bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Nano‐sized Cu(II) and Zn(II) complexes and their use as a precursor for synthesis of CuO and ZnO nanoparticles: A study on their sonochemical synthesis, characterization, and DNA‐binding/cleavage, anticancer, and antimicrobial activities
Authors: Alothman Asma A. , Albaqami Munirah D.
Published: July 2020

Two new divalent copper (C1) and zinc (C2) chelates having the formulae [M(PIMC)2] (where M = Cu(II), Zn(II) and PIMC = Ligand [(E)‐3‐(((3‐hydroxypyridin‐2‐yl)imino)methyl)‐4H‐chromen‐4‐one] were obtained and characterized by several techniques. Structures and geometries of the synthesized complexes were judged based on the results of alternative analytical and spectral tools supporting the proposed formulae. IR spectral data confirmed the coordination of the ligands to the copper and zinc centers as monobasic tridentate in the enol form. Thermal analysis, UV‐Vis spectra and magnetic moment confirmed the geometry around the copper center to be tetrahedral, square pyramidal and octahedral. Study of the binding ability of the synthesized compounds with Circulating tumor DNA (CT‐DNA) bas been evaluated applying UV‐Vis spectral titration and viscosity measurements. The copper and zinc oxides were achieved from the copper and zinc nano‐particles structures Schiff base complexes as the raw material after calcination for 5 hr at 600°C. On the other hand, synthesized of C1 and C2 NPs were used as suitable precursors to the preparation of CuO and ZnO NPs. Finally, the synthesized of the two complexes exhibited enhanced activity against the tested bacterial (Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia Coli) and fungal strains (Candida albicans and Aspergillus fumigatus) as compared to HPIMC. Among all these synthesized compounds, C1 exhibits good cleaving ability compared to other newly synthesized C2.
Integrating the principles of transference‐focused psychotherapy with psychiatric consultation for patients admitted to a general hospital: A clinical application of a psychotherapeutic tool
Authors: Moscara Maria , Bergonzini Elisa
Published: July 2020

In the general hospital (GH), medical staff can find it difficult to establish collaborative relationships with patients exhibiting challenging behavior or personalities. Furthermore many of these patients need complex medical diagnoses and treatments. This paper illustrates an application of the principles of transference‐focused psychotherapy (TFP) in a psychiatric consultation for a patient with cardiac disease and poor adherence to medical recommendations. Among the principles of TFP illustrated are technical neutrality and the three channels of communication – verbal communication, nonverbal communication and countertransference. In addition, the paper shows the use of catamnesis, or the patient's report of their medical history and prior medical treatments. TFP principles allow the psychiatrist to assess the structure of the patient's personality and to help the medical staff to manage their relationship with the patient. TFP principles can be useful tools for psychiatrists working in consultation – liaison services in a general hospital.
Basic Amino Acid Conjugates of 1,2‐Diselenan‐4‐amine with Protein Disulfide Isomerase‐like Functions as a Manipulator of Protein Quality Control
Authors: Tsukagoshi Shunsuke , Mikami Rumi , Arai Kenta
Published: July 2020

Protein disulfide isomerase (PDI) can assist immature proteins to correctly fold by controlling cysteinyl disulfide (SS)‐relating reactions (i. e., SS‐formation, SS‐cleavage, and SS‐isomerization). PDI controls protein quality by suppressing protein aggregation, as well as functions as an oxidative folding catalyst. Following the amino acid sequence of the active center in PDI, basic amino acid conjugates of 1,2‐diselenan‐4‐amine (1), which show oxidoreductase‐ and isomerase‐like activities for SS‐relating reactions, were designed as a novel PDI model compound. By conjugating the amino acids, the diselenide reduction potential of compound 1 was significantly increased, causing improvement of the catalytic activities for all SS‐relating reactions. Furthermore, these compounds, especially histidine‐conjugated one, remarkably suppressed protein aggregation even at low concertation (0.3 mM∼). Thus, it was demonstrated that the conjugation of basic amino acids into 1 simultaneously achieves the enhancement of the redox reactivity and the capability to suppress protein aggregation.
Recent Progress of Hybrid Optical Probes for Neural Membrane Potential Imaging
Authors: Liu Yongyang , Lu Yaxin , Chen Guangcun , Wang Qiangbin
Published: July 2020

The neural membrane potential of nerve cells is the basis of neural activity production, which controls advanced brain activities such as memory, emotion, and learning. In the past decades, optical voltage indicator has emerged as a promising tool to decode neural activities with high‐fidelity and excellent spatiotemporal resolution. In particular, the hybrid optical probes can combine the advantageous photophysical properties of different components such as voltage‐sensitive molecules, highly fluorescent fluorophores, membrane‐targeting tags, and optogenetic materials, thus showing numerous advantages in improving the photoluminescence intensity, voltage sensitivity, photostability, and cell specificity of probes. In this review, the current state‐of‐the‐art hybrid probes are highlighted, that are designed by using fluorescent proteins, organic dyes, and fluorescent nanoprobes as the fluorophores, respectively. Then, the design strategies, voltage‐sensing mechanisms and the in vitro and in vivo neural activity imaging applications of the hybrid probes are summarized. Finally, based on the current achievements of voltage imaging studies, the challenges and prospects for design and application of hybrid optical probes in the future are presented.
A virtual ELISA to quantitate COVID‐19 antibodies in patient serum
Authors: Simpson Kevin , Jakubowski Henry V.
Published: July 2020

Enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) are used widely in biotechnology, pharmaceutical, and clinical medicine labs. At the same time, they appear to be underrepresented in chemistry and biochemistry curricula, even though their sensitivity, selectivity, and ease of use would argue for their widespread use. We describe here an online ELISA activity suitable for stand‐alone use or in conjunction with an actual wet lab ELISA. Specifically, we offer real and mock data for a hypothetical ELISA to detect plasma antibodies to COVID‐19 in infected patients who have had the disease. Much of the activity focuses on chemical and mathematical models to fit ELISA or any macromolecule/ligand binding data, a skill that addresses perhaps the most relevant and difficult learning goal of an ELISA experiment.
Efficacy of probiotics on stress in healthy volunteers: A systematic review and meta‐analysis based on randomized controlled trials
Authors: Zhang Ning , Zhang Yanan , Li Menglin , Wang Weiguang , Liu Zhenzhu , Xi Chongcheng , Huang Xunying , Liu Jintao , Huang Junwei , Tian Dong , Mu Jie , Liao Xing , Zhai Shuangqing
Published: July 2020

Background

Probiotics seems to play a beneficial role in stressed populations; thus, a systematic review and meta‐analysis to assess the effects of probiotics on stress in healthy subjects were conducted.

Methods

Randomized controlled trials on the effects of probiotics on stress in healthy subjects were retrieved from five databases. The effects of probiotics on subjective stress level, stress‐related subthreshold anxiety/depression level, cortisol level, and adverse reactions were analyzed. Separate subgroup analyses were conducted on single‐strain probiotics versus multi‐strain probiotics, and short‐term administration versus long‐term administration.

Results

Seven studies were included, involving a total of 1,146 subjects. All the studies were rated as low or moderate risk of bias. Our research found that probiotic administration can generally reduce the subjective stress level of healthy volunteers and may improve their stress‐related subthreshold anxiety/depression level, but no significant effect was observed in the subgroup analysis. The effect of probiotics on cortisol level was not significant. Adverse reactions were reported in only one of seven studies, but left undescribed.

Conclusion

Current evidence suggests that probiotics can reduce subjective stress level in healthy volunteers and may alleviate stress‐related subthreshold anxiety/depression level, without significant effect on cortisol level, and there is not enough support to draw conclusions about adverse effects; thus, more reliable evidence from clinical trials is needed.
Inverse liquid‐solid chromatography to evaluate drug interactions with organosilane‐modified polydimethylsiloxane for use in body‐on‐a‐chip systems
Authors: Schnepper Mark , Roles Jeff , Hickman James J.
Published: July 2020

Body‐on‐a‐chip and organ‐on‐a‐chip systems utilize polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) because of the relative suitability of the material for fabrication of microfluidic channels and chambers used in these devices. However, hydrophobic molecules, especially therapeutic compounds, tend to adsorb to PDMS, which may distort the dose–response curves that feed into the pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic models used to translate preclinical data into predictions of clinical outcomes. Surface modification by organosilanes is one method being explored to modify PDMS, but the effect of organosilanes on drug adsorption isotherms is not well characterized. We utilized Inverse Liquid‐Solid Chromatography to characterize the adsorption parameters of the drugs acetaminophen, diclofenac, and verapamil with native PDMS and organosilane‐modified (fluoropolymer (13F) and polyethylene glycol) PDMS surfaces, to correlate the modifications with changes in drug adsorption. It was determined that the organosilane modifications significantly changed the energy of adsorption of the test drug utilizing our methodology.
Electromagnetic education: Development of an interactive GUI for demonstrating wave polarization
Authors: Wong Shin Yun , Lim Soo Yong
Published: July 2020

Over the years, we have seen rapid advances in technology that have contributed to the modern lifestyle. It is obvious that there is a strong correlation between technological advances and the quality of education that has been provided to students. It is fair to say that the current educational system is reasonably good, because it has successfully created a platform for innovation in science and technology. However, there seems to be a lack of integration of technology into the education system. The goal of this paper is to utilize technology to improve the quality of electromagnetics education. It documents the development of a MATLAB‐based graphical user interface to visualize plane wave polarization, electromagnetic wave propagation in two and three‐dimensions, plane wavefronts, and spherical wavefronts. The multiwindow app allows users to customize the wave parameters such as amplitude, frequency, phase shift, and attenuation constant. This interactive application does not aim to replace teachers and lecturers, but it serves to enhance the teaching process and to help students better understand the relevant concepts.
Development and Validation of HPLC Method for Determination of Sodium Copper Chlorophyllin – A Food Colorant and Its Application in Pharmacokinetic Study
Authors: Laddha Ankit P. , Nalawade Vivek V. , Gharpure Milind , Kulkarni Yogesh A.
Published: July 2020

A simple, accurate, and precise bioanalytical method was developed and validated for the determination of pharmacokinetic parameters of sodium copper chlorophyllin, a USFDA approved food additive and colorant in rat plasma. The column used was Luna® C18 250×4.6 mm, 100 Å, having particle size 4.5 μm, and the mobile phase used was methanol (MeOH), and 10 mM ammonium acetate buffer in the ratio of 90 : 10, the flow rate was 1 ml/min, and the injection volume of 20 μL. The retention time of sodium copper chlorophyllin was obtained at 9 min. The method was found to be linear at the range of 0.50–8.00 μg mL−1.
Quantitative Elemental Analysis of a Single Cell by Using Inductively Coupled Plasma‐Mass Spectrometry in Fast Time‐Resolved Analysis Mode
Authors: Tanaka Yu‐ki , Iida Risako , Takada Shohei , Kubota Tetsuo , Yamanaka Michiko , Sugiyama Naoki , Abdelnour Yolande , Ogra Yasumitsu
Published: July 2020

The elemental composition of a single yeast, green alga, or red blood cell (RBC) was precisely determined by using inductively coupled plasma‐mass spectrometry (ICP‐MS) operating in fast time‐resolved analysis (TRA) mode. The technique is known as single‐cell (SC)‐ICP‐MS. Phosphorus, sulfur, magnesium, zinc, and iron were detected in the three types of cell. The elemental composition of yeast and green alga obtained by SC‐ICP‐MS was consistent with results obtained from conventional ICP‐MS measurements following acid digestion of the cells. Slight differences were found in the measured values between SC‐ICP‐MS and the conventional ICP‐MS results for RBC. However, the SC‐ICP‐MS results for S and Fe in RBC were closer to the estimated values for these elements that were calculated from the level of hemoglobin in RBCs. The data suggest that SC‐ICP‐MS is suitable for the analysis of various cell types, namely, fungus, plant, and animal cells.
Stenting techniques for coronary bifurcation lesions: Evidence from a network meta‐analysis of randomized clinical trials
Authors: Chiabrando Juan G. , Lombardi Marco , Vescovo Giovanni M. , Wohlford George F. , Koenig Rachel A. , Abbate Antonio , Guzmán Luis A. , Berrocal Daniel H. , Biondi‐Zoccai Giuseppe
Published: July 2020

Objectives

We conducted a systematic review and network meta‐analysis of available randomized clinical trials (RCTs) to compare cardiovascular outcomes involving stenting techniques in coronary bifurcation lesions.

Background

Although provisional stenting of the main branch and balloon angioplasty of the side branch is considered the standard approach, the use of two stents is often pursued with a wide variety of bifurcation stenting techniques available.

Methods

We searched PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), and Clinicaltrials.gov from inception to December 2018. We performed a frequentist network meta‐analysis to estimate relative risks (RR) of death, major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), target vessel revascularization (TVR), target lesion revascularization (TLR), and stent thrombosis (ST) among different two stent bifurcation techniques.

Results

We identified 14 studies, yielding data on 4,285 patients. Double Kissing (DK) Crush and Mini‐crush were associated with significant reductions in MACE, TVR, and TLR when compared with the Provisional stenting (RR 0.31–0.55 [allp < .01] and RR 0.42–0.45 [allp < .02], respectively) and with the remaining bifurcation techniques (RR 0.44–0.55 [allp < .05] for DK Crush and RR 0.37–0.45 [allp < .05] for Mini‐crush). In addition, Culotte and Crush were associated with an increased risk for ST compared to Provisional stenting (RR 3.25–4.27 [bothp < .05]) and to DK crush (RR 3.02–3.99 [bothp < .05]).

Conclusions

DK crush and mini‐crush were found to be associated with fewer events and complications compared to the other techniques reviewed, including the Provisional approach. Further, Culotte and Crush were associated with an increased risk of stent thrombosis when compared to the Provisional approach.
Systematic Study on the Catalytic Arsa‐Wittig Reaction
Authors: Inaba Ryoto , Kawashima Ikuo , Fujii Toshiki , Yumura Takashi , Imoto Hiroaki , Naka Kensuke
Published: July 2020

Efficient catalytic arsa‐Wittig reactions have been developed by using 1‐phenylarsolane as a catalyst. A wide array of aldehydes was converted to the corresponding olefins in high yields with moderate to excellent E stereoselectivity in the presence of a catalytic amount of 1‐phenylarsolane. Moreover, density functional theory calculations were carried out to afford insight into the E/Z selectivity.
Second‐Generation Meridianin Analogues Inhibit the Formation of Mycobacterium smegmatis Biofilms and Sensitize Polymyxin‐Resistant Gram‐Negative Bacteria to Colistin
Authors: Zeiler Michael J. , Melander Roberta J. , Melander Christian
Published: July 2020

Drug‐resistant bacteria are rapidly becoming a significant problem across the globe. One element that factors into this crisis is the role played by bacterial biofilms in the recalcitrance of some infections to the effects of conventional antibiotics. Bacteria within a biofilm are highly tolerant of both antibiotic treatment and host immune responses. Biofilms are implicated in many chronic infections, including tuberculosis, in which they can act as bacterial reservoirs, requiring an arduous antibiotic regimen to eradicate the infection. A separate, compounding problem is that antibiotics once seen as last‐resort drugs, such as the polymyxin colistin, are now seeing more frequent usage as resistance to front‐line drugs in Gram‐negative bacteria becomes more prevalent. The increased use of such antibiotics inevitably leads to an increased frequency of resistance. Drugs that inhibit biofilms and/or act as adjuvants to overcome resistance to existing antibiotics will potentially be an important component of future approaches to antibacterial treatment. We have previously demonstrated that analogues of the meridianin natural product family possess adjuvant and antibiofilm activities. In this study, we explore structural variation of the lead molecule from previous studies, and identify compounds showing both improved biofilm inhibition potency and synergy with colistin.
Molecular profiling and analysis of genetic aberrations aimed at identifying potential therapeutic targets in fibrolamellar carcinoma of the liver
Authors: El Dika Imane , Bowman Anita S. , Berger Michael F. , Capanu Marinela , Chou Joanne F. , Benayed Ryma , Zehir Ahmet , Shia Jinru , O’Reilly Eileen M. , Klimstra David S. , Solit David B. , Abou‐Alfa Ghassan K.
Published: July 2020

Background

Fibrolamellar carcinoma (FLC) is a rare primary liver cancer of young adults. A functional chimeric transcript resulting from the in‐frame fusion of the DNAJ homolog, subfamily B, member 1 (DNAJB1), and the catalytic subunit of protein kinase A (PRKACA) genes on chromosome 19 is believed to be unique in FLC, with a possible role in pathogenesis, yet with no established therapeutic value. The objective of the current study was to understand the molecular landscape of FLC and to identify potential novel therapeutic targets.

Methods

Archival fresh, formalin‐fixed, paraffin‐embedded samples from patients with FLC who prospectively consented to an institutional review board–approved protocol were analyzed using Memorial Sloan Kettering–Integrated Mutation Profiling of Actionable Cancer Targets (MSK‐IMPACT), a next‐generation sequencing assay encompassing up to 468 key cancer genes. Custom targeted RNA‐Seq was performed in selected patients. Demographics, treatment, and outcome data were collected prospectively. Survival outcomes were estimated and correlated with mutation and/or copy number alterations.

Results

A total of 33 tumor samples from 31 patients with FLC were analyzed. The median age of the patients at the time of diagnosis was 18 years and approximately 53% were women. The DNAJB1‐PRKACA fusion transcript was detected in 100% of patients. In 10 of 31 patients in which MSK‐IMPACT did not detect the fusion, its presence was confirmed by targeted RNA‐Seq. TERT promoter mutation was the second most common, and was detected in 7 patients. The median follow up was 30 months (range, 6‐153 months). The 3‐year overall survival rate was 84% (95% CI, 61%‐93%).

Conclusions

The DNAJB1‐PRKACA fusion transcript is nonspecific and nonsensitive to FLC. Its potential therapeutic value currently is under evaluation. Opportunities currently are under development for therapy that may be driven or related to the DNAJB1‐PRKACA fusion transcript or any therapeutic target identified from next‐generation sequencing in patients with FLC.
Parallel solution of saddle point systems with nested iterative solvers based on the Golub‐Kahan Bidiagonalization
Authors: Kruse Carola , Sosonkina Masha , Arioli Mario , Tardieu Nicolas , Rüde Ulrich
Published: July 2020

The Golub‐Kahan bidiagonalization is widely used in the singular value decomposition of rectangular matrices and has been generalized to an iterative solver for symmetric indefinite linear systems with a two‐by‐two block structure. In this work, we present a scalability study of this generalized solver as implemented in a recent release of the parallel numerical library PETSc (Portable, Extensible Toolkit for Scientific Computation). We present an improved solver performance for the two‐dimensional (2D) Stokes equations as compared to previous work. Furthermore, we investigate the performance of different parallel inner solvers in the outer Golub‐Kahan iteration for a three‐dimensional Stokes problem. The study includes parallel sparse direct solvers and multigrid methods. When increasing the number of cores for a fixed total problem size, the solver exhibits good speedups of up to 50% at the 1024 core count. For the tests in which the total problem size grows while the workload in each core stays constant, the parallel performance of the solver scales almost linearly with the increase in the core counts. In particular, the computation time increases only by about 15% when the number of cores increases from 80 to 1024 for a 2D test case.
Thermally Induced Structural Transition of Peptide Nanofibers into Nanoparticles with Enhanced Fluorescence Properties
Authors: Li Qing , Yang Xin , Zhang Liwei , Wang Yuefei , Kong Jia , Qi Wei , Liang Yaoyu , Su Rongxin , He Zhimin
Published: July 2020

A heating treatment method for the synthesis of fluorescent nanoparticles using simple N‐(9‐fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl) (Fmoc)‐protected tripeptides is reported. Two pairs of Fmoc‐protected tripeptides (Fmoc−FR1R2, R1=F or W, R2=H or Y) were designed by changing the amino acid sequences of the peptides. The peptides can self‐assemble into nanofibers at lower temperatures, which will spontaneously transform into fluorescent nanoparticles under heating treatment. Moreover, the fluorescence properties of the self‐assembled structures can be affected by changing amino acids in the middle of the tripeptide. Specifically, tryptophan (W) can promote fluorescence of the assemblies incubated at high temperatures. Thus, the temperatures and amino sequences of the Fmoc‐protected tripeptides have significant effects on the fluorescence of the assembled nanostructures. The results provide a design principle for self‐assembled fluorescent peptide nanostructures with potential biomedical applications.
Gas Sensors Based on Copper‐Containing Metal‐Organic Frameworks, Coordination Polymers, and Complexes
Authors: López‐Molino Jesús , Amo‐Ochoa Pilar
Published: July 2020

In the last years, chemical research has allowed the obtainment of a large number of new sensing compounds useful in diverse interest areas related to health, environment, food, automotive, and steel industries, among others. Taking into account the interest and demand of sensors on a large scale and the urgent need to reduce the size of devices to nanometric scale, coordination compounds (CCs) ‐and more specifically those based on copper‐ have gained full acceptance. CCs present exciting characteristics such as (i) dynamic structures, (ii) ability to form an immense variety of porous structures, or (iii) easy nano processing. Besides, copper is abundant, and an essential ion in the human body with no high toxicity at reachable detectable concentrations. Just this one element copper allows us to obtain porous, non‐porous, optoelectronics, and/or magnetic‐sensitive compounds that can detect a highly varied range of gases in different devices at economical costs. Several studies show how the properties of this type of compounds can be improved depending on their synthesis conditions or by the technology used in the sensor fabrication.
Work‐hardening Photopolymer from Renewable Photoactive 3,3’‐(2,5‐Furandiyl)bisacrylic Acid
Authors: Lie Yann , Pellis Alessandro , Funes‐Ardoiz Ignacio , Sampedro Diego , Macquarrie Duncan J. , Farmer Thomas J.
Published: July 2020

The design of a photopolymer around a renewable furan‐derived chromophore is presented herein. An optimised semi‐continuous oxidation method using MnO2 affords 2,5‐diformylfuran from 5‐(hydroxymethyl)furfural in gram quantities, allowing the subsequent synthesis of 3,3’‐(2,5‐furandiyl)bisacrylic acid in good yield and excellent stereoselectivity. The photoactivity of the diester of this monomer is confirmed by reaction under UV irradiation, and the proposed [2+2] cycloaddition mechanism supported further by TD‐DFT calculations. Oligoesters of the photoreactive furan diacid with various aliphatic diols are prepared via chemo‐ and enzyme‐catalysed polycondensation. The latter enzyme‐catalysed (Candida antarctica lipase B) method results in the highest Mn (3.6 kDa), suggesting milder conditions employed with this protocol minimised unwanted side reactions, including untimely [2+2] cycloadditions, whilst preserving the monomer's photoactivity and stereoisomerism. The photoreactive polyester is solvent cast into a film where subsequent initiator‐free UV curing leads to an impressive increase in the material stiffness, with work‐hardening characteristics observed during tensile strength testing.
Copolymerization of Mesoporous Styrene‐Bridged Organosilica Nanoparticles with Functional Monomers for the Stimuli‐Responsive Remediation of Water
Authors: Kollofrath Dennis , Geppert Marcel , Polarz Sebastian
Published: July 2020

For every mass product, there are problems associated with the resulting waste. Residues of hormones in urine cannot be removed sufficiently from wastewater, and this has undesired consequences. An ideal adsorbent would take up the impurity, enable a simple separation and recyclability. Polymer colloids with high affinity towards the drug, accessible porosity, high surface area, and stimuli‐responsive properties would be candidates, but such a complex system does not exist. Here, porous vinyl‐functionalized organosilica nanoparticles prepared from a styrene bridged sol‐gel precursor act as monomers. Initiation of the polymerization at the pore walls and addition of functional monomers result in a special copolymer, which is covalently linked to the surface and covers it. An orthogonal modification of external surface was done by click attachment of a thermoresponsive polymer. The final core‐shell system is able to remove quantitatively hydrophobic molecules such as the hormone progesterone from water. A change of temperature closes the pores and induces the aggregation of the particles. After separation one can reopen the particles and recycle them.
Oxygen Doping in Graphitic Carbon Nitride for Enhanced Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution
Authors: Huang Jiangnan , Wang Hongjuan , Yu Hao , Zhang Qiao , Cao Yonghai , Peng Feng
Published: July 2020

The incorporation of oxygenic groups could remarkably enhance the light absorption and charge separation of graphitic carbon nitride (g‐C3N4). The intrinsic role of oxygenic species on photocatalytic activity in g‐C3N4 has been intensively studied, but it is still not fully explored. Herein, the essential relationships between oxygenic functionalities and the catalytic performance are revealed. Results demonstrate that C−O−C functionality as an electron trap could help to increase the resistance of conduction transfer (Rct) by limiting electrons transfer in CNx. In contrast, N−C−O functionality between different tri‐s‐triazine unites could promote the electrons transfer, leading to a reduced Rct in CNx. The best H2 production rate (3.70 mmol h−1 g−1, 12.76‐fold higher than that of CN) is obtained over CN3, because of the highest N−C−O ratio (rN−C−O). The apparent quantum efficiency (AQE) of CN3 at 405 nm, 420 nm, 450 nm, 500 nm and 550 nm is 33.90 %, 20.88 %, 8.25 %, 3.66 % and 1.01 %, respectively.
A Robust and Highly Selective Catalytic System of Copper–Silica Nanocomposite and 1‐Butanol in Fructose Hydrogenation to Mannitol
Authors: Upare Pravin P. , Hwang Young Kyu , Kim Jin Chul , Lee Jeong Hyeon , Kwak Sang Kyu , Hwang Dong Won
Published: July 2020

We report for the first time the selective production of mannitol, a low‐calorie sweetener and an important pharmaceutical ingredient, from fructose using Cu−SiO2 nanocomposite as catalyst and 1‐butanol as solvent. When compared with water and ethanol, a lower fructose solubility was achieved in 1‐butanol, which caused a lower fructose conversion and higher mannitol selectivity by reducing formation of side products. Among various Cu‐based catalysts in 1‐butanol, Cu(80)−SiO2 nanocomposite gave an unprecedented mannitol (83 %) and sorbitol (15 %) yield at 120 °C, 35 bar H2, and 10 h reaction time. More importantly, this catalyst did not show any Cu leaching and its physicochemical properties were maintained after liquid‐phase fructose hydrogenation whereas other Cu‐based catalysts such as Cu(32)−Cr2O and Cu(66)−ZnO did show significant leaching of Cu and Cr. Thus, Cu(80)−SiO2 nanocomposite and 1‐butanol are regarded as a robust and highly efficient catalytic system for the selective hydrogenation of fructose to mannitol. Also, density functional theory calculations supported that in addition to the stable initial structure of adsorbed fructose, the mannitol pathway was more thermodynamically favorable than the sorbitol pathway. Notably, the highly pure mannitol (99 %) could be recovered from the sorbitol‐containing 1‐butanol solution by simple filtration. Therefore, the present protocol is a novel and effective method to produce pure mannitol from fructose in both an environmental and an industrial context.
Quantifying the dynamic nature of vagal responsivity in infancy: Methodological innovations and theoretical implications
Authors: Somers Jennifer A. , Curci Sarah G. , Luecken Linda J.
Published: July 2020

According to polyvagal theory, rapid modulation of the vagal brake develops early in infancy and supports social interactions. Despite being viewed as a dynamic system, researchers typically assess vagal regulation using global measures of respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA; an index of vagal tone). This study sought to capture the dynamic property of RSA and evaluate individual differences in within‐infant RSA responsivity during mother–infant interaction. RSA was evaluated in a sample of 135 6‐month‐old Mexican‐American infants during a 5‐min free play task. Mothers reported on their children's behavioral problems and competence at 18 months using the Brief Infant‐Toddler Social and Emotional Assessment. Time‐varying estimates of infant RSA during the interaction were obtained using a multiple window technique and spectrogram analysis. Using structural equation modeling, we evaluated whether within‐infant SD of RSA predicted infants’ behavioral problems and competence at 18 months, after adjusting for infants’ mean RSA and covariates. Greater within‐infant SD of RSA predicted more behavior problems at 18 months. This study demonstrates that assessing intra‐individual variability in RSA, or the extent to which infants fluctuate around their average level of RSA during a task, enhances our ability to test polyvagal theory's central tenet: vagal regulation supports well‐regulated social interaction.
Enzymatically stable analogue of the gut‐derived peptide xenin on beta‐cell transdifferentiation in high fat fed and insulin‐deficient Ins1Cre/+;Rosa26‐eYFP mice
Authors: Tanday Neil , Moffett R. Charlotte , Gault Victor A. , Flatt Peter R. , Irwin Nigel
Published: July 2020

Background

The antidiabetic effects of the gut hormone xenin include augmenting insulin secretion and positively affecting pancreatic islet architecture.

Methods

The current study has further probed pancreatic effects through sub‐chronic administration of the long‐acting xenin analogue, xenin‐25[Lys13PAL], in both high fat fed (HFF) and streptozotocin (STZ)‐induced insulin‐deficient Ins1Cre/+;Rosa26‐eYFP transgenic mice. Parallel effects on metabolic control and pancreatic islet morphology, including islet beta‐cell lineage tracing were also assessed.

Results

Xenin‐25[Lys13PAL] treatment reversed body weight loss induced by STZ, increased plasma insulin and decreased blood glucose levels. There were less obvious effects on these parameters in HFF mice, but all xenin‐25[Lys13PAL] treated mice exhibited decreased pancreatic alpha‐cell areas and circulating glucagon. Xenin‐25[Lys13PAL] treatment fully, or partially, returned overall islet and beta‐cell areas in STZ‐ and HFF mice to those of lean control animals, respectively, and was consistently associated with decreased beta‐cell apoptosis. Interestingly, xenin‐25[Lys13PAL] also increased beta‐cell proliferation and decreased alpha‐cell apoptosis in STZ mice, with reduced alpha‐cell growth noted in HFF mice. Lineage tracing studies revealed that xenin‐25[Lys13PAL] reduced the number of insulin positive pancreatic islet cells that lost their beta‐cell identity, in keeping with a decreased transition of insulin positive to glucagon positive cells. These beneficial effects on islet cell differentiation were linked to maintained expression of Pdx1 within beta‐cells. Xenin‐25[Lys13PAL] treatment was also associated with increased numbers of smaller sized islets in both models.

Conclusions

Benefits of xenin‐25[Lys13PAL] on diabetes includes positive modulation of islet cell differentiation, in addition to promoting beta‐cell growth and survival.
Travel with your kin ship! Insights from genetic sibship among settlers of a coral damselfish
Authors: Robitzch Vanessa , Saenz‐Agudelo Pablo , Berumen Michael L.
Published: July 2020

Coral reef fish larvae are tiny, exceedingly numerous, and hard to track. They are also highly capable, equipped with swimming and sensory abilities that may influence their dispersal trajectories. Despite the importance of larval input to the dynamics of a population, we remain reliant on indirect insights to the processes influencing larval behavior and transport. Here, we used genetic data (300 independent single nucleotide polymorphisms) derived from a light trap sample of a single recruitment event of Dascyllus abudafur in the Red Sea (N = 168 settlers). We analyzed the genetic composition of the larvae and assessed whether kinship among these was significantly different from random as evidence for cohesive dispersal during the larval phase. We used Monte Carlo simulations of similar‐sized recruitment cohorts to compare the expected kinship composition relative to our empirical data. The high number of siblings within the empirical cohort strongly suggests cohesive dispersal among larvae. This work highlights the utility of kinship analysis as a means of inferring dynamics during the pelagic larval phase.
Freeze‐assisted Tape Casting of Vertically Aligned MXene Films for High Rate Performance Supercapacitors
Authors: Yang Wenji , Byun Jae Jong , Yang Jie , Moissinac Francis Peter , Peng Yudong , Tontini Gustavo , Dryfe Robert A. W. , Barg Suelen
Published: July 2020

Conventional electrode preparation techniques of supercapacitors such as tape casting or vacuum filtration often lead to the restacking or agglomeration of two‐dimensional (2D) materials. As a result, tortuous paths are created for the electrolyte ions and their adsorption onto the surfaces of the active materials can be prevented. Consequently, maintaining high rate performance while increasing the thickness of electrodes has been a challenge. Herein, a facile freeze‐assisted tape‐casting (FaTC) method is reported for the scalable fabrication of flexible MXene (Ti3C2Tx) supercapacitor electrode films of up to 700 μm thickness, exhibiting homogeneous ice‐template microstructure composed of vertically aligned MXene walls within lamellar pores. The efficient ion transport created by the internal morphology allows for fast electrochemical charge–discharge cycles and near thickness‐independent performance at up to 3000 mV s−1 for films of up to 300 μm in thickness. By increasing the scan rate from 20 to 10,000 mV s−1, Ti3C2Tx films of 150 μm in thickness sustain 50% of its specific capacitance (222.9 F g−1). When the film thickness is doubled to 300 μm, its capacitance is still retained by 60 % (at 213.3 F g−1) when the scan rate is increased from 20 to 3000 mV s−1, with a capacitance retention above 97.7% for over 14,000 cycles at 10 A g−1. They also showed a remarkably high gravimetric and areal power density of 150 kW kg−1 at 1000 A g−1 and 667 mW cm−2 at 4444 mA cm−2, respectively. FaTC has the potential to provide industry with a viable way to fabricate electrodes formed from 2D materials on a large scale, while providing promising performance for use in a wide range of applications, such as flexible electronics and wearable energy storage devices.
Effect of Graphene Oxide Sheet Size on the Response of a Label‐free Voltammetric Immunosensor for Cancer Marker VEGF
Authors: Elshafey Reda , Brisebois Patrick , Abdulkarim Haya , Izquierdo Ricardo , Tavares Ana C. , Siaj Mohamed
Published: July 2020

Graphene and graphene oxide (GO) materials have attracted enormous attention in the biosensing field. Here, we report an evaluation of electrochemically reduced graphene oxide (ERGO) of different sheet sizes (0.45–0.7 μm, 0.7–2.5 μm and >300 μm) towards the voltammetric biosensing of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and the effect of the sheet size on the sensitivity of graphene‐based electrochemical biosensors. The degree of GO reduction and flakes sizes differ from one chemical route to another and ERGO with different sheet sizes have different amounts of edge and basal planes defects derived from oxygen containing functional groups. These could enhance or inhibit the sensitivity of the graphene‐based electrochemical sensors. The extent of reduction of GO to ERGO was found to vary with the sheet size. The decrease of the square wave voltammetry peak current of the [Fe(CN)6]3−/4− couple upon VEGF binding to the immunosensor was employed as the sensor signal. It was found that the ERGO (0.7–2.5 μm) platform has the best performance for the detection of VEGF when compared to the other ERGO materials. The immunosensor showed a wide linear range of 0.1 pg mL−1 to 100 ng mL−1 and LOD of ∼0.1 pg mL−1. The VEGF immunosensor was tested in human serum as a real sample application. The fabricated immunosensor exhibited high selectivity for VEGF against other protein interferences.
Electrochemical Interface Optimization toward Low Oxygen Transport Resistance in High‐Temperature Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells
Authors: Xiao Wei , Xia Zhangxun , Li Huanqiao , Sun Ruili , Wang Suli , Sun Gongquan
Published: July 2020

Due to the enhanced tolerance of CO‐containing species under elevated operation temperature around 150–220 °C, high‐temperature polymer electrolyte fuel cells (HT‐PEFCs) have drawn extensive interest in the recent decades. One of the major challenges remaining for HT‐PEFCs is the inferior cell performance ascribed to poor catalytic activity and mass transport, which are mainly determined by the electrochemical interface structure involving phosphoric acid electrolyte. Herein, the electrochemical interfaces are investigated and optimized by adjusting the hydrophilic phases within the catalyst layer (CL) to modulate phosphoric acid redistribution in the cathode. The electrochemical surface area and interfacial oxygen transport resistance in the CL are optimized by balancing the coverage of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and phosphoric acid on the catalyst surface, thus achieving an enhanced cell performance of the HT‐PEFC of up to 328.12 mW cm−2. This balancing strategy for optimizing the electrochemical interfacial structure could shed light on the development of electrode architecture design for energy conversion and storage devices.
Secure content‐based image retrieval using modified Euclidean distance for encrypted features
Authors: Majhi Mukul , Pal Arup Kumar , Islam SK Hafizul , Khurram Khan Muhammad
Published: July 2020

In this article, a secure image retrieval scheme is proposed, which focuses on providing satisfactory retrieval results, and the framework searches relevant images even in an encrypted domain without compromising the performance of the retrieval process. Initially, bit‐level features have been endeavored from the luminance component of the image, from which statistical parameters are computed to generate more intrinsic values. These values are subsequently divided into bins to configure two histograms, which effectively reduce the length of the feature vector. These histograms are then eventually combined with quantized chrominance features to enhance the discriminative property of the feature vector. Since the proposed scheme is in the encrypted domain, conventional similarity measure distance for the image is not well suited. So, a modified Euclidean distance is incorporated, which is modeled to work with encrypted features. To comprehend the security, a piecewise logistic map sequence is considered, where seed values are assimilated to generate two secret keys. As a result, not only the system provides an efficient, secure retrieval system but also cryptographic components have no impact on its retrieval efficiency, and satisfactory results are obtained. Experimental results on Corel‐1K and GHIM‐10K illustrate decent performance in retrieval as compared to existing work in the retrieval domain.
Climate and Energy—Inextricable
Authors: DeCotis Paul A.
Published: July 2020

Reliable and resilient energy industry infrastructure is necessary and critical to support economic activity and for maintaining the public health and safety of our society. It makes the transporting and buying and selling of goods and services possible, supports financial services, and makes everyday life a bit easier. Having electricity and fuels for heating and cooling buildings and supporting industry and commercial enterprises make society as we know it possible. The link between energy use and climate is apparent, whether believing in climate science or not. Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is a major contributing factor in global warming—be it from fossil fuel use, forest fires, or naturally occurring sources of carbon. As a result, energy and climate are inextricably linked.
Social cognition: Patterns of impairments in mild and moderate Alzheimer's disease
Authors: Belfort Tatiana , Simões José Pedro , Santos Raquel Luiza , Lacerda Isabel , Dourado Marcia Cristina Nascimento
Published: July 2020

Objective

Social cognition (SC) deficits in Alzheimer's Disease (AD) are commonly associated with the progression of the disease, and mainly as a result of global cognition deterioration. We aimed to investigate the relationship between SC, global cognition, and other clinical variables in mild and moderate people with AD and their caregivers. We also investigated the differences between self‐reported SC and family caregivers' ratings of SC.

Methods

We included 137 dyads of people with AD (87 mild and 50 moderate) and caregivers. We evaluated social cognition, global cognition, quality of life, dementia severity, mood, functionality, neuropsychiatric symptoms, and caregiver burden.

Results

SC presented a specific pattern of impairment, especially when related to global cognition deficits. Although the moderate AD group showed significant worsening in cognition, functionality and neuropsychiatric symptoms, when compared to the mild group, SC did not present significant differences between the groups. The multivariate regression analysis showed that in the mild group, self‐reported SC was related to age and years of education. In the moderate group, SC was related to gender. For caregivers, in the mild group, SC was related to functionality and quality of life, while in the moderate group, was associated with quality of life.

Conclusion

The pattern of impairment of SC may be more stable as it implies interaction with cognition, mainly in the mild stage, but also include subjective factors as a personal perception about oneself and others, values, and beliefs that evokes individual, social, cultural, and contextual factors.
Future projection of the health and functional status of older people in Japan: A multistate transition microsimulation model with repeated cross‐sectional data
Authors: Kasajima Megumi , Hashimoto Hideki , Suen Sze‐Chuan , Chen Brian , Jalal Hawre , Eggleston Karen , Bhattacharya Jay
Published: July 2020

Accurate future projections of population health are imperative to plan for the future healthcare needs of a rapidly aging population. Multistate‐transition microsimulation models, such as the U.S. Future Elderly Model, address this need but require high‐quality panel data for calibration. We develop an alternative method that relaxes this data requirement, using repeated cross‐sectional representative surveys to estimate multistate‐transition contingency tables applied to Japan's population. We calculate the birth cohort sex‐specific prevalence of comorbidities using five waves of the governmental health surveys. Combining estimated comorbidity prevalence with death record information, we determine the transition probabilities of health statuses. We then construct a virtual Japanese population aged 60 and older as of 2013 and perform a microsimulation to project disease distributions to 2046. Our estimates replicate governmental projections of population pyramids and match the actual prevalence trends of comorbidities and the disease incidence rates reported in epidemiological studies in the past decade. Our future projections of cardiovascular diseases indicate lower prevalence than expected from static models, reflecting recent declining trends in disease incidence and fatality.
Usability evaluation for South Korean military backpack based on “context of use”
Authors: Lee Jihwan , Cho Kyu‐Jin , Ahn Jooeun , Nam Yun Ja , Yun Myung Hwan
Published: July 2020

The military backpack used by the infantry imposes the greatest load on the body and, thus, is also the cause of most user complaints. This study (1) establishes a systematic development procedure for a military backpack that reflects user opinion; (2) suggests a usability questionnaire tool that can identify realistic user needs; and (3) proposes usability verification experiments that can quantitatively measure the usability of the military backpacks. The military backpack development procedure was created in accordance with user‐centered design principles. The “context of use” of the military backpack was extracted from a literature review and interviews with experts and actual users. In addition, the usability questionnaire tool and usability verification experiments were devised based on the identified context of use. An analysis of the usability questionnaire answered by 100 infantry soldiers confirms that the region of pain felt by users varies on the size of the human body. Thus, it was possible to recognize the necessity of diversifying the specification of the military backpack. The usability verification experiments did not produce statistical results because only four infantry soldiers performed the pilot test, but the applicability and effectiveness of the proposed experiments could be confirmed through this pilot test. The seven proposed experiments are expected to help confirm the usability differences among different military backpacks or body sizes. The military equipment development procedure, usability evaluation tool, and usability verification experiments are expected to improve user satisfaction and military operations when applied to the development of various military supplies.