bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
CT‐detected extramural venous invasion‐related gene signature for the overall survival prediction in patients with gastric cancer
Authors: Gao Bo , Feng Caizhen , Chai Fan , Wei Shengcai , Hong Nan , Ye Yingjiang , Wang Yi , Cheng Jin
Published: September 2021

Background

Computed tomography (CT)‐detected extramural venous invasion (EMVI) has been identified as an independent factor that can be used for risk stratification and prediction of prognosis in patients with gastric cancer (GC). Overall survival (OS) is identified as the most important prognostic indicator for GC patients. However, the molecular mechanism of EMVI development and its potential relationship with OS in GC are not fully understood. In this radiogenomics‐based study, we sought to investigate the molecular mechanism underlying CT‐detected EMVI in patients with GC, and aimed to construct a genomic signature based on EMVI‐related genes with the goal of using this signature to predict the OS.

Materials and Methods

Whole mRNA genome sequencing of frozen tumor samples from 13 locally advanced GC patients was performed to identify EMVI‐related genes. EMVI‐prognostic hub genes were selected based on overlapping EMVI‐related differentially expressed genes and OS‐related genes, using a training cohort of 176 GC patients who were included in The Cancer Genome Atlas database. Another 174 GC patients from this database comprised the external validation cohort. A risk stratification model using a seven‐gene signature was constructed through the use of a least absolute shrinkage and selection operator Cox regression model.

Results

Patients with high risk score showed significantly reduced OS (training cohort, p = 1.143e‐04; validation cohort, p = 2.429e‐02). Risk score was an independent predictor of OS in multivariate Cox regression analyses (training cohort, HR = 2.758; 95% CI: 1.825–4.169; validation cohort, HR = 2.173; 95% CI: 1.347–3.505; p < 0.001 for both). Gene functions/pathways of the seven‐gene signature mainly included cell proliferation, cell adhesion, regulation of metal ion transport, and epithelial to mesenchymal transition.

Conclusions

A CT‐detected EMVI‐related gene model could be used to predict the prognosis in GC patients, potentially providing clinicians with additional information regarding appropriate therapeutic strategy and medical decision‐making.
Stereotactic biopsy for adult brainstem lesions: A surgical approach and its diagnostic value according to the 2016 World Health Organization Classification
Authors: Jung In‐Ho , Chang Kyung Won , Park So Hee , Moon Ju Hyung , Kim Eui Hyun , Jung Hyun Ho , Kang Seok‐Gu , Chang Jong Hee , Chang Jin Woo , Chang Won Seok
Published: September 2021

Background

The brainstem has the critical role of regulating cardiac and respiratory function and it also provides motor and sensory function to the face via the cranial nerves. Despite the observation of a brainstem lesion in a radiological examination, it is difficult to obtain tissues for a pathological diagnosis because of the location and small volume of the brainstem. Thus, we aimed to share our 6‐year experience with stereotactic biopsies from brainstem lesions and confirm the value and safety of stereotactic biopsy on this highly eloquent area in this study.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 42 adult patients who underwent stereotactic biopsy on brainstem lesions from 2015 to 2020. The radiological findings, surgical records, pathological diagnosis, and postoperative complications of all patients were analyzed.

Results

Histopathological diagnoses were made in 40 (95.2%) patients. Astrocytic tumors were diagnosed in 29 (69.0%) patients, diffuse large B cell lymphoma in 5 (11.9%) patients, demyelinating disease in 4 (9.5%) patients, germinoma in 1 (2.4%) patient, and radiation necrosis in 1 (2.4%) patient. In the 40 patients with successful stereotactic biopsy, 10 (25.0%) patients had inconsistent preoperative radiological diagnosis and postoperative pathological diagnosis. In addition, there was a difference between the treatments prescribed by the radiological and pathological diagnoses in 8 out of 10 patients whose diagnoses changed after biopsy. There was no operative mortality among the 42 patients.

Conclusions

A pathological diagnosis can be made safely and efficiently in brainstem lesions using stereotactic biopsy. This pathological diagnosis will enable patients to receive appropriate treatment.
What if amateurism turned into entrepreneurialism?
Authors: Hoffman Jennifer Lee , Suggs David Welch
Published: September 2021

When the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the NCAA can't limit educational benefits provided to college athletes, it amounted to dealing what might be a mortal blow to the amateurism ideal.
Prepare all‐hazards approach for handling emergencies
Authors: McCarthy Claudine
Published: September 2021

Whether you call them critical incident response or emergency action plans, your athletics department must prepare to address all types of catastrophic injuries involving multiple casualties caused by natural and man‐made incidents, from active shooters to bombings and earthquakes to fires. An all‐hazards approach can reduce risk and liability in most situations. To help your department prepare, follow these eight steps recommended by Ray Castle, Ph.D., LAT, ATC, NREMT, Program Director for Athletic Training at Louisiana State University, during a recent virtual presentation hosted by the National Athletic Trainers’ Association:
Ensure staff tread carefully when handling relationships with donors
Authors: O'Brien Timothy
Published: September 2021

Problems sometimes arise when colleges and universities, including athletics departments, make decisions on how to confront allegations of misconduct or inappropriate conduct by a person with power, influence, or perceived importance in the organization.
Consistency may be key, but continuity is essential for success
Authors: Skipworth Stan
Published: September 2021

Throughout the course of my career, I've long heard of, and applied myself to, the concept of being consistent, to being able to perform my job at a particular level or standard to the best of my ability, even if the circumstances of doing so become more demanding or complex.
Review recent rulings involving negligence and torts
Authors: Lyerly Eric
Published: September 2021

An overview of the key topics faced by college athletics administrators with citations to noteworthy cases, statutes, regulations, and additional sources.
Did court dismiss fraudulent misrepresentation claims filed by student‐athletes on squash team?
Authors: Lyerly Eric
Published: September 2021

The men's and women's varsity squash teams at Brown University played in the Ivy League, a Division I athletic conference. Both teams were composed of students who joined the squad after enrolling at Brown or who matriculated with the anticipation of playing on the team. The ones who matriculated with the intent of playing received a recruitment offer or some form of application support (typically a recommendation letter from the coach).
Compete through cheering, not comparison
Authors: McCarthy Claudine
Published: September 2021

The pandemic forced athletics administrators to constantly rethink the ways they approached the daily work of an athletics department. For Nick Schroeder, M.S., Director of Athletics at Catawba Valley Community College in North Carolina, leading through the COVID‐19 crisis led him to embrace a fresh perspective about the value of sharing new ideas with colleagues. “As soon as you think you have figured out the best way to do something, someone has a new idea or process that can be beneficial to us. Oftentimes in sport, we get in the comparison game. I think this crisis allowed athletics departments to forget about comparing and get into the sharing mode of what is best for our students,” he said.
AGRMTS: A virtual aircraft maintenance training system using gesture recognition based on PSO‐BPNN model
Authors: Yan Yuling , Zhang Lijun , Chen Minye
Published: September 2021

The quality and efficiency of aircraft maintenance are the key to ensure flight safety and on‐time rate, which mainly depend on the techniques and experience of maintenance engineer. Generally, exercises on physical prototypes are used to improve the maintenance capability of engineers, but this will waste a lot of consumables and easily cause safety accidents. With the development of computer technology, maintenance training in a virtual environment has become an advanced and reliable solution. In this paper, a virtual training system of aircraft maintenance based on gesture recognition interaction is established. Leap Motion is used as a sensor to construct a hybrid machine learning gesture recognition model, so as to obtain natural human–computer interaction experience. In the recognition model, the initial weight matrix and the number of hidden layer nodes in the back propagation neural network are jointly optimized by the Particle Swarm Optimization algorithm with self‐adaption inertial weight. This optimization algorithm achieved a recognition rate of 81.26% in the dynamic gesture database constructed in this paper, which is higher than other available algorithms. A preliminary usability evaluation in university classrooms shows that the teaching system in this paper can achieve a better interactive experience.
Design, Synthesis, and Evaluation of Chalcone Derivatives as Multifunctional Agents against Alzheimer's Disease
Authors: Wang Xiao‐Qin , Zhou Lu‐Yi , Tan Ren‐Xian , Liang Guo‐Peng , Fang Si‐Xian , Li Wei , Xie Mei , Wen Yu‐Hao , Wu Jia‐Qiang , Chen Yi‐Ping
Published: September 2021

Fifteen chalcone derivatives 3a–3o were synthesized, and evaluated as multifunctional agents against Alzheimer's disease. In vitro studies revealed that these compounds inhibited self‐induced Aβ1‐42 aggregation effectively ranged from 45.9–94.5 % at 20 μM, and acted as potential antioxidants. Their structure‐activity relationships were summarized. In particular, (2E)‐3‐[4‐(dimethylamino)phenyl]‐1‐(pyridin‐2‐yl)prop‐2‐en‐1‐one (3g) exhibited an excellent inhibitory activity of 94.5 % at 20 μM, and it could disassemble the self‐induced Aβ1‐42 aggregation fibrils with ratio of 57.1 % at 20 μM concentration. In addition, compound 3g displayed good chelating ability for Cu2+, and could effectively inhibit and disaggregate Cu2+‐induced Aβ aggregation. Moreover, compound 3g exerted low cytotoxicity, significantly reversed Aβ1‐42‐induced SH‐SY5Y cell damage. More importantly, compound 3g remarkably ameliorated scopolamine‐induced memory impairment in mice. In summary, all the results revealed compound 3g was a potential multifunctional agent for AD therapy.
Chemoenzymatic Asymmetric Synthesis of Pyridine‐Based α‐Fluorinated Secondary Alcohols
Authors: Broese Timo , Ehlers Peter , Langer Peter , von Langermann Jan
Published: September 2021

Fluoro‐substituted and heteroaromatic compounds are valuable intermediates for a variety of applications in pharma‐ and agrochemistry and synthetic chemistry. This study investigates the chemoenzymatic preparation of chiral alcohols bearing a heteroaromatic ring with an increasing degree of fluorination in α‐position. Starting from readily available picoline derivatives prochiral α‐halogenated acyl moieties were introduced with excellent selectivity and 64–95 % yield. The formed carbonyl group was subsequently reduced to the corresponding alcohols using the alcohol dehydrogenase from Lactobacillus kefir, yielding an enantiomeric excess of 95–>99 % and up to 98 % yield.
Exosome‐mediated lncRNA SNHG11 regulates angiogenesis in pancreatic carcinoma through miR‐324‐3p/VEGFA axis
Authors: Fang Xingbao , Cai Yan , Xu Yongping , Zhang Hong
Published: September 2021

Pancreatic carcinoma (PC) is one of the most common and deadly human malignancies worldwide. LncRNAs play significant roles in the occurrence and development of various cancers. LncRNA SNHG11 (SNHG11) has been found to display high expression in serum of PC patients, which implies that dysregulated SNHG11 may be related to the development of PC. However, there is still a knowledge gap concerning the specific function and molecular mechanism of SNHG11 in PC. After conducting experiments with constructed models in vitro or in vivo, we found that exosomal SNHG11 promoted cell proliferation, migration, and angiogenesis but impeded cell apoptosis in PC in vitro, and additionally, it facilitated tumor growth in vivo. Exosome‐mediated SNHG11 regulated the expression of VEGFA through sponging miR‐324‐3p. Rescue assays validated that the inhibitory effect of SNHG11 depletion on cell proliferation, migration, and angiogenesis could be reversed by miR‐324‐3p downregulation or VEGFA upregulation, and the promoting effect of SNHG11 silence on cell apoptosis could be rescued by transfection of miR‐324‐3p inhibitor or pcDNA3.1‐VEGFA. To conclude, exosomal‐mediated SNHG11 could regulate PC progression via miR‐324‐3p/VEGFA axis. Our findings may provide a novel insight for understanding PC, which might contribute to the development of potential PC biomarker.
External locus of control and cognitive ability independently distinguish men in prison from community living non‐offending men
Authors: Fontao Maria Isabel , Ross Thomas
Published: September 2021

Background

The ability to cope with failure and subsequent feedback is crucial for prisoner rehabilitation. Impaired executive function in prisoners, high trait aggression and external locus of control can undermine the capacity to react to feedback in socially adaptive ways.

Aim

To investigate the relationships between aggression, locus of control, and attribution in an experimental task involving feedback about failure and success.

Methods

Two groups were compared: 1. Imprisoned men, 2. Community living men without a history of incarceration. Aggression, locus of control and reasoning ability were assessed by means of psychometric instruments. An experimental task building on cognitive ability and providing performance‐related feedback was carried out. Attributions of failure and success were measured using an ad hoc rating scale.

Results

Prisoners reported higher levels of aggression and generalised externality, but poorer reasoning ability than the comparison group. Aggression was associated with external locus of control. In the experimental task, the community group showed higher success rates; higher scores on the task were correlated with less external attribution of own performance. Higher external locus of control and lower reasoning ability were independently associated with being a prisoner in a logistic regression model.

Conclusions and Implications

Men in prison were characterised by greater social and fatalistic externality paired with lower reasoning ability than never incarcerated community men. In‐prison rehabilitation strategies should pay early attention to improving reasoning ability and enabling men to recognise likely overuse of externally attributing their difficulties to fate, then helping them to become more realistic in their attributions and make use of realistic feedback.
Safety and efficacy of thepolymer‐freeand polymer‐coated drug‐elutingstents in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention
Authors: Ullah Waqas , Zghouzi Mohamed , Ahmad Bachar , Suleiman Abdul‐Rahman M. , Zahid Salman , Faisaluddin Mohammed , Alabdalrazzak Mukhlis , Sattar Yasar , Kalra Ankur , Kapadia Samir , Fischman David L. , Brilakis Emmanouil S. , Mamas Mamas A. , Alraies M. Chadi
Published: September 2021

Introduction

The relative safety and efficacy of polymer‐free (PF) versus polymer‐coated (PC) drug‐eluting stents (DES) in patients with angina or acute coronary syndrome (ACS) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention has received limited study.

Method

Digital databases were queried to identify relevant studies. Major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) and secondary outcomes were compared using a random effect model to calculate unadjusted odds ratios (OR).

Results

A total of 28 studies consisting of 23,198 patients were included in the final analysis. On pooled analysis, there was no significant difference in the odds of MACE (OR 0.98, 95% CI 0.91–1.08) and major bleeding (OR 0.87, 95% CI 0.61–1.24) between patients undergoing PF‐DES versus PC‐DES. Similarly, the odds of myocardial infarction, stroke, stent thrombosis, cardiovascular mortality and need for target vessel revascularization was similar between the two groups. PF‐DES was favored due to significantly lower odds of non‐cardiac death (OR 0.78, 95% CI 0.68–89) and all‐cause mortality (OR 0.87, 95% CI 0.80–0.95), but had a higher need for target lesion revascularization (OR 1.2, 95% CI 1.02–1.42). A subgroup analysis based on follow up duration, clinical presentation, presence of diabetes and class of eluting drugs mirrored the net estimates for all outcomes with a few exceptions. A sensitivity and meta‐regression analysis showed no influence of single‐study and duration of antiplatelet therapy on pooled outcomes.

Conclusion

In patients presenting with angina or ACS, PF‐DES might be favored due to lower all‐cause mortality and equal risk of ischemic adverse cardiovascular and major bleeding events compared with PC‐DES.
A customized allogenic bone block for alveolar reconstruction quantitated by a 3D matching technique: A case report
Authors: Blume Oliver , Back Michael , Martin Kim , Windisch Péter
Published: September 2021

After initial resorption, the bone volume showed long‐term stability following loading of the implant. Furthermore, 3D matching was a suitable quantification method to analyze the volume development of bone augmentation.
Preparation of Nitrogen and Sulfur Co‐doped and Interconnected Hierarchical Porous Biochar by Pyrolysis of Mantis Shrimp in CO2 Atmosphere for Symmetric Supercapacitors
Authors: Ding Yan , Huang Shuqiong , Sun Yangkai , Li Yunchao , Zhu Lingjun , Wang Shurong
Published: September 2021

A porous functional biochar (MSCs) rich in N and S heteroatom doping was prepared by pyrolyzing mantis shrimp shells as the biomass source of the typical processing seafood waste in CO2 atmosphere. The physical and chemical properties of carbon materials were adjusted by the control of the pyrolysis temperature. In this study, maximum specific surface area (SSA) and pore volume of 484.5 m2 g−1 and 0.291 cm3 g−1, respectively of the MSCs material were reached at 700 °C. Moreover, it was found in the characterization test that heteroatoms, such as N and S were successfully introduced into the carbon microstructure. MSC‐750 contains N of up to 9.46 % and 0.52 % of S. Although its SSA is only 431.6 m2 g−1, the specific capacitance of the 6 M KOH symmetrical supercapacitor at 1 A g−1 reaches the maximum value of 144.2 F g−1 among all samples due to the pseudocapacitance generated by its high content of heteroatomic functional groups.
New worlds, new chemistry, new ceramics
Authors: Navrotsky Alexandra , Householder Megan
Published: September 2021

Space missions have documented the chemical diversity and complexity of planets in our solar system. Astronomers have found thousands of exoplanets orbiting other stars in our galaxy. Almost every star in our galaxy has one or more orbiting planets and they appear to be much more diverse than the few sampled in our solar system. This diversity implies immense chemical, ceramic, geological, and mineralogical complexity. Constrained by the limited data, understanding this range of planets poses a classic inverse problem in materials science, namely, to constrain the composition, phase relations, and evolution of a planet based on a few remote observations of its properties. The purpose of this paper is to provide a general view of the Earth and of planets in our solar system and beyond, to introduce fundamental concepts of planetary structure and chemistry, and to identify outstanding questions and opportunities from the point of view of chemistry, materials science, and ceramics. This paper is composed of two parts. First, an introduction is followed by a discussion of the structure, geophysics, and phase equilibria in the Earth, to orient the non‐geologic reader to the basic phenomena and concepts. This is followed by a loose transcription of a lecture given by Navrotsky at the (virtual) 2020 American Ceramic Society meeting. This talk stressed the evolving nature of planetary science, especially inspired by the discovery of myriads of exoplanets, highlighted the Materials of the Universe Center at Arizona State University, and briefly described and compared planets in our solar system.
CD Stretching Modes are Sensitive to the Microenvironment in Ionic Liquids
Authors: Sieling Thorben , Petersen Thorben , Alpers Torben , Christoffers Jens , Klüner Thorsten , Brand Izabella
Published: September 2021

Knowledge of the structure of the electrical double layer in ionic liquids (IL) is crucial for their applications in electrochemical technologies. We report the synthesis and applicability of an imidazolium‐based amphiphilic ionic liquid with a perdeuterated alkyl chain for studies of electric potential‐dependent rearrangements, and changes in the microenvironment in a monolayer on a Au(111) surface. Electrochemical measurements show two states of the organization of ions on the electrode surface. In situ IR spectroscopy shows that the alkyl chains in imidazolium cations change their orientation depending on the adsorption state. The methylene‐d2 stretching modes in the perdeuterated IL display a reversible, potential‐dependent appearance of a new band. The presence of this mode also depends on the anion in the IL. Supported by quantum chemical calculations, this new mode is assigned to a second νas(CD2) band in alkyl‐chain fragments embedded in a polar environment of the anions/solvent present in the vicinity of the imidazolium cation and electrode. It is a measure of the potential‐dependent segregation between polar and nonpolar environments in the layers of an IL closest to the electrode.
CdS Reinforced with CoSX/NiCo‐LDH Core‐shell Co‐catalyst Demonstrate High Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution and Durability in Anhydrous Ethanol
Authors: Quan Yongkang , Wang Guorong , Li Dujuan , Jin Zhiliang
Published: September 2021

At present, inefficient charge separation of single photocatalyst impedes the development of photocatalytic hydrogen evolution. In this work, the CoSX/NiCo‐LDH core‐shell co‐catalyst was cleverly designed, which exhibit high activity and high stability of hydrogen evolution in anhydrous ethanol system when coupled with CdS. Under visible light (λ≥420 nm) irradiation, the 3 %Co/NiCo/CdS composite photocatalyst exhibits a surprisingly high photocatalytic hydrogen evolution rate of 20.67 mmol g−1 h−1, which is 59 times than that of the original CdS. Continuous light for 20 h still showed good cycle stability. In addition, the 3 %Co/NiCo/CdS composite catalyst also shows good hydrogen evolution performance under the Na2S/Na2SO3 and lactic acid system. The fluorescence (PL), ultraviolet‐visible diffuse reflectance (UV‐vis) and photoelectrochemical tests show that the coupling of CdS and CoSX/NiCo‐LDH not only accelerates the effective transfer of charges, but also greatly increases the absorption range of CdS to visible light. Therefore, the hydrogen evolution activity of the composite photocatalyst has been significantly improved. This work will provide new insights for the construction of new co‐catalysts and the development of composite catalysts for hydrogen evolution in multiple systems.
Halogen Bonding Heteroditopic Materials for Cooperative Sodium Iodide Binding and Extraction
Authors: Docker Andrew , Stevens James G. , Beer Paul D.
Published: September 2021

A series of novel heteroditopic halogen bonding (XB) receptor functionalised silica based materials, containing mono‐ and bis‐iodotriazole benzo‐15‐crown‐5 groups are investigated for the cooperative binding and extraction of sodium halide ion‐pair species from aqueous solution. Characterisation of the XB materials by CHN elemental analysis, 13C CP/MAS NMR and ATR‐FTIR spectroscopies confirms and quantifies the successful incorporation of the ion‐pair receptor frameworks to the silica material. ICP‐MS solid‐liquid extraction studies demonstrate the bidentate XB functionalised material is capable of NaI extraction from water. Importantly, cooperative XB‐mediated sodium halide ion‐pair binding is determined to be crucial to the material's extraction capabilities, impressively demonstrating a two‐fold enhancement in sodium iodide extraction efficiency relative to a heteroditopic hydrogen bonding receptor functionalised silica material analogue.
Vorteile von Open‐Source‐Ansätzen bei der Etablierung einer automatisierten wirkungsbezogenen Analytik
Authors: Jochums Max , Kochale Kjell , Teutenberg Thorsten , Türk Jochen , Bergstedt Uta
Published: September 2021

Die Bestimmung der Wirkung von toxischen Verbindungen in Abwässern erfolgt mittels dünnschichtchromatographischer Verfahren. Für eine Automation der wirkungsbezogenen Analytik wurde eine bereits bestehende technische Lösung als Open‐Source‐Hardware‐Ansatz in Kombination mit der additiven Fertigung adaptiert. Das System ist flexibel auf spezifische Fragestellungen der automatisierten Bestimmung von umweltrelevanten Verbindungen anwendbar und leistet einen wertvollen Beitrag zur Digitalisierung und Automation von Hochleistungsdünnschichtchromatographie‐Systemen.
Angepasste Rührwerkstechnologie für effiziente Prozesse
Authors: Lindner Joerg‐Peter
Published: September 2021

Gerührte Reaktoren haben in vielen Prozessen der Chemischen Industrie, Biotechnologie oder Hydrometallurgie eine Schlüsselfunktion. Speziell in kontinuierlichen Prozessen ist ein hohes Augenmerk auf die störungsfreie Funktion der Rührwerke zur richten. In Batchprozessen mit zum Teil mehrphasigen Prozessen, in denen Fluid, Feststoffe und Gase gleichzeitig vermischt werden sollen oder in Prozessen mit Phasenumwandlungen oder hohen Viskositätsschwankungen ist der Rührwerksspezialist stark gefordert
Coriolisprinzip vereinfacht Herstellung von Multilayer‐Emulsionen
Authors: Heinrich Thomas
Published: September 2021

Bei Rezepturen für stabile Emulsionen müssen kleinste Flüssigkeitsmengen sicher dosiert und variiert werden. Massendurchflussmesser und ‐regler, die nach dem Coriolisprinzip arbeiten, verkürzen die nötige Vorbereitungszeit für die Parametrierung bei neuen Rezepturen in Forschung, Entwicklung und der Kleinstmengenproduktion.
Weniger Wasserbedarf für die Fest‐Flüssig‐Trennung
Authors: Boerboom Thomas
Published: September 2021

Für die Herstellung von Vorprodukten eines besonders reißfesten Kunststoffes kommen Taktbandfiltern zum Einsatz. Um den hohen industriellen Qualitätsanforderungen des Kunststoffproduzenten in den USA zu entsprechen, konzipierte ein Anlagenbauer für die Behandlung des Filterkuchens eine Kaskadenwäsche. Diese reduziert den Wasserbedarf, der für die erforderliche Verweilzeit benötigt wird. Dem Auftrag gingen umfassende Labor‐ und Pilotversuche im amerikanischen Testzentrum voraus.
Mikroverkapselung statt Tiefkühlung
Authors: Mühlbach Martin
Published: September 2021

Thermisch latente Epoxidharzsysteme bieten dem Anwender einen enormen Vorteil – sie werden bereits als Ein‐Komponenten‐Formulierung (1K) hergestellt und können direkt eingesetzt werden. Harz und der Härter sind bereits im richtigen Verhältnis vorgemischt, und durch den Einsatz reaktiver Beschleuniger kann die Härtungskinetik optimiert werden. Theoretisch reagieren solche Formulierung erst ab einer bestimmten Verarbeitungstemperatur und sind ansonsten inaktiv – aber nur theoretisch! Das Europäische Zentrum für Dispersionstechnologien (EZD, eine Einrichtung des Kunststoff‐Zentrums SKZ) hat sich mit der Mikroverkapselung thermisch latenter Beschleuniger mittels Sprühtrocknung beschäftigt
Nachhaltige und gesetzestreue industrielle Folienverpackung
Authors: Schnathmann Regina
Published: September 2021

Viele Betreiber von Verpackungsanlagen, die mit Stretchfolien Waren für den Umschlag auf Paletten fixieren und versandfertig verpacken, sind verunsichert: Seit Anfang 2019 ist das neue Verpackungsgesetz in Kraft. Sein Ziel ist es, Abfälle zu vermeiden und das Recycling zu stärken. Damit beinhalten viele Folien künftig mehr Rezyklat. Das kann deren Eigenschaften und somit auch die Handhabung erheblich verändern. Die Hochleistungsverpackungsanlage Beumer stretch hood A verarbeitet auch diese Folien mit Rezyklatanteil und veränderten Materialeigenschaften in gewohnter Weise zuverlässig und sicher.
Auxetische Materialien
Authors: Wolf Andreas T.
Published: September 2021

Auxetische Materialien weisen ein ungewöhnliches Verhalten auf: Sie werden beim Strecken dicker und beim Zusammendrücken dünner. Als es Roderic Lakes gelang, konventionelle Polymerschäume in auxetische Materialien umzuwandeln, ahnet sicher niemand, dass damit ein neuer, stark interdisziplinärer Forschungszweig aus der Taufe gehoben war, der sich in den letzten 30 Jahren äußerst rasant entwickelte. Auf der makroskopischen Ebene wurde die Auxetik rasch zur Domäne der Designer und Ingenieure, die sich auf die Optimierung der Eigenschaften neuer ‚Metamaterialien‘ konzentrierten. Im nanoskopischen Bereich haben Chemiker in neuerer Zeit wichtige Fortschritte bei der Schaffung auxetischer Polymere erzielt. Der Artikel behandelt beispielhaft bestimmte auxetische Strukturierungskonzepte und zeigt auf, wie nano‐ oder mikroskopische Kinematik negative Poissonzahlen auf makroskopischer Ebene verursachen kann.
Spontaneous Deposition of Uniformly Distributed Ruthenium Nanoparticles on Graphitic Carbon Nitride for Quantifying Electrochemically Accumulated H2O2
Authors: Jiang Yuanyuan , Ding Zhenyu , Gao Meng , Chen Chuanxia , Ni Pengjuan , Zhang Chenghui , Wang Bo , Duan Guangbin , Lu Yizhong
Published: September 2021

Main observation and conclusion

Highly dispersed ultrasmall ruthenium nanoparticles with a clean surface are deposited onto graphitic carbon nitride (C3N4‐Ru) through spontaneous redox reaction between the C3N4 sheets and Ru salt without the use of any reductant. The as‐prepared C3N4‐Ru exhibits distinct peroxidase‐like activity. A nanozyme based method is successfully developed for detecting the H2O2 generated in‐situ by the two‐electron oxygen reduction strategy. The C3N4‐Ru nanozyme can realize the detection of H2O2 with a wide linear range and a low detection limit. The testing results are also compared with the conventional modified titration method, and show greater possibility for the practical detection of H2O2 produced via the electrochemical oxygen reduction for its higher selectivity.
Circularly Polarized Luminescence and SHG Chiral Signals of Helical TPE Macrocycles
Authors: Yuan Ying‐Xue , Hu Ming , Xue Man , Zhou Ting‐Ting , Zhang Zhen , Zheng Yan‐Song
Published: September 2021

Main observation and conclusion

One pair of new enantiomers of helical tetraphenylethylene (TPE) tetracycle tetradodecylurea, which show aggregation‐induced emission (AIE) enhancement effect, were synthesized by attaching four dodecyl chains to a helical TPE tetracycle tetramine through urea linkage. These two TPE helicates bearing long alkyl chains could display strong circular dichroism (CD) and circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) signals not only in solution but also in solid state. Due to strong van der Waals interactions between the alkyl chains, the absolute dissymmetrical factor |glum| was up to 6.6 × 10‐3 , which was 2—3 fold larger than that of the helical TPE tetracycle tetramine (TPETA) without long alkyl chains in solution. Due to bearing hydrophilic urea units and hydrophobic long dodecyl chains, the helical TPE tetracycle could form chiral Langmuir‐Blodgett (LB) monolayers at air/water interface and showed a strong and stable second harmonic generation (SHG) chiral signals. The degree of chiral excess (DCE) for P‐isomer monolayer was up to ‐0.682 ± 0.0014. This is the first example to detect chirality at the air/water interface for chiral AIE molecules. It provides a new access to the application of chiral AIE compounds in nonlinear optical activity.
Energy‐aware intelligent hybrid routing protocol for wireless sensor networks
Authors: Ibrahim Mostafa E. A. , Ahmed Alaa E. S.
Published: September 2021

Designing a wireless sensor network (WSN) energy‐aware routing protocol is a thought‐provoking mission. Thus, this article presents an energy‐saving routing protocol for WSNs. The proposed protocol considers the energy level of sensor nodes and the distance to the base station to optimally determine the best route. It also takes advantage of the inherent complementarity of clustering techniques. The proposed routing scheme also exploits data aggregation to improve energy utilization and reduce communication costs. To choose the flawless route between a source node and the base station, ant colony optimization and A* algorithms are integrated. Finally, the performance of the proposed routing technique is compared with those of other existing up‐to‐date protocols. The results show that the proposed routing protocol outperforms them in terms of total energy consumption, network lifetime, stability period, and goodput.
Efficient land desertification detection using a deep learning‐driven generative adversarial network approach: A case study
Authors: Zerrouki Nabil , Dairi Abdelkader , Harrou Fouzi , Zerrouki Yacine , Sun Ying
Published: September 2021

Precisely detecting land cover changes aids in improving the analysis of the dynamics of the landscape and plays an essential role in mitigating the effects of desertification. Mainly, sensing desertification is challenging due to the high correlation between desertification and like‐desertification events (e.g., deforestation). An efficient and flexible deep learning approach is introduced to address desertification detection through Landsat imagery. Essentially, a generative adversarial network (GAN)‐based desertification detector is designed and for uncovering the pixels influenced by land cover changes. In this study, the adopted features have been derived from multi‐temporal images and incorporate multispectral information without considering image segmentation preprocessing. Furthermore, to address desertification detection challenges, the GAN‐based detector is constructed based on desertification‐free features and then employed to identify atypical events associated with desertification changes. The GAN‐detection algorithm flexibly learns relevant information from linear and nonlinear processes without prior assumption on data distribution and significantly enhances the detection's accuracy. The GAN‐based desertification detector's performance has been assessed via multi‐temporal Landsat optical images from the arid area nearby Biskra in Algeria. This region is selected in this work because desertification phenomena heavily impact it. Compared to some state‐of‐the‐art methods, including deep Boltzmann machine (DBM), deep belief network (DBN), convolutional neural network (CNN), as well as two ensemble models, namely, random forests and AdaBoost, the proposed GAN‐based detector offers superior discrimination performance of deserted regions. Results show the promising potential of the proposed GAN‐based method for the analysis and detection of desertification changes. Results also revealed that the GAN‐driven desertification detection approach outperforms the state‐of‐the‐art methods.
DFT Analysis of Methane C−H Activation and Over‐Oxidation by [Cu2O]2+ and [Cu2O2]2+ Sites in Zeolite Mordenite: Intra‐ versus Inter‐site Over‐Oxidation
Authors: Panthi Dipak , Adeyiga Olajumoke , Odoh Samuel O.
Published: September 2021

Methane over‐oxidation by copper‐exchanged zeolites prevents realization of high‐yield catalytic conversion. However, there has been little description of the mechanism for methane over‐oxidation at the copper active sites of these zeolites. Using density functional theory (DFT) computations, we reported that tricopper [Cu3O3]2+ active sites can over‐oxidize methane. However, the role of [Cu3O3]2+ sites in methane‐to‐methanol conversion remains under debate. Here, we examine methane over‐oxidation by dicopper [Cu2O]2+ and [Cu2O2]2+ sites using DFT in zeolite mordenite (MOR). For [Cu2O2]2+, we considered the μ‐(η2:η2) peroxo‐, and bis(μ‐oxo) motifs. These sites were considered in the eight‐membered (8MR) ring of MOR. μ‐(η2:η2) peroxo sites are unstable relative to the bis(μ‐oxo) motif with a small interconversion barrier. Unlike [Cu2O]2+ which is active for methane C−H activation, [Cu2O2]2+ has a very large methane C−H activation barrier in the 8MR. Stabilization of methanol and methyl at unreacted dicopper sites however leads to over‐oxidation via sequential hydrogen atom abstraction steps. For methanol, these are initiated by abstraction of the CH3 group, followed by OH and can proceed near 200 °C. Thus, for [Cu2O]2+ and [Cu2O2]2+ species, over‐oxidation is an inter‐site process. We discuss the implications of these findings for methanol selectivity, especially in comparison to the intra‐site process for [Cu3O3]2+ sites and the role of Brønsted acid sites.
A Drug‐Drug Interaction Study Evaluating the Effect of Givosiran, a Small Interfering Ribonucleic Acid, on Cytochrome P450 Activity in the Liver
Authors: Vassiliou Daphne , Sardh Eliane , Harper Pauline , Simon Amy R. , Clausen Valerie A. , Najafian Nader , Robbie Gabriel J. , Agarwal Sagar
Published: September 2021

Givosiran (trade name GIVLAARI) is a small interfering ribonucleic acid that targets hepatic delta‐aminolevulinic acid synthase 1 (ALAS1) messenger RNA for degradation through RNA interference (RNAi) that has been approved for the treatment of acute hepatic porphyria (AHP). RNAi therapeutics, such as givosiran, have a low liability for drug‐drug interactions (DDIs) because they are not metabolized by cytochrome 450 (CYP) enzymes, and do not directly inhibit or induce CYP enzymes in the liver. The pharmacodynamic effect of givosiran (lowering of hepatic ALAS1, the first and rate limiting enzyme in the heme biosynthesis pathway) presents a unique scenario where givosiran could potentially impact heme‐dependent activities in the liver, such as CYP enzyme activity. This study assessed the impact of givosiran on the pharmacokinetics of substrates of 5 major CYP450 enzymes in subjects with acute intermittent porphyria (AIP), the most common type of AHP, by using the validated “Inje cocktail,” comprised of caffeine (CYP1A2), losartan (CYP2C9), omeprazole (CYP2C19), dextromethorphan (CYP2D6), and midazolam (CYP3A4). We show that givosiran treatment had a differential inhibitory effect on CYP450 enzymes in the liver, resulting in a moderate reduction in activity of CYP1A2 and CYP2D6, a minor effect on CYP3A4 and CYP2C19, and a similar weak effect on CYP2C9. To date, this is the first study evaluating the DDI for an oligonucleotide therapeutic and highlights an atypical drug interaction due to the pharmacological effect of givosiran. The results of this study suggest that givosiran does not have a large effect on heme‐dependent CYP enzyme activity in the liver.
Microstructure Evolution Simulation of Laser Cladding Process Based on CA‐FD Model
Authors: Zhang Min , Guo Yufei , Guo Zhao , Zhang Lisheng , Wang Gang , Li Baoling
Published: September 2021

In this paper, a cellular automata‐finite difference (CA‐FD) model is established to simulate the microstructure evolution in the laser cladding process. The microtemperature field, crystal nucleation, and growth in the solidification process of Inconel 625 alloy cladding layer are researched, and the effects of different cladding process parameters on crystal growth are studied. The CA‐FD model is improved based on the temperature and sequence of phase formation in the solidification process of the cladding layer, so as to realize the simulation study of the phase transformation process in the Inconel 625 alloy cladding layer. Finally, the laser cladding experiment of Inconel 625 alloy is carried out, and the simulation results are verified.
Photocatalytic Degradation of Rhodamine B by TiO2 Pillared Illite/Smectite (Ti/(I/S)) under Visible‐Light Irradiation
Authors: Yang Jing , Long Jieqing , Xie Chuanfang , Wang Yongqian , Yang Xiande , Wei Liang
Published: September 2021

Different Ti/(I/S) composites are synthesized by sol‐gel method. The microstructure, interfacial and optical properties of the obtained different Ti/(I/S) composites are characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), X‐ray diffraction (XRD), surface area measurement (BET), and UV–vis diffused reflectance spectroscopy (UV‐Vis DRS). The results show that 5‐Ti/(I/S) composite has an obvious photocatalytic activity to rhodamine B (RhB) and the degradation rate can reach 81%, ·O2− is the key oxidative species. Moreover, 5‐Ti/(I/S) composite has good stability and repeatability.
Mixing of Azetidinium in Formamidinium Tin Triiodide Perovskite Solar Cells for Enhanced Photovoltaic Performance and High Stability in Air
Authors: Jokar Efat , Hou Ping‐Huan , Bhosale Sumit S. , Chuang He‐Shiang , Narra Sudhakar , Wei‐Guang Diau Eric
Published: September 2021

Overcoming the issue of the stability of tin‐based perovskites is a major challenge for the commercial development of lead‐free perovskite solar cells. To attack this problem, a new organic cation, azetidinium (AZ), is incorporated into the crystal structure of formamidinium tin triiodide (FASnI3) to form the mixed‐cation perovskite AZxFA1‐xSnI3. As AZ has a similar size to FA but a larger dipole moment, hybrid AZxFA1‐xSnI3 films exhibit variation in optical and electronic properties on increasing the proportion of AZ. Trifluoromethylbenzene (CF3C6H5) serves as antisolvent to fabricate smooth and uniform perovskite films for the devices with an inverted planar heterojunction structure. The device performance is optimized to produce the greatest efficiency at x=0.15 (AZ15), for which a power conversion efficiency of 9.6 % is obtained when the unencapsulated AZ15 device is stored in air for 100 h. Moreover, the device retains 90 % of its initial efficiency for over 15 days. The significant performance and stability of this device reveal that the concept of mixed cations is a promising approach to stabilize tin‐based perovskite solar cells for future commercialization.
Synthesis of FeNiCo Ternary Hydroxides through Green Grinding Method with Metal‐Organic Frameworks as Precursors for Oxygen Evolution Reaction
Authors: Ma Junchao , Wang Sha , He Wenxiu , Chen Huan , Zhai Xu , Meng Fanbao , Fu Yu
Published: September 2021

Metal‐organic framework (MOF)‐derived materials have been widely applied to diversified fields until now due to their flexible processibility. Different kinds of suitable materials can be synthesized by varying MOF templates/precursors and synthesis methods. An appropriate method can skillfully fabricate the materials with excellent performance while meeting the environmentally friendly concept. In this work, a green and flexible grinding method was introduced to synthesize MOF‐derived FeNiCo trimetallic materials without solvent‐assistance, in which Co‐ZIF‐L was selected as a sacrificial precursor and Fe3+ and Ni2+ as etchants and dopants. Surprisingly, the as‐prepared FeNiCo ternary hydroxides supported on Ni foam (G‐FeNi‐Co‐ZIF‐L/NF) showed superior electrocatalytic performance for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) with a low overpotential of 248 mV at 10 mA cm−2. This work provides a prospective approach to synthesize various MOF‐derived multi‐metallic materials, which also opens the door for syntheses of OER electrocatalysts.
Selective Degradation of Styrene‐Related Plastics Catalyzed by Iron under Visible Light**
Authors: Wang Miao , Wen Jinglan , Huang Yahao , Hu Peng
Published: September 2021

Efficient degradation of plastics, the vital challenge for a sustainable future, stands in need of better chemical recycling procedures that help produce commercially valuable small molecules and redefine plastic waste as a rich source of chemical feedstock. However, the corresponding chemical recycling methods, while being generally restricted to polar polymers, need improvement. Particularly, degradation of chemically inert nonpolar polymers, the major constitutes of plastics, suffers from low selectivity and very harsh transformation conditions. Herein, an efficient method was developed for selective degradation of styrene‐related plastics under gentle conditions through multiple oxidation of sp3 C−H bonds and sp3 C−C bonds. The procedure was catalyzed with inexpensive iron salts under visible light, using oxygen as green oxidant. Furthermore, simple iron salts could be used to degrade plastics in the absence of solvent under natural conditions, highlighting the potential application of iron salts as additives for degradable plastics.
Peak selection and latency jitter correction in developmental event‐related potentials
Authors: Guy Maggie W. , Conte Stefania , Bursalıoğlu Aslı , Richards John E.
Published: September 2021

Event‐related potentials (ERPs) provide great insight into neural responses, yet developmental ERP work is plagued with inconsistent approaches to identifying and quantifying component latency. In this analytical review, we describe popular conventions for the selection of time windows for ERP analysis and assert that a data‐driven strategy should be applied to the identification of component latency within individual participants’ data. This may overcome weaknesses of more general approaches to peak selection; however, it does not account for trial‐by‐trial variability within a participant. This issue, known as ERP latency jitter, may blur the average ERP, misleading the interpretation of neural mechanisms. Recently, the ReSync MATLAB toolbox has been made available for correction of latency jitter. Although not created specifically for pediatric ERP data, this approach can be adapted for developmental researchers. We have demonstrated the use of the ReSync toolbox with individual infant and child datasets to illustrate its utility. Details about our peak detection script and the ReSync toolbox are provided. The adoption of data processing procedures that allow for accurate, study‐specific component selection and reduce trial‐by‐trial asynchrony strengthens developmental ERP research by decreasing noise included in ERP analyses and improving the representation of the neural response.
Provide your students with job opportunities through the Workforce Recruitment Program
Authors: Hamblet Elizabeth C.
Published: September 2021

Some students turn to a college degree to improve their job prospects. Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that individuals with disabilities have a lower employment rate than the general population (19.3 vs. 66.3%, according to recent statistics).