bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Trends over the recent 6 years in ablation modalities and strategies, post‐ablation medication, and clinical outcomes of atrial fibrillation ablation
Authors: Hirata Moyuru , Nagashima Koichi , Watanabe Ryuta , Wakamatsu Yuji , Otsuka Naoto , Hayashida Satoshi , Hirata Shu , Sawada Masanaru , Kurokawa Sayaka , Okumura Yasuo
Published: April 2023

Background

Ablation strategies and modalities for atrial fibrillation (AF) have transitioned over the past decade, but their impact on post‐ablation medication and clinical outcomes remains to be fully investigated.

Methods

We divided 682 patients who had undergone AF ablation in 2014–2019 (420 paroxysmal AFs [PAF], 262 persistent AFs [PerAF]) into three groups according to the period, that is, the 2014–2015 (n = 139), 2016–2017 (n = 244), and 2018–2019 groups (n = 299), respectively.

Results

Persistent AF became more prevalent and the left atrial (LA) diameter larger over the 6 years. Extra‐pulmonary vein (PV)‐LA ablation was more frequently performed in the 2014–2015 group than in the 2016–2017 and 2018–2019 groups (41.1% vs. 9.1% and 8.1%; p < .001). The 2‐year freedom rate from AF/atrial tachycardias for PAF was similar among the three groups (84.0% vs. 83.1% vs. 86.7%; p = .98) but lowest in the 2014–2015 group for PerAF (63.9% vs. 82.7% and 86.3%; p = .025) despite the highest post‐ablation antiarrhythmic drug use. Cardiac tamponade was significantly decreased in the 2018–2019 group (3.6% vs. 2.0% vs. 0.33%; p = 0.021). There was no difference in the 2‐year clinically relevant events among the three groups.

Conclusion

Although ablation was performed in a more diseased LA and extra‐PV‐LA ablation was less frequent in recent years, the complication rate decreased, and AF recurrences for PAF remained unchanged, but that for PerAF decreased. Clinically relevant events remained unchanged over the recent 6 years, suggesting that the impact of the recent ablation modalities and strategies on remote clinically relevant events may be small during this study period.
Identification of major and cross‐reactive allergens of local freshwater snail (Pila polita) and the impact of thermal and non‐thermal food processing on allergen stability
Authors: Misnan Rosmilah , Kamarazaman Noor Asyikin , Sockalingam Komathi , Yadzir Zailatul Hani Mohamad , Bakhtiar Faizal , Abdullah Noormalin , Arip Masita
Published: April 2023

BACKGROUND

Snail allergy is rare but can be fatal.Pila polita, a freshwater snail, was considered as a popular exotic food, particularly in tropical countries, and consumed in processed forms. Thus, the purpose of this study was to identify the major and cross‐reactive allergens ofP. politaand to determine the impact of food processing on the allergen stability.

RESULTS

Sodium dodecyl sulfate–polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis fractionated raw snail extract to approximately 24 protein bands, between 9 and 245 kDa. The prominent band at 33 kDa was detected in all raw and processed snail extracts. Immunoblotting tests of the raw extract demonstrated 19 immunoglobulin E (IgE)‐binding proteins, and four of them, at 30, 35, 42 and 49 kDa, were revealed as the major IgE‐binding proteins ofP. polita. Matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry identified the 49 and 42 kDa major allergens as actin, whereas the 30 and 35 kDa major allergens were identified as tropomyosin. Immunoblotting revealed that the raw snail had more allergenic proteins than the processed snail. The degree of allergenicity in decreasing order was raw > brine pickled> boiled > roasted > fried > vinegar pickled. The presence of cross‐reactivity betweenP. politaand the shellfish tested was exhibited with either no, complete, or partial inhibitions.

CONCLUSION

Actin and tropomyosin were identified as the major and cross‐reactive allergens ofP. politaamong local patients with snail allergy. Those major allergens are highly stable to high temperatures, acidic pH, and high salt, which might played a crucial role in snail allergy in Malaysia. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.
Patient‐controlled intravenous administration of dexmedetomidine with nalbuphine versus sufentanil for post cesarean delivery analgesia: A retrospective observational study
Authors: Li Wei‐Wei , Zheng Bei , Shi Rong , Jiang Yue‐Ming , Liu Yan‐Nan , Wang Zhi‐Wei
Published: April 2023

This retrospective observational study aims to investigate the patient‐controlled intravenous analgesia (PCIA) of dexmedetomidine (DEX) with nalbuphine (NAL) versus sufentanil (SUF) for post‐cesarean delivery management. A total of 300 women were evaluated who underwent cesarean section surgery with combined spinal‐epidural anesthesia. After surgery, all patients were connected to a patient‐controlled analgesia pump. The PCIA protocol was programmed with 0.11 μg/kg/h DEX in combination with 0.03 μg/kg/h SUF in Group I (n = 150) or 0.11 μg/kg/h DEX in combination with 0.03 mg/kg/h NAL in Group II (n = 150). There was no significant difference in incision pain and sedation level between the two groups within 48 h after the surgery assessed by visual analog scale (VAS) and Ramsay sedation scale, respectively. However, at 2, 6, 12, and 24 h after surgery, visceral pain at rest and at mobilization was alleviated in the Group II as compared with the Group I with lower VAS scores. Moreover, fewer adverse reactions were found in the Group II when compared with Group I, including postpartum respiratory depression, nausea/vomiting, urinary retention, and cardiovascular events. Overall, there was an increased patient satisfaction in the Group II as compared with the Group I. Based on the results of this study, it seems that adding NAL to PCIA with DEX, as compared to SUF with DEX, have an effect on reducing the intensity of visceral pain after cesarean section with less adverse reactions and higher patient satisfaction.
Postoperative opioid use following head and neck endocrine surgery: A multi‐center prospective study
Authors: Hamour Amr F. , Manojlovic‐Kolarski Mirko , Eskander Antoine , Biskup Mathew , Taylor S. Mark , Laliberte Frederick , Vescan Allan , Witterick Ian J. , Freeman Jeremy , Monteiro Eric
Published: April 2023

Background

Opioid abuse is widespread in North America and the over‐prescription of opioids are a contributing factor. The goal of this prospective study was to quantify over‐prescription rates, evaluate postoperative experiences of pain, and understand the impact of peri‐operative factors such as adequate pain counseling and use of non‐opioid analgesia.

Methods

Consecutive recruitment of patients undergoing head and neck endocrine surgery was undertaken from January 1st 2020 to December 31st 2021 at four Canadian hospitals in Ontario and Nova Scotia. Postoperative tracking of pain levels and analgesic requirements were employed. Chart review and preoperative and postoperative surveys provided information on counseling, use of local anesthesia, and disposal plans.

Results

A total of 125 adult patients were included in the final analysis. Total thyroidectomy was the most common procedure (40.8%). Median use of opioid tablets was 2 (IQR 0–4), with 79.5% of prescribed tablets unused. Patients who reported inadequate counseling (n = 35, 28.0%) were more likely to use opioids (57.2% vs. 37.8%, p < .05) and less likely to use non‐opioid analgesia in the early postoperative course (42.9% vs. 63.3%, p < .05). Patients who received local anesthesia peri‐operatively (46.4%, n = 58) reported less severe pain on average [2.86 (2.13) vs. 4.86 (2.19), p < .05] and used less analgesia on postoperative day one [0 MME (IQR 0–4) vs. 4 MME (IQR 0–8), p < .05].

Conclusion

Over‐prescription of opioid analgesia following head and neck endocrine surgery is common. Patient counseling, use of non‐opioid analgesia, and peri‐operative local anesthesia were important factors in narcotic use reduction.

Level of evidence

Level 3.
The Lessebo Effect in Disease Modification Trials in Parkinson's Disease
Authors: Mestre Tiago A. , McDermott Michael P. , Lobo Raquel , Ferreira Joaquim J. , Lang Anthony E.
Published: April 2023

Background

The impact of expectation of benefit on outcomes is well established in Parkinson's disease (PD). A reduction of a treatment effect due to a perceived placebo allocation (lessebo effect) in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was documented for symptomatic treatments.

Objectives

To evaluate the lessebo effect in disease modification RCTs (DMT) in PD.

Methods

Subject‐level meta‐analyses of active treatment arms of DMT (n = 1149 subjects): FS‐1, FS‐TOO (probability of placebo allocation/P(placebo) = 0.33) and DATATOP, PRECEPT, QE2 (P(placebo) = 0.25). We tested the association between P(placebo) and time to dopaminergic treatment initiation using a marginal Cox proportional hazards model.

Results

The adjusted hazard ratio (P(placebo) = 0.25 vs. 0.33) for initiation of dopaminergic treatment was 1.15 (95% CI: 0.92–1.43).

Conclusions

We did not observe the lessebo effect in DMT. The necessary use of a placebo (and no active comparator) is a limitation. The prospective measurement of expectation of benefit could help to evaluate the many impacts of placebo use. © 2023 The Authors. Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.
Odd periodic waves for some Klein–Gordon type equations: Existence and stability
Authors: de Loreno Guilherme , Natali Fábio
Published: April 2023

In this paper, we establish the existence and stability properties of odd periodic waves related to the Klein–Gordon type equations, which include the well known
and
models. Existence of periodic waves is determined by using a general planar theory of ODE. The spectral analysis for the corresponding linearized operator is established using the monotonicity of the period map combined with an improvement of the standard Floquet theory. Orbital stability in the odd sector of the energy space is proved using exclusively the monotonicity of the period map. The orbital instability of explicit solutions for the
and
models is presented using the abstract approach of instability for general abstract Hamiltonian systems.
Shape sensing using neural network of radial basis function based on Fiber Bragg Grating
Authors: Zhang Ming , Huang Yangyang , Meng Leixin , Zhuang Yuan , Du Ying , Wang Liqiang , Yang Qing
Published: April 2023

Shape sensing using Fiber Bragg Grating can be applied in many fields such as medical and robotics, and the accuracy of its reconstruction is the key to current research. At present, the application research in two‐dimensional planes has reached a high accuracy, how to improve the accuracy of three‐dimensional space reconstruction is the current challenge. An interpolation method using Radial Basis Function neural network is proposed for curve reconstruction in three‐dimensional space, which is compared and analyzed with the existing commonly used cubic‐spline interpolation method. Through theoretical validation and experimental verification, both the tip error and the average distance error of the sensor are reduced.
Measuring cannabis quantities in online surveys: A rapid review and proposals for ways forward
Authors: Manthey Jakob , Pons‐Cabrera Maria Teresa , Rosenkranz Moritz , Lopez‐Pelayo Hugo
Published: April 2023

Objectives

Cannabis use quantities are relevant for determining cannabis‐related harms. This research aims to provide an overview of the available methods to assess quantities through self‐report.

Methods

A rapid review of various strategies to collect information on cannabis use quantities through self‐report. Two independent literature searches resulted in n = 38 studies included for review.

Results

A total of n = 14 studies employed methods for collecting cannabis use quantities that are not suitable for online surveys (e.g., rolling a fake joint). Of the remaining n = 24 studies with items that are suitable for online surveys, the quantity assessment was performed in three different ways. The data collection was either carried out by asking (a) for the total number of joints (i.e., crude joint method), (b) for the total weight (i.e., crude weight method), or (c) for specific products separately, for example, for the amount of flower and resin (i.e., product‐specific method). In only n = 8 studies, cannabis use quantities were ascertained by providing visual aids (e.g., illustration of various amounts of flower).

Conclusions

The crude joint method and the product‐specific method are the two most promising methods to collect information on cannabis use quantities. Using visual aids may potentially improve the accuracy of those methods.
Considering whole‐body metabolism in hyperpolarized MRI through 13C breath analysis—An alternative way to quantification and normalization?
Authors: Sejersen Steffen , Rasmussen Camilla W. , Bøgh Nikolaj , Kjærgaard Uffe , Hansen Esben S. S. , Schulte Rolf F. , Laustsen Christoffer
Published: April 2023

Purpose

Hyperpolarized [1‐13C]pyruvate MRI is an emerging clinical tool for metabolic imaging. It has the potential for absolute quantitative metabolic imaging. However, the method itself is not quantitative, limiting comparison of images across both time and between individuals. Here, we propose a simple signal normalization to the whole‐body oxidative metabolism to overcome this limitation.

Theory and Methods

A simple extension of the model‐free ratiometric analysis of hyperpolarized [1‐13C]pyruvate MRI is presented, using the expired 13CO2 in breath for normalization. The proposed framework was investigated in two porcine cohorts (N = 11) subjected to local renal hypoperfusion defects and subsequent [1‐13C]pyruvate MRI. A breath sample was taken before the [1‐13C]pyruvate injection and 5 min after. The raw MR signal from both the healthy and intervened kidney in the two cohorts was normalized using the 13CO2 in the expired air.

Results

13CO2 content in the expired air was significantly different between the two cohorts. Normalization to this reduced the coefficients of variance in the aerobic metabolic sensitive pathways by 25% for the alanine/pyruvate ratio, and numerical changes were observed in the bicarbonate/pyruvate ratio. The lactate/pyruvate ratio was largely unaltered (<2%).

Conclusion

Our results indicate that normalizing the hyperpolarized 13C‐signal ratios by the 13CO2 content in expired air can reduce variation as well as improve specificity of the method by normalizing the metabolic readout to the overall metabolic status of the individual. The method is a simple and cheap extension to the hyperpolarized 13C exam.
Development of highly permeable and antifouling poly(vinylidene fluoride) hybrid membranes tailored with ZIF‐8 metal–organic frameworks for water treatment
Authors: Rameesha Laila , Rana Dipak , Nagendran Alagumalai
Published: April 2023

This study deals with the making of poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) hybrid ultrafiltration (UF) membranes incorporated with zeolitic imidazolate framework‐8 (ZIF‐8) nanocrystals. The surface morphology and roughness of ZIF‐8 are explored in terms of atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) whereas their distribution in PVDF matrix and antibacterial activity are probed by energy dispersive X‐ray (EDX) analysis and zone of inhibition test. The chemical functionality of ZIF‐8 is verified by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and X‐ray diffraction (XRD) spectroscopic studies. The permeability of hybrid membranes is raised to 2 wt% addition of ZIF‐8 into the PVDF matrix owing to an enhancement in hydrophilicity and porosity. The FESEM images of the top and cross‐section view make visible the formation of macrovoids with the addition of ZIF‐8. On account of high porosity and surface hydrophilicity, the pure water permeation of hybrid membranes is increased to 278.6 Lm−2 h−1. The hybrid membranes showed higher rejection and permeate flux of bovine serum albumin (BSA; 92.8 Lm−2 h−1) and humic acid (HA; 94.3 Lm−2 h−1) owing to the synergetic effect of their enhanced hydrophilicity and surface roughness. This is confirmed by the higher flux recovery ratio (FRR) and lower irreversible fouling characteristics of hybrid PVDF membranes. The atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) revealed the long‐standing stability of ZIF‐8 in the PVDF matrix. Among all, the PVDF hybrid membrane with 2 wt% of ZIF‐8 showed excellent permeability, antifouling, and antibiofouling ability and was found to be more effective in water treatment applications.
Multifunctional lightweight PANI/Ti3C2Tx‐PVDF composite foam for efficient microwave absorption
Authors: He Zimo , Shi Yiyuan , Yang Wentong , Qian Chen , Zhu Yaofeng
Published: April 2023

The development of multifunctional and efficient microwave‐absorbing materials for various environments is essential to safeguard human health and combat interference in the operation of precision electronic apparatus. Specifically, Ti3C2Tx is attractive for microwave absorption (MA) due to its ultra‐low thickness, high conductivity, and high polarizability. However, the MA performance of Ti3C2Tx is limited by its mismatched impedance. To meet the high requirement in MA performance, a lightweight PANI/Ti3C2Tx‐PVDF composite foam was fabricated by a NaCl‐template method and dipping absorption in this study. The MA performance of the PANI/Ti3C2Tx‐PVDF composite foam can be regulated by both the composition and the loading content of PANI/Ti3C2Tx in composite foam. After loading with 25 wt.% PANI/Ti3C2Tx, the 2.33 mm‐thick PANI/Ti3C2Tx‐PVDF composite foam reached the optimal minimum reflection loss (RLmin) of −65.21 dB at 9.23 GHz and effective bandwidth of 2.61 GHz in the range of 8.20–10.81 GHz. The favorable MA performance of the composite foam was mainly ascribed to the great impedance matching and strong dielectric loss, which originated from the modulated conductivity and porous structure. Moreover, the PANI/Ti3C2Tx‐PVDF composite foam integrated MA performance, thermal insulation function, and organic solvent absorption capacity to show multifunctionality for various applications. In summary, this study may pave the way for the facile fabrication of next‐generation multifunctional high‐efficient MA materials.
Registration of ‘Empire’ big bluestem
Authors: Casler Michael D. , Lee DoKyoung
Published: April 2023

‘Empire’ (Reg. no. CV‐18, PI 700112) big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii Vitman) is a 54‐clone synthetic selected for high biomass yield. Empire is broadly adapted to USDA hardiness zones 3–7, ranging from the Great Plains to the eastern United States. Although Empire was developed as a high‐biomass cultivar for use in establishing perennial biomass production for conversion to bioenergy, it has a heading date similar to many other big bluestem cultivars, suggesting that it could be used as a forage crop as well for either hay or pasture production. Under an optimal single‐harvest biomass production management, Empire ranked 1st in biomass yield for 8 of 12 locations in multiple‐year trials averaged over a total of 40 environments (location‐trial‐years). Biomass yield of Empire, averaged over 12 locations, was 30% higher than ‘Goldmine’, 46% higher than ‘Champ’, and 52% higher than ‘Bonanza’. Ground cover of Empire was slightly higher than for most check cultivars, averaging 80% across all 12 locations. Empire is broadly adapted to USDA hardiness zones 3–6, extending from the Great Plains to the eastern United States and was released to the public by the USDA Agricultural Research Service in 2021.
Do “Newly Born” orphan proteins resemble “Never Born” proteins? A study using three deep learning algorithms
Authors: Liu Jing , Yuan Rongqing , Shao Wei , Wang Jitong , Silman Israel , Sussman Joel L.
Published: April 2023

“Newly Born” proteins, devoid of detectable homology to any other proteins, known as orphan proteins, occur in a single species or within a taxonomically restricted gene family. They are generated by the expression of novel open reading frames, and appear throughout evolution. We were curious if three recently developed programs for predicting protein structures, namely, AlphaFold2, RoseTTAFold, and ESMFold, might be of value for comparison of such “Newly Born” proteins to random polypeptides with amino acid content similar to that of native proteins, which have been called “Never Born” proteins. The programs were used to compare the structures of two sets of “Never Born” proteins that had been expressed—Group 1, which had been shown experimentally to possess substantial secondary structure, and Group 3, which had been shown to be intrinsically disordered. Overall, although the models generated were scored as being of low quality, they nevertheless revealed some general principles. Specifically, all four members of Group 1 were predicted to be compact by all three algorithms, in agreement with the experimental data, whereas the members of Group 3 were predicted to be very extended, as would be expected for intrinsically disordered proteins, again consistent with the experimental data. These predicted differences were shown to be statistically significant by comparing their accessible surface areas. The three programs were then used to predict the structures of three orphan proteins whose crystal structures had been solved, two of which display novel folds. Surprisingly, only for the protein which did not have a novel fold, and was taxonomically restricted, rather than being a true orphan, did all three algorithms predict very similar, high‐quality structures, closely resembling the crystal structure. Finally, they were used to predict the structures of seven orphan proteins with well‐identified biological functions, whose 3D structures are not known. Two proteins, which were predicted to be disordered based on their sequences, are predicted by all three structure algorithms to be extended structures. The other five were predicted to be compact structures with only two exceptions in the case of AlphaFold2. All three prediction algorithms make remarkably similar and high‐quality predictions for one large protein, HCO_11565, from a nematode. It is conjectured that this is due to many homologs in the taxonomically restricted family of which it is a member, and to the fact that the Dali server revealed several nonrelated proteins with similar folds. An animated Interactive 3D Complement (I3DC) is available in Proteopedia at http://proteopedia.org/w/Journal:Proteins:3
Hydrogen hazards and gas detection—Electrolyzer case study
Authors: Marszal Edward M. , Smith Beth
Published: April 2023

Hydrogen is a strong candidate for fueling the green energy transition. Hydrogen, like all stores of potential energy, can be dangerous if not handled properly. The most common, and rapidly growing, source of green hydrogen is electrolysis of water. Electrolyzers split the water molecule into hydrogen and oxygen molecules. Hydrogen is flammable while oxygen is an oxidizer. If hydrogen escapes, a hazardous condition can be generated, which may have significant safety consequences. As a result, a commonly employed safeguard is a gas detection system with automatic shutdowns. This paper presents an overview of the hazards of hydrogen generation through electrolysis, and then presents a case study of the design of a gas detection system for an electrolyzer facility. The design of the gas detection system included using gas detection mapping approaches recommended by ISA TR 84.00.07 for placement of the required detectors along with recommendations by IEC 61511 for the design of the associated automatic shutdown of the electrolyzer and return to a safe state.
Activities of a broad‐spectrum antimicrobial peptide analogue SAMP‐A4‐C8 and its combat against pneumonia in Staphylococcus aureus‐infected mice
Authors: Li Ruifang , Hao Pu , Yin Kedong , Xu Qingpeng , Ren Shiming , Zhao Yingyuan , Zhang Lan , Zhang Beibei
Published: April 2023

Antimicrobial peptides and their analogues have become substitutes for antibiotics in recent years. The antimicrobial peptide analogue SAMP‐A4‐C8 (n‐octanoic‐VRLLRRRI) with high antimicrobial activity was found in our lab. We speculate that it may kill pathogens by some lethal mechanism of action. In the present investigation, the microbicidal activities of SAMP‐A4‐C8 and its mechanism of action were investigated. The results demonstrated that SAMP‐A4‐C8 had lethal activities against Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans by cell disruption. Based on its microbicidal activities, we believe that it is worth further research for its potential as drug candidate. The results showed that SAMP‐A4‐C8, with low propensity to induce the resistance of S. aureus and C. albicans, could kill the persister cells of S. aureus and C. albicans, exhibited biofilm forming inhibition activity and preformed biofilm eradication ability against S. aureus and C. albicans, and displayed therapeutic potential on pneumonia in S. aureus‐infected mice by reducing lung inflammation. The present study provided a promising drug candidate in the war against multidrug resistance.
Echinocystic acid prevents obesity and fatty liver via interacting withFABP1
Authors: Xiao Lianggui , Li Mingming , Xiao Yang , Yu Lin , Li Yu , Zhang Zhiwang , Zhang Guo , Li Yixing , Zhou Lei , Liang Yunxiao
Published: April 2023

Long‐term high‐fat diet (HFD) will lead to obesity and their complications. Echinocystic acid (EA), a triterpene, shows anti‐inflammatory and antioxidant effects. We predict that EA supplementation can prevent obesity, diabetes, and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. To test our hypothesis, we investigated the effects of EA supplementation on mice with HFD‐induced obesity in vivo and in vitro by adding EA to the diet of mice and the medium of HepG2 cells, the protein target of EA was analyzed by molecular docking. The results showed that EA ameliorated obesity and inhibited blood triglyceride and liver triglyceride concentrations than those in the HFD groups. The data on molecular docking indicated that FABP1 was a potential target of EA. Further experimental results confirmed that EA affected the triglyceride level by regulating the function of FABP1. This study may provide a new potential inhibitor for FABP1 and a new strategy for the treatment of obesity.
Allocation in platform trials to maintain comparability across time and eligibility
Authors: Viele Kert
Published: April 2023

Platform trials, with arms entering and leaving the trial over time, are complex. In addition to trial changes over time, certain arms in a platform may come with patient restrictions. Both of these issues (time and eligibility) can create biases in comparing active arms to control. The largest of these biases, using non‐concurrent controls or including control patients that were ineligible for an active arm, have been extensively discussed in the literature. Here we show that even restricting to concurrent, eligible controls can induce biases if proper allocation ratios are not maintained throughout the platform. We also build on results in Ventz et al. Biostat., 19:199–215, 2018 to describe an algorithm that guarantees comparability between active and control groups in arm analyses in both time and eligibility, and allows for both re‐randomization of patients and two‐stage randomization procedures. The resulting method is both flexible and easily implemented, allowing robust comparisons when assumptions that underlie alternative randomization methods are in doubt.
Synthesis, Characterization, and Catalytic Reactivities of Novel Dinuclear Cu(II) Complexes : Efficient Ring Opening Reaction of Epoxide
Authors: Ahn Hye Mi , Lee Jiyoung , Lee Minji , Kim Yong Sung , Yun Jin Yeong , Lee Jae Jun , Kim Sung‐Jin , Kim Youngmee , Kim Cheal
Published: April 2023

Novel tridentate N2O‐type ligands L1–L4 (((((X‐benzyl)pyridine‐2‐yl)methylamino)methyl)phenol); L1 for X=4‐CH3, L2 for X=H, L3 for X=2‐F, L4 for X=4‐CF3) and their dinuclear copper(II) complexes C1–C4 (C1 for [(L1)2Cu2(NO3)2], C2 for [(L2)2Cu2(NO3)2], C3 for [(L3)2Cu2(NO3)2] and C4 for [(L4)2Cu2(NO3)2]) was synthesized and verified by 1H NMR, IR, and ESI‐Mass. The structural forms of the copper complexes were determined by X‐ray crystallography. The dinuclear copper complexes C1–C4 showed efficient ring‐opening properties of epoxides with methanol under mild conditions. In particular, the copper complex C1 having electron‐donating group in the ligand showed the most efficient reactivity in the ring opening of epoxides. The sole attack at the benzylic carbon of styrene oxide and the less steric preference in 1,2‐epoxyhexane demonstrated that the regiochemistry of the ring opening catalyzed by dinuclear copper complexes might be dependent on the electronic feature of epoxide.
Gamma‐Irradiation‐Assisted Synthesis and Characterization of Xanthan Gum/Agar/Gelatin/ZnO Nanocomposite Hydrogels and their Antimicrobial Activity
Authors: Mohamed Mai M. , Sayed Asmaa , Mahmoud Ghada A.
Published: April 2023

Nanocomposite biohydrogels comprised of Xanthan gum, Agar, and Gelatin including different weight ratios of Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO−NPs) have been prepared via gamma irradiation technique in presence of methylene bis acrylamide (MBAm) as a crosslinking agent to be employed as antibacterial environmentally benign formulations. The prepared hydrogels were characterized by several techniques: Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy for confirming the chemical structure, X‐ray diffraction for crystallographic features and thermal gravimetric analysis for thermal properties. The AFM and SEM were used for investigating the surface features and morphology of the biohydrogels. The results showed that both Gamma irradiation and incorporation of ZnO−NPs improve the gel (wt %) of the prepared biohydrogel nanocomposite from 42.8±1.5 wt% for the unirradiated composite to 81.2±0.9 wt% after exposed to 20 kGy and reaches to 92±0.68 wt% in addition of 0.5×10−2 g of ZnO−NPs. Also, the effect of ZnO−NPs on the antimicrobial activity of the biohydrogel was verified. It was found that the prepared nanocomposite biohydrogels possess good thermal stability and remarkable antimicrobial activity towards different pathogens, thus they can be used in possible biological applications.
Sub‐Picosecond Carrier Dynamics Explored using Automated High‐Throughput Studies of Doping Inhomogeneity within a Bayesian Framework
Authors: Al‐Abri Ruqaiya , Al Amairi Nawal , Church Stephen , Byrne Conor , Sivakumar Sudhakar , Walton Alex , Magnusson Martin H. , Parkinson Patrick
Published: April 2023

Bottom–up production of semiconductor nanomaterials is often accompanied by inhomogeneity resulting in a spread in electronic properties which may be influenced by the nanoparticle geometry, crystal quality, stoichiometry, or doping. Using photoluminescence spectroscopy of a population of more than 11 000 individual zinc‐doped gallium arsenide nanowires, inhomogeneity is revealed in, and correlation between doping and nanowire diameter by use of a Bayesian statistical approach. Recombination of hot‐carriers is shown to be responsible for the photoluminescence lineshape; by exploiting lifetime variation across the population, hot‐carrier dynamics is revealed at the sub‐picosecond timescale showing interband electronic dynamics. High‐throughput spectroscopy together with a Bayesian approach are shown to provide unique insight in an inhomogeneous nanomaterial population, and can reveal electronic dynamics otherwise requiring complex pump‐probe experiments in highly non‐equilibrium conditions.
Regulation of Electrocatalytic Behavior by Axial Oxygen Enhances the Catalytic Activity of CoN4 Sites for CO2 Reduction
Authors: Wang Zhaodi , Han Ye , Li Bo , Peng Peng , Zang Shuang‐Quan
Published: April 2023

Recent studies have found that the existence of oxygen around the active sites may be essential for efficient electrochemical CO2‐to‐CO conversion. Hence, this work proposes the modulation of oxygen coordination and investigates the as‐induced catalytic behavior in CO2RR. It designs and synthesizes conjugated phthalocyanine frameworks catalysts (CPF‐Co) with abundant CoN4 centers as an active source, and subsequently modifies the electronic structure of CPF‐Co by introducing graphene oxide (GO) with oxygen‐rich functional groups. A systematic study reveals that the axial coordination between oxygen and the catalytic sites could form an optimized O‐CoN4 structure to break the electron distribution symmetry of Co, thus reducing the energy barrier to the activation of CO2 to COOH*. Meanwhile, by adjusting the content of oxygen, the proper supports can also facilitate the charge transfer efficiency between the matrix layer and the catalytic sites. The optimized CPF‐Co@LGO exhibits a high TOF value (2.81 s−1), CO selectivity (97.6%) as well as stability (24 h) at 21 mA cm−2 current density. This work reveals the modulation of oxygen during CO2RR and provides a novel strategy for the design of efficient electrocatalysts, which may inspire new exploration and principles for CO2RR.
The feasibility of climate action: Bridging the inside and the outside view through feasibility spaces
Authors: Jewell Jessica , Cherp Aleh
Published: April 2023

The feasibility of different options to reduce the risks of climate change has engaged scholars for decades. Yet there is no agreement on how to define and assess feasibility. We define feasible as “do‐able under realistic assumptions.” A sound feasibility assessment is based on causal reasoning; enables comparison of feasibility across climate options, contexts, and implementation levels; and reflexively considers the agency of its audience. Global climate scenarios are a good starting point for assessing the feasibility of climate options since they represent causal pathways, quantify implementation levels, and consider policy choices. Yet, scenario developers face difficulties to represent all relevant causalities, assess the realism of assumptions, assign likelihood to potential outcomes, and evaluate the agency of their users, which calls for external feasibility assessments. Existing approaches to feasibility assessment mirror the “inside” and the “outside” view coined by Kahneman and co‐authors. The inside view considers climate change as a unique challenge and seeks to identify barriers that should be overcome by political choice, commitment, and skill. The outside view assesses feasibility through examining historical analogies (reference cases) to the given climate option. Recent studies seek to bridge the inside and the outside views through “feasibility spaces,” by identifying reference cases for a climate option, measuring their outcomes and relevant characteristics, and mapping them together with the expected outcomes and characteristics of the climate option. Feasibility spaces are a promising method to prioritize climate options, realistically assess the achievability of climate goals, and construct scenarios with empirically‐grounded assumptions.

This article is categorized under:

Climate, History, Society, Culture > Disciplinary Perspectives

Assessing Impacts of Climate Change > Representing Uncertainty

The Carbon Economy and Climate Mitigation > Decarbonizing Energy and/or Reducing Demand
Influence of the storage procedure on the trace element content measured in the aquatic moss Fontinalis antipyretica Hedw
Authors: Villares Rubén , Vázquez María Dolores , Real Carlos
Published: April 2023

Aquatic bryophytes have been used as pollution biomonitors for decades. Despite this, sample collection and preparation methods have not been standardized, which makes it difficult to compare the results of different studies. Most times, the samples have to be stored before processing, for example, when many of them are collected in a short time, as occurs in extensive pollution studies. Storage must be done in a way that does not change the pollutant concentrations in the samples. We studied whether the concentrations of Al, As, Ba, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn in the aquatic moss Fontinalis antipyretica were affected by three storage procedures: dry at room temperature, fresh (in refrigerator at 6°C), and frozen at −20°C. In addition, we evaluated whether the subsequent washing of the samples affected the concentrations of these elements differently depending on the storage method. Our results showed that the three methods were, in general, adequate since the concentrations did not change, and we did not observe differences between washed and unwashed samples either. Since the simplest method is refrigeration, we concluded that this is the best of them. However, the concentrations of Hg increased steadily over time in the fresh material, probably because of redistribution after volatilization from the basal parts of the mosses. We believe that the respiration of the plants lowered the concentrations of oxygen inside the hermetically sealed bags containing the samples, thus promoting the reduction of the Hg and its posterior volatilization and redistribution. We did not observe interactions between the storage method and the posterior washing of the samples.

Practitioner Points

We studied the influence of storage procedure on element content in aquatic mosses.

The procedures were as follows: dried at room temperature, stored in refrigerator, and frozen.

The procedures did not change the element contents, except for Hg in refrigerator.

All the procedures seemed suitable, but refrigeration was the simplest one.
Breeding season behaviors of captive tawny frogmouth (Podargus strigoides) pairs
Authors: Hoekzema Han , Baskir Eli , Kozlowski Corinne , Elden Marija , Powell David M.
Published: April 2023

While courtship and breeding in birds is a topic of much study, behaviors of nocturnal species are difficult to observe. This study provides an ethogram and comparative analysis of relevant breeding and nonbreeding behaviors of three captive tawny frogmouth (Podargus strigoides) pairs at the Saint Louis Zoo. Infrared cameras were used to record nighttime activity, and 30 h of footage per pair were analyzed. Notable behaviors included a significant increase in nest‐building activity in a pair 9–13 days before egg‐laying, and a difference in the use of copulation signals between the two breeding females, with one accepting copulation attempts more readily than the other. Bill gaping behavior was determined to not be directly related to courtship. These results provide a preliminary description of tawny frogmouth behaviors during the breeding season and provide a basis on which further studies of both captive and wild tawny frogmouths can build.
The Admission of Foreign Workers to Italy: Closing the “Gap” with Northern Europe
Authors: Devitt Camilla
Published: April 2023

A common perspective in migration studies is that of a North-South divide in European labour migration governance, with Southern European countries exhibiting a distinct – and generally less efficient – approach to the admission of migrants. Southern European states are known for their use of quotas, regularisations and the lack of emphasis on attracting highly skilled labour immigrants from outside of the European Union (EU). This chapter explores Italian labour immigration policy to assess whether its admission policy and practice has traditionally diverged from the Northern European approach and, if this has been the case, whether it has remained dissimilar since the disruption of the international financial crisis of 2008. I find similarities and differences between the Italian regime and labour immigration regimes in Northern Europe between the late 1990s and 2008. While the regulatory instruments (apart from general numerical limits on labour immigration) were like those used in Northern Europe, the Italian system was more open to permanent low and medium skilled labour immigration from outside the EU and had a more significant gap between itsfaçade(laws) and practice than its neighbours in the North. The similarities with Northern European regimes have increased since 2008, as the system has become more selective, emphasising seasonal and occupational/sectoral permits, along with a stronger reliance on free movement and non-economic forms of immigration.
The Greek Asylum Regime: From Latecomer on Reception to Inspirational Model on Asylum Procedures
Authors: Dimitriadi Angeliki
Published: April 2023

From asylum processing to reception, Greece since 2015 has undergone a gradual transformation that re-enforces its role as the external border of the European Union. The European refugee “crisis” of 2015, the closure of the Western Balkan route and particularly the EU-Turkey Statement of 2016, triggered a series of emergency measures that resulted in a new asylum regime. On the one hand, the “crisis” resulted in a newly formed reception system, with non-state actors taking an unprecedented role in offering reception services. Here, Greece maintains the role of the “student”, seeking to offer similar reception as most of its European partners. On the other hand, a differentiated asylum system emerged between land and sea borders, making Greece the only country with two parallel asylum processes. The chapter explores the different elements of the asylum regime in the country in the period 2015–2019, and argues that some of the practices on the maritime border, from the hotspots to the fast track border procedure, have found their way to the New Pact on Migration and Asylum of 2020, suggesting that in this case Greece functions as an inspirational model for Europe.
τ±νγγ and

to probe the fermiophobic Higgs boson with high cutoff scales
Authors: Kim Jinheung , Lee Soojin , Sanyal Prasenjit , Song Jeonghyeon , Wang Daohan
Published: April 2023

Abstract

The light fermiophobic Higgs boson hf in the type-I two-Higgs-doublet model can evade the current search programs at the LHC since its production through the quark-antiquark annihilation and gluon fusion is not feasible. The particle can be more elusive if the model retains stability up to the Planck scale because the efficient discovery channels are missing from the existing search chart. Through the comprehensive scanning, we show that all the viable parameter points with the Planck cutoff scale require $$ {m}_{h_f}\in $$

m

h
f

∈
[80, 120] GeV and $$ {M}_{A/{H}^{\pm }}\in $$

M

A
/

H
±

∈
[90, 150] GeV. Since hfhf→ γγW+W− and H±→ τ±ν/hfW± are dominant in this case, two final states are more efficient to probe hf than the conventional search mode of 4γ + W±/Z. One is τ±νγγ from pp → H±(→ τ±ν)hf(→ γγ) and the other is "Image missing" (ℓ± = e±, μ±) from pp → H±(→ hfW±)hf→ γγW+W−W±, pp → H±(→ hfW±)A(→ hfZ) → γγW+W−W±Z, and pp → H+(→ hfW+)H−(→ hfW−) → γγW+W−W+W−. The inclusive "Image missing" consists of a same-sign dilepton, two prompt photons, and missing transverse energy. We perform the signal-background analysis at the detector level. With the total integrated luminosity of 300 fb−1 and the 5% background uncertainty, two proposed channels at the 14 TeV LHC yield signal significances above five in the entire viable parameter space of the fermiophobic type-I with a high cutoff scale.
Optimal Hardy Inequality for Fractional Laplacians on the Integers
Authors: Keller Matthias , Nietschmann Marius
Published: April 2023

We study the fractional Hardy inequality on the integers. We prove the optimality of the Hardy weight and hence affirmatively answer the question of sharpness of the constant.
Fixed-bearing is superior to mobile-bearing in lateral unicompartmental knee replacement: a retrospective matched-pairs analysis
Authors: Hariri Mustafa , Zahn Niklas , Mick Paul , Jaber Ayham , Reiner Tobias , Renkawitz Tobias , Innmann Moritz , Walker Tilman
Published: April 2023

Purpose

Due to low incidence of isolated lateral osteoarthritis (OA), there are limited data on whether a fixed-bearing (FB) or a mobile-bearing (MB) design is superior for lateral unicompartmental knee replacement (UKR). The aim of this matched-pairs analysis was to compare both designs in terms of implant survival and clinical outcome.

Methods

Patients who received MB-UKR (Group A) and FB-UKR (Group B) at a single centre were matched according to gender, age at time of surgery and body mass index (BMI). Survivorship analysis was performed with the endpoint set as “revision for any reason”. Clinical outcome was assessed using the Oxford knee score (OKS), visual analogue scale for pain (VAS), patients’ satisfaction, University of California Los Angeles activity scale (UCLA) and the Tegner activity score (TAS).

Results

A total of 60 matched pairs were included with a mean follow-up (FU) of 3.4 ± 1.3 (range 1.2–5.0) years in Group A and 2.7 ± 1.2 (range 1.0–5.0) years in Group B. Survivorship between both groups differed significantly (Group A: 78.7%; Group B: 98.3%, p = 0.003) with bearing dislocation being the most common reason for revision in Group A (46.2%). The relative and absolute risk reduction were 92.2% and 20%, respectively, with 5 being the number needed to treat. There were no differences in OKS (Group A: 41.6 ± 6.5; Group B: 40.4 ± 7.7), VAS (Group A: 2.9 ± 3.2; Group B: 1.6 ± 2.2), UCLA (Group A: 5.7 ± 1.3; Group B: 5.9 ± 1.8) and TAS (Group A: 3.0 ± 1.0; Group B: 3.1 ± 1.2) between both groups on follow-up.

Conclusion

Despite modern prosthesis design and surgical technique, implant survival of lateral MB-UKR is lower than that of FB-UKR on the short- to mid-term due to bearing dislocation as the most common cause of failure. Since clinical results are equivalent in both groups, FB-UKR should be preferred in treatment of isolated lateral OA.

Level of evidence

Retrospective case–control study, Level III.
Influential news and policy-making
Authors: Vaccari Federico
Published: April 2023

This paper analyzes the implications of interventions that affect the costs of misreporting. I study a model of communication between an uninformed voter and a media outlet that knows the quality of two competing candidates. The alternatives available to the voter are endogenously championed by the two candidates. I show that higher costs may lead to more misreporting and persuasion, whereas low costs result in full revelation. The voter may be better off when less informed because of higher costs. When the media receives policy-independent gains, interventions that increase misreporting costs never directly harm the voter. However, lenient interventions that increase these costs by small amounts can be wasteful of public resources. Regulation produced by politicians leads to suboptimal interventions.
Performance enhancement of PV system using VSG with ANFIS controller
Authors: Osheba Dina S. M. , Osheba S. M. , Nazih Abdallah , Mansour Arafa S.
Published: April 2023

With the enormous stress of energy lack and air pollution, renewable energy sources such as photovoltaic sources become an effective solution to solve these problems. The penetration of inertia-less photovoltaic sources into power system has adverse effects on the overall system inertia which threatens system stability. As a solution for this problem, virtual inertia technique can be used as a system controller in order to enhance the system performance and maintain its stability. In this paper, an adaptive virtual synchronous generator (VSG) controller based on the oscillation motion of the synchronous machine is introduced. Then, a proposed VSG with adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) is presented as an inverter controller. The system response is investigated and compared with other control methods under different operating scenarios. To verify the effectiveness of the proposed adaptive VSG, an experimental setup is presented with real-time implementation for the system using dSPACE DS1104 interfacing with MATLAB software, and the system response is investigated under different operating scenarios. Upon the presented results, there is an enhancement in the system response when the proposed adaptive VSG with ANFIS controller is used, and this emphasizes the superiority of using such controller in PV systems over other techniques.