bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Recent Advances in Wide Bandgap Polymer Donors and Their Applications in Organic Solar Cells
Authors: Xu Xiaopeng , Yu Liyang , Peng Qiang
Published: September 2020

Organic solar cells (OSCs) have attracted wide research interests in the past decades. In recent years, our group mainly focused on the new photovoltaic materials design and device engineering technologies for highly efficient OSCs. This account mainly summarizes our recent studies on the structural design of wide bandgap (WBG) polymers and their morphology control as well as applications in OSCs. Additionally, we introduce our work on binary and ternary blend devices and tandem solar cells containing these materials.

What is the most favorite and original chemistry developed in your research group?

We focus on design and synthesis of high‐performance organic semiconductors for photovoltaic applications. Our interests are exploring the relationships between the conjugated molecular structures and their photovoltaic properties.

How do you get into this specific field? Could you please share some experiences with our readers?

When I was in Singapore and USA as a postdoctoral research fellow, I found that the energy crisis and environmental pollution were becoming more and more serious. I believed that organic solar cell (OSC) would be sprung up in the near future and I needed to do something about it.

Therefore, I begun to follow with interest the OSCs in 2006 and got into this field in 2007.

How do you supervise your students?

I am in pursuit of development on self‐thinking abilities of my students. More specifically, encourage and guide the students to find the problems, analyze the problems and figure out some ways to resolve the problems.

What is the most important personality for scientific research?

Intelligence, diligence and perseverance.

What is your favorite journal(s)?

Those journals with high scientific nature and good timeliness. Also, the reported results shall be reliable and repeated easily.
Recent Advances of Trifluoromethoxylation Reactions Using TFMS and TFBO
Authors: Jiang Xiaohuan , Tang Pingping
Published: September 2020

The OCF3 group has good metabolic stability, suitable lipophilicity and special electrical properties, which can modify the properties of drugs and material molecules. In recent years, trifluoromethoxy compounds have received more and more attention. Both new reagents and new trifluoromethoxylation strategies got a breakthrough. Our group has been committed to the development of trifluoromethoxylation reagents and methods. This account focuses on describing various trifluoromethoxylation reactions with trifluoromethyl sulfonates (TFMS) and (E)‐O‐trifluoromethyl‐benzaldoximes (TFBO) developed by our group.

What is the most favorite and original chemistry developed in your research group?

Trifluoromethyl sulfonates (TFMS) and various trifluoromethoxylation reactions.

How do you get into this specific field? Could you please share some experiences with our readers?

I got into fluorine chemistry during my postdoctoral period. The importance of fluorine chemistry in medical and material fields inspired me to put my heart and soul into fluorine chemistry. The criterion I always persist in is “Keep arming yourself before opportunities come”.

How do you supervise your students?

Guide and inspire students in the research direction. Do not kill students' ideas. Let them do what they want.

What is the most important personality for scientific research?

Perseverance, thinking, learning and diligence.

What's your hobbies?

I like sports, especially playing ping‐pong.

How do you keep balance between research and family?

I spend every weekend with my family. And the support and understanding from my family made me more motivated to throw myself into work.
Photofunction‐Directed Coordination Molecular Engineering
Authors: Zhong Yu‐Wu
Published: September 2020

Molecular engineering has emerged as a highly interdisciplinary field of study on function‐directed molecular design, material synthesis, and property optimization, accompanied by a deep understanding of the structure‐property relationship. In this review, our recent progress on the design and preparations of photofunctional metal complexes and related materials is summarized from the perspective of coordination molecular engineering. In particular, a series of cyclometalated diruthenium complexes with near‐infrared (NIR) electrochromic property have been synthesized by engineering the bridging ligand structures. A group of ruthenium‐amine conjugated complexes with multistage NIR electrochromism are obtained on the basis of a multicenter strategy. By engineering the ligand structures, a series of new ruthenium and platinum complexes are synthesized to show switchable luminescence in response to various stimuli. In addition, photoluminescent ruthenium, iridium, and platinum complexes are assembled to afford micro/nanocrystals with well‐defined morphology and luminescent properties.

What is the most favorite and original chemistry developed in your research group?

Ruthenium‐triarylamine conjugated system is one of my favorite topics.

How do you get into this specific field?

Molecular materials with multistage redox processes and multiple near‐ infrared absorptions are a challenging task in the field of electrochromism and molecular switching. The combination of cyclometalated ruthenium complexes and triarylamines allows us to solve this issue by using a multicenter strategy with a great structural and functional diversity.

What is the most important personality for scientific research?

Personally, I consider honesty, curiosity, and persistence are the most important and fundamental personalities in carrying out scientific research.

What's your hobbies?

I enjoy playing basketball and watching basketball matches in leisure

time.

How do you keep balance between research and family?

I like managing time by prioritizing daily tasks. If time permits, I'm glad to join family activities in cooking, walking, exercising, etc. I always appreciate and support my wife's career and my daughter's studies, from which I receive their returns in support of my career.

Could you please give us some advices on improving Chinese Journal of Chemistry?

Chin. J. Chem. is a classical and influential journal of chemistry. The impact of the journal keeps increasing especially in recent years. In my point of view, it would be helpful for the journal by keeping a balance among different subjects of chemistry while welcoming manuscripts on material and energy‐related interdisciplinary researches. In addition, in order to further boost its global reputation, I would like to suggest inviting more international scientists to contribute to the journal.
Remarkable response to cardiac resynchronization therapy via left bundle branch pacing in patients with true left bundle branch block
Authors: Guo Jincun , Li Linlin , Xiao Guosheng , Ye Tao , Huang Xinyi , Meng Fanqi , Li Qiang , Chen Simei , Cai Binni
Published: September 2020

Background

Left bundle branch pacing (LBBP) has been suggested as an alternative means to deliver cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT).

Hypothesis

LBBP may deliver resynchronization therapy along with an advantage over traditional biventricular (BiV) pacing in clinical outcomes.

Methods

Heart failure patients who presented LBBB morphology according to Strauss's criteria and received successful CRT procedure were enrolled in the present study. Propensity score matching was applied to match patients into LBBP‐CRT group and BiV‐CRT group. Then, the electrographic data, the echocardiographic data and New York heart association (NYHA) class were compared between the groups.

Results

Twenty‐one patients with successful LBBP procedure and another 21 matched patients with successful BiV‐CRT procedure were finally enrolled in the study. The QRS duration (QRSd) was narrowed from 167.7 ± 14.9 ms to 111.7 ± 12.3 ms (P < .0001) in the LBBP‐CRT group and from 163.6 ± 13.8 ms to 130.1 ± 14.0 ms (P < .0001) in the BiV‐CRT group. A trend toward better left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was recorded in the LBBP‐CRT group (50.9 ± 10.7% vs 44.4 ± 13.3%, P = .12) compared to that in the BiV‐CRT group at the 6‐month follow‐up. A trend toward better echocardiographic response was documented in patients receiving LBBP‐CRT procedure (90.5% vs 80.9%, P = .43) and more super CRT response was documented in the LBBP‐CRT group (80.9% vs 57.1%, P = .09) compared to that in the BiV‐CRT group.

Conclusions

LBBP‐CRT can dramatically improve the electrical synchrony in heart failure patients with LBBB. Meanwhile, compared with the traditional BiV‐CRT, it has a tendency to significantly improve LVEF and enhance the NYHA cardiac function scores.
Aversive teaching signals from individual dopamine neurons in larval Drosophila show qualitative differences in their temporal “fingerprint”
Authors: Weiglein Aliće , Thoener Juliane , Feldbruegge Irina , Warzog Louisa , Mancini Nino , Schleyer Michael , Gerber Bertram
Published: September 2020

Dopamine serves many functions, and dopamine neurons are correspondingly diverse. We use a combination of optogenetics, behavioral experiments, and high‐resolution video‐tracking to probe for the functional capacities of two single, identified dopamine neurons in larval Drosophila. The DAN‐f1 and the DAN‐d1 neuron were recently found to carry aversive teaching signals during Pavlovian olfactory learning. We enquire into a fundamental feature of these teaching signals, namely their temporal “fingerprint”. That is, receiving punishment feels bad, whereas being relieved from it feels good, and animals and humans alike learn with opposite valence about the occurrence and the termination of punishment (the same principle applies in the appetitive domain, with opposite sign). We find that DAN‐f1 but not DAN‐d1 can mediate such timing‐dependent valence reversal: presenting an odor before DAN‐f1 activation leads to learned avoidance of the odor (punishment memory), whereas presenting the odor upon termination of DAN‐f1 activation leads to learned approach (relief memory). In contrast, DAN‐d1 confers punishment memory only. These effects are further characterized in terms of the impact of the duration of optogenetic activation, the temporal stability of the memories thus established, and the specific microbehavioral patterns of locomotion through which they are expressed. Together with recent findings in the appetitive domain and from adult Drosophila, our results suggest that heterogeneity in the temporal fingerprint of teaching signals might be a more general principle of reinforcement processing through dopamine neurons.
Strict Inequality for the Chemical Distance Exponent in Two‐Dimensional Critical Percolation
Authors: Damron Michael , Hanson Jack , Sosoe Philippe
Published: September 2020

We provide the first nontrivial upper bound for the chemical distance exponent in two‐dimensional critical percolation. Specifically, we prove that the expected length of the shortest horizontal crossing path of a box of side length n in critical percolation on ℤ2 is bounded by Cn2 − δπ3(n) for some δ > 0, where π3(n) is the “three‐arm probability to distance n.” This implies that the ratio of this length to the length of the lowest crossing is bounded by an inverse power of n with high probability. In the case of site percolation on the triangular lattice, we obtain a strict upper bound for the exponent of 4/3.

The proof builds on the strategy developed in our previous paper, but with a new iterative scheme, and a new large deviation inequality for events in annuli conditional on arm events, which may be of independent interest. © 2020 Wiley Periodicals LLC
From distributed machine learning to federated learning: In the view of data privacy and security
Authors: Shen Sheng , Zhu Tianqing , Wu Di , Wang Wei , Zhou Wanlei
Published: September 2020

Federated learning is an improved version of distributed machine learning that further offloads operations which would usually be performed by a central server. The server becomes more like an assistant coordinating clients to work together rather than micromanaging the workforce as in traditional DML. One of the greatest advantages of federated learning is the additional privacy and security guarantees it affords. Federated learning architecture relies on smart devices, such as smartphones and IoT sensors, that collect and process their own data, so sensitive information never has to leave the client device. Rather, clients train a submodel locally and send an encrypted update to the central server for aggregation into the global model. These strong privacy guarantees make federated learning an attractive choice in a world where data breaches and information theft are common and serious threats. This survey outlines the landscape and latest developments in data privacy and security for federated learning. We identify the different mechanisms used to provide privacy and security, such as differential privacy, secure multiparty computation and secure aggregation. We also survey the current attack models, identifying the areas of vulnerability and the strategies adversaries use to penetrate federated systems. The survey concludes with a discussion on the open challenges and potential directions of future work in this increasingly popular learning paradigm.
Nitrogen Doping and Carbon Coating Affects Substrate Selectivity of TiO2 Photocatalytic Organic Pollutant Degradation
Authors: Zhang Yishu , Kirk Caroline , Robertson Neil
Published: September 2020

A series of carbon‐coated, nitrogen‐doped titanium dioxide photocatalysts was produced and characterized. N‐doped TiO2 powder samples were prepared using a sol‐gel method and subsequently used for making doped‐TiO2 thin films on glass substrates. Carbon layers were coated on the films by a thermal decomposition method using catechol. Diffuse reflectance spectra and Mott‐Schottky analyses of the samples proved that nitrogen doping and carbon coating can slightly lower the band gap of TiO2, broaden its absorption to visible light and enhance its n‐type character. According to photocatalytic tests against model contaminants, carbon‐coated nitrogen‐doped TiO2 films have better performance than simple TiO2 on the degradation of Rhodamine B dye molecules, but are poorly effective for degrading 4‐chlorophenol molecules. Several possible explanations are proposed for this result, supported by scavenging experiments. This reveals the importance of a broad substrate scope when assessing new photocatalytic materials for water treatment, something which is often overlooked in many literature studies.
Exploring the impact of corporate social responsibility on real earning management and discretionary accruals
Authors: Chen Roger C.Y. , Hung Shih‐Wei
Published: September 2020

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) and earning management have become important to firm’s operation. Previous researches use of discretionary accruals (DA) as a proxy variable for earnings management can easily result in errors in empirical analysis. Thus, this study uses the CSR index proposed by Chen et al. 2013. Journal of American Business Review, 2, 181–188, discretional accrual and real earning management to examine the association with CSR, earning management, and firm value. The empirical results find that the firm engages CSR not only to increase more information transparency of CSR and creating interaction with stakeholders but also to reduce earning management phenomenon. When firm has lower CSR performance, it has prone to earning management. In addition, CSR performance can enhance firm value, but the firm engage CSR to cover up and shift attention away from earnings manipulation by managers, it would decrease firm value.
Towards Shell Biorefinery: Advances in Chemical‐Catalytic Conversion of Chitin Biomass to Organonitrogen Chemicals
Authors: Dai Jinhang , Li Fukun , Fu Xing
Published: September 2020

Chitin is the most abundant biopolymer after cellulose but it has not been fully utilized yet. Because of biologically fixed nitrogen, effective conversion of chitin or its derivatives to value‐added organonitrogen compounds is a promising strategy to valorize chitin biomass, which has attracted increasing attention. Recently, a novel concept of shell biorefinery has been proposed on account of the huge potentials of chitin valorization. Until now, a number of valuable organonitrogen chemicals, including amino sugars, amino alcohols, amino acids, and heterocyclic compounds, have been produced from chitin biomass. In this Minireview, the focus is on the recent advances in the synthesis of organonitrogen chemicals employing chitin biomass as starting material via different catalytic processes. An outlook on the challenges and opportunities for more effective valorization of chitin will be given.
Real‐Time Stain‐Free Classification of Cancer Cells and Blood Cells Using Interferometric Phase Microscopy and Machine Learning
Authors: Nissim Noga , Dudaie Matan , Barnea Itay , Shaked Natan T.
Published: September 2020

We present a method for real‐time visualization and automatic processing for detection and classification of untreated cancer cells in blood during stain‐free imaging flow cytometry using digital holographic microscopy and machine learning in throughput of 15 cells per second. As a preliminary model for circulating tumor cells in the blood, following an initial label‐free rapid enrichment stage based on the cell size, we applied our holographic imaging approach, providing the quantitative optical thickness profiles of the cells during flow. We automatically classified primary and metastatic colon cancer cells, where the two types of cancer cells were isolated from the same individual, as well as four types of blood cells. We used low‐coherence off‐axis interferometric phase microscopy and a microfluidic channel to image cells during flow quantitatively. The acquired images were processed and classified based on their morphology and quantitative phase features during the cell flow. We achieved high accuracy of 92.56% for distinguishing between the cells, enabling further automatic enrichment and cancer‐cell grading from blood. © 2020 International Society for Advancement of Cytometry
Diagnostic performance of the ClearLLab 10C B cell tube
Authors: Espasa Andrea , Torrents Silvia , Morales‐Indiano Cristian , Rico Laura G. , Bardina Jorge , Ancochea Agueda , Bistué‐Rovira Àngel , Linio Rosa , Raya Minerva , Vergara Sara , Juncà Jordi , Grifols Joan‐Ramon , Petriz Jordi , Soria Maria‐Gloria , Sorigue Marc
Published: September 2020

Introduction

Pre‐analytical and analytical errors can threaten the reliability of flow cytometry (FC) results. A potential solution to some of these is the use of dry, pre‐mixed antibodies, such as the ClearLLab 10C system. The purpose of the present study was to compare the diagnostic performance of the ClearLLab 10C B cell tube with that of our standard laboratory practice.

Methods

We compared the diagnoses made with the ClearLLab 10C B cell tube (experimental strategy) with those made with standard laboratory practice (standard strategy). Samples were selected aiming for representation of the full spectrum of B cell disorders, with an emphasis on mature B cell malignancies, as well as healthy controls.

Results

We included 116 samples (34 normal controls, 4 acute lymphoblastic leukemias, 54 mature lymphoproliferative disorders in peripheral blood and bone marrow, 3 myelomas, 6 bone marrow samples with involvement by lymphoma and 1 with elevated hematogone count, 14 lymph node samples, 1 cerebrospinal fluid, and 1 pleural effusion). There were two diagnostic errors (1.7%). The agreement between the two strategies in the percentage of CD19 cells and fluorescence intensity of CD5, CD19, CD20, CD200, and CD10 was very good.

Conclusions

In this study, the ClearLLab 10C B cell tube performed similarly to our standard laboratory practice to diagnose and classify mature B cell malignancies.
The prevalence, genotype distribution of human papillomavirus and cervical cytology in Wenzhou, China: a retrospective research of 7391 cases
Authors: Lin Qiongqiong , Lin Xiangjie , Zhuang Xiaoping , Tang Yibing , Zhao Zhiguang
Published: September 2020

Background

Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is the main pathogen of precancerous transformation and finally progress to cervical cancer. It associated with cervical squamous and glandular lesions. However, the genotype distribution of HPV and the relationship between HPV infection and cervical disease are still remind unclear.

Material and methods

A total of 7391 abnormal cervical cytology cases with detailed histological reports and HPV genotypes were collected. The prevalence of HPV infection in squamous epithelial lesions and glandular epithelial lesions were statistically analyzed.

Result

Around 6958 cytological squamous epithelial lesions and 433 glandular epithelial lesions were enrolled. 79.72% of cytological squamous epithelial lesions and 26.56% of glandular epithelial lesions were HPV infected. The HPV infection rates in squamous cell carcinoma, cervical adenocarcinoma and endometrial adenocarcinoma were 66.67%, 54.17% and 19.72%, respectively. HVP16, 18 and 58 are the most common types in squamous and glandular epithelial lesions. Among the squamous epithelial lesions, women less than 25 years old had the highest HPV infection rate, and majority of multiple infections was found in women >55 years old. The total infection rate of HPV in glandular epithelial lesions was the highest in the 35 to 45 group. Multiple infections peaked in women around 55 years old.

Conclusion

The prevalence of HPV infection is divergent in different types of cervical cancer. The HPV infections in cervical squamous epithelial lesions tended to be younger. HPV detection is one of the necessary tests for cervical disease screening and should be individualized in an age manner.
Toward reliable habitat suitability and accessibility models in an era of multiple environmental stressors
Authors: De Kort Hanne , Baguette Michel , Lenoir Jonathan , Stevens Virginie M.
Published: September 2020

Global biodiversity declines, largely driven by climate and land‐use changes, urge the development of transparent guidelines for effective conservation strategies. Species distribution modeling (SDM) is a widely used approach for predicting potential shifts in species distributions, which can in turn support ecological conservation where environmental change is expected to impact population and community dynamics. Improvements in SDM accuracy through incorporating intra‐ and interspecific processes have boosted the SDM field forward, but simultaneously urge harmonizing the vast array of SDM approaches into an overarching, widely adoptable, and scientifically justified SDM framework. In this review, we first discuss how climate warming and land‐use change interact to govern population dynamics and species’ distributions, depending on species’ dispersal and evolutionary abilities. We particularly emphasize that both land‐use and climate change can reduce the accessibility to suitable habitat for many species, rendering the ability of species to colonize new habitat and to exchange genetic variation a crucial yet poorly implemented component of SDM. We then unite existing methodological SDM practices that aim to increase model accuracy through accounting for multiple global change stressors, dispersal, or evolution, while shifting our focus to model feasibility. We finally propose a roadmap harmonizing model accuracy and feasibility, applicable to both common and rare species, particularly those with poor dispersal abilities. This roadmap (a) paves the way for an overarching SDM framework allowing comparison and synthesis of different SDM studies and (b) could advance SDM to a level that allows systematic integration of SDM outcomes into effective conservation plans.
The prevalence, predictors, and prognosis of tricuspid regurgitation in stage B and C heart failure with preserved ejection fraction
Authors: Ren Qing‐wen , Li Xin‐li , Fang Johnathan , Chen Yan , Wu Mei‐Zhen , Yu Yu‐Juan , Liao Shen‐gen , Tse Hung‐Fat , Yiu Kai‐Hang
Published: September 2020

Aims

Previous studies have demonstrated that moderate/severe tricuspid regurgitation (TR) is associated with adverse outcome in patients with heart failure (HF) with reduced ejection fraction. Little is known about the prevalence and prognostic value of TR in patients of stage B HF and those with stage C HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). We aimed to investigate the prevalence and prognosis of TR in patients with HFpEF.

Methods and results

From 2013 to 2017, 2014 patients with stage B (n = 1341) or C (n = 673) HFpEF were enrolled in the study. Detailed transthoracic echocardiogram was performed, and the severity of TR was graded as no, mild, moderate, and severe. The mean age of the study population was 66.7 ± 14.1 years old, and 46% were men. Mean left ventricular ejection fraction was 62.2 ± 5.5%. The prevalence of moderate/severe TR increased from stage B to C HF (8% to 16%, respectively, P < 0.01). Older age, hyperlipidaemia, atrial fibrillation, left ventricular mass, and right ventricular systolic pressure were independently associated with moderate/severe TR (P < 0.05 for all). With a median follow‐up of 3.8 (2.9–4.7) years, 346 patients died and 234 developed HF requiring hospitalization. Kaplan–Meier curve revealed that the presence of moderate/severe TR was associated with all‐cause mortality, HF requiring hospitalization and cardiovascular death (log‐rank test P < 0.01). Multivariable analysis demonstrated that moderate (hazard ratio = 1.5; 95% confidence interval: 1.1–2.2; P < 0.05) and severe TR (hazard ratio = 2.1; 95% confidence interval: 1.3–3.3; P < 0.01) were independently associated with mortality, HF requiring hospitalization and cardiovascular death.

Conclusions

The presence of moderate/severe TR is not uncommon in patients with stage B HF and stage C HFpEF. Importantly, moderate/severe TR was independently associated with mortality and HF requiring hospitalization.
Comparison of different prediction models for the indication of implanted cardioverter defibrillator in patients with arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy
Authors: Aquaro Giovanni Donato , De Luca Antonio , Cappelletto Chiara , Raimondi Francesca , Bianco Francesco , Botto Nicoletta , Barison Andrea , Romani Simona , Lesizza Pierluigi , Fabris Enrico , Todiere Giancarlo , Grigoratos Crysanthos , Pingitore Alessandro , Stolfo Davide , Dal Ferro Matteo , Merlo Marco , Di Bella Gianluca , Sinagra Gianfranco
Published: September 2020

Aims

Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) is associated with a high risk of sudden cardiac death. Three different prediction models for the indication of implanted cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) are now available: the 5 year ARVC risk score, the International Task Force Consensus (ITFC) criteria, and the Heart Rhythm Society (HRS) criteria. We compared these three prediction models in a validation cohort of patients with definite ARVC.

Methods and results

In a cohort of 140 patients with definite ARVC, the 5 year ARVC risk score and the ITFC and HRS criteria were compared for the prediction of a major combined endpoint of sudden cardiac death, appropriate ICD intervention, resuscitated cardiac arrest, and sustained ventricular tachycardia. During the follow‐up, 65 major events occurred. The 5 year ARVC risk score with a threshold >10%, derived from the maximally selected rank statistic, predicted 62 (95%) events [odds ratio (OR) 9.1, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.6–32, P = 0.0006], the ITFC criteria 53 (81%, OR 4.8, 95% CI 2.2–10.3, P = 0.0001), and the HRS criteria 29 (45%, OR 4.2, 95% CI 1.9–9.3, P = 0.0003). At the analysis of decision curve for ICD implantation, a 5 year ARVC risk score >10% showed a greater net benefit than the ITFC and HRS criteria over a wide range of threshold probability of events. Finally, at multivariate analysis, the 5 year ARVC risk score >10% was the only independent predictor of major events.

Conclusions

The 5 year score with a threshold of >10% was more effective for predicting events than the ITFC and HRS criteria.
Loss of skeletal muscle mass predicts cardiac death in heart failure with a preserved ejection fraction but not heart failure with a reduced ejection fraction
Authors: Matsumura Koichiro , Teranaka Wakana , Matsumoto Hiroshi , Fujii Kenichi , Tsujimoto Satoshi , Otagaki Munemitsu , Morishita Shun , Hashimoto Kenta , Shibutani Hiroki , Yamamoto Yoshihiro , Shiojima Ichiro
Published: September 2020

Aims

Loss of skeletal muscle mass is an important determinant associated with poor long‐term prognosis in patients with acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF). However, limited evidence is available. This study investigated the prognostic value of the psoas muscle mass index (PMI) in patients with ADHF.

Methods and results

A total of 210 consecutive patients aged ≥60 years with ADHF were enrolled using a prospective database between 2015 and 2017. Primary endpoint was incidence of cardiac death. Cross‐sectional psoas muscle area at the L3 vertebral level was obtained by computed tomography, and PMI was calculated by height. Reduced PMI was defined as a PMI below the 25th sex‐specific percentile. Patients were also classified by their left ventricular ejection fraction (EF) as having either heart failure with a reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF, EF < 50%) or heart failure with a preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF, EF ≥ 50%). The median follow‐up period was 1.8 years. There were 44 cardiac deaths (21%) during the study period. Patients with reduced PMI had significantly higher cardiac death rates than those with preserved PMI (33% vs. 17%, log‐rank test P = 0.006). In subgroup analysis, HFpEF patients with reduced PMI had significantly higher cardiac death rates than those with preserved PMI (38% vs. 16%, log‐rank test P = 0.006); conversely, HFrEF patients had comparable cardiac death rates regardless of their PMI group (27% for reduced PMI vs. 18% for preserved PMI, log‐rank test P = 0.24). Multivariate Cox proportional hazards model revealed that patients with reduced PMI had a 2.3‐fold higher risk of cardiac death compared with patients with preserved PMI (95% confidence interval 1.23–4.42, P = 0.01).

Conclusions

Reduced PMI helps to predict long‐term outcome in patients with HFpEF but not HFrEF.
Blockade of bradykinin receptors or angiotensin II type 2 receptor prevents paclitaxel‐associated acute pain syndrome in mice
Authors: Zanata Graziele C. , Pinto Larissa G. , da Silva Nicole R. , Lopes Alexandre H. P. , de Oliveira Francisco F. B. , Schivo Ieda R. S. , Cunha Fernando Q. , McNaughton Peter , Cunha Thiago M. , Silva Rangel L.
Published: September 2020

Background

Paclitaxel (PCX) is the first‐line choice for the treatment of several types of cancer, including breast, ovarian, and lung cancers. However, patients who receive even a single dose with PCX commonly develop mechanical and cold allodynia, a symptom known as PCX‐associated acute pain syndrome (P‐APS). Here, we assessed possible involvement of kinin–kallikrein and renin‐angiotensin systems in P‐APS in mice.

Methods

Male mice C57Bl/6 wild type (WT) and knockouts for bradykinin receptors, B1 (B1−/−) and B2 (B2−/−), were used. Mechanical and cold allodynia were evaluated by using von Frey filaments and acetone test, respectively. P‐APS was induced by administration of PCX 4 mg/kg, i.v.. ACE inhibitors (captopril and enalapril), antagonists for angiotensin II type 1 (losartan) and type 2 ([AT2R]; PD123319 and EMA 401) receptors were administrated prior the treatment with PCX. RT‐PCR was used to analyse the expression of mRNA for B1, B2 and AT2R receptors.

Results

Administration of PCX in B1−/− and B2−/− mice induced lower mechanical and cold allodynia compared to the WT. However, the pre‐treatment with ACE inhibitors reduced the development of mechanical and cold allodynia in P‐APS. Surprisingly, we found that mice pre‐treatment with the PD123319 or EMA401, but not losartan, prevented the development of mechanical and cold allodynia induced by PCX.

Conclusion

Our results demonstrated the involvement of bradykinin receptors B1 and B2 as well as AT2R in the induction of P‐APS in mice, and suggest the use of AT2R antagonists as a potential therapy for the prevention of P‐APS in humans.

Significance

Kinin–kallikrein and renin‐angiotensin systems, through B1, B2 and AT2 receptors, potentiates paclitaxel‐associated acute pain syndrome (P‐APS) in mice. Antagonists for AT2R are potential alternatives to prevent P‐APS.
Three‐dimensional Pt catalyst on TiO2 structures: Synthesis, characterization, and optimal morphology for efficient ethanol electro‐oxidation in acidic medium
Authors: Mohammadi Naser , Benabid Chahrazed , Wang Haixia , Abrego‐Martinez Juan Carlos , Wang Youling , Mohamedi Mohamed
Published: September 2020

By combining the hydrothermal and pulsed laser deposition methods, several three‐dimensional Pt catalysts on TiO2 structures are prepared and used for the electro‐oxidation of ethanol in acidic medium. SEM reveals that TiO2 prepared with 0.6 M of HCl consist of a mixture of nanowires and nanorods. For higher HCl concentrations, the TiO2 are either in the form of vertically aligned bars or large branched crystals in the form of flowers‐like. Despite having the same loading of Pt, among the 3D Pt/TiO2/Ti structures, only those with TiO2 prepared with 0.6 M of HCl shows a higher area specific activity and current mass activities exceptionally superior of about >50 times than those of unsupported Pt/Ti catalyst toward ethanol oxidation reaction, which suggests a promising application in ethanol fuel cells.
The response of rock tunnel when subjected to blast loading: Finite element analysis
Authors: Zaid Mohammad , Sadique Md. Rehan
Published: September 2020

In the past few decade tunnels were targeted to explosives and that resulted in sizeable structural damage. The increase in the strategic importance of tunnel construction has increased the demand for the blast‐resistant design approach. The present paper considered an internal blast loading on a rock tunnel constructed in Quartzite rock. A three‐dimensional finite element model of the tunnel has been developed in Abaqus. The diameter of the tunnel has been kept constant to a two‐lane transportation tunnel. However, the thickness of the concrete liner, depth of overburden, and mass of explosive charge has been varied to understand the response in different possible conditions. The Jones‐Wilkins‐Lee, Concrete Damage Plasticity, and Mohr‐Coulomb material models have been used for the modeling of trinitrotoluene, concrete, and rock respectively. Blast has been formulated through Coupled‐Eulerian‐Lagrangian technique. The tunnel at 12.5 of the depth of overburden has been found 2.7‐times more blast resistant than 5 m. Moreover, the extent of damage in shallow depth tunnels found to be more than the tunnels at higher depth of overburden.
Noncognitive Skill Profiles and Their Relationships With Academic Outcomes at Hispanic‐Serving Institutions
Authors: Rikoon Samuel
Published: September 2020

Hispanic‐serving institutions (HSIs) face a multifaceted set of challenges in determining how to maintain their effectiveness in building student competencies and encouraging their academic success. To understand the importance of noncognitive skills on fostering such success, this study reports on efforts at three HSIs to make meaningful use of noncognitive assessment data in combination with student background characteristics and academic outcomes. We applied a person‐centered approach to extract latent profiles from data measuring students' academic skills, commitment, self‐management, and social support. These profiles demonstrated reliable patterns of student noncognitive skill expression across the three institutions and exhibited meaningful relationships with external covariates and distal outcomes alike. Suggestions for future research are discussed.
A novel approach for securing data against intrusion attacks in unmanned aerial vehicles integrated heterogeneous network using functional encryption technique
Authors: Sharma Diwankshi , Gupta Sachin Kumar , Rashid Aabid , Gupta Sumeet , Rashid Mamoon , Srivastava Ashutosh
Published: September 2020

As the number of user equipment (UE) in any heterogeneous network (HetNet) assisted by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) continues to grow, so does the number of intruder nodes. The intruder/malicious nodes are able to interfere with the ongoing data transmission in the network and carry out different kinds of active and passive attacks such as spoofing, masquerading, impersonating, and so on in the network thus requiring an optimized security technique for the network. This article implements the novel functional encryption (FE) technique in the proposed UAV assisted HetNet model for the dense urban area to secure data against such intrusions. In this network model, UAV acts as a relay node for those UE which are in nonline‐of‐sight communication with macro based station (MBS). For securing the data transmission among UAV, UE, and MBS, FE technique is implemented in the network in two phases: the first phase between UE and MBS and the second phase between MBS and UE through UAV. During implementation, the Dolev‐Yao attack model is considered in which intruders are able to intercept or modify the UE data. The main objective of the FE technique implementation is to provide security from such intrusion attacks. The proposed methodology is validated using automated validation of Internet security protocols and applications (AVISPA) tool. The results of the AVISPA tool clearly indicate that the proposed technique is safe to implement in the UAV assisted HetNet, even in the presence of intruder nodes.
On the ergodic capacities of decode‐and‐forward MIMO relay network with simultaneous wireless information and power transfer
Authors: Waqar Omer , Asim Ali Muhammad , Liaqat Mahrukh , Iqbal Ayesha
Published: September 2020

In this article, simultaneous wireless information and power transfer (SWIPT) has been studied for point‐to‐point decode‐and‐forward (DF) based multiple‐input‐multiple‐output (MIMO) relay network with an energy‐constrained relay. This relay is capable of harvesting energy from the wireless signals received from the source terminal. In particular, three different SWIPT schemes, that is, time switching, power splitting, and antenna switching are considered for EH at relay. New closed‐form approximations for the sum ergodic capacity of a DF MIMO relay network have been derived with spatial multiplexing at source, zero‐forcing receivers at relay and destination. Based on the sum capacity approximations, optimal splitting coefficients for aforementioned SWIPT schemes that maximize the sum capacity are presented. Moreover, the impact of system parameters on these optimal coefficients has been studied. In addition to this, first optimization problems for the number of antennas at relay have been formulated and then these problems are transformed into concave form by relaxing constraints to be defined over positive real numbers instead of taking only discrete values. New closed‐form solutions for the optimum number of antennas at relay have been derived. Furthermore, new closed‐form approximations for the ergodic capacities in the presence of an external co‐channel interference are also presented. Numerical results show that approximations for the sum capacity match well with the exact ones obtained through Monte‐Carlo simulations, particularly when the channel hardening effect kicks in, that is, for large degrees of freedom. Finally, the solutions for the optimization problems have also been validated by the numerical examples.
Distribution and genesis of submarine landslides in the northeastern South China Sea
Authors: Zhang Kun , Song Haibin , Sun Shaoqin , Gao Jinyao
Published: September 2020

Submarine landslide is a widespread marine geohazard and an important part of the global ‘source to sink’ system. In this article, multi‐channel seismic and topographic data are utilized to investigate the distribution, calculate the geomorphologic parameters, and discuss the genesis of the submarine landslides in the northeastern South China Sea. In the study area, which can be divided into two tectonic provinces: passive continental margin province and accretionary wedge province, 101 landslides are identified, with a total size of 2,358.22 km2. Statistics show that most landslides are of small sizes (<15 km2) and developed along small slope gradient regions. There is a high correlation between the slope gradient and the ratio of headscarp height to runout distance. The size and runout distance of landslide also correlate well. However, there is a low correlation coefficient including slope gradient versus runout distance and slope gradient versus size. The distribution of submarine landslides is consistent with that of bottom simulating reflections (BSRs) and seabed activities, which may imply a possible inner correlation among them. The calculated base of gas hydrate stability zone (BGHSZ) pinches out the seafloor at about 555–556 m below the sea level, where most of the landslide headscarps are located. And the BGHSZ depths are often shallower than the BSRs bottom depths in the upper slope area. Combined with previous studies, we consider that the influence factors of submarine landslides in the study area are earthquakes, canyons, seabed fluid activities, and gas hydrate dissociation. Gas hydrate dissociation is a global influence factor in the study area. In the passive continental margin province, the submarine landslides are mainly canyon‐associated landslides. While in the accretionary wedge province, they are mainly controlled by seabed fluid activities and earthquakes.
Geodynamic setting of the south‐east margin of Xing'an–Mongolian Orogenic Belt: Constraints from geochronology and geochemistry of the Permian volcanic rocks in Yanbian area, NE China
Authors: Hou Henan , Ren Yunsheng , Lu Siyu , Hao Yujie , Yang Qun
Published: September 2020

The south‐east margin of the Xing'an–Mongolian Orogenic Belt (SM‐XMOB) is a tectonic junction that is characterized by widespread Late Palaeozoic to Early Mesozoic igneous rocks. To determine the tectonic settings and provide new constraints on the regional tectonic evolution, petrological, geochronological, geochemical, and Hf isotope analyses have been conducted on the Permian volcanic rocks along the SM‐XMOB. Zircon U–Pb geochronological data indicate that these rocks were formed at 271.4 ± 3.2 Ma and 268.3 ± 3.2 Ma during the Early–Middle Permian. Geochemical results suggest that the volcanic rock samples have 61.5–66.4 wt% SiO2 and 0.98–1.71 wt% MgO, and belong to the calc‐alkaline series, suggesting an affinity with fractionated I‐type granite. They also exhibit positive zircon εHf (t) values ranging from + 8.6 to + 14.7, indicating that the primary magmas were dominantly derived from partial melting of Early Palaeozoic juvenile lower crustal. These volcanic rocks show an enrichment in large‐ion lithophile elements (LILEs; e.g., Rb, Th, and U) and depletion in high‐field‐strength elements (HFSEs; e.g., Nb, Ta, Ti, and P), similar to that from an active continental margin setting. We therefore propose that the widespread Permian volcanic rocks in the SM‐XMOB were closely associated with the southward subduction of the Palaeo‐Asian Ocean (PAO) Plate to the lithosphere beneath the XMOB, and that the PAO had not closed prior to the Middle Permian in the SM‐XMOB.
Toward Fair and Humane Pain Policy
Authors: Goldberg Daniel S.
Published: September 2020

Pain policy is not drug policy. If society wants to improve the lives of people in pain and compress the terrible inequalities in its diagnosis and treatment, we have to tailor policy to the root causes driving our problems in treating pain humanely and equitably. In the United States, we do not. Instead, we have proceeded to conflate drug policy with pain policy, relying on arguably magical thinking for the conclusion that by addressing the drug overdose crisis, we are simultaneously addressing the pain crisis. This is a category error, decades of commitment to which have resulted mostly in a worsening of both public health problems. Disentangling our problems in treating pain fairly and equitably from our problems with drugs and substance use is the only path to humane and ethical policy for each.
Acute on Chronic Liver Failure From Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Growing and Aging Cohort With Rising Mortality
Authors: Sundaram Vinay , Jalan Rajiv , Shah Parth , Singal Ashwani K. , Patel Arpan A , Wu Tiffany , Noureddin Mazen , Mahmud Nadim , Wong Robert J.
Published: September 2020

Background and Aims

We assessed the burden of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)‐related acute on chronic liver failure (ACLF) among transplant candidates in the United States, along with waitlist outcomes for this population.

Approach and Results

We analyzed the United Network for Organ Sharing registry from 2005 to 2017. Patients with ACLF were identified using the European Association for the Study of the Liver/Chronic Liver Failure criteria and categorized into NAFLD, alcohol‐associated liver disease (ALD), and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. We used linear regression and Chow’s test to determine significance in trends and evaluated waitlist outcomes using Fine and Gray’s competing risks regression and Cox proportional hazards regression. Between 2005 and 2017, waitlist registrants for NAFLD‐ACLF rose by 331.6% from 134 to 574 candidates (P < 0.001), representing the largest percentage increase in the study population. ALD‐ACLF also increased by 206.3% (348‐1,066 registrants; P < 0.001), whereas HCV‐ACLF declined by 45.2% (P < 0.001). As of 2017, the NAFLD‐ACLF population consisted primarily of persons aged ≥60 years (54.1%), and linear regression demonstrated a significant rise in the proportion of patients aged ≥65 in this group (β = 0.90; P = 0.011). Since 2014, NAFLD‐ACLF grade 1 was associated with a greater risk of waitlist mortality relative to ALD‐ACLF (subhazard ratio [SHR] = 1.24; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.05‐1.44) and HCV‐ACLF (SHR = 1.35; 95% CI, 1.08‐1.71), among patients aged ≥60 years. Mortality was similar among the three groups for patients with ACLF grade 2 or 3.

Conclusions

NAFLD is the fastest rising etiology of cirrhosis associated with ACLF among patients listed in the United States. As the NAFLD population continues to grow and age, patients with NAFLD‐ACLF will likely have the highest risk of waitlist mortality.