken together, could significantly improve access to biologics drugs for patients. Despite this recent momentum, there has not been a commercial implementation of a continuous bioprocess reported in the literature. In this study, we describe a successful pilot‐scale proof‐of‐concept demonstration of an end‐to‐end integrated and continuous bioprocess for the production of a monoclonal antibody (mAb). This process incorporated all of the key unit operations found in a typical mAb production process, including the final steps of virus removal filtration, ultrafiltration, diafiltration, and formulation. The end‐to‐end integrated process was operated for a total of 25 days and produced a total of 4.9 kg (200 g/day or 2 g/L BRX/day) of the drug substance from a 100‐L perfusion bioreactor (BRX) with acceptable product quality and minimal operator intervention. This successful proof‐of‐concept demonstrates that end‐to‐end integrated continuous bioprocessing is achievable with current technologies and represents an important step toward the realization of a commercial integrated and continuous bioprocessing process.
Uncoupling growth and succinic acid production in an industrial Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain
Authors: Liu Yaya , Esen Osman , Pronk Jack T. , van Gulik Walter M.
Published: January 2021

This study explores the relation between biomass‐specific succinic acid (SA) production rate and specific growth rate of an engineered industrial strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, with the aim to investigate the extent to which growth and product formation can be uncoupled. Ammonium‐limited aerobic chemostat and retentostat cultures were grown at different specific growth rates under industrially relevant conditions, that is, at a culture pH of 3 and with sparging of a 1:1 CO2–air mixture. Biomass‐specific SA production rates decreased asymptotically with decreasing growth rate. At near‐zero growth rates, the engineered strain maintained a stable biomass‐specific SA production rate for over 500 h, with a SA yield on glucose of 0.61 mol mol−1. These results demonstrate that uncoupling of growth and SA production could indeed be achieved. A linear relation between the biomass‐specific SA production rate and glucose consumption rate indicated the coupling of SA production rate and the flux through primary metabolism. The low culture pH resulted in an increased death rate, which was lowest at near‐zero growth rates. Nevertheless, a significant amount of non‐viable biomass accumulated in the retentostat cultures, thus underlining the importance of improving low‐pH tolerance in further strain development for industrial SA production with S. cerevisiae.
A CRISPR‐Cas12a‐derived biosensor enabling portable personal glucose meter readout for quantitative detection of SARS‐CoV‐2
Authors: Huang Di , Shi Zhuwei , Qian Jiajie , Bi Ke , Fang Mengjun , Xu Zhinan
Published: January 2021

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) has spread rapidly throughout the whole world and caused significant difficulties in the prevention and control of the epidemic. In this case, several detection methods have been established based on nucleic acid diagnostic techniques and immunoassays to achieve sensitive and specific detection of SARS‐CoV‐2. However, most methods are still largely dependent on professional instruments, highly trained operators, and centralized laboratories. These limitations gravely diminish their practicality and portability. Herein, a clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) Cas12a based assay was developed for portable, rapid and sensitive of SARS‐CoV‐2. In this assay, samples were quickly pretreated and amplified by reverse transcription recombinase‐aided amplification under mild conditions. Then, by combining the CRISPR Cas12a system and a glucose‐producing reaction, the signal of the virus was converted to that of glucose, which can be quantitatively read by a personal glucose meter in a few seconds. Nucleocapsid protein gene was tested as a model target, and the sensitivity for quantitative detection was as low as 10 copies/μl, which basically meet the needs of clinical diagnosis. In addition, with the advantages of lower material cost, shorter detection time, and no requirement for professional instrument in comparison with quantitative reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction, this assay is expected to provide a powerful technical support for the early diagnosis and intervention during epidemic prevention and control.
Quality by design with design of experiments approach for development of a stability‐indicating LC method for enzalutamide and its impurities in soft gel dosage formulation
Authors: Katakam Lakshmi Narasimha Rao , Dongala Thirupathi , Ettaboina Santhosh Kumar
Published: January 2021

A novel ultra‐performance liquid chromatographic (UPLC) method has been developed and approved for the quantitative determination of enzalutamide (ENZ) and its impurities in drug product dosage form by applying the quality by design with design of experiments approach. An efficient chromatographic separation was achieved on a Waters ACQUITY CSH C18(100 × 2.1 mm × 1.7 μm) column in gradient elution mode. A mixture of potassium phosphate monobasic buffer and acetonitrile (10 mm, adjusted to pH 4.0 with 1% orthophosphoric acid) at a flow rate of 0.2 mL min−1(column temperature at 40°C) under ultraviolet detection at 270 nm was used for quantitation. The peak resolution among ENZ and its impurities (Impurity‐1, Impurity‐2, Impurity‐3, Impurity‐4, Impurity‐5, Impurity‐6 and Impurity‐7) was greater than 2.5. Regression analysis confers anR2value (correlation coefficient) higher than 0.999 for the active substance and impurities. The detection level for ENZ impurities was at a level below 0.015% (0.12 μg/mL). The accuracy levels for different compounds were close to 100%. The inter‐ and intra‐day precisions for ENZ and impurities were evaluated and their relative standard deviation (%) values were less than 3.5. Our results show that the UPLC–UV stability‐indicating method will be an essential tool that could determine the drug product’s impurities and be useful in regular quality control and stability studies of the ENZ drug product dosage form.
Offering flexible working opportunities to people with mental disabilities: The missing link between sustainable development goals and financial implications
Authors: Warmate Zoe , Eldaly Mohamed Khaled , Elamer Ahmed A.
Published: January 2021

A global response to Covid‐19 pandemic has triggered issues related to stress and social restrictions; thus, mental health is seen as a particular area of concern for social well‐being for both policymakers and corporate regulators/companies. Given that mental health intersects with most, if not all, of the 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs), this research brought to light issues surrounding employment of people with mental disabilities (PWMDs) and the financial merits of employing them. An online survey was administered to PWMDs to elicit what possible flexible opportunities could enable them to gain or stay at work. Interviews were also conducted with human resource managers and financial managers. Our results show that there are currently no flexible working opportunities available for PWMDs, which could enable them work effectively to improve both self and general economic growth. The findings of this study will enable employers to explore the financial benefits of employing PWMDs and also aid the government to create better policies to boost employers' commitment to employing PWMDs and achieve some of the UN SDGs.
Which factors distinguish the different consumer segments of green fast‐moving consumer goods in Germany?
Authors: Niedermeier Andreas , Emberger‐Klein Agnes , Menrad Klaus
Published: January 2021

Consumer segmentation is an important tool for dealing with the often strongly differing consumer preferences in many markets for fast‐moving consumer goods. Therefore, this study analyses the factors that can distinguish the different consumer segments for green all‐purpose adhesives in Germany. On the basis of an online survey with 709 respondents, we performed a choice experiment and segmented consumers based on their preferences for this product. We identified six consumer segments of which in particular Green Consumer Value, Perceived Consumer Effectiveness and Trust separate eco‐friendly consumers from the other groups. Our results give a deeper insight into the different consumer segments for green fast‐moving consumer goods and facilitate the development of business and marketing strategies in a more targeted way.
Prognostic significance of serum inflammation indexes in different Lauren classification of gastric cancer
Authors: Yin Xin , Fang Tianyi , Wang Yimin , Wang Yufei , zhang Daoxu , Li Chunfeng , Xue Yingwei
Published: January 2021

Background

Inflammatory indexes are considered to be potential prognostic biomarkers for patients with gastric cancer (GC). However, little evidence has defined the prognostic significance of inflammatory indexes for GC with different Lauren classification.

Methods

A total of 852 patients with GC were randomly selected consecutively into intestinal type and diffuse/mixed type groups. Group bias was reduced by propensity score matching. The cutoff values of inflammatory indexes were analyzed by receiver operating characteristic curve. The Kaplan–Meier method and log‐rank test were used to analyze the overall survival (OS). The chi‐square test was used to analyze the association between inflammatory indexes and clinical characteristics. The independent risk factor for prognosis in each group was analyzed by univariate and multivariate analyses based on logistic regression. The nomogram models were constructed by R studio.

Results

Intestinal type GC patients (p < 0.05) had a lower percentage of neutrophils in stage I, higher percentage of neutrophils and higher platelet count in stage Ⅲ (p < 0.05). Systemic immune‐inflammation index (SII) (p < 0.001), pTNM stage (p < 0.001), and postoperative chemotherapy (p = 0.002) were independent risk factors for prognosis in the intestinal type group. Platelet–lymphocyte ratio (PLR) (p < 0.001) and pTNM stage (p = 0.001) were independent risk factors for prognosis in the diffuse/mixed type group. The area under the curve of the nomogram model in predicting 5‐year prognosis in the intestinal type group and diffuse/mixed type group were 0.807 and 0.788, respectively.

Conclusion

SII combined with postoperative chemotherapy and pTNM stage were used to construct a nomogram model to predict the prognosis of intestinal type GC. PLR combined with pTNM stage can be used to construct a nomogram model for diffuse/mixed type GC patients.
Delivery Mechanism of the Pharmaceutical Complex of Genistein‐Adenine Based on Spectroscopic and Molecular Modelling at Atomic Scale
Authors: Shao Yan , Zhao Xiao‐Xue , Guo Ming , Zheng Yi‐Lu , Wu Rong‐Hui , Pan Lan‐Ying
Published: January 2021

Genistein (GS) exhibits various biological activities, but its clinical application is limited because of the low bioavailability. In this study, a GS‐adenine pharmaceutical complex was prepared through solvent evaporation to improve the bioavailability of GS, and a molecular model of a two‐component supramolecular pharmacological transport mechanism was established. The structure of GS‐adenine was characterized, in addition, interaction patterns between GS and adenine were investigated using density functional theory. The results showed that the solubility of GS‐adenine was five times higher than that of GS, and the cumulative release rate of GS‐adenine was 86 %. The results of fluorescence spectroscopy and molecular dynamic simulations showed that GS‐adenine bound to the Sudlow's site I of HSA mainly through hydrophobic interactions. This study provides a useful reference for synthesizing pharmaceutical complexes to improve solubility and for exploring the mechanism of multiple pharmaceutical components in vivo.
Organomercury Nucleic Acids: Past, Present and Future
Authors: Ukale Dattatraya , Lönnberg Tuomas
Published: January 2021

Synthetic efforts towards nucleosides, nucleotides, oligonucleotides and nucleic acids covalently mercurated at one or more of their base moieties are summarized, followed by a discussion of the proposed, realized and abandoned applications of this unique class of compounds. Special emphasis is given to fields in which active research is ongoing, notably the use of HgII‐mediated base pairing to improve the hybridization properties of oligonucleotide probes. Finally, this minireview attempts to anticipate potential future applications of organomercury nucleic acids.
Single‐Step and Sustainable Fabrication of Ni(OH)2/Ni Foam Water Splitting Catalysts via Electric Field Assisted Pulsed Laser Ablation in Liquid
Authors: Saraj Chaudry Sajed , Singh Subhash C. , Shukla Abhishek , Yu Weili , Fayyaz M. Umer , Guo Chunlei
Published: January 2021

The prevailing barrier to produce hydrogen from water splitting is disappointingly sluggish kinetics. Furthermore, a lack of understanding of the key obstacle in the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), is an obstruction to the design of efficient water‐splitting electrocatalysts. Here, we present the single‐step and fast fabrication of ready‐made Ni(OH)2/nickel foam (NF) electrocatalysts for overall water splitting by using the environmentally friendly and sustainable approach of electric‐field‐assisted pulsed laser ablation in liquid for the generation of nanoparticles (NPs) and the simultaneous electrodeposition of the NPs on the NF substrate. The as‐fabricated electrocatalyst is found to be highly efficient and stable in alkaline medium for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and OER kinetics with remarkably low overpotentials of 187 mV (vs. RHE for HER) and 166 mV (vs. RHE for OER) to reach a current density of 20 mA cm−2, with HER and OER Tafel slopes of 82 and 69 mV dec−1, respectively. The two‐electrode electrochemical cell made of the bifunctional Ni(OH)2/NF electrocatalyst requires an overpotential as low as 168 mV to drive a 10 mA/cm2 current density over a long period. These results reveal the long‐term stability and activity of the Ni(OH)2)/NF electrocatalyst towards overall water (OW) splitting. The developed sustainable approach of electrocatalyst fabrication can be extended to a range of materials, beyond Ni(OH)2/NF, to boost a range of chemical reactions, beyond water splitting.
Mo2C/Reduced Graphene Oxide Composites with Enhanced Electrocatalytic Activity and Biocompatibility for Microbial Fuel Cells
Authors: Guo Wenxian , Chen Meiqiong , Liu Xiaoqing , Cheng Faliang , Lu Xihong
Published: January 2021

A simple, cost‐effective strategy was developed to effectively improve the electron transfer efficiency as well as the power output of microbial fuel cells (MFCs) by decorating the commercial carbon paper (CP) anode with an advanced Mo2C/reduced graphene oxide (Mo2C/RGO) composite. Benefiting from the synergistic effects of the superior electrocatalytic activity of Mo2C, the high surface area, and prominent conductivity of RGO, the MFC equipped with this Mo2C/RGO composite yielded a remarkable output power density of 1747±37.6 mW m−2, which was considerably higher than that of CP‐MFC (926.8±6.3 mW m−2). Importantly, the composite also facilitated the formation of 3D hybrid biofilm and could effectively improve the bacteria–electrode interaction. These features resulted in an enhanced coulombic efficiency up 13.2 %, nearly one order of magnitude higher than that of the CP (1.2 %).
Diphosphanylmetallocenes of Main‐Group Elements
Authors: Müller Carsten , Warken Joshua , Huch Volker , Morgenstern Bernd , Bischoff Inga‐Alexandra , Zimmer Michael , Schäfer André
Published: January 2021

Several 1,1′‐diphosphanyl‐substituted metallocenes of magnesium (magnesocenes) were synthesized, structurally characterized, and their reactivity and coordination chemistry were investigated. Transmetalation of these magnesocenes gives access to group 14 metallocenes (tetrelocenes), as well as to group 15 stibonocenes. These s‐ and p‐block metallocenes represent a novel class of bis(phosphanyl) ligands, exhibiting Lewis‐amphiphilic character. Their coordination chemistry towards different transition‐metal and main‐group fragments was investigated and different complexes are presented.
Carbohydrate‐Derived Metal‐Chelator‐Triggered Lipids for Liposomal Drug Delivery
Authors: Holmstrøm Thomas , Galsgaard Malle Mette , Wu Shunliang , Jensen Knud Jørgen , Hatzakis Nikos S. , Pedersen Christian Marcus
Published: January 2021

Liposomes are versatile three‐dimensional, biomaterial‐based frameworks that can spatially enclose a variety of organic and inorganic biomaterials for advanced targeted‐delivery applications. Implementation of external‐stimuli‐controlled release of their cargo will significantly augment their wide application for liposomal drug delivery. This paper presents the synthesis of a carbohydrate‐derived lipid, capable of changing its conformation depending on the presence of Zn2+: an active state in the presence of Zn2+ ions and back to an inactive state in the absence of Zn2+ or when exposed to Na2EDTA, a metal chelator with high affinity for Zn2+ ions. This is the first report of a lipid triggered by the presence of a metal chelator. Total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy and a single‐liposome study showed that it indeed was possible for the lipid to be incorporated into the bilayer of stable liposomes that remained leakage‐free for the fluorescent cargo of the liposomes. On addition of EDTA to the liposomes, their fluorescent cargo could be released as a result of the membrane‐incorporated lipids undergoing a conformational change.
Quecksilber‐ und Feinstaubemissionen von Krematorien: Ein Überblick
Authors: Ohle Andrea , Köhler Martin , Graf Sven , Bernhardt Daniel , Beckmann Michael
Published: January 2021

Die vorwiegend in urbanen Ballungsräumen liegenden Krematorien erfüllen die Emissionsgrenzwerte nach der 27. BImSchV meist zuverlässig. In dieser ist für die als gesundheitsschädlich eingestuften Substanzen Quecksilber (Hg) und Feinstaub kein Grenzwert angegeben. In diesem Beitrag wird der Stand des Wissens aus Publikationen und eigenen Untersuchungen zur Freisetzung von Quecksilber im Kremationsprozess und zur Situation der Feinstaubemissionen analysiert. Aus den dargestellten Wirkmechanismen der verschiedenen Abgasreinigungstechniken werden anschließend Optimierungsmöglichkeiten für die weitere Minderung der Emissionen von Hg und Feinstaub abgeleitet.
Advanced petroleum coke oxy‐combustion power generation with carbon capture and sequestration: Part I—Design and techno‐economic analysis
Authors: Okeke Ikenna J. , Adams Thomas A.
Published: January 2021

This study presents a first‐of‐its‐kind design and economic analysis of a petroleum coke oxy‐combustion electric power generation technology operated with and without carbon capture and sequestration. In this work, we examined three petroleum coke oxy‐combustion designs: petcoke oxy‐combustion, petcoke oxy‐combustion operated with carbon capture and sequestration (CCS), and petcoke oxy‐combustion with CO2 purification by distillation and CCS. The technical and economic performance of the designs were assessed based on thermal efficiency, CO2 capture rate, pipeline CO2 purity, CO2 emissions, and levelized cost of electricity (LCOE). The results of our assessments yielded a base‐case LCOE of $84.24/MWh for the petcoke oxy‐combustion design, $90.94/MWh for the petcoke oxy‐combustion design operated with CCS, and $102.8/MWh for petcoke oxy‐combustion with CO2 purification by distillation and CCS. Although the design that employed CO2 purification had higher LCOE than the other designs, its captured CO2 stream meets pipeline standards. Therefore, this design was selected for the proposed petroleum coke oxy‐combustion technology. Further analysis carried out includes the cradle‐to‐customer gate life‐cycle environmental impact assessment of the petcoke oxy‐combustion power plant which is presented in Part II of this work. Thus, this work represents the first study to present the eco‐technoeconomic and life‐cycle analysis that considered the impacts of O2 removal from CO2 captured from oxy‐combustion exhaust via cryogenic distillation for solid fuels in general.
Benzofuroxan Derivatives as Potent Agents against Multidrug‐Resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Authors: Fernandes Guilherme F. S. , Campos Débora L. , Da Silva Isabel C. , Prates João L. B. , Pavan Aline R. , Pavan Fernando R. , Dos Santos Jean L.
Published: January 2021

Tuberculosis (TB) is currently the leading cause of death related to infectious diseases worldwide, as reported by the World Health Organization. Moreover, the increasing number of multidrug‐resistant tuberculosis (MDR‐TB) cases has alarmed health agencies, warranting extensive efforts to discover novel drugs that are effective and also safe. In this study, 23 new compounds were synthesized and evaluated in vitro against the drug‐resistant strains of M. tuberculosis. The compound 6‐((3‐fluoro‐4‐thiomorpholinophenyl)carbamoyl)benzo[c][1,2,5]oxadiazole 1‐N‐oxide (5 b) was particularly remarkable in this regard as it demonstrated MIC90 values below 0.28 μM against all the MDR strains evaluated, thus suggesting that this compound might have a different mechanism of action. Benzofuroxans are an attractive new class of anti‐TB agents, exemplified by compound 5 b, with excellent potency against the replicating and drug‐resistant strains of M. tuberculosis.
Do Cu Substrates Participate in Bi Electrocatalytic CO2 Reduction?
Authors: Li Menglu , Li Wenbo , Song Wentao , Wang Cheng , Yao Yingfang , Wu Congping , Luo Wenjun , Zou Zhigang
Published: January 2021

Bi based electrocatalysts for CO2 reduction have recently attracted much research attention. Although Cu substrates were mainly used in these material investigations, whether the Cu substrates act as the CO2 reduction electrocatalysts is questionable, and yet disregarded. Herein to comprehensively investigate the influence of Cu substrate on the electrochemical performance, we electro‐deposited Bi catalysts on Cu foams. It was found that during the whole process, the morphology and composition of Bi/Cu electrocatalysts varied, indicating that Cu acted as not only the electrode substrates but also the active materials for CO2 reduction. After optimization, Bi/Cu materials achieved high activity of 59.7 mA cm−2 and selectivity of 95% for CO2 converted formate. Our work provides experimental evidence for the material design and optimization of Bi‐based materials for CO2 reduction.
Site‐Selective Real‐Time Observation of Bimolecular Electron Transfer in a Photocatalytic System Using L‐Edge X‐Ray Absorption Spectroscopy**
Authors: Britz Alexander , Bokarev Sergey I. , Assefa Tadesse A. , Bajnóczi Èva G. , Németh Zoltán , Vankó György , Rockstroh Nils , Junge Henrik , Beller Matthias , Doumy Gilles , March Anne Marie , Southworth Stephen H. , Lochbrunner Stefan , Kühn Oliver , Bressler Christian , Gawelda Wojciech
Published: January 2021

Time‐resolved X‐ray absorption spectroscopy has been utilized to monitor the bimolecular electron transfer in a photocatalytic water splitting system. This has been possible by uniting the local probe and element specific character of X‐ray transitions with insights from high‐level ab initio calculations. The specific target has been a heteroleptic [IrIII(ppy)2(bpy)]+ photosensitizer, in combination with triethylamine as a sacrificial reductant and
as a water reduction catalyst. The relevant molecular transitions have been characterized via high‐resolution Ir L‐edge X‐ray absorption spectroscopy on the picosecond time scale and restricted active space self‐consistent field calculations. The presented methods and results will enhance our understanding of functionally relevant bimolecular electron transfer reactions and thus will pave the road to rational optimization of photocatalytic performance.
A Trimetallic Cobalt/Iron/Nickel Phytate Catalyst for Overall Water Splitting: Fabrication by Magnetic‐Field‐Assisted Bipolar Electrodeposition
Authors: Zhang Jinmei , Chen Xiaojuan , Gao Taotao , Wu Yi , Yang Yuting , Guo Yong , Xiao Dan
Published: January 2021

Electrodeposition is an effective method to prepare various materials. We have established a bipolar electrodeposition system assisted by a constant magnetic field to fabricate a Co/Fe/Ni phytate catalyst with good electrocatalytic activity for overall water splitting. The effects of magnetic and electric fields on the catalytic properties of the material were studied. The catalyst prepared with an N‐pole magnetic field (NPMF) exhibited good overall water splitting performance. Benefiting from the synergistic effect of the Co/Fe/Ni‐phytate and the advantages of the N‐pole magnetic field the NPMF electrode has a continuous 25 hours high‐efficiency hydrogen evolution and oxygen evolution reaction at a current density of 100 mA cm−2 in1.0 M KOH compared with commercial RuO2 and Pt/C. Bipolar electrodeposition with a constant magnetic field is thus an efficient means to fabricate electrocatalytic water splitting catalysts.
Optimizing Pediatric Medicine Developments in the European Union Through Pragmatic Approaches
Authors: Rei Bolislis Winona , Bejeuhr Gesine , Benzaghou Fawzi , Corriol‐Rohou Solange , Herrero‐Martinez Esteban , Hildebrand Heidrun , Hill‐Venning Claire , Hoogland Hans , Johnson Craig , Joos Angelika , Vart Richard , Le Visage Geneviève , Kühler Thomas C.
Published: January 2021

The European Union’s Pediatric Regulation has strengthened the development of medicines for children in Europe through its system of obligations and rewards. However, opportunities remain to further optimize pediatric medicine developments, notably in relation to the implementation of the regulatory framework. This paper therefore describes bottlenecks identified by industry that occur during the medicinal development process, including those relating to the scientific advice process, pediatric investigation plan (PIP) development, compliance checks, and study submissions, and offers some considerations and insights to address these. Considerations, which are workable within the current legislative framework, focus on an integrated scientific discussion, optimization of PIP procedures and compliance checks, and an alignment of study‐reporting requirements.
Mechanistic Modeling of SARS‐CoV‐2 and Other Infectious Diseases and the Effects of Therapeutics
Authors: Perelson Alan S. , Ke Ruian
Published: January 2021

Modern viral kinetic modeling and its application to therapeutics is a field that attracted the attention of the medical, pharmaceutical, and modeling communities during the early days of the AIDS epidemic. Its successes led to applications of modeling methods not only to HIV but a plethora of other viruses, such as hepatitis C virus (HCV), hepatitis B virus and cytomegalovirus, which along with HIV cause chronic diseases, and viruses such as influenza, respiratory syncytial virus, West Nile virus, Zika virus, and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2), which generally cause acute infections. Here we first review the historical development of mathematical models to understand HIV and HCV infections and the effects of treatment by fitting the models to clinical data. We then focus on recent efforts and contributions of applying these models towards understanding SARS‐CoV‐2 infection and highlight outstanding questions where modeling can provide crucial insights and help to optimize nonpharmaceutical and pharmaceutical interventions of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic. The review is written from our personal perspective emphasizing the power of simple target cell limited models that provided important insights and then their evolution into more complex models that captured more of the virology and immunology. To quote Albert Einstein, “Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler,” and this idea underlies the modeling we describe below.
Luminescent and Mechanical Properties of Cerium Doped Potassium Chloride Single Crystal
Authors: Li Yongtao , Li Yongju , Li Chun , Zhang Xuejian , Zeng Fanming , Lin Hai , Su Zhongmin , Mahadevan Chelliah Kamalakshiammal
Published: January 2021

Large size cerium (Ce3+)‐doped potassium chloride single crystal is grown by the resistance heating Czochralski method and characterized structurally, mechanically, and optically by carrying out X‐ray diffraction (XRD), micro‐hardness, photoluminescence (PL), PL excitation (PLE), thermo‐luminescence (TL), and decay time measurements. XRD measurements reveal the incorporation of Ce atoms into the KCl host lattice. Microhardness measurements indicate an improvement in the hardness due to Ce3+‐doping and a decrease of hardness with increasing temperature. Two intense PL emission peaks are observed at wavelengths 343 and 367 nm, attributed, respectively, to the 5d→2F5/2 and 5d→2F7/2 transitions of Ce3+. Energy level scheme for the Ce3+ ion in the KCl crystal is proposed through PL and PLE analyses. The observed TL glow curve of KCl:Ce3+ shows a sharp peak located at about 244 °C. XRD, PL, and TL studies confirm the trivalent state of Ce3+ ion in the KCl host lattice. The luminescence decay time of KCl:Ce3+ crystal is found to be 35.14 ± 0.17 ns. The present study indicates that the KCl:Ce3+ crystal grown exhibiting suitable PL and TL emissions is expected to be a potential material for radiation dosimetry and scintillation applications.
Facile Synthesis of Vertically Aligned MoS2 Nanosheets at Ambient Pressure
Authors: Borah Chandra Kamal , Kumar Sanjeev
Published: January 2021

Vertically aligned 2D molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) nanosheets are grown directly on SiO2/Si substrate using an ordinary tubular furnace under 850 °C temperature and atmospheric pressure condition. To achieve high‐quality vertically aligned 2D MoS2, the amount of precursor material, i.e., molybdenum trioxide (MoO3) powder and sulfur (S), is varied, keeping the other parameters such as temperature and carrier gas flow rate constant. The Raman spectroscopy confirms the formation of 2D MoS2 layers and it illustrates that as‐grown MoS2 is in few‐layer forms with good crystallinity. The Raman spectra identifies the best quality 2D MoS2. The topographical and morphological studies of MoS2 carried out by atomic force microscope (AFM) and field effect scanning microscope (FESEM) reveal that as‐synthesized MoS2 is vertically aligned. X‐ray diffraction and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) are carried out in order to identify the phase and elements in the product. In the present work, the emphasis is given on the vertical alignment rather than the thickness of 2D MoS2. Finally, it is demonstrated that vertically aligned 2D MoS2 can be grown simply on SiO2/Si substrate using a simple ordinary tubular furnace under atmospheric pressure condition by varying the amount of MoO3 and S.
Assessment of genetic diversity and agronomic traits of durum wheat germplasm under drought environment of the northern Great Plains
Authors: Salsman Evan , Liu Yuan , Hosseinirad Seyed Ali , Kumar Ajay , Manthey Frank , Elias Elias , Li Xuehui
Published: January 2021

Durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L. ssp. durum) is an important food crop worldwide. Modern breeding has yielded elite durum wheat cultivars with improved grain yield, end‐use quality, and disease resistance. In this study, we compared 150 breeding lines from the North Dakota State University (NDSU) durum wheat breeding program to 163 durum landraces using a large set of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers. We found that the genetic diversity of the NDSU durum breeding population was decreased by ∼60% relative to collection of 163 landraces. Selective sweep analysis identified several candidate regions that might have undergone breeding selection. Also in this study, over 260 worldwide durum wheat accessions were evaluated in drought environments of the northern Great Plains for 3 yr, a major growing area of durum wheat in the United States. One line showed significantly higher grain yield than the local elite cultivars. A number of lines showed significantly higher grain yield component traits like seeds per spike and thousand‐kernel weight. Those desirable lines may contain complementary favorable alleles and can possibly be used to improve grain yield under drought stress. Genome‐wide association mapping found no major quantitative trait loci (QTL) but a number of QTL with minor effect for grain yield, which could be explained by grain yield's complex genetic nature, the rare frequency of the novel complementary alleles, and the limited number of environments and replications for phenotypic evaluation in the study. Further QTL mapping using biparental populations derived from the identified desirable lines and elite cultivars may be able to identify the QTL related to grain yield, which can facilitate introgression of the complementary favorable alleles through marker‐assisted selection.
Mechanisms of TGFß in prostaglandin synthesis and sperm guidance in Caenorhabditis elegans
Authors: Hu Muhan , Tiwary Ekta , Prasain Jeevan K. , Miller Michael , Serra Rosa
Published: January 2021

Background

The transparent epidermis of Caenorhabditis elegans makes it an attractive model to study sperm motility and migration within an intact reproductive tract. C elegans synthesize specific F‐series prostaglandins (PGFs) that are important for guiding sperm toward the spermatheca. These PGFs are synthesized from polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) precursors, such as arachidonic acid (AA), via a novel pathway, independent of the classical cyclooxygenases (Cox) responsible for most PG synthesis. While the enzyme(s) responsible for PG synthesis has yet to be identified, the DAF‐7 TGFß pathway has been implicated in modulating PG levels and sperm guidance.

Results

We find that the reduced PGF levels in daf‐1 type I receptor mutants are responsible for the sperm guidance defect. The lower level of PGs in daf‐1 mutants is due in part to the inaccessibility of AA. Finally, lipid analysis and assessment of sperm guidance in daf‐1;daf‐3 double mutants suggest DAF‐3 suppresses PG production and sperm accumulation at the spermatheca. Our data suggest that DAF‐3 functions in the nervous system, and possibly the germline, to affect sperm guidance.

Conclusion

The C elegans TGFß pathway regulates many pathways to modulate PG metabolism and sperm guidance. These pathways likely function in the nervous system and possibly the germline.
Response of macroinvertebrate communities to land use and water quality in Wudalianchi Lake
Authors: Du Xue , Song Dan , Ming Kun , Jin Xing , Wang Huibo , Wang Le , Liu Hui , Zhao Chen , Huo Tangbin
Published: January 2021

Macroinvertebrate assemblages are structured by a number of abiotic and biotic factors interacting simultaneously. We investigated macroinvertebrate assemblages along gradients of human disturbance and morphometric characteristics in five lakes connected by the same stream. We aimed to assess the relative effects of environmental gradients on macroinvertebrate assemblages and to investigate whether water quality effects on the assemblages were correlated with buffer land use. There were significant differences in macroinvertebrate community compositions among lakes, and our results indicated that oligochaetes (mainly Limnodrilus) and insects (mainly Chironomus) contributed highly to the differences. We used redundancy analysis with variation partitioning to quantify the independent and combined anthropogenic effects of water quality and land use gradients on the macroinvertebrate community. The independent effect of water quality was responsible for 17% of the total variance in macroinvertebrate community composition, the independent effect of buffer land use accounted for 6% of variation, and the combined variation between land use change and water quality accounted for 12%. Our study indicated that both the independent effects of land use and within‐lake water quality can explain the influence in macroinvertebrate assemblages, with significant interactions between the two. This is rather important to notice that changes in buffer land use generally may alter nutrient inputs and thus severely affect abiotic conditions encountered by macroinvertebrate. Our study demonstrates that considering buffer zone effects explicitly may be significant in the selection and application of conservation and management strategies.
Large frugivores matter more on an island: Insights from island‐mainland comparison of plant–frugivore communities
Authors: Naniwadekar Rohit , Gopal Abhishek , Page Navendu , Ghuman Sartaj , Ramachandran Vivek , Joshi Jahnavi
Published: January 2021

Endozoochory, a mutualistic interaction between plants and frugivores, is one of the key processes responsible for maintenance of tropical biodiversity. Islands, which have a smaller subset of plants and frugivores when compared with mainland communities, offer an interesting setting to understand the organization of plant–frugivore communities vis‐a‐vis the mainland sites. We examined the relative influence of functional traits and phylogenetic relationships on the plant–seed disperser interactions on an island and a mainland site. The island site allowed us to investigate the organization of the plant–seed disperser community in the natural absence of key frugivore groups (bulbuls and barbets) of Asian tropics. The endemic Narcondam Hornbill was the most abundant frugivore on the island and played a central role in the community. Species strength of frugivores (a measure of relevance of frugivores for plants) was positively associated with their abundance. Among plants, figs had the highest species strength and played a central role in the community. Island‐mainland comparison revealed that the island plant–seed disperser community was more asymmetric, connected, and nested as compared to the mainland community. Neither phylogenetic relationships nor functional traits (after controlling for phylogenetic relationships) were able to explain the patterns of interactions between plants and frugivores on the island or the mainland pointing toward the diffused nature of plant–frugivore interactions. The diffused nature is a likely consequence of plasticity in foraging behavior and trait convergence that contribute to governing the interactions between plants and frugivores. This is one of the few studies to compare the plant–seed disperser communities between a tropical island and mainland and demonstrates key role played by a point‐endemic frugivore in seed dispersal on island.
Impact of COVID‐19 on inpatient referral of acute heart failure: a single‐centre experience from the south‐west of the UK
Authors: Doolub Gemina , Wong Chih , Hewitson Lynsey , Mohamed Ahmed , Todd Fraser , Gogola Laisha , Skyrme‐Jones Andrew , Aziz Shahid , Sammut Eva , Dastidar Amardeep
Published: January 2021

Aims

Healthcare services worldwide have been significantly impacted by the COVID‐19 pandemic. Recent reports have shown a decline in hospitalization for emergency cardiac conditions. The impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on hospitalization and particularly mortality due to acute heart failure has not been thoroughly described.

Methods and results

In this single‐centre observational study, we examined referrals to the acute heart failure team over a period of 16 weeks (7 January to 27 April 2020) spanning the ongoing COVID‐19 pandemic; 283 patients referred to our acute heart failure services over the study period were included on the basis of typical symptoms, raised BNP, and echocardiogram. There was a substantial but statistically non‐significant drop in referrals with 164 referred in the 8 weeks before the first UK death due to COVID‐19 on 2 March 2020 (BC), compared with 119 referred after (AC) in the subsequent 8 weeks, representing a 27% reduction overall (P = 0.06). The 30 day case fatality rate was increased from 11% in the BC group compared with 21% in the AC group (risk ratio = 1.9, 95% confidence interval 1.09–3.3). Age, gender, length of stay, left ventricular ejection fraction, and N‐terminal pro‐brain natriuretic peptide were similar between the groups. Admission creatinine, age, and AC cohort status were found to be univariable predictors of mortality. On multivariate Cox regression analysis, only age (hazard ratio 1.04, P = 0.03) and AC cohort status (hazard ratio 2.1, P = 0.017) remained significant predictors of mortality. On sensitivity analysis, this increased mortality was driven by COVID‐19 positive status.

Conclusions

There was a reduction in referral of patients with acute heart failure with significant increase in mortality in the 8 weeks following the first reported UK death due to COVID‐19. The observation of increased mortality does not appear related to a change in population in terms of demographics, left ventricular ejection fraction, or N‐terminal pro‐brain natriuretic peptide. The observed increased mortality appears to be related to the coexistence of COVID19 infection with acute heart failure. The study highlights the need for widespread preventative and shielding measures particularly in this group of patients especially in the light of the second wave. Longer follow‐up with inclusion of data from other centres and community heart failure services will be needed.
Organic Electron Donor‐Acceptor Co‐intercalated NiMn‐LDHs – Photocatalysts with Enhanced Separation of Charge Carriers for Photocatalytic Reduction of CO2
Authors: Li Yuexian , Shi Jingjing , Wu Lei , Zhang Junzheng , Lu Jun
Published: January 2021

Developing good photocatalysts for reducing CO2 to carbonaceous fuels has aroused interest. However, the efficiency of photocatalytic CO2 reduction remains low. In this work, we report a novel organic electron donor‐acceptor system to realize the two dimensional photoinduced electron transfer (PET) process by coprecipitation‐in situ oxidation method to synthesize 4,4′‐diaminostilbene‐2,2′‐disulfonic acid (DAS) and 4,4′‐dinitrostilbene‐2,2′‐disulfonic acid disodium salt (DNS) co‐intercalated Ni2Mn‐LDHs (Ni2Mn‐LDHs‐DAS, DNS). Due to the two‐dimensional confinement of LDHs, DAS and DNS were arranged in a single molecule parallel in the interlayer, resulting in a π‐π interaction between the two organic anions. It promoted the photogenerated electrons by the DAS‐DNS to migrate to the hydrotalcite layer to participate in CO2 photoreduction rather than recombination with the holes. The optimum Ni2Mn‐DAS, DNS‐n showed the highest total consumed electron number of 13.99 μmol g−1, which was 3 times higher than that of Ni2Mn−CO3. Our findings provide a new way for improving the CO2 photoreduction activity of hydrotalcite‐based photocatalysts and achieve the combination of organic and inorganic semiconductors.
Tetravalent Group 14 Derivatives of a Bulky Aminocarbazole
Authors: Strecker Jonas , Pfeuffer Bastian , Hinz Alexander
Published: January 2021

Stepwise metalation and metathesis reactions with a bulky aminocarbazole were conducted to prepare derivatives of tetravalent group 14 elements. These were regarded as putatively suitable precursors for the formation of doubly bonded group 14/group 15 molecules such as imino species. Starting from an N‐aminocarbazole, deprotonation with benzyl potassium formed the corresponding solvent‐free dimeric amide. Metathesis reactions with EBr4 (E=Si, Ge, Sn) afforded RN(H)EBr3. Deprotonation of RN(SiMe3)H with benzyl potassium afforded the solvent‐free monomeric amide RN(SiMe3)K which was then treated with SiCl4, GeBr4 and SnI4. Both obtained series of compounds, RN(H)EBr3 and RN(SiMe3)EX3, were characterized by multinuclear NMR spectroscopy and SCXRD studies.