bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Analysis of Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) noise standard violations over 50 years: 1972 to 2019
Authors: Park Sungwon , Johnson Michael D. , Hong OiSaeng
Published: May 2020

Introduction

Noise exposure has long been an occupational health concern and has been an important area of focus of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) since its founding. Nevertheless, it remains unclear what effects OSHA's noise standards have had on employer efforts to reduce risks. Consequently, a review of OSHA noise standard violations was performed to clarify the violation trends between 1972 and 2019.

Methods

Using the OSHA Information System, researchers identified 119 305 violations involving four noise standards between 1972 and 2019: 29 CFR 1910.95, occupational noise exposure in general industry; 1926.52, occupational noise exposure in construction; 1926.101, hearing protection in construction, and 1904.10, recording criteria for cases involving occupational hearing loss. Violation frequencies of noise standard subparagraphs and relationships to factors such as industry differences were analyzed using descriptive statistics and t tests.

Results

The most commonly violated noise standard was 1910.95 in manufacturing. Such violations rose between 1972 and 1985 and then declined steadily. Whether in general industry or construction, four noise standards were most‐frequently cited: lack of feasible administrative or engineering controls (1910.95[b] and 1926.52[d]) and inadequate hearing conservation program (1910.95[c] and 1926.52[b]). These violations were more highly penalized (mean = $1036.50) than other subparagraph violations (mean = $915.80). Programmed and unprogrammed inspections generated similar violation quantities except between 1980 and 1985, when programmed inspections exhibited a sharp spike in violations.

Conclusion

The study identified trends in OSHA noise standard violations and possible explanations for those trends. The study findings can support development of more practical noise‐exposure protection policy.
Synthesis and Stereochemistry of the C30−C63 Section of Karlotoxin 2
Authors: Umeno Keitaro , Oishi Tohru
Published: May 2020

Karlotoxin 2 (KmTx2) is a marine natural product isolated from the dinoflagellate Karlodinium veneficum. The absolute configuration of KmTx2 was determined by NMR analysis in combination with degradation of the natural product, and the absolute configuration at C49 was revised by computational analysis. On the other hand, we reported revision of the absolute configuration of amphidinol 3 (AM3), whose structure is similar to that of KmTx2, by comparing NMR data of the synthesized partial structures and total synthesis of AM3. In this paper, we report the synthesis of the partial structures of KmTx2 corresponding to the C30−C63 section, and the diastereomer at C37, C41−C43, and C45−C49, which is hypothetically proposed on the basis of the revised structure of AM3. Comparison of the NMR data of the synthetic specimens with those of the natural product suggested that the absolute configuration of KmTx2 is revised to be 37R, 41R, 42R, 43R, 45R, 46R, 47R, 48S, and 49S.
Axial Elongation of Mononuclear Lanthanide Metallocenophanes: Magnetic Properties of Dysprosium‐ and Terbium‐[1]Ruthenocenophane Complexes
Authors: Risica Gabrielle M. , Vieru Veacheslav , Wilkins Branford O. , Latendresse Trevor P. , Reibenspies Joseph H. , Bhuvanesh Nattamai S. , Wylie Gregory P. , Chibotaru Liviu F. , Nippe Michael
Published: May 2020

We report the first f‐block‐ruthenocenophane complexes 1 (Dy) and 2 (Tb) and provide a comparative discussion of their magnetic structure with respect to earlier reported ferrocenophane analogues. While axial elongation of the rare trigonal‐prismatic geometry stabilizes the magnetic ground state in the case of Dy3+ and results in a larger barrier to magnetization reversal (U), a decrease in U is observed for the case of Tb3+.
Preparation and characterization of poly(vinylidene fluoride)‐13X zeolite mixed matrix membranes for lithium ion batteries' separator with enhanced performance
Authors: Badini Pourazar Majid , Mohammadi Toraj , Jafari Nasr Mohamad Reza , Bakhtiari Omid , Javanbakht Mehran
Published: May 2020

13X zeolite was hydrothermally synthesized and poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF)/13X zeolite particles mixed matrix membranes were prepared using phase inversion method as the lithium‐ion battery separator. Hydrophilic and porous 13X zeolite loading impacts on the critical separator properties of morphology, wettability, electrolyte uptake, and high temperatures dimensional stability were investigated using scanning electron microscopy, contact angle, and thermal shrinkage analysis. Electrolyte uptake of the 13X zeolite particles loaded PVDF separators increased and also the incorporation facilitated the lithium ions migration (ion conductivity) due to the Lewis acidity of their structure. The 8 wt% 13X zeolite loaded separator (S2) revealed higher porosity (~+20%), electrolyte uptake (+80%), ion conductivity (+80%), and thermal shrinkage (~−47% at 165°C). C‐rate capability and cycle performance of a cell battery assembled using the S2 separator considerably improved compared with those of the assembled by the neat PVDF and commercial polypropylene separators.
Screen confessions: The test case of “breaking the silence”
Authors: Amir Dana , HaCohen Nehama
Published: May 2020

The present paper focuses on the phenomenon of “screen confessions” (the term was chosen to allude to Freud's “screen memories”): perpetrators' voluntary confessional texts which create false presentation of a coherent link between the speakers and their deeds—while in fact using multiple sophisticated mechanisms in order to undermine this link. The main hypothesis is that screen confessions are created through the perpetrator's use of a double language which dissociates between overt and hidden contents, and which rewrites factual and emotional history alike. The duplicity of this language is expressed through the massive use of screening mechanisms, such as the mechanical use of military or official rhetoric; the heavy use of passive rather than active constructions; the creation of a false moral hierarchy and a false causality, and the displacement of the position of the victim to the perpetrator him or herself. Seven hundred and ten testimonies of Israeli army veterans from the archive of “Breaking the Silence” (an organization of veteran combatants who have taken it upon themselves to expose the Israeli public to the reality of everyday life in the Occupied Territories) were qualitatively analyzed by two researchers, focusing on the use of psycho‐linguistic defense mechanisms. The analysis validated, as demonstrated through a close reading of five testimonial vignettes, the effectiveness of deploying psycho‐linguistic‐defense mechanisms in differentiating between screen confessions versus transformative confessions.
Long‐term changes of marine subtidal benthic communities in North East Asia (Yellow and Japan seas) in a global change context: A review
Authors: Chen Linlin , Lutaenko Konstantin A. , Li Xiaojing , Li Xinzheng , Zhou Zhengquan , Li Baoquan , Pavlyuk Olga N. , Tarasova Tatyana S.
Published: May 2020

A review of the long‐term changes and variations in benthic communities and the current status of the marine invasive species (MIS) in shallow waters of the Yellow Sea (Chinese sector) and the Sea of Japan (Russian and partly Korean sectors) is presented. This paper reflects on the progress and lessons learned, recommending actions for the future about the conservation of biodiversity.

In the Bohai Sea, the benthic ecosystem has been degenerating due to anthropogenic activities such as overfishing and pollution since the 1950s. The dominant position of K‐strategy species is gradually being lost and replaced by R‐strategy species. In the Yellow Sea, the macrobenthic community is different from other areas due to the Yellow Sea Cold Water Mass. Many economic species have been destroyed, and the biotic structure has changed significantly due to overfishing and climate change.

In the Russian sector of the Sea of Japan, the macrobenthic communities in the shallow‐water soft bottom have generally been in a stable condition for the last decades, except for some heavily polluted or disturbed areas due to dredging operations. The abundance of select large invertebrate species has changed considerably due to commercial fishing and poaching. Variations in macro‑ and meiobenthic communities under aquaculture conditions have occurred on a local scale during the last five decades.

MIS show obvious differences between China and Russia in the following aspects: introduction pathways of MIS, composition and number of non‐native species, threats and impacts of MIS to native communities and ecosystems, and economic and public health impacts.

Long‐term monitoring programmes should be developed to reveal future biotic changes and to separate the effects of cyclic variations of benthic communities from the impacts of pollution and eutrophication. Standardization of sampling procedures is required to compare changes/alternations in benthos across various regions worldwide.
Detecting fake news stories via multimodal analysis
Authors: Singh Vivek K. , Ghosh Isha , Sonagara Darshan
Published: May 2020

Filtering, vetting, and verifying digital information is an area of core interest in information science. Online fake news is a specific type of digital misinformation that poses serious threats to democratic institutions, misguides the public, and can lead to radicalization and violence. Hence, fake news detection is an important problem for information science research. While there have been multiple attempts to identify fake news, most of such efforts have focused on a single modality (e.g., only text‐based or only visual features). However, news articles are increasingly framed as multimodal news stories, and hence, in this work, we propose a multimodal approach combining text and visual analysis of online news stories to automatically detect fake news. Drawing on key theories of information processing and presentation, we identify multiple text and visual features that are associated with fake or credible news articles. We then perform a predictive analysis to detect features most strongly associated with fake news. Next, we combine these features in predictive models using multiple machine‐learning techniques. The experimental results indicate that a multimodal approach outperforms single‐modality approaches, allowing for better fake news detection.
Molybdenum Carbide‐Embedded Multichannel Hollow Carbon Nanofibers as Bifunctional Catalysts for Water Splitting
Authors: Ji Changchun , Yang Guang , Ilango P. Robert , Song Junnan , Yu Deshuang , Han Sujun , Zhang Dongxing , Li Linlin , Peng Shengjie
Published: May 2020

With the environmental pollution and non‐renewable fossil fuels, it is imperative to develop eco‐friendly, renewable, and highly efficient electrocatalysts for sustainable energy. Herein, a simple electrospinning process used to synthesis Mo2C‐embedded multichannel hollow carbon nanofibers (Mo2C‐MCNFs) and followed by the pyrolysis process. As prepared lotus root‐like nanoarchitecture could offer rich porosity and facilitate the electrolyte infiltration, the Mo2C‐MCNFs delivered favourable catalytic activity for HER and OER. The resultant catalysts exhibit low overpotentials of 114 mV and 320 mV at a current density of 10 mA cm−2 for HER and OER, respectively. Furthermore, using the Mo2C‐MCNFs catalysts as a bifunctional electrode toward overall water splitting, which only needs a small cell voltage of 1.68 V to afford a current density of 10 mA cm−2 in the home‐made alkaline electrolyzer. This interesting work presents a simple and effective strategy to further fabricating tunable nanostructures for energy‐related applications.
Talking to Customers and Communities About PFAS
Authors: Henderson Katie , Deines Allison , Ozekin Kenan , Moeller Jeff , Fulmer Alice , McGregor Stefani
Published: May 2020

Key Takeaways

Scientific research on PFAS is ongoing, but risk communication guidance can be used by drinking water utilities to protect public health and establish trust with customers.

Risk communication strategies enable utilities to be timely, credible, and respectful in addressing customer concerns about PFAS risks from drinking water.

In an uncertain time, proactive messaging can ensure a water utility responds to customer inquiries about PFAS with empathy and transparency.
Process intensification for cytochrome P450 BM3‐catalyzed oxy‐functionalization of dodecanoic acid
Authors: Buergler Moritz B. , Dennig Alexander , Nidetzky Bernd
Published: May 2020

Selective oxy‐functionalization of nonactivated C‐H bonds is a long‐standing “dream reaction” of organic synthesis for which chemical methodology is not well developed. Mono‐oxygenase enzymes are promising catalysts for such oxy‐functionalization to establish. Limitation on their applicability arises from low reaction output. Here, we showed an integrated approach of process engineering to the intensification of the cytochrome P450 BM3‐catalyzed hydroxylation of dodecanoic acid (C12:0). Using P450 BM3 together with glucose dehydrogenase for regeneration of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH), we compared soluble and co‐immobilized enzymes in O2‐gassed and pH‐controlled conversions at high final substrate concentrations (≥40mM). We identified the main engineering parameters of process output (i.e., O2 supply; mixing correlated with immobilized enzyme stability; foam control correlated with product isolation; substrate solubilization) and succeeded in disentangling their complex interrelationship for systematic process optimization. Running the reaction at O2‐limited conditions at up to 500‐ml scale (10% dimethyl sulfoxide; silicone antifoam), we developed a substrate feeding strategy based on O2 feedback control. Thus, we achieved high reaction rates of 1.86g·L−1·hr−1 and near complete conversion (≥90%) of 80mM (16g/L) C12:0 with good selectivity (≤5% overoxidation). We showed that “uncoupled reaction” of the P450 BM3 (~95% utilization of NADPH and O2 not leading to hydroxylation) with the C12:0 hydroxylated product limited the process efficiency at high product concentration. Hydroxylated product (~7g; ≥92% purity) was recovered from 500ml reaction in 82% yield using ethyl‐acetate extraction. Collectively, these results demonstrate key engineering parameters for the biocatalytic oxy‐functionalization and show their integration into a coherent strategy for process intensification.
The neonatal Fc receptor in cancer FcRn in cancer
Authors: Cadena Castaneda Diana , Brachet Guillaume , Goupille Caroline , Ouldamer Lobna , Gouilleux‐Gruart Valérie
Published: May 2020

Since the neonatal IgG Fc receptor (FcRn) was discovered, it was found to be involved in immunoglobulin recycling and biodistribution, immune complexes routing, antigen presentation, humoral immune response, and cancer immunosurveillance. The latest data show that FcRn plays a part in cancer pathophysiology. In various types of cancers, such as lung and colorectal cancer, FcRn has been described as an early marker for prognosis. Dysregulation of FcRn expression by cancer cells allows them to increase their metabolism, and this process could be exploited for passive targeting of cytotoxic drugs. However, the roles of this receptor depend on whether the studied cell population is the tumor tissue or the infiltrating cells, bringing forward the need for further studies.
PD‐L1 (SP142) expression in neoplastic cells predicts a poor prognosis for patients with intravascular large B‐cell lymphoma treated with rituximab‐based multi‐agent chemotherapy
Authors: Suzuki Yuka , Kohno Kei , Matsue Kosei , Sakakibara Ayako , Ishikawa Eri , Shimada Satoko , Shimada Kazuyuki , Mabuchi Seiyo , Takahara Taishi , Kato Seiichi , Nakamura Shigeo , Satou Akira
Published: May 2020

Background

Intravascular large B‐cell lymphoma (IVLBCL) is a rare form of diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma (DLBCL) arising in extranodal sites. PD‐L1 expression of tumor cells has been reported in IVLBCL cells, but its clinicopathological relevance remains to be elucidated.

Aims

This study was aimed to reveal the characteristics of PD‐L1+ IVLBCL.

Methods and results

Neoplastic PD‐L1 expression was examined in 34 cases of IVLBCL and clinicopathological characteristics between patients with PD‐L1+ and PD‐L1− IVLBCL were compared. We assessed PD‐L1 expression with SP142 antibody. Twelve (35%) of 34 cases showed positivity for PD‐L1. The PD‐L1+ group had significantly lower survival rates compared to the PD‐L1− group. The PD‐L1+ IVLBCL group also had a significantly lower age distribution and a lower frequency of patients older than 60 years compared to the PD‐L1− group. Very recently, we speculate that there is possible link between PD‐L1+ IVLBCL and PD‐L1+ extranodal DLBCL‐NOS (eDLBCL) because features of the two groups showed overlapping. Therefore, we compared the clinicopathological characteristics of the PD‐L1+ IVLBCL and PD‐L1+ eDLBCL. There were no significant differences in clinicopathological parameters and prognosis.

Conclusion

The worse prognosis of the PD‐L1+ group might be caused by immune evasion mechanisms, which are linked to PD‐L1 expression. Therefore, PD‐L1+ IVLBCL cases might be regarded as good candidates for targeted immunotherapy. We also highlighted the overlapping features of PD‐L1+ IVLBCL and PD‐L1+ eDLBCL. This result suggests that they should be regarded as one entity, immune evasion‐related extranodal large B‐cell lymphoma.
Synthesis and Solid State Conformation of Tetrapeptide Amides Containing two Aib and two (αMe)Phe Residues – Use of Enantiomerically Pure 2‐Benzyl‐2‐methyl‐2H‐azirin‐3‐amines as (αMe)Phe‐Synthons
Authors: Bucher Christoph B. , Linden Anthony , Heimgartner Heinz
Published: May 2020

A series of tetrapeptide amides containing two aminoisobutyric acids (Aib) and two α‐methylphenylalanine ((αMe)Phe) units were prepared through the ‘azirine/oxazolone method’. New 2‐benzyl‐2‐methyl‐2H‐azirin‐3‐amines have been used for the selective introduction of (S)‐ and (R)‐(αMe)Phe, respectively. The solid‐state conformations of five tetrapeptide amides were determined by X‐ray crystallography. In all cases, two β‐turns stabilize 310‐helical conformations and it was confirmed that, in contrast to proteinogenic amino acids, the configuration of (αMe)Phe does not determine the screw sense of the helix.
Overexpression of long noncoding RNA HOXA‐AS2 predicts an adverse prognosis and promotes tumorigenesis via SOX4/PI3K/AKT pathway in acute myeloid leukemia
Authors: Qu Yi , Wang Yue , Wang Pingping , Lin Na , Yan Xiaojing , Li Yan
Published: May 2020

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play important roles in diverse cellular processes and carcinogenesis. Homeobox A cluster antisense RNA 2 (HOXA‐AS2) is a 1,048‐basepairs lncRNA located between human HOXA3 and HOXA4 genes, whose overactivation was previously found to promote the proliferation and invasion of solid tumors. However, its clinical and biological roles in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) remain unclear. This study showed that HOXA‐AS2 was overexpressed in AML patients. In addition, the increased HOXA‐AS2 expression was correlated with higher white blood cell and bone marrow blast counts, unfavorable karyotype classification, more measurable residual disease positivity, and earlier death. There was also a tendency toward inferior survival in patients with high HOXA‐AS2 expression, and HOXA‐AS2 was an independent prognostic factor among the normal‐karyotype AMLs. Furthermore, the results of in vitro study showed that silencing HOXA‐AS2 significantly inhibited the growth of leukemic cells by inducing G1/G0‐phase arrest and apoptosis. Further analysis demonstrated that silencing HOXA‐AS2 suppressed the phosphorylation level of PI3K and AKT, which thereafter promoted the expression of P21 and P27. Moreover, it was suggested that the sex‐determining region Y‐box 4 (SOX4), which is closely involved in the PI3K/AKT pathway, might be one of the major downstream targets of HOXA‐AS2. Silencing HOXA‐AS2 decreased the expression of SOX4, whereas the upregulation of SOX4 partially abrogated the inhibitory effect of silencing HOXA‐AS2 on leukemic cells. In conclusion, these findings suggest that HOXA‐AS2 probably functions as an oncogene via SOX4/PI3K/AKT pathway and might be a useful biomarker for the prognostic prediction in AML patients, providing a potential therapeutic target for AML.
Impact of prior coronary artery bypass grafting in patients undergoing chronic total occlusion‐percutaneous coronary intervention: Procedural and clinical outcomes from the REgistry of Crossboss and Hybrid procedures in FrAnce, the NetheRlands, BelGium, and UnitEd Kingdom (RECHARGE)
Authors: Budassi Simone , Zivelonghi Carlo , Dens Joseph , Bagnall Alan J. , Knaapen Paul , Avran Alexandre , Spratt James C. , Walsh Simon , Faurie Benjamin , Agostoni Pierfrancesco ,   of all the RECHARGE investigators
Published: May 2020

Aim

Chronic total occlusions (CTO) in patients with history of coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) show more advanced and complex atherosclerotic pathology. Aim of our study is to compare outcomes in patients undergoing CTO percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with previous CABG versus those without in the REgistry of Crossboss and Hybrid procedures in FrAnce the NetheRlands, BelGium and UnitEd Kingdom (RECHARGE).

Methods & results

The RECHARGE cohort (1,252 patients) was divided in two groups according to the presence of previous CABG (217) or not. We also focused, in the post‐CABG group, on a comparison between CTO in previously grafted vessels versus non‐grafted vessels. The CTO complexity scores were higher and the success rate (71.9% vs. 88.7%, p < .001) was lower in the CABG group, this difference was driven by higher failure rates in high‐complexity‐score CTO. The rate of in‐hospital complications was similar. In the post‐CABG group, the procedural success of CTO located in previously grafted vessels versus those in vessels not previously grafted, was comparably suboptimal (73.1% vs. 68%, p = .47).

Conclusion

Patients undergoing CTO PCI with prior CABG have a higher prevalence of comorbidities and more complex lesion characteristics. In the post‐CABG population the success rate was significantly lower, particularly in high CTO complexity scores, though complication rates were comparable. In the post‐CABG population, the CTO success rate was independent of the presence of a previous graft on the CTO vessel.
In Situ Spectroelectrochemical Investigation of Potential‐Dependent Changes in an Amphiphilic Imidazolium‐Based Ionic Liquid Film on the Au(111) Electrode Surface
Authors: Sieling Thorben , Brand Izabella
Published: May 2020

The stability of ionic liquids (ILs) at charged interfaces makes them very attractive in electrochemical applications. In this work, a Langmuir–Blodgett transfer is used to fabricate a monolayer of an amphiphilic 1‐methyl‐3‐octadecylimidazolium perchlorate IL on the Au(111) surface. The IL monolayer immersed in an aqueous electrolyte solution is very stable over a wide potential window. Polarization modulation infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy is used to monitor structural changes in the model of the electrical double layer of the IL in aqueous solution. The imidazolium cation is in direct contact with the Au(111) surface. The imidazolium ring adopts a rigid orientation, inclined toward the metal surface, in the monolayer on the Au(111) surface. The orientation of hydrocarbon chains responds to electric potentials. At low negative surface charge densities of the Au(111) electrode, the hydrocarbon chains in the amphiphilic cation have a large average tilt versus surface normal. A negative potential shift is accompanied by a reorientation of the hydrophobic hydrocarbon chains that adopt an up‐ward orientation, making the film permeable for counter‐ and/or co‐ions. This transition leads to the formation of an ordered, single‐component monolayer of the amphiphilic cation on the electrode surface.
Recent Developments in Electrochemistry–Mass Spectrometry
Authors: Herl Thomas , Matysik Frank‐Michael
Published: May 2020

Hyphenation of electrochemistry and mass spectrometry is an attractive method to investigate oxidation and reduction processes. By using mass spectrometry, electrochemically generated products can be identified. In this Review, different approaches to electrochemistry–mass spectrometry will be summarized, including hyphenation of electrochemical flow cells to mass spectrometry as well as integration of separation steps between electrochemical reactions and detection of products. Fields of application range from bioanalytical studies to studies regarding corrosion, electrosynthesis and energy carriers. Important historical developments will be highlighted, followed by an overview of terminology and instrumental setups and discussion of developments within recent years (2017–2020).
Triptycene End‐Capped Benzothienobenzothiophene and Naphthothienobenzothiophene
Authors: Ueberricke Lucas , Schwarz Julia , Ghalami Farhad , Matthiesen Maik , Rominger Frank , Elbert Sven M. , Zaumseil Jana , Elstner Marcus , Mastalerz Michael
Published: May 2020

Previously it was demonstrated that triptycene end‐capping can be used as a crystal engineering strategy to direct the packing of quinoxalinophenanthrophenazines (QPPs) towards cofacially stacked π dimers with large molecular overlap resulting in high charge transfer integrals. Remarkably, this packing motif was formed under different crystallization conditions and with a variety of derivatives bearing additional functional groups or aromatic substituents. Benzothienobenzothiophene (BTBT) and its derivatives are known as some of the best performing compounds for organic field‐effect transistors. Here, the triptycene end‐capping concept is introduced to this class of compounds and polymorphic crystal structures are investigated to evaluate the potential of triptycene end‐caps as synthons for crystal engineering.
Enhancing the CO2 Electroreduction of Fe/Ni‐Pentlandite Catalysts by S/Se Exchange
Authors: Pellumbi Kevinjeorjios , Smialkowski Mathias , Siegmund Daniel , Apfel Ulf‐Peter
Published: May 2020

The electrochemical reduction of CO2 is an attractive strategy towards the mitigation of environmental pollution and production of bulk chemicals as well as fuels by renewables. The bimetallic sulfide Fe4.5Ni4.5S8 (pentlandite) was recently reported as a cheap and robust catalyst for electrochemical water splitting, as well as for CO2 reduction with a solvent‐dependent product selectivity. Inspired by numerous reports on monometallic sulfoselenides and selenides revealing higher catalytic activity for the CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) than their sulfide counterparts, the authors investigated the influence of stepwise S/Se exchange in seleno‐pentlandites Fe4.5Ni4.5S8‐YSeY (Y=1–5) and their ability to act as CO2 reducing catalysts. It is demonstrated that the incorporation of higher equivalents of selenium favors the CO2RR with Fe4.5Ni4.5S4Se4 revealing the highest activity for CO formation. Under galvanostatic conditions in acetonitrile, Fe4.5Ni4.5S4Se4 generates CO with a Faradaic Efficiency close to 100 % at applied current densities of −50 mA cm−2 and −100 mA cm−2. This work offers insight into the tunability of the pentlandite based electrocatalysts for the CO2 reduction reaction.
1,2,4,5‐Tetrakis(tetramethylguanidino)‐3,6‐diethynyl‐benzenes: Fluorescent Probes, Redox‐Active Ligands and Strong Organic Electron Donors
Authors: Wagner Conrad , Kreis Franka , Popp Dennis , Hübner Olaf , Kaifer Elisabeth , Himmel Hans‐Jörg
Published: May 2020

In this work, the change of reactivity induced by the introduction of two para‐ethynyl substituents (CCSi(iPr)3 or CCH) to the organic electron‐donor 1,2,4,5‐tetrakis(tetramethylguanidino)‐benzene is evaluated. The redox‐properties and redox‐state dependent fluorescence are evaluated, and dinuclear CuI and CuII complexes synthesized. The Lewis‐acidic B(C6F5)3 substitutes the proton of the ethynyl −CCH groups to give new anionic −CCB(C6F5)3− substituents, leading eventually to a novel dianionic strong electron donor in its diprotonated form. Its two‐electron oxidation with dioxygen in the presence of a copper catalyst yields the first redox‐active guanidine that is neutral (instead of cationic) in its oxidized form.
Design, Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Bengamide Analogues as ClpP Activators
Authors: Kong Xue‐Qing , Wei Bing‐Yan , Yu Chen‐Xi , Guan Xiang‐Na , Ma Wei‐Ping , Liu Gang , Yang Cai‐Guang , Nan Fa‐Jun
Published: May 2020

Summary of main observation and conclusion

To combat multidrug‐resistant Gram‐positive bacteria, new antimicrobials particularly those with novel mechanism of action are badly needed. Different with conventional antibiotics which are typical inhibitors, small‐molecule activators of bacterial ClpP represent a new class of antibiotics. No ClpP activator has been developed for clinical trial. Herein, we conducted a screening on our library of bengamide‐like ring‐opened analogues and found that L472‐2 possesses a low minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) against S.aureus and shows no activity for ClpP activation in vitro, but it displayed reduced antibacterial activity against S. aureus with clpP deletion. In order to obtain bengamide analogues that activate ClpP in vitro as well as possess antibacterial activity, we perform further structural modifications starting from L472‐2. Compound 37 remains the antimicrobial activity and activation of ClpP protein in vitro, which could be viewed as a new chemical scaffold for ClpP activators and worthy of further investigation.
Arenesulfonyl Fluoride Synthesis via Copper‐free Sandmeyer‐type Fluorosulfonylation of Arenediazonium Salts
Authors: Lin Qiongzhen , Ma Zhanhu , Zheng Changge , Hu Xiao‐Jun , Guo Yong , Chen Qing‐Yun , Liu Chao
Published: May 2020

Summary of main observation and conclusion

The limited availability of highly valuable arenesulfonyl fluorides seriously hinders their further application in many research fields including medicinal chemistry and chemical biological, organic synthesis, polymer preparation, etc. We report herein a mild and efficient copper‐free Sandmeyer‐type fluorosulfonylation reaction of various arenediazonium salts to prepare valuable arenesulfonyl fluorides using K2S2O5 as both a reductant and a practical sulfonyl source in combination with N‐fluorobenzenesulfonimide as an effective fluorine source. This methodology provides an attractive route to diverse important arenesulfonyl fluorides given the overall practicality and scope.
Synthetic Guaiacol Derivatives as Promising Myeloperoxidase Inhibitors Targeting Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease
Authors: Premkumar Jayaraj , Sampath Parthasarathy , Sanjay Rajagopalan , Chandrakala Aluganti , Rajagopal Desikan
Published: May 2020

Myeloperoxidase (MPO) is known to cause oxidative stress and inflammation leading to cardiovascular disease (CVD) complications. MPO‐mediated oxidation of lipoproteins leads to dysfunctional entities altering the landscape of lipoprotein functionality. The specificity of guaiacol derivatives toward preventing MPO‐mediated oxidation to limit MPO's harmful effects is unknown. Diligent in silico studies were accomplished for a portfolio of compounds with guaiacol as a building block. The compounds’ activity toward MPO inhibition was also validated. The role of these chemical entities in controlling MPO‐mediated oxidation of lipoproteins (LDL and HDL) was shown to agree with our approach of developing powerful MPO inhibitors. The mechanism of MPO inhibition was demonstrated to be reversible in nature. This study reveals that there is great potential for guaiacol derivatives as therapeutics for CVD by modulating lipid profiles, reducing atherosclerotic plaque burden, and subsequently optimizing cardiovascular functions.
Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Endocannabinoid Uptake Inhibitors Derived from WOBE437
Authors: Mäder Patrick , Bartholomäus Ruben , Nicolussi Simon , Baumann Alice , Weis Melanie , Chicca Andrea , Rau Mark , Simão Ana Catarina , Gertsch Jürg , Altmann Karl‐Heinz
Published: May 2020

WOBE437 ((2E,4E)‐N‐(3,4‐dimethoxyphenethyl)dodeca‐2,4‐dienamide, 1) is a natural product‐derived, highly potent inhibitor of endocannabinoid reuptake. In this study, we synthesized almost 80 analogues of 1 with different types of modifications in the dodecadienoyl domain as well as the dimethoxyphenylethyl head group, and we investigated their effects on anandamide uptake into U937 cells. Intriguingly, none of these analogues was a more potent inhibitor of anandamide uptake than WOBE437 (1). At the same time, a number of WOBE437 variants exhibited potencies in the sub‐100 nM range, with high selectivity over inhibition of the endocannabinoid‐degrading enzyme fatty acid amide hydrolase; two compounds were virtually equipotent with 1. Interestingly, profound activity differences were observed between analogues in which either of the two methoxy substituents in the head group had been replaced by the same bulkier alkoxy group. Some of the compounds described here could be interesting departure points for the development of potent endocannabinoid uptake inhibitors with more drug‐like properties.
Supervised machine learning for coronary artery lumen segmentation in intravascular ultrasound images
Authors: Cui Hengfei , Xia Yong , Zhang Yanning
Published: May 2020

Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) has been widely used to capture cross sectional lumen frames of inner wall of coronary arteries. This kind of medical imaging modalities is capable of providing detailed and significant information of lumen contour shape, which is very important for clinical diagnosis and analysis of cardiovascular diseases. Numerous learning based techniques have recently become very popular for coronary artery segmentation due to their impressive results. In this work, a supervised machine learning method for coronary artery lumen segmentation with high accuracy and minimal user interaction is designed. The fully discriminative lumen segmentation method jointly learning a classifier the weak learners rely on and the features of the classifier is developed. Additionally, the theoretical supports of the Gradient Boosting framework used in this work and its quadratic approximation are presented. The proposed algorithm is tested on the public datasets of boundary detection of lumen in IVUS challenge held in MICCAI 2011 and achieves a higher average Jaccard similarity of 96.8% and a lower mean error distance of 0.55 (in Cartesian coordinates), which shows higher accuracy compared to the existing learning based methods. Moreover, three real patient IVUS datasets are used to evaluate the performance of the proposed coronary artery lumen segmentation algorithm, which is shown to achieve lower percent error of lumen area of 1.861% ± 0.965%, 1.968% ± 0.864%, and 1.671% ± 0.584%, respectively, compared to the manually measured lumen area (ground truth). The proposed lumen segmentation method is found to be superior to the latest learning based segmentation techniques. Given the efficiency and robustness, our method has great potential in IVUS images processing and coronary artery segmentation and quantification.

Novelty Statement

The main contributions are summarized in the following aspects:

A detailed review of related work about learning based coronary artery lumen segmentation in intravascular ultrasound images is presented.

A fully discriminative lumen segmentation method jointly learning a classifier our weak learners rely on and the features of the classifier is developed.

The theoretical supports of the Gradient Boosting framework and its quadratic approximation used in this work are presented.
Severe infusion reaction due to nivolumab: A case report
Authors: Kumari Seema , Yun James , Soares James R. , Ding Pei N.
Published: May 2020

Background

Nivolumab is an anti‐PD1 immune checkpoint inhibitor commonly used for the treatment of solid organ and hematological malignancies. Severe infusion reaction due to nivolumab is quite rare.

Case

We report a case of severe infusion reaction due to nivolumab necessitating ICU admission and withdrawal of further nivolumab use in a patient with metastatic non‐small cell lung cancer.

Conclusion

Our knowledge and expertise with the use of immune checkpoint inhibitors are still evolving. This report highlights one of the rare possible side‐effects that clinicians and patients may have to face with increasing indications and use of nivolumab in day to day practice.
Simultaneous and Significant Improvements in Efficiency and Stability of Deep‐Blue Organic Light Emitting Diodes through Friedel‐Crafts Arylmethylation of a Fluorophore
Authors: Feng Quanyou , Tan Kesheng , Zheng Xiaojun , Xie Songlin , Xue Kai , Bo Yifan , Zhang He , Lin Dongqing , Rao Junfeng , Xie Xinmiao , Xie Linghai , Cao Hongtao , Zhang Hongmei , Wei Ying , Huang Wei
Published: May 2020

The front cover artwork is provided by the Huang Group at the Institute of Advanced Materials (IAM) at Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications (China). The image shows how comprehensive performances of deep‐blue organic light‐emitting diodes can be achieved through Friedel–Crafts arylmethylation of a fluorophore. Read the full text of the Communication at 10.1002/cptc.201900268.
Oxygen‐Vacancy‐Enhanced Singlet Oxygen Production for Selective Photocatalytic Oxidation
Authors: Wang Jiajia , Xu Xilong , Liu Yuanyuan , Wang Zeyan , Wang Peng , Zheng Zhaoke , Cheng Hefeng , Dai Ying , Huang Baibiao
Published: May 2020

Oxygen vacancies are usually thought to be beneficial for photogenerated charge separation. In this work, the oxygen vacancies in ov‐Bi2O3 (Bi2O3 with oxygen vacancy) were found to be able to produce 1O2 in the dark owing to chemical adsorption. The oxygen vacancies were further found to be responsible for ov‐Bi2O3 exhibiting higher 1O2 generation under light irradiation with 1O2 as the only reactive oxygen species (ROS) than Bi2O3 with 1O2, H2O2, and others as the ROS. The photocatalytic activity was investigated for the selective photo‐oxidation of phenyl methyl sulfide to phenyl methyl sulfoxide and phenyl alcohol to benzaldehyde. In either case, ov‐Bi2O3 displayed better performance than Bi2O3, suggesting the significant role of oxygen vacancies in modulating the photocatalytic oxidation properties. This work provides an alternative approach to obtain singlet oxygen, which may guide further design of photocatalysts with high efficiency and selectivity towards photocatalytic organic synthesis.
Molecular‐Level Overhaul of γ‐Aminopropyl Aminosilicone/Triethylene Glycol Post‐Combustion CO2‐Capture Solvents
Authors: Cantu David C. , Malhotra Deepika , Nguyen Manh‐Thuong , Koech Phillip K. , Zhang Difan , Glezakou Vassiliki‐Alexandra , Rousseau Roger , Page Jordan , Zheng Richard , Perry Robert J. , Heldebrant David J.
Published: May 2020

Capturing carbon dioxide from post‐combustion gas streams is an energy‐intensive process that is required prior to either converting or sequestering CO2. Although a few commercial 1st and 2nd generation aqueous amine technologies have been proposed, the cost of capturing CO2 with these technologies remains high. One approach to decrease costs of capture has been the development of water‐lean solvents that aim to increase efficiency by reducing the water content in solution. Water‐lean solvents, such as γ‐aminopropyl aminosilicone/triethylene glycol (GAP/TEG), are promising technologies, with the potential to halve the parasitic load to a coal‐fired power plant, albeit only if high solution viscosities and hydrolysis of the siloxane moieties can be mitigated. This study concerns an integrated multidisciplinary approach to overhaul the GAP/TEG solvent system at the molecular level to mitigate hydrolysis while also reducing viscosity. Cosolvents and diluents are found to have negligible effects on viscosity and are not needed. This finding allows for the design of single‐component siloxane‐free diamine derivatives with site‐specific incorporation of selective chemical moieties for direct placement and orientation of hydrogen bonding to reduce viscosity. Ultimately, these new formulations are less susceptible to hydrolysis and exhibit up to a 98 % reduction in viscosity compared to the initial GAP/TEG formulation.
Bimetallic Pairs Supported on Graphene as Efficient Electrocatalysts for Nitrogen Fixation: Search for the Optimal Coordination Atoms
Authors: Hu Riming , Li Yongcheng , Zeng Qingwen , Wang Fuhe , Shang Jiaxiang
Published: May 2020

The electrocatalytic nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR) is a most attractive approach to ammonia synthesis, and the development of catalysts with excellent activity, high NRR selectivity, and long‐term durability is crucial but remains a great challenge. Herein, by means of density functional theory calculations, the stability and catalytic performance of anchored bimetals was systematically investigated by pairing different transition‐metal atoms (Mo, Cr, Ti, V, Ru, and W) on graphene with different coordination atoms (C, N, O, P, and S) for N2 fixation. By screening the stability, limiting potential, and selectivity of 105 candidates, carbon was found to be the optimal coordination atom for bimetallic pairs, whereas the other four coordination atoms were unsatisfactory owing to either thermodynamically unstable anchor sites for bimetallic pairs (O, P, and S atoms) or relatively low catalytic activity (N atom). Notably, the bimetallic compound of Mo and Ti supported on C‐coordinated graphene (MoTi‐CG) and TiV‐CG were predicted as effective NRR catalysts with the attractive limiting potentials of −0.34 and −0.30 V. Furthermore, the volcano curve between the limiting potential and the adsorption free energy of NH2* [ΔG(NH2*)] was revealed, in which a moderate ΔG(NH2*) was required for high‐activity NRR catalysts. This study not only provides a theoretical basis for the rational design of bimetallic compounds anchored on graphene as effective NRR catalysts under ambient conditions but also opens up a new way to accelerate the screening of NRR catalysts.
Photoelectrochemical Decomposition of Lignin Model Compound on a BiVO4 Photoanode
Authors: Li Tengfei , Mo Jia Yi , Weekes David M. , Dettelbach Kevan E. , Jansonius Ryan P. , Sammis Glenn M. , Berlinguette Curtis P.
Published: May 2020

The photoelectrochemical decomposition of lignin model compounds at a BiVO4 photoanode is demonstrated with simulated sunlight and an applied bias of 2.0 V. These prototypical lignin model compounds are photoelectrochemically converted into the corresponding aryl aldehyde and phenol derivatives in a single step with conversion of up to ≈64 % over 20 h. Control experiments suggest that vanadium sites are electrocatalytically active, which precludes the need for a redox mediator in solution. This feature of the system is corroborated by a layer of V2O5 deposited on BiVO4 serving to boost the conversion by 10 %. Our methodology capitalizes on the reactive power of sunlight to drive reactions that have only been studied previously by electrochemical or catalytic methods. The use of a BiVO4 photoanode to drive lignin model decomposition therefore provides a new platform to extract valuable aromatic chemical feedstocks using solar energy, electricity and biomass as the only inputs.
RISC32‐E: Field programmable gate array based sensor node with queue system to support fast encryption in Industrial Internet of Things applications
Authors: See Jin‐Chuan , Mok Kai‐Ming , Lee Wai‐Kong , Goh Hock‐Guan
Published: May 2020

Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is an emerging technology that relies on the use of massively connected sensor nodes to gather industrial‐related data. The collected data are used for postanalysis to generate insights for reducing production down time, cost optimization, and predictive maintenance. One of the key requirements for sensor node in such application is the data confidentiality; as such sensor data may potentially leak the manufacturing and industrial secret to their competitors. In this paper, a field programmable gate array (FPGA)‐based sensor node with Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) crypto‐processor is proposed to safeguard the sensor data. A novel queue system is proposed to further reduce the data processing time and energy consumption. The proposed queue system is able to achieve 1.48× speed up and ∼16% energy reduction, which makes it a competitive candidate for Industrial IoT applications. The technique developed in this paper can also be extended to implement FPGA‐based gateway with encryption feature, which is very useful for edge computing in IoT applications.
TAS2R20 variants confer dietary adaptation to high‐quercitrin bamboo leaves in Qinling giant pandas
Authors: Hu Xiangxu , Wang Guan , Shan Lei , Sun Shuyan , Hu Yibo , Wei Fuwen
Published: May 2020

Sensitivity to bitter tastes provides animals with an important means of interacting with their environment and thus, influences their dietary preferences. Genetic variants encoding functionally distinct receptor types contribute to variation in bitter taste sensitivity. Our previous study showed that two nonsynonymous sites, A52V and Q296H, in the TAS2R20 gene are directionally selected in giant pandas from the Qinling Mountains, which are speculated to be the causative base‐pair changes of Qinling pandas for the higher preference for bamboo leaves in comparison with other pandas. Here, we used functional expression in engineered cells to identify agonists of pTAS2R20 (i.e., giant panda's TAS2R20) and interrogated the differences in perception in the in vitro responses of pTAS2R20 variants to the agonists. Our results show that pTAS2R20 is specifically activated by quercitrin and that pTAS2R20 variants exhibit differences in the sensitivity of their response to the agonist. Compared with pTAS2R20 in pandas from other areas, the receptor variant with A52V and Q296H, which is most commonly found in Qinling pandas, confers a significantly decreased sensitivity to quercitrin. We subsequently quantified the quercitrin content of the leaves of bamboo distributed in the Qinling Mountains, which was found to be significantly higher than that of the leaves of bamboo from panda habitats in other areas. Our results suggest that the decreased sensitivity to quercitrin in Qinling pandas results in higher‐quercitrin‐containing bamboo leaves to be tasting less bitter to them and thus, influences their dietary preference. This study illustrates the genetic adaptation of Qinling pandas to their environments and provides a fine example of the functional effects of directional selection in the giant panda.