bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Maternal Epilepsy and Long‐term Offspring Mortality: A Nationwide Cohort Study
Authors: Christensen Jakob , Antonsen Sussie , Sun Yuelian , Dreier Julie W.
Published: February 2022

Objective

We examined how maternal epilepsy and use of antiseizure medications in pregnancy was associated with offspring mortality.

Methods

This population‐based cohort study included all live‐ and stillborn singletons in Denmark between 1981 and 2016. We used nation‐wide registers to retrieve information on pregnancy characteristics, epilepsy diagnoses, use of antiseizure medications, and mortality. Adjusted mortality rate ratios (MRR) were estimated using log‐linear Poisson regression.

Results

The cohort consisted of 1,862,474 children. In total, 12,026 live‐born children died during follow‐up, of whom 170 (1.4%) were offspring of mothers with epilepsy. Overall mortality was increased in offspring of mothers with epilepsy compared to offspring of mothers without epilepsy (MRR = 1.46, 95% CI: 1.23–1.71), driven by an excess mortality only in the first year of life. Mortality was increased for natural deaths (MRR = 1.50, 95% CI: 1.25–1.78) but not from unnatural deaths (MRR = 1.38, 95% CI: 0.84–2.14), and only in offspring of women with epilepsy who used antiseizure medications during pregnancy (MRR = 1.51, 95% CI: 1.00–2.17), but not in offspring of women with epilepsy who did not use antiseizure medications while pregnant (MRR = 0.97, 95% CI: 0.69–1.31). When analyses were restricted to children born from 2000 and onwards, the excess mortality that was observed in the first year of life among children of mothers with epilepsy, was no longer evident.

Interpretation

During the 1981 to 1999 epoch, offspring of women with epilepsy were at increased risk of dying in the first year of life. However, this risk did not extend to children born after 2000. Future retrospective studies of the effects of maternal epilepsy on the health of the offspring should take this difference into account. ANN NEUROL 2022;91:455–465
Interfacial Fe−O−Ni−O−Fe Bonding Regulates the Active Ni Sites of Ni‐MOFs via Iron Doping and Decorating with FeOOH for Super‐Efficient Oxygen Evolution
Authors: Li Cheng‐Fei , Xie Ling‐Jie , Zhao Jia‐Wei , Gu Lin‐Fei , Tang Hai‐Bo , Zheng Lirong , Li Gao‐Ren
Published: February 2022

The integration of Fe dopant and interfacial FeOOH into Ni‐MOFs [Fe‐doped‐(Ni‐MOFs)/FeOOH] to construct Fe−O−Ni−O−Fe bonding is demonstrated and the origin of remarkable electrocatalytic performance of Ni‐MOFs is elucidated. X‐ray absorption/photoelectron spectroscopy and theoretical calculation results indicate that Fe‐O−Ni−O−Fe bonding can facilitate the distorted coordinated structure of the Ni site with a short nickel–oxygen bond and low coordination number, and can promote the redistribution of Ni/Fe charge density to efficiently regulate the adsorption behavior of key intermediates with a near‐optimal d‐band center. Here the Fe‐doped‐(Ni‐MOFs)/FeOOH with interfacial Fe−O−Ni−O−Fe bonding shows superior catalytic performance for OER with a low overpotential of 210 mV at 15 mA cm−2 and excellent stability with ≈3 % attenuation after a 120 h cycle test. This study provides a novel strategy to design high‐performance Ni/Fe‐based electrocatalysts for OER in alkaline media.
Important areas for cetaceans in Russian Far East waters
Authors: Filatova Olga A. , Hoyt Erich , Burdin Alexander M. , Burkanov Vladimir N. , Fedutin Ivan D. , Ovsyanikova Ekaterina N. , Shpak Olga V. , Shulezhko Tatiana S. , Titova Olga V.
Published: February 2022

Cetacean species are highly mobile, most of them regularly travelling over long distances, thereby presenting complex obstacles to their conservation. Identification of their critical habitats, specifically those parts of a cetacean’s range that are essential for day‐to‐day survival and for maintaining a healthy population growth rate, is necessary for their effective protection.

This study presents a summary of the data on cetacean sightings during surveys that covered substantial parts of the Russian Far East coastal waters from the Okhotsk Sea to Chukotka in order to determine important areas for particular cetacean species. Sixteen cetacean species were registered during the surveys, and for 12 of them with sufficient numbers of sightings, zones with maximum sighting rates were identified.

Only 13% of all cetacean sightings and 22% of sightings of protected species occurred within marine protected areas (MPAs). The highest sighting rates for protected species were concentrated off north‐eastern Sakhalin Island, in the Shantar Area, in Anadyr Gulf, in Kresta Bay and in the waters off eastern Chukotka. The analysis of the distribution patterns of various cetacean species in Russian Far East seas provides a solid base for future conservation planning. Lack of specific MPAs for protection of cetaceans and associated biodiversity hinders marine conservation in Russian Far East seas.

The study highlights the specific zones important for various cetacean species and suggests the extension of some existing MPAs and the creation of new MPAs for future spatial habitat protection measures.
Copper‐Catalyzed Aerobic Cross‐Dehydrogenative Coupling of β‐Oxime Ether Furan with Indole
Authors: Fernandes Rushil , Mhaske Krishna , Balhara Reena , Jindal Garima , Narayan Rishikesh
Published: February 2022

Heterobiaryls serve as relevant structural motifs in many fields of high applicative importance such as drugs, agrochemicals, organic functional materials etc. Cross‐dehydrogenative coupling involving direct oxidation of two C−H bonds to construct a C−C bond is actively being pursued as a more benign and ‘greener’ alternative for synthesizing heterobiaryls. Herein, we report a Cu(I)‐catalyzed cross‐dehydrogenative coupling of indoles and furans, two of the most important aromatic heterocycles using air as the terminal oxidant. The reaction proceeds with regio‐ and chemoselectivity to give the cross‐coupled products in good to excellent yields generally. A broad substrate scope with respect to both the coupling partners has been demonstrated to prove the generality of this reaction. This represents the hitherto unexplored cross‐dehydrogenative coupling methodology to obtain an indole‐furan biaryl motif.
High‐gain observer‐based adaptive fuzzy finite‐time prescribed performance tracking control for linear stepping motor with event‐triggered strategy
Authors: Zhou Xin , Gao Chuang , Li Zhi‐gang , Yang Yong‐hui , Wu Li‐bing
Published: February 2022

This paper considers the tracking problem of linear stepping motor system with unmeasurable states, and a finite‐time prescribed performance controller is designed with dynamic surface control scheme and event‐triggered strategy. In the adaptive backstepping recursive design, fuzzy logic system is used to approximate the nonlinear function, and a high‐gain observer is introduced to estimate the unmeasured states. A finite‐time performance function is developed to improve the transient and transient performance of the system, and a relative threshold event‐triggered strategy is proposed to reduce the communication burden. In addition, the inherent complexity explosion problem of the backstepping process is solved by the dynamic surface control method. Finally, the simulation results prove the effectiveness of the scheme.
Ultra‐Small Ferromagnetic Fe3O4 Nanoparticles Modified Separator for High‐Rate and Long Cycling Lithium‐Sulfur Batteries
Authors: Yue Wence , Li Xue , Zhao Jie , Gao Yibo , Gao Ning , Li Bao , Xia Guangming , Zheng Shumin , Wang Bao
Published: February 2022

As a promising energy storage system with high specific capacity, lithium‐sulfur (Li−S) battery is striving for a high‐rate and longer lifetime. Whereas the slow redox kinetics and the shuttle effect of polysulfides (PSs) still severely restrict the performance of Li−S batteries. Here, a rational designed ferromagnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles (FM‐Fe3O4 NPs) modified separator is engineered for Li−S batteries. Moreover, the particle size of FM‐Fe3O4 NPs was tuned to enhance the energy storage performance. Consequently, the cells with FM‐Fe3O4 NPs modified separator achieved a high‐rate and long cycling performance, the specific capacity could reach 672.8 mAh g−1 and a low fading rate (0.028 % per cycle over 700 cycles) at a high rate of 5 C. Experimental results reveals that FM‐Fe3O4 NPs could mitigate shuttle effect, enable efficient redox reactions, and protect the Li anode from severe corrosion. The performance‐enhanced mechanism is further discovered by DFT calculations, the results show that FM‐Fe3O4 NPs act as mediators of redox reaction to block PSs shuttle and dynamically facilitate conversion via changing the molecular structure of PSs and reducing reaction barrier. This work provides a new pathway to improving Li−S batteries based on ferromagnetic materials, which may be generalized to other advanced batteries.
Monodisperse Porous Carbon Nanospheres with Ultra‐High Surface Area for Energy Storage in Electrochemical Capacitors
Authors: Díez Noel , Sevilla Marta , Fombona‐Pascual Alba , Fuertes Antonio B.
Published: February 2022

Invited for this month's cover picture is the group of Dr. Noel Díez. The Front Cover illustrates the use of monodisperse, highly porous carbon nanoparticles derived from polypyrrole as the electrode material in high power supercapacitors. The highly porous nanoparticles were employed to construct supercapacitors with practical mass loadings that showed a fast response in different types of electrolyte systems. Read the full text of the Article at 10.1002/batt.202100169.
A material‐based panspermia hypothesis: The potential of polymer gels and membraneless droplets
Authors: Sithamparam Mahendran , Satthiyasilan Nirmell , Chen Chen , Jia Tony Z. , Chandru Kuhan
Published: February 2022

The Panspermia hypothesis posits that either life's building blocks (molecular Panspermia) or life itself (organism‐based Panspermia) may have been interplanetarily transferred to facilitate the origins of life (OoL) on a given planet, complementing several current OoL frameworks. Although many spaceflight experiments were performed in the past to test for potential terrestrial organisms as Panspermia seeds, it is uncertain whether such organisms will likely “seed” a new planet even if they are able to survive spaceflight. Therefore, rather than using organisms, using abiotic chemicals as seeds has been proposed as part of the molecular Panspermia hypothesis. Here, as an extension of this hypothesis, we introduce and review the plausibility of a polymeric material‐based Panspermia seed (M‐BPS) as a theoretical concept, where the type of polymeric material that can function as a M‐BPS must be able to: (1) survive spaceflight and (2) “function”, i.e., contingently drive chemical evolution toward some form of abiogenesis once arriving on a foreign planet. We use polymeric gels as a model example of a potential M‐BPS. Polymeric gels that can be prebiotically synthesized on one planet (such as polyester gels) could be transferred to another planet via meteoritic transfer, where upon landing on a liquid bearing planet, can assemble into structures containing cellular‐like characteristics and functionalities. Such features presupposed that these gels can assemble into compartments through phase separation to accomplish relevant functions such as encapsulation of primitive metabolic, genetic and catalytic materials, exchange of these materials, motion, coalescence, and evolution. All of these functions can result in the gels' capability to alter local geochemical niches on other planets, thereby allowing chemical evolution to lead to OoL events.
CEO foreign experience and corporate sustainable development: Evidence from China
Authors: Wang Yu , Qiu Yetaotao , Luo Yi
Published: February 2022

This study examines the impact of CEO foreign experience on corporate sustainable development from the angle of firm green innovation. Using manually collected data of CEOs' foreign experience, we find that CEO foreign experience is positively associated with firm green innovation in China. The positive relationship between CEO foreign experience and green innovation (including green invention patents and green utility model patents) is more significant when the firm is state owned, when the firm has better corporate governance, and when the firm is subject to a better institutional environment. Further analyses indicate that both foreign work and foreign educational experiences matter; relative to experiences gained in underdeveloped countries, those related to developed economies tend to be more influential in facilitating green innovation. Finally, the documented association is robust to a series of robustness checks, including propensity score matching, instrumental variable approach, Heckman two‐stage model, and the inclusion of firm fixed effects. Overall, this paper contributes to the upper echelons perspective, and it also offers clear practical implications through showing that hiring returnee CEOs can enhance firms' sustainable development, which could be of interest to policy makers in other emerging markets.
Some Antioxidant Properties of Components from the Flower of Ochna integerrima and Their Beneficial Effects on HaCaT Keratinocytes and in Silico Analysis on Tyrosinase
Authors: Buranasudja Visarut , Kobtrakul Khwanlada , Vimolmangkang Sornkanok , Binalee Asma , Sanookpan Kittipong , Vu Thien‐Y. , Vu Huynh Kim Long , Le Bao , Nguyen Huy Truong , Do Kiep Minh , Dang Van Son , Nguyen Hien Minh
Published: February 2022

Four compounds, luteolin (1), 6‐γ,γ‐dimethylallylquercetin 7‐O‐β‐D‐glucopyranoside (2), 6‐γ,γ‐dimethylallylkaempferol 7‐O‐β‐D‐glucopyranoside (3), and 6‐γ,γ‐dimethylallyldihydrokaempferol 7‐O‐β‐D‐glucoside (4), were isolated for the first time from AcOEt extract of the O. integerrima flower. We then evaluated the antioxidant effects of AcOEt, butanol, and MeOH extracts and their effects on H2O2 against oxidative stress in HaCaT keratinocyte cell lines. Furthermore, 2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl hydrate (DPPH⋅) radical scavenging activities of 1–4 were determined and their mechanisms of action on tyrosinase were predicted by in silico studies. The results revealed that the AcOEt extract and 1–3 exhibited good DPPH⋅ radical scavenging activity. Furthermore, this extract also had a significant protective effect against H2O2‐induced oxidative stress in HaCaT cells. In silico studies indicated that the activity of 1–3 may be due to tyrosinase inhibition with MM‐GBSA free binding energies of −78.9, −70.1, and −71.1 kcal mol−1, respectively, compared to 4 with an energy −56.9 kcal mol−1.
Dibenzocyclooctyne‐Branched Primer Assembled Gene Nanovector and Its Potential Applications in Genome Editing
Authors: Lu Liqing , Rao Dunkang , Niu Cuili , Cheng Longhuai , Ma Dejun , Xi Zhen
Published: February 2022

The CRISPR/Cas9 system has been widely used as an efficient genome editing toolkit for gene therapy. The delivery of vectors encoding the full CRISPR/Cas9 components including Cas9 gene and gRNA expression element into cells is the crucial step to effective genome editing. However, the cargo gene sequence for genome editing is usually large, which reduces the cargo encapsulation efficiency and affects the vector size. To obtain a nanovector with high cargo gene loading capacity and biocompatible size, we report the construction of a gene nanovector from branch‐PCR with a dibenzocyclooctyne (DBCO)‐branched primer and establish the correlation mapping between gene length and nanovector size. The results show that the size of nanovectors can be tuned according to the gene length. According to the findings, we constructed nanovectors carrying the full CRISPR/Cas9 components in 100–200 nm and validated their application in genome editing. The results show that this kind of nanovector exhibits higher serum stability than plasmids and can reach comparable genome editing efficiency with plasmids. Hence, this type of gene nanovector obtained through branch‐PCR can carry large gene cargos and maintain a biocompatible nanoscale size, which we envisage will expand its medical applications in gene therapy.
Spontaneous pneumothorax and pneumomediastinum in patients with COVID‐19: A case series from Iran
Authors: Yassin Zeynab , Ebrahimian Mohammad , Motamedi Omid , Afshar Hale , Aloosh Oldooz , Sayyahfar Shirin , Maleki Donya , Ghorbi Mojtaba
Published: February 2022

Here, we report six cases of spontaneous pneumothorax and pneumomediastinitis in patients with COVID‐19 in Iran, which were treated with different drugs such as hydroxychloroquine, sofosbuvir, atazanavir, and remdesivir as antiviral agents. Despite the differences in the type of drugs, pneumothorax occurred in all patients.
Safety in Laboratories – Evaluation of Experimental Competencies of Chemistry Teacher Students
Authors: Poensgen Fabian , Reiners Christiane S.
Published: February 2022

Chemielehrer:innen sind für Schüler:innen oft die einzigen professionell ausgebildeten Vorbilder beim sicheren Umgang mit gefährlichen Materialien, Geräten und Chemikalien und entfalten somit eine Wirkung auch über den Unterricht hinaus. Der laborpraktischen Bildung Lehramtsstudierender kommt insofern eine Schlüsselrolle für sicheres Experimentieren insgesamt zu. Um herauszufinden, was genau Chemielehramtsstudierende können (sollen), wurden sicherheitsbezogene experimentelle Kompetenzen modelliert und mithilfe eines videographierten, praktischen Prüfverfahrens erfasst. Die Ergebnisse der qualitativen Auswertung legen nahe, dass Sicherheit im Kontext des Experimentierprozesses erst durch ein Zusammenspiel mehrerer Faktoren möglich wird: Über die sichere Handhabung von Stoffen und Materialien hinaus sind Wissensbestände und Fähigkeiten erforderlich, Informationen auf korrektem Wege auszuwählen und zu verstehen. Grundlegend für sicheres Experimentieren im Labor und damit später in der Schule ist allerdings ein Bewusstsein für die Bedeutung von Sicherheit im experimentellen Prozess überhaupt.
Lithium‐sulfur batteries – a promising and challenging energy storage device for the future of electromobility
Authors: Lüke Dennis , Oetken Marco
Published: February 2022

Durch die Bemühungen zur Mobilitätswende gewinnen Energiespeicher mit hoher Energiedichte zunehmend an Bedeutung. In diesem Kontext zählen Lithium‐Schwefel‐Batterien zu den vielversprechendsten Energiespeichern der Zukunft. Vor der kommerziellen Nutzung dieses spannenden Energiespeichers sind jedoch noch zahlreiche Probleme zu lösen. Einige dieser Umsetzungsschwierigkeiten lassen sich in Modellversuchen ebenso veranschaulichen, wie die Funktionsweise der Lithium‐Schwefel‐Batterie.
Recent Advances in Dual BRD4‐Kinase Inhibitors Based on Polypharmacology
Authors: Chen Li , Liu Zhao‐Peng , Li Xun
Published: February 2022

The epigenetic reader BRD4 is involved in chromatin remodelling and transcriptional regulation, making it a promising therapeutic target. However, over the past decades, many BRD4 inhibitors that entered clinical trials were, in the main, unsatisfactory, due to some therapeutic limitations such as off‐target effects and drug resistance. Combining a BRD4 inhibitor with another drug was expected to be an ideal option to overcome these hurdles and to improve therapeutic outcomes. However, such combination therapy could trigger toxicity caused by drug‐drug interactions, complex pharmacokinetics, and additive effects. Recently, the application of dual‐target drugs targeting BRD4 and other kinases has become an attractive approach to remedy the defects of a single BRD4 inhibitor. This review focuses on recent advances in the discovery of dual BRD4‐kinase inhibitors, with an emphasis on their co‐crystal structures and structure‐activity relationships (SARs), as well as future perspectives in this field.
Sulfurized Steel Nanoparticles: A Degradative Byproduct of ZrS2CVD with Promising Fenton‐Type Catalytic Activity
Authors: Currie Taylor M. , Narkar Ameya R. , Rudawski Nicholas G. , Bryant Jacob T. , Uribe‐Romo Fernando J. , Shultz Lorianne R. , Jurca Titel
Published: February 2022

Chemical vapor deposition (CVD), is an attractive method for the growth of two‐dimensional (2D) materials such as transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs). However, it is an inherently wasteful process; the majority of chemical precursors end up in the waste stream and their corrosive nature deteriorates reactor components. While exploring the thermal CVD growth of ZrS2, the resulting corrosion build up on the downstream stainless‐steel (SS) reactor components was collected and studied. Characterization of this material confirmed the presence of nanoplates composed of evenly distributed elements that constitute SS along with Cl, S, and trace Zr from the precursors. The material proved remarkably active as a photo‐Fenton type catalyst for the aqueous degradation of methylene blue. Harvesting and upcycling this overlooked nanomaterial will reduce waste and concomitantly add value and enhance the sustainability of the overall TMDC fabrication process.
An optimal asthma disease detection technique for voice signal using hybrid machine learning technique
Authors: Asim Iqbal Mohammed , Devarajan Krishnamoorthy , Ahmed Syed Musthak
Published: February 2022

Current clinical practice in the treatment of chronic respiratory diseases does not have an effective method that allows patients and caregivers to constantly monitor the severity of respiratory symptoms. This is the “asthma breath” that occurs in the respiratory tract. In this article, we propose an optimal asthma disease detection technique for voice signal using hybrid machine learning (OADD‐HML) technique. In OADD‐HML technique, we used the improved weed optimization (IWO) algorithm for asthma detection and forecasting. We analyze whether the scattered signal pattern follows the frequency of normal and abnormal breathing sounds. Second, we illustrate an enhanced hunting search (EHS) algorithm for feature extraction and selection process. Then, deep Q neural network (DQNN) classifier used to identify the asthma, crackle, and normal speech. After performing the function recovery and classification using DQNN, the respiratory number classes will be identified. The test results show several classifications of specific OADD‐HML breathing sounds, respectively, using accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity. Comparison results of asthma and non‐asthma classification of respiratory sounds suggest that the particular method works better than usual existing state‐of‐art.
On the Sensitivity to Density‐Functional Approximations for CO Binding Energies of Single‐Atom Catalysts in Nitrogen‐Doped Graphene
Authors: Wu Qin , Wang Guangjin , Liu Mingjie
Published: February 2022

Density functional theory (DFT) methods are the working horse in screening new catalytic materials. They are widely used to predict trends in binding energies, which are then used to compare the activity of different materials. The binding strength of CO is an important descriptor to the CO2 reduction catalytic activity of the single transition metal atoms embedded on nitrogen‐doped graphene (TM/NG). In this work, however, we show that CO binding strengths in different TM/NG has very different sensitivity to DFT methods. Specifically, Fe/NG CO binding energy changes dramatically with the percentage of exact exchange in the functional; Co/NG does less so, while Ni/NG nearly has no change. Such varying behaviors is a direct result of different local spin configurations, similar to the performance of DFT methods for metal porphyrin complexes. Therefore, caution should be exercised when using DFT binding energies for quantitative predictions in TM/NG single atom catalysis.
Thiol‐Functionalized Metal‐Organic Frameworks Bonded to Cubic CdS: A New Synthesis of a Heterostructure with High Activity for Splitting Water into H2 under Visible‐Light Irradiation
Authors: Wang Yi‐Fan , Sun Jie , Han Yu‐Chen , Feng Li , Li Guo‐Qiang , Gao Hui , Gu Xiao‐Ling , Hu Si‐Yuan , Deng Yu‐Heng , Wan Chong‐Qing
Published: February 2022

A large amount of CdS‐loaded composite UiO‐66‐(SH)2−CdS (104 wt %) was obtained by using a thiol‐functionalized UiO‐66‐(SH)2 through a well‐designed, two‐step, solid‐solution doping method. The thiol groups on the Metal‐Organic Framework couple with the cubic CdS nanoparticles to uniformly distribute over the UiO‐66‐(SH)2. A series of UiO‐66‐(SH)2−CdS‐x (0.4<x<3.5) with heterostructure were obtained and characterized via XPS, HRTEM, FTIR, XRD, BET and zeta potential measurements. The bonding/bridging anion −S− between the UiO‐66‐(SH)2 and the cubic CdS particles played a determinant role in the efficient charge transport, and acted as an analogous homojunction to significantly improve the photoactive properties. Pt/UiO‐66‐(SH)2−CdS‐2.5 showed a remarkable H2 evolution activity (37729 μmol g−1 h−1) from water (λ>400 nm), a high quantum efficiency, 25.8 %, at 420 nm and a perfect stability, which retained photocatalytic activity even after the catalyst had been soaked in boiling water for 24 h.
Passivating the pH‐Responsive Sites to Configure a Widely pH‐Stable Emulsifier for High‐Efficiency Benzyl Alcohol Oxidation
Authors: Shan Yuanyuan , Yu Chang , Zhang Mengdi , Wei Qianbing , An Jialong , Lv Huihui , Ni Lin , Qiu Jieshan
Published: February 2022

Widely pH‐stable emulsions configured by solid emulsifiers with high chemical stabilities and anti‐corrosion properties under strong acid or alkaline conditions are highly sought after for practical and wide application of Pickering interfacial catalysis. Herein, a unique strategy was reported for synthesis of a widely pH‐stable and novel emulsifier by passivating the pH‐responsive sites on graphene oxide nanoribbon (GONR) surface using ionic liquid (IL). The suitable wettability of GONR‐IL was derived from the positive binding energy between IL and water, which ensured the stability of the emulsion in a wide pH range. Benefiting from the passivated surface chemistry of GONR, the emulsion microreactor stabilized by GONR‐IL exhibited a remarkable stability over a wide range of pH values. A GONR‐IL‐supported Pd catalyst stabilized at the toluene–water interface achieved an excellent emulsion catalytic activity for benzyl alcohol oxidation (conversion of 92 %), which was exceedingly higher than that of Pd/GONR (<1 %), Pd/CNTs‐IL (51 %), or Pd/GO‐IL (8 %).
A Convenient and Stable Heterogeneous Nickel Catalyst for Hydrodehalogenation of Aryl Halides Using Molecular Hydrogen
Authors: Leonard David K. , Ryabchuk Pavel , Anwar Muhammad , Dastgir Sarim , Junge Kathrin , Beller Matthias
Published: February 2022

Invited for this month′s cover is the group of Matthias Beller at the Leibniz Institute for Catalysis in Rostock in collaboration with Muhammad Anwar and Sarim Dastgir at the Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute in Doha. The image illustrates a hydrodehalogenation of polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) using a heterogeneous nickel catalyst supported on titanium oxide and dihydrogen. The Research Article itself is available at 10.1002/cssc.202102315.
A novel hybrid meta‐heuristic concept for green communication in IoT networks: An intelligent clustering model
Authors: Akhtar MD Mobin , Ahamad Danish , Abdalrahman Alameen Eltoum M. , Shatat Abdallah Saleh Ali , Shatat Ahmad Saleh Ali
Published: February 2022

Nowadays, there is an emerging need for applications based on the Internet of Things (IoT). The sensor nodes present in the IoT network produce data constantly, which directly influences the durability of the network. Therefore, two major challenges while designing IoT systems are network lifetime and energy consumption. Although the ability of IoT applications is huge, there are several limitations such as energy optimization, heterogeneity of devices storage, load balancing, privacy, and security that have to be addressed. These constraints have to be optimized for improving the efficiency of the networks. Hence, the main intention of this paper is to develop the intelligent‐based cluster head selection model for accomplishing green communication in IoT. The two famous algorithms like spotted hyena optimization (SHO) and sun flower optimization (SFO) are integrated to form sun flower‐spotted hyena optimization (SF‐SHO) by utilizing the hybrid meta‐heuristic concept for the optimal cluster head selection. The most significant parameters in IoT networks like delay, distance, energy, temperature, and load are considered for deriving a multi‐objective function to offer optimal clustering. The cluster head of the model is optimally tuned based on the hybrid SF‐SHO, to solve the multi‐objective problem, thus showing the enhanced green communication performance. The proposed model is analyzed and evaluated over different approaches in terms of energy‐specific factors, and the attained results confirm the efficiency of the developed method.
Blood urea nitrogen to serum albumin ratio as a new prognostic indicator in critical patients with chronic heart failure
Authors: Lin Zebin , Zhao Yipin , Xiao Li , Qi Chenlu , Chen Qinwei , Li Yin
Published: February 2022

Aims

Chronic heart failure (CHF) is often a common comorbidity in critically ill patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) and carries an extremely poor prognosis. The study aimed to investigate the relationship between the blood urea nitrogen to serum albumin ratio (BAR) and the prognosis of patients with CHF admitted to the ICU.

Methods and results

This retrospective cohort study included 1545 critically ill patients with CHF as a diagnosed comorbidity admitted to the ICU deposited in the MIMIC‐III database, of whom 90 day all‐cause mortality was 27.6% (n = 427) and in‐hospital mortality was 17.3% (n = 267). The results of multiple logistic regression analysis indicated that BAR is an independent risk factor for in‐hospital mortality in critically ill patients with CHF [compared with BAR ≤ 0.83; 0.83 < BAR ≤ 1.24: odds ratio (OR) 2.647, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.797–3.900, P < 0.001; BAR ≥ 1.24: OR 3.628, 95% CI 2.604–5.057, P < 0.001]. Multiple COX regression analysis found a relationship between BAR and all‐cause mortality at 90 day follow‐up (0.83 < BAR ≤ 1.24: OR 1.948, 95% CI 1.259–3.014, P < 0.003; BAR ≥ 1.24: OR 1.807, 95% CI 1.154–2.830, P < 0.01; BAR ≤ 0.83 as a reference). Kaplan–Meier curves also showed similar results as well (P < 0.001). The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves for predicting in‐hospital mortality and 90 day all‐cause mortality were 0.622 and 0.647, respectively.

Conclusions

BAR is an independent risk factor for in‐hospital mortality and 90 day mortality in critically ill patients with CHF admitted to the ICU.
The value of echocardiographic measurement of epicardial adipose tissue in heart failure patients
Authors: van Woerden Gijs , van Veldhuisen Dirk J. , Gorter Thomas M. , Ophuis Bob , Saucedo‐Orozco Huitzilihuitl , van Empel Vanessa P.M. , Willems Tineke P. , Geelhoed Bastiaan , Rienstra Michiel , Westenbrink Berend Daan
Published: February 2022

Aims

Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) is increasingly recognized as an important factor in the pathophysiology of heart failure (HF). Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging is the gold‐standard imaging modality to evaluate EAT size, but in contrast to echocardiography, CMR is costly and not widely available. We investigated EAT thickness on echocardiography in relation to EAT volume on CMR, and we assessed the agreement between observers for measuring echocardiographic EAT.

Methods and results

Patients with HF and left ventricular ejection fraction >40% were enrolled. All patients underwent CMR imaging and transthoracic‐echocardiography. EAT volume was quantified on CMR short‐axis cine‐stacks. Echocardiographic EAT thickness was measured on parasternal long‐axis and short‐axis views. Linear regression analyses were used to assess the association between EAT volume on CMR and EAT thickness on echocardiography. Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was used to assess the interobserver agreement as well as the intraobserver agreement. EAT on CMR and echocardiography was evaluated in 117 patients (mean age 71 ± 10 years, 49% women and mean left ventricular ejection fraction 54 ± 7%). Mean EAT volume on CMR was 202 ± 64 mL and ranged from 80 to 373 mL. Mean EAT thickness on echocardiography was 3.8 ± 1.5 mm and ranged from 1.7 to 10.2 mm. EAT volume on CMR and EAT thickness on echocardiography were significantly correlated (junior‐observer: r = 0.62, P < 0.001, senior‐observer: r = 0.33, P < 0.001), and up to one‐third of the variance in EAT volume was explained by EAT thickness (R2 = 0.38, P < 0.001). The interobserver agreement between junior and senior observers for measuring echocardiographic EAT was modest [ICC, 0.65 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.47–0.77], whereas the intraobserver agreement was good (ICC 0.98, 95% CI 0.84–0.99).

Conclusions

There was a modest correlation between EAT volume on CMR and EAT thickness on echocardiography. Limited agreement between junior and senior observers for measuring echocardiographic EAT was observed. EAT thickness on echocardiography is limited in estimating EAT volume.
Severe Problems of the Voltage‐Clamp Method in Concurrent Monitoring of Membrane Potentials
Authors: Kaji Maiko , Yamada Yusuke , Kitazumi Yuki , Shirai Osamu
Published: February 2022

In nerve cells, the concurrent monitoring of multipoint on the axon has been conducted based on the voltage‐clamp method using two long parallel electrodes inside and outside the axon. As the respective membrane potentials have been evaluated by considering the clamping potential, the local current, and the conductance, the membrane potentials were not actually evaluated. We directly measured the actual membrane potentials and local currents of the respective cells using a nerve‐model‐system comprising some liquid‐membrane cells. It is proved that the action potential propagation is artificially facilitated or prevented by both the external electric generator and two long electrodes.
Tamjanika, a Balkan native variety of Vitis vinifera L.: Chemical characterization, antibacterial, and anti‐dermatomycosis potential of seed oil
Authors: Đorđevski Nikoleta , Stojković Dejan , Živković Jelena , Pljevljakušić Dejan , Ristanović Elizabeta , Nikolić Biljana , Ćirić Ana
Published: February 2022

This study was designed to explore functional food properties of edible seed oil obtained from Tamjanika seeds—autochthonous grape variety of Balkan Peninsula. In order to accomplish our goals, seed oil was isolated by Soxhlet apparatus and chemically characterized regarding fatty acids, carotenoids, tocopherols, and tocotrienols. Antimicrobial activity of the isolated oil was tested by microdilution method. For that purposes, six bacterial species were used, belonging to human infectious agents and food contaminants. Furthermore, the activity of the oil was investigated against clinical isolates of dermatomycetes. Our study has shown that oil of Vitis vinifera L. Tamjanika variety was an abundant source of polyunsaturated fatty acids (81.43%) with predominant linoleic acid. HPLC analysis revealed the presence of carotenoid lutein (0.15 mg/100 g). The seed oil was rich in tocotrienols (85.04 mg/100 g) predominating over tocopherols (8.37 mg/100 g). The oil possessed microbicidal activity against all the tested microbes. Bacteria were more sensitive to the effect of the oil (minimum inhibitory concentration [MIC] 7.7–15.4) when compared with oil effect on tested dermatomycetes (MIC 20–40). Our investigation has shown for the first time that grape oil could be active against wide spectrum of bacteria and clinically isolated dermatomycetes. The significance of this study lies in the fact that it pointed out the functional food properties of grape seed oil that was fully chemically characterized.
A Genetic and Metabolic Staging System for Predicting the Outcome of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
Authors: Pennisi Grazia , Pipitone Rosaria Maria , Enea Marco , De Vincentis Antonio , Battaglia Salvatore , Di Marco Vito , Di Martino Vincenzo , Spatola Federica , Tavaglione Federica , Vespasiani‐Gentilucci Umberto , Zito Rossella , Romeo Stefano , Cammà Calogero , Craxì Antonio , Grimaudo Stefania , Petta Salvatore
Published: February 2022

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is an emerging cause of liver‐related events (LREs). Here, we have assessed the ability of a composite score based on clinical features, metabolic comorbidities, and genetic variants to predict LREs. A total of 546 consecutive patients with NAFLD were recruited and stratified according to the fibrosis‐4 (FIB‐4) index. LREs were defined as occurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma or hepatic decompensation. Cox regression multivariate analysis was used to identify baseline variables associated with LREs. The UK Biobank was used as the validation cohort, and severe liver disease (incidence of cirrhosis, decompensated liver disease, hepatocellular carcinoma, and/or liver transplantation) was used as the outcome. LREs were experienced by 58 patients, only one of whom was in the cohort of patients with a FIB‐4 score < 1.3. Multivariate Cox regression analysis of 229 patients with a FIB‐4 score ≥ 1.3 highlighted clinical variables independently associated with the development of LREs, including older age, low platelet count, low albumin, low high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol, certain genetic factors, and interactions between genetic factors and sex or diabetes. The area under the curve (AUC) for the model was 0.87 at 1, 3, and 5 years. Our novel Genetic and Metabolic Staging (GEMS) scoring system was derived from the Cox model linear predictor, ranked from 0 to 10, and categorized into five classes (0‐5, 5‐6, 6‐7, 7‐8, and 8‐10). The risk of LREs increased from 4% in patients in the best class (GEMS score 0‐5) to 91% in the worst (GEMS score 8‐10). GEMS score was associated with incident severe liver disease in the study population (hazard ratio, 1.56; 95% confidence interval, 1.48‐1.65; P < 0.001) as well as in the UK Biobank cohort where AUCs for prediction of severe liver disease at 1, 3, and 5 years were 0.70, 0.69, and 0.67, respectively. Conclusion: The novel GEMS scoring system has an adequate ability to predict the outcome of patients with NAFLD.
Policy and praxis in data democratization efforts: A case study of Minnesota State's Equity 2030
Authors: Hinds Teri Lyn , Floyd Nancy D. , Ueland Jeffrey S.
Published: February 2022

In June 2019, Minnesota State set a critical goal: By 2030, eliminate the educational equity gaps at each of the 30 colleges and 7 universities that comprise the system. To achieve the goal of Equity 2030, and empower actors at every level of Minnesota State, system and campus leaders need to fully embrace data democratization. Without access to data that can guide discovery of equity gaps within the context of their own work, faculty and staff lack critical information. When educators use data to guide inquiry and action, they can check any assumptions or biases they may have as well as understand if a change they are making is effective in closing the gap or addressing the need. Data security and ethical and responsible use must be emphasized, but data democratization calls for intentional examination of institutional policies to ensure people have the information they need to identify, implement, and evaluate changes in their approaches to create more equitable outcomes. To advance the work of Equity 2030, Minnesota State is working to review policies and practices around data sharing, specifically with faculty and staff, as well as working to create resources and training to support ethical and appropriate use of data to support student success. This article will establish the current state of efforts at the system office level, including an upcoming multi‐year transition to a new system‐wide enterprise resource planning platform and complications arising from the centralized collection and maintenance of institution‐level data within the system office, as well as outline the strategic and tactical approach to democratizing data while maintaining security and confidentiality.
Engineering a highly elastic bioadhesive for sealing soft and dynamic tissues
Authors: Ghovvati Mahsa , Baghdasarian Sevana , Baidya Avijit , Dhal Jharana , Annabi Nasim
Published: February 2022

Injured tissues often require immediate closure to restore the normal functionality of the organ. In most cases, injuries are associated with trauma or various physical surgeries where different adhesive hydrogel materials are applied to close the wounds. However, these materials are typically toxic, have low elasticity, and lack strong adhesion especially to the wet tissues. In this study, a stretchable composite hydrogel consisting of gelatin methacrylol catechol (GelMAC) with ferric ions, and poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA) was developed. The engineered material could adhere to the wet tissue surfaces through the chemical conjugation of catechol and methacrylate groups to the gelatin backbone. Moreover, the incorporation of PEGDA enhanced the elasticity of the bioadhesives. Our results showed that the physical properties and adhesion of the hydrogels could be tuned by changing the ratio of GelMAC/PEGDA. In addition, the in vitro toxicity tests confirmed the biocompatibility of the engineered bioadhesives. Finally, using an ex vivo lung incision model, we showed the potential application of the developed bioadhesives for sealing elastic tissues.
The Effect of Fracture Recency on Observed 10-Year Fracture Probability: A Registry-Based Cohort Study
Authors: Leslie William D , Morin Suzanne N , Lix Lisa M , McCloskey Eugene V , Johansson Helena , Harvey Nicholas C , Kanis John A
Published: February 2022

FRAX estimates 10-year fracture major osteoporotic fracture (MOF) and hip fracture probability from multiple risk factors. FRAX does not consider prior fracture site or time since fracture. Fracture risk is greater in the initial 2-year post-fracture period (imminent risk), implying that FRAX may underestimate risk in this setting. We used the population-based Manitoba Bone Mineral Density (BMD) Program registry to examine the effect of fracture recency and site on incident fracture risk predictions using FRAX. We identified women aged 40 years or older with baseline BMD and FRAX scores. Observed fracture outcomes to 10 years were compared with predicted 10-year fracture probability stratified by prior fracture status: none, recent (<2 years [median 0.3 years]), and remote (≥2 years [median 10.6 years]). For women with recent fractures, we also examined proposed multipliers to adjust FRAX for the effect of fracture recency and site. The cohort comprised 33,465 women aged 40 to 64 years (1897 recent fracture, 2120 remote fracture) and 33,806 women aged ≥65 years (2365 fracture, 4135 remote fracture). Observed fracture probability was consistent with predicted probability in most analyses. In women aged 40 to 64 years, there was a significant effect of recent vertebral and humerus fracture on MOF (observed to predicted 1.61 and 1.48, respectively), but these effects were still lower than the proposed multipliers (2.32 and 1.67, respectively). No significant effect of fracture recency was found after hip or forearm fracture in either age group. Our findings contribute to accumulating evidence of the importance of recent fracture. The effect of fracture recency was not consistent across fracture sites and with a lower magnitude than previously reported. Further quantification of effect size and specificity in additional independent cohorts is warranted to validate and refine recent-fracture multipliers in fracture risk assessment. © 2022 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR).
The influence of tetrel bonds on the acidities of group 14 tetrafluoride ‐ inorganic acid complexes
Authors: Brzeski Jakub
Published: February 2022

Ab initio methods were used to determine the influence of tetrel bond formation on the acidity. The systems composed of inorganic acids and tetrafluorides of 14 group elements have been tested ‐ HA/EF4, where HA = H2O, NH3, HF, HCN, HNC, HCNO, HOCN and E = C, Si, Ge, Sn or Pb. It turns out that the electron density flow involved with formation of tetrel bond to carbon‐based systems leads to negligible increase in acidity. In the case of the acceptor compounds based on the remaining 14 group elements however, the effect is much more apparent, as most of those compounds may be considered a Brønsted superacids. The electronic stability of anions formed after the deprotonation of aforementioned complexes has been investigated. Vast majority of the anions were found to exhibit significant electron binding energies.
Serum amyloid a, C‐reactive protein, and procalcitonin levels in children with Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection
Authors: Jiang Yuanyuan , Wang Wenyang , Zhang Zhijun , Ma Xianfen , Sang Yanyan , Wang Jin , Xu Guoxiang , Feng Qiang , Zhao Shuping
Published: February 2022

Background

Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP) is a common pathogen of community‐acquired pneumonia in children. In the present study, serum amyloid A (SAA), C‐reactive protein (CRP), and procalcitonin (PCT) levels in children with MP infection were analyzed and the differential diagnoses of MP evaluated.

Methods

The study included 152 children with MP infection hospitalized in Tai’an Central Hospital in Shandong Province and 50 healthy children as controls. SAA, CRP, and PCT, as well as serum immunoglobulins and T lymphocyte subsets were analyzed during the acute and convalescent phases. Among the MP‐infected children, 30 cases were selected to monitor the SAA, immunoglobulins, and T lymphocyte subset levels for a week.

Results

The SAA, CRP, PCT, IgA, and IgM levels were significantly higher in the MP‐infected group than in the control group (F(SAA) = 83.91, p < 0.05; F(CRP) = 40.79, p < 0.05; F(PCT) = 60.58, p < 0.05; F(IgA) = 43.45, p < 0.05; F(IgM) = 233.88, p < 0.05). In addition, the levels of these factors were significantly higher in the acute phase than in the convalescent phase (p < 0.05). However, significant difference was not observed in the IgG level between these two groups (p > 0.05). The CD3+ and CD4+ levels in the MP‐infected group were lower than in the control group ( F(CD3+)= 60.58, P < 0.05; F(CD4+) = 89.05, p < 0.05), and the CD8+ level was higher than in the control group ( F(CD8+)= 96.96, p < 0.05). The CD3+, CD4+, and CD8+ levels were significantly different between the acute phase and the convalescent phase (CD3+: acute phase vs. convalescent phase, q = 2.79, p < 0.05; CD4+: acute phase vs. convalescent phase, q = 2.83, p < 0.05; CD8+: acute phase vs. convalescent phase, q = 3.15, p < 0.05). The changes in serum SAA levels in the MP‐infected group positively correlated with the changes in IgA, IgM, and CD8+ levels and negatively correlated with CD3+, CD4+, and CD4+/CD8+.

Conclusion

SAA, CRP, and PCT were specific markers for diagnosing early MP infection in children. These findings are important in the differential diagnosis of MP infection and clinical guidance for MP treatment.