bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Anticancer property of Hemp Bioactive Peptides in Hep3B liver cancer cells through Akt/GSK3β/β‐catenin signaling pathway
Authors: Wei Lian‐Hui , Dong Yan , Sun Yu‐Feng , Mei Xue‐Song , Ma Xue‐Song , Shi Jie , Yang Qing‐li , Ji Yan‐Ru , Zhang Zheng‐Hai , Sun Hu‐Nan , Sun Xing‐Rong , Song Shu‐Min
Published: February 2021

Foodborne protein hydrolysates exhibit biological activity that may be therapeutic in a number of human disease settings. Hemp peptides (HP) generated by controlled hydrolysis of hemp proteins have a number of health benefits and are of pharmaceutical value. In the present study, we produce small molecular weight HP from hemp seed and investigate its anticancer properties in Hep3B human liver cancer cells. We demonstrate that HP treatment increased apoptosis, reduced cell viability, and reduced cell migration in Hep3B human liver cancer cells without affecting the normal liver cell line L02. We correlate these phenotypes with increased cellular ROS levels, upregulation of cleaved caspase 3 and Bad, and downregulation of antiapoptotic Bcl‐2. HP treatment led to increased Akt and GSK‐3β phosphorylation, with subsequent downregulation of β‐catenin, suggesting β‐catenin signaling modulation as a critical mechanism by which HP exhibits anticancer properties. Our findings suggest HP are of potential therapeutic interest for liver cancer treatment.
International Energy Regulation: A Tale of Two Standards
Authors: Makholm Jeff D.
Published: February 2021

A somewhat reasonable expectation, in the world of international energy, is that there are usable international standards by which to measure the effectiveness of regulators for electricity and gas businesses: “best practices,” so to speak. Mostly, however, that reasonable expectation is not true. There is no one standard. As with the persistent difference between the standard and metric systems, there are at least two measures for regulators, each inconsistent with the other, and each unlikely to change in the foreseeable future. This column is about such exasperating international inconsistencies, often overlooked, in what constitutes regulation of energy businesses.
Men building better relationships: A scoping review
Authors: Oliffe John L. , Kelly Mary T. , Gonzalez Montaner Gabriela , Seidler Zac E. , Maher Brendan , Rice Simon M.
Published: February 2021

Issue addressed

Health outcomes linked to men's relationships have the potential to both promote and risk the well‐being of males and their families. The current scoping review provides a synthesis of men's relationship programs (excluding criminal court mandated services) in Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom to distil predominant program designs, access points, delivery modes and evaluative strategies.

Methods

Databases CINAHL, Medline, PsycInfo and Web of Science were searched for eligible articles published January 2010 and June 2020. The inclusion criteria consisted of empirical studies focussed on relationship programs for men.

Results

The review identified 21 articles comprising eight focussed on Fathering Identities as the Catalyst for Relationship Building and 13 targeting Men's Behaviour Change in Partner Relationships. Findings highlight the prevalence of group‐based, in‐person programs which men accessed via third party or self‐referrals. Fathering programs highlighted the impact of men's violence on their children in appealing to attendees to strategise behavioural adjustments. Men's partner relationship programs emphasised self‐control amid building strategies for proactively dealing with distress and conflict. Program evaluations consistently reported attendee feedback to gauge the acceptability and usefulness of services.

Conclusions

That most men attending fathering and partner relationship programs were referred as a result of domestic violence and/or intimate partner violence underscores men's reticence for proactively seeking help as well as the absence of upstream relationship programs. There are likely enormous gains to be made by norming boys and men's relationship programs to prevent rather than correct violent and/or abusive behaviours.
Online retail promotion of e‐cigarettes in New Zealand: A content analysis of e‐cigarette retailers in a regulatory void
Authors: Hardie Lucy , McCool Judith , Freeman Becky
Published: February 2021

Issue addressed

This study explores online e‐cigarette retailer marketing in the absence of regulations.

Methods

New Zealand‐based online e‐cigarette retailer websites were identified using a keyword search. Ten New Zealand‐based retailer websites were selected based on top results from Google. The four leading tobacco companies operating in New Zealand were also included. A content analysis of the online marketplace was performed.

Results

Price was variable, with disposable devices sold from as little as $9.99 (NZD). Online e‐cigarette retailers frequently presented health (79%) and smoking cessation (71%) messages. Nicotine addiction warnings were explicit in less than half of retailer sites (43%) and only 29% of retailers stated that the use of devices may pose health risks. Marketing techniques with potential youth appeal included sweet flavours (80%) and cartoon characters on e‐liquid products (20%). Only one retailer had an age verification procedure to purchase a product.

Conclusion

The findings suggest that online marketing is likely to appeal to young people despite industry assurances that e‐cigarettes are only promoted to adult smokers who want to quit. Regulations for online retailers are urgently needed.

So what?

This study adds to the surveillance research on the online marketing of e‐cigarette retailers. Study findings may help inform future decisions on the regulation of e‐cigarette marketing in New Zealand.
Towards an ethics framework for Australian health promotion practitioners: An exploratory mixed methods study
Authors: Blackford Krysten , Leavy Justine , Taylor Jane , Connor Elizabeth , Crawford Gemma
Published: February 2021

Issue addressed

Ethical values underpin the health promotion discipline and profession, and competencies required for professional practice. Understanding how ethical values are translated into professional practice is critical. The aim of this exploratory sequential mixed methods study was to explore Australian health promotion stakeholder perspectives about ethical health promotion practice.

Methods

A face‐to‐face group‐based workshop (n = 15), online survey (n = 77) and in‐depth individual interviews (n = 15) collected qualitative and quantitative data from health promotion stakeholders. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse quantitative and thematic analysis to analyse qualitative data.

Results

Tensions emerged regarding the nomenclature of ethical health promotion practice, with ethics framed largely by participants as related to formal approval for research. A range of barriers and enablers to ethical practice were identified. Barriers related to obtaining ethical approvals and working with specific population groups and communities. Enablers included professional development opportunities, access to a specialised human research ethics committee and a better understanding of what is meant by ‘ethical practice’.

Conclusion

Findings suggest the need for an ethical health promotion practice framework and resources for practitioners and organisations throughout Australia. We propose a framework comprising two pillars: (a) developing critical practice; and (b) building the evidence‐based for health promotion.

So what?

This study recognises the need for increased dialogue about the ethical foundations of health promotion. The development of a health promotion ethics framework can better support the development of ethical practice in the Australian health promotion discipline and profession.
Condensation water in heritage touristic caves: Isotopic and hydrochemical data and a new approach for its quantification through image analysis
Authors: Liñán Cristina , Benavente José , del Rosal Yolanda , Vadillo Iñaki , Ojeda Lucía , Carrasco Francisco
Published: February 2021

Condensation water is a major factor in the conservation of heritage caves. It can cause dissolution of the rock substrate (and the pigments of rock art drawn on it) or covering thereof with mineral components, depending on the chemical saturation degree of the condensation water. In show caves, visitors act as a source of CO2 and thus modify the microclimate, favouring negative processes that affect the conservation of the caves. In spite of their interest, studies of the chemical composition of this type of water are scarce and not very detailed. In this work we present research on the condensation water in the Nerja Cave, one of the main heritage and tourist caves in Europe. The joint analysis of isotopic, hydrochemical, mineralogical and microbiological data and the use of image analysis have allowed us to advance in the knowledge of this risk factor for the conservation of heritage caves, and to demonstrate the usefulness of image analysis to quantify the scope of the possible corrosion condensation process that the condensation water could be producing on the bedrock, speleothem and rock art. To our knowledge, this application of image analysis (relative to the condensation water in caves) is the first one of this type that has been documented.
Active vitamin D3 attenuates the severity of Salmonella colitis in mice by orchestrating innate immunity
Authors: Huang Fu‐Chen , Huang Shun‐Chen
Published: February 2021

Introduction

Salmonella spp. pose major public health problems worldwide. A better understanding of the pathogenesis of these foodborne pathogens is a prerequisite for the design of improved intervention strategies that could reduce the use of antimicrobial agents and drug‐resistant Salmonellosis. Accumulating evidence indicates that vitamin D is involved in regulating innate immunity, and may, therefore, play a key role in human responses to infection. Studies have suggested 1,25‐dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25D3), the active form of vitamin D, effectively ameliorates colitis. These findings have broad implications for the use of vitamin D compounds in colitis. This study investigated the effect of active vitamin D3 on the severity of Salmonella colitis.

Methods

A Salmonella colitis model was established with 6–8‐week‐old male C57BL/6 mice: Streptomycin‐pretreated C57BL/6 mice were infected orally with Salmonella enterica serova Typhimurium wild‐type strain SL1344 for 48 h. The mice were randomly assigned to control, model, and 1,25(OH)2D3‐treated groups. After the experiment, the mice were sacrificed, and intestinal, spleen, and liver tissue samples were removed to analyze bacterial colonization, western blot for protein levels, and real‐time‐polymer chain reaction for messenger RNA (mRNA) expression.

Results

We observed that 1,25D3 reduced the severity of Salmonella colitis in C57BL/6 mice by reducing cecal mIL‐1beta, mIL‐6, mTNF‐alpha, and mIL‐8 mRNA expressions, bacterial colonization (CFU/mg tissue) in the liver and spleen, but increased the human β‐defensin‐2 mRNA and autophagy protein expression, compared to those of the SL1344 infection only.

Conclusions

Our results document that active vitamin D3 reduced Salmonella colitis by decreasing inflammation, and bacterial translocation via induction of killing and autophagic clearance of pathogenic organisms.
Randomized Phase II trial of combination chemotherapy with panitumumab or bevacizumab for patients with inoperable biliary tract cancer without KRAS exon 2 mutations
Authors: Amin Nadia Emad Lotfi , Hansen Torben Frøstrup , Fernebro Eva , Ploen John , Eberhard Jakob , Lindebjerg Jan , Jensen Lars Henrik
Published: February 2021

Biliary tract cancers (BTC) are rare and often diagnosed in late stages with advanced, nonresectable disease. The targeted agents panitumumab and bevacizumab have shown promising outcomes in combination with chemotherapy in other gastrointestinal (GI) cancers. We wanted to investigate if panitumumab or bevacizumab was the most promising drug to add to chemotherapy. Eighty‐eight patients were randomized to combination chemotherapy supplemented by either panitumumab 6 mg/kg or bevacizumab 10 mg/kg on Day 1 in Arm A and Arm B, respectively. All patients received gemcitabine 1000 mg/m2 on Day 1, oxaliplatin 60 mg/m2 on Day 1 and capecitabine 1000 mg/m2 twice daily from Days 1 to 7. Treatment was repeated every 2 weeks until progression or for a maximum of 6 months. At progression, crossover was made to the other treatment arm. The primary endpoint was progression‐free survival (PFS) at 6 months. With 19 of 45 in Arm A and 23 of 43 in Arm B PFS at 6 months, the primary endpoint was not met. The overall response rate (ORR) was 45% vs 20% (P = .03), median PFS was 6.1 months vs 8.2 months (P = .13) and median overall survival (OS) was 9.5 months vs 12.3 months (P = .47) in Arm A and Arm B, respectively. Our study showed no consistent differences between adding panitumumab or bevacizumab to chemotherapy in nonresectable BTC and none of the two regimens qualify for testing in Phase III. However, we found a higher response rate in the panitumumab arm with potential implication for future trials in the neoadjuvant setting.
Using Fluorescence to Enable Innovative Functions of Foldamers
Authors: Fuller Amelia A. , Moreno Jose L. , Nguyen Michelle T.
Published: February 2021

Monodisperse, sequence‐specific oligomers that adopt regular three‐dimensional structures, termed foldamers, have found widespread use as biomimetics, sensors, and novel materials. This review highlights recent examples in which steady state and time‐resolved fluorescence techniques have clarified foldamer structure or enabled the development of foldamers with exciting and sophisticated functions. Applications of foldamers include their development into bioactive compounds, supramolecular hosts or sensors, and materials with useful optical properties. Examples that illustrate the use of natively fluorescent and fluorophore‐modified foldamers are discussed along with studies of fluorophore interactions with varied dyes.
Guidelines for Micro–Computed Tomography Analysis of Rodent Dentoalveolar Tissues
Authors: Chavez Michael B , Chu Emily Y , Kram Vardit , de Castro Luis F , Somerman Martha J , Foster Brian L
Published: February 2021

Micro–computed tomography (μCT) has become essential for analysis of mineralized as well as nonmineralized tissues and is therefore widely applicable in the life sciences. However, lack of standardized approaches and protocols for scanning, analyzing, and reporting data often makes it difficult to understand exactly how analyses were performed, how to interpret results, and if findings can be broadly compared with other models and studies. This problem is compounded in analysis of the dentoalveolar complex by the presence of four distinct mineralized tissues: enamel, dentin, cementum, and alveolar bone. Furthermore, these hard tissues interface with adjacent soft tissues, the dental pulp and periodontal ligament (PDL), making for a complex organ. Drawing on others' and our own experience analyzing rodent dentoalveolar tissues by μCT, we introduce techniques to successfully analyze dentoalveolar tissues with similar or disparate compositions, densities, and morphological characteristics. Our goal is to provide practical guidelines for μCT analysis of rodent dentoalveolar tissues, including approaches to optimize scan parameters (filters, voltage, voxel size, and integration time), reproducibly orient samples, define regions and volumes of interest, segment and subdivide tissues, interpret findings, and report methods and results. We include illustrative examples of analyses performed on genetically engineered mouse models with phenotypes in enamel, dentin, cementum, and alveolar bone. The recommendations are designed to increase transparency and reproducibility, promote best practices, and provide a basic framework to apply μCT analysis to the dentoalveolar complex that can also be extrapolated to a variety of other tissues of the body. © 2021 The Authors. JBMR Plus published by Wiley Periodicals LLC. on behalf of American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
Establishing reference intervals for vitamins A and E in Chinese elderly people using liquid chromatography‐tandem mass spectrometry
Authors: Yin Yicong , Wang Danchen , Ma Chaochao , Yu Songlin , Xie Shaowei , Cheng Qian , Qiu Ling
Published: February 2021

Background

Vitamins A and E play important roles in sustaining life activities and maintaining a good physical condition. However, most people, particularly the elderly, experience micronutrient deficiencies. This study aimed to establish reference intervals (RIs) for vitamins A and E in Chinese elderly people using a liquid chromatography‐tandem mass spectrometry (LC‐MS/MS) method.

Methods

A total of 356 apparently healthy individuals aged ≥64 years who underwent health checkups were randomly selected for the study. Vitamin A and E levels were measured using LC‐MS/MS. The effect of sex on vitamin A and E levels was evaluated, and RIs were established using a parametric method.

Results

Females showed significantly higher levels of vitamin E than males (p < 0.05). However, no significant sex‐specific difference was observed with vitamin A levels. The RI for vitamin A in the elderly was 0.283–0.730 mg/L. For vitamin E, the RIs were 4.39–15.63, 4.51–16.14, and 4.41–14.67 mg/L for the total, female, and male participants, respectively. In multiple linear regression, alanine aminotransferase, glutamyl transpeptidase, urea, glucose, and uric acid levels increased with increasing vitamin A levels (p < 0.05), and total cholesterol and low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol levels increased with increasing vitamin E levels (p < 0.05). Direct bilirubin levels decreased with increasing vitamin E levels (p < 0.05).

Conclusions

This study established RIs for vitamins A and E in Chinese elderly individuals using an LC‐MS/MS method. We also found that females had significantly higher vitamin E levels than males. The findings could provide a scientific basis for interpreting vitamin status in the elderly.
Editorial for “Dynamic contrast‐enhanced MRI can quantitatively discriminate the original site from peripheral portion of sinonasal inverted papillomas”
Authors: Beker‐Acay Mehtap
Published: February 2021

Evidence Level

5

Technical Efficacy Stage

3
Xpert Xpress Flu/RSV: Validation and impact evaluation at a large UK hospital trust
Authors: Morris Thomas C , Bird Paul W , Horvath‐Papp Eva , Dhillon Jasminder K , May Shoshanna , Tang Julian W
Published: February 2021

Despite vaccination programs and antivirals, influenza remains a prominent cause of morbidity and mortality. The Xpert Xpress Flu/respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) test is a leading influenza point‐of‐care test, but its evaluation has been limited to nasopharyngeal samples. In addition, the clinical impacts of Xpress Flu/RSV have not yet been quantified. We evaluated the performance of Xpress Flu/RSV at three locations in a UK Hospital Trust against an existing laboratory assay. Multiple upper respiratory tract sample types were included. In addition, we calculated time saved by Xpert, and the associations between Xpert use and rates of early patient isolation and antiviral prescription as recorded at the time of the laboratory result being telephoned out. A total of 642 patients were included in the diagnostic performance analysis. There were 177 laboratory‐confirmed cases of influenza A, 7 influenza B and 86 RSV. For influenza A, sensitivity and specificity were 96.6% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 92.8%–98.8%) and 98.1% (CI: 96.4%–99.1%), respectively. This was sustained across all locations and sample types. The negative predictive value was 98.7% (CI: 97.2%–99.4%). The median amount of time saved was 27.1 h. Xpert use was associated with sixfold higher rates of isolation and threefold higher rates of antiviral prescribing by the time the laboratory result was available. Sensitivity for RSV was lower at 86.0% (95% CI: 76.9%–92.6%). Xpert Xpress Flu/RSV reliably detects influenza A infection and has significant clinical impacts. Cartridge optimization is required to enable accurate multiplexing, including from a range of sample types.
Current state of minimally invasive pancreatic surgery
Authors: Schwarz Jason L. , Hogg Melissa E.
Published: February 2021

The growth in minimally invasive pancreatic surgery (MIPS) has been accompanied by a recent surge in evidence‐based data available to analyze patient outcomes. A small complement of randomized control trials as well as a multitude of observational studies have demonstrated both consistent similarities and differences between MIPS and the open approach, although abundant questions remain. This review highlights the available literature and emphasizes key factors for evaluating laparoscopic and robotic pancreatic surgery.
Determination of anabolic androgenic steroids in dietary supplements and external drugs by magnetic solid‐phase extraction combined with high‐performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry
Authors: Wang Han , Wang Peng , Zhao Xiaoya , Ye Cheng , Zheng Xiyue , Cao Wei
Published: February 2021

The widespread abuse of anabolic androgenic steroids by healthy people leads to the risk of major mood disorders and heart failure; thus, the determination of anabolic androgenic steroids is vital. In this study, 17 anabolic androgenic steroids in dietary supplements and external drugs were identified, and their concentration was determined. For this purpose, polyaniline‐coated magnetic nanoparticles were prepared and then subjected to magnetic solid‐phase extraction combined with high‐performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. The experimental parameters of magnetic solid‐phase extraction were studied in detail, and the optimal conditions were established. Under the optimal conditions, the limits of detection were in the range of 0.001–0.02 μg/L, with relative standard deviations of 5.52–11.6% (n = 7) for all the steroids, and the enrichment factors were in the range of 20.0–24.8. The developed method was then successfully applied for the determination of 17 anabolic androgenic steroids in real samples, and dehydroepiandrosterone (prasterone) was detected in a commercially available external drug.
Analysis and control of a delayed HIV infection model with cell‐to‐cell transmission and cytotoxic T lymphocyte immune response
Authors: Liu Yu , Lin Xiaolin , Li Jianquan
Published: February 2021

Recent researches show that virus‐to‐cell infection and cell‐to‐cell transmission are two HIV infection modes. In this paper, we propose a delayed HIV infection model including both virus‐to‐cell infection and cell‐to‐cell transmission and cytotoxic T lymphocyte immune response. The time delay describes the phenomenon between viral entry and viral production. We show the nonnegativity and boundedness of solution, obtain the steady states, and prove local asymptotic stability of the steady states. Then the optimal control problem with antiretroviral therapy and pharmacological delay is posed. We establish and analyze two types of objective functions: one is linear control and the other is quadratic control. Numerical simulations have been performed to verify the stability of steady states and show the optimal control strategies and the effects of control on cells concentration by Matlab and Lingo.
Dietary Flavonoids and Cardiovascular Disease: A Comprehensive Dose–Response Meta‐Analysis
Authors: Micek Agnieszka , Godos Justyna , Del Rio Daniele , Galvano Fabio , Grosso Giuseppe
Published: February 2021

Scope

Dietary flavonoids have shown potential in the prevention of noncommunicable diseases. The aim of the present study is to conduct a dose–response meta‐analysis on the association between dietary intake of total, subclasses and individual flavonoids and risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD).

Methods and Results

Electronic databases are searched. A total of 39 prospective cohort studies are included, comprising 1 501 645 individuals and a total of 33 637 cases of CVD, 23 664 of coronary heart disease (CHD), and 11 860 of stroke. Increasing dietary intake of total flavonoids is linearly associated with a lower risk of CVD. Among the main classes of flavonoids, increasing intake of anthocyanins and flavan‐3‐ols is inversely associated with risk of CVD, while flavonols and flavones with CHD. Only increasing flavanones showed a linear inverse association with stroke risk. Catechins showed a favorable effect toward all cardiovascular outcomes. Among individual compounds, intake of quercetin and kaempferol is linearly associated with lower risk of CHD and CVD, respectively. However, higher intake of all the aforementioned compounds is associated, with a various extent, with a lower risk of CVD when considering comparison of extreme categories of consumption.

Conclusion

The results of this study provide evidence of potential cardiovascular benefits of a flavonoid‐rich diet.
The implementation of the basic values and principles governing public administration and service delivery in South Africa
Authors: Mamokhere John , Musitha Mavhungu Elias , Netshidzivhani Victor Mmbengeni
Published: February 2021

The basic values and principles of public administration guide the service delivery in the South African context. Despite the government's commitment to improve basic service delivery to the citizens in this era, the South African municipalities are still faced with serious challenges of service delivery and governance. This study discusses the basic values and principles governing public administration in the context of municipal service delivery. Thus, the purpose of this study is to unpack the implementation of the values and principles of public administration on service delivery as enshrined in the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996. Accountability, transparency, public participation, professional ethics, and access to information are some of the basic values and principles provided by section 195(1) of the Constitution. In this pandemic of COVID‐19, municipal officials in local government are expected to conduct their business in line with the values and principles as enshrined in the Constitution. Theoretically, this study relied on the theory of implementation sometimes referred to “Policy Implementation” by Pressman and Wildavsky (1973). Pressman and Wildavsky defined “implementation” as “to carry‐out, accomplish, fulfil, produce, complete.” Thus, this theory is relevant to this study as it discusses the implementation of the basic values and principles governing public administration. The study proposes how municipal officials should execute their duties within the Thuma Mina program which requires them to be at the forefront of service delivery. Furthermore, municipal officials should provide services within the parameters of basic values and principles of public administration.
Process safety manuscript archives available to the practitioner
Authors: Freeman Raymond “Randy” , Willey Ronald J.
Published: February 2021

Since 1967, the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) has sponsored a series of safety symposia. The goal of these symposia is to reduce the frequency and severity of accidents in the Chemical Process Industries (CPI). The Safety and Health Division of AIChE was established to serve as a central hub for the collection and dissemination of this process of safety information. Over the years, this dissemination expanded to several process safety symposia tracks at the Global Congress on Process Safety. Three symposia manuscripts have been assembled and archived into a database accessible on the Internet through the AIChE Academy.

Loss prevention symposium (LPS)

Process plant safety symposium (PPSS)

Center for chemical process safety (CCPS) symposium

The technical papers presented at these symposia cover a wide range of topics such as fire protection, risk reduction, explosion analysis, plant maintenance practices, process safety management, and many other topics. A total of 2524 papers were scanned and organized into a form which can be used to search for information on process safety topics. A spreadsheet of the contents of the archives was created. This paper describes the organization of the process safety archives and presents an example of how the archives can be used to find information.
Boosting CO2 Capture and Its Photochemical Conversion on Bismuth Surface
Authors: Yin Sheng , Zhong Kang , Yu Qing , Wang Zhaolong , Li Qidi , Feng Ziyi , Du Huishuang , Yang Jinman , Hua Yingjie , Zhu Xingwang , Xu Hui
Published: February 2021

The activity and efficiency of photocatalytic CO2 conversion are limited by a narrow spectral response range and fast electron–hole pair recombination. As plasmonic photocatalysts have become novel catalytic materials for visible light, herein, a typical Bi2O3 photocatalyst as a template to achieve simultaneous in situ bismuth reduction and coupling on the material surface via hydrogen–argon plasma alteration is used. Combining the surface plasmon resonance effect of Bi nanoparticles and the characteristics of composite photocatalytic materials, Bi–Bi2O3 exhibits excellent efficiency in light absorption and separation of photogenerated carriers; photocatalytic activity is significantly enhanced. The CO yields are changed with plasma‐treated duration; the maximum is reached at a treatment time of 3 min, where the rate of CO production is 29.87 μmol h−1 g−1 and CH4 production rate increases from 0 to 6.29 μmol h−1 g−1. The reaction mechanism is further confirmed by in situ Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy. Both the efficient light‐generated carrier separation and intense light absorption contribute to the high activity of the well‐designed Bi–Bi2O3 catalyst.
The local wavelet‐based organization index – Quantification, localization and classification of convective organization from radar and satellite data
Authors: Brune Sebastian , Buschow Sebastian , Friederichs Petra
Published: February 2021

We present a revised local wavelet‐based organization index (LW), which is applied to both synthetic fields and meteorological fields of precipitation and brightness temperature for different types of convective organization. The LW consists of three components that describe the scale (LWsc), quantify the intensity (LWin), and analyze the anisotropy (LWai) of the convection. It is based solely on 2D wavelet decomposition and does not require a clustering algorithm or thresholding. The great advantages of LW are that it localizes the organization in space, is a universally applicable measure of organization and can be calculated with little effort. A comparison with other organizational metrics shows that LW better describes the structure and organization of convection. We analyze the LW components in the vicinity of severe weather reports related to single‐cell storms, supercells or multi‐cell storms. Composites thereof reveal that large hail and heavy precipitation are particularly local events that lead to small‐scale and very intense precipitation. Especially in the case of hail, LWai shows the structure of a hook echo, which is expected, since hail events are usually associated with supercells. In relation to wind gusts, precipitation is rather large‐scale and linearly oriented, since strong wind gusts are often a consequence of linearly organized systems such as squall lines or derechos. The brightness temperature analysis provides similar results to those of the rain rates. Structures like the typical radar hook echo are not visible in the satellite data, but overshooting tops caused by strong updraughts are recognized as small‐scale, intense regions. The three LW components are used to classify showers, thunderstorms and precipitation/hail events with the help of a neural network, where showers are mainly classified by their scale characteristics, and precipitation/hail events by their pronounced intensity.
Stretched exponential decay for subcritical parking times on
Authors: Damron Michael , Lyu Hanbaek , Sivakoff David
Published: February 2021

At each vertex of , place a car with probability p or vacant parking spot with probability 1 − p. Cars perform independent random walks and park at vacant spots, rendering them passable. There is a transition at p = 1/2: the origin is a.s. visited by finitely many distinct cars when p < 1/2, and by infinitely many when p ≥ 1/2. Furthermore, a.s. all cars park if p ≤ 1/2 and some never park for p > 1/2. For small p, we prove that the parking time of the car initially at the origin satisfies . For d = 1, these inequalities hold for p < 1/2. In contrast, when p > 1/2 and d = 1, methods of Bramson–Lebowitz imply that the tail of the parking time of the spot of the origin decays like . Our exponent d/(d + 2) also differs from those previously obtained in the case of moving obstacles.
Copper Supported onto Magnetic Nanoparticles as an Efficient Catalyst for the Synthesis of Triazolobenzodiazepino[7,1‐b]quinazolin‐11(9H)‐ones via Click N‐Arylation Reactions
Authors: Sadegh Asgari Mohammad , Bahadorikhalili Saeed , Rahimi Rahmatollah , Mahdavi Mohammad
Published: February 2021

A novel catalyst is designed and synthesized based on immobilization of copper onto modified magnetic nanoparticles. The catalyst was characterized by several characterization techniques. The catalyst was applied for the synthesis of a novel series of heterocyclic scaffold containing a 1,4‐benzodiazepine fused with a 1,2,3‐triazole ring and a quinazolin‐11(9H)‐one skeleton. The method is based on the direct synthesis of quinazolin‐11(9H)‐one ring by the reaction of isatoic anhydride (or anthranilic acid) and propargylamine, and an aldehyde, containing a leaving group on its aromatic ring. The reaction contains an in situ sequential click reaction of azide group with terminal alkyne and subsequent N‐arylation reaction to afford the final products. The method benefits various advantages, such as regioselectivity and high yield of the products. The reusability of the catalyst was evaluated and the results showed that the catalyst is highly reusable in 10 sequential reactions.
A Water‐Rich Cobalt(II) Compound: Hydrothermal Synthesis, Spectroscopic, Thermal, Crystal Structure Characterization and Antimicrobial Properties
Authors: D'souza Luann R. , Gaonkar Sanket K. , Harmalkar Sarvesh S. , Asogekar Pratik A. , Furtado Irene , Dhuri Sunder N.
Published: February 2021

A water‐rich mononuclear Co(II) compound, tris‐(1,10‐phenanthroline) cobalt(II) 1,4‐phenylenediacrylate tetradecahydrate, [Co(phen)3](ppda) ⋅ 14H2O (1) (where phen is 1,10‐phenanthroline; ppda is p‐phenylenediacrylate) was prepared and characterized by elemental analyses, IR, Raman, UV‐Vis, fluorescence spectra, magnetic studies, cyclic voltammetry, single crystal X‐ray diffractometry and TG‐DTA. The Co(II) ion in 1 is high spin (S=3/2) with μB= ∼3.98 B.M. and exhibits a reversible one electron CoII/CoIII redox behavior. 1 crystallizes in a monoclinic centrosymmetric C2/c space group with unit cell parameters; a=23.1019(13), b=12.1077(5) and c=19.7428(1) Å; β=111.410(2)°. The Co(II) ion is coordinated to three phen ligands to form [Co(phen)3]2+ cation. The (ppda)2− dianion and fourteen water molecules form a heterocyclic water cluster through O−H⋅⋅⋅O (ppda)2− and O−H⋅⋅⋅O (H2O) interactions while phen ligands on adjacent cations are stacked via π‐π interactions. On heating compound 1 loses its fourteen water molecules upto 132 °C. 1 is a potent inhibitor for Gram Negative E. coli as compared to Gram Positive S. aureus.
Synthesis, Experimental and DFT Studies of Some Benzotriazole Derivatives as Brass C68700 Corrosion Inhibitors in NaCl 3 %
Authors: Souad Bouasla , Chafia Sobhi , Hamza Allal , Wahiba Mecibah , Issam Bougdah
Published: February 2021

Corrosion inhibition potential of three synthesized benzotriazole (BTA) derivatives namely, 1‐(prop‐2‐yn‐1‐yl)‐1H‐benzotriazole (Inh 1), 2‐[2‐(1H‐benzotriazol‐1‐yl)ethyl]‐1H‐isoindole‐1,3(2H)‐dione (Inh 2) and 1‐(4‐nitrobenzyl)‐1H‐1,2,3‐benzotriazole (Inh 3), on brass C68700 in NaCl 3 % was evaluated using potentiodynamic method. The results show that the examined molecules are good inhibitors for brass and behave as mixed type inhibitors. Inhibition efficiency (IE %) increases with the inhibitors concentration to reach 80.89 %, 83.70 % and 92.13 % at 15 ppm for Inh 1, Inh 2 and Inh 3 respectively. Additionally, the calculated DFT descriptors are in good agreement with the experimental inhibition efficiencies.
Friction and Wear Behavior of Copper‐graphite Composites with Different Compositions in Water Environments
Authors: Wie Hongming , Zou Jianpeng , Li Xiaoya , Xiao Cong
Published: February 2021

Copper‐graphite composites with different copper content are prepared by spark plasma sintering (SPS) at 900 °C using copper‐coated graphite powder and ordinary graphite powder as raw materials. Two groups of specimens are used for friction testing, including the original specimens and K2Cr2O7‐H2SO4‐etched specimens. The density, microstructure, Shore hardness, resistivity and friction and wear properties of the samples were investigated using the Archimedes drainage method, scanning electron microscopy, a hardness tester, a resistance tester, and a friction tester. The results showed that the relative density of the samples with different compositions reached about 90 %, and with an increase of copper content, the density and the relative density of the copper/graphite composites increased. As the copper content increased from 10 wt % to 50 wt %, the Shore hardness of the composites increased from 37 HSD to 59 HSD. Under dry‐friction conditions, with an increase of Cu wt %, the friction coefficients and wear rates of the original specimens showed a downward trend, while those of the chemically etched specimens first increased and then decreased. Under water‐friction conditions, both the original samples and chemically etched samples show very low friction coefficients, about 0.15 and 0.12, respectively, which are far lower than the friction coefficients (∼0.20) obtained under dry‐friction conditions. The wear rates of the original specimens decreased with an increase of copper content, while those of the chemically etched specimens increased first and then decrease. The electrical conductivities of the copper/graphite composites were slightly reduced by chemical etching, but the resistivity of the copper/graphite composites remained at a low level of 10−7 Ω⋅m for a copper content of 40–50 wt %.
Synthesis and Photophysical Properties of Light‐Harvesting Gold Nanoclusters Fully Functionalized with Antenna Chromophores
Authors: Pyo Kyunglim , Xu Hongmei , Han Sang Myeong , Saxena Shivi , Yoon Sook Young , Wiederrecht Gary , Ramakrishna Guda , Lee Dongil
Published: February 2021

The development of efficient light‐harvesting systems is important to understand the key aspects of solar‐energy conversion processes and to utilize them in various photonic applications. Here, atomically well‐defined gold nanoclusters are reported as a new platform to fabricate artificial light‐harvesting systems. An efficient amide coupling method is developed to synthesize water‐soluble Au22 clusters fully protected with pyrene chromophores by taking advantage of their facile phase‐transfer reaction. The synthesized Au22 clusters with densely packed 18 pyrene chromophores (Au22–PyB18) exhibit triple‐emission in blue, green, and red wavelength regions arising respectively from pyrene monomer, pyrene excimer, and Au22 emission, producing bright white light emission together. The photoluminescence of Au22 is enhanced by more than tenfold, demonstrating that pyrenes at the periphery efficiently channel the absorbed energy to the luminescent Au22 at the center. A combination of femtosecond transient absorption and anisotropy measurements of Au22–PyB18 explicitly reveals three main decay components of 220 fs, 3.5 ps, and 160 ps that can be assigned to energy migration between pyrenes and energy transfer processes from pyrene monomer and excimer to the central Au22, respectively.
Non‐Animal Strategies for Toxicity Assessment of Nanoscale Materials: Role of Adverse Outcome Pathways in the Selection of Endpoints
Authors: Halappanavar Sabina , Nymark Penny , Krug Harald F. , Clift Martin J. D. , Rothen‐Rutishauser Barbara , Vogel Ulla
Published: February 2021

Faster, cheaper, sensitive, and mechanisms‐based animal alternatives are needed to address the safety assessment needs of the growing number of nanomaterials (NM) and their sophisticated property variants. Specifically, strategies that help identify and prioritize alternative schemes involving individual test models, toxicity endpoints, and assays for the assessment of adverse outcomes, as well as strategies that enable validation and refinement of these schemes for the regulatory acceptance are needed. In this review, two strategies 1) the current nanotoxicology literature review and 2) the adverse outcome pathways (AOPs) framework, a systematic process that allows the assembly of available mechanistic information concerning a toxicological response in a simple modular format, are presented. The review highlights 1) the most frequently assessed and reported ad hoc in vivo and in vitro toxicity measurements in the literature, 2) various AOPs of relevance to inhalation toxicity of NM that are presently under development, and 3) their applicability in identifying key events of toxicity for targeted in vitro assay development. Finally, using an existing AOP for lung fibrosis, the specific combinations of cell types, exposure and test systems, and assays that are experimentally supported and thus, can be used for assessing NM‐induced lung fibrosis, are proposed.
Effectiveness of extended curing for fly ash concrete against corrosion propagation under severe chloride exposure
Authors: Zafar Idrees , Alqahtani Fahad K.
Published: February 2021

The effectiveness of extended curing on the corrosion resistance with regard to predefined corrosion degree for reinforced concrete specimens with different fly ash replacement ratios was tested. The specimens were subjected to saline solution to initiate and propagate the corrosion of reinforcement. Corrosion process for fly ash concrete with regard to electrochemical and other corrosion parameters was discussed. It was observed that extended curing for fly ash concrete effectively postponed the corrosion initiation and propagation period as equated to ordinary Portland concrete nevertheless had intensified the likelihood of pitting corrosion.
Address challenges created by COVID‐19 pandemic
Authors: Hope Joan
Published: February 2021

The COVID‐19 pandemic has created challenges for registrars and enrollment professionals. Speakers at a session at the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers Strategic Enrollment Management Conference described what they have experienced at their institutions and how they have addressed problems to enroll students and keep them on track to graduate.
Wind site turbulence de‐trending using statistical moments: Evaluating existing methods and introducing a Gaussian process regression approach
Authors: Hart Edward , Guy Callum , Tough Fraser , Infield David
Published: February 2021

This paper considers the problem of retrospectively de‐trending wind site data when only statistical moments, in the form of 10‐min means and standard deviations in wind speed, are available. Low‐frequency trends present in wind speed data are known to bias fatigue damage estimates, and, hence, removal of their influence is important for accurate fatigue life estimation. When raw data is available, this procedure is straightforward; however, for many sites, significant quantities of data are available, which contain only statistical moments. Additional value is therefore unlocked if de‐trending can also take place in this context. Existing methods, Models 1 and 2, are introduced, and their performance and viability appraised, respectively. A Gaussian process (GP) regression implementation is also developed, which seeks to incorporate characteristics of real trends extracted from raw data into the fitting procedure via an appropriately chosen lengthscale hyperparameter. Results indicate that Model 2, the recommended method in previous work, suffers from fundamental issues, with the implication that it should no longer be used. Model 1 and GP results are shown to be very similar at the turbulence distribution level. This finding is interpreted as a validation of Model 1 and an indication that it may already be performing as well as can be hoped for, given the information available in the current problem formulation. Theoretical overheads associated with GPs, in addition to the performance similarities mentioned above, lead to Model 1 being recommended as the best approach to moment‐based turbulence de‐trending at this time.
Three‐dimensional Hiemenz stagnation‐point flows
Authors: Weidman Patrick D.
Published: February 2021

A modification of Hiemenz's two‐dimensional outer potential stagnation‐point flow of strain rate a is obtained by adding periodic radial and azimuthal velocities of the form and , respectively, where b is a shear rate. This leads to the discovery of a new family of three‐dimensional viscous stagnation‐point flows depending on the shear‐to‐strain‐rate ratio that exist over the range with reflectional symmetry about . Numerical solutions for the wall shear stress parameters and the displacement thicknesses are given and compared with their large‐γ asymptotic behaviors. Sample similarity velocity profiles are also presented. It is noted that the results presented here are in many ways similar to the results reported for non‐axisymmetric Homann stagnation‐point flow.
Institutional Methods for the Identification of Urban and Rural Areas—A Review for Italy
Authors: Cattivelli Valentina
Published: February 2021

Recent economic, demographic, and spatial changes have profoundly modified urban and rural areas and generated new territories, characterized by varying degrees of urbanity. The classification methods traditionally used to identify them are based on the distinction between urban and non-urban areas and are no longer functional to describe the territorial outcomes of these transformations. New methods have therefore been formulated and implemented in recent years to replace them. EUROSTAT has developed and updated periodically its own methods, intended to methodologically support scholars to read territorial diversities and transformations. Being the basis for the production of official statistics and data comparison between regions, these methods have fully replaced all the other methods that singular  statistical offices of European countries had previously developed. Several government institutions began adopting specific territorial classifications in their strategic planning documents. These methods differed from those implemented by statistical offices, providing a more accurate and detailed framework for national and regional policies. This also happened in Italy, with ISTAT (Istituto Nazionale di Statistica—National Statistical Office) and many governmental institutions (e.g., National Government Institutions, Department for Economic Development and Cohesion, Ministry for Agricultural Policies, National Rural Network), experimenting with their own urban–rural classification methods to map all or part of the Italian territory. This paper offers an overview of the methods formulated and implemented in Italy over the last 15 years by ISTAT and governmental institutions. During this time, these institutions have developed six different methods to define urban and rural territories and to delimit territories with several degrees of urbanization, such as peri-urban areas. Specifically, ISTAT uses the EUROSTAT method to produce international and national statistics. Governmental institutions adopt methods based on economic and demographic data, which identify various territorial categories in addition to urban/rural ones, in their strategic planning documents. These findings result from desk research based on an analysis of official documents and scientific papers.