bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Exposure duration modulates the response of Caribbean corals to global change stressors
Authors: Aichelman Hannah E. , Bove Colleen B. , Castillo Karl D. , Boulton Jessica M. , Knowlton Alyssa C. , Nieves Olivia C. , Ries Justin B. , Davies Sarah W.
Published: June 2021

Global change, including rising temperatures and acidification, threatens corals globally. Although bleaching events reveal fine‐scale patterns of resilience, traits enabling persistence under global change remain elusive. We conducted a 95‐d controlled‐laboratory experiment investigating how duration of exposure to warming (~28, 31°C), acidification (pCO2 ~ 343 [present day], ~663 [end of century], ~3109 [extreme] μatm), and their combination influences physiology of reef‐building corals (Siderastrea siderea, Pseudodiploria strigosa) from two reef zones on the Belize Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System. Every 30 d, net calcification rate, host protein and carbohydrate, chlorophyll a, and symbiont density were quantified for the same coral individual to characterize acclimation potential under global change. Coral physiologies of the two species were differentially affected by stressors and exposure duration was found to modulate these responses. Siderastrea siderea exhibited resistance to end of century pCO2 and temperature stress, but calcification was negatively affected by extreme pCO2. However, S. siderea calcification rates remained positive after 95 d of extreme pCO2 conditions, suggesting acclimation. In contrast, P. strigosa was more negatively influenced by elevated temperatures, which reduced most physiological parameters. An exception was nearshore P. strigosa, which maintained calcification rates under elevated temperature, suggesting local adaptation to the warmer environment of their natal reef zone. This work highlights how tracking coral physiology across various exposure durations can capture acclimatory responses to global change stressors.
The Indiana Learning Health System Initiative: Early experience developing a collaborative, regional learning health system
Authors: Schleyer Titus , Williams Linda , Gottlieb Jonathan , Weaver Christopher , Saysana Michele , Azar Jose , Sadowski Josh , Frederick Chris , Hui Siu , Kara Areeba , Ruppert Laura , Zappone Sarah , Bushey Michael , Grout Randall , Embi Peter J.
Published: June 2021

Introduction

Learning health systems (LHSs) are usually created and maintained by single institutions or healthcare systems. The Indiana Learning Health System Initiative (ILHSI) is a new multi‐institutional, collaborative regional LHS initiative led by the Regenstrief Institute (RI) and developed in partnership with five additional organizations: two Indiana‐based health systems, two schools at Indiana University, and our state‐wide health information exchange. We report our experiences and lessons learned during the initial 2‐year phase of developing and implementing the ILHSI.

Methods

The initial goals of the ILHSI were to instantiate the concept, establish partnerships, and perform LHS pilot projects to inform expansion. We established shared governance and technical capabilities, conducted a literature review‐based and regional environmental scan, and convened key stakeholders to iteratively identify focus areas, and select and implement six initial joint projects.

Results

The ILHSI successfully collaborated with its partner organizations to establish a foundational governance structure, set goals and strategies, and prioritize projects and training activities. We developed and deployed strategies to effectively use health system and regional HIE infrastructure and minimize information silos, a frequent challenge for multi‐organizational LHSs. Successful projects were diverse and included deploying a Fast Healthcare Interoperability Standards (FHIR)‐based tool across emergency departments state‐wide, analyzing free‐text elements of cross‐hospital surveys, and developing models to provide clinical decision support based on clinical and social determinants of health. We also experienced organizational challenges, including changes in key leadership personnel and varying levels of engagement with health system partners, which impacted initial ILHSI efforts and structures. Reflecting on these early experiences, we identified lessons learned and next steps.

Conclusions

Multi‐organizational LHSs can be challenging to develop but present the opportunity to leverage learning across multiple organizations and systems to benefit the general population. Attention to governance decisions, shared goal setting and monitoring, and careful selection of projects are important for early success.
Corrosion‐resistant and friction‐reducing performance of super‐hydrophobic coating on hot‐dip galvanised steel in a 3.5% NaCl solution
Authors: Cao Lei , Wan Yong , Li Yang , Yang Shuyan
Published: June 2021

Corrosion‐resistant and tribological performance of hot‐dipped galvanised steel (HDGS) in highly aggressive coastal and marine environments needs improvement. In this paper, the super‐hydrophobic coating with a contact angle of 150° and a sliding angle of <10° is fabricated on HDGS by a simple method that includes self‐assembly of stearic acid on oxidised HDGS. SEM and XRD are used to characterise the morphology and phase structure of the oxidised HDGS, respectively. Infrared microscopy is used to investigate the chemical bonding mode of stearic acid on the oxidised HDGS. It is found that super‐hydrophobic coating provides effective corrosion resistance for HDGS in a 3.5% NaCl solution. It also shows a lower friction coefficient with wear protection in a 3.5% NaCl solution, as compared with the bare HDGS.
In2S3‐Polymer Hybrid Gels Derived from In(III) Metal–Organic Gels for Dye Adsorption, Photodegradation, and Bacteria Removal
Authors: Li Botian , Zhou Xue , Yan Bo , Li Yingchao , Ye Haimu , Huang Guoyong , Zhou Qiong
Published: June 2021

Currently, the treatment of wastewater that contains organic dyes and bacteria attracts a considerable amount of attention, and the fabrication of photoinduced catalytic materials to address the problem is still a challenge. In this work, indium(III) sulfide hybrid gels are prepared by in situ polymerization and sulfurization using In(III) metal–organic gels as sacrificial templates. Two In(III) metal–organic gels are fabricated by the coordination interaction between multitopic pyridyl ligands and indium ions, where the assembled structure of the gel templates can be tuned by employing different multitopic ligands to obtain the networks of nanofibers and nanoparticles. After templated fabrication, the resulting In2S3‐polymer hybrid gels show improved mechanical strength, and can be used as novel photocatalysts for the photodegradation of organic dyes, such as rhodamine B and methylene blue, and efficient adsorbents for the adsorption of anionic dyes, such as Congo red. Experiments that involve pure and mixed bacteria demonstrate the bacteria‐removing activities of the hybrid gels due to their electrostatic adsorption and photoinduced sterilization of the bacteria. Therefore, this new kind of hybrid gel might have potential applications in the photoinduced purification of water by scavenging organic dyes and bacteria in the aqueous phase.
A single‐center retrospective comparison of Duplex ultrasonography versus audible Doppler regarding anterolateral thigh perforator flap harvest and operative times
Authors: Thomas Benjamin , Haug Valentin , Falkner Florian , Arras Christian , Nagel Sarah S. , Boecker Arne , Schmidt Volker J. , Kneser Ulrich , Bigdeli Amir K.
Published: June 2021

Introduction

We reported on the superiority of preoperative Duplex mapping (“Duplex”) over audible Dopplers (“Doppler”) in anterolateral thigh perforator (ALT) free flaps for upper extremity reconstruction. To corroborate our findings on a larger cohort, we conducted this present study focusing on surgical efficiency and patient safety.

Methods

150 consecutive ALT free flaps were divided into 65 cases of preoperative Duplex versus 85 Doppler controls. We first compared patient demographics, operative details, and defect and flap characteristics. We then assessed group differences in the number and course of perforators pursued intraoperatively, flap harvest and operative times, and donor‐site complications. Additionally, the impact of the training level of the primary microsurgeon was evaluated.

Results

Cases and controls were comparable regarding age (p = .48), sex (p = .81), ASA class (p = .48), and BMI (p = .90). Duplex was associated with an increased likelihood of raising flaps on one single dominant perforator of purely septal course and significant reductions of flap harvest (68 ± 10 min, p < .0001) and operative times (74 ± 16 min, p < .0001), regardless of the experience of the primary microsurgeon. There were strong negative linear correlations between preoperative Duplex and both the flap harvest and operative times (p < .0001). Additionally, while there was no effect on the emergency take‐back rate (OR = 1.3, p = .60), revisions were significantly less likely among duplexed patients (OR = 0.15, p = .04).

Conclusions

Preoperative Duplex is associated with a significant reduction in ALT free flap harvest and overall operative times, as well as donor‐site revisions as opposed to Doppler planning, regardless of the training level of the primary microsurgeon.
A low‐cost dual‐mode differentially‐fed patch antenna based on SISL platform with out‐of‐band suppression
Authors: Luo Yu , Yin Tianjie , Yan Ningning , An Wenxing , Ma Kaixue
Published: June 2021

A dual‐mode differentially‐fed patch antenna is proposed with out‐of‐band suppression based on substrate‐integrated suspended line (SISL) platform. Taking advantage of the air cavity in the SISL platform, the antenna is with two resonant modes for enhanced bandwidth. One mode is TM01 of the patch and the other one is the TE102 mode of the air cavity. A radiation null is also introduced by the air cavity at the upper band and result in out‐of‐band suppression. To verify the proposed design, a prototype is fabricated and measured. Measurements agree well with the simulations. In the band of 4.73–4.98 GHz, the reflection coefficients are less than −10 dB, which is for the Sub 6 GHz band for the 5G communication. Besides, the efficiency of the antenna is 80% with the low‐cost substrate of FR4.
Minimal Inhibitory Concentration Values of Oxytetracycline for Bacterial Pathogens Isolated from Warmwater Fishes
Authors: Gaunt Patricia S. , Gao Dana , Hawke John P. , Griffin Matt J. , Ware Cynthia , Endris Richard G.
Published: June 2021

The in vitro susceptibility to oxytetracycline (OTC) was determined through minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) testing of 10 field isolates from each of seven fish pathogens: Edwardsiella ictaluri, E. piscicida, E. tarda, Flavobacterium columnare, Aeromonas hydrophila, Streptococcus iniae, and S. agalactiae. Bacteria from each species were cultured, diluted, dispensed into 96-well microdilution plates, and incubated at 28°C. The MIC results were read at 48 h for all species except A. hydrophila, for which results were read at 24 h. The MIC ranges of OTC (μg/mL) for these bacteria were as follows: 0.5–64.0 for E. ictaluri; 0.5 to over 64.0 for E. piscicida; 0.5 to ≥64.0 for E. tarda; less than 0.12 (all) for F. columnare; 0.25 (all) for A. hydrophila; 0.5–16.0 for S. iniae; and 0.5–2.0 for S. agalactiae. Escherichia coli isolate ATCC 25922 was used as the MIC quality control throughout testing, and MIC values were within limits established by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI). Although there are no CLSI-published or other standardized epidemiological cutoff values for these fish pathogens, the isolates with MIC values less than 1.0 μg/mL were deemed susceptible to OTC based on the locally established susceptibility ranges at the College of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University. In the present study, 100% of A. hydrophila and F. columnare isolates; 80–90% of E. ictaluri, E. piscicida, and E. tarda isolates; 50% of S. iniae isolates; and 80% of S. agalactiae isolates were considered susceptible to OTC (MIC < 1.0 μg/mL).
A Comparison of Brook Trout Passage at Road Culverts to Broadscale Assessment Criteria in a Pennsylvania Headwater Stream
Authors: Rogers Karli M. , Rummel Shawn M. , Lavelle Kathleen M. , Duchamp Joseph E. , Niles Jonathan M. , Janetski David J.
Published: June 2021

Restoring stream connectivity by replacing road culverts is a high conservation priority, yet long-term fish passage data aimed to “ground-truth” culvert prioritization methods are lacking. One common tool for prioritizing culvert removals is the protocol developed by the North Atlantic Aquatic Connectivity Collaborative (NAACC), which uses culvert characteristics to estimate barrier severity and fish passage. To determine the degree to which NAACC scoring reflects trout passage, we monitored Brook Trout Salvelinus fontinalis movements through three culverts and a reference site (no culvert) in a central Pennsylvania watershed. Passage was nearly continuously monitored for 16 months using remote stationary PIT tag readers. We found that NAACC ranks underestimated Brook Trout passage through two of three culverts. Specifically, the culvert with a rank of “reduced aquatic organism passage (AOP)” experienced higher rates of upstream passage (up to 10 upstream movements per day) than all other sites combined, including the reference site. The reduced AOP site also had a similar proportion of the tagged population that moved upstream (20.9%) compared to the reference site (16.9%). Of the two remaining culverts, both box culverts rated as “no AOP,” one had almost no upstream passage (only two upstream movements over the entire study) and the other had passage rates similar to the reference stream (up to four upstream movements per day). Brook Trout tended to move during high flow and the fall spawning period. We suggest that, for the streams considered in our study, the NAACC protocol may better predict upstream passage if it emphasizes culvert type and adjusts measurement thresholds in the AOP coarse screening. If these patterns are supported by studies at other locations, a more nuanced treatment of culvert type and outlet characteristics in NAACC protocols may more accurately predict Brook Trout passage through culverts.
Treating the most vulnerable: A discursive review of experimental pain in Alzheimer’s disease
Authors: Iversen Wm. Larkin , Cowan Ronald L. , Atalla Sebastian , Englehart Sydney S. , Gure Tanya R. , Moss Karen O. , Ryan Claire M. , Scharre Douglas W. , Wright Kathy D. , Monroe Todd B.
Published: June 2021

Aim

The purpose of this manuscript is to summarize research on how experimental pain is experienced by adults with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and to translate results into implications for nurses.

Design

This discursive review synthesizes the results of three previous research studies exploring experimental pain in adults with AD.

Methods

Using a series of fictional clinical vignettes, the authors discuss how the results from three previous papers using acute experimental pain can potentially be translated into clinical practice. The authors also introduce the reader to the concept of research‐related psychophysics using introductory definitions and concepts with the impetus to encourage other nurses to consider this research methodology.

Results

Pain characteristics in AD that differ from cognitively intact controls must be explored to properly address pain in this population. Nurses are well positioned to address these issues in order to provide a high quality of care to adults with AD.
Correlating polymer structure, dynamics, and function with atomic force microscopy
Authors: Murphy Julia G. , Raybin Jonathan G. , Sibener Steven J.
Published: June 2021

Since its development, atomic force microscopy (AFM) has become an indispensable tool for investigating fundamental and technological applications of polymer materials. The versatility of AFM imaging modes and operating conditions allows for nanoscale characterization of a range of dynamic processes, such as crystallization, phase separation, self assembly, and electronic transport. Advances in AFM technology, particularly high‐speed and high‐resolution imaging, enable investigation of polymer structure, function, and dynamics in real world conditions and across a range of relevant spatial and temporal scales. In this perspective, we highlight a collection of recent polymer studies that utilize AFM to correlate the function and structure of polymer films, with focus on its multiparametric imaging capabilities. As the complexity of polymer materials and morphologies continues to increase, AFM is well poised to meet the accompanying demand for nanoscale imaging and characterization.
Microscopic Imaging and Optical Pressure Measurements of Detonations
Authors: Gunduz I. Emre
Published: June 2021

The microstructure of solid high explosives can affect their safety and performance. However, the extreme conditions in the vicinity of detonating explosives make high‐resolution imaging and data acquisition challenges. A new diagnostic method is presented here that allows microscopic imaging of self‐supported detonations while optically measuring pressures in an arbitrary confiner material nearby using an imaging fiber and an image intensifier at a safe distance. Tests with pressed pellets of HMX and PBX 9501 revealed features during pore collapse in engineered holes and detonation reaction zone morphology and thickness. Interface experiments allowed the measurement of pressure at the boundary between the explosive and a silicone polymer and the determination of the specific heat ratio for the gaseous products. The same methodology can be used to fit any form of equation‐of‐state and Hugoniot curves for arbitrary materials using few simple experiments.
Structure–activity relationship study of amphipathic antimicrobial peptides using helix‐destabilizing sarcosine
Authors: Yokoo Hidetomo , Hirano Motoharu , Ohoka Nobumichi , Misawa Takashi , Demizu Yosuke
Published: June 2021

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are potential therapeutic agents against bacteria. We recently showed that a rationally designed AMP, termed Stripe, with an amphipathic distribution of native cationic and hydrophobic amino acids on its helical structure exhibited potent antimicrobial activity against Gram‐positive and Gram‐negative bacteria with negligible hemolytic activity and cytotoxicity. In this study, the structure–activity relationship of Stripe was elucidated by designing a series of antimicrobial peptides whereby amino acid residues of Stripe were exchanged with helix‐destabilizing sarcosine residues. Stripe 1–5 peptides with hydrophobic amino acids substituted with sarcosine were predominantly unstructured and showed no antimicrobial activity, except against Escherichia coli (E. coli) (DH5α) cells. The activity against E. coli (DH5α) cells and the helicity of Stripe 1–5 peptides decreased concomitantly as the number of sarcosine residue substitutions increased. Stripe 1–5 peptides showed no hemolytic activity or cytotoxicity. The results indicate that sarcosine substitutions provide an approach to study the structure–activity relationship of helical AMPs, and the helicity of Stripe is an important feature defining its activity.
Traditional plants with antioxidant properties in clinical trials—A systematic review
Authors: Marmitt Diorge Jônatas , Bitencourt Shanna , da Silva Gustavo Rodrigo , Rempel Claudete , Goettert Márcia Inês
Published: June 2021

There is a trend toward the use of natural substances present in plants and vegetables. In general, foods rich in antioxidants are complex matrices; therefore, understanding its absorption effects is extremely relevant to know its bioactive potential. Thus, this systematic review focused on clinical trials involving plants (or compounds) registered on the National List of Medicinal Plants of Interest to the Unified Health System (RENISUS) with antioxidant properties. Following the reporting guidelines of Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyzes studies of interest indexed in the PubMed andClinicalTrials.govdatabases were analyzed. Of the 59 clinical trials found,Allium sativumandCurcuma longaare the plant species with the highest percentage of clinical research. Prevention/attenuation of oxidative stress was one of the main antioxidant mechanisms indicated in the studies. The most tested compounds of the RENISUS plants in clinical trials were curcumin and soy isoflavone. In this review, we selected studies in advanced stages that highlight plants' value in optimizing antioxidant status; however, even with high‐quality studies, it is not prudent to overstate the clinical efficacy of these plants.
Nanobiosensor‐based diagnostic tools in viral infections: Special emphasis on Covid‐19
Authors: Misra Ranjita , Acharya Sarbari , Sushmitha Nehru
Published: June 2021

The rapid propagation of novel human coronavirus 2019 and its emergence as a pandemic raising morbidity calls for taking more appropriate measures for rapid improvement of present diagnostic techniques which are time‐consuming, labour‐intensive and non‐portable. In this scenario, biosensors can be considered as a means to outmatch customary techniques and deliver point‐of‐care diagnostics for many diseases in a much better way owing to their speed, cost‐effectiveness, accuracy, sensitivity and selectivity. Besides this, these biosensors have been aptly used to detect a wide spectrum of viruses thus facilitating timely delivery of correct therapy. The present review is an attempt to analyse such different kinds of biosensors that have been implemented for virus detection. Recently, the field of nanotechnology has given a great push to diagnostic techniques by the development of smart and miniaturised nanobiosensors which have enhanced the diagnostic procedure and taken it to a new level. The portability, hardiness and affordability of nanobiosensor make them an apt diagnostic agent for different kinds of viruses including SARS‐CoV‐2. The role of such novel nanobiosensors in the diagnosis of SARS‐CoV‐2 has also been addressed comprehensively in the present review. Along with this, the challenges and future position of developing such ultrasensitive nanobiosensors which should be taken into consideration before declaring these nano‐weapons as the ideal futuristic gold standard of diagnosis has also been accounted for here.
Recommendations for Workforce Development in Regenerative Medicine Biomanufacturing
Authors: Green Gary M. , Read Russ H. , Lee Sengyong , Tubon Thomas , Hunsberger Joshua G. , Atala Anthony
Published: June 2021

In its 2019 report, The Skilled Technical Workforce: Crafting America's Science and Engineering Enterprise, the National Science Board recommended a national charge to create a skilled technical workforce (STW) driven by science and engineering. The RegenMed Development Organization (ReMDO), through its RegeneratOR Workforce Development Initiative, has taken on this challenge beginning with an assessment of regenerative medicine (RM) biomanufacturing knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) needed for successful employment. While STW often refers only to associate degree or other prebaccalaureate prepared technicians, the RM biomanufacturing survey included responses related to baccalaureate prepared technicians. Three levels of preparation were articulated in the research: basic employability skills, core bioscience skills, and RM biomanufacturing technical skills. The first two of these skill levels have been defined by previous research and are generally accepted as foundational—the Common Employability Skills developed by the National Network of Business and Industry Associations and the Core Skill Standards for Bioscience Technicians developed by the National Center for the Biotechnology Workforce. Fifteen skill sets addressing the specialized needs of RM and related biotechnology sectors were identified in the ReMDO survey, defining a third level of KSAs needed for entry-level employment in RM biomanufacturing. The purpose of the article is to outline the KSAs necessary for RM biomanufacturing, quantify the skills gap that currently exists between skills required by employers and those acquired by employees and available in the labor market, and make recommendations for the application of these findings.
Design, Synthesis, In silico and In Vitro Anticancer Activity of Novel Bis‐Furanyl‐Chalcone Derivatives Linked through Alkyl Spacers
Authors: Fathi Esraa M. , Sroor Farid M. , Mahrous Karima F. , Mohamed Magda F. , Mahmoud Khaled , Emara Marwan , Elwahy Ahmed H. M. , Abdelhamid Ismail A.
Published: June 2021

A novel series of bis(furan‐based chalcone) derivatives linked to aliphatic linkers, with the furan units at the A‐ or B‐rings, were synthesized and evaluated as anticancer agents. Chalcones 5 a–c in which the furan ring designed to be a B‐ring were obtained from the Knoevenagel condensation reactions of the appropriate bis(acetyl) compounds 3 a–c with two equivalents of furan‐2‐aldehyde. Likewise, the condensation of bis(aldehydes) 7 a–c with two equivalents of 2‐acetylfuran afforded the corresponding chalcones 9 a–c, in which the furan rings represent the A‐rings of the chalcones, in excellent yields. The synthesized compounds have been fully characterized by 1H‐NMR, 13C‐NMR, and elemental analysis. The in vitro anticancer activity of the prepared compounds was tested against A549, HCT116, HePG2, PC3, A431 and BJ1 cell lines using MTT assay, gene expression analysis of skin and lung cancer related genes, comet assay, and DNA fragmentation assy. Compounds 9 a and 9 c were found to be the most promising, with IC50 (24.9 and 13.7 μg/ml, respectively) against A549 compared with doxorubicin (IC50, 28.3 μg/ml) and IC50 (26.1 and 14.4 μg/ml, respectively) against A431 in comparison to doxorubicin (IC50, 24.9 μg/ml). Comapred with neagtive control cell lines, the gene expression levels of hBD‐2 and hBD‐3 genes were decreased singnificantly (P<0.05) in positive control and skin cancer cell lines (A431) treated with compounds 9 a and 9 c. The expression levels of FOSB and IL‐8 genes were increased singnificantly (P<0.05) in positive control and lung cancer cell lines (A549 and A541) treated with compounds 9 a and 9 c, respectively, comapred with neagtive control cell lines. The DNA damage was increased significantly (P<0.001) in treated skin and lung cell lines samples compared with negative control. The negative control skin and lung cancer cell lines showed a significant decrease (P< 0.05) in DNA fragmentation rate compared with positive control. On the other hand, the DNA fragmentation rates were increased significantly (P<0.001) in treated skin and lung cell lines samples compared with negative control. In summary, the synthesized compounds 9 a and 9 c showed a significant anticancer activity against lung and skin cancer cell lines compared with known chemotherapeutic drug (doxorubicin).
Using Quantum Density Functional Theory Methods to Study the Adsorption of Fluorouracil Drug on Pristine and Al, Ga, P and As Doped Boron Nitride Nanosheets
Authors: Maleki Parisa Amirkhani , Nemati‐Kande Ebrahim , Saray Akbar Abdi
Published: June 2021

Fluorouracil (5‐FU) is one of the most essential drugs, and widely used to treat different types of cancers. However, direct injection of 5‐FU causes many inevitable side effects, and therefore, the design of new and targeted drug delivery methods can reduce such undesirable effects. In the present work, density functional theory methods at B3LYP‐D3(BJ)/6‐31 g* level of theory were used to study the pristine and Al, Ga, P and As doped monolayer boron nitride (BN) nanosheets, as possible adsorption substrates for modern and targeted nanotechnology based drug delivery methods. Natural bond orbitals and quantum theory of atoms in molecules analyses were further used to reveal the physicochemical nature of the adsorption process. It was found that, adsorption process is endothermic in all studied cases, and the interactions energies are in the range of physisorption for pristine, P and As doped BN nanosheets, whereas, the chemical absorption of the 5‐FU on Al and Ga doped nanosheets was obtained with adsorption energies of −45.7 and −46.3 kcal/mol, respectively. The calculated solvation energies also show that, the dissolution of the 5‐FU/nanosheet complexes in water is more than the pristine nanosheets. The overall results confirm the great potential of the studied nanosheets and specially Al and Ga doped BNNSs as promising drug delivery substances in modern targeted drug delivery methods for 5‐FU drug.
Metal‐Free Synthesis of Diarylmethanes through Visible‐Light Induced Radical Reactions with Arylamines
Authors: Wang Youjia , Duan Ruochen , Wu Yanhui , Li Xulian , Deng Chao
Published: June 2021

An efficient method for synthesis of diarylmethanes with arylamines by using a transition‐metal free photo‐induced radical Csp3‐H bond activation strategy has been achieved. This protocol proceeds under mild reaction condition and represents the first metal‐free radical strategy for synthesis of diarylmethanes with arylamines. The control experiments illustrated that the methylene radical involved in this process and play an important role in this reaction
Vacancy‐Mediated Hydrogen Spillover Improving Hydrogen Storage Properties and Air Stability of Metal Hydrides
Authors: Shi Rui , Yan Haoxing , Zhang Jiguang , Gao Haiguang , Zhu Yunfeng , Liu Yana , Hu Xiaohui , Zhang Yao , Li Liquan
Published: June 2021

Hydrogen storage in metal hydrides is a promising solution for sustainable and clean energy carriers. Although Mg‐based metal hydrides are considered as potential hydrogen storage media, severe surface passivation has limited their industrial application. In this study, a simple, cheap, and efficient method is proposed to produce highly reactive and air‐stable bulk Mg–Ni‐based hydrides by rapid treatment with water for 3 min. The nickel‐decorated Mg(OH)2 nanosheets formed in situ during hydrolysis can provide a pathway for hydrogen desorption via vacancy‐mediated hydrogen spillover, as revealed by density functional theory calculations, thereby significantly decreasing the peak dehydrogenation temperature by 108.2 °C. Moreover, water‐activated hydrides can be stored under ambient conditions without surface decay and activity loss, exhibiting excellent air stability, which can be attributed to the chemical stability of the surface layer. The results provide alternative insights into the design of highly active, air‐stable metal hydrides with low cost and promote the industrial application of hydrogen energy.
Software system to predict the infection in COVID‐19 patients using deep learning and web of things
Authors: Singh Ashima , Kaur Amrita , Dhillon Arwinder , Ahuja Sahil , Vohra Harpreet
Published: June 2021

Since the end of 2019, computed tomography (CT) images have been used as an important substitute for the time‐consuming Reverse Transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) test; a new coronavirus 2019 (COVID‐19) disease has been detected and has quickly spread through many countries across the world. Medical imaging such as computed tomography provides great potential due to growing skepticism toward the sensitivity of RT‐PCR as a screening tool. For this purpose, automated image segmentation is highly desired for a clinical decision aid and disease monitoring. However, there is limited publicly accessible COVID‐19 image knowledge, leading to the overfitting of conventional approaches. To address this issue, the present paper focuses on data augmentation techniques to create synthetic data. Further, a framework has been proposed using WoT and traditional U‐Net with EfficientNet B0 to segment the COVID Radiopedia and Medseg datasets automatically. The framework achieves an F‐score of 0.96, which is best among state‐of‐the‐art methods. The performance of the proposed framework also computed using Sensitivity, Specificity, and Dice‐coefficient, achieves 84.5%, 93.9%, and 65.0%, respectively. Finally, the proposed work is validated using three quality of service (QoS) parameters such as server latency, response time, and network latency which improves the performance by 8%, 7%, and 10%, respectively.
3D Coupled Model on Dynamic Initial Solidification and Slag Infiltration at the Corner of Slab Continuous Casting Mold
Authors: Ji Junde , Cui Yatao , Zhang Xubin , Wang Qiangqiang , He Shengping , Wang Qian
Published: June 2021

Herein, a 3D mathematical model is established to elucidate the dynamic initial solidification and slag infiltration at the corner of the mold. The three‐phase fluid flow, heat transfer, the solidification of the steel, and the mold oscillation are considered. The slag movement and the variation of the meniscus solidification are revealed with the mold oscillation, and explained by the variation of the pressure in the gap and the heat flux at the meniscus. The direction of the liquid slag near the corner flowing into and out of the gap changes during the positive and negative strip stage, respectively. The liquid slag near the corner and that far from the corner can be supplied reciprocally along the gap. The speed of the liquid slag film at the corner has positive correlation with the pressure difference at the mouth of the gap and in the gap. The meniscus solidification near the corner varies with the mold oscillation, and is the smallest approximately 1.0 mm at the start of the negative strip stage. Therefore, the meniscus solidification and slag lubrication can be improved through the optimization of the mold oscillation.
Interaction of collinear interface cracks between dissimilar one‐dimensional hexagonal piezoelectric quasicrystals
Authors: Hu Keqiang , Gao Cunfa , Zhong Zheng , Chen Zengtao
Published: June 2021

In this paper, the interaction of collinear interface cracks between dissimilar one‐dimensional (1D) hexagonal quasicrystals with piezoelectric effect under anti‐plane shear and in‐plane electric loading has been studied. By using complex variable method the mixed boundary value problem for the interface cracks was reduced to the solution of Riemann‐Hilbert problem. Analytic full‐field solution for phonon and phason stresses, electric fields, electric displacement in the cracked bi‐materials has been obtained based on the electrically permeable crack model. The electric field and electric displacement inside the interface cracks are found to be nonlinearly distributed under line loadings. The field intensity factors of the interface cracks depend on both the mechanical and electric load for the line loading case, but the field intensity factors depend only on mechanical loading when the uniform loadings are applied at infinity. The investigation of the SIFs of neighboring interface cracks has been used to predict possible crack propagation. It is found that when the neighboring cracks are close enough, the inner crack tips are more likely to propagate and when the neighboring cracks are far away from each other, the outer crack tip of the bigger crack has more possibility to propagate.
Wellbeing Literacy and Positive Education
Authors: Oades Lindsay G. , Baker Lisa M. , Francis Jacqueline J. , Taylor Jessica A.
Published: June 2021

Wellbeing literacy is a capability involving the vocabulary and knowledge about wellbeing, and skills of communicating, via multimodal pathways, for the wellbeing of oneself and others, in a way that is context sensitive and intentional. Wellbeing literacy offers three key benefits. Firstly, it may orient our focus towards wellbeing capabilities and processes, allowing for measurement and consideration of factors enabling or blocking wellbeing development. Secondly, wellbeing literacy provides an avenue to integrate positive education into education systems, drawing on existing multimodal learning and teaching capacities and strengths, while addressing existing curriculum requirements. Thirdly, wellbeing literacy is contextually sensitive and applicable to individuals and the systems in which they exist. Importantly, wellbeing literacy may provide the essential conduit between wellbeing interventions and wellbeing outcomes, and thereby be a necessary component for creating and sustaining well lives, providing a common language to build wellbeing capabilities within schools and their communities.
Implementation of Positive Education Projects in Hong Kong
Authors: Kwok Sylvia
Published: June 2021

Applying the PERMA model, several positive education projects were launched in pre-primary, primary, high schools, and universities in Hong Kong. The projects were guided by a six-level implementation process described as learn it, live it, reflect it, conceptualize it, apply it and embed it. The pre-primary school project focused on the character strengths of creativity, bravery, hope, love, altruism, honesty, gratitude, and forgiveness. The whole school positive education project in primary schools aimed to enhance the wellbeing of teachers and students, and involved teacher trainings, parent workshops, student activities, and a positive education curriculum. The high school project emphasized promoting optimism, hope, and character strengths, aiming to decrease students’ anxiety. The university project aimed to nurture and enhance the development of students’ positive emotions, relationships, purpose, accomplishments, engagement, and health. The projects were effective in increasing the wellbeing and decreasing the mental health problems of students. Characteristics of the positive education projects and factors affecting effectiveness of the projects are discussed and suggestions for future direction of positive education in Hong Kong are proposed.
Positive Education in Practice
Authors: Arguís-Rey Ricardo
Published: June 2021

In recent years, there has been significant growth in positive education programs and experiences around the world. From an international perspective, there is considerable variety in practices in this field. It is encouraging to note that positive psychology is entering the classrooms and becoming an important movement for educators in many countries. But at the same time, it is critical to reflect on the evolution of this movement and assess whether its implementation is having the desired effects. Current practices are varied and not all of them meet necessary quality standards. Furthermore, it is necessary to analyse the enabling and hindering conditions that arise from practice in educational settings, so as to better understand what is working well and what needs to be improved. This chapter discusses these issues, suggests proposals for implementation for practitioners, and highlights the necessity for positive education to be available for all educational settings and contexts, regardless of characteristics or financial resources.
Syntheses of ‘Hemtex’ Simulants of Energetic Materials and Millimetre Wave Characterisation Using the Teraview CW400 Spectrometer: Fundamental Studies for Detection Applications
Authors: Desai Hemant J. , Lacey Richard , Acheampong Daniel O. , Clark Anthony , Dixon Philip , Hogbin Matthew , Hudson Robert , Pollock Sam , Waheed Usman , Whitmore Hannah
Published: June 2021

Explosives or energetic materials are hazardous, expensive and difficult to handle safely. As such there is a need for simulant explosive materials in order to conduct work without these issues being present. This chapter describes characterisation of a set of simulant materials with respect to millimetre wave and submillimetre wave threat detection technologies. The properties examined were the real and imaginary parts of the relative permittivity. The simulants are based on a modular approach to design appropriate chemical and physical properties which mimic explosives. Collectively, these materials are referred to as Hemtex and can be tailored to match various requirements. The subset of Hemtex materials used in this study were designed to reflect the properties of Semtex and the results of the characterisation showed promise for use as Semtex substitutes.
Benefit Points for the Portfolio
Authors: Hannay Jo Erskine
Published: June 2021

The methodological principles for assigning benefit points to product elements within a project can also be used at the portfolio level. This allows for the management of entire portfolios towards optimizing benefit over cost. We consider bottom-up assessments from the projects at the portfolio level and top-down assessments at the portfolio level within projects. We revisit the confirmatory and exploratory modes.
Agile Uncertainty Assessment for Benefit Points and Size Points
Authors: Hannay Jo Erskine
Published: June 2021

Agile methodology purports to deal with uncertainty through continuous monitoring and learning. To do so, we need to see how productivity is faring against our plans, as in the previous chapter. But we also need to communicate what our uncertainty is realistically. This is regularly done for cost, but must also be done for benefit to obtain a complete picture. In this chapter, we show how both benefit points and size points can be instantiated with values reflecting different levels of uncertainty.
Benefit and Cost Periodized: Stretching Your Points
Authors: Hannay Jo Erskine
Published: June 2021

When you estimate the life cycle cost and benefit of your software product, your stakeholders should not only be assured that you will deliver value, but also be informed when that value is expected to manifest itself. Periodization is a common method for showing when a return of investment is expected, and one is often careful to express the present value of future cash (net present value) in such deliberations. This chapter shows how to carry out periodization using points. Periodized points then amount to plan templates that can be instantiated with monetary values according to most likely, bad-case, and good-case uncertainty assessments.
Final Remarks
Authors: Hannay Jo Erskine
Published: June 2021

Benefit points complement the concept of points-based estimation.We showed how to use points estimates for both benefit and cost in various project and portfolio management activities. One can also adapt a range of other models that we did not cover (see e.g. [3, 1, 2]) to points-based estimates. Points-based estimates give rise to project management templates into which you can instantiate various monetary values, for example, various scenarios according to uncertainty assessments.
Moving Towards Nexus Solutions to ‘Energy’ Problems: An Inclusive Approach
Authors: Hiteva Ralitsa Petrova
Published: June 2021

This chapter offers an innovative approach to examining how fuel poverty in one of the most affected countries in the EU: Bulgaria can be examined as part of the urban nexus of food, water, energy and the environment. Building on bodies of literature of the nexus, fuel poverty, energy transitions and energy geographies, this chapter uses the example of energy provisioning in the capital city of Bulgaria: Sofia to illustrate how a more inclusive approach to addressing fuel poverty and air pollution can be developed. The case study unpacks the urban nexus by examining three practices: urban gardening, making zimnina, and heating and energy use in the home. It illustrates how the interdependencies between the practices of urban gardening, making zimnina and domestic heating and energy use have direct implications for the energy system of provisioning and can be important vectors in the energy transition for vulnerable citizens in the city. The chapter addresses an important research gap in urban nexus literature by offering a compelling empirical account of mapping nexus interactions through the perspective of vulnerable users, focusing on low-technological ways of managing the urban nexus (rather than technologically driven integration across sectors).
Synthesis and application of stationary phase for DNA-affinity chromatographic analysis of unmodified and antisense oligonucleotide
Authors: Studzińska Sylwia , Zawadzka Ewelina , Bocian Szymon , Szumski Michał
Published: June 2021

The goal of the research was the synthesis and application of an oligonucleotide immobilized stationary phase for the analysis of unmodified and antisense oligonucleotides. The method for attaching these molecules to aminopropyl silica modified with pentanedioic acid was developed. Each step of the synthesis was carefully controlled with the application of spectroscopic, elemental, and chromatographic analyses. The oligonucleotide-based stationary phase was applied for the retention studies. Unmodified oligonucleotides of different complementarity to the molecule attached as a stationary phase, as well as antisense oligonucleotides, were tested. The comparative study upon complex optimization of oligonucleotide analysis in different liquid chromatography modes was performed. Results have shown that this stationary phase may be applied for oligonucleotide analysis in hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography and ion exchange chromatography, but no unique sequence-based selectivity was obtained. Contrary results were observed for affinity chromatography, which allowed for specific separation of the complementary strands based on hydrogen bonding and stacking interactions, where the temperature was the main factor influencing the selectivity of the separation. Furthermore, the oligonucleotide-based stationary phase may be applied for comparative antisense oligonucleotide hybridization studies to a specific RNA sequence. All of the results have shown that affinity chromatography with oligonucleotide-based stationary phases is a powerful technique for the specific base recognition of polynucleotides.

Graphical abstract
Airy Structures for Semisimple Lie Algebras
Authors: Hadasz Leszek , Ruba Błażej
Published: June 2021

We give a complete classification of Airy structures for finite-dimensional simple Lie algebras over$${\mathbb {C}}$$C, and to some extent also over$${\mathbb {R}}$$R, up to isomorphisms and gauge transformations. The result is that the only algebras of this type which admit any Airy structures are$$\mathfrak {sl}_2$$sl2,$$\mathfrak {sp}_4$$sp4and$$\mathfrak {sp}_{10}$$sp10. Among these, each admits exactly two non-equivalent Airy structures. Our methods apply directly also to semisimple Lie algebras. In this case it turns out that the number of non-equivalent Airy structures is countably infinite. We have derived a number of interesting properties of these Airy structures and constructed many examples. Techniques used to derive our results may be described, broadly speaking, as an application of representation theory in semiclassical analysis.