bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Modular Synthesis of ortho‐Thiolated Aryl Esters Enabled with Thiocarbonate through Catellani Strategy
Authors: Du Guopeng , Zhu Pingliang , Wang Jing , Li Xinjin , Zhang Dao‐Peng , Wang Chuan‐Zeng , Sun Feng‐Gang
Published: January 2023

Herein, we report a palladium/norbornene/copper co‐catalyzed single‐step approach that merges selective ortho C−H bond esterification with ipso thiolation for construction of synthetically versatile 2‐arylthio aryl esters under exceptionally mild conditions. Importantly, this process proceeded in a highly efficient manner, allowing alkoxycarbonyl and thio groups to be installed into one aryl iodides simultaneously by harnessing thiocarbonate as bifunctional reagent. The method has been demonstrated to accommodate good functionalities and features broad substrate scope.
Self‐Catalyzed Hydroxyl‐Yne Click Reaction: A Powerful Tool toward Red‐Emitting Nontraditional Small Organic Luminogens
Authors: Jiang Qimin , Zhang Hongyan , Shi Lingyue , Guan Shuyi , Huang Wenyan , Xue Xiaoqiang , Yang Hongjun , Jiang Li , Jiang Bibiao
Published: January 2023

Nontraditional small organic luminogens (NTSOLs) without classic conjugated chromophores have attracted significant attention. However, the design and synthesis of NTSOLs with fluorescence in the red region remain significantly challenging. In this study, we established a self‐catalyzed hydroxyl‐yne click reaction for preparing long‐wavelength and red‐emitting NTSOLs. Owing to their perfect reaction selectivity, high efficiency, and excellent universality, a series of compounds with well‐defined structures were obtained in high yields. Moreover, the obtained compounds showed concentration‐enhanced and excitation‐dependent emission characteristics. The compounds also exhibited dramatical chemical structure‐dependent and aggregation‐induced red‐shifted fluorescence properties, based on which we successfully obtained red‐emitting NTSOLs by simply adjusting chemical structure and concentration. Also, the compounds show good cell staining ability, which can be used in cell imaging.
Static droplet array for the synthesis of nonspherical microparticles
Authors: Yang Hang , Jiang Lin , Guo Kefan , Xiang Nan
Published: January 2023

We reported a manually operated static droplet array (SDA)‐based device for the synthesis of nonspherical microparticles with different shapes. The improved SDA structure and reversible bonding between poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) were used in the device for the large‐scale synthesis and rapid extraction of nonspherical microparticles. To understand the device physics, the effects of flow rate, SDA well size, and shape on droplet generation performances were explored. The results indicated that droplet generation in SDA structures was insensitive to the flow rate, and monodisperse droplets were generated by the SDA‐based device through manually pushing the syringe. Finally, we integrated four kinds of SDA structures in one device and successfully realized the synthesis and extraction of nonspherical microparticles with different shapes and materials. Our SDA‐based device offers numerous advantages, such as simple manual operation, low equipment cost, controllable microparticle shapes and sizes, and large‐scale production. Thus, it holds the potential to be used as a flexible tool for the production of nonspherical microparticles.
Structural Design, Matching, and Analysis of Air Supply Devices for Multi‐Stack Fuel Cell Systems
Authors: Xie Zhengchun , Zhou Su , Gao Jianhua , Zhang Gang , Shen Wei
Published: January 2023

The multi‐stack fuel cell system (MFCS) can be widely used in large E‐power generation scenarios because of its higher output power, efficiency and reliability, and air supply for integration in MFCS. To study the issue of air supply distribution for different stacks, two MFCS air supply systems with different structures are designed. For the air supply system, the pressurized air supply device is the core component, and its performance directly affects the efficiency, structural complexity, cost, and other indicators of the MFCS. According to the characteristics of different types of compressors, air compressors are selected for matching with air supply devices for MFCSs with different topologies. Furthermore, based on the established mathematical models, the pressurized air supply devices suitable for MFCSs are optimized matching from the perspectives of working condition adaptability, electrical power consumption, and maximum electrical power. It is shown in the results that the most energy‐saving scheme is the parallel air supply device for the MFCS matching screw‐type air compressor. Considering the complexity of the system structure and the cost, the best scheme is to match the integrated air supply device for the MFCS with piston‐type air compressors.
An accurate attack detection framework based on exponential polynomial kernel‐centered deep neural networks in the wireless sensor network
Authors: Raveendranadh Bokka , Tamilselvan Sadasivam
Published: January 2023

A novel type of wireless network that is rising in popularity with a wide assortment of civilian along with military applications is called WSN. Owing to several factors like nodes with resources that are constrained and packages that are resistant to tamper, WSNs are tremendously vulnerable to internal attacks and mainly external attacks also. Attacks on such critical schemes comprise penetrations into their network along with the installation of malicious tools or programs, which can reveal sensitive data or alter the specific physical equipment's behavior. For their action, the wireless networks are utilized by the threats like spoofing, injection, denial of services, and numerous attacks. Thus, for protecting devices from intruder attacks, security solutions are necessary. An intrusion detection system (IDS), which is wielded for detecting attacks against a system or a network by evaluating their activities along with events, is a tool. In this article, an efficient attack detection technique grounded on exponential polynomial kernel‐centered deep neural networks (EPK‐DNN) is proposed since intrusion detection is crucial in securing the data. Intrusion detection in WSN is extremely intricate for tasks like fault diagnosis, and real‐time monitoring applications, owing to the WSN's dynamicity. To find diverse attacks along with to safeguard WSNs from security risks, numerous detection methodologies are created, because intrusion detection is decisive for protecting the data in WSNs. However, owing to the restricted resources and energy of WSN nodes, widespread computation and so forth, they are inefficient. In this article, an efficient attack detection methodology centered on EPK‐DNN is proposed to lessen these problems. The attack detection system's training is the foremost step in the EPK‐DNN technique. In step one, the input data are preprocessed; and then, in the training process, the preprocessed data are exploited for attribute extraction. In step two, by utilizing the linear scaling based BAT optimization (LS‐BAT), the major attributes are chosen. Then, to detect attacks in WSN, the chosen features are trained by the EPK‐DNN. In step three, by utilizing the Damerau‐Levenshtein‐based K‐means algorithm (DL‐K‐Means), the WSN network is initialized along with the sensor nodes are clustered. To amass the sensor data, the cluster heads are selected by utilizing the swap, displacement, and reversion‐centered rock hyraxes swarm optimization algorithm. After that, for testing, the sensor data are inputted into the trained ADS. The outcomes exhibited that the greatest accuracy rate of 97.21% was attained by the EPK‐DNN technique for the real‐time BC dataset and 96.86% for the real‐time MC dataset. When analogized to the customary deep learning (DL) methodologies, the investigational findings reveal that the EPK‐DNN technique accomplishes desirable detection accuracy.
Application of CRISPR/Cas9 technology in forages
Authors: Bao Qinyan , Wolabu Tezera W. , Zhang Qian , Zhang Tian , Liu Zhipeng , Sun Juan , Wang Zeng‐Yu
Published: January 2023

Genome editing is an advanced genetic modification tool that facilitates the removal, insertion, or substitution of nucleotides in the genome of an organism for mutation induction. CRISPR/Cas9 (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/CRISPR‐associated protein 9) is the most widely used genome editing tool that can precisely modify the specific sequence of a genome. Significant progress has been made in the use of CRISPR/Cas9 for the genetic improvement of food crops. However, in forage crops, the use of CRISPR/Cas9 is still in the infant stage with limited understanding and application. This article reviews current advances in the establishment and application of the CRISPR/Cas9 system in alfalfa, summarizes the application of CRISPR/Cas9 in several other forage legume and grass species, and discusses the prospects of CRISPR/Cas9 in the genetic improvement of forage crops.
Predicting the risk of 7‐day readmission in late preterm infants in California: A population‐based cohort study
Authors: Amsalu Ribka , Oltman Scott P. , Medvedev Melissa M. , Baer Rebecca J. , Rogers Elizabeth E. , Shiboski Stephen C. , Jelliffe‐Pawlowski Laura
Published: January 2023

Background and aims

The American Academy of Pediatrics describes late preterm infants, born at 34 to 36 completed weeks' gestation, as at‐risk for rehospitalization and severe morbidity as compared to term infants. While there are prediction models that focus on specific morbidities, there is limited research on risk prediction for early readmission in late preterm infants. The aim of this study is to derive and validate a model to predict 7‐day readmission.

Methods

This is a population‐based retrospective cohort study of liveborn infants in California between January 2007 to December 2011. Birth certificates, maintained by California Vital Statistics, were linked to a hospital discharge, emergency department, and ambulatory surgery records maintained by the California Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development. Random forest and logistic regression were used to identify maternal and infant variables of importance, test for association, and develop and validate a predictive model. The predictive model was evaluated for discrimination and calibration.

Results

We restricted the sample to healthy late preterm infants (n = 122,014), of which 4.1% were readmitted to hospital within 7‐day after birth discharge. The random forest model with 24 variables had better predictive ability than the 8 variable logistic model with c‐statistic of 0.644 (95% confidence interval 0.629, 0.659) in the validation data set and Brier score of 0.0408. The eight predictors of importance length of stay, delivery method, parity, gestational age, birthweight, race/ethnicity, phototherapy at birth hospitalization, and pre‐existing or gestational diabetes were used to drive individual risk scores. The risk stratification had the ability to identify an estimated 19% of infants at greatest risk of readmission.

Conclusions

Our 7‐day readmission predictive model had moderate performance in differentiating at risk late preterm infants. Future studies might benefit from inclusion of more variables and focus on hospital practices that minimize risk.
Acidic oxygen evolution reaction: Mechanism, catalyst classification, and enhancement strategies
Authors: Ma Qianli , Mu Shichun
Published: January 2023

As the most desirable hydrogen production device, the highly efficient acidic proton exchange membrane water electrolyzers (PEMWE) are severely limited by the sluggish kinetics of oxygen evolution reaction (OER) at the anode. Rutile IrO2 is a commercial acid‐stable OER catalyst with poor activity and high cost, which has motivated the development of alternatives. However, hitherto most of the designed acidic OER catalysts have disadvantages of low activity or stability, which cannot meet the requirement of industrial applications. Thus, exploring suitable strategies to enhance the activity and stability of cost‐effective acidic OER catalysts is crucial for developing the PEMWE technique. In this review, the main OER mechanisms, different types of catalysts, and their activity and stability characteristics are summarized and discussed, and then possible strategies to improve activity and stability are proposed. Finally, the problems and prospects of such catalysts are generalized to shed some light on the future research of advanced catalysts for acidic OER.
Chest CT in COVID‐19 patients: A clinical need
Authors: Cao Brooke , Iredell Jonathan , Middleton Peter , Young Noel
Published: January 2023

Introduction

The COVID‐19 pandemic caused by the coronavirus SARS‐CoV‐2 has resulted in a global healthcare crisis. The provision of computed tomography (CT) imaging services by radiology departments for COVID‐19 patients poses multiple challenges. Consequently, it is important to explore the clinical need and indications for thoracic CT and whether they subsequently alter patient management.

Methods

We report our experience in this single‐centre retrospective cohort study of all confirmed COVID‐19 cases admitted during the peak of the ‘Delta’ variant wave in Australia, and who underwent a chest CT. Clinical indication and patient management plan pre‐ and post‐CT were ascertained.

Results

A total of 92 out of 1403 patients who were admitted with COVID‐19 underwent a thoracic CT (73 CT pulmonary angiogram (CTPA), 14 CT Chest and five high‐resolution CT (HRCT) studies). 72.8% of studies were to evaluate for pulmonary emboli, 16.2% for assessment of COVID‐19 pneumonia complications, 5.4% for tuberculosis and 6.5% for other indications. 21 (23%) of these studies resulted in a change in management with two patients having a major change in management (thrombolysis, CT‐guided aspiration). Management was altered due to diagnosis of pulmonary embolism (PE), pneumonia, cryptogenic organising pneumonia and other reasons. Of 73 CTPA studies, 11 (15%) patients had evidence of PE.

Conclusion

In our centre, thoracic CT in COVID‐19 patients were predominantly for the evaluation of PE with other indications being for COVID‐19 complications and other cardiopulmonary pathologies. 23% of studies subsequently altered patient management, suggesting there is good clinical need for CT chests for these indications.
Predictors of severity in severe respiratory infection in children with COVID‐19 respiratory infection in a developing country
Authors: Beltran Daniel Mauricio , Villamil Osorio Milena , Fonseca Sara Liliana Goyeneche , Restrepo‐Gualteros Sonia M. , Garcia María José Rosero , Rodriguez‐Martinez Carlos E.
Published: January 2023

On March 11, 2020, the WHO declared the COVID‐19 pandemic. This name was given to the disease caused by the SARS‐CoV 2 virus at its outbreak in December 2019 in Wuhan, Hubei, China. In Colombia, a significant number of cases have been confirmed. The aim of this study was to evaluate children with respiratory symptoms caused by SARS‐CoV2 infection, identifying independent predictors of risk of having a severe illness, thus leading to an early approach and intervention in our patients, especially in children with comorbidities. An analytical cross‐sectional study was conducted between April 1, 2020 and March 31, 2021 at a fourth‐level referral institution in Bogotá on patients under 18 years of age with respiratory symptoms and a COVID‐19 diagnosis confirmed in the laboratory. An explanatory binary logistic regression model was performed with an outcome variable of admission to the intensive care unit. A total of 385 children were included in the study, with ages between 9 months and 17 years of age; 50.1% were male, and the ICR was 9.75 years. 41.6% had some comorbidity, 13.5% were admitted to the pediatric ICU, and 3.6% of the total number of patients died. The predictor variables were: use of antibiotics in the first 24 h, neurological comorbidity, and consolidation shown in the chest X‐ray. This explains 38.7% of the variability of the variable. In this cohort of patients with COVID‐19‐associated respiratory symptoms, we identified predictors of severity, so we consider that these patients require a risk approach that allows timely and adequate care.
Managing organizational change in responding to global crises
Authors: Islam M. Nazmul
Published: January 2023

To cope with global crises, organizations go through various internal changes and adopt different survival strategies. Several researchers and practitioners have highlighted that employees are the key factors in implementing such changes. However, organizations often face difficulties in managing manpower effectively due to the complexities and ambiguities related to the said changes. To address this challenge, the present study proposes a comprehensive model to manage organizational change to effectively respond to global crises. This study highlights that “employee change‐championing behavior” (ECB) – also known as effective change‐supportive behavior of employees – is the key to successfully implementing the necessary organizational changes to tackle global crises. Utilizing the 3‐Stage Lewin's Model of Change as the foundation for analysis, this study proposes for “transformational leadership style” to substitute the “unfreezing stage,” “trust in leadership and work engagement” to substitute the “moving stage,” and “employee change championing behavior” to substitute the “refreezing stage.” Additionally, this study found that transformational leadership (TL) influences employee change‐championing behavior, while employee trust in leadership (ETL) influences employee work engagement (EWE). Moreover, trust in leadership and work engagement individually and sequentially mediate the relationship between TL and employee change‐championing behavior. This study offers a unique perspective for business leaders on how to manage organizational changes during global crises.
High‐pressure‐induced multiple phase transitions of parabanic acid
Authors: Duan Ruijie , Li Xiaoming , Dai Yuxiang , Liu Yongli , Qi Yang , Liu Wengang , He Ben‐Guo
Published: January 2023

In situ high‐pressure Raman spectroscopy experiments have been performed to investigate the structural changes of parabanic acid (PA) up to ~12.0 GPa. The analysis of Raman spectroscopy reveals that PA undergoes two phase transitions. The collapse of spacing between molecular layers and the distortion of hydrogen‐bonding networks almost in ac‐plane are the main causes of the first phase transition above 2.1 GPa. The changes of Fermi resonance parameters also provide evidence for the first phase transitions. The second phase transition around 4.0 GPa can attribute to the further reduction of the molecular interlayer spacing and the resulting distortion of hydrogen‐bonding network. First‐principle calculations and Hirshfeld surfaces further confirm the analysis of the experimental results. The analysis of high‐pressure phase transition contributes a better explanation for the high‐pressure phase transition process of layered supramolecular materials with hydrogen‐bond self‐assembly. This study provides the possibility of two new polymorphs for PA under high pressure and is helpful for broadening its potential application of this material, especially in the field of supramolecular chemistry.
Involvement of ERCC1 (rs3212986) and ERCC2 (rs1799793, rs13181) polymorphisms of DNA repair genes in breast cancer occurrence in Burkina Faso
Authors: Adico Marc Donald Wilfried , Zouré Abdou Azaque , Sombié Herman Karim , Kiendrebeogo Touwendpoulimdé Isabelle , Dabré Soayebo , Amegnona Lanyo Jospin , Bakyono Bélélé Siméon , Traoré Lassina , Ouedraogo Teega‐Wendé Clarisse , Ouedraogo Rogomenoma Alice , Zohoncon Théodora M. , Yonli Albert Théophane , Bayala Bagora , Bambara Hierrhum Aboubacar , Djigma Florencia W. , Simpore Jacques
Published: January 2023

Background

Genetic alterations can result in DNA repair defects, increasing susceptibility to breast cancer. The aim of this study was to evaluate the involvement of two DNA repair genes, ERCC1 (rs3212986, GenBank NC_000073.9) and ERCC2 (rs1799793, rs13181, GenBank: NC_000019.10) in the occurrence of breast cancer in Burkina Faso.

Methods

This case–control study enrolled 128 participants including 64 patients and 64 healthy controls. Genotyping of polymorphisms were performed by real‐time PCR and PCR‐RFLP.

Results

The heterozygous AC genotype of the ERCC2rs13181 polymorphism was associated with the occurrence of breast cancer when the mutant allele is inherited under the dominant pattern (CC/AC vs AA; OR = 2.74, 95% IC (1.09–6.87); p = .028), but this association became insignificant after the Bonferroni correction (p = .156). No association was observed between ERCC1rs3212986 and ERCC2rs1799793 polymorphisms and breast cancer risk.

Conclusion

This study showed that the heterozygous genotype (CA) of the ERCC2rs13181 polymorphism may be associated with a risk of breast cancer.
Tritium NMR: A compilation of data and a practical guide
Authors: Krivdin Leonid B.
Published: January 2023

The present review is focused on experimental methods and structural applications of tritium NMR. It consists of five parts covering accordingly, introduction, brief overview, early (based on the papers appearing before 2000), more recent (based on the papers appeared in the interim of 2000 to 2015), and recent (based on the papers that appeared after 2015) reports. A special interest in this review is focused on practical aspects of tritium NMR spectroscopy, which is thoroughly illustrated by its numerous applications in chemistry and biochemistry.
Retrogressive failure pattern and retrogression distance in sensitive clays induced by river erosion
Authors: Zhang Longfei , Wang Yang , Liu Jizhixian , Liao Kang , Zhang Chenyang
Published: January 2023

The failure patterns and retrogression distances in sensitive clays induced by river erosion are two significant factors of concern in landslide risk assessment. For the former, empirical criteria, based on past events and numerical results, can hardly produce a unified guideline and explain their complex mechanism. For the latter, the capacity of the river cross section is rarely considered in existing studies, even though the failed soil would deposit on the riverbed and further affect upslope failure extension. The present study proposes an analytical method to quantitatively assess the failure patterns and retrogression distance by combining the shear band propagation method (SBP) with limit analysis on active block failure. A closed‐form active earth pressure (CAEP) and the shape function of the failure surface are proposed with the variational calculus method (VCM), providing a tool to understand the transformation mechanism of the failure patterns. The criteria for initiation failure positions and stages are formulated following the competition results between the induced minimum slope‐parallel force by foot unloading and the proposed CAEP. Further, the terminal retrogression distance is given considering two possible river cross sections. The proposed CAEP solution is validated against Buss's solution and further applied to a parametric study on the failure patterns. Finally, three practical cases are analyzed with the proposed method, and the predictions are shown to agree well with the field observations.
Umbilical cord mesenchymal‐stem‐cell‐derived nanovesicles as a novel strategy to promote wound healing in diabetes
Authors: Ma Ying‐Yu , Zhao Xin , Chen Jin‐Yang , Chen Xiao‐Yi , Fan Wei‐Jiao , Sun Yi , Lin Zhi‐Wei , Fu Luo‐Qin , Zou Hai , Mou Xiao‐Zhou
Published: January 2023

Objective

Recent studies found that exosomes (Exo) derived from mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) (MSC‐Exo) accelerated diabetic wound healing. However, the low yield during exosome extraction is still a major barrier to their clinical utility.

Methods

We constructed a method to produce umbilical cord MSC‐derived nanovesicles (UCMSC‐NV) by serial extrusion through filters and investigated the effects of UCMSC‐NV on wound healing in vivo and in vitro, as well as the potential mechanisms.

Results

We found that the characteristics of UCMSC‐NV were similar to those of exsome (UCMSC‐Exo) but with much higher production yields. Further analysis showed that UCMSC‐NV promoted the migration of fibroblasts and angiogenesis in vitro, and both UCMSC‐NV and UCMSC‐Exo showed similar therapeutic capacities for wound healing in vivo. Sequencing analysis revealed that UCMSC‐NV and UCMSC‐Exo had similar miRNA compositions, and the target genes of the differentially expressed miRNAs in UCMSC‐NV were enriched in pathways of inflammation and damage‐repair‐related functions. Mass spectrometry analysis showed that UCMSC‐NV encapsulated functional proteins that may achieve therapeutic effect equally as good as UCMSC‐Exo.

Conclusions

UCMSC‐NV are more efficacious and can be obtained at a higher yield than UCMSC‐Exo and are a promising therapeutic strategy to improve wound healing in diabetes patients.
Preparation and properties of the aramid pulp/nitrile butadiene rubber composites with compatibilization of ionic liquids
Authors: Zhang Rui , Yuan Xinna , Sun Ruijun , Zhang Baihui , Geng Ziran , Li Zhuo , Liu Guizhi
Published: January 2023

To improve the uniformity and the mechanical/wear performances of the aramid pulp (AP)/nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) composites, two types of ionic liquids (ILs), that is, 1‐carboxymethyl‐3‐methylimidazolium chloride ([CmMIM]Cl) and 1‐allyl‐3‐vinylimidazolium chloride ([AVIM]Cl) were applied on the AP surface, respectively. The ILs partially disrupted the hydrogen‐bonds between the aramid chains to mitigate the fiber entanglement, and connected the AP to the rubber matrix by hydrogen‐bond interaction or the crosslinking reaction during the vulcanization. The test results showed that, the IL treatments effectively improved the tensile and tear strengths without obviously affecting the physical characteristics of the composites. The wear properties of the AP/NBR composites also improved due to the enhancements of the tear strength and the connection between the AP and NBR matrix. Compared to the [CmMIM]Cl, the [AVIM]Cl was more efficient to improve the properties attributed to its better compatibilization for the AP/NBR system. For example, the specific wear rate under 20‐N load of the composite with 15‐phr [AVIM]Cl‐AP was 1.1 × 10−7 mm3 N−1 mm−1, which was approximately 25% and 35% lower than that of the composites reinforced with 15‐phr [CmMIM]Cl‐AP and untreated AP, respectively.
Genotype × environment interaction of lowland bread wheat varieties for irrigation in different areas of Oromia
Authors: Bayissa Tilahun , Mengistu Girma , Gerema Geleta , Balcha Urgaya , Feyisa Hailu , Kedir Aliyi , Legese Zeleke , Asegid Desu , Leta Tesfaye , Jobe Tafa
Published: January 2023

Ethiopia is the leading wheat producer in Sub‐Saharan Africa, and the productivity has increased in the last few years. There is also a potential for irrigated wheat production in the lowlands, even though its cultivation is at infant stage. The experiment was conducted in the Oromia region at nine locations in 2021 with irrigation. The study aimed to select high yielding and stable bread wheat variety/ies for lowland areas. Twelve released bread wheat varieties were tested using randomized complete block design with two replications. Environment had the largest effect, 76.5% of total variability, while genotypes 5.0% and GE interaction 18.5% explained total sum of squares. The average grain yield of varieties across locations ranged from the lowest 1.40 t ha−1 at Girja to the highest 6.55 t ha−1 at Daro Labu, with a grand mean of 3.14 t ha−1. The result showed that varieties released for irrigated areas, Fentale 1, Ardi, and Fentale 2, were ranked the top three based on overall environment mean grain yield. The first and second principal component account 45.5% and 24.7% of the genotype by environment interaction (G × E), respectively, explained 70.2% of the total variation. Daro Lebu and Bedeno were the most productive environment, while Girja was the least productive of irrigated bread wheat for lowlands of the Oromia region. Genotype Selection Index (GSI) showed that varieties Fentale 2, Fentale 1, Pavon 76, and ETBW9578 are stable and high yielding. Based on AMMI and GGE biplot analysis, Girja indicated the most discriminating area and Sewena as representative environment for selecting wide adaptable irrigated lowland varieties. The results of the present study indicated that Fentale 2 and Fentale 1 showed better yield stability across all test environments, therefore, these bread wheat varieties are recommended for wide cultivation in irrigated areas of the Oromia region.
Safety of biologics in severe asthmatic patients with SARS‐CoV‐2 infection: A prospective study
Authors: Manti Sara , Giallongo Alessandro , Pecora Giulia , Parisi Giuseppe F. , Papale Maria , Mulè Enza , Aloisio Donatella , Rotolo Novella , Leonardi Salvatore
Published: January 2023

Background

Asthma guidelines have recommended continuing treatment with biologics during coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic. However, a continuation of treatment with biologics in patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) has been little investigated.

Objective

To assess the safety of biologics in patients with SARS‐CoV‐2 infection.

Methods

A pilot, monocentric, prospective study. Patients aged 6 years old and older with severe asthma on treatment with biologics and confirmed SARS‐CoV‐2 infection were enrolled. Patients were followed‐up with periodic calls at different time points up to 3 months to detect any adverse effect and its relationship with biologic treatment according to the Naranjo Adverse Probability Scale (NAPS). The severity of SARS‐CoV‐2 infection and clinical outcome were also assessed.

Results

Overall, we included 21 patients (10 on therapy with omalizumab, 9 with dupilumab, and 2 with mepolizumab). Only a patient‐reported two local adverse events. No other adverse event was reported. Twenty out of 21 patients had a mild COVID‐19 course, and no adverse outcome was observed.

Conclusion

We showed that the scheduled dose of the biologic therapy can be administered safely on time in patients with SARS‐CoV‐2 infection, as the treatment did not result in adverse events or outcomes.
Comprehensive profiling of chemical composition of Gleditsiae spina using ultra‐high‐performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization quadrupole time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry
Authors: Bai Jiqing , Jing Xiucun , Yang Yuangui , Wang Xiaoping , Feng Yulin , Ge Fei , Li Junmao , Yao Min
Published: January 2023

Rationale

Gleditsiae spina (GS) is an important herb used in traditional and folk medicinal systems of East Asian countries for its various medicinal properties. In China, it has been traditionally used through the centuries for its anticancer, detoxication, detumescence, apocenosis, and antiparasitic effects. Although some of its ingredients have been isolated and identified, most active constituents remain unknown. Past research mostly exploited nuclear magnetic resonance for the identification of compounds, which is suitable for monomers only. Moreover, the extraction and isolation procedures for obtaining purified molecules are time consuming. Therefore, establishing an efficient approach will assist in rapid discovery of the potential active ingredients of GS. The present study aimed to identify the chemical constituents in GS by a data analysis strategy using ultra‐high‐performance liquid chromatography combined with quadrupole time‐of‐flight tandem mass spectrometry.

Methods

First, the theoretical formula of the candidate compound was calculated using the accurate mass of the precursor/adduct ions. Second, the compounds were classified by the diagnostic ions from the MS/MS data. Third, characteristic ion filtering was used to identify the structures. Finally, the diverse skeletons and substitutions were further identified through the neutral loss in the GS.

Results

A total of 277 compounds were identified in GS, comprising 169 flavonoids, 70 lignans, and 38 other compounds. At least 43 potential new compounds were represented.

Conclusions

This experiment devised an efficient and systematic method for detecting complex compounds and provided a foundation for future research into bioactive ingredients and quality control of GS.
Removal of Reactive Blue 19 dye from synthetic wastewater using UV/H2O2 and UV/Cl advanced oxidation processes
Authors: Asadollahfardi Gholamreza , Hessami Aida , Gholizade Alireza , Rezaei Reza
Published: January 2023

The textile and dyeing industries are among the largest water‐consuming and polluting industries in the world. The most important feature of the textile dyeing industry wastewater is its color, due to the use of colored materials. Most of these dye compounds are resistant to conventional purification methods and their biodegradation is very low through secondary purification processes, resulting in incomplete removal. Therefore, selecting the optimal method to remove these color compounds is essential. In this study, we studied the removal of an organic dye contaminant (Reactive Blue dye 19 [RB19]) using advanced oxidation processes (AOPs). For this purpose, ultraviolet (UV) mercury lamps with a wavelength of 254 nm and a voltage of W16 inside a reactor were used as an energy source. The experiments were performed in a collimated beam reactor inside a dark chamber. Two oxidizers, sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), were used to remove RB19 from the artificial sewage stream. Removal of RB19 with a concentration of 20 mg/L with variable pH (5, 7, and 9), oxidant concentrations (5, 10, and 20 mg/L), and time (5, 10, 15, and 30 min) were investigated during the processes of photolysis, chemical oxidation (by H2O2 and NaOCl), and UV/NaOCl and UV/H2O2 AOPs. The photolysis process did not remove the RB19. The highest removal efficiencies of RB19 by chemical oxidation processes with NaOCl and H2O2, UV/NaOCl, and UV/H2O2 at optimal conditions (pH = 5, [oxidant] = 20 mg/L, RB19 = 20 mg/L, and radiation intensity of 1005 mJ/cm2) were 64.49%, 0.88%, 99.7%, and 13.31%, respectively. These results indicate that the hydroxyl radical was produced, under optimum conditions, more in the acidic medium; thus, the RB19 removal efficiency was higher in the acidic medium. The combination of UV rays with oxidants resulted in the production of more hydroxyl radicals and increased removal efficiency.
ℋ∞ filtering for discrete‐time hidden singular Markov jump systems subject to partially known probability information under DoS attacks
Authors: Wang Guanqi , Shen Hao , Li Feng , Wang Jing
Published: January 2023

This paper concentrates on the problem of asynchronous filtering for singular Markov jump systems under DoS attacks, in which the unknown probability information cases are considered. To better describe cyber security problem, DoS attacks are considered as encountered randomly and modeled by a set of stochastic variables obeying Bernoulli distribution. Besides, hidden Markov model with partially known probability information is proposed to handle the cases that the Markov state information of the system is restrictedly accessed, and the transition probability information and observation probability information can not be directly obtained. A set of criteria are derived to analyze the regularity, causality, and stochastic stability for the filtering error system with an performance index. Furthermore, an asynchronous filter design method is proposed to against DoS attacks. Finally, a numerical example and a practical example modeled by a DC motor are given to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Isotope Engineered Fluorinated Single and Bilayer Graphene: Insights into Fluorination Selectivity, Stability, and Defect Passivation
Authors: Thakur Mukesh Kumar , Haider Golam , Sonia Farjana J. , Plšek Jan , Rodriguez Alvaro , Mishra Vipin , Panda Jaganandha , Gedeon Ondrej , Mergl Martin , Volochanskyi Oleksandr , Valeš Václav , Frank Otakar , Vejpravova Jana , Kalbáč Martin
Published: January 2023

Tailoring the physicochemical properties of graphene through functionalization remains a major interest for next‐generation technological applications. However, defect formation due to functionalization greatly endangers the intrinsic properties of graphene, which remains a serious concern. Despite numerous attempts to address this issue, a comprehensive analysis has not been conducted. This work reports a two‐step fluorination process to stabilize the fluorinated graphene and obtain control over the fluorination‐induced defects in graphene layers. The structural, electronic and isotope‐mass‐sensitive spectroscopic characterization unveils several not‐yet‐resolved facts, such as fluorination sites and CF bond stability in partially‐fluorinated graphene (F‐SLG). The stability of fluorine has been correlated to fluorine co‐shared between two graphene layers in fluorinated‐bilayer‐graphene (F‐BLG). The desorption energy of co‐shared fluorine is an order of magnitude higher than the CF bond energy in F‐SLG due to the electrostatic interaction and the inhibition of defluorination in the F‐BLG. Additionally, F‐BLG exhibits enhanced light–matter interaction, which has been utilized to design a proof‐of‐concept field‐effect phototransistor that produces high photocurrent response at a time <200 µs. Thus, the study paves a new avenue for the in‐depth understanding and practical utilization of fluorinated graphenic carbon.
A Multilayered Mesoporous Gold Nanoarchitecture for Ultraeffective Near‐Infrared Light‐Controlled Chemo/Photothermal Therapy for Cancer Guided by SERS Imaging
Authors: Yin Bohan , Ho Willis Kwun Hei , Xia Xinyue , Chan Cecilia Ka Wing , Zhang Qin , Ng Yip Ming , Lam Ching Ying Katherine , Cheung James Chung Wai , Wang Jianfang , Yang Mo , Wong Siu Hong Dexter
Published: January 2023

Surface‐enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) imaging has emerged as a promising tool for guided cancer diagnosis and synergistic therapies, such as combined chemotherapy and photothermal therapy (chemo‐PTT). Yet, existing therapeutic agents often suffer from low SERS sensitivity, insufficient photothermal conversion, or/and limited drug loading capacity. Herein, a multifunctional theragnostic nanoplatform consisting of mesoporous silica‐coated gold nanostar with a cyclic Arg‐Gly‐Asp (RGD)‐coated gold nanocluster shell (named RGD–pAS@AuNC) is reported that exhibits multiple “hot spots” for pronouncedly enhanced SERS signals and improved near‐infrared (NIR)‐induced photothermal conversion efficiency (85.5%), with a large capacity for high doxorubicin (DOX) loading efficiency (34.1%, named RGD/DOX–pAS@AuNC) and effective NIR‐triggered DOX release. This nanoplatform shows excellent performance in xenograft tumor model of HeLa cell targeting, negligible cytotoxicity, and good stability both in vitro and in vivo. By SERS imaging, the optimal temporal distribution of injected RGD/DOX–pAS@AuNCs at the tumor site is identified for NIR‐triggered local chemo‐PTT toward the tumor, achieving ultraeffective therapy in tumor cells and tumor‐bearing mouse model with 5 min of NIR irradiation (0.5 W cm−2). This work offers a promising approach to employing SERS imaging for effective noninvasive tumor treatment by on‐site triggered chemo‐PTT.
Photo‐Assisted Electrochemical CO2 Reduction to CH4 Using a Co‐Porphyrin‐Based Metal–Organic Framework
Authors: Ifraemov Raya , Mukhopadhyay Subhabrata , Hod Idan
Published: January 2023

Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) are a promising platform for assembling large concentrations of molecular catalysts on surfaces to drive the electroreduction of CO2. Yet until now, these MOF‐based systems were shown to produce only 2‐electron/proton products, i.e., CO or formic acid. Herein, it is demonstrated that a cobalt 5,10,15,20‐tetra(4‐carboxyphenyl) porphyrin (CoTCPP)‐based MOF can produce significant quantities of an 8‐electron/proton CH4, via a photo‐assisted electrocatalytic approach. Specifically, detailed electrochemical and spectro‐electrochemical analyses show that the addition of light illumination during electrocatalysis promotes the stabilization of a catalyst‐bound CO intermediate, allowing its further reduction to the final product, CH4. Using the photo‐assisted electrocatalysis method, maximum CH4 Faradaic efficiency of 14% was obtained at a low potential of −0.49 V
NHE. Hence, the presented concept provides an additional step toward the design of more efficient MOF‐based electrocatalytic systems.
All‐Green Solvent and Additive Combination Enables Efficient Nonfullerene Organic Solar Cells via Sequential Deposition Strategy
Authors: Zhang Wenqiang , Zhang Guangquan , Song Hang , Kim Seoyoung , Chen Haiyan , Yang Changduk , Zhang Youdi , Yang Ke , Lu Shirong
Published: January 2023

The performance of organic solar cells mainly depends on the morphology of the active layer. Traditional solution‐processed active layers have poor performance due to the random distribution of donor and acceptor materials during solution processing. In addition, halogenated solvents and additives widely used in traditional fabrication processes will have a huge impact on human health and the environment. Herein, an all‐green solvent and additive combination strategy is proposed to assist the morphology control of the active layer with sequential deposition (SD) technique. Ultimately, with adopting benzyl viologen (BV) additive as well as ethyl alcohol treatment, PM6:Y6‐2BrO‐based devices yield a power conversion efficiency of 14.3%, higher than those of the control device (13.24%) and the device solely with BV additives (13.62%). The result demonstrates the feasibility of SD technique to finely control the morphology of active layer in future all‐green industrial production.
Dual‐strategy modification on P2‐Na0.67Ni0.33Mn0.67O2 realizes stable high‐voltage cathode and high energy density full cell for sodium‐ion batteries
Authors: Wan Guanglin , Peng Bo , Zhao Liping , Wang Feng , Yu Lai , Liu Rong , Zhang Genqiang
Published: January 2023

P2‐type Na0.67Ni0.33Mn0.67O2 is considered as a potential cathode material for sodium‐ion batteries due to the merits of high voltage, low cost, and air stability. However, the unsatisfied cycling stability and rate performance caused by the destructive phase transition and side reactions hinder its practical application. Herein, we present a feasible dual strategy of Mg2+ doping integrated with ZrO2 surface modification for P2‐Na0.67Ni0.33Mn0.67O2, which can well address the issues of phase transition and side reactions benefitting from the enhanced structural and interfacial stabilities. Specifically, it exhibits a decent cycling stability with a capacity retention of 81.5% at 1 C and promising rate performance with a discharge capacity of 76.6 mA h g−1 at 5 C. The in situ X‐ray diffraction measurement confirms that the damaged P2–O2 phase transition is suppressed with better reversibility in high‐voltage region, whereas the side reactions are inhibited due to the protective ZrO2 surface modification. Commendably, the full cell achieves an outstanding operating voltage of 3.57 V and a fabulous energy density of 238.91 W h kg−1 at 36.73 W kg−1, demonstrating great practicability. This work is expected to provide a new insight for designing stable high‐voltage cathode materials and high energy density full cells for sodium ion batteries.
Is it time to adopt universal cytomegalovirus screening with valacyclovir prophylaxis in pregnancy?
Authors: Han J. , Li D.‐Z.
Published: January 2023

Linked article: This Correspondence comments on Egloff et al. Click here to view the article.
Analysis of an elastic–rigid obstacle problem described by a variational–hemivariational inequality
Authors: Wang Xilu , Ran Qinghua , Xiao Qichang
Published: January 2023

In this paper, we consider a new obstacle problem for the elastic membrane lying above an elastic–rigid obstacle. The elastic–rigid obstacle allows limited penetration and offers a nonmonotone reactive force. We introduce the mathematical model and prove that its weak form, which is a variational–hemivariational inequality, has a unique solution. Then, we consider a discrete scheme to solve the problem. The optimal‐order error estimate under appropriate regularity assumptions is derived. Finally, numerical examples are reported, from which the theoretical predicted optimal‐order error estimate can be clearly observed.
Compiler-Assisted Instrumentation Selection for Large-Scale C++ Codes
Authors: Kreutzer Sebastian , Iwainsky Christian , Lehr Jan-Patrick , Bischof Christian
Published: January 2023

Code instrumentation is the primary method for collecting fine-grained performance data. As instrumentation introduces an inherent runtime overhead, it is essential to measure only those regions of the code which are most relevant to the analysis. In practice, the typical approach is to define filter lists manually. Prior projects aim to automate this process using static analysis. Specifically, InstRO enables tailored instrumentation via sophisticated user-defined selection of code regions. However, due to the need for whole-program call-graph analysis, its application on large-scale scientific codes is currently impractical. In this work, we present the new instrumentation tool CaPI (short for “Compiler-assisted Performance Instrumentation”), which is targeted towards such large-scale applications. We demonstrate its application on the CFD framework OpenFOAM. Our evaluation shows that a hybrid approach of CaPI and existing profile-guided filtering outperforms profile-guided filtering alone. Furthermore, we identify correctness and usability issues and propose possible avenues to improve CaPI, as well as compiler-assisted instrumentation tools in general.
Multistage s–t Path: Confronting Similarity with Dissimilarity
Authors: Fluschnik Till , Niedermeier Rolf , Schubert Carsten , Zschoche Philipp
Published: January 2023

Addressing a quest by Gupta et al. (in: Proceedings of the 41st international colloquium on automata, languages, and programming (ICALP 2014), vol 8572 of LNCS. Springer, pp 563–575, 2014), we provide a first, comprehensive study of finding a short s–t path in the multistage graph model, referred to as the Multistages–tPath problem. Herein, given a sequence of graphs over the same vertex set but changing edge sets, the task is to find short s–t paths in each graph (“snapshot”) such that in the found path sequence the consecutive s–t paths are “similar”. We measure similarity by the size of the symmetric difference of either the vertex set (vertex-similarity) or the edge set (edge-similarity) of any two consecutive paths. We prove that these two variants of Multistages–tPath are already $${\text {NP}}$$
NP
-hard for an input sequence of only two snapshots and maximum vertex degree four. Motivated by this fact and natural applications of this scenario e.g. in traffic route planning, we perform a parameterized complexity analysis. Among other results, for both variants, vertex- and edge-similarity, we prove parameterized hardness ($${\text {W[1]}}$$
W[1]
-hardness) regarding the parameter path length (solution size). As a further conceptual investigation, we then modify the multistage model by asking for dissimilar consecutive paths. As one of the main technical results (employing so-called representative sets known from non-temporal settings), we prove that dissimilarity allows for fixed-parameter tractability for the parameter solution size, contrasting with our W[1]-hardness proof of the corresponding similarity case. We also provide partially positive results concerning efficient and effective data reduction (kernelization).