bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of an educational course for primary care physiotherapists on comorbidity‐adapted exercise therapy in knee osteoarthritis: an observational study
Authors: de Rooij Mariëtte , van der Leeden Marike , van der Esch Martin , Lems Willem F. , Meesters Jorit J.L. , Peter Wilfred F. , Roorda Leo D. , Terbraak Michel S. , Vredeveld Tom , Vliet Vlieland Thea P.M. , Dekker Joost
Published: January 2020

Objective

The objectives of the present study were to: (1) evaluate the effect of an educational course on competence (knowledge and clinical reasoning) of primary care physical therapists (PTs) in treating patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA) and comorbidity according to the developed strategy; and (2) identify facilitators and barriers for usage.

Method

The present research was an observational study with a pretest‐posttest design using mixed methods. PTs were offered a postgraduate course consisting of e‐learning and two workshops (blended education) on the application of a strategy for exercise prescription in patients with KOA and comorbidity. Competences were measured by questionnaire on knowledge (administered before and 2 weeks after the course), and a patient vignette to measure clinical reasoning (administered before the course and after a 6 month period of treating patients). Facilitators and barriers for using the strategy were assessed by a questionnaire and semi‐structured interviews.

Results

Thirty‐four PTs were included. Competence (knowledge and clinical reasoning) improved significantly (p < 0.01). Fourteen out of 34 PTs had actually treated patients with KOA and comorbidity, during a 6‐month period. The strategy was found to be feasible in daily practice. The main barriers included the limited number of (self‐) referrals of patients, limited number of reimbursed treatment sessions by insurance companies and a suboptimal collaboration with (referring) physicians.

Conclusion

A blended course on exercise therapy for patients with KOA and comorbidity seems to improve PTs' competence through increasing knowledge and clinical reasoning skills. Identified barriers should be solved before large‐scale implementation of exercise therapy can take place in these complex patients.
Reply
Authors: Ashworth Nigel
Published: January 2020

See editorial on pages E30–E31 in this issue.
Rapid Migration and High Survival of Adult Pacific Lampreys in Reservoirs
Authors: Keefer Matthew L. , Noyes Christopher J. , Clabough Tami S. , Joosten Daniel C. , Caudill Christopher C.
Published: January 2020

Dams and reservoirs present diverse hazards for riverine fishes, including slowed migration, reduced or blocked access to essential habitats, and direct and delayed mortality risks. Many of these hazards are evident for Pacific Lamprey Entosphenus tridentatus in the heavily dammed Columbia River basin, where the species’ distribution and abundance has sharply declined. In a 3-year study, we used acoustic telemetry to investigate behavior and apparent survival of 784 adult Pacific Lampreys in Columbia River reservoirs and turbulent dam tailraces, two environments where previous monitoring efforts have been somewhat ineffectual. We released Pacific Lampreys upstream and downstream from Bonneville Dam to test whether Pacific Lamprey passage at one dam negatively affected upstream dam and reservoir passage metrics (i.e., delayed effects on migration rate or reach passage success) and whether upstream-released groups migrated further than their downstream-released counterparts. Overall, results showed that Pacific Lampreys migrated very rapidly (median rates = 50–62 km/d) in reservoir reaches and slowly (1–3 km/d) in reaches with tailraces or fishways. Pacific Lampreys also had much higher passage success in reservoir reaches (reach × year estimates = 0.93–0.99) than in reaches with tailraces or fishways (most estimates = 0.58–0.82). We found little statistical evidence for negative delayed effects of dam passage. Pacific Lampreys released in the Bonneville forebay were far more likely to pass upstream dams (~26–57%) than were those released in the Bonneville tailrace (~20–36%). We conclude that tailraces and fishways constrained the upstream distribution of adult Pacific Lampreys, that reservoirs were not associated with high mortality during active upstream migration, and that translocation past individual dams can increase the upstream migration distance of individuals and population distribution. Areas of continuing uncertainty include behavior and survival during overwintering (i.e., prespawn holding) and the potential delayed effects of tailrace and fishway passage on Pacific Lamprey fitness.
Pilot study protocol of a mHealth self‐management intervention for family members of pediatric transplant recipients
Authors: Lerret Stacee M. , White‐Traut Rosemary , Medoff‐Cooper Barbara , Simpson Pippa , Adib Riddhiman , Ahamed Sheikh Iqbal , Schiffman Rachel
Published: January 2020

Solid‐organ transplantation is the treatment of choice for end‐stage organ failure. Parents of pediatric transplant recipients who reported a lack of readiness for discharge had more difficulty coping and managing their child's medically complex care at home. In this paper, we describe the protocol for the pilot study of a mHealth intervention (myFAMI). The myFAMI intervention is based on the Individual and Family Self‐Management Theory and focuses on family self‐management of pediatric transplant recipients at home. The purpose of the pilot study is to test the feasibility of the myFAMI intervention with family members of pediatric transplant recipients and to test the preliminary efficacy on postdischarge coping through a randomized controlled trial. The sample will include 40 family units, 20 in each arm of the study, from three pediatric transplant centers in the United States. Results from this study may advance nursing science by providing insight for the use of mHealth to facilitate patient/family–nurse communication and family self‐management behaviors for family members of pediatric transplant recipients.
Reliability and validity of the Japanese version of the Quality of Life Index for patients with cancer
Authors: Mizuno Michiyo , Munezawa Noriko , Yamashita Michiyo , Sasahara Tomoyo , Mayers Thomas , Park Chang , Ferrans Carol Estwing
Published: January 2020

This study was designed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the newly completed Japanese translation of the Ferrans and Powers Quality of Life Index Cancer Version III (QLI). Using a cross‐sectional descriptive design, 136 ambulatory patients with gastrointestinal cancer (55 receiving chemotherapy, 76 with stable health status after treatment, and five status not known) completed a questionnaire at a one‐time point, and 26 patients (stable health status) completed the questionnaire again 2 weeks later. Internal consistency reliability was supported by Cronbach's α of .96 for the total scale, with subscales ranging from .83 to .93. A test–retest correlation of 0.76 (total scale) provided evidence of stability reliability over a 2‐week period, with subscale retest correlations ranging from 0.70 to 0.83. Confirmatory factor analysis showed the same four domains for the Japanese translation as the original QLI, supporting construct validity. We also assessed construct validity by examining the relationships between the Japanese QLI and six other concepts known to be related to the quality of life. As hypothesized, all correlations were moderate and in the expected direction (pain −0.39, anxiety −0.54, depression −0.63, stress −0.51, pain interfering with functioning −0.52, and general health 0.62). This evidence of the reliability and validity of the Japanese translation of the QLI supports its use in research and clinical practice to evaluate the impact of cancer and treatment. This new translation can be used to assess the patient's perspective of their quality of life, both within Japan and in cross‐cultural studies with the QLI in other languages.
Animal use in the late second millennium BCE in northern China: Evidence from Zaoshugounao and Zaolinhetan in the Jing River valley
Authors: Li Yue , Zhang Chengrui , Wang Zhen , Dou Haifeng , Liu Huan , Hou Furen , Ma Mingzhi , Qian Yaopeng , Chen Honghai
Published: January 2020

Zooarchaeological research has contributed greatly to our understanding of animal use in the Bronze Age Central Plains in northern China, where remarkable social transformations occurred in the second millennium BCE. However, limited work has been done for the contemporaneous Jing and Wei River valleys, another crucial region in dynastic and imperial history of China that witnessed the political transition from the Shang Dynasty to the Zhou Dynasty (ca. 1050 BCE). In particular, the Zhou subsistence economy leading up to the emergence of the region as a centre of Zhou political authority is still poorly understood. Here, we present a zooarchaeological analysis of Zaoshugounao and Zaolinhetan, two sites associated with the predynastic Zhou, in present‐day central Shaanxi dating to before and around the Shang–Zhou transition. Results show that the Zaoshugounao and Zaolinhetan residents practiced intensive farming and animal husbandry in and around the settlements complemented by extensive caprine management on marginal lands. Along with other lines of archaeological evidence, our zooarchaeological data demonstrate that the economic developments in the Jing River valley in the late second millennium BCE, in terms of the diversified use of animal resources, underpinned the economic foundation behind the Zhou rise and their eventual conquest of the Shang.
Studies on the mechanism for the sudden mechanical property drops of graphene/polymer nanocomposites
Authors: Wang Huihui , Zhang Songdi , Yu Kangkang , Yue Chengfei , Liu Mingyu , Bao Chenlu
Published: January 2020

Graphene/polymer nanocomposites (GPNCs) have gained intense research interest in recent years. Graphene can improve the properties of the nanocomposites at low loadings, but usually causes sudden drops in the mechanical properties of the nanocomposites at similarly low loadings, risking the performance, reproducibility, and batch stability of the nanocomposites. This problem has been troubling the GPNCs field for years, but it is difficult to solve mainly because the mechanism of the sudden mechanical property drops has not been well documented yet. Here, we present a systematic study on this problem. At first, a statistical study was made to provide an overview of the sudden mechanical property drops. It was found that the sudden mechanical property drops were almost independent of the surface modification of graphene, and the in situ polymerization method sometimes leads to lower critical concentration than the solvent blending and melt blending methods. Then, we demonstrated a cutting‐off mechanism which unveiled that the formation of a continuous or semicontinuous network of graphene throughout the polymeric matrix was the main cause of the sudden mechanical property drops, and the low critical concentration of the sudden mechanical property drops was mainly due to the large aspect ratio of graphene. Finally, future research prospects were proposed. Overall, our work has provided new understandings and insights to the mechanical properties of GPNCs.
Wide‐gap (Ag,Cu)(In,Ga)Se2 solar cells with different buffer materials—A path to a better heterojunction
Authors: Keller Jan , Sopiha Kostiantyn V. , Stolt Olof , Stolt Lars , Persson Clas , Scragg Jonathan J.S. , Törndahl Tobias , Edoff Marika
Published: January 2020

This contribution concerns the effect of the Ag content in wide‐gap AgwCu1‐wIn1‐xGaxSe2 (ACIGS) absorber films and its impact on solar cell performance. First‐principles calculations are conducted, predicting trends in absorber band gap energy (Eg) and band structure across the entire compositional range (w and x). It is revealed that a detrimental negative conduction band offset (CBO) with a CdS buffer can be avoided for all possible absorber band gap values (Eg = 1.0–1.8 eV) by adjusting the Ag alloying level. This opens a new path to reduce interface recombination in wide‐gap chalcopyrite solar cells. Indeed, corresponding samples show a clear increase in open‐circuit voltage (VOC) if a positive CBO is created by sufficient Ag addition. A further extension of the beneficial compositional range (positive CBO at buffer/ACIGS interface) is possible when exchanging CdS with Zn1‐ySnyOz, because of its lower electron affinity (χ). Nevertheless, the experimental results strongly suggest that at present, residual interface recombination still limits the performance of solar cells with optimized CBO, which show an efficiency of up to 15.1% for an absorber band gap of Eg = 1.45 eV.
A mixed‐methods evaluation of stakeholder perspectives on pediatric pneumonia in Nigeria—priorities, challenges, and champions
Authors: King Carina , Iuliano Agnese , Burgess Rochelle Ann , Agwai Imaria , Ahmar Samy , Aranda Zeus , Bahiru Solomon , Bakare Ayobami A. , Colbourn Tim , Shittu Funmilayo , Graham Hamish , Isah Adamu , McCollum Eric D. , Falade Adegoke G.
Published: January 2020

Background

Interventions to reduce pneumonia mortality exist; however, stakeholder engagement is needed to prioritize these. We explored diverse stakeholder opinions on current policy challenges and priorities for pediatric pneumonia in Nigeria.

Methods

We conducted a mixed‐methods study, with a web‐survey and semi‐structured interviews, to explore stakeholder roles, policy barriers, opportunities, and priorities. Web‐survey participants were identified through stakeholder mapping, including researchers’ networks, academic and grey literature, and “Every Breath Counts” coalition membership. Stakeholders included actors involved in pediatric pneumonia in Nigeria from non‐governmental, government, academic, civil society, private, and professional organizations. Stakeholder interviews were conducted with local government, healthcare managers, professional associations, and local leaders in Lagos and Jigawa states. Quantitative data were analyzed descriptively; qualitative data were analyzed using a thematic framework.

Results

Of 111 stakeholders, 38 (34%) participated in the web‐survey and 18 stakeholder interviews were conducted. Four thematic areas emerged: current policy, systems barriers, intervention priorities, and champions. Interviewees reported a lack of pneumonia‐specific policies, despite acknowledging guidelines had been adopted in their settings. Barriers to effective pneumonia management were seen at all levels of the system, from the community to healthcare to policy, with key issues of resourcing and infrastructure. Intervention priorities were the strengthening of community knowledge and improving case management, focused on primary care. While stakeholders identified several key actors for pediatric pneumonia, they also highlighted a lack of champions.

Conclusion

Consistent messages emerged to prioritize community and primary care initiatives, alongside improved access to oxygen, and pulse oximetry. There is a need for clear pneumonia policies, and support for adoption at a state level.
Community and caregivers’ perceptions of pneumonia and care‐seeking experiences in Nigeria: A qualitative study
Authors: Bakare Ayobami A. , Graham Hamish , Agwai Imaria C. , Shittu Funmilayo , King Carina , Colbourn Tim , Iuliano Agnese , Aranda Zeus , McCollum Eric D. , Isah Adamu , Bahiru Solomon , Valentine Paula , Falade Adegoke G. , Burgess Rochelle A. ,   the INSPIRING Project Consortium
Published: January 2020

Background

Appropriate and timely care seeking can reduce pneumonia deaths, but are influenced by caregivers and community norms of health and illness. We explore caregiver and community perceptions, and care‐seeking experience, of childhood pneumonia, to understand contexts that drive pediatric service uptake in Nigeria.

Methods

Community group discussions and qualitative interviews with caregivers in Lagos and Jigawa states were completed between 1 November 2018 and 31 May 2019. Participants were recruited from purposively sampled health facility catchment areas with assistance from facility staff. We used episodic interviews, asking caregivers (Jigawa = 20; Lagos = 15) to recount specific events linked to quests for therapy. Community group discussions (n = 3) used four vignettes from real pneumonia cases to frame a discussion around community priorities for healthcare and community‐led activities to improve child survival. Data were analyzed using the framework method.

Results

We found poor knowledge of pneumonia‐specific symptoms and risk factors among caregivers and community members, with many attributing pneumonia to cold air exposure. Interviews highlighted that care‐seeking decision making involved both husbands and wives, but men often made final decisions. In Lagos, older female relatives also shaped quests for therapy. Cost was a major consideration. In both states, there were accounts of dissatisfaction with health workers’ attitudes and a general acceptance of vaccination services.

Conclusion

There is a need for community‐based approaches to improve caregiver knowledge and care seeking for under‐five children with pneumonia. Messaging should attend to knowledge of symptoms, risk factors, family dynamics, and community responsibilities in healthcare service delivery and utilization.
The burden and risks of pediatric pneumonia in Nigeria: A desk‐based review of existing literature and data
Authors: Iuliano Agnese , Aranda Zeus , Colbourn Tim , Agwai Imaria C. , Bahiru Solomon , Bakare Ayobami A. , Burgess Rochelle A. , Cassar Christine , Shittu Funmilayo , Graham Hamish , Isah Adamu , McCollum Eric D. , Falade Adegoke G. , King Carina , on behalf of the INSPIRING Project Consortium
Published: January 2020

Background

Pneumonia is a leading killer of children under‐5 years, with a high burden in Nigeria. We aimed to quantify the regional burden and risks of pediatric pneumonia in Nigeria, and specifically the states of Lagos and Jigawa.

Methods

We conducted a scoping literature search for studies of pneumonia morbidity and mortality in under‐5 children in Nigeria from 10th December 2018 to 26th April 2019, searching: Cochrane, PubMed, and Web of Science. We included grey literature from stakeholders' websites and information shared by organizations working in Nigeria. We conducted multivariable logistic regression using the 2016 to 2017 Multiple Cluster Indicators Survey data set to explore factors associated with pneumonia. Descriptive analyses of datasets from 2010 to 2019 was done to estimate trends in mortality, morbidity, and vaccination coverage.

Results

We identified 25 relevant papers (10 from Jigawa, 8 from Lagos, and 14 national data). None included data on pneumonia or acute respiratory tract infection burden in the health system, inpatient case‐fatality rates, severity, or age‐specific pneumonia mortality rates at state level. Secondary data analysis found that no household or caregiver socioeconomic indicators were consistently associated with self‐reported symptoms of cough and/or difficulty breathing, and seasonality was inconsistently associated, dependant on region.

Conclusion

There is a clear evidence gap around the burden of pediatric pneumonia in Nigeria, and challenges with the interpretation of existing household survey data. Improved survey approaches are needed to understand the risks of pediatric pneumonia in Nigeria, alongside the need for investment in reliable routine data systems to provide data on the clinical pneumonia burden in Nigeria.
Recurrent endobronchial inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors: Novel treatment options
Authors: Ramirez Ixsy A. , Rubalcava Nathan S. , Mychaliska George B. , Rabah Raja , Arteta Manuel
Published: January 2020

Endobronchial inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors (IMTs) rarely occur in children younger than 10 years of age and have intermediate malignant potential. A 7‐year‐old girl initially presented with pneumonia. After failing outpatient treatment, she re‐presented in status asthmaticus. Computed tomography showed a left mainstem endobronchial mass which was resected bronchoscopically. Pathology was consistent with IMT. Surveillance bronchoscopy identified a recurrence. Despite a left upper lobectomy, recurrence led to further treatment with celecoxib and argon plasma coagulation. Follow‐up bronchoscopy revealed complete resolution. She remains disease and symptom‐free at her six‐year follow‐up.
Retracted: Baicalin relieves lipopolysaccharide‐evoked inflammatory injury through regulation of miR‐21 in H9c2 cells
Authors: Liu Xiangyu , Wang Shengli , Zhao Guoan
Published: January 2020

Myocarditis is a common heart disease which lacks effective treatment till now. Baicalin possesses plenty of activities, including anti‐inflammation. In this investigation, we attempted to investigate the influences of Baicalin on Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‐evoked H9c2 cells.Cells viability, apoptosis, and expressions of apoptosis‐associated proteins were, respectively, measured utilizing CCK‐8 assay, flow cytometry and western blot. The levels of IL‐6 and TNF‐α were detected through enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay, western blot and qRT‐PCR. miR‐21 expression was detected through qRT‐PCR and was silenced using cell transfection. The expressions of NF‐κB and PDCD4/JNK pathways related proteins were measured through western blot. We found that LPS stimulation induced cell apoptosis and upregulation of IL‐6 and TNF‐α. Baicalin treatment effectively suppressed LPS‐induced inflammation and apoptosis. The NF‐κB and PDCD4/JNK pathways were blocked by Baicalin. Additionally, the enhanced expression of miR‐21 triggered by LPS was further elevated by Baicalin. Further study revealed that the inhibiting effects of Baicalin on LPS‐evoked injury were largely attenuated by knockdown of miR‐21. Moreover, the associated NF‐κB and JNK pathways, which were suppressed by Baicalin treatment, were then activated by knockdown of miR‐21. Our present study revealed that Baicalin alleviated LPS‐evoked inflammatory injury via suppressing the NF‐κB and PDCD4/JNK pathways through regulating miR‐21 expression.
Photovoltaic properties of the flavonoid‐based photosensitizers: Molecular‐scale perspective on the natural dye solar cells
Authors: Sabagh Samira , Izadyar Mohammad , Arkan Foroogh
Published: January 2020

The molecular modification and the effects of the gas and water media on the ability of some flavonoids as the photosensitizers in the natural dye‐sensitized solar cells were theoretically investigated. According to the results, water increases the electrophilicity of the dyes and weakens the dye/TiO2 coupling, prohibiting the electron injection toward TiO2. A longer path for charge transfer and a less electron‐hole overlap for dihydroxychromens elevate the electron transfer more efficient than trihydroxychromen‐based flavonoids. However, the presence of water molecules within an increment in the OH groups in the flavonoid structures improves their spectroscopic properties, which is related to decrement in the gap of the frontier molecular orbitals and increment in the oscillator strength. Also, such favorable structural effects and influence of the water medium on the polarizability and excited‐state lifetime have emerged. According to the energy conversion efficiency, water is a favorable solvent for dihydroxychromen‐based flavonoids. Finally, different analyses on the structural geometries, excited‐state, lifetime within the kinetics, and dynamics of the photovoltaic processes were performed and discussed.
Separation and characterization of unknown impurities in rutin tablets using trap‐free two‐dimensional liquid chromatography coupled with ion trap/time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry
Authors: Wang Jian , Ren Xiaojuan , Wen Chunmei , Xu Yu , Chen Yue
Published: January 2020

Rationale

A new high‐performance liquid chromatography method was developed for the determination of impurities in rutin tablets to improve on the method of the official monograph in national drug standards. Five impurities in rutin tablets were characterized using trap‐free two‐dimensional liquid chromatography coupled with ion trap/time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry (2D‐LC/IT‐TOFMS) in both positive and negative ion modes of electrospray ionization.

Methods

In the first dimension, the LC column was a Thermo Acclaim 120™ C18 (4.6 mm × 250 mm, 5 μm), and the mobile phase was composed of 0.1 M sodium dihydrogen phosphate aqueous solution (pH adjusted to 4.4 with phosphoric acid) and acetonitrile (80:20, v/v). In the second dimension, the column was a Shimadzu Shim‐pack GISS C18 (50 mm × 2.1 mm, 1.9 μm), and the mobile phase was composed of 10 mM ammonium formate solution and methanol.

Results

The structures of five impurities in rutin tablets were deduced based on the MS
n data in both positive and negative ion modes, in which two impurities were unknown. Impurity 1, impurity 2 and impurity 3 were proposed as flavonol 3,7‐di‐O‐glycoside, flavonol mono‐O‐triglycoside and quercetin 3‐O‐glycoside, respectively, and impurity 4 and impurity 5 were proposed as kaempferol 3‐O‐rhamnosylglucoside and isorhamnetin 3‐O‐rhamnosylglucoside, respectively.

Conclusions

The method established in this study was simple and reliable for the routine quality control of rutin tablets. The contradiction between non‐volatile salt mobile phase and mass spectrometry was solved by means of a multiple heart‐cutting 2D‐LC approach and on‐line desalination technology. Five impurities were separated and characterized. These results provide a scientific basis for further improving the national drug standard of rutin tablets.
Effects of waterlogging and increased salinity on microbial communities and extracellular enzyme activity in native and exotic marsh vegetation soils
Authors: Xie Li‐Na , Ge Zhen‐Ming , Li Ya‐Lei , Li Shi‐Hua , Tan Li‐Shan , Li Xiu‐Zhen
Published: January 2020

Coastal ecosystems are vulnerable to plant invasion and expected sea level rise in China. This study explored the responses of microbial communities and extracellular enzyme activity in the marsh soils of nativePhragmites australisand exoticSpartina alterniflorato waterlogging and increasing salinity (to mimic prolonged inundation and saltwater intrusion) based on the determination of phospholipid fatty acids and analysis of enzyme kinetics. The results showed that waterlogging and increased salinity treatments decreased the soil microbial biomass in bothP. australisandS. alterniflorasoils, with waterlogging exacerbating the negative effects of salinity. Fungi/bacteria ratios decreased under both waterlogging and salinity treatments, whereas actinomycetes/bacteria ratios increased with increasing salinity. The degree of the adverse effects of salinity on plant growth ofS. alternifloraand soil microbial biomass was lower than that onP. australis. Generally, waterlogging treatment increased the activity of sucrase, cellulase, urease, and dehydrogenase inS. alterniflorasoil. Increased salinity decreased all the assayed extracellular enzyme activity in bothP. australisandS. alterniflorasoils. The synergistic effects of waterlogging and increased salinity treatments on the enzyme activities inP. australissoil were significant, whereas only the effect on the cellulase activity was significant inS. alterniflorasoil. This study indicated a greater ability of the microbial community and extracellular enzyme activity ofS. alterniflorasoil to adapt to waterlogging and increased salinity compared with those ofP. australissoil due to the lower sensitivity ofS. alternifloragrowth and soil nutrients to stress.
Evaluating the ALERT algorithm for local outbreak onset detection in seasonal infectious disease surveillance data
Authors: Brown Alexandria C. , Lauer Stephen A. , Robinson Christine C. , Nyquist Ann‐Christine , Rao Suchitra , Reich Nicholas G.
Published: January 2020

Estimation of epidemic onset timing is an important component of controlling the spread of seasonal infectious diseases within community healthcare sites. The Above Local Elevated Respiratory Illness Threshold (ALERT) algorithm uses a threshold‐based approach to suggest incidence levels that historically have indicated the transition from endemic to epidemic activity. In this paper, we present the first detailed overview of the computational approach underlying the algorithm. In the motivating example section, we evaluate the performance of ALERT in determining the onset of increased respiratory virus incidence using laboratory testing data from the Children's Hospital of Colorado. At a threshold of 10 cases per week, ALERT‐selected intervention periods performed better than the observed hospital site periods (2004/2005–2012/2013) and a CUSUM method. Additional simulation studies show how data properties may effect ALERT performance on novel data. We found that the conditions under which ALERT showed ideal performance generally included high seasonality and low off‐season incidence.
A causal framework for classical statistical estimands in failure‐time settings with competing events
Authors: Young Jessica G. , Stensrud Mats J. , Tchetgen Tchetgen Eric J. , Hernán Miguel A.
Published: January 2020

In failure‐time settings, a competing event is any event that makes it impossible for the event of interest to occur. For example, cardiovascular disease death is a competing event for prostate cancer death because an individual cannot die of prostate cancer once he has died of cardiovascular disease. Various statistical estimands have been defined as possible targets of inference in the classical competing risks literature. Many reviews have described these statistical estimands and their estimating procedures with recommendations about their use. However, this previous work has not used a formal framework for characterizing causal effects and their identifying conditions, which makes it difficult to interpret effect estimates and assess recommendations regarding analytic choices. Here we use a counterfactual framework to explicitly define each of these classical estimands. We clarify that, depending on whether competing events are defined as censoring events, contrasts of risks can define a total effect of the treatment on the event of interest or a direct effect of the treatment on the event of interest not mediated by the competing event. In contrast, regardless of whether competing events are defined as censoring events, counterfactual hazard contrasts cannot generally be interpreted as causal effects. We illustrate how identifying assumptions for all of these counterfactual estimands can be represented in causal diagrams, in which competing events are depicted as time‐varying covariates. We present an application of these ideas to data from a randomized trial designed to estimate the effect of estrogen therapy on prostate cancer mortality.
Direct and Solvent‐Free Oxidative Cleavage of Double Bonds in High‐Oleic Vegetable Oils
Authors: Melchiorre Massimo , Benessere Vincenzo , Cucciolito Maria E. , Melchiorre Chiara , Ruffo Francesco , Esposito Roberto
Published: January 2020

An unprecedented direct oxidation of high‐oleic triglycerides to produce azelaic glycerides has been carried out by using a catalytic system based on H2WO4/H2O2. The results are highly competitive with those reported so far for simpler feedstock: at low catalyst loading the oxidation proceeds with satisfactory yields also starting from a real waste oil matrix without any prior purification.
Cleft‐Induced Ditopic Binding of Spherical Halides with a Hexaurea Receptor
Authors: Portis Bobby , Mirchi Ali , Hasan Mohammad H. , Khansari Maryam Emami , Johnson Corey R. , Leszczynski Jerzy , Tandon Ritesh , Alamgir Hossain Md.
Published: January 2020

A tripodal‐based hexaurea receptor with two clefts (inner cleft and outer cleft) has been studied for spherical halides by 1H NMR, UV‐Vis titrations, and theoretical calculations using density functional theory (DFT). As demonstrated from experimental and computational results, the receptor exhibits cleft‐induced binding for halides in a 1 : 2 binding mode, showing the binding strength in the order of fluoride > chloride > bromide > iodide. The strongest affinity for fluoride is attributed due to the best fit of two fluoride anions at the two clefts within the host‘s cavity. This is also supported by DFT calculations, suggesting that each anion is stabilized by six NH⋅⋅⋅F bonds ‐ one at the inner cleft and other at the outer cleft. In addition, the synthesized receptor, as examined on HeLa cells, has been found to show good biocompatibility.
Synthesis, Structure and Fluorescent Property of a Novel 3D Rod‐Packing Microporous Zn(II) MOF Based on a Temperature‐Induced In Situ Ligand Reaction
Authors: Zhang Wen‐Qian , Kang Yi‐Fan , Guo Lei‐Lei , Yang Jun‐Jie
Published: January 2020

The self‐assembly process of 2,2′‐bipyridine‐4,4′,6,6′‐tetracarboxylic acid (H4bptc) and Zn(II) centers has been implemented under hydrothermal condition, while surprisingly, due to the high reaction temperature, the H4bptc ligand transformed into 2,2′‐bipyridine‐4,6,6′‐tricarboxylic (H3bptc′) with an unexpected in situ ligand reaction (hydrothermal decarboxylation) during the synthetic process. And finally, a novel Zn(II) MOF {[Zn1.5(bptc′)(H2O)]⋅H2O}n (1) has been obtained, which is characterized by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction, powder X‐ray diffraction (PXRD), thermogravimetric analyse (TGA), elemental analyse (EA) and infrared spectroscopy (IR). In MOF 1, the 1D [Zn1‐O6,6′‐carboxyl‐Zn2]n double chains are connected by the 4‐carboxyl of R‐ or S‐bptc′ ligands into a 3D double‐walled rod‐packing framework with three kinds of windows. In addition, the solid‐state fluorescent property of 1 was conducted at room temperature, and meanwhile, 1 showed high selectivity and sensitivity for MnO4− ion by fluorescent quenching effect.
A Facile Preparation of Transparent Ultrahydrophobic Glass via TiO2/Octadecyltrichlorosilane (ODTS) Coatings for Self‐Cleaning Material
Authors: Pratiwi Nurul , Zulhadjri  , Arief Syukri , Wellia Diana Vanda
Published: January 2020

A facile strategy was developed to fabricate transparent ultrahydrophobic glass. First, TiO2 films were deposited uniformly on untreated glass substrate after heating aqueous peroxotitanate thin films at 120 °C for 1 h followed by octadecyltrichlorosilane (ODTS) modification. The as‐fabricated surfaces were then possessed ultrahydrophobic properties because of the combination of the rough surface topography of TiO2 and low surface energy due to ODTS monolayer. It was found that the water contact angle and sliding angle of the as‐prepared coatings were about 146° and 7°, respectively. Besides, these coatings showed excellent self‐cleaning performance compared to untreated glass in order to remove dirt particles with water droplets. It is believed that the current method could lead as low‐cost and effective way to fabricate a very promising material for commercial and industrial coatings applications.
One‐pot Facile Synthesis of Multifunctional Conjugated Microporous Polymers via Suzuki‐Miyaura Coupling Reaction
Authors: Teng Dao‐Guang , Wei Xian‐Yong , Li Jia‐Hao , Gao Hua‐Shuai , Zhang Min , Zong Zhi‐Min
Published: January 2020

A wide set of conjugated microporous polymers (CMPs) are synthesized via a facile Pd‐catalyzed Suzuki‐Miyaura coupling reaction between organo‐boron reagents and organic halides in the presence of K2CO3. According to multiple characterizations, the resulting polymers are thermally stable and fluorescent with large specific surface areas (SSAs) and narrow pore distributions. Especially, polymer synthetized by using 1,3,6,8‐tetrabromopyrene (TBP) and 1,4‐phenylenediboronic acid (PDBA) exhibits the largest apparent SSA up to 1071 m2 g−1, H2 uptake capacity of 152.77 cm3 g−1 (77 K, 1 bar) and CO2 uptake capacity of 58.97 cm3 g−1 (273 K, 1 bar). Furthermore, parallel experiments prove TBP and PDBA are the best building blocks for these series polymers synthesis. Moreover, CMPs feature large SSAs, outstanding thermal and fluorescent performances, and facile preparation, making themselves promising candidates for the future industrial applications.
Synthesis of Pyrimidine Derivatives Catalyzed by Nanomagnetic Pyridinium‐Tribromide Ionic Liquid
Authors: Kharazmi Azin , Ghorbani‐Vaghei Ramin , Alavinia Sedigheh
Published: January 2020

Some novel pyrimidine derivatives are prepared via one‐pot reaction of triethoxymethane, aromatic ketone and ammonium acetate using catalytic system including nano‐magnetic pyridinium‐tribromide (TBP‐SCMNPs). The synthesized new catalyst was characterized by FE‐SEM, EDS, TEM, XRD, and TGA analysis. The highlighting points of using TBP‐SCMNPs are easy purification, reusability of the catalyst, good yields of products with short time reactions.
Cellulose as Sacrificial Biomass for Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution over One‐dimensional CdS Loaded with NiS2 as a Cocatalyst
Authors: Li Chunhe , Naghadeh Sara Bonabi , Guo Liping , Xu Ke , Zhang Jin Zhong , Wang Hongmei
Published: January 2020

NiS2 nanoparticles (NPs)‐modified CdS nanowires (NWs) (NiS2/CdS) with varying amount of NiS2 were synthesized via a two‐step approach and characterized for sustainable hydrogen evolution. They showed much higher activity than pristine CdS NWs or NiS2 NPs, with the optimal hydrogen production rate reaching 14.49 mmol⋅h−1⋅g−1 for 40%‐NiS2/CdS with lactic acid as sacrificial agent. Under optimal conditions, hydrogen generation rate of 52.88 μmol⋅h−1⋅g−1 was achieved using single cellulose as sacrificial agent. Photoelectrochemical (PEC) properties of the NiS2/CdS nanocomposites were investigated to gain a better understanding of the mechanism behind the enhanced photocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) activity. Furthermore, ultrafast transient absorption (TA) spectroscopy was also employed to investigate the charge carrier dynamics, revealing an exciton lifetime approximately four times shorter in 40%‐NiS2/CdS nanocomposite compared to pristine CdS NWs. These results suggest efficient charge transfer from CdS to NiS2. A possible mechanism for enhanced hydrogen production over NiS2/CdS nanocomposite is proposed.
Single Step Grown NiFe Sponges as Efficient Water Splitting Electrocatalysts in Alkaline Medium
Authors: Thoufeeq S. , Rastogi Pankaj Kumar , Thomas Senoy , Shravani Anagandula , Narayanan Tharangattu N. , Anantharaman M. R.
Published: January 2020

Catalysts for heterogeneous catalytic reactions, particularly for total water splitting, is receiving tremendous attention and sustainable fuel development is highly relied on the catalysts development, where both the material and its method of preparation are important. Here, bimetallic multi‐phasic catalysts containing nickel (Ni) and iron (Fe) are synthesized using a simple but reproducible polyol method, which results in to different sponges having control over their chemical stoichiometry. The macroporous sponges thus developed contain metallic Ni, NiO, and Fe2O3, where their proportionate content can be varied with initial precursor ratio. The NiFe15 so developed is having the best oxygen evolution performance in terms of overpotential, kinetics, and charge transfer properties, and it is found to be better than the benchmarked IrO2 based catalysts. The hydrogen evolution from the other ratio, NiFe5, is found to be better than other Ni and Fe based samples, and it is found to be very close to the hydrogen evolution performance of platinum. An alkaline water electrolysis full cell is constructed, devoid of any precious metals but with NiFe5 and NiFe15, and the overall splitting potential for the benchmarked current density of 10 mAcm−2 is found to be 1.62 V only, which is better or on par with the other singly/multi‐phasic systems reported so far. Hence the work presented here shows the possibilities of futuristic electrochemical technologies with viable catalysts, and a detailed study is presented.
Microfluidic Generation of All‐Aqueous Double and Triple Emulsions
Authors: Jeyhani Morteza , Thevakumaran Risavarshni , Abbasi Niki , Hwang Dae Kun , Tsai Scott S. H.
Published: January 2020

Higher order emulsions are used in a variety of different applications in biomedicine, biological studies, cosmetics, and the food industry. Conventional droplet generation platforms for making higher order emulsions use organic solvents as the continuous phase, which is not biocompatible and as a result, further washing steps are required to remove the toxic continuous phase. Recently, droplet generation based on aqueous two‐phase systems (ATPS) has emerged in the field of droplet microfluidics due to their intrinsic biocompatibility. Here, a platform to generate all‐aqueous double and triple emulsions by introducing pressure‐driven flows inside a microfluidic hybrid device is presented. This system uses a conventional microfluidic flow‐focusing geometry coupled with a coaxial microneedle and a glass capillary embedded in flow‐focusing junctions. The configuration of the hybrid device enables the focusing of two coaxial two‐phase streams, which helps to avoid commonly observed channel‐wetting problems. It is shown that this approach achieves the fabrication of higher‐order emulsions in a poly(dimethylsiloxane)‐based microfluidic device, and controls the structure of the all‐aqueous emulsions. This hybrid microfluidic approach allows for facile higher‐order biocompatible emulsion formation, and it is anticipated that this platform will find utility for generating biocompatible materials for various biotechnological applications.
Ultrathin Amorphous Nickel Doped Cobalt Phosphates with Highly Ordered Mesoporous Structures as Efficient Electrocatalyst for Oxygen Evolution Reaction
Authors: Yang Lan , Ren Hao , Liang Qinghua , Dinh Khang Ngoc , Dangol Raksha , Yan Qingyu
Published: January 2020

Herein, the facile preparation of ultrathin (≈3.8 nm in thickness) 2D cobalt phosphate (CoPi) nanoflakes through an oil‐phase method is reported. The obtained nanoflakes are composed of highly ordered mesoporous (≈3.74 nm in diameter) structure and exhibit an amorphous nature. Attractively, when doped with nickel, such 2D mesoporous Ni‐doped CoPi nanoflakes display decent electrocatalytic performances in terms of intrinsic activity, and low kinetic barrier toward the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Particularly, the optimized 10 at% Ni‐doped CoPi nanoflakes (denoted as Ni10‐CoPi) deliver a low overpotential at 10 mA cm−2 (320 mV), small Tafel slope (44.5 mV dec−1), and high stability for OER in 1.0 m KOH solution, which is comparable to the state‐of‐the‐art RuO2 tested in the same condition (overpotential: 327 mV at 10 mA cm−2, Tafel slope: 73.7 mV dec−1). The robust framework coupled with good OER performance enables the 2D mesoporous Ni10‐CoPi nanoflakes to be a promising material for energy conversion applications.
Reducing Oxygen Evolution Reaction Overpotential in Cobalt‐Based Electrocatalysts via Optimizing the “Microparticles‐in‐Spider Web” Electrode Configurations
Authors: Guo Qi , Mao Jiajun , Huang Jianying , Wang Zixi , Zhang Yanyan , Hu Jun , Dong Jianing , Sathasivam Sanjayan , Zhao Yan , Xing Guichuan , Pan Hui , Lai Yuekun , Tang Yuxin
Published: January 2020

Sluggish kinetics of the multielectron transfer process is still a bottleneck for efficient oxygen evolution reaction (OER) activity, and the reduction of reaction overpotential is crucial to boost reaction kinetics. Herein, a correlation between the OER overpotential and the cobalt‐based electrode composition in a “Microparticles‐in‐Spider Web” (MSW) superstructure electrode is revealed. The overpotential is dramatically decreased first and then slightly increased with the continuous increase ratio of Co/Co3O4 in the cobalt‐based composite electrode, corresponding to the dynamic change of electrochemically active surface area and charge‐transfer resistance with the electrode composition. As a proof‐of‐concept, the optimized electrode displays a low overpotential of 260 mV at 10.0 mA cm−2 in alkaline conditions with a long‐time stability. This electrochemical performance is comparable and even superior to the most currently reported Co‐based OER electrocatalysts. The remarkable electrocatalytic activity is attributed to the optimization of the electrochemically active sites and electron transfer in the MSW superstructure. Theoretical calculations identify that the metallic Co and Co3O4 surface catalytic sites play a vital role in improving electron transport and reaction Gibbs free energies for reducing overpotential, respectively. A general way of boosting OER kinetics via optimizing the electrode configurations to mitigate reaction overpotential is offered in this study.
Voltage‐Induced High‐Efficient In Situ Presodiation Strategy for Sodium Ion Capacitors
Authors: Zou Kangyu , Cai Peng , Tian Ye , Li Jiayang , Liu Cheng , Zou Guoqiang , Hou Hongshuai , Ji Xiaobo
Published: January 2020

Sodium‐ion capacitors (SICs) have triggered considerable attention due to potential high energy densities under high power densities. The presodiation process of anodes is very important for the construction of high‐performance SICs; however, in the current presodiation method, metallic sodium is utilized as the presodiation agent through the assembling/disassembling of half‐cells, which is very complicated and dangerous, greatly hindering the development of SICs. Herein, a novel voltage‐induced high‐efficient in situ presodiation approach is successfully realized by introducing organic sodium salts as the sodium sources into the cathode. Moreover, the irreversible electrochemical characteristic of organic sodium salts triggered by high voltage could provide sufficient sodium sources for presodiation without any negative effects for further operation of SICs. Significantly, the diversified anodes like carbon and TiO2 are successfully presodiated and the corresponding SICs manifest excellent electrochemical performances. This rational strategy is anticipated to shed light on a potential avenue for greatly simplifying the assembly process of the SICs, which may largely accelerate the commercialization process of SICs.
In Situ Growth of Ru Nanoparticles on (Fe,Ni)(OH)2 to Boost Hydrogen Evolution Activity at High Current Density in Alkaline Media
Authors: Xiao Xin , Wang Xikui , Jiang Xingxing , Song Shaowei , Huang Dekang , Yu Luo , Zhang Yang , Chen Shuo , Wang Mingkui , Shen Yan , Ren Zhifeng
Published: January 2020

Electrocatalytic water splitting for industrial hydrogen production at large current densities requests highly active and cost‐effective catalysts with long‐term stability. Here, conductive nickel foam is proposed to be used as a substrate to support (Fe,Ni)(OH)2 nanosheet arrays and a reducing agent to reduce Ru3+ ions to metallic Ru. The formed 3D self‐supported Ru/(Fe,Ni)(OH)2/NF (denoted as RFNOH) with a superhydrophilic surface and high conductivity ensures rapid release of gases and efficient electron transportation and mass transfer at a high current density. The resultant RFNOH requires an overpotential of only 152 mV to achieve a current density of 1 A cm−2 for hydrogen evolution reaction in 1 m KOH solution, along with excellent stability at high current density. Meanwhile, density functional theory calculations suggest that (Fe,Ni)(OH)2 promotes the dissociation of water molecules considerably, which plays a critical role in enhancing the generation of molecular hydrogen on Ru nanoparticles. Furthermore, the proposed dual‐active site mechanism solves the problem of low water‐dissociation efficiency faced by noble metal‐based catalysts under alkaline media. This study provides a new route for the practical production of large quantities of hydrogen via electrochemical water splitting.