bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Posterior fossa ependymoma in neurodevelopmental syndrome caused by a de novo germline pathogenic POLR2A variant
Authors: Paparella Roberto , Caroleo Anna Maria , Agolini Emanuele , Chillemi Giovanni , Miele Evelina , Pedace Lucia , Rinelli Martina , Pizzi Simone , Boccuto Luigi , Colafati Giovanna Stefania , Lodi Mariachiara , Cacchione Antonella , Carai Andrea , Digilio Maria Cristina , Tomà Paolo , Tartaglia Marco , Mastronuzzi Angela
Published: June 2022

Ependymoma is the third most common pediatric brain tumor. Predisposition to develop ependymomas has been reported in different hereditary diseases, but the pathogenic variants related to the familial syndromes have rarely been detected in sporadic ependymomas. De novo variants in POLR2A, the gene encoding the largest subunit of RNA polymerase II, cause a neurodevelopmental disorder with a wide range of clinical manifestations, characterized by severe infantile‐onset hypotonia, developmental delay, feeding difficulties, palatal anomalies, and facial dysmorphisms. As somatic events, POLR2A mutations represent a recurrent somatic lesion in benign meningiomas. Here we describe a case of ependymoma in a 2‐year‐old male with a de novo pathogenic variant in POLR2A predicted to impair proper interaction of the subunit with transcription‐elongation factor TFIIS, whose function is required for back‐tracking of the enzyme due to elongation blocks or nucleotide misincorporation, and expected to result in an increased error and reduced elongation rates. To date, ependymoma has never been reported in patients harboring pathogenic POLR2A variants. Further information is required to explore the possibility of a differential clinical and functional impact of the pathogenic POLR2A variants and the eventual inclusion of the POLR2A neurodevelopmental disorder among the cancer predisposition syndromes with the possible development of ependymomas.
Techno‐economic, environmental, and social measurement of clean energy technology supply chains
Authors: Engel‐Cox Jill A. , Wikoff Hope M. , Reese Samantha B.
Published: June 2022

In addition to the criteria of reliability and cost, clean energy technologies, such as wind, solar, and batteries, need to strive to a higher standard of environmental and societal benefit along their entire supply chain. This means additional performance metrics for these technologies should be considered, such as embodied energy, embodied carbon, recycled content and recyclability, environmental impact of material sourcing, impact on land and ecosystems, materials recovery at end of life, and production through quality nonexploitive jobs with community benefit. Many commercial and emerging energy technologies have not yet been explicitly evaluated based on these environmental and social performance metrics, which presents multiple opportunities for researchers and analysts. In this paper, we review the importance and current limitations of techno‐economic and life‐cycle assessment models for research design and manufacturing decisions. We explore emerging manufacturing modeling options that could improve environmental and social performance and how they could be used to help guide research. Even with the deployment of low‐carbon energy‐generation technologies, the future of a successful clean energy transition requires collaboration between researchers, advanced manufacturers, independent standards and tracking organizations, local communities, and national governments, to ensure the financial, environmental, and social sustainability of the entire supply and manufacturing process of energy technologies.
Highly Efficient Sky‐Blue π‐Stacked Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescence Emitter with Multi‐Stimulus Response Properties
Authors: Yang Sheng‐Yi , Feng Zi‐Qi , Fu Zhiyuan , Zhang Kai , Chen Song , Yu You‐Jun , Zou Bo , Wang Kai , Liao Liang‐Sheng , Jiang Zuo‐Quan
Published: June 2022

Organic materials with multi‐stimulus response (MSR) properties have demonstrated many potential and practical applications. Herein, a π‐stacked thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) material with multi‐stimulus response (MSR) properties, namedSDMAC, was designed and synthesized using distorted 9,9‐dimethyl‐10‐phenyl‐9,10‐dihydroacridine as a donor.SDMACpossesses a rigid π‐stacked configuration with intramolecular through‐space interactions and exhibits aggregation‐induced emission enhancement (AIEE), solvatochromic, piezochromic, and circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) under different external stimuli. The rigid molecular structure and efficient TADF properties ofSDMACcan be used in displays and lighting. UsingSDMACas an emitter, the maximum external quantum efficiency (EQE) of the fabricated organic light‐emitting diodes (OLEDs) is as high as 28.4 %, which make them the most efficient CP‐TADF OLEDs based on the through‐space charge transfer strategy. The CP organic light‐emitting diodes (CP‐OLEDs) exhibit circularly polarized electroluminescence (CPEL) signals.
Feasibility of hemp seed oil oleogels structured with natural wax as solid fat replacement in margarine
Authors: Hwang Hong‐Sik , Kim Sanghoon , Winkler‐Moser Jill K. , Lee Suyong , Liu Sean X.
Published: June 2022

Cold‐pressed hempseed oil (HSO) is known to have many health benefits due to many phytochemicals and high polyunsaturated fatty acids content. In this study, HSO oleogels were prepared with 3%, 5%, and 7% natural waxes including sunflower wax (SW), rice bran wax (RBW), beeswax, and candelilla wax to evaluate their potential as solid fat replacements in margarines and spreads. Firmness, cohesiveness, adhesiveness, solid fat content (SFC), crystal structures, and melting properties of these oleogels were evaluated. In general, HSO oleogels except for RBW‐HSO oleogels had lower gel strength and weaker crystal network than the corresponding soybean oil (SBO) oleogels. In contrast, RBW‐HSO oleogels had comparable gel strength to SBO oleogels. After removing polar compounds from HSO, waxes except for RBW provided oleogels with greater firmness, cohesiveness, adhesiveness, and stronger crystal network. Therefore, it was concluded that polar compounds negatively affected the physical properties of wax‐HSO oleogels but not those of RBW‐HSO oleogels. Margarine samples were prepared with SW‐ and RBW‐HSO oleogels, and their firmness, cohesiveness, adhesiveness, and melting properties were examined. The firmness of these margarines indicated that wax‐HSO oleogels may achieve the firmness of commercial spreads with less than 3% wax while the firmness of stick margarines cannot be achieved even with 7% wax. Although the properties of wax‐HSO oleogels should be further improved, they showed potential as solid fat replacements in margarines and spreads.
Template‐assisted synthesis of nitrogen‐doped porous carbon derived from bean dregs for high‐performance supercapacitor
Authors: Shi Bin , Xu Liwen , Zhang Jubing , Meng Junguang , Wang Xinye , Bu Changsheng , Liu Changqi
Published: June 2022

Porous carbon is the commonly used electrode material for supercapacitor, and its electrochemical performance is affected by the factors such as specific surface area (SSA), pore structure, heteroatomic content, and resistivity. In this paper, bean dregs‐based porous carbon (BDPC) was synthesized with bean dregs as the carbon and nitrogen sources and magnesium citrate as template. The electrochemical properties of BDPC were investigated in 6 M KOH electrolyte. It is found that BDPC presents a well‐developed mesoporous structure and BDPC‐20 owns the highest SSA of 1637 m2/g. The nitrogen content decreases significantly with the heating rate, debilitating the hydrophilicity of BDPC. High heating rate can increase the relative content of graphitic‐N and the degree of graphitization and consequently reduces the resistivity of BDPC enormously. The BDPC‐20 shows the lowest resistivity of 97.2 μΩ·m. The cyclic voltammetry curves of BDPC electrodes exhibit the quasi‐rectangular shape, demonstrating a typical electrical double‐layer capacitor nature of energy storage. According to the galvanostatic charge–discharge measurement, BDPC‐10 possesses the largest specific capacitance of 184.0 F/g.
Preparation of thermally conductive flexible liquid silicone rubber composites by magnetic field‐induced self‐assembly of Fe3O4@C
Authors: Wang Chaoyu , Hao Zhi , Luo Zhu , Yang Le , Zhou Qin , Guo Jiaxing
Published: June 2022

Efficient heat dissipation is very crucial for the performance, service life, and reliability of modern electronic devices. It is very challenging to improve heat dissipation efficiency through innovative material structure design. Therefore, in the work, dopamine (PDA) is used to coat the surface of graphite (C) with its excellent surface coating modification ability, so that the C surface has oxygen‐containing groups to change its electronegativity, and Fe2+ and Fe3+ in the solution are attracted to the surface of C, and then in situ redox reaction occurs on the surface of C to generate magnetic graphite (Fe3O4@C). Fe3O4@C is uniformly dispersed into liquid silicone rubber (LSR) by solution blending, and Fe3O4@C performs integral directional filling in the LSR under the action of magnetic field (B = 140 mT), thus preparing Fe3O4@C/LSR composites. Through magnetic field orientation, the thermal conductivity of Fe3O4@C/LSR composites reach 1.25 W/m·K when the content of Fe3O4@C is 100 phr, which is 410% higher than that of pure LSR (0.2447 W/m·K). Infrared thermal imaging test shows that Fe3O4@C/LSR composites has good heat dissipation performance, Fe3O4@C/LSR composites have shown great potential in terms of flexibility and high thermal conductivity.
Catalytic pyrolysis of torrefied olive stone for production of potential petrochemical alternatives
Authors: Ganda Elvis Tinashe , Brachi Paola , Urciuolo Massimo , Migliaccio Renata , Coppola Antonio , Scala Fabrizio , Salatino Piero , Ruoppolo Giovanna
Published: June 2022

Bench‐scale fluidized bed fast pyrolysis of as‐received and torrefied residual olive stone (OS) was carried out at 500 °C in the presence or absence of a solid acid catalytic bed. Light to mild torrefaction conditions were investigated, with temperatures of 200, 225, and 250 °C, set in a bench‐scale fluidized bed torrefier. Light torrefaction temperatures (200 and 225 °C) did not yield appreciable differences in the thermogravimetric pyrolysis studies, despite notable changes in mass and energy yield resulting from the influence of temperature difference. The mass and energy yields decreased from 91.1 to 74.0% and from 92.0 to 80.9%, respectively, moving from light to mild torrefaction. The higher heating value (HHV) increased linearly with an increase in torrefaction temperature, reaching a maximum of 22.1 MJ/kg at 250 °C, which was 9.7% greater than the as‐received OS sample. A comparison was made between the influence of light and mild torrefaction on subsequent bench‐scale pyrolysis experiments. In particular, the quality of bio‐liquids for torrefaction coupled to fast pyrolysis shifted signifcantly towards the production of higher phenolic and aromatic derivatives that may find applications as potentaila drop‐in alternative hydrocarbons. © 2022 The Authors. Biofuels, Bioproducts and Biorefining published by Society of Industrial Chemistry and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Feasibility of aspirin and/or vitamin D3 for men with prostate cancer on active surveillance with Prolaris® testing
Authors: Dinneen Eoin , Shaw Gregory L. , Kealy Roseann , Alexandris Panos , Finnegan Kier , Chu Kimberley , Haidar Nadia , Santos‐Vidal Sara , Kudahetti Sakunthala , Moore Caroline M. , Grey Alistair D. R. , Berney Daniel M. , Sahdev Anju , Cathcart Paul J. , Oliver R. Timothy D. , Rajan Prabhakar , Cuzick Jack ,   for the PROVENT study group
Published: June 2022

Objectives

To test the feasibility of a randomised controlled trial (RCT) of aspirin and/or vitamin D3 in active surveillance (AS) low/favourable intermediate risk prostate cancer (PCa) patients with Prolaris® testing.

Patients and Methods

Newly‐diagnosed low/favourable intermediate risk PCa patients (PSA ≤ 15 ng/ml, International Society of Urological Pathology (ISUP) Grade Group ≤2, maximum biopsy core length <10 mm, clinical stage ≤cT2c) were recruited into a multi‐centre randomised, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled study (ISRCTN91422391, NCT03103152). Participants were randomised to oral low dose (100 mg), standard dose (300 mg) aspirin or placebo and/or vitamin D3 (4000 IU) versus placebo in a 3 × 2 factorial RCT design with biopsy tissue Prolaris® testing. The primary endpoint was trial acceptance/entry rates. Secondary endpoints included feasibility of Prolaris® testing, 12‐month disease re‐assessment (imaging/biochemical/histological), and 12‐month treatment adherence/safety. Disease progression was defined as any of the following (i) 50% increase in baseline PSA, (ii) new Prostate Imaging‐Reporting and Data System (PI‐RADS) 4/5 lesion(s) on multi‐parametric MRI where no previous lesion, (iii) 33% volume increase in lesion size, or radiological upstaging to ≥T3, (iv) ISUP Grade Group upgrade or (v) 50% increase in maximum cancer core length.

Results

Of 130 eligible patients, 104 (80%) accepted recruitment from seven sites over 12 months, of which 94 patients represented the per protocol population receiving treatment. Prolaris® testing was performed on 76/94 (81%) diagnostic biopsies. Twelve‐month disease progression rate was 43.3%. Assessable 12‐month treatment adherence in non‐progressing patients to aspirin and vitamin D across all treatment arms was 91%. Two drug‐attributable serious adverse events in 1 patient allocated to aspirin were identified. The study was not designed to determine differences between treatment arms.

Conclusion

Recruitment of AS PCa patients into a multi‐centre multi‐arm placebo‐controlled RCT of minimally‐toxic adjunctive oral drug treatments with molecular biomarker profiling is acceptable and safe. A larger phase III study is needed to determine optimal agents, intervention efficacy, and outcome‐associated biomarkers.
Describing characteristics of adults with and without congenital heart defects hospitalized with COVID‐19
Authors: Diaz Perla , Coughlin Will , Lam Wilson , Ermis Peter , Aguilar David , Ganduglia Cazaban Cecilia M. , Agopian A. J.
Published: June 2022

Background

We sought to describe patient characteristics in adults with and without congenital heart defects (CHDs) during hospitalization for COVID‐19.

Methods

We analyzed data collected by Optum®, a nationally representative database of electronic medical records, for 369 adults with CHDs and 41,578 without CHDs hospitalized for COVID‐19 between January 1, 2020, and December 10, 2020. We used Poisson regression to describe and compare epidemiologic characteristics, heart‐related conditions, and severe outcomes between these two groups.

Results

The distributions of many epidemiologic characteristics were similar between the two groups, but patients with CHDs were significantly more likely to be current or former smokers compared to patients without CHDs (risk ratio [RR]: 1.5, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.2, 1.8). Patients with CHDs were also significantly more likely to have heart failure, stroke, acute arrhythmia, myocardial injury, acute pulmonary hypertension, venous thromboembolism, and obesity documented at the time of the COVID‐19 hospitalization (RR range: 1.5–4.7) but not respiratory failure. Patients with CHDs (7 days) had a significantly longer median length of stay than those without CHDs (5 days; p < .001) and were significantly more likely to have an intensive care unit (ICU) admission (RR: 1.6, 95 CI: 1.2–1.9).

Conclusions

Our description of patients among a large population improves our understanding of the clinical course of COVID‐19 among adults with CHDs. Adults with CHD appear to be at greater risk for more severe CHD, including greater risk of ICU admission and longer length of hospital stays.
Cost‐effectiveness of osimertinib versus placebo in resected EGFR‐mutated non‐small cell lung cancer in China
Authors: Zhou Xiwen , Du Jianting , Xu Guobing , Chen Chun , Zheng Bin , Chen Jiahe
Published: June 2022

Purpose

We aim to assess whether osimertinib postoperative adjuvant therapy, compared with placebo, is cost‐effective in China.

Methods

We set up the Markov model that contains three health states over a 20‐year period. Data were collected from the ADAURA trial that included transition probabilities and safety data. Through the analysis of literature and local charges, we explore both the cost and utility values. Sensitivity analyses were employed using TreeAge Pro software to access model stability.

Findings

Patients in the osimertinib group had 1.46 more Quality‐adjusted Life Years (8.45 QALYs vs 6.99 QALYs) than the placebo group at an incremental cost of $14098.51($39962.99 vs $25864.48). Compared with the placebo group, the treatment strategy with osimertinib postoperative adjuvant therapy had an incremental cost‐effectiveness ratio of $9661.97/QALY. The probability of the osimertinib‐assisted therapy strategy being cost‐effective will reach 100% if the threshold of willingness to pay is above $15,000/QALY.

Implications

From the perspective of the Chinese Healthcare System, the treatment strategy with osimertinib postoperative adjuvant therapy is more cost‐effective than the placebo strategy.
Distribution and favorable prognostic implication of genomic EGFR alterations in IDH‐wildtype glioblastoma
Authors: Higa Nayuta , Akahane Toshiaki , Hamada Taiji , Yonezawa Hajime , Uchida Hiroyuki , Makino Ryutaro , Watanabe Shoji , Takajo Tomoko , Yokoyama Seiya , Kirishima Mari , Matsuo Kei , Fujio Shingo , Hanaya Ryosuke , Tanimoto Akihide , Yoshimoto Koji
Published: June 2022

Background

We aimed to evaluate the mutation profile, transcriptional variants, and prognostic impact of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene in isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH)‐wildtype glioblastomas (GBMs).

Methods

We sequenced EGFR, evaluated the EGFR splicing profile using a next‐generation sequencing oncopanel, and analyzed the outcomes in 138 grade IV IDH‐wildtype GBM cases.

Results

EGFR mutations were observed in 10% of GBMs. A total of 23.9% of the GBMs showed EGFR amplification. Moreover, 25% of the EGFR mutations occurred in the kinase domain. Notably, EGFR alterations were a predictor of good prognosis (p = 0.035). GBM with EGFR alterations was associated with higher Karnofsky Performance Scale scores (p = 0.014) and lower Ki‐67 scores (p = 0.005) than GBM without EGFR alterations. EGFRvIII positivity was detected in 21% of EGFR‐amplified GBMs. We identified two other EGFR variants in GBM cases with deletions of exons 6–7 (Δe 6–7) and exons 2–14 (Δe 2–14). In one case, the initial EGFRvIII mutation transformed into an EGFR Δe 2–14 mutation during recurrence.

Conclusions

We found that the EGFR gene profiles of GBM differ among cohorts and that EGFR alterations are good prognostic markers of overall survival in patients with IDH‐wildtype GBM. Additionally, we identified rare EGFR variants with longitudinal and temporal transformations of EGFRvIII.
Strategies to Reuse of Biocatalysts in the Hydrolysis and Esterification Reactions of Licuri (Syagrus coronata (Mart.) Becc.) Oil
Authors: da Silva Alan R. C. , Soares Lais R. C. , Lima Álvaro S. , Soares Cleide M. F. , Souza Ranyere L.
Published: June 2022

The industrial limitations for the use of enzymes are mainly related to their catalytic capacity and their high cost. Herein, it is proposed to evaluate the productive capacity of Burkholderia cepacia lipase (free enzyme and cross‐linked enzyme aggregates – CLEAs) for the hydrolysis and esterification reactions of licuri (Syagrus coronata (Mart.) Becc.) oil, also addressing different strategies to optimize the processes for the reuse of this valuable biocatalyst. For hydrolysis reactions, it was obtained an increase of 178 % in fatty acids productivity using CLEAS compared to free enzymes. By submitting the system to liquid‐liquid separation, it was possible to reuse the free enzymes, which maintained a relative conversion of approximately 75 % of the initial cycle. For the esterification reaction, CLEAs showed a productivity increase of 50 times with lauric acid and 15 times with palmitic acid; in addition to being recovered and reused for 5 cycles, with little loss of efficiency, showing good resistance to the organic environment.
Determining the Reaction Mechanisms of Photo‐Thermo Synergetic Processes by Kinetic Investigations
Authors: Yuan Jin , Zhang Hongbo
Published: June 2022

Photo‐thermo catalysis utilizing light has been a promising strategy to improve the conventional thermal catalytic activity and attracts great attention nowadays. However, how heat works in synergy with light radiation is still unclear. This Concept article is trying to clarify the specific contents via summarizing the kinetic studies including 1) proposing elementary steps through pressure dependence studies, 2) estimating reaction barriers through measuring the apparent activation energies and 3) assigning the kinetically relevant step(s) with kinetic isotope effects (KIE) as well as 4) exploring the relationship of the reaction rate with the light excitation wavelength and light intensity. The challenges in kinetic studies such as describing the light‐induced carrier transfer process, the surface temperature under light illumination as well as reaction intermediates were discussed at the same time. Finally, an outlook about kinetic studies in clarifying the photo‐thermo catalysis reaction mechanism was proposed.
Enantioseparation of amino acid and mandelic acid enantiomers using Garphos derivatives as chiral extractants
Authors: Wang Hou , Yang Yanning , Chen Shuhuan , Xiao Wenjie , Hu Kangyu , Zhong Changyuan , Ouyang Junying , Liu Xiong
Published: June 2022

In this paper, Garphos with different substituents were employed as chiral extractants to enantioseparate racemic amino acid and mandelic acid. The influences of metal precursors, pH of aqueous solution, Garphos‐metal concentration, extraction temperature, and substituent effect on extraction were investigated. The results indicated that the substituent groups significantly affected the π‐π interaction between extractant and substrate. And the separation factors (α) for Garphos could be remarkably improved by regulating substituent groups. Garphos‐II‐Pd, Garphos‐VI‐Pd, Garphos‐III‐Pd, Garphos‐I‐Cu, Garphos‐VI‐Cu, and Garphos‐V‐Pd were the most efficient extractants for phenylalanine (Phe), homophenylalanine (Hphe), 4‐nitrophenylalanine (Nphe), 3‐chlorophenylglycine (Cpheg), mandelic acid (MA), and 2‐chlormandelic acid (CMA) with α values of 2.40, 2.37, 5.37, 1.59, 5.98, and 3.69, respectively. This work provided an important reference for the design of efficient chiral extractants in future work.
Cost effective non‐evacuated receiver for line‐concentrating solar collectors characterized by experimentally validated computational fluid dynamics model
Authors: Panda Mihir , Kumar Durgesh , Gharat Punit V. , Patil Ramchandra G. , Dalvi Vishwanath H. , Mathpati Channamallikarjun S. , Gaval Vivek R. , Deshmukh Suresh P. , Panse Sudhir V. , Joshi Jyeshtharaj B.
Published: June 2022

Solar thermal technology promises to be a significant component of the future renewable energy mix. As the most mature solar thermal technology, parabolic trough concentrators (PTC) are the focus of considerable research. Conventional PTC use evacuated receivers, which contribute 30% of the solar field cost, not including significant failure (55% due to broken glass envelopes and 29% due to loss of vacuum arising due to failure of glass to metal seal). We report a non‐evacuated receiver with a modular design for easier assembly and superior thermal performance for a PTC made of reflective strips of mirrored glass with a rim angle of 60°. The receiver performance is estimated using our own ray‐tracing software and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations using a model that we have validated with our own experimental rig. Critical parameters like the width of the mirror strip, the emissivity of solar selective coating, insulation material, and reflectivity of optical cavity walls have been analyzed in this study. A scaled‐up model of the proposed novel receiver with a heat transfer fluid conduit diameter of 70 mm has been simulated to compare the performance with the commercial SCHOTT PTR® 70. The cost of this receiver is estimated to be $30/m as compared to up to $250/m for SCHOTT PTR® 70 with comparable performance. The modular nature of the receiver and reflector gives operational and maintenance flexibility and facile part replacement in case of damage, resulting in low‐cost operation.
Photochemically Induced 1,3‐Butadiene Ring‐Closure from the Topological Analysis of the Electron Localization Function Viewpoint
Authors: Guerra Cristian , Ayarde‐Henríquez Leandro , Duque‐Noreña Mario , Chamorro Eduardo
Published: June 2022

The electronic rearrangement featuring the photochemically‐induced 1,3‐cis‐butadiene is discussed within a bonding evolution theory (BET) perspective based on the topological analysis of the electron localization function and Thom's catastrophe theory. The process involves the vertical singlet‐singlet excitation S0→S2, and the subsequent deactivation implying the S2/S1 and S1/S0 conical intersection regions. BET results reveal that the new CC bond is finally formed on the S0 surface, as also recently found in the photochemical addition of two ethylenes [Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 23, 20598, (2021)].
Plasma‐Assisted Dinitrogen Activation on Small Cobalt Clusters: Co4N9+ with Enhanced Stability
Authors: Geng Lijun , Jia Yuhan , Zhang Hanyu , Cui Chaonan , Luo Zhixun
Published: June 2022

We have performed a study on the accommodation of nitrogen doping toward superatomic states of transition metal clusters. By reacting cobalt clusters with N2 in the presence of plasma radiation, a large number of odd‐nitrogen clusters were observed, typically Co3N2m‐1+ (m=1–5) and Co4N2m‐1+ (m=1–6) series, showing N≡N bond cleavage in the mild plasma atmosphere. Interestingly, the Co3N7+, Co4N9+, and Co5N9+ clusters exhibit prominent mass abundances. First‐principles calculation results elucidate the stability of the diverse cobalt nitride clusters and find unique stability of Co4N9+ with a swallow‐kite structure of which four coordinated N2 molecules causes a significantly enlarged HOMO‐LUMO gap, while the single N atom doping gives rise to superatomic states of 1S21P3||1D0. We reveal an efficient dinitrogen activation strategy by reacting multiple N2 molecules with cobalt clusters under a plasma atmosphere.
A Study on the Effects of La/Sm Codoping on the Structural and High Temperature Thermoelectric Properties of n‐Type CaMnO3−δ Perovskite
Authors: Vijay Ammu , Prasanth S Charan , Jose Roshan , P Vineetha , Saravanan K Venkata
Published: June 2022

Oxide thermoelectric ceramics attract extensive research interest due to their excellent thermal stability, non‐toxicity, cost‐effectiveness, and earth‐abundant constituent elements. In the present work, the authors study the effect of lanthanum (La) and samarium (Sm) co‐doping on the structural, microstructural, and thermoelectric properties of CaMnO3 ceramics. The X‐ray diffraction (XRD) studies show an increase in unit cell volume with an increase in Sm concentration. A shift in Raman modes is observed, confirming distortions in MnO6 octahedra with the substitution of rare‐earth elements. The co‐doping strategy leads to a two‐order increment in electrical conductivity and reduction in thermopower as expected due to the increase in Mn3+ and charge carrier concentration. The highest electrical conductivity value attained is ≈200 S cm−1 at around 570 K for La0.025Sm0.1Ca0.875MnO3. The maximum value of thermoelectric power factor achieved is 194 μW m–1 K–2, which is two orders higher than that of the undoped CaMnO3.
A “Power‐to‐X” Route to Acetic Acid via Palladium‐Catalyzed Isomerization of Methyl Formate
Authors: Jürling‐Will Philipp , Botz Tobias , Franciò Giancarlo , Leitner Walter
Published: June 2022

The synthesis of acetic acid by formal isomerization of methyl formate (MF) was investigated using molecular catalysts. The base‐catalyzed decarbonylation of MF, yielding CO and methanol in situ, was integrated with their palladium‐catalyzed recombination for the synthesis of acetic acid and methyl acetate in a one pot reaction. The complex [Pd(Cl)2(dppe)] [dppe=1,2‐bis(diphenylphosphino)‐ethane] in combination with NaI as iodide source and NaOMe as base were identified as promising molecular components to enable the overall conversion. Sequential application of the statistical methods design of experiments and simplex optimization was used in combination with thermodynamic analysis of the competing reaction pathways for experimental planning and data analysis. Starting from a proof‐of‐principle with a turnover number (TON) of 11, the catalytic system could thus be optimized to allow quantitative conversion of MF with a TON of 43000, whereby a yield of 83 % of acetate groups and a yield of 74 % for free acetic acid was obtained.
Energy efficient grid based k‐means clustering algorithm for large scale wireless sensor networks
Authors: Ben Gouissem Bechir , Gantassi Rahma , Hasnaoui Salem
Published: June 2022

Hierarchical based routing is a kind of group‐based routing that consists in creating of a virtual hierarchy among network sensor nodes. This class of routing technique is generally designed for large‐scale networks. It aims to efficiently increase network lifetime by cutting the whole network into clusters. However, traditional clustering techniques show some limitations and do not take into consideration the self‐organized with dynamic topology inherent in wireless sensor networks (WSNs). These limitations can lead to an unbalanced cluster head distribution that affects the whole network energy consumption. In this paper, we propose a grid‐based k‐means clustering protocol (named GBK), which combines grid‐based routing with k‐means algorithm in order to overcome the above mentioned weaknesses. From the supervised zone area size parameter, the base station determines the optimal grid size based on our optimization study. Afterwards, the k‐means algorithm is executed in every grid cell generating a cluster head per cell grid where the nearest node to the grid cell centroid is elected. An enhancement of this proposed GBK algorithm named GBK‐R is also proposed to extend network stability of the GBK algorithm by node scoring calculation that take as parameters the node remaining energy in addition to the distance to centroid. Our proposed GBK and GBK‐R algorithms allow for an enhanced network stability and increase the network lifetime as demonstrated by our performance evaluation study. In addition, this GBK clustering algorithm provides a better network topology control and a better control of the random nature of node distribution by generating cluster heads with bounded localization.
Pathological role of the calcium‐sensing receptor in sepsis‐induced hypotensive shock: Therapeutic possibilities and unanswered questions
Authors: Sood Ankita , Singh Gaaminepreet , Singh Thakur G. , Gupta Kirti
Published: June 2022

Sepsis is a life‐threatening disease involving multiorgan dysfunction, prompted by an unregulated host response to infection. Shock is a complication of sepsis in which the circulatory and cellular metabolism anomalies are significant enough to raise the risk of death. Calcium dyshomeostasis occurs during sepsis condition due to imbalance between calcium uptake and excessive release induced by inflammatory cytokines. This calcium imbalance can cause activation of calcium‐sensing receptors (CaSRs) located on the surface of T cells and thereby promote release of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The elevated ROS and inflammatory cytokines during sepsis condition have been reported to directly damage the endothelial cells, disrupt the barrier functions that might result in leakage of fluids, and inflammatory cells in tissues Moreover, several evidence have revealed that the calcium mediated activation of CaSR could produce systemic vasodilatory response by stimulating the nitric oxide production and opening of calcium‐activated potassium channels, while infusion of its antagonist elevated the blood pressure. These evidence indicate that activation of CaSR during sepsis conditions results in release of ROS and inflammatory cytokines, which could produce an endothelial barrier damage, cardiomyocyte apoptosis. These pathological events could produce loss of fluid in tissues and cardiac dysfunction. Further the direct vasodilatory effects of CaSR activation might add to the shock‐like condition. Thus, we hereby propose that inhibition of CaSR could suppress the release of ROS, inflammatory mediators, and thereby prevent the endothelial damage, cardiac dysfunction, and maintain systemic vascular tone.
Adolescent female rats recovered from the activity‐based anorexia display blunted hedonic responding
Authors: Hurley Matthew M. , Nawari Ashraf N. , Chen Victoria X. , O'Brien Shannon C. , Sabir Aliasgher I. , Goodman Ethan J. , Wiles Lucas J. , Biswas Aditi , Aston Sean Andrew , Khambadkone Seva G. , Tamashiro Kellie L. , Moran Timothy H.
Published: June 2022

Objective

As patients with anorexia nervosa tend to “like” palatable tastants less than controls, we set out to model this preclinically by using the taste reactivity test (TRT) to assess hedonic state in rats following weight restoration from a bout of activity‐based anorexia (ABA).

Method

Female rats (n = 31) were surgically implanted with an intraoral catheter, which allowed experimenters to assess baseline TRT to six tastants. Following baseline TRT, animals were either exposed to the activity‐based anorexia condition (ABA; 1.5HR chow/ad lib wheel until 25% weight loss), kept sedentary (SED; ad lib chow/locked wheel), given access to running wheels with ad lib chow access (RW; ad lib chow/wheel), or were body weight matched to the ABA group (BWM; restricted chow/locked wheel). Following 25% weight loss, wheels were locked and food returned to ABA rats. Paired RW groups had their wheels locked and paired BWM rats were given ad lib access to food. Animals were given 10 days to recover prior to a second TRT. Videos were analyzed for liking (tongue protrusions) and disliking (gape) behaviors.

Results

The ABA group displayed a significant within‐subject reduction in cumulative lick responses to water and 1 M sucrose. Additionally, we found the SED and ABA group displayed a significant within‐subject reduction in cumulative lick responses to .1 M sucrose. Positive hedonic responses did not decline in either the BWM or the RW groups.

Discussion

The data show a novel phenomenon that a history of ABA results in an anhedonia phenotype that mirrors aspects of AN.

Significance statement

Patients recovered from anorexia nervosa report anhedonia, or the lack of pleasure in consuming palatable foods. Unfortunately, the biological mechanism underpinning anhedonia in anorexia nervosa is not well understood. The current study assessed hedonic state in adolescent female rats prior to and 10 days recovered following the activity‐based anorexia paradigm. Age‐matched, running wheel‐matched and body weight‐matched control groups were also tested at the same time points.
Hail‐induced mortality of Asian Openbill (Anastomus oscitans) in Southern Tropical China
Authors: Zhang Mingxia , Wang Lin , Li Jiabin , Wang Qiaoyan , Luo Aidong
Published: June 2022

Hailstorms has been reported to cause mortality of mammals or birds around the world, but the effect of hailstorms on tropical avian species has seldomly been documented. In April 2020, a hailstorm hit Xishuangbanna in south China and was reported to kill 45 Asian Openbills. We estimated the effect of hail by doing fieldwork and interviews. We walked along transects to survey the local avian diversity 3 days after the hail; checked the dead species along the transect; and also interviewed 67 local villagers in 14 villages in the impacted area. We found no evidence that other species were killed by the hail and recorded 40 bird species along the transects in April. Four months later, we surveyed the same transects and recorded 38 species, and the Asian Openbill stayed as one of the most dominant bird species. We concluded that the Asian Openbill is more vulnerable to hail compared with other local birds, but this single hail event did not have an obvious long‐term impact on the population. The result provided an important case study for a tropical bird's response to extreme climate events and we suggested more similar observations to be made in the future.
The comparative energetics of the turtles and crocodiles
Authors: Marn Nina , Kooijman Sebastiaan A. L. M.
Published: June 2022

The Add‐my‐Pet collection of data on energetics and Dynamic Energy Budget parameters currently contains 92 species of turtles and 23 species of crocodiles. We discuss patterns of eco‐physiological traits of turtles and crocodiles, as functions of parameter values, and compare them with other taxa. Turtles and crocodiles accurately match the general rule that the life‐time cumulated neonate mass production equals ultimate weight. The weight at birth for reptiles scales with ultimate weight to the power 0.6. The scaling exponent is between that of amphibians and birds, while that for mammals is close to 1. We explain why this points to limitations imposed by embryonic respiration, the role of water stress and the accumulation of nitrogen waste during the embryo stage. Weight at puberty is proportional to ultimate weight, and is the largest for crocodiles, followed by that of turtles. These facts explain why the precociality coefficient, —approximated by the ratio of weight at birth and weight at puberty at abundant food—decreases with ultimate weight. It is the smallest for crocodiles because of their large size and is smaller for turtles than for lizards and snakes. The sea turtles have a smaller than the rest of the turtles, linked to their large size and small offspring size. We link their small weight and age at birth to reducing risks on the beach. The maximum reserve capacity in both turtles and crocodiles clearly decreases with the precociality coefficient. This relationship has not been found that clearly in other taxa, not even in other reptiles, with the exception of the chondrichthyans. Among reptiles, crocodiles and sea turtles have a relatively large assimilation rate and a large reserve capacity.
Sacubitril/valsartan use patterns among older adults with heart failure in clinical practice: a population‐based cohort study of >25 000 Medicare beneficiaries
Authors: Bhatt Ankeet S. , Vaduganathan Muthiah , Solomon Scott D. , Schneeweiss Sebastian , Lauffenburger Julie C. , Desai Rishi J.
Published: June 2022

Aims

Sacubitril/valsartan is strongly supported in guidelines for the management of heart failure, but suboptimal adherence and treatment non‐persistence may limit the population‐level benefit that this therapy might otherwise offer.

Methods and results

We identified a cohort of Medicare beneficiaries (2014–2017) initiating sacubitril/valsartan after ≥6 months of continuous enrolment. We assessed adherence as the proportion of days covered (PDC) and proportion of patients non‐persistent (having no prescription available) at 180 days after initiation. We fit a multivariable negative binomial model with a count of adherent days to evaluate independent factors associated with of sacubitril/valsartan adherence. Among 27 063 new sacubitril/valsartan users, most (n = 17 663, 65%) were prescribed low‐dose at 24 mg/26 mg and most (n = 19 984, 74%) were switched from prior angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibitor/angiotensin receptor blocker (ACEi/ARB) rather than being RASi treatment naïve. Median 180‐day PDC was 86% (25th–75th percentiles 58–98%). Black patients, those with high comorbid disease burden (≥8 comorbidities), and patients with recent hospitalization within 30 days had fewer adherent days, while those treated with preceding ACEi/ARB had more adherent days. Thirty‐four percent of patients did not have an active sacubitril/valsartan prescription at day 180. Among these, few had preceding dose down‐titrations (6% among patients on 49 mg/51 mg and 9% among patients on 97 mg/103 mg) and 68% did not have a subsequent ACEi/ARB prescription. Among patients who remained persistent, dose up‐titrations occurred in 29% of patients who started on 24 mg/26 mg and 27% of patients on 49 mg/51 mg.

Conclusions

Overall adherence to sacubitril/valsartan among Medicare beneficiaries is acceptable, but is lower in Black patients, those with higher comorbidities or those who started therapy after recent hospitalization. While broad implementation of guideline‐directed medical therapy is a key priority, additional focused efforts to improve adherence early after hospitalization and among at‐risk patients are needed in parallel.
Mono‐O‐functionalizations of Pittsburgh Green and Their Applications
Authors: Vinod Jincy K. , Koide Kazunori
Published: June 2022

The previous synthetic strategy for the preparation of non‐fluorescent fluoresceins was mostly limited to the double addition of simple alkenes and alkynes. We report the one‐step masking of Pittsburgh Green to its mono‐alkylated or esterified compounds. Unlike previous syntheses, this strategy tolerates a broader range of functional groups as masking groups. We also demonstrate the advantage of mono‐alkylation over di‐alkylation for metal detection.
A Robust Electrochemical Sensor Based on Butterfly‐shaped Silver Nanostructure for Concurrent Quantification of Heavy Metals in Water Samples
Authors: Naseri Maryam , Mohammadniaei Mohsen , Ghosh Koustuv , Sarkar Subrata , Sankar Ravi , Mukherjee Subhankar , Pal Souvik , Ansari Dezfouli Ehsan , Halder Arnab , Qiao Jixin , Bhattacharyya Nabarun , Sun Yi
Published: June 2022

Heavy metals in drinking water have become a severe threat to human health. Detection of heavy metals has been achieved by electrochemical sensors that are modified with complex nanocomposites; however, reproducibility of these sensors is still a big challenge when applied in commercial settings. Here, a simple, very robust, and sensitive electrochemical sensor based on a screen‐printed carbon electrode modified with butterfly‐shaped silver nanostructure (AgNS/SPCE) has been developed for the concurrent determination of cadmium (II), lead (II), copper (II), and mercury (II) in water samples. The electrochemical behavior of the modified electrodes was investigated using cyclic voltammetry and differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry. The AgNS/SPCE showed distinct peak potentials and a significant increase in the peak currents for all heavy metals, attributed to the high electrical conductivity and electrocatalytic activity of the synthesized butterfly‐shaped AgNS. Moreover, the excellent stability and sensitivity towards simultaneous quantification of heavy metals have been obtained with detection limits of 0.4 ppb, 2.5 ppb, 7.3 ppb, and 0.7 ppb for Cd (II), Pb (II), Cu (II), and Hg (II), respectively. Besides, the constructed sensor was successfully applied to simultaneously quantify target heavy metals in spiked water samples. Owing to excellent sensitivity, high robustness, affordability, and fast response, the presented electrochemical sensor could be incorporated into a portable and miniaturized potentiostat device, making it a promising method for on‐site water analysis.
Effect of wall slip on the viscoelastic particle ordering in a microfluidic channel
Authors: D'Avino Gaetano , Maffettone Pier Luca
Published: June 2022

The formation of a line of equally spaced particles at the centerline of a microchannel, referred as “particle ordering,” is desired in several microfluidic applications. Recent experiments and simulations highlighted the capability of viscoelastic fluids to form a row of particles characterized by a preferential spacing. When dealing with non‐Newtonian fluids in microfluidics, the adherence condition of the liquid at the channel wall may be violated and the liquid can slip over the surface, possibly affecting the ordering efficiency. In this work, we investigate the effect of wall slip on the ordering of particles suspended in a viscoelastic liquid by numerical simulations. The dynamics of a triplet of particles in an infinite cylindrical channel is first addressed by solving the fluid and particle governing equations. The relative velocities computed for the three‐particle system are used to predict the dynamics of a train of particles flowing in a long microchannel. The distributions of the interparticle spacing evaluated at different slip coefficients, linear particle concentrations, and distances from the channel inlet show that wall slip slows down the self‐assembly mechanism. For strong slipping surfaces, no significant change of the initial microstructure is observed at low particle concentrations, whereas strings of particles in contact form at higher concentrations. The detrimental effect of wall slip on viscoelastic ordering suggests care when designing microdevices, especially in case of hydrophobic surfaces that may enhance the slipping phenomenon.
Security threats and measures in the Internet of Things for smart city infrastructure: A state of art
Authors: Sharma Rohit , Arya Rajeev
Published: June 2022

The Internet of Things (IoT) is a network of physical objects or “things” implanted with electronics, software, sensors, and connectivity to allow them to exchange data with servers, centralized systems, and other connected devices using several communication systems. IoT data is assembled from various sensors, nodes, and collectors and sent to the cloud. It is the most reliable framework for improving the quality and comfort of human life. It has made a substantial contribution to a wide range of applications. By 2020, it is expected that 31 billion IoT devices will be deployed worldwide. The rapid growth of smart devices and their reliance on wireless mechanics for data transfer have increased their vulnerability to cyberattacks. As a result, studying IoT security dangers and viable countermeasures can aid academics in discovering acceptable solutions to various cybercrime investigation challenges. In this study, various security vulnerabilities at each layer are also examined in‐depth and corrective options for smart city applications and Industry 4.0. A comparison analysis of IoT/IIoT wireless communication features and security challenges in IoT systems is also part of this study. The relevance of IoT forensics in cybercrime investigation in many areas such as smart homes, smart cities, automated cars, and healthcare is also discussed in this study. This article presents IoT security concerns and open issues, laying the groundwork for future research.
The Shifting Cultivation Juggernaut: An Attribution Problem
Authors: Nath Arun Jyoti , Reang Demsai , Sileshi Gudeta W.
Published: June 2022

Shifting cultivation entails clearing a delimited land and transforming it into arable land. Owing to its complexity, this system has been a subject of debate and intervention since the colonial‐era, and is often considered as the “tropical deforestation culprit.” Shifting cultivators are often labeled as “forest eaters” and are considered backward and primitive. Opponents of shifting cultivation often attribute the loss of forest cover to shifting cultivation, and favor intensification, claiming that commercial plantations are more productive. However, attempts to replace it have often failed due to inadequate understanding of the system and the decision‐making processes involved. On the other hand, a growing body of literature provides evidence that shifting cultivation is an ecologically and economically efficient practice. After a careful review of the literature, the authors conclude that the dichotomy of opinions is the consequence of the attribution problem. The authors also argue that the management of forest ecosystems will be challenging if policy and practice are not based on careful understanding of the power of this age‐old practice. Hence, there is a need for a careful diagnosis of this system and a rethink before claiming that the system is unsustainable and attempting to replace it with practices such as plantations.