bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Antibacterial Property and Biocompatibility of Polypyrrole Films Treated by Oxygen Plasma Immersion Ion Implantation
Authors: Li Xiaoou , Qiu Jiajun , Liu Xuanyong
Published: March 2020

Polypyrrole (PPy) films obtained by oxidative polymerization have positive charges in its main chains and therefore exhibit antibacterial properties to some extent. However, antibacterial activities of PPy films for biomedical applications are still insufficient. Here, to endow PPy films with excellent antibacterial properties and biocompatibility, oxygen plasma immersion ion implantation (O‐PIII) is performed to regulate their physicochemical properties, including but not limited to wettability and surface charge. Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and MC3T3‐E1 cells are utilized to investigate the antibacterial properties and cytocompatibility, respectively. Results show that antibacterial property of PPy films against E. coli is enhanced after O‐PIII treatment, and it becomes more outstanding with the increase of implantation time, which may be ascribed to the improved hydrophilicity and change of sample surfaces from negatively charged to positively charged. The similar results cannot be found from S. aureus due to different cell membrane structure. Meanwhile, O‐PIII can significantly improve the biocompatibility of PPy films.
Enabling and Controlling Negative Photoconductance of FePS3 Nanosheets by Hot Carrier Trapping
Authors: Ou Zhenwei , Wang Ti , Tang Jibo , Zong Xinrong , Wang Wei , Guo Quanbing , Xu Yuhao , Zhu Chao , Wang Lin , Huang Wei , Xu Hongxing
Published: March 2020

2D materials have aroused tremendous attention in the last decade, and magnetic materials of the 2D scale are rising to prominence in recent years, which may revolutionize current optical and electronic applications. Photoconductivity is a well‐known optical and electrical property, which should be positive as the conductivity of material increases typically upon the absorption of electromagnetic radiation. Here, a controllable switch fromnegative to positive photoconductivity effect of FePS3 nanosheets is enabledby the modulation of the excitation wavelengths. These effects originate from an ultrafast process of hot carrier trapping, as visualized and investigated by the transient absorption microscopy at a quantitative level. This hot carrier trapping process is about 1.25 ps resulting in a lower diffusion constant state (≈3.5 cm2 s−1), which provides deep insight into the intrinsic properties of 2D FePS3 for further study. The results demonstrate experimentally the possibility to tune the electronic properties of 2D magnetic materials by an optical way, which not only induces the change in the magnitude but also in the sign, leading to more understandings and possibilities in 2D optoelectronic devices with many unexpected and multifunctional properties.
Discovery of an Unexpected Metal Dissolution of Thin‐Coated Cathode Particles and Its Theoretical Explanation
Authors: He Yufang , Pham Hiep , Gao Yan , Patel Rajankumar L. , Sarkar Susmita , Liang Xinhua , Park Jonghyun
Published: March 2020

The degree of metal dissolution of cathode materials is a critical parameter in determining the performance of lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs). Ultra‐thin coated cathode particles, fabricated via atomic layer deposition (ALD), exhibit superior battery performance over that of bare particles. Therefore, it is generally believed that a coating layer protects the particles from metal dissolution of active materials, which is a critical cathode degradation mechanism. However, it is observed that ultra‐thin CeO2 coating intensified the Mn dissolution of LiMn2O4 (LMO) during cycling of LIBs, whereas ultra‐thin Al2O3 coating tended to inhibit Mn dissolution. A detailed density functional theory (DFT) study is carried out to explain these experimental observations by analyzing interaction of Mn atoms with neighboring electrode atoms in terms of energetic and structural aspect. All atomic and electronic analyses are consistent with the experimental observations. Several common materials are investigated as possible ALD coatings for LIBs to provide general insight, and it is found that Mn dissolution can be suppressed or accelerated depending on the material selection. This is the first report finding that depending on the coating material, metal dissolution can be accelerated, providing new insights into the impact of ALD coating materials on metal dissolution in cathode materials.
Barley and wheat nutrient responses for Shewa, Ethiopia
Authors: Liben Feyera M. , Midega Tesfaye , Tufa Tolcha , Wortmann Charles S.
Published: March 2020

Hulless barley (Hordeum vulgare L. var. nudum Hook. f.) and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) are important crops for the highlands of western Shewa in Ethiopia. Information is scarce regarding the determination of fertilizer recommendations for barley and wheat with location specificity. On‐farm trials were conducted to determine yield response to N and P and to diagnose K‐Mg‐S‐Zn‐B deficiencies in western Shewa. Grain yields were higher and responses to N and P were greater for these trials compared with results from earlier trials. Grain yield increases occurred with N application for all trials, ranging from 0.42 to 2.8 Mg ha−1 for barley and from 1.4 to 3.8 Mg ha−1 for wheat, fitting curvilinear to plateau or quadratic functions. Barley yield was maximized with 60 kg ha−1 N, and 98% of maximum yield was achieved with 50 kg ha−1 N, but wheat yield was projected to maximize with >100 kg ha−1 N. About 50% of the trials had yield increases with P application. Many farmers in this area are financially constrained regarding fertilizer use and can achieve a mean of 48% greater net return on their investment with the application at 50% rather than 100% of the rate to maximize profit per hectare. The yields and response to applied nutrients were generally less with earlier results compared with the current results, whereas the economically optimal rate of nutrient application or the rate expected to maximize net return per hectare to nutrient application was similar or slightly less for the earlier results. The profit opportunity with fertilizer use in western Shewa is great for N, less for P, and negligible for K‐Mg‐S‐Zn‐B.
Agronomic practices affect rice yield and nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium accumulation, allocation and translocation
Authors: Lv Yandong , Hu Yue , Jiang Hongfang , Lan Yuchen , Wang Heying , Xu Lingqi , Yin Dawei , Zheng Guiping , Guo Xiaohong
Published: March 2020

Applying appropriate agronomic practices instead of conventional farming practices might improve rice yield. However, few studies have focused on how integrated agronomic practices affect N, P, and K accumulation and allocation in rice (Oryza sativa L.). Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate grain yield, N, P, and K accumulation, and allocation under different agronomic practices. A japonica rice cultivar was grown in the field, with four agronomic practice treatments: no N application (N0), local farmers’ practice (FP), high‐yield practice (HYP), and super‐high‐yield (SHY) practice. The results showed that the latter two practices significantly increased grain yield by 11.0% and 26.4%, respectively, compared with that under FP, mainly as a result of an increase in mean number of panicles m−2 and spikelets panicle−1. Mean aboveground N, P, and K accumulation significantly increased by 24.9, 15.3, and 79.1%, in HYP and 42.0, 38.8, and 219.7% in SHY, respectively, compared with that under FP. In particular, K accumulation was higher than N and P accumulation in HYP and SHY plants than those in FP plants. However, N, P, and K grain productivity was lower by 7.5, 9.5, and 20.3% under HYP, and 20.3, 17.2 and 62.7% under SHY treatments than that of FP, respectively, and N, P, and K grain productivity were negatively correlated with yield. Our results suggest that an increase in N, P, and K accumulation from the full‐heading stage (FH) to the maturity stage (MS) may assist with improving rice yields under HYP and SHY treatments.
Idiopathic portal hypertension associated with POEMS syndrome mimicking liver cirrhosis in a patient with chronic HBV infection
Authors: Lin Kung‐Hung , Chen Wen‐Chi , Chuang Hao‐Wen , Lin Shyh‐Jer , Chiang Chia‐Ling , Liang Huei‐Lung , Yu Hsien‐Chung , Hsu Ping‐I , Cheng Jin‐Shiung
Published: March 2020

Polyneuropathy, organomegaly, endocrinopathy, monoclonal gammopathy, and skin changes, known as POEMS syndrome, is a rare paraneoplastic syndrome resulting from an underlying plasma cell disorder. In contrast to the common presentations such as peripheral neuropathy, skin changes, extravascular fluid overload, and endocrinopathy, POEMS syndrome presenting as idiopathic portal hypertension (IPH) has been reported in only seven cases. A 58‐year‐old man diagnosed as hepatitis B virus (HBV)‐related cirrhosis in another hospital presented to our outpatient clinic with tense ascites. Initial findings of laboratory examinations, ultrasound, and magnetic resonance imaging suggested the diagnosis of cirrhosis with ascites and hepatorenal syndrome. The patient's renal function improved after terlipressin administration but deteriorated once it was withdrawn. A hepatic venous pressure gradient was measured as 10 mmHg. The patient was implanted with a transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) and achieved better renal function and ascites control. Even though this scenario was consistent with a diagnosis of cirrhosis‐related portal hypertension, a low serum‐ascites albumin gradient (SAAG) and liver stiffness value prompted further studies. The presence of peripheral polyneuropathy, monoclonal gammopathy, elevated vascular endothelial growth factor levels, and endocrinopathies resulted in a diagnosis of POEMS syndrome. The patient received prednisolone along with low‐dose diuretics and achieved good control of his ascites. A percutaneous liver biopsy showed focal enlarged portal tracts with fibrosis, small lymphocyte infiltration, and absence of cirrhosis, supporting a diagnosis of IPH. This is a report of a rare case of IPH associated with POEMS syndrome mimicking cirrhosis. Our management of this patient also highlights the usefulness of the SAAG and a liver stiffness value to arrive at the proper diagnosis and furthermore provides an opportunity to learn from the experience of combination treatment with prednisolone and TIPS.
Comparative study of micro‐transplantation from HLA fully mismatched unrelated and partly matched related donors in acute myeloid leukemia
Authors: Hu Kai‐Xun , Du Xin , Guo Mei , Yu Chang‐Lin , Qiao Jian‐Hui , Sun Qi‐Yun , Zuo Hong‐Li , Cai Bo , Huang Ya‐Jing , Ai Hui‐Sheng , Dong Zheng , Wang Yi
Published: March 2020

Micro‐transplantation (MST) by chemotherapy, combined with granulocyte colony‐stimulating factor‐mobilized peripheral blood stem cell (GPBSC) infusion, from an HLA partial matched related donor has shown some encouraging effective therapy for acute myeloid leukemia (AML). However, the outcome of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) fully mismatched unrelated donor‐derived MST in such patients is still unknown. In the present study, we compared the efficacy of HLA fully mismatched unrelated donor‐derived MST, and partly matched related donor‐derived MST, in AML of 126 patients from two centers in China, These patients, aged 16 to 65 years, were given three or four courses of MST, which consisted of a high dosage cytarabine followed by GPBSC from unrelated donor or related donor. There was a statistically significant difference in 3‐year leukemia‐free survival (LFS) and 3‐year overall survival (OS) between the unrelated and the related group. The non‐treatment‐related mortality (NRM) rates of patients, and other adverse complications, were no different in the two groups. In conclusion, unrelated donor‐derived MST is believed to be a safe treatment, with efficacy similar to or higher than related donor‐derived MST. This result provides support for the potential of MST for expanding the donor selection. However, the specific mechanism of action needs further study.
2‐[(4‐Aminobutyl)ferrocenylmethylidene]‐5,6‐dimethoxy‐1‐indanone derivatives: Synthesis, characterization, and investigation of electro‐optical properties
Authors: Rahimpour Keshvar , Shafagh‐Azar Ali , Abbasi Hassan , Mohammad‐Gholizadeh Amir , Hezarkhani Zeinab , Teimuri‐Mofrad Reza
Published: March 2020

A ferrocenyl‐based, chromophore‐containing 1‐indanone derivative was synthesized through crotonic condensation between 4‐chlorobutylferrocenecarboxaldehyde and 5,6‐dimethoxy‐1‐indanone followed by the nucleophilic substitution of chlorine atom of the obtained dyad with different aromatic and aliphatic amines. The electrochemical and optical properties of the synthesized compounds were investigated to explore the relationship between their structures and optical and electrochemical properties. The bandgaps determined from optical absorption spectra ranged from 2.05 to 2.15 eV. The important electrochemical parameters, including the peak potential separation, peak current ratios, and the dependence of peak currents on the scan rate, were studied. Results showed an electrochemically reversible redox system with diffusion‐controlled redox process for the synthesized compounds. The study of quantum chemistry was performed on the synthesized compounds using the density functional theory approach. The B3LYP method and 6‐311 G(d) basis set were used for optimizing the structures in the gas phase. The theoretical and experimental results show that these compounds can be considered as candidates to be used in optical applications.
In‐situ grafted POE for reduction of flow marks on injection molding of PP
Authors: Zhu Guodian , Xiong Di , Ding Jiao , Ruan Tao , Yin Guoqiang
Published: March 2020

Flow mark phenomenon is one of the typical and common surface defects that affect industrial desired surface and long‐life mechanical properties of the injection molding of polypropylene (PP). The effect of in‐situ grafted polyolefin elastomer (POE) on the flow marks on injection molding of PP was investigated by combining experimental methods with dissipative particle dynamics (DPD) simulations. It was found that 1,6‐hexanediol diacrylate‐grafted POE (POE‐g‐HD) facilitated the reduction of the flow marks under an optimized grafting condition, a screw speed of 250 rpm at 185°C. The DPD simulations indicated that the reduction of the flow marks via POE‐g‐HD was related to the emergence of POE‐g‐HD quasi‐clusters. In addition, increasing melt strength of PP resulted in a melt fracture phenomenon and an increase of the flow marks. The limiting grafting degree of POE led to a finite reduction of the flow marks.
Paleobiology in the 21st Century
Authors: Hedrick Brandon P. , Dodson Peter
Published: March 2020

The diversity of research performed by vertebrate paleobiologists is immense, including primary descriptions of newly discovered taxa, biomechanical analyses of extant animals, large‐scale macroevolutionary analyses with hundreds of taxa, and many others. This special issue of The Anatomical Record highlights the scope of the research done by paleobiologists, with an emphasis on dinosaurs and their relatives, and is structured into three broad categories of research: (1) anatomical descriptions, (2) the biology of the dinosaurs and their relatives, and (3) macroevolutionary trends. Although these topics all fall within the purview of contemporary paleobiology, many of these topics have been studied in one form or another since the beginning of dinosaur paleobiology as a field. Rather than the topics themselves, what characterizes the modern renaissance of paleobiology is the employment of newly developed quantitative techniques to analyze the relationships between taxa and their evolutionary history. While primary anatomical descriptions remain the central pillar of dinosaur paleobiology, researchers now have a suitable baseline understanding of dinosaurian anatomy and their major evolutionary relationships. Using this baseline, they are able to ask more complex questions and refine their understanding of dinosaurian evolution. The aim of this issue is to exemplify the range of topics examined within dinosaur paleobiology and to look forward to the future of paleobiology. Anat Rec, 303:645–648, 2020. © 2020 American Association for Anatomy
“I Don't Want Someone to Watch Me While I'm Working”: Gendered Views of Facial Recognition Technology in Workplace Surveillance
Authors: Stark Luke , Stanhaus Amanda , Anthony Denise L.
Published: March 2020

Employers are increasingly using information and communication technologies to monitor employees. Such workplace surveillance is extensive in the United States, but its experience and potential consequences differ across groups based on gender. We thus sought to identify whether self‐reported male and female employees differ in the extent to which they find the use of workplace cameras equipped with facial recognition technology (FRT) acceptable, and examine the role of privacy attitudes more generally in mediating views on workplace surveillance. Using data from a nationally representative survey conducted by the Pew Research Center, we find that women are much less likely than men to approve of the use of cameras using FRT in the workplace. We then further explore whether men and women think differently about privacy, and if perceptions of privacy moderate the relationship between gender and approval of workplace surveillance. Finally, we consider the implications of these findings for privacy and surveillance via embedded technologies, and how the consequences of surveillance and technologies like FRT may be gendered. Note: We recognize evaluations based on a binary definition of gender are invariably partial and exclusionary. As we note in our discussion of the study's limitations, we were constrained by the survey categories provided by Pew.
Common vs. Distinct Visuomotor Control Deficits in Autism Spectrum Disorder and Schizophrenia
Authors: Carment Loïc , Khoury Elie , Dupin Lucile , Guedj Laura , Bendjemaa Narjes , Cuenca Macarena , Maier Marc A. , Krebs Marie‐Odile , Lindberg Påvel G. , Amado Isabelle
Published: March 2020

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and schizophrenia (SCZ) are neurodevelopmental disorders with partly overlapping clinical phenotypes including sensorimotor impairments. However, direct comparative studies on sensorimotor control across these two disorders are lacking. We set out to compare visuomotor upper limb impairment, quantitatively, in ASD and SCZ. Patients with ASD (N = 24) were compared to previously published data from healthy control participants (N = 24) and patients with SCZ (N = 24). All participants performed a visuomotor grip force‐tracking task in single and dual‐task conditions. The dual‐task (high cognitive load) presented either visual distractors or required mental addition during grip force‐tracking. Motor inhibition was measured by duration of force release and from principal component analysis (PCA) of the participant's force‐trajectory. Common impairments in patients with ASD and SCZ included increased force‐tracking error in single‐task condition compared to controls, a further increase in error in dual‐task conditions, and prolonged duration of force release. These three sensorimotor impairments were found in both patient groups. In contrast, distinct impairments in patients with ASD included greater error under high cognitive load and delayed onset of force release compared to SCZ. The PCA inhibition component was higher in ASD than SCZ and controls, correlated to duration of force release, and explained group differences in tracking error. In conclusion, sensorimotor impairments related to motor inhibition are common to ASD and SCZ, but more severe in ASD, consistent with enhanced neurodevelopmental load in ASD. Furthermore, impaired motor anticipation may represent a further specific impairment in ASD. Autism Res 2020, 13: 885‐896. © 2020 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Lay summary

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and schizophrenia (SCZ) are neurodevelopmental disorders with partly overlapping and partly distinct clinical symptoms. Sensorimotor impairments rank among these symptoms, but it is less clear whether they are shared or distinct. In this study, we showed using a grip force task that sensorimotor impairments related to motor inhibition are common to ASD and SCZ, but more severe in ASD. Impaired motor anticipation may represent a further specific impairment in ASD.
Abschätzung von verkehrsinduzierten Schwingungen von Straßenbrücken vor Betonierarbeiten
Authors: Ralbovsky Marian , Vorwagner Alois , Kleiser Michael , Kozakow Thomas
Published: March 2020

Bei Fahrzeugüberfahrten über Brücken kommt es zur Interaktion zwischen Tragwerk und Fahrzeug, deren Zusammenhänge äußerst komplex und schwer vorhersagbar sind. Gerade bei anstehenden Bauarbeiten an bestehenden Betonbrücken müssen diese bei aufrechterhaltenem Verkehr stattfinden, wodurch der junge Beton während seiner Erhärtung mit Schwingungen belastet wird. Aber gerade im Zuge der Planung von Bauphasen oder Bauabläufen ist eine Abschätzung im Vorfeld hilfreich. Aus diesem Grund wurden Großrechenserien, basierend auf Berechnungsmodellen von ganzen Brückenpopulationen untersucht. Das Ziel war, die verkehrsinduzierten Schwingungen von Platten‐ und Plattenbalkenbrücken in gängigen Konfigurationen abzuschätzen, um bei der Planung von Bauarbeiten entsprechende Schritte zur Schonung des jungen Betons in seiner kritischen Erhärtungsphase setzen zu können. Dabei wurden die Brückenschwingungen durch transiente FE‐Simulationen bei einer Vielzahl von Lkw‐Überfahrten berechnet und einerseits die Brückeneigenschaften wie Spannweite, Schlankheit etc., andererseits auch die Überfahrtsparameter wie Straßenoberfläche, Fahrgeschwindigkeit und Spur variiert. Die Betrachtung einzelner Parameter zeigte sich dabei als unzureichend, weshalb aufbauend auf dem großen Datensatz ein Meta‐Modell in Form von einfachen Gleichungen gebildet wurde, welches den Einfluss mehrerer Parameter vereint. Das Meta‐Modell ermöglicht eine Erstabschätzung der zu erwartenden Schwingungsamplituden und soll als Unterstützung für die Planung von nötigen Maßnahmen dienen.
Debating Eukaryogenesis—Part 2: How Anachronistic Reasoning Can Lure Us into Inventing Intermediates
Authors: Speijer Dave
Published: March 2020

Eukaryotic origins are inextricably linked with the arrival of a pre‐mitochondrion of alphaproteobacterial‐like ancestry. However, the nature of the “host” cell and the mode of entry are subject to heavy debate. It is becoming clear that the mutual adaptation of a relatively simple, archaeal host and the endosymbiont has been the defining influence at the beginning of the eukaryotic lineage; however, many still resist such symbiogenic models. In part 1, it is posited that a symbiotic stage before uptake (“pre‐symbiosis”) seems essential to allow further metabolic integration of the two partners ending in endosymbiosis. Thus, the author argued against phagocytic mechanisms (in which the bacterium is prey or parasite) as the mode of entry. Such positions are still broadly unpopular. Here it is explained why. Evolutionary thinking, especially in the case of eukaryogenesis, is still dominated by anachronistic reasoning, in which highly derived protozoan organisms are seen as in some way representative of intermediate steps during eukaryotic evolution, hence poisoning the debate. This reasoning reflects a mind‐set that ignores that Darwinian evolution is a fundamentally historic process. Numerous examples of this kind of erroneous reasoning are given, and some basic precautions against its use are formulated. Also see the video abstract here https://youtu.be/ekqtNleVJpU
Beware of potential violations when analysts act as coaches
Authors: O'Brien Timothy
Published: March 2020

One of the more interesting developments in recent years within the college football world has been the introduction and increasing use of specialized “analysts” to augment the work performed by the coaching staff at many institutions. These analysts perform an array of duties at each school designed primarily to assist the actual coaches in meeting their responsibilities. Whether designated as offensive, defensive, or special teams analysts, or a more specific and targeted designation, these individuals provide an enhanced level of support to the respective coaching staff, without becoming actual coaches. With the NCAA‐imposed limit of 10 assistant coaches and four graduate assistant coaches per team, the use of these new support positions effectively provides an exponential staffing benefit to teams seeking to compete at the highest level.
Learn to create ‘culture of care’ within athletics
Authors: McCarthy Claudine
Published: March 2020

ANAHEIM, Calif. — The level of caring and inclusiveness in your department is an important consideration to address, according to Jeff Milroy, M.P.H., Dr.P.H., Associate Director of the Institute to Promote Athlete Health and Wellness and Teaching Faculty in the Department of Public Health Education at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. He spoke at the NCAA's annual convention.
Pure aortic valve regurgitation: SAVR is the gold standard, but TAVR is another gun
Authors: Tarantini Giuseppe , Fabris Tommaso
Published: March 2020

Key Points

Surgical treatment is the gold standard for pure aortic regurgitation (AR).

In this study, transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) appears to be a promising option for inoperable/high‐risk patients suffering pure AR.

Long‐term results and specific patient‐level data are needed to better clarify the role of TAVR in pure AR treatment.
Editorial for: Outcomes after endovascular mechanical thrombectomy in occluded vascular access used for dialysis purposes
Authors: Krajcer Zvonimir , Costello Briana T.
Published: March 2020

Key Points

Multimodality interventions, including both percutaneous and surgical approaches, are paramount in maintaining vascular fistula and graft patency in hemodialysis patients.

Mechanical thrombectomy with Angiojet AVX or Solent Proxi of AVFs and AVGs achieved acceptable technical and clinical success rates (>90%) in combination with adjuvant percutaneous transluminal angioplasty and stenting.

Future prospective studies using intravascular imaging before therapy may be useful when deciding which treatment modalities to use for AVFs and AVGs.
An uncommon cause of inappropriate ICD shock
Authors: Bazoukis George , Letsas Konstantinos P. , Vlachos Konstantinos , Tse Gary , Manolatos Dimitrios , Sideris Antonios , Efremidis Michael , Xydonas Sotirios
Published: March 2020

In cases of electromagnetic interference (EMI), if the source of the inappropriate EMI cannot be identified, then the sensitivity of the device could be decreased, or the cycle length of the VF detection trigger zone changed.
Highly Active, Selective, and Recyclable Water‐Soluble Glutathione‐Stabilized Pd and Pd‐Alloy Nanoparticle Catalysts in Biphasic Solvent
Authors: Bhama Shekhar , Sibakoti Tirtha R. , Jasinski Jacek B. , Zamborini Francis P.
Published: March 2020

Glutathione‐protected Pd, PdAu and PdPt nanoparticles (NPs) show greatly increased reactivity and stability towards the hydrogenation/isomerization of allyl alcohol in a biphasic organic/aqueous solvent mixture compared to single‐phase alkanethiol‐protected Pd‐based NPs. NPs synthesized under aerobic conditions have higher activity compared to those synthesized under nitrogen, with the highest TOF of 676 mole product/mole metal/hour for 75 : 25 PdAu NPs at 20 mL/min H2 flow. 75 : 25 PdAu NPs prepared under nitrogen have a maximum TOF of 507 at 20 mL/min H2 flow, but can be recycled 4 times (9 times at 8 mL/min H2 flow). Ethyl acetate is a better organic phase solvent compared to dichloromethane and chlorobenzene in terms of TOF and recyclability. All of the NPs studied show >80 % selectivity for the isomer product (propanal). The branched, open structure of the glutathione and use of the biphasic solvent provides high catalytic activity, high selectivity, and easy removal of the products in the organic phase for good recyclability of the water‐soluble catalysts.
LiMM‐PCA: Combining ASCA+ and linear mixed models to analyse high‐dimensional designed data
Authors: Martin Manon , Govaerts Bernadette
Published: March 2020

Nowadays, life science experiments—and especially “omics” fields—often imply a high volume of information from high throughput technologies that is gathered in the form of a wide and short multivariate response. These data are intrinsically correlated and generally produced by another multivariate set of factors or continuous variables, collected in what is defined as the design matrix. Such design factors usually involve the presence of a treatment, but other sources of biological or technical variability in the data are often measured as well. The ASCA framework, based on ANOVA and PCA, leads to promising results. By combining dimension reduction projection methods and classic statistical modelling, it enables to decipher the main sources of variability in the produced response and offers attractive graphical representations of the factors' effect. However, this approach has not yet been extended to more advanced designs involving random factors, being typically involved in longitudinal, hierarchical, or repeatability/reproducibility studies. This paper has its roots in the GLM version of ASCA, called ASCA+, that leads to unbiased estimators of the factors' effects for unbalanced data. It is here extended by replacing GLM by LMM and adapting the methodology. Taking into account the error structure of the data indeed leads to more accurate data modelling and more generalisable results. The suggested methodology is applied to two experimental case studies that highlight the benefits of this approach as it leads to a refined data analysis with interesting inferential properties, while keeping the powerful visualisation outputs produced by ASCA.
Strong and Superhydrophobic Wood with Aligned Cellulose Nanofibers as a Waterproof Structural Material†
Authors: Li Yongfeng , Chen Chaoji , Song Jianwei , Yang Chunpeng , Kuang Yudi , Vellore Azhar , Hitz Emily , Zhu Mingwei , Jiang Feng , Yao Yonggang , Gong Amy , Martini Ashlie , Hu Liangbing
Published: March 2020

Summary of main observation and conclusion

Lightweight structural materials are important for the energy efficiency of applications, particularly those in the building sector. Here, inspired by nature, we developed a strong, superhydrophobic, yet lightweight material by simple in situ growth of nano‐SiO2 and subsequent densification of the wood substrate. In situ generation of SiO2 nanoparticles both inside the wood channels and on the wood surfaces gives the material superhydrophobicity, with static and dynamic contact angles of 159.4o and 3o, respectively. Densification of the wood to remove most of the spaces among the lumen and cell walls results in a laminated, dense structure, with aligned cellulose nanofibers, which in turn contributes to a high mechanical strength up to 384.2 MPa (7‐times higher than natural wood). Such treatment enables the strong and superhydrophobic wood (SH‐Wood) to be stable and have excellent water, acid, and alkaline resistance. The high mechanical strength of SH‐Wood combined with its excellent structural stability in harsh environments, as well its low density, positions the strong and superhydrophobic wood as a promising candidate for strong, lightweight, and durable structural materials that could potentially replace steel.
Nonparametric change point detection for periodic time series
Authors: Guo Lingzhe , Modarres Reza
Published: March 2020

Abstract

We consider detection of multiple changes in the distribution of periodic and autocorrelated data with known period. To account for periodicity we transform the sequence of vector observations by arranging them in matrices and thereby producing a sequence of independently and identically distributed matrix observations. We propose methods of testing the equality of matrix distributions and present methods that can be applied to matrix observations using the E‐divisive algorithm. We show that periodicity and autocorrelation degrade existing change detection methods because they blur the changes that these procedures aim to discover. Methods that ignore the periodicity have low power to detect changes in the mean and the variance of periodic time series when the periodic effects overwhelm the true changes, while the proposed methods detect such changes with high power. We illustrate the proposed methods by detecting changes in the water quality of Lake Kasumigaura in Japan. The Canadian Journal of Statistics 48: 518–534; 2020 © 2020 Statistical Society of Canada
Graph convolutional networks with higher‐order pooling for semisupervised node classification
Authors: Lei Fangyuan , Liu Xun , Jiang Jianjian , Liao Liping , Cai Jun , Zhao Huimin
Published: March 2020

The information propagation mechanism in graph‐structured networks such as social networks is the foundation of network security. The graph convolutional network (GCN) is a powerful approach for semisupervised node classification on graph‐structure data. The vertex features which pass through the graph network are affected by the k‐hop neighborhood vertices. However, current high‐order GCN approaches merged the k‐hop neighborhood using coarse pooling and complicated weight parameters. To reduce the computational complexity and preserve topological of the graph data, with weight sharing mechanism we propose a novel GCN based on a novel higher‐order pooling layer for semisupervised classification. The proposed model and its variants are experimental studied on several large‐scale citation network datasets using semisupervised learning. The experimental results show that the proposed model and its variants have lower computational complexity and achieve the state‐of‐the‐art in the node classification accuracy.
A sleep‐and‐wake technique for reducing energy consumption in BitTorrent networks
Authors: Marozzo Fabrizio , Talia Domenico , Trunfio Paolo
Published: March 2020

File sharing is one of the leading Internet applications of P2P technology. Given the high number of computer nodes involved in peer‐to‐peer networks, reducing their aggregate energy consumption is an important challenge to be faced. In this paper, we show how the sleep‐and‐wake energy saving approach can be exploited to reduce energy consumption in BitTorrent, one of the most popular file sharing peer‐to‐peer networks. We describe BitTorrentSW, a sleep‐and‐wake approach for BitTorrent networks that allows seeders (ie, peers that hold complete files) to cyclically switch between wake and sleep modes to save energy while ensuring good file sharing performance. The decision to switch to sleep mode is taken independently by each seeder based on local information about the composition of the peer‐to‐peer network. BitTorrentSW has been evaluated through PeerSim using real BitTorrent traces. The simulation results show that, in all the configurations under analysis, the percentage of energy saved by BitTorrentSW is much higher than the percentage of increase in download time. For instance, in a network with 50% of seeders, about 20% of energy is saved using BitTorrentSW, with an increase of only 7% of the average time needed to complete a file download compared to a standard BitTorrent network in which all seeders are always powered
on.
Synthetic DNA Assembly Using Golden Gate Cloning and the Hierarchical Modular Cloning Pipeline
Authors: Marillonnet Sylvestre , Grützner Ramona
Published: March 2020

Methods that enable the construction of recombinant DNA molecules are essential tools for biological research and biotechnology. Golden Gate cloning is used for assembly of multiple DNA fragments in a defined linear order in a recipient vector using a one‐pot assembly procedure. Golden Gate cloning is based on the use of a type IIS restriction enzyme for digestion of the DNA fragments and vector. Because restriction sites for the type IIS enzyme used for assembly must be present at the ends of the DNA fragments and vector but absent from all internal sequences, special care must be taken to prepare DNA fragments and the recipient vector with a structure suitable for assembly by Golden Gate cloning. In this article, protocols are presented for preparation of DNA fragments, modules, and vectors suitable for Golden Gate assembly cloning. Additional protocols are presented for assembly of defined parts in a transcription unit, as well as the stitching together of multiple transcription units into multigene constructs by the modular cloning (MoClo) pipeline. © 2020 The Authors.

Basic Protocol 1: Performing a typical Golden Gate cloning reaction

Basic Protocol 2: Accommodating a vector to Golden Gate cloning

Basic Protocol 3: Accommodating an insert to Golden Gate cloning

Basic Protocol 4: Generating small standardized parts compatible with hierarchical modular cloning (MoClo) using level 0 vectors

Alternate Protocol: Generating large standardized parts compatible with hierarchical modular cloning (MoClo) using level –1 vectors

Basic Protocol 5: Assembling transcription units and multigene constructs using level 1, M, and P MoClo vectors
Strong Light–Matter Interactions in Au Plasmonic Nanoantennas Coupled with Prussian Blue Catalyst on BiVO4 for Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting
Authors: Ghobadi T. Gamze Ulusoy , Ghobadi Amir , Soydan Mahmut Can , Vishlaghi Mahsa Barzgar , Kaya Sarp , Karadas Ferdi , Ozbay Ekmel
Published: March 2020

A facial and large‐scale compatible fabrication route is established, affording a high‐performance heterogeneous plasmonic‐based photoelectrode for water oxidation that incorporates a CoFe–Prussian blue analog (PBA) structure as the water oxidation catalytic center. For this purpose, an angled deposition of gold (Au) was used to selectively coat the tips of the bismuth vanadate (BiVO4) nanostructures, yielding Au‐capped BiVO4 (Au‐BiVO4). The formation of multiple size/dimension Au capping islands provides strong light–matter interactions at nanoscale dimensions. These plasmonic particles not only enhance light absorption in the bulk BiVO4 (through the excitation of Fabry–Perot (FP) modes) but also contribute to photocurrent generation through the injection of sub‐band‐gap hot electrons. To substantiate the activity of the photoanodes, the interfacial electron dynamics are significantly improved by using a PBA water oxidation catalyst (WOC) resulting in an Au‐BiVO4/PBA assembly. At 1.23 V (vs. RHE), the photocurrent value for a bare BiVO4 photoanode was obtained as 190 μA cm−2, whereas it was boosted to 295 μA cm−2 and 1800 μA cm−2 for Au‐BiVO4 and Au‐BiVO4/PBA, respectively. Our results suggest that this simple and facial synthetic approach paves the way for plasmonic‐based solar water splitting, in which a variety of common metals and semiconductors can be employed in conjunction with catalyst designs.
Cryptanalysis and improvement of the YAK protocol with formal security proof and security verification via Scyther
Authors: Mohammad Zeyad
Published: March 2020

Hao proposed the YAK as a robust key agreement based on public‐key authentication, and the author claimed that the YAK protocol withstands all known attacks and therefore is secure against an extremely strong adversary. However, Toorani showed the security flaws in the YAK protocol. This paper shows that the YAK protocol cannot withstand the known key security attack, and its consequences lead us to introduce a new key compromise impersonation attack, where an adversary is allowed to reveal both the shared static secret key between two‐party participation and the ephemeral private key of the initiator party in order to mount this attack. In addition, we present a new security model that covers these attacks against an extremely strong adversary. Moreover, we propose an improved YAK protocol to remedy these attacks and the previous attacks mentioned by Toorani on the YAK protocol, and the proposed protocol uses a verification mechanism in its block design that provides entity authentication and key confirmation. Meanwhile, we show that the proposed protocol is secure in the proposed formal security model under the gap Diffie‐Hellman assumption and the random oracle assumption. Moreover, we verify the security of the proposed protocol and YAK protocol by using an automatic verification method such as the Scyther tool, and the verification result shows that the security claims of the proposed protocol are proven, in contrast to those of the YAK protocol, which are not proven. The security and performance comparisons show that the improved YAK protocol outperforms previous related protocols.
Herbivory and climate as drivers of woody plant growth: Do deer decrease the impacts of warming?
Authors: Vuorinen Katariina E. M. , Rao Shaila J. , Hester Alison J. , Speed James D. M.
Published: March 2020

Vegetation at ecotone transitions between open and forested areas is often heavily affected by two key processes: climate change and management of large herbivore densities. These both drive woody plant state shifts, determining the location and the nature of the limit between open and tree or shrub‐dominated landscapes. In order to adapt management to prevailing and future climate, we need to understand how browsing and climatic factors together affect the growth of plants at biome borders. To disentangle herbivory and climate effects, we combined long‐term tree growth monitoring and dendroecology to investigate woody plant growth under different temperatures and red deer (Cervus elaphus) herbivory pressures at forest–moorland ecotones in the Scottish highlands. Reforestation and deer densities are core and conflicting management concerns in the area, and there is an urgent need for additional knowledge. We found that deer herbivory and climate had significant and interactive effects on tree growth: in the presence of red deer, pine (Pinus sylvestris) growth responded more strongly to annual temperature than in the absence of deer, possibly reflecting differing plant–plant competition and facilitation conditions. As expected, pine growth was negatively related to deer density and positively to temperature. However, at the tree population level, warming decreased growth when more than 60% of shoots were browsed. Heather (Calluna vulgaris) growth was negatively related to temperature and the direction of the response to deer switched from negative to positive when mean annual temperatures fell below 6.0°C. In addition, our models allow estimates to be made of how woody plant growth responds under specific combinations of temperature and herbivory, and show how deer management can be adapted to predicted climatic changes in order to more effectively achieve reforestation goals. Our results support the hypothesis that temperature and herbivory have interactive effects on woody plant growth, and thus accounting for just one of these two factors is insufficient for understanding plant growth mechanics at biome transitions. Furthermore, we show that climate‐driven woody plant growth increases can be negated by herbivory.
End‐user involvement to improve predictions and management of populations with complex dynamics and multiple drivers
Authors: Henden John‐André , Ims Rolf A. , Yoccoz Nigel G. , Asbjørnsen Einar J. , Stien Audun , Mellard Jarad Pope , Tveraa Torkild , Marolla Filippo , Jepsen Jane Uhd
Published: March 2020

Sustainable management of wildlife populations can be aided by building models that both identify current drivers of natural dynamics and provide near‐term predictions of future states. We employed a Strategic Foresight Protocol (SFP) involving stakeholders to decide the purpose and structure of a dynamic state‐space model for the population dynamics of the Willow Ptarmigan, a popular game species in Norway. Based on local knowledge of stakeholders, it was decided that the model should include food web interactions and climatic drivers to provide explanatory predictions. Modeling confirmed observations from stakeholders that climate change impacts Ptarmigan populations negatively through intensified outbreaks of insect defoliators and later onset of winter. Stakeholders also decided that the model should provide anticipatory predictions. The ability to forecast population density ahead of the harvest season was valued by the stakeholders as it provides the management extra time to consider appropriate harvest regulations and communicate with hunters prior to the hunting season. Overall, exploring potential drivers and predicting short‐term future states, facilitate collaborative learning and refined data collection, monitoring designs, and management priorities. Our experience from adapting a SFP to a management target with inherently complex dynamics and drivers of environmental change, is that an open, flexible, and iterative process, rather than a rigid step‐wise protocol, facilitates rapid learning, trust, and legitimacy.
Reductions in the dietary niche of southern sea otters (Enhydra lutris nereis) from the Holocene to the Anthropocene
Authors: Elliott Smith Emma A. , Tinker Martin Tim , Whistler Emily L. , Kennett Douglas J. , Vellanoweth René L. , Gifford‐Gonzalez Diane , Hylkema Mark G. , Newsome Seth D.
Published: March 2020

The sea otter (Enhydra lutris) is a marine mammal hunted to near extinction during the 1800s. Despite their well‐known modern importance as a keystone species, we know little about historical sea otter ecology. Here, we characterize the ecological niche of ancient southern sea otters (E. lutris nereis) using δ13C analysis and δ15N analysis of bones recovered from archaeological sites spanning ~7,000 to 350 years before present (N = 112 individuals) at five regions along the coast of California. These data are compared with previously published data on modern animals (N = 165) and potential modern prey items. In addition, we analyze the δ15N of individual amino acids for 23 individuals to test for differences in sea otter trophic ecology through time. After correcting for tissue‐specific and temporal isotopic effects, we employ nonparametric statistics and Bayesian niche models to quantify differences among ancient and modern animals. We find ancient otters occupied a larger isotopic niche than nearly all modern localities; likely reflecting broader habitat and prey use in prefur trade populations. In addition, ancient sea otters at the most southerly sites occupied an isotopic niche that was more than twice as large as ancient otters from northerly regions. This likely reflects greater invertebrate prey diversity in southern California relative to northern California. Thus, we suggest the potential dietary niche of sea otters in southern California could be larger than in central and northern California. At two sites, Año Nuevo and Monterey Bay, ancient otters had significantly higher δ15N values than modern populations. Amino acid δ15N data indicated this resulted from shifting baseline isotope values, rather than a change in sea otter trophic ecology. Our results help in better understanding the contemporary ecological role of sea otters and exemplify the strength of combing zooarchaeological and biological information to provide baseline data for conservation efforts.