bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Realities and Prospects of Digital Transformation of Additional Education for Children in Russia
Authors: Novikova Natalya N. , Mironov Vladimir V. , Kitaygorodskiy Mikhail D. , Poberezkaia Vita F.
Published: December 2021

The relevance of the research is due to the development of the digital space and the processes of restructuring the entire education system. Currently, a modern educational environment is being created in Russia to create conditions for the digital transformation of education with access to individual learning trajectories of students. A special place in modern education is occupied by the additional education of children. Additional educational activities are carried out based on target models for the development of regional systems in the regions of Russia. Different approaches to implementation in the field of digitalization are being developed in each subject of the Russian Federation. In this regard, it becomes relevant to assess the readiness of institutions of additional education for children in the regions to the challenges of modern digital society. The purpose of the publication is to identify the current state and prospects of digital transformation of additional education for children in Russia (on the example of the Komi Republic), considering the key features of the development of the modern digital industry. The leading methodological approaches to the study of the problem under study are system-pragmatist, personality-oriented, and differentiated. The methods of socio-historical and theoretical-methodological analysis, evaluation and generalization of the best practices of institutions for additional education of children, analysis of normative and program documents, and comparative analysis of static data were used in the course of the research. The main trends in the digital transformation of additional education for children have been identified. Promising directions for the development of additional education for children have been identified, considering the key approaches to the implementation of the National Technological Initiative and the National Project "Education". End-to-end technologies of the digital industry have been identified as a result of the research and the correspondence of the directions of educational programs in modern models for additional education of children to these technologies has been determined. The experience of educational activities in modern centers of additional education of the Komi Republic has been summarized: "Kvantorium", "IT-cube", "House of scientific collaboration". The practical significance of the research lies in the possibility of using the obtained data to improve the processes of digital transformation of additional technical education. The research materials can be in demand by managers, methodologists, teachers of the system of additional education for children when developing the concept of development and planning educational activities.
Didactic Conditions for the Building and Implementation of Individual Educational Trajectories of Students Using an Interactive Educational Platform
Authors: Chernyaeva Eleanora Petrovna , Belchenko Ilya Vladimirovich , Andrusenko Evgeny Yurievich , Paladyan Karine Anatolyevna , Fomchenko Zhanna Anatolyevna , Larina Irina Borisovna
Published: December 2021

The article discusses the didactic principles and requirements for the design of electronic educational resources. The requirements are supplemented with new principles and conditions that should be observed when designing an electronic educational resource, contributing to improving the quality of education and its individualization. The principles of metered assistance, control of initial knowledge, interactivity, purposefulness, completeness of the provision of educational material on the discipline, optimal and integrated use of modern computer tools, electronic summary have been described. The didactic conditions necessary for the successful operation of an electronic educational resource, the characteristics of internal and external requirements for learning tools have been indicated, the real didactic possibilities of learning tools have been taken into account.
Familiarity among Adolescents and its Relationship with Psychological Compatibility of Students
Authors: Ouda Dr. Kahraman Hadi , Abass L. Hala Yahi , Jabbar L. Shurooq Kadhem , Dagman Sarah Noori
Published: December 2021

This research aimed to study (familiarity among adolescents and its relationship with psychological compatibility among students), to identify familiarity and psychological compatibility among adolescents among intermediate school students by identifying the correlation between the characteristics of familiarity and psychological compatibility. The sample consisted of 100 intermediate school students, and the researchers used two scales (Khair 2010) and (Faroujah 2011). The research found that the attribute of familiarity is not present at the research sample, whereas the psychological compatibility feature was present. There was a difference between males and females in favor of females on the familiarity scale, while for the specialization (scientific - literary) on the familiarity scale, it appeared that there was a statistical difference in favor of the scientific specialization and not There is a statistical difference between males and females on the psychological compatibility scale. As for specialization (scientific - human), the difference was in favor of the scientific specialization, and there is a high positive correlation between the two variables to a large extent, and in light of these results, the researchers developed a number of recommendations and proposals.
Desulfitisporia class. nov.
Authors: Sorokin Dimitry Y. , Merkel Alexander Y.
Published: December 2021

De.sul.fi.ti.spo'ri.a. N.L. neut. pl. n.
Desulfitisporia
the class of the type order
Desulfitisporales
.

“Firmicutes B” / Desulfitisporia class. nov.

The class
Desulfitisporia
forms a deep‐branching phylogenetic lineage in the phylum “
Firmicutes
B” and includes obligately anaerobic haloalkaliphilic sulfidogenic bacteria with respiratory metabolism. Currently, it consists of a single order
Desulfitisporales
, family
Desulfitisporaceae,
and genus
Desulfitispora
.
Dickeya
Authors: Coutinho Teresa A , Shin Gi Yoon , van der Waals Jacquie
Published: December 2021

Dic.key'a. N.L. fem. n.
Dickeya
, after the American phytopathologist Robert S. Dickey, for his contribution to research on the
Erwinia chrysanthemi
complex.

Proteobacteria / Gammaproteobacteria / Enterobacterales / Erwiniaceae / Dickeya

Cells of the genus
Dickeya
are Gram‐negative rods with rounded ends, which mostly occur alone or in pairs and sometimes in chains. Cells are usually motile by means of peritrichous flagella. They are facultatively anaerobic, catabolize glucose by a fermentative pathway, and reduce nitrates to nitrites. Cells are pectinolytic, produce indole, and grow between 10 and 40°C. Produce acetoin and butanediol. They catabolize
d
‐galacturonic acid,
l
‐arabinose,
d
‐malate, malonate,
d
‐mannose, mucate, pectin, and saccharate. They do not catabolize
d
‐trehalose, methyl α‐glucoside,
d
‐arabitol, or sorbitol. The DNA G + C content is 56.4–59.5 mol% (
T
m
and genome analyses). The major fatty acids are C
16:1
ω7
c
/C
16:1
ω6
c
, C
16:0
, and C
18:1
ω7
c
. The known habitats are rivers, lakes, and as pathogenic bacteria in a wide range of host plants.

DNA G + C content (mol%)
: 56.4–59.5 (
T
m
and genome analysis).

Type species
:
Dickeya chrysanthemi
Samson et al. 2005
VP
(basonym:
Erwinia chrysanthemi
Burkholder et al. 1953
AL
).
Lacipirellula
Authors: Dedysh Svetlana N. , Kulichevskaya Irina S.
Published: December 2021

La.ci.pi.rel'lu.la. L. masc. n.
lacus
lake; N.L. fem. n.
Pirellula
a bacterial genus; N.L. fem. n.
Lacipirellula
a lake‐dwelling
Pirellula
.

Planctomycetes / Planctomycetia / Pirellulales / Lacipirellulaceae / Lacipirellula

The genus
Lacipirellula
is represented by budding bacteria with Gram‐stain‐negative, ellipsoidal‐ or pear‐shaped, and nonpigmented cells that occur singly, in pairs, in small rosettes, or in aggregates. Daughter cells are motile, while mature cells are nonmotile. Free cell poles are covered with crateriform pits. Stalks are not formed. Members of the genus are mesophilic chemoorganotrophs, which utilize mono‐ or oligomeric sugars and some polysaccharides, organic acids, and polyalcohols. The described representatives display aerobic, microaerobic, or facultatively anaerobic lifestyles. Anaerobic growth occurs by means of fermentation. The major fatty acids are C
16:0
, C
18:1
ω9
c
, and C
16:1
ω7
c
. The genus belongs to the phylum
Planctomycetes
, class
Planctomycetia,
order
Pirellulales
, and family
Lacipirellulaceae
. The type species is
Lacipirellula parvula
. Representatives of this genus colonize various freshwater habitats.

DNA G
+
C content
(
mol
%): 61.7–62.0 (genome sequence).

Type species
:
Lacipirellula parvula
Dedysh et al. 2020, VL193.
Applying inhibitory control theories to shoot/don't‐shoot decisions
Authors: Biggs Adam T.
Published: December 2021

Inhibitory control has been identified as a prominent factor in shoot/don't‐shoot errors. Although emerging evidence continues to support this relationship, there is critical nuance and depth that can significantly alter this connection between a cognitive capability and a critical real‐world application. For example, presenting shoot/don't‐shoot decisions in go/no‐go laboratory paradigms inherently makes several use‐of‐force assumptions. The current discussion will explore the primary issues surrounding this relationship, including the practical and cognitive assumptions made in a shoot/don't‐shoot paradigm. Prominent ideas and theories of inhibitory control will be interpreted within a shoot/don't‐shoot scenario to further explore the boundaries of this connection. Empirical evidence supporting this link will also be examined, and finally, several areas for future research will be identified. Taken together, this review will synthesize the current understanding about any connection between inhibitory control and lethal force errors while highlighting several productive areas for further investigations.
Effect of Sintering Temperature on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of AZ91 Magnesium Alloy via Spark Plasma Sintering
Authors: Zhu Yunpeng , Qin Jiayu , Wang Jinhui , Jin Peipeng
Published: December 2021

Gas‐atomized AZ91 powder with superhigh compressive strength is sintered by spark plasma sintering (SPS) at the temperatures of 350, 400, and 450 ºC. The grain size, Mg17Al12 precipitate, and geometrically necessary dislocations (GNDs) density are investigated by transmission electron microscopy, X‐ray diffractometer, scanning electron microscopy, and electron backscattered diffraction. Microstructure characterization reveals that with the increase in sintering temperature, the grain size increases, while the Mg17Al12 precipitate content and GND density decrease. The eutectic intergranular Mg17Al12 precipitate partially transforms to lamella intragranular Mg17Al12 phase during SPS process. The compressive yield strength (CYS) decreases with the increases in sintering temperature, whereas the ultimate compressive strength (UCS) and strain show a contrary tendency. The theoretical strengthening mechanism of sintered AZ91 alloy is calculated, which indicates that the grain refinement, dislocation, and Orowan strengthening contribute 59.3–66.3, 28.8–34.5, and 4.9–6.2% to the CYS, respectively. It is found that the dislocation strengthening plays an important role in SPS AZ91 alloy. Compared with pure Mg, the sintered AZ91 alloy shows a higher σ
0 and a lower k. The enhanced UCS and fracture strain at higher sintering temperature are attributed to the lower content of MgO and Mg17Al12 phases and the coarser grain size.
Sacrificial Template‐Assisted Synthesis of Inorganic Nanosheets with High‐Loading Single‐Atom Catalysts: A General Approach
Authors: Shin Hamin , Ko Jaehyun , Park Chungseong , Kim Dong‐Ha , Ahn Jaewan , Jang Ji‐Soo , Kim Yoon Hwa , Cho Su‐Ho , Baik Hionsuck , Kim Il‐Doo
Published: December 2021

Single‐atom catalysts (SACs) supported on inorganic materials have attracted much attention in numerous research fields for their high catalytic performance. However, such SACs have been limited by the low metal loading, especially on different types of inorganic supports. Herein, a general approach is presented for preparing SACs on metallic, metal oxide, and perovskite nanosheet (NS) supports to reach a high metal loading of up to 3.94 wt%, by utilizing N‐doped graphene as a sacrificial template that spatially confines the single atoms (SAs). Specifically, the target support material precursors are adsorbed onto the SAs‐stabilized sacrificial template, followed by subsequent heat treatment to transfer the SAs to the support material and to remove the graphene layer. Pt SAs on oxide support exhibits little to no aggregation throughout >10 000 min of annealing at 275 °C, demonstrating high thermal stability, as also supported by ex situ post‐anneal electron microscopy and X‐ray absorption fine structure studies. As a proof‐of‐concept, Pt SACs on SnO2 NSs exhibit high catalytic activity toward chemiresistive sensing of acetone gas (response = 95.4 at 10 ppm, 7.6‐fold enhancement compared with pristine SnO2 NSs) and unprecedented stability under highly humid conditions (27.4% response deterioration at 95% relative humidity).
Assessment of peri‐urban livestock producers’ willingness to pay for improved forages as cash crops
Authors: Ouédraogo Adama , Zampaligré Nouhoun , Mulubrhan Balehegn , Adesogan Adegbola T.
Published: December 2021

Availability of quality feed is a major constraint for livestock production in Burkina Faso. Despite previous efforts to test improved forages at research stations to overcome the dry‐season feed gap, little has been done to promote them as cash crops that can contribute to meeting the growing feed demand in the country. This study was undertaken to evaluate the willingness to pay (WTP) for improved forage by livestock producers in the peri‐urban livestock production systems of Burkina Faso. A total of 202 livestock producers were interviewed using semi‐structured questionnaires. The contingent valuation method and Tobit econometric model were used to analyze the survey data. Exactly 79% of the interviewed livestock producers were willing to pay for improved forages for their livestock. Key factors that significantly affect this decision were the price of cottonseed cakes used as supplemental feed (P = .001), farmers’ knowledge about improved forage crops (P = .001), farmers’ ethnicity (P = .05), and farmers’ practice of daily grazing and transhumance (P = .01). The estimated WTP for improved forage as a cash crop was US$0.32 kg–1 for all livestock producers and $0.58 kg–1 for those who only expressed a positive WTP. The positive WTP for improved forages and factors affecting that decision suggest that producing improved forages is a viable alternative to expensive cottonseed cakes and the practice of transhumance to overcome the dry‐season feed gap. Therefore, dissemination of improved forages is recommended to market‐oriented crop farmers to meet the growing feed demand in Burkina Faso.
Mobile Ultrasound Tracking and Magnetic Control for Long‐Distance Endovascular Navigation of Untethered Miniature Robots against Pulsatile Flow
Authors: Yang Lidong , Zhang Moqiu , Yang Zhengxin , Yang Haojin , Zhang Li
Published: December 2021

Long‐distance endovascular navigation of miniature robots under the guidance of medical imaging modalities is essential for microrobotic targeted delivery in the human body. Herein, a scheme on this topic based on mobile ultrasound (US) tracking and magnetic control is proposed. Considering the narrow 2D imaging of a US probe and the fast decay of the magnetic field, the US probe is integrated with three electromagnetic coils for simultaneous long‐distance tracking and control of untethered miniature robots. To enable robust tracking with pulsatile flow, a tracking strategy consisting of tracking in and perpendicular to the image plane is designed. In the image plane, an iterative statistics‐based strategy is proposed to extract the position and orientation of the robot from the US imaging. For the direction perpendicular to the US image plane, the probe motion is automatically adjusted according to the tracking quality. Based on the real‐time tracking result, demanded rotating fields are generated by the mobile coils for helical propulsion. The proposed scheme is implemented on a full‐scale silicone phantom of human iliac and aorta arteries with blood‐mimicking fluid and pulsatile flow. Experimental results validate the robustness and the effectiveness of the proposed scheme.
Water soluble porphyrin‐Schiff base ligands and their metal complexes: Synthesis, photophysical, electrochemical, and chemosensor properties
Authors: Gungor Seyit Ali , Tumer Mehmet , Tumer Ferhan , Kose Muhammet , Gungor Ozge , Purtas Savas
Published: December 2021

In this work, 5‐(4‐aminophenyl)‐10,15,20‐tris(4‐sulfonatophenyl)porphyrin trisodium salt was reacted with 4‐R‐2,6‐diformyl phenol (R: ‐Me, ‐Et or ‐tbutyl) to obtain dimeric porphyrin‐Schiff base ligands as their sodium salts [Na6(H5L1)‐Na6(H5L3). The Mn3+, Cu2+, and Zn2+ complexes of the water‐soluble porphyrin‐Schiff base ligands were also prepared, and their structures were characterized by the spectroscopic and analytical methods. The ligands exhibited H or J‐aggregates with the change in pH. The water‐soluble ligands showed reversible diffusion‐controlled redox processes involving the π‐ring system of the porphyrin. The chemosensor properties of the ligands Na6(H5L1)‐Na6(H5L3) towards cations or anions were studied by colorimetric and spectrophotometric methods. Na6(H5L1) showed selective sensing abilities towards SO42− and Cu2+, while Na6(H5L3) has selectivity for I−, Ag+, and Co2+ ions. The ligands were also tested as a fluorimetric probes for the detection of nitro‐aromatic compounds [nitrobenzene (NB), 2,4‐dinitrophenol (DNP) and 2,4,6‐trinitrophenol (TNP)]. Na6(H5L2) exhibits selective and sensitive sensing abilities for nitrobenzene with high quenching constants (Ksv = 3.80 × 106 M−1) and low detection limit (LOD = 0.0091 μM).
Pervaporation performance of poly(vinyl alcohol)‐graft‐poly(N‐hydroxymethyl acrylamide) membranes for dehydration of isopropyl alcohol‐water mixture
Authors: Baysak Fatma Kurşun , Işıklan Nuran
Published: December 2021

In the present work, poly(N‐hydroxymethyl acrylamide) grafted poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA‐g‐PNHMA) membranes were developed for the dehydration of isopropyl alcohol (IPA) by the use of pervaporation method. The PVA‐g‐PNHMA membranes have been synthesized and their chemical composition and morphology have been characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, 13C‐nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, X‐ray diffractometry, differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, and field emission scanning electron microscopy. The impacts of numerous factors such as temperature, feed concentration as well as membrane thickness on their pervaporation performance were investigated and the optimal conditions were found. With the increase in the grafting percentage of the PVA‐g‐PNHMA membrane, both flux and separation factor also increase. The PVA‐g‐PNHMA membrane with a grafting percentage of 34% revealed the best separation factor of 362 with a flux of 0.0085 kg/m2.h for 12.6% mass of water in the feed solution. It has also been found that swelling behaviors of the membranes are consistent with all pervaporation results. Besides, permeation and diffusion activation energies were determined as 23.69 and 29.21 kJ/mol from the change of permeation flux with temperature. Based on the obtained outcomes, it is obvious that PVA‐g‐PNHMA membranes are quite efficient in the separation of IPA/water mixture via pervaporation.
Global–local consistency benefits memory‐guided tracking of a moving target
Authors: Chen Tingting , Ding Jinhong , Yue Guang H. , Liu Haoqiang , Li Jie , Jiang Changhao
Published: December 2021

Introduction

Previous findings have demonstrated that several Gestalt principles do facilitate VSTM performance in change detection tasks. However, few studies have investigated the role of and time‐course of global–local consistency in motion perception.

Methods

Participants were required to track a moving target surrounded by three different backgrounds: blank, inconsistent, or consistent. Global–local objects were be bound to move together (covariation). During the PMT, participants had to follow the moving target with their eyes and react as fast as possible when the target had just vanished behind the obstruction or would arrive at a predetermined point of interception. Variable error (VE) and constant error (CE) of estimated time‐to‐contact (TTC) and gain of smooth pursuit eye movements were calculated in various conditions and analyzed qualitatively.

Results

Experiment 1 established the basic finding that VSTM performance could benefit from global–local consistency. Experiment 2 extended this finding by eye‐tracking device. Both in visible phase and in occluded phase, CEs were smaller for the target in a consistent background than for the target in an inconsistent background and for the target in a blank background, with both differences significant (ps < .05). However, the difference in VE among three conditions was not significant. At early stage (100–250 ms), later stage (2750–3000 ms), and termination stage (5750–6000 ms) of smooth pursuit, the velocity gains were higher in the trials with consistent backgrounds than in the trials with inconsistent backgrounds and blank backgrounds (ps < .001). With the exception of 100–250 ms phase, the means did not differ between the inconsistent background and the blank background trials (ps > .1).

Conclusions

Global–local consistency could be activated within the first few hundred milliseconds to prioritize the deployment of attention and eye movement to component target. Meanwhile, it also removes ambiguity from motion tracking and TTC estimation under some unpredictable conditions, leading to the consistency advantage during smooth‐pursuit termination phase. Global–local consistency may act as an important information source to TTC estimation and oculomotor response in PMT.
Efficiency of high cumulative cisplatin dose in high‐ and low‐risk patients with locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma
Authors: Jiang Yu‐Ting , Chen Kai‐Hua , Yang Jie , Liang Zhong‐Guo , Li Ling , Qu Song , Zhu Xiao‐Dong
Published: December 2021

Background

The optimal cumulative cisplatin dose (CCD) during radiation therapy for locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (LA‐NPC) patients receiving induction chemotherapy (IC) plus CCRT remains controversial. This study aimed to explore the treatment efficiency of CCD for high‐and low‐risk patients with LA‐NPC.

Methods

Data from 472 LA‐NPC patients diagnosed from 2014 to 2018 and treated with IC plus CCRT were reviewed. After propensity score matching, the therapeutic effects of a CCD > 200 and CCD ≤ 200 mg/m2 were evaluated comparatively. Five factors selected by multivariate analysis were incorporated to develop a nomogram. Subgroup analysis was conducted to explore the role of different CCDs in nomogram‐defined high‐ and low‐risk groups. Additionally, acute toxicities were evaluated comparatively between the high‐ and low‐CCD groups.

Results

After matching, there was no difference between different CCD groups for all patients in terms of 3‐year overall survival (OS), distant metastasis‐free survival (DMFS), locoregional recurrence‐free survival (LRRFS), or progression‐free survival (PFS). A nomogram was built by integrating pretreatment EBV DNA, clinical stage, and post‐IC EBV DNA, post‐IC primary gross tumor and lymph node volumes obtained a C‐index of 0.674. The high‐risk group determined by the nomogram had poorer 3‐year PFS, OS, DMFS, and LRRFS than the low‐risk group. A total of CCD > 200 mg/m2 increased the survival rates of 3‐year PFS and DMFS (PFS: 72.5% vs. 54.4%, p = 0.012; DMFS: 81.9% vs. 61.5%, p = 0.014) in the high‐risk group but not in the low‐risk group. Moreover, the high CCD increased treatment‐related acute toxicities.

Conclusions

A high CCD was associated with better 3‐year PFS and DMFS rates than a low dose for high‐risk patients but could not produce a survival benefit for low‐risk patients.
A Multi‐enzyme Cascade for the Biosynthesis of AICA Ribonucleoside Di‐ and Triphosphate
Authors: Eltoukhy Lobna , Loderer Christoph
Published: December 2021

AICA (5′‐aminoimidazole‐4‐carboxamide) ribonucleotides with different phosphorylation levels are the pharmaceutically active metabolites of AICA nucleoside‐based drugs. The chemical synthesis of AICA ribonucleotides with defined phosphorylation is challenging and expensive. In this study, we describe two enzymatic cascades to synthesize AICA derivatives with defined phosphorylation levels from the corresponding nucleobase and the co‐substrate phosphoribosyl pyrophosphate. The cascades are composed of an adenine phosphoribosyltransferase from Escherichia coli (EcAPT) and different polyphosphate kinases: polyphosphate kinase from Acinetobacter johnsonii (AjPPK), and polyphosphate kinase from Meiothermus ruber (MrPPK). The role of the EcAPT is to bind the nucleobase to the sugar moiety, while the kinases are responsible for further phosphorylation of the nucleotide to produce the desired phosphorylated AICA ribonucleotide. The selected enzymes were characterized, and conditions were established for two enzymatic cascades. The diphosphorylated AICA ribonucleotide derivative ZDP, synthesized from the cascade EcAPT/AjPPK, was produced with a conversion up to 91 %. The EcAPT/MrPPK cascade yielded ZTP with conversion up to 65 % with ZDP as a side product.
Construction of a cement–rebar nanoarchitecture for a solution‐processed and flexible film of a Bi2Te3/CNT hybrid toward low thermal conductivity and high thermoelectric performance
Authors: Chen Zhijun , Lv Haicai , Zhang Qichun , Wang Hanfu , Chen Guangming
Published: December 2021

Solution processability and flexibility still remain major challenges for many thermoelectric (TE) materials, including bismuth telluride (Bi2Te3), a typical and commercially available TE material. Here, we report a new solution‐processed method to prepare a flexible film of a Bi2Te3/single‐walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) hybrid, where the dissolved Bi2Te3 ion precursors are mixed with dispersed SWCNTs in solution and recrystallized on the SWCNT surfaces to form a “cement–rebar”‐like architecture. The hybrid film shows an n‐type characteristic, with a stable Seebeck coefficient of −100.00 ± 1.69 μV K−1 in air. Furthermore, an extremely low in‐plane thermal conductivity of ∼0.33 W m−1 K−1 is achieved at 300 K, and the figure of merit (ZT) reaches 0.47 ± 0.02. In addition, the TE performance is independent of mechanical bending. The unique “cement–rebar”‐like architecture is believed to be responsible for the excellent TE performances and the high flexibility. The results provide a new avenue for the fabrication of solution‐processable and flexible TE hybrid films and will speed up the applications of flexible electronics and energy conversion.
Anti‐SARS‐CoV‐2 Inhibitory Profile of New Quinoline Compounds in Cell Culture‐Based Infection Models
Authors: Herrmann Lars , Hahn Friedrich , Wangen Christina , Marschall Manfred , Tsogoeva Svetlana B.
Published: December 2021

The presently ongoing pandemic of human SARS‐CoV‐2 infections (COVID‐19) presents an enormous challenge in surveillance, vaccine and antiviral drug development. Here we report the synthesis of new bioactive quinoline‐morpholine hybrid compounds and their virological evaluation, which proves pronounced cell culture‐based inhibitory profile against SARS‐CoV‐2. Thus, selected quinoline compounds may suggest specific hit‐to‐lead development.
A Stereoselective Glycosylation Approach to the Construction of 1,2‐trans‐β‐d‐Glycosidic Linkages and Convergent Synthesis of Saponins
Authors: Yang Fuzhu , Hou Wu , Zhu Dapeng , Tang Yu , Yu Biao
Published: December 2021

Conventional syntheses of 1,2‐trans‐β‐d‐ or α‐l‐glycosidic linkages rely mainly on neighboring group participation in the glycosylation reactions. The requirement for a neighboring participation group (NPG) excludes direct glycosylation with (1→2)‐linked glycan donors, thus only allowing stepwise assembly of glycans and glycoconjugates containing this type of common motif. Here, a robust glycosylation protocol for the synthesis of 1,2‐trans‐β‐d‐ or α‐l‐glycosidic linkages without resorting to NPG is disclosed; it employs an optimal combination of glycosyl N‐phenyltrifluroacetimidates as donors, FeCl3 as promoter, and CH2Cl2/nitrile as solvent. A broad substrate scope has been demonstrated by glycosylations with 12 (1→2)‐linked di‐ and trisaccharide donors and 13 alcoholic acceptors including eight complex triterpene derivatives. Most of the glycosylation reactions are high yielding and exclusively 1,2‐trans selective. Ten representative, naturally occurring triterpene saponins were thus synthesized in a convergent manner after deprotection of the coupled glycosides. Intensive mechanistic studies indicated that this glycosylation proceeds by SN2‐type substitution of the glycosyl α‐nitrilium intermediates. Importantly, FeCl3 dissociates and coordinates with nitrile into [Fe(RCN)nCl2]+ and [FeCl4]−, and the ferric cationic species coordinates with the alcoholic acceptor to provide a protic species that activates the imidate, meanwhile the poor nucleophilicity of [FeCl4]− ensures an uninterruptive role for the glycosidation.
Structural changes in the neocortex as correlates of variations in EEG spectra and seizure susceptibility in rat brains with different degrees of dysplasia
Authors: Setkowicz Zuzanna , Gzielo Kinga , Kielbinski Michal , Janeczko Krzysztof
Published: December 2021

Disturbances of the early stages of neurogenesis lead to irreversible changes in the structure of the mature brain and its functional impairment, including increased excitability, which may be the basis for drug‐resistant epilepsy. The range of possible clinical symptoms is as wide as the different stages of disturbed neurogenesis may be. In this study, we used a quadruple model of brain dysplasia by comparing structural and functional disorders in animals whose neurogenesis was disturbed with a single dose of 1 Gy of gamma rays at one of the four stages of neurogenesis, that is, on days 13, 15, 17, or 19 of prenatal development.

When reached adulthood, the prenatally irradiated rats received EEG teletransmitter implantation. Thereafter, pilocarpine was administered and significant differences in susceptibility to seizure behavioral symptoms were detected depending on the degree of brain dysplasia. Before, during, and after the seizures significant correlations were found between the density of parvalbumin‐immunopositive neurons located in the cerebral cortex and the intensity of behavioral seizure symptoms or increases in the power of particular EEG bands. Neurons expressing calretinin or NPY showed also dysplasia‐related increases without, however, correlations with parameters of seizure intensity. The results point to significant roles of parvalbumin‐expressing interneurons, and also to expression of NPY—an endogenous anticonvulsant and neuroprotectant reducing susceptibility to seizures and supporting neuronal survival.
Association of vortical structures and hemodynamic parameters for regional thrombus accumulation in abdominal aortic aneurysms
Authors: Zambrano Byron A. , Gharahi Hamidreza , Lim Chae Young , Lee Whal , Baek Seungik
Published: December 2021

The intraluminal thrombus (ILT) has been shown to negatively impact the progression of the abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs). The formation of this thrombus layer has been connected to the local flow environment within AAAs, but the specific mechanisms leading to thrombus formation are still not fully understood. Our study investigated the association between vortical structures, near‐wall hemodynamic metrics (e.g., time averaged wall shear stress (TAWSS) and oscillatory shear index (OSI)), and ILT accumulation in a longitudinal cohort of 14 AAAs (53 scans total). Vortices and hemodynamic parameters were estimated using hemodynamic simulations performed to each scan of each patient and compared to local 3D changes of ILT thickness between two consecutive scans (ΔILT). Results showed that vortices formed and remained strong and close to the lumen surface in AAAs without an ILT, while in AAAs with ILTs these detached from the lumen surface and dissipated nearby wall region where an increase in ILT thickness was observed. Although low TAWSS was observed in regions with and without ILT accumulation, an inverse correlation between and TAWSS was observed within the regions that experienced a thrombus growth. Our results support the idea that vortical structures might be playing a role modulating ILT accumulation into specific wall regions. Also, it submits the idea that the low TAWSS will be modulating the growth of thrombus within these preferred ILT accumulated regions.
A comparative study on SoC embedded low power GPUs for real‐time edge‐based automated traffic surveillance
Authors: Jaiswal Deepak , Kumar Praveen
Published: December 2021

Achieving real‐time processing for automated traffic surveillance is a major challenge due to the huge amount of data generated by a large number of surveillance cameras. For this, centralized computing has been a standard architecture for many years. But due to the increasing need for real‐time processing and limitations of centralized computing architecture (such as network congestion due to limited bandwidth and the need for costly high‐end servers), the paradigm is shifting toward edge processing. This article compares the suitability of two popular but different types of SoCs (System on Chip) (from NVIDIA and Qualcomm) embedded with low‐power GPUs as processing units for edge devices. These GPUs can be programmed as general‐purpose GPUs (GPGPU) to speed up compute‐intensive tasks, so as to achieve real‐time processing at the edge of the network. The article also discusses the architectural features and differences between these GPUs and recommends optimization techniques to leverage them. For quantitative comparison, we implement a wrong‐way vehicle detection algorithm (using background‐subtraction‐based moving object detection and Kalman‐filter‐based trajectory tracking), and optimized it for these SoCs. The experimental results show that real‐time processing can be achieved for HD videos with implementations optimized for these SoCs.
Synthesis and Mechanical Properties of sub 5‐μm PolyUiO‐66 Thin Films on Gold Surfaces
Authors: Frederick Esther , Appelhans Leah N. , Del Rio Frank W. , Strong Kevin T. , Smith Sean , Dickens Sara , Vreeland Erika
Published: December 2021

Metal‐organic framework (MOF) thin films currently lack the mechanical stability needed for electronic device applications. Polymer‐based metal‐organic frameworks (polyMOFs) have been suggested to provide mechanical advantages over MOFs, however, the mechanical properties of polyMOFs have not yet been characterized. In this work, we developed a method to synthesize continuous sub‐5 μm polyUiO‐66(Zr) films on Au substrates, which allowed us to undertake initial mechanical property investigations. Comparisons between polyUiO‐66 and UiO‐66 thin films determined polyUiO‐66 thin films exhibit a lower modulus but similar hardness to UiO‐66 thin films. The initial mechanical characterization indicates that further development is needed to leverage the mechanical property advantages of polyMOFs over MOFs. Additionally, the demonstration in this work of a continuous surface‐supported polyUiO‐66 thin film enables utilization of this emerging class of polyMOF materials in sensors and devices applications.
Sampling Design for Quantifying Soil Organic Carbon Stock in Production Ag Fields
Authors: Morgan Cristine L. S. , Ackerson Jason P.
Published: December 2021

The following article kicks off a new five‐part series on assessing soil health. It seeks to provide a brief and practical review about measuring soil organic carbon (SOC), especially SOC stock. It is part of a larger Soil Science Society of America webinar series produced in partnership with The Soil Health Institute and sponsored by The Walton Family Foundation. Earn 0.5 CEUs in Soil & Water Management by reading the article and taking the quiz at https://web.sciencesocieties.org/Learning‐Center/Courses.
First record of non‐flying mammalian contributors to pollination in a tropical montane forest in Asia
Authors: Kobayashi Shun , Panha Somsak , Seesamut Teerapong , Nantarat Nattawadee , Likhitrakarn Natdanai , Denda Tetsuo , Izawa Masako
Published: December 2021

This study aims to identify the flower visitors of Mucuna thailandica (Fabaceae), endemic plant species in montane forests in Thailand, to determine their potential pollinators. The genus Mucuna produces papilionaceous flowers and has an explosive flower‐opening step. Explosive opening rapidly exposes stamens and pistil from keel petals and releases pollen. The flower of this species depends completely on animals to perform this step, essential for pollination success. Using a camera trap survey, we revealed that non‐flying mammals, such as squirrels (Callosciurus sp.) and masked palm civets (Paguma larvata), opened flowers explosively. Thus, these mammals contribute to the pollination of M. thailandica. This is the first report of non‐flying mammals contributing to pollination in montane forests in tropical Asia.
Informing conservation strategies with museum genomics: Long‐term effects of past anthropogenic persecution on the elusive European wildcat
Authors: von Thaden Alina , Cocchiararo Berardino , Mueller Sarah Ashley , Reiners Tobias Erik , Reinert Katharina , Tuchscherer Iris , Janke Axel , Nowak Carsten
Published: December 2021

Like many carnivore species, European wildcats (Felis silvestris) have suffered severe anthropogenic population declines in the past, resulting in a strong population bottleneck at the beginning of the 20th century. In Germany, the species has managed to survive its near extinction in small isolated areas and is currently recolonizing former habitats owing to legal protection and concerted conservation efforts. Here, we SNP‐genotyped and mtDNA‐sequenced 56 historical and 650 contemporary samples to assess the impact of massive persecution on genetic diversity, population structure, and hybridization dynamics of wildcats. Spatiotemporal analyses suggest that the presumed postglacial differentiation between two genetically distinct metapopulations in Germany is in fact the result of the anthropogenic bottleneck followed by re‐expansion from few secluded refugia. We found that, despite the bottleneck, populations experienced no severe genetic erosion, nor suffered from elevated inbreeding or showed signs of increased hybridization with domestic cats. Our findings have significant implications for current wildcat conservation strategies, as the data analyses show that the two presently recognized wildcat population clusters should be treated as a single conservation unit. Although current populations appear under no imminent threat from genetic factors, fostering connectivity through the implementation of forest corridors will facilitate the preservation of genetic diversity and promote long‐term viability. The present study documents how museum collections can be used as essential resource for assessing long‐term anthropogenic effects on natural populations, for example, regarding population structure and the delineation of appropriate conservation units, potentially informing todays' species conservation.
Evolutionary insights into umami, sweet, and bitter taste receptors in amphibians
Authors: Zhong Huaming , Huang Jie , Shang Shuai , Yuan Baodong
Published: December 2021

Umami and sweet sensations provide animals with important dietary information for detecting and consuming nutrients, whereas bitter sensation helps animals avoid potentially toxic or harmful substances. Enormous progress has been made toward animal sweet/umami taste receptor (Tas1r) and bitter taste receptor (Tas2r). However, information about amphibians is mainly scarce. This study attempted to delineate the repertoire ofTas1r/Tas2rgenes by searching for currently available genome sequences in 14 amphibian species. This study identified 16 Tas1r1, 9 Tas1r2, and 9 Tas1r3 genes to be intact and another 17 Tas1rgenes to be pseudogenes or absent in the 14 amphibians. According to the functional prediction ofTas1rgenes, two species have lost sweet sensation and seven species have lost both umami and sweet sensations. Anurans possessed a large number of intactTas2rs, ranging from 39 to 178. In contrast, caecilians possessed a contractive bitter taste repertoire, ranging from 4 to 19. Phylogenetic and reconciling analysis revealed that the repertoire of amphibianTas1rsandTas2rswas shaped by massive gene duplications and losses. No correlation was found between feeding preferences and the evolution ofTas1rsin amphibians. However, the expansion ofTas2rsmay help amphibians adapt to both aquatic and terrestrial habitats. Bitter detection may have played an important role in the evolutionary adaptation of vertebrates in the transition from water to land.
Influencing the Dimensionality of Ni/Co‐Bipyrazole‐Based Coordination Frameworks through Anions and Thermal Activation
Authors: Freund Ralph , Kraft Maryana , Volkmer Dirk
Published: December 2021

Thirteen Ni(II) and Co(II) coordination polymers based on the organic linker 1H,1′H‐4,4′‐bipyrazole (H2BPZ) were synthesized and characterized using single crystal X‐ray diffraction, namely Ni(H2BPZ)(acac)2(1), Ni(H2BPZ)2(H2O)2 ⋅ (NO3)2(2), Ni3(H2BPZ)6Cl6 ⋅ (DMSO)4(3), Ni8(H2BPZ)16Cl16 ⋅ (DMSO)6(4), Ni(H2BPZ)2(H2O)6 ⋅ (ClO3)2(H2O)3(5), the isotypic structures Ni(H2BPZ)2(CH3SO3)2(6) and Co(H2BPZ)2(CH3SO3)2(7), Co(H2BPZ)2(CF3SO3)2(8), Ni(H2BPZ)3 ⋅ (CF3SO3)2(9), Ni(H2BPZ)3 ⋅ (ClO4)2(10), Co(H2BPZ)3 ⋅ (ClO4)2(11), Ni(BPZ) ⋅ (DMF)0.65(12), and Ni(BPZ) (13). In order to study the structural correlations of 1D‐3D, 2D‐3D, and 3D‐3D phase transitions the structures were investigated by means of thermal analysis. In addition, the role of charge‐balancing anions with respect to their coordination strength on structure, framework dimension, and crystal properties is discussed in detail. This work exemplifies the function of anions as structure directing agents and how they, as well as thermal activation, can influence framework topology, dimensionality, and crystal size.
Interface Engineering in Perovskite Solar Cells by Low Concentration of Phenylethyl Ammonium Iodide Solution in the Antisolvent Step
Authors: Ripolles Teresa S. , Serafini Patricio , Redondo-Obispo Carlos , Climent-Pascual Esteban , Masi Sofia , Mora-Seró Iván , Coya Carmen
Published: December 2021

In spite of the outstanding properties of metal halide perovskites, its polycrystalline nature induces a wide range of structural defects that results in charge losses that affect the final device performance and stability. Herein, a surface treatment is used to passivate interfacial vacancies and improve moisture tolerance. A functional organic molecule, phenylethyl ammonium iodide (PEAI) salt, is dissolved with the antisolvent step. The additive used at low concentration does not induce formation of low‐dimensional perovskites species. Instead, the organic halide species passivate the surface of the perovskite and grain boundaries, which results in an effective passivation. For sake of generality, this facile solution‐processed synthesis was studied for halide perovskite with different compositions, the standard perovskite MAPbI3, and double cation perovskites, MA0.9Cs0.1PbI3 and MA0.5FA0.5PbI3, increasing the average photoconversion efficiency compared to the reference cell by 18%, 32%, and 4% respectively, observed for regular, n‐i‐p, and inverted, p‐i‐n, solar cell configurations. This analysis highlights the generality of this approach for halide perovskite materials in order to reduce nonradiative recombination as observed by impedance spectroscopy.
Simulation of site‐scale water fluxes in desert and natural oasis ecosystems of the arid region in Northwest China
Authors: Xie Mingjuan , Luo Geping , Hellwich Olaf , Frankl Amaury , Zhang Wenqiang , Chen Chunbo , Zhang Chen , De Maeyer Philippe
Published: December 2021

The study of water fluxes is important to better understand hydrological cycles in arid regions. Data‐driven machine learning models have been recently applied to water flux simulation. Previous studies have built site‐scale simulation models of water fluxes for individual sites separately, requiring a large amount of data from each site and significant computation time. For arid areas, there is no consensus as to the optimal model and variable selection method to simulate water fluxes. Using data from seven flux observation sites in the arid region of Northwest China, this study compared the performance of random forest (RF), support vector machine (SVM), back propagation neural network (BPNN), and multiple linear regression (MLR) models in simulating water fluxes. Additionally, the study investigated inter‐annual and seasonal variation in water fluxes and the dominant drivers of this variation at different sites. A universal simulation model for water flux was built using the RF approach and key variables as determined by MLR, incorporating data from all sites. Model performance of the SVM algorithm (R2 = 0.25–0.90) was slightly worse than that of the RF algorithm (R2 = 0.41–0.91); the BPNN algorithm performed poorly in most cases (R2 = 0.15–0.88). Similarly, the MLR results were limited and unreliable (R2 = 0.00–0.66). Using the universal RF model, annual water fluxes were found to be much higher than the precipitation received at each site, and natural oases showed higher fluxes than desert ecosystems. Water fluxes were highest during the growing season (May–September) and lowest during the non‐growing season (October–April). Furthermore, the dominant drivers of water flux variation were various among different sites, but the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), soil moisture and soil temperature were important at most sites. This study provides useful insights for simulating water fluxes in desert and oasis ecosystems, understanding patterns of variation and the underlying mechanisms. Besides, these results can make a contribution as the decision‐making basis to the water management in desert and oasis ecosystems.
A population‐based study of the relationship between advanced maternal age and premature/early‐term birth in Brazil
Authors: Nogueira da Gama Silvana Granado , Martinelli Katrini Guidolini , Soares Dias Barbara Almeida , Pereira‐Esteves Ana Paula , do Carmo Leal Maria , dos Santos‐Neto Edson Theodoro
Published: December 2021

Objective

To verify whether advanced maternal age (AMA), defined as women of ≥35 years, is associated with premature and early‐term birth in Brazil, according to the onset of labor (spontaneous or provider‐initiated).

Methods

Cross‐sectional population‐based study. The “Birth in Brazil” study interviewed 23 894 puerperal women between 2011 and 2012, in all regions of Brazil. The current analysis included 17 994 adult mothers and their newborns (15 448 aged between 20–34 years, and 2536 ≥ 35 years). A propensity score was used to assess the likelihood of AMA women giving birth to premature or early‐term infants (spontaneous or provider‐initiated) compared to women aged 20–34 years. To balance the groups, we used maternal, prenatal, and childbirth characteristics.

Results

The general prematurity rate was 10.24%, of which the majority of births were spontaneous (55.73%). Conversely, early‐term births were more often provider‐initiated (54.81%). AMA did not increase the chance of premature births, whether spontaneous or provider‐initiated. However, AMA was associated with a higher rate of provider‐initiated early‐term birth (OR = 1.48; 95% CI: 1.23–1.77).

Conclusion

AMA alone does not contribute to premature birth; AMA’s independent association with provider‐initiated early‐term birth may not be based solely on clinical indications.