bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Efficient Power Response Characteristics of 2KVA Low Cost Inverter under Resistive Loads and Inductive Loads
Authors: Anyanor O. O. , Nwokoye A. O. C. , Ikenga O. A. , Emeregonu C. C.
Published: August 2021

The paper discussed the design of low cost inverter using SG3525A IC and IRF3205 MOSFET in H-Bridge configuration. The implementation of the real construction involved the use of IC SG3525A for generation of output pulses; the totem pole arrangement of transistors was used in the driver section of the inverter to boost signals as well as switching purposes. The H-bridge configuration was employed to effectively switch the four MOSFETs, this switching produced an alternating potential of 220V. Pre-set conditions such as load condition, low battery cut, overcharge cut and constant output were set at 1700W, 10V, 13.3V and 220V respectively so as to ensure effective and long lasting usage of the inverter. The battery used for the operation of the inverter was 12V maintenance free battery in order to reduce the cost of using the inverter. The various tests carried out on this inverter were tests on inductive loads, resistive loads, home appliances, overload condition, low battery and charging control. The aim of this work is to achieve inverter design analysis under resistive loads and inductive loads for efficient power usage at lowest possible cost. This was achieved by connecting various resistive and inductive loads on the inverter. The results show that the system can operate under both the resistive and inductive loads but operates better under resistive loads, the reason for this is that inductive loads always draw large currents during start-ups which always result to power losses.

Graphs were plotted and analyzed; the results also showed that this inverter can take up to 1700W of resistive load and inductive load of 1020W. The inverter produced no humming sound from inductive loads and home appliances such as fan, television, refrigerator e.t.c that were within its maximum capacity of 1700W.
In-vitro Cytoprotective Activity of Eichhornia crassipes Flowers Against Hydrogen Peroxideinduced Oxidative Stress in BRL 3A Rat Liver Cells
Authors: Rajarajan S. , Sivakrishnan S. , Ganesan V.
Published: August 2021

The aim of this study was to investigate the cytoprotective effect of ethanol extract of Eichhornia crassipes flowersand its fractions against hydrogen peroxide induced oxidative stress in BRL 3A liver cells. Powdered flowers of Eichhornia crassipeswere subjected to hot continuous extraction in soxhlet extractor using ethanol as solvent material. Initially, the solvent extracts were subjected to qualitative, quantitative analysis and assessed for in-vitro free radical scavenging activity and anti-oxidant activity. The ethanol extract was fractionated using benzene, chloroform and n-butanol. The crude ethanol extract and its fractions were evaluated for its potential cytoprotective effect against hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) induced oxidative stress in BRL 3A cell lines.Biochemical assays were carried out to determine the cytoprotective activity, including cell viability, lipid peroxidation by determining the formation of malondialdehyde, lactate dehydrogenase leakage into culture medium, the catalase activity and the content of reduced glutathione (GSH) in the cells. Exposure of BRL 3A to 2mM H2O2 reduced the cell viability, increased the malondialdehyde (MDA) level, increased the leakage of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and caused reduction in antioxidant activities. Pretreatment of cultured cells with crude ethanol extract of Eichhornia crassipes flowers and different solvent fractions at concentrations 0.01, 0.1, 1, 10, 100 μg/ml for 30 minutes before H2O2 exposure attenuated the oxidative injury in dose-dependent manner. It was observed that crude ethanol extract of Eichhornia crassipes flowers exhibited a strong cytoprotective by increasing cell viability, decreasing lipid peroxidation and LDH leakage. Further increase in catalase and reduced glutathione activity was noted in the cells pre-treated with ethanol extract of Eichhornia crassipes flowers. These findings suggest that ethanol extract of Eichhornia crassipes flowers has a strong cytoprotective activity against oxidative injury caused by reactive oxygen species.
Optical Properties of Ion Accumulation Areas in MAPbX3 Single Crystals
Authors: Zhang Ziqi , Kang Ruyan , Cheng Pengpeng , Liu Zehan , Zuo Zhiyuan
Published: August 2021

Hybrid organic–inorganic perovskite (HOIP) material‐based devices have attracted much attention in the past few years owing to their superior photoelectric performance. However, ion migration has hindered the commercialization of these devices. The accumulation of migrated ions or defects near electrodes and boundaries is inevitable under a voltage bias. This paper reports a systematic study on the optical properties of ion accumulation areas in HOIP. Quantitative electric fields are applied to MAPbX3 (MA = methylammonium and X = Cl, Br, or I) single crystals, and micro‐optical characterizations, including photoluminescence (PL) spectra, PL lifetimes, and Raman spectra, are performed. Significant differences in the intensity and peak position are observed in the PL spectrum near the anode and cathode regions, respectively. The phenomena observed in the study can be attributed to the migration and accumulation of halide ions, halide vacancies, and MA+ ions. Moreover, the results reveal that halide ions and vacancies play a significant role in carrier recombination. Finally, the Raman spectrum confirms that the migrated ions affect the interaction between the organic MA+ ions and inorganic Pb–X cages.
Hybrid Porous Crystalline Materials from Metal Organic Frameworks and Covalent Organic Frameworks
Authors: Chen Ziman , Li Xinle , Yang Chongqing , Cheng Kaipeng , Tan Tianwei , Lv Yongqin , Liu Yi
Published: August 2021

Two frontier crystalline porous framework materials, namely, metal‐organic frameworks (MOFs) and covalent organic frameworks (COFs), have been widely explored owing to their outstanding physicochemical properties. While each type of framework has its own intrinsic advantages and shortcomings for specific applications, combining the complementary properties of the two materials allows the engineering of new classes of hybrid porous crystalline materials with properties superior to the individual components. Since the first report of MOF/COF hybrid in 2016, it has rapidly evolved as a novel platform for diverse applications. The state‐of‐art advances in the various synthetic approaches of MOF/COF hybrids are hereby summarized, together with their applications in different areas. Perspectives on the main challenges and future opportunities are also offered in order to inspire a multidisciplinary effort toward the further development of chemically diverse, multi‐functional hybrid porous crystalline materials.
Trajectories of Youth's Helping From Adolescence into Adulthood: The Importance of Social Relations and Values
Authors: Ramey Heather L. , Lawford Heather L. , Pancer S. Mark , Matsuba M. Kyle , Pratt Michael W.
Published: August 2021

Helping behaviors (e.g., helping a sick friend, volunteering) are important forms of community involvement and likely change with age and life context. Yet, trajectories of community helping from adolescence through early adulthood have rarely been examined. It is also unclear how the roles of family, friends, and social attitudes might foster the development of helping behaviors across these years. We report on a study of community helping in a Canadian youth sample, across five intervals over a 15‐year span, beginning at age 17 (N = 416). Helping displayed a quadratic trend, decreasing into the mid‐20s, and then rebounding somewhat by 32. Social responsibility and salience of friends' prosocial moral values positively predicted age 17 community helping, whereas parents' moral values predicted less decrease in helping over this timeline. These findings add to an understanding of moral influences and social responsibility, in the potential shaping of youths' community helping behaviors.
Sleep duration, risk of obesity, and parental perceptions of residential neighborhood environments in 6–9 years‐old children
Authors: Machado‐Rodrigues Aristides M. , Rodrigues Daniela , Gama Augusta , Nogueira Helena , Mascarenhas Luís P. , Padez Cristina
Published: August 2021

Objectives

The present study aimed to analyze the association between healthy sleep duration of children and the parental perception of the social/built environment.

Methods

A cross‐sectional study was done and a sample of 8273 children (4183 females) aged 6–9 years was observed. Height (cm) and weight (Kg) were measured, and the body mass index (BMI) was calculated. Participants were classified as normal weight or overweight/obese. Sleep habits, sedentary behaviors (i.e., TV viewing) and environmental variables were assessed by questionnaire. Logistic regressions were used, with adjustments for age, sex, BMI, and sedentary time.

Results

Children whose parents reported a positive perception of the built environment in the residential area were 1.21 times more likely to have regular sleep habits during weekdays. Furthermore, children whose parents reported a negative perception of the social environment and safety were 81% more likely to have irregular sleep habits during the weekdays.

Conclusions

The present study revealed a positive association between regular sleep during the weekdays and the parental perception of the social/built environment (land use and urban design).
Organocatalytic Enantioselective and Diastereodivergent Mannich Reactions of 5‐Substituted Oxazolidin‐2,4‐Diones
Authors: Yin Yanli , Fan Yifan , Zhao Xiaowei , Chai Guobi , Jiang Zhiyong
Published: August 2021

The first catalytic asymmetric Mannich reaction of 5‐substituted oxazolidine‐2,4‐diones is reported. By using an L‐tert‐leucine‐derived thiourea‐tertiary amine as catalyst, a variety of valuable oxazolidine‐2,4‐ones bearing a quaternary stereocenter at the 5‐position and an adjacent aza‐tertiary stereocenter at the α‐position of the heterocycles were obtained in high enantio‐ and diastereoselectivities. Meanwhile, exploiting an L‐tert‐leucine‐derived dipeptide‐based thiourea‐amide‐tertiary amine catalyst could switch diastereoselectivity, delivering the corresponding diastereomers with good to excellent enantioselectivities.
Phthalazine‐based VEGFR‐2 inhibitors: Rationale, design, synthesis, in silico, ADMET profile, docking, and anticancer evaluations
Authors: Khedr Fathalla , Ibrahim Mohamed‐Kamal , Eissa Ibrahim H. , Abulkhair Hamada S. , El‐Adl Khaled
Published: August 2021

In the designed compounds, a new linker was inserted in the form of fragments with verified VEGFR‐2 inhibitory potential, including an α,β‐unsaturated ketonic fragment, pyrazole, and pyrimidine. Also, new distal hydrophobic moieties were attached to these linkers that are expected to increase the hydrophobic interaction with VEGFR‐2 and, consequently, the affinity. These structural optimizations have led us to identify the novel dihydropyrazole derivative 6e as a promising hit molecule. All the new derivatives were evaluated to assess their anticancer activity against three human cancer cell lines, including HepG2, HCT‐116, and MCF‐7. The results of the in vitro anticancer evaluation study revealed the moderate to excellent cytotoxicity of 6c, 6e, 6g, and 7b, with IC50 values in the low micromolar range. The inhibitory activity of VEGFR‐2 was investigated for 16 of the designed compounds. The enzyme assay results of the new compounds were compared with those of sorafenib as a reference VEGFR‐2 inhibitor. The obtained results demonstrated that our derivatives are potent VEGFR‐2 inhibitors. The most potent derivatives 6c, 6e, 6g, and 7b showed IC50 values in the range of 0.11–0.22 µM. Molecular docking and pharmacokinetic studies were also conducted to rationalize the VEGFR‐2 inhibitory activity and to evaluate the ability of the most potent derivatives to be developed as good drug candidates.
Clinicopathological and molecular characterizations of pulmonary NUT midline carcinoma
Authors: Xie Mian , Fu Xinge , Wang Wei
Published: August 2021

Introduction

Pulmonary nuclear protein of the testis (NUT) midline carcinoma (NMC) is a aggressive cancer with t (15, 19) translocation. Here we present the clinicopathological characteristics and molecular genetics alterations of primary pulmonary NMC.

Methods

Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) assay was performed to evaluate NUT translocation. Next generation sequencing (NGS) was performed to investigate genomic landscape. A panel of 289 lung cancer tissues with undifferentiation was retrospectively screened for NUT expression by immunohistochemical (IHC) assay.

Results

Overall, 2136 lung cancer samples were reviewed. We consecutively identified 12 cases of primary pulmonary NMC. Computed tomography revealed centrally located bulky lung mass with ipsilateral mediastinal lymph node and pleural involvements. Tumor cells presented diffuse poor differentiation and focal squamous differentiation with positive NUT expression. NUT rearrangement was confirmed by FISH assay. Ten NMC samples were investigated by NGS. The most common alterations identified were P53, PIK3CA, AUTS2, ITIH2, and CDKL5 genes. Pulmonary NMC exhibited increased activity of PI3K/AKT pathway. In the screening study, BRD4‐NUT rearrangement was identified in two cases.

Conclusion

NUT rearrangement remains the gold standard in the diagnosis of pulmonary NMC. PI3K inhibition is a potential targeted therapy for pulmonary NMC.
Construction of Synthetic Nanobody Library in Mammalian Cells by dsDNA‐Based Strategies**
Authors: Zhao Yanjie , Wang Yi , Su Weijun , Li Shuai
Published: August 2021

A nanobody is an antibody fragment consisting of a single monomeric variable antigen‐binding domain. Mammalian cells are ideal platforms for identifying nanobodies targeting hard‐to‐display transmembrane proteins and nanobodies that function as modulators of cellular phenotypes. However, the introduction of a high‐diversity nanobody library into mammalian cells is challenging. We have developed two novel methods for constructing a nanobody library in mammalian cells. Complementarity‐determining region (CDR) random sequences were first incorporated into upstream and downstream dsDNAs by PCR. In the first method, named dsDNA‐HR, upstream and downstream dsDNAs containing an identical overlapping sequence were co‐transfected into cultured mammalian cells for intracellular homologous recombination that resulted in the formation of an intact nanobody library expression cassette. In the second method, named in vitro ligation, we generated full‐length nanobody expression dsDNAs via ligation of restriction digested upstream and downstream dsDNAs. The obtained full‐length dsDNAs were transfected into mammalian cells for nanobody library expression. Using both methods, we generated over a million unique nanobody sequences, as revealed by high‐throughput sequencing. Single‐cell sequencing was employed to resolve the diversity of the dsDNA‐HR nanobody library. We also identified a small molecule, Nocodazole, which could enhance the efficacy of dsDNA‐HR.
Simultaneous Anodic and Cathodic Exfoliation of Graphite Electrodes in an Aqueous Solution of Inorganic Salt
Authors: Dalal Md. Habibullah , Lee Chong‐Yong , Wallace Gordon G.
Published: August 2021

Electrochemical exfoliation of graphite offers a scalable and efficient approach to synthesise graphene nanomaterials. This process is commonly performed either anodically or cathodically, whereas simultaneous dual processes offer an attractive energy efficient means to produce graphene materials with tuneable properties. Here, we demonstrate a simple electro synthetic approach to produce graphene simultaneously from both a graphite anode and a graphite cathode in K2SO4 aqueous solution. Graphite exfoliation was facilitated by employing 0.5 M K2SO4 as an electrolyte at 10 V, where efficient exfoliation simultaneously occurs at graphite foils serving as both anode and cathode. The anodically exfoliated graphene has a high defect density (ID/IG=0.58) and higher degree of oxidation (C/O=11.36), in comparison to graphene produced at cathode having a lower defect density (ID/IG=0.06) and a low oxidation degree (C/O=31.68). The usage of aqueous solution for scalable and efficient concurrent‐dual electrochemical exfoliation of graphite electrodes will facilitate the development of large‐scale production of graphene.
Delineating Conformation Control in the Photophysical Behaviour of a Molecular Donor‐Acceptor‐Donor Triad
Authors: Garain Bidhan Chandra , Das Shubhajit , Pati Swapan K.
Published: August 2021

Mechanochromic luminescent materials, exhibiting a change in luminescence behavior under external stimuli have emerged as one of the promising candidates for upcoming efficient OLEDs. Recently mechanochromic luminescence was reported in a donor‐acceptor‐donor (D‐A‐D) triad featuring two phenothiazine units separated by a dibenzo[a,j]phenazine motif. The triad follows different emissive routes ranging from phosphorescence to TADF based on the conformational switching of the D units. In this article, we investigate such conformation‐dependent photophysical behavior of this triad through theoretical calculations. By analyzing the nature of ground state, excited state and factors determining the reverse ISC crossing rates associated with the relative orientation of the D and A units, we delineate the effect of the conformational changes on their photophysical properties. Our findings reveal that axial orientation of both the donor groups enhances the overlap between HOMO and LUMO leading to a large singlet‐triplet gap (
) which drives phosphorescence emission. On the contrary, the equatorial orientation of the donor groups minimizes
to facilitate rISC making the conformers TADF active. The role of several geometric factors affecting the photophysical properties of the conformers is also highlighted. Finally, we show how to regulate the population difference among the conformers by functionalizing the triad to harvest the maximum TADF efficiency.
Corporate social responsibility reporting in the food industry—Comparison of co‐operatives and investor‐owned dairies
Authors: Westerholz Hannah K. , Höhler Julia
Published: August 2021

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) has become a central issue in the dairy industry. While it is well established that each company in a chain contributes to that chain's CSR, the role of co‐operatives as a predominant organizational form has been understudied. Due to specific characteristics of co‐operatives, one may hypothesize that these member‐based dairies put a higher value on sustainability than investor‐owned dairy firms. No previous study deals explicitly with the contents of CSR reports in the dairy industry, differentiating between co‐operative and investor‐owned dairies. We adapt an existing set of criteria to examine CSR reports from 13 German dairies and complete the picture by analyzing their websites. A comparison of formal, quality‐related, and content‐related criteria suggests that co‐operative dairies report in a higher quality and more extensively about sustainability. The results provide first insights into organizational form‐specific differences in sustainability reporting. Our findings highlight areas in which dairy companies can become more sustainable.
Towards Highly Efficient Chalcopyrite Photocathodes for Water Splitting: The Use of Cocatalysts beyond Pt
Authors: Salomao Arthur Corrado , dos Santos Araujo Mileny , dos Santos Hugo Leandro Sousa , Medina Marina , Mascaro Lucia Helena , Andrade Junior Marcos Antonio Santana
Published: August 2021

Solar radiation is a renewable and clean energy source used in photoelectrochemical cells (PEC) to produce hydrogen gas as a powerful alternative to carbon‐based fuels. Semiconductors play a vital role in this approach, absorbing the incident solar photons and converting them into electrons and holes. The hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) occurs in the interface of the p‐type semiconductor that works as a photocathode in the PEC. Cu‐chalcopyrites such as Cu(In, Ga)(Se,S)2 (CIGS) and CuIn(Se,S)2 (CIS) present excellent semiconductor characteristics for this purpose, but drawbacks as charge recombination, deficient chemical stability, and slow charge transfer kinetics, demanding improvements like the use of n‐type buffer layer, a protective layer, and a cocatalyst material. Concerning the last one, platinum (Pt) is the most efficient and stable material, but the high price due to its scarcity imposes the search for inexpensive and abundant alternative cocatalyst. The present Minireview highlighted the use of metal alloys, transition metal chalcogenides, and inorganic carbon‐based nanostructures as efficient alternative cocatalysts for HER in PEC.
A novel computer vision‐based assessment of neutrophil chemotaxis in patients with severe infection
Authors: Yang Yunxi , Liu Lu , Guo Zaiwen , Huang Jiamin , Li Linbin , Shao Yiming , Song Mingming , Yang Aixiang , Sun Bingwei
Published: August 2021

Objectives

To evaluate the value of chemotactic function of neutrophils in patients with severe infections.

Methods

A computer vision‐based cellular chemotaxis analysis platform was established for the dynamic assessment of neutrophil chemotaxis. Fifty‐three patients in the intensive care unit were eligible for the study. In parallel, 142 healthy volunteers were recruited to detect and establish the normal values for chemotactic function. Four chemotactic function indicators were determined–chemotaxis distance (CD), chemotaxis cell ratio (CCR), chemotaxis index (CI) and maximum speed of chemotaxis (Vmax). The chemotaxis function scores (CFS) were calculated for further correlation analysis with clinical data.

Results

The normal ranges of indicators were established as CD ≥ 1755.85 µm, CCR ≥ 3.34%, CI ≥ 39.63, Vmax ≥ 14.63 µm min−1 and CFS ≥ 15. We found that the chemotactic function of neutrophils in patients suffering from infections was significantly impaired. The mean values of CD, CCR, CI, Vmax and CFS were 1452.8 µm (P < 0.0001), 3.1% (P < 0.0001), 34.5 (P < 0.0001), 12.2 µm min−1 (P < 0.0001) and 9 (P < 0.0001), respectively. CD and CFS were significantly negatively correlated with the APACHE II score (rCD = −0.55, rCFS = −0.39), SOFA score (rCD = −0.68, rCFS = −0.56), procalcitonin concentration (rCD = −0.60, rCFS = −0.5) and the expression of P2RX1 (rCD = −0.76, rCFS = −0.56), respectively.

Conclusions

CD, CCR, CI and Vmax can well reflect the neutrophil chemotactic function in patients with severe infections. CFS systematically indicated neutrophil function and has promising clinical application prospects.
Ausgangslage und Rahmenbedingungen für bezahlbaren Wohnraum: Baukostenentwicklung in Deutschland
Authors: Walberg Dietmar
Published: August 2021

Die Schaffung von bezahlbarem und sozialem Wohnraum in bedarfsgerechter Größenordnung ist weiterhin eine der größten Herausforderungen, die an Politik, Bau‐ und Wohnungswirtschaft derzeit gestellt ist. Die aktuellen Baukosten und Materialpreisentwicklungen gelten dabei als eine der Hürden für eine entsprechende Umsetzung in höherer Schlagzahl. Unter anderem gestiegene Qualitätsansprüche an die baulichen Standards, z. B. die Energieeffizienz und das barrierefreie Bauen, Kfz‐Stellplätze und weitere kommunale oder behördliche Auflagen sowie das innerstädtische Bauen mit seinen erhöhten logistischen Anforderungen, haben das kostengünstige Bauen in den letzten Jahren immer weiter erschwert.
Forschungskooperation zwischen DAfM und PRB
Authors: Purkert Benjamin
Published: August 2021

Der Deutsche Ausschuss für Mauerwerk e. V. (DAfM) und die Initiative Praxisgerechte Regelwerke im Bauwesen (PRB) haben eine Forschungskooperation beschlossen. Im Rahmen eines von der PRB initiierten Forschungsvorhabens zur Bewertung der neuen Eurocode‐Generation wird sich der DAfM mit dem neuen Eurocode 6 befassen und damit den Teilbereich „Mauerwerksbau” abdecken. Konkret wurden vier Themenstellungen identifiziert, die einer genaueren Untersuchung bedürfen. Diese vier Teilprojekte werden im folgenden Beitrag kurz vorgestellt.
Aufbau und Weiterentwicklung des Deutschen Ausschusses für Mauerwerk
Authors: Brehm Eric , Rast Ronald
Published: August 2021

Am 30.01.2018 wurde der Deutsche Ausschuss für Mauerwerk e. V. – kurz DAfM – in Berlin von 30 Mitgliedern gegründet. Erklärtes Ziel war, den DAfM zum Kompetenzzentrum und Forschungspool für den Mauerwerksbau in Deutschland zu entwickeln.
Take lessons from politicians’ good — and bad — leadership decisions
Authors: Hodges Dawn Z.
Published: August 2021

Earlier this year I told you of my own bout with COVID‐19; if you can believe the statistics, I was one of more than 33.5 million reported cases in the United States, with more than 602,000 of those resulting in death (nytimes.com, June 20, 2021). Unless you're over the age of 100, and were alive for the Spanish Influenza, we've never seen anything like this in our lifetimes.
American colleges and their organizational gravity toward the status quo
Authors: Chu Don
Published: August 2021

As an organizational sociologist and sports fan, I have studied how team success results from organizational factors that optimize individual performance. Regardless of individual star power, some organizations have management structures and organizational cultures that promote success, while others talk a good game but, in the end, they just keep doing what they've done for decades with the same disappointing results. To that end, Robert Reich and many other observers have noted American higher education is stuck in the past.
Endometrial adenocarcinoma presenting in a voided urine cytology specimen: Case report
Authors: Betancourt Renée L. , Samulski Danielle Teresa
Published: August 2021

Though the primary diagnostic utility of urine cytology is in the detection of high grade urothelial carcinoma, malignancies other than those of urinary tract origin may also be present. Direct invasion of the bladder by an adjacent neoplasm, metastasis from a distant primary, or inadvertent contamination during specimen collection may all result in nonurothelial tumor cells being present in a urine cytology specimen. Here, we report a case of endometrial adenocarcinoma that was first identified in a voided urine specimen collected for the routine evaluation of hematuria. The presence of cohesive clusters with apparent glandular differentiation raised the possibility of a nonurothelial neoplasm and prompted an additional workup. Immunohistochemical stains performed on cell block material demonstrated that the glandular cells were positive for PAX8 and negative for GATA3, suggestive of gynecologic origin. A subsequent endometrial curettage and hysterectomy revealed endometrial adenocarcinoma. When faced with papillary groups in a voided urine specimen, the cytopathologist must remember to consider a broad differential diagnosis to include malignancies outside of the urinary tract. It was our awareness of valuable clinical information and keen cytologic assessment which allowed for an accurate diagnosis in the setting of this unexpected finding.
Orally administered cannabidiol does not produce false‐positive tests for Δ9‐tetrahydrocannabinol on the Securetec DrugWipe® 5S or Dräger DrugTest® 5000
Authors: McCartney Danielle , Kevin Richard C. , Suraev Anastasia S. , Irwin Christopher , Grunstein Ronald R. , Hoyos Camilla M. , McGregor Iain S.
Published: August 2021

Many jurisdictions use point‐of‐collection (POC) oral fluid testing devices to identify driving under the influence of cannabis, indexed by the presence of Δ9‐tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), an intoxicating cannabinoid, in oral fluid. Although the use of the non‐intoxicating cannabinoid, cannabidiol (CBD), is not prohibited among drivers, it is unclear whether these devices can reliably distinguish between CBD and THC, which have similar chemical structures. This study determined whether orally administered CBD produces false‐positive tests for THC on standard, POC oral fluid testing devices. In a randomised, double‐blind, crossover design, healthy participants (n = 17) completed four treatment sessions involving the administration of either placebo or 15‐, 300‐ or 1500‐mg pure CBD in a high‐fat dietary supplement. Oral fluid was sampled, and the DrugWipe®‐5S (DW‐5S; 10 ng·ml−1 THC cut‐off) and Drug Test® 5000 (DT5000; 10 ng·mL−1 THC cut‐off) devices administered, at baseline (pretreatment) and ~20‐, ~145‐ and ~185‐min posttreatment. Oral fluid cannabinoid concentrations were measured using ultra‐high performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. Median (interquartile range [IQR]) oral fluid CBD concentrations were highest at ~20 min, quantified as 0.4 (6.0), 15.8 (41.6) and 167 (233) ng·ml−1 on the 15‐, 300‐ and 1500‐mg CBD treatments, respectively. THC, cannabinol and cannabigerol were not detected in any samples. A total of 259 DW‐5S and 256 DT5000 tests were successfully completed, and no THC‐positive tests were observed. Orally administered CBD does not appear to produce false‐positive (or true‐positive) tests for THC on the DW‐5S and DT5000. The likelihood of an individual who is using a CBD (only) oral formulation being falsely accused of DUIC therefore appears low.
Posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms moderate the relation between childhood sexual abuse and disordered eating in a community sample
Authors: Kiefer Reina , Goncharenko Svetlana , Contractor Ateka A. , DePina Maria Z. , Weiss Nicole H.
Published: August 2021

Objective

Previous work has found clear associations between childhood sexual abuse (CSA) and disordered eating in adulthood. However, further research is needed to clarify factors that may influence this relationship. The current study advanced existing research by examining the moderating influence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom severity in the association between CSA and disordered eating.

Method

Data were collected from 463 individuals with a history of sexual assault or other unwanted sexual experience(s) (Mage = 34.71, 54.9% women, 77.5% white) who were recruited from MTurk.

Results

Results indicated significant positive relations among CSA, PTSD symptom severity, and disordered eating. CSA was found to be associated with disordered eating at high, but not low, levels of PTSD symptom severity.

Discussion

This study highlights the importance of assessing disordered eating and PTSD symptoms in individuals who report a history of CSA. Clinicians aiming to reduce their patients' symptoms of disordered eating may benefit from considering the potential role of PTSD symptom severity as a barrier to achieving treatment gains.
Antibacterial and anatomical defenses in an oil contaminated, vulnerable seaduck
Authors: Møller Anders Pape , Laursen Karsten , Izaguirre Jorge , Marzal Alfonso
Published: August 2021

Oil spills have killed thousands of birds during the last 100 years, but nonlethal effects of oil spills on birds remain poorly studied. We measured phenotype characters in 819 eidersSomateria mollissima(279 whole birds and 540 wings) of which 13.6% were oiled. We tested the hypotheses that (a) the morphology of eiders does not change due to oil contamination; (b) the anatomy of organs reflects the physiological reaction to contamination, for example, increase in metabolic demand, increase in food intake, and counteracting toxic effects of oil; (c) large locomotion apparatus that facilitates locomotion increases the risk of getting oiled; and (d) individual eiders with a higher production of secretions from the uropygial grand were more likely to have oil on their plumage. We tested whether 19 characters differed between oiled and nonoiled individuals, showing a consistent pattern. The final model retained seven predictor variables showing relationships between eiders contaminated with oil and food consumption, flight, and diving abilities. We tested whether these effects were due to differences in body condition, liver mass, empty gizzard mass, or other characters that could have been affected by impaired flight and diving ability. There was no evidence of such negative impact of oiling on eiders. We found that significant exposure to oil was associated with increased diversity of antibacterial defense. Oiled eiders did not constitute a random sample, and superior diving ability as reflected by large foot area was at a selective disadvantage during oil spills. Thus, specific characteristics predispose eiders to oiling, with an adaptation to swimming, diving, and flying being traded against the costs of oiling. In contrast, individuals with a high degree of physiological plasticity may experience an advantage because their uropygial secretions counteract the effects of oil contamination.
Guidance on the management of left ventricular assist device (LVAD) supported patients for the non‐LVAD specialist healthcare provider: executive summary
Authors: Ben Gal Tuvia , Ben Avraham Binyamin , Milicic Davor , Crespo‐Leiro Marisa G. , Coats Andrew J.S. , Rosano Giuseppe , Seferovic Petar , Ruschitzka Frank , Metra Marco , Anker Stefan , Filippatos Gerasimos , Altenberger Johann , Adamopoulos Stamatis , Barac Yaron D. , Chioncel Ovidiu , de Jonge Nicolaas , Elliston Jeremy , Frigerio Maria , Goncalvesova Eva , Gotsman Israel , Grupper Avishai , Hamdan Righab , Hammer Yoav , Hasin Tal , Hill Loreena , Itzhaki Ben Zadok Osnat , Abuhazira Miriam , Lavee Jacob , Mullens Wilfried , Nalbantgil Sanem , Piepoli Massimo F. , Ponikowski Piotr , Potena Luciano , Ristic Arsen , Ruhparwar Arjang , Shaul Aviv , Tops Laurens F. , Tsui Steven , Winnik Stephan , Jaarsma Tiny , Gustafsson Finn
Published: August 2021

The accepted use of left ventricular assist device (LVAD) technology as a good alternative for the treatment of patients with advanced heart failure together with the improved survival of patients on the device and the scarcity of donor hearts has significantly increased the population of LVAD supported patients. Device‐related, and patient–device interaction complications impose a significant burden on the medical system exceeding the capacity of LVAD implanting centres. The probability of an LVAD supported patient presenting with medical emergency to a local ambulance team, emergency department medical team and internal or surgical wards in a non‐LVAD implanting centre is increasing. The purpose of this paper is to supply the immediate tools needed by the non‐LVAD specialized physician — ambulance clinicians, emergency ward physicians, general cardiologists, and internists — to comply with the medical needs of this fast‐growing population of LVAD supported patients. The different issues discussed will follow the patient's pathway from the ambulance to the emergency department, and from the emergency department to the internal or surgical wards and eventually back to the general practitioner.
Identification of the Fc‐alpha/mu receptor in Xenopus provides insight into the emergence of the poly‐Ig receptor (pIgR) and mucosal Ig transport
Authors: Flowers Emily M. , Neely Harold R. , Guo Jacqueline , Almeida Tereza , Ohta Yuko , Castro Caitlin D. , Flajnik Martin F
Published: August 2021

The polyimmunoglobulin receptor (pIgR) transcytoses J chain‐containing antibodies through mucosal epithelia. In mammals, two cis‐duplicates of PIGR, FCMR, and FCAMR, flank the PIGR gene. A PIGR duplication is first found in amphibians, previously annotated as PIGR2 (herein xlFCAMR), and is expressed by APCs. We demonstrate that xlFcamR is the equivalent of mammalian FcamR. It has been assumed that pIgR is the oldest member of this family, yet our data could not distinguish whether PIGR or FCAMR emerged first; however, FCMR was the last family member to emerge. Interestingly, bony fish “pIgR” is not an orthologue of tetrapod pIgR, and possibly acquired its function via convergent evolution. PIGR/FCAMR/FCMR are members of a larger superfamily, including TREM, CD300, and NKp44, which we name the “double‐disulfide Ig superfamily” (ddIgSF). Domains related to each ddIgSF family were identified in cartilaginous fish (sharks, chimeras) and encoded in a single gene cluster syntenic to the human pIgR locus. Thus, the ddIgSF families date back to the earliest antibody‐based adaptive immunity, but apparently not before. Finally, our data strongly suggest that the J chain arose in evolution only for Ig multimerization. This study provides a framework for further studies of pIgR and the ddIgSF in vertebrates.
Tandem Nenitzescu Reaction/Nucleophilic Aromatic Substitution to Form Novel Pyrido Fused Indole Frameworks
Authors: Singh Rashmi , Bhatia Harshita , Prakash Prabhat , Debroye Elke , Dey Swapan , Dehaen Wim
Published: August 2021

5‐Hydroxyindoles are privileged structures that form part of various bioactive compounds. The Nenitzescu reaction of quinones and enamines is one of the most powerful methods to obtain 5‐hydroxyindoles. In this work, we have applied the Nenitzescu reaction to 2‐(2‐chloropyrid‐3‐yl)benzoquinones. Mixtures of regioisomers were obtained that could be separated in the 4‐ and 6‐substituted analogues, and then cyclized separately in a metal‐free base‐catalyzed reaction, affording novel tetracyclic indole derivatives. These are indeed the first examples reported in the literature of the linear pyrido[3′,2′ : 4,5]furo[3,2‐b]indole and angular 1H‐pyrido[2′,3′ : 4,5]furo[2,3‐c]indole systems. The regioselectivity and the yield of the Nenitzescu reaction were found to be dependent on the N‐substituent at the enamine. Furthermore, we analyzed the UV‐Vis and PL spectra of the new systems, and this was supported by DFT calculations, allowing us to compare the properties of angular compared to linearly shaped compounds.
Gram‐Scale Synthesis of a Hexapeptide by Fragment Coupling in a Ball Mill
Authors: Yeboue Yves , Rguioueg Nadia , Subra Gilles , Martinez Jean , Lamaty Frédéric , Métro Thomas‐Xavier
Published: August 2021

Synthesis of long peptides is generally considered as a challenge to peptide chemists, in addition to producing significant amounts of toxic waste, such as DMF. Here we show that using solvent‐less methods, such as ball milling, enabled the production of the hexapeptide Boc‐(Ala‐Phe‐Gly)2‐OBn at the gram scale with high overall yield (77 %, 5 linear steps). This is the longest peptide chain synthesized in a ball mill to date, in which the amino acid sequence is precisely controlled. This study complements the current fundamental knowledge required to synthesize longer and more difficult peptide chains (or small proteins) by using peptide fragment couplings in a ball mill.
One‐Pot Synthesis of Thiocarbamates
Authors: Waibel Kevin A. , Barther Dennis , Malliaridou Triantafillia , Moatsou Dafni , Meier Michael A. R.
Published: August 2021

An efficient isocyanide‐based synthesis of S‐thiocarbamates was discovered and thoroughly investigated. The new reaction protocol is a one‐pot procedure and allows the direct conversion of N‐formamides into thiocarbamates by initial dehydration with p‐toluene sulfonyl chloride to the respective isocyanide and subsequent addition of a sulfoxide component. Contrary to recent literature, which also uses isocyanides as starting material, but with other sulfur reagents than sulfoxides, in this protocol, no isolation and purification of the isocyanide component is necessary, thus significantly decreasing the environmental impact and increasing the efficiency of the synthesis. The new protocol was applied to synthesize a library of sixteen thiocarbamates, applying four N‐formamides and four commercially available sulfoxides. Furthermore, experiments were conducted to investigate the reaction mechanism. Finally, four norbornene‐based thiocarbamate monomers were prepared and applied in controlled ring‐opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) reactions. The polymers were characterized by size‐exclusion chromatography (SEC) and their properties were investigated utilizing differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA).
Nonlinear soil effects on observed and simulated response spectra
Authors: Andreotti Guido , Calvi Gian Michele
Published: August 2021

Soil effects are collectively referred to the influences that local geology and morphology of soil deposits have on ground motions coming from bedrock. The quantification of soil effects in building codes has a great impact in the design of structures because soil factors amplify the reference seismic input, which is typically defined for rock‐type soil class from probabilistic seismic hazards analysis. This topic, within earthquake engineering, represents one of the typical interfaces between structural engineering, geotechnical engineering and engineering seismology. In fact, this issue is generally addressed with different approaches depending on the background of the researchers. This article investigates soil effects combining the viewpoints of structural and geotechnical engineers and seismologists. It is shown that the averaging technique adopted for the definition of ground motion predictive models for spectral ordinates does not play a significant role in defining the results of rock‐like soil classes. However, for other soil classes characterized by soil effects, different methods of averaging the spectral ordinates produce significant differences. The main result of this study is the proposal of a new analytical formulation for the quantification of soil amplification factors for both acceleration and displacement response spectra. The proposed formulation is based on a database of real ground motions and simulated accelerograms. The latter have been obtained through stochastic ground response analyses, with the propagation of natural ground motions on rock‐like soil class through randomly generated soil deposits representative of different soil classes of Eurocode 8 and the Italian Building Code. The comparison between real and simulated data revealed the crucial role of soil nonlinearity in the definition of soil effects, which is also in relation with the variation of magnitude, fault distance and the intensity measures expected on outcropping rock.
Effect of pinholes in electrolyte on re‐oxidation tolerance of anode‐supported solid oxide fuel cells
Authors: Kumada Keigo , Sato Kazuhisa , Kawada Tatsuya , Sumi Hirofumi , Shimada Hiroyuki , Hashida Toshiyuki
Published: August 2021

The effects of through‐thickness pinholes in an electrolyte on re‐oxidation and mechanical damage of anode‐supported solid oxide fuel cells are discussed in this paper. Pinholes with a dimension greater than approximately 10 μm were detected by dye penetrant inspection using half‐cells fabricated through a co‐sintering method. In single cells with such pinholes, the leakage of oxygen occurred through the through‐thickness pinholes under open‐circuit voltage (OCV) conditions when the fuel supply was discontinued. The oxygen leakage caused the oxidation of Ni in the anode, forming semicircular re‐oxidized regions on the electrolyte side of the anode substrate. The oxygen permeation fluxes in the electrolyte, which were deduced from the measured reduction in OCV during the operation of fuel shut‐off, are shown to correlate well with the time elapsed from the shut‐off of the fuel gas supply to the onset of mechanical damage monitored by acoustic emissions. The correlation indicates that the oxidation rate of the anode substrate is accelerated due to the presence of pinholes in the electrolyte, which can result in mechanical damages.
Producing valuable information from hydrologic models of nature-based solutions for water
Authors: Brauman Kate A. , Bremer Leah L. , Hamel Perrine , Ochoa-Tocachi Boris F. , Roman-Dañobeytia Francisco , Bonnesoeur Vivien , Arapa Edwing , Gammie Gena
Published: August 2021

Nature-based solutions (NBS) are an increasingly popular approach to water resources management, with a growing number of projects designed to take advantage of landscape effects on water flow. As NBS for water are developed, producing hydrologic information to inform decisions often requires substantial investment in data acquisition and modeling; for this effort to be worthwhile, the information generated must be useful and used. We apply an evaluation framework of salience (type of information), credibility (quality of information), and legitimacy (trustworthiness of information) to assess how hydrologic modeling outputs have been used in NBS projects by three types of decision makers: advocates, implementers, and analysts. Our findings, based on documents and interviews with watershed management programs in South America currently implementing NBS, consider how hydrologic modeling supports two types of decisions for NBS projects: quantifying the hydrologic impact of potential and existing NBS and prioritizing where NBS might be sited within a watershed. To help inform future modeling studies, we identify several problematic assumptions that analysts may make about the credibility of modeled outputs for NBS when advocates and implementers are not effectively engaged. We find that salient, credible, and legitimate results in applications evaluating NBS for water are not always generated in the absence of clear communication and engagement. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2022;18:135–147. © 2021 The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC).

KEY POINTS

Hydrologic information can be evaluated based on salience (relevance of information), credibility (quality of information), and legitimately (trustworthiness of information); our interviews suggest salience and legitimacy are critical to whether model outputs are useful and used. We identified three key target audiences in NBS projects—implementers, advocates, and analysts—with distinct information needs; quantifying the hydrologic impact of NBS is of interest to all three audience types, but for different reasons. Interviews about the type and sophistication of hydrologic models necessary for NBS projects in practice suggest that simpler models that gain legitimacy because they are more easily explained can provide sufficiently credible information to take action. Mutual understanding of the aims of the project among implementors, advocates, and analysts is critical to ensure that the actual variable of interest is identified and modeled and that non-hydrologic constraints are considered.