bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Chromatic Fulleropyrrolidine as Long‐Lived Metal‐Free Catalyst for CO2 Photoreduction Reaction
Authors: Wang Shih‐Hao , Raja Rathinam , Hsiow Chuen‐Yo , Khurshid Farheen , Yang Hau‐Ren , Chung Po‐Wen , Lai Yu‐Ying , Jeng Ru‐Jong , Wang Leeyih
Published: January 2022

Conversion of CO2 into carbonaceous fuels with the aid of solar energy has been an important research subject for decades. Owing to their excellent electron‐accepting capacities, fullerene derivatives have been extensively used as n‐type semiconductors. This work reports that the fulleropyrrolidine functionalized with 4,7‐di(thiophen‐2‐yl)benzo[c][1,2,5]thiadiazole, abbreviated as DTBT‐C60, could efficiently catalyze the photoreduction of CO2 to CO. The novel C60‐chromophore dyad structure facilitated better usage of solar light and effective dissociation of excitons. Consequently, the DTBT‐C60 exhibited a promising CO yield of 144 μmol gcat−1 under AM1.5G solar illumination for 24 h. Moreover, the isotope experiments demonstrated that water molecules could function as an electron source to reactivate DTBT‐C60. Impressively, DTBT‐C60 exhibited an extremely durable catalytic activity for more than one week, facilitating the practical application of photochemical CO2 reaction.
Hydroxy‐Group‐Functionalized Single Crystal of Copper(II)‐Porphyrin Complex for Electroreduction CO2 to CH4
Authors: Zhang Ya , Zhou Qiang , Wang Peng , Zhao Yue , Gong Feng , Sun Wei‐Yin
Published: January 2022

Purposefully developing crystalline materials at molecular level to improve the selectivity of electroreduction CO2 to CH4 is still rarely studied. Herein, a single crystal of copper(II) complex with hydroxy groups was designed and synthesized, namely 5,10,15,20‐tetrakis(3,4‐dihydroxyphenyl)porphyrin copper(II) (Cu‐PorOH), which could serve as a highly efficient heterogeneous electrocatalyst for electroreduction of CO2 toward CH4. In 0.5 m KHCO3, Cu‐PorOH gave a high faradaic efficiency of 51.3 % for CH4 and drove a partial current density of 23.2 mA cm−2 at −1.5 V versus the reversible hydrogen electrode in H‐cell. The high performance was greatly promoted by the hydroxy groups in Cu‐PorOH, which could not only form stable three‐dimensional frameworks through hydrogen‐bonding interactions but also stabilize the intermediate species by hydrogen bonds, as supported by density functional theory calculations. This work provides an effective avenue in exploring crystalline catalysts for CO2 reduction at molecular level.
Green Chemistry, Biocatalysis, and the Chemical Industry of the Future
Authors: Sheldon Roger A. , Brady Dean
Published: January 2022

In the movement to decarbonize our economy and move away from fossil fuels we will need to harness the waste products of our activities, such as waste lignocellulose, methane, and carbon dioxide. Our wastes need to be integrated into a circular economy where used products are recycled into a manufacturing carbon cycle. Key to this will be the recycling of plastics at the resin and monomer levels. Biotechnology is well suited to a future chemical industry that must adapt to widely distributed and diverse biological chemical feedstocks. Our increasing mastery of biotechnology is allowing us to develop enzymes and organisms that can synthesize a widening selection of desirable bulk chemicals, including plastics, at commercially viable productivities. Integration of bioreactors with electrochemical systems will permit new production opportunities with enhanced productivities and the advantage of using a low‐carbon electricity from renewable and sustainable sources.
Circ_0001206 regulates miR‐665/CRKL axis to alleviate hypoxia/reoxygenation‐induced cardiomyocyte injury in myocardial infarction
Authors: Wang Dongmei , Tian Limei , Wang Yan , Gao Xiaoli , Tang Hanbo , Ge Junbo
Published: January 2022

Aims

Myocardial infarction (MI) is a type of cardiovascular disease caused by myocardial necrosis. Growing evidences have suggested that circular RNAs (circRNAs) play crucial roles in cardiac hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R)‐induced injury of MI.

Methods and results

Hypoxia/reoxygenation model of H9C2 cells was established and circ_0001206 expression was detected via quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction. Ribonuclease R (RNase R) and Actinomycin D (Act D) assays verified the stability. Cell counting kit‐8 (CCK‐8), western blot, TUNEL, and flow cytometry assays evaluated cell viability and cell apoptosis. RNA pull‐down, RNA binding protein immunoprecipitation (RIP), and luciferase reporter assays explored the mechanisms underlying MI. All experimental data were presented with mean ± standard deviation (SD) and P < 0.05 indicated statistical significance. Circ_0001206 was low‐expressed in H9C2 cells under H/R treatment. Circ_0001206 was formed by cyclization of CRK like proto‐oncogene, adaptor protein (CRKL). Circ_0001206 overexpression promoted cell viability and inhibited cardiomyocyte apoptosis. It was confirmed that circ_0001206 regulated CRKL expression via acting as a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) of microRNA‐665 (miR‐665). CRKL played a protective role in MI.

Conclusions

Circ_0001206 regulates miR‐665/CRKL axis to alleviate H/R‐induced cardiomyocyte injury in MI. Our findings suggest that circ_0001206 might be a potential target for MI treatment.
Electrochemistry Enabled Nickel‐Catalyzed Selective C−S Bond Coupling Reaction
Authors: Wang Yang , Zhang Feng , Wang Yi , Pan Yi
Published: January 2022

This work describes an electrochemical enabled nickel‐catalyzed chemoselective C−S bond coupling protocol for the production of aryl sulfides and sulfones. By simply switching the nickel catalysts and electrodes, this electrochemical C−S bond coupling has demonstrated excellent redox activity, scalability and sustainability. Furthermore, the mechanism for this electrochemical cross‐coupling reaction has been investigated.
Preparation of MC–CuS–PGr/PPy Nanocomposite Films via Strong Interfacial Interactions as a Battery‐Type Electrode
Authors: Gu Sheng , Dong Shu , Wang Xue , Shi Xiaolong , Xu Guoqi , Wang Lihai
Published: January 2022

Flexible energy storage devices are an essential step towards the production of wearable and flexible electronic products. However, the design of flexible electrodes with excellent electrochemical performance still faces enormous challenges. This work reports a fabrication method for flexible electrodes. Specifically, the formation of MC‐CuS‐PGr/PPy nanocomposite films was driven by different interactions (including hydrogen bonds and π–π conjugated bonds). Nanocellulose@carbon nanotube (MC) acted as a flexible substrate and was encapsulated with polypyrrole (PPy), a hydrogen bond active site carrier. MC and PPy were interconnected through hydrogen bonds, and pencil graphite (PGr) was a secondary conductive network that served as a separating layer between CuS and PPy. Driven by the interaction, the nanocomposite film was a stable combination. The strong macromolecular interactions among MC, PPy, and PGr enhance conductivity and cycle life of this nanocomposite films. The water‐based hybrid cell was assembled based on an MC‐CuS‐PGr/PPy nanocomposite film, which exhibited high cyclability (capacity retention of 94.3% after 2000 cycles at 1 Ag−1) and provided an energy density of  Wh kg−1 (at a power density of 549.8 W kg−1). This research provides a new idea for preparing new flexible electrodes.
CO2 reduction into formic acid under hydrothermal conditions: A mini review
Authors: Liu Xu , Zhong Heng , Wang Chunling , He Daoping , Jin Fangming
Published: January 2022

Converting CO2, a major component of greenhouse gas in the atmosphere, into value‐added fine chemicals is beneficial from environmental and economic aspects. Except for various methods for CO2 reduction such as thermal catalysis, photocatalysis, electrocatalysis and biological reduction, hydrothermal reduction of CO2 to organics is becoming a novel and promising strategy. The hydrogen formed in situ from high‐temperature water could avoid the serious issues of hydrogen storage and transportation. This paper summarizes the recent advances on CO2 conversion to formic acid with metal‐ and biomass‐based compounds under hydrothermal conditions mainly focusing on the role of high‐temperature water, autocatalysis mechanism of metal reductants, and interfacial catalysis mechanism of metal/metal oxides. The effects of several experimental variables including temperature, reaction time and pH of the solution on formic acid yield are systematically illustrated as well. Finally, future efforts for fundamental researches and industrial applications of hydrothermal CO2 reduction are discussed.
Improving routing disruption attack detection in MANETs using efficient trust establishment
Authors: Yamini K. Anish Pon , Stephy Jesmitha , Suthendran K. , Ravi Vinayakumar
Published: January 2022

Security is a fundamental prerequisite in self‐evolvability network and providing that in any situation is the most problematic task as the network is highly dynamic with no trusted centralized monitoring. On comparing with wired networks MANETs are highly susceptible to security attacks. This article proposed an efficient trust establishment‐based routing evidence scheme (ETERE) that carried out in the creation and manipulation of mental representations of information identified. Here, propose I‐Trust, probabilistic node misbehavior detection, for secure MANET routing toward ETERE scheme. The fundamental concept of I‐Trust is presenting a periodically accessible trusted authority to pass judgment on the behavior of a node dependent on the gathered routing evidences and with self and coordinate monitoring. The main advantage of ETERE scheme is that even if the hackers or the internal attackers have the knowledge of the security scheme, the system cannot be compromised. The performance of ETERE scheme with different routing disturbance attacks is evaluated in this article. The computational outcomes emphasize the effectiveness of ETERE scheme and ensure the routing efficiency. The NS2 simulator is used in this research work. The simulation results show that the proposed ETERE scheme performs better than present methodologies improving the PDR and throughput of the network to a maximum extent of 28% and 34% respectively.
Postvaccination COVID‐19 infection is associated with reduced mortality in patients with cirrhosis
Authors: John Binu V. , Deng Yangyang , Schwartz Kaley B. , Taddei Tamar H. , Kaplan David E. , Martin Paul , Chao Hann‐Hsiang , Dahman Bassam
Published: January 2022

Background and Aims

Patients develop breakthrough COVID‐19 infection despite vaccination. The aim of this study was to identify outcomes in patients with cirrhosis who developed postvaccination COVID‐19.

Methods

We performed a retrospective cohort study among US veterans with cirrhosis and postvaccination or unvaccinated COVID‐19. Patients were considered fully vaccinated if COVID‐19 was diagnosed 14 days after the second dose of either the Pfizer BNT162b2, the Moderna 1273‐mRNA, or the single‐dose Janssen Ad.26.COV2.S vaccines and partially vaccinated if COVID‐19 was diagnosed 7 days after the first dose of any vaccine but prior to full vaccination. We investigated the association of postvaccination COVID‐19 with mortality.

Results

We identified 3242 unvaccinated and 254 postvaccination COVID‐19 patients with cirrhosis (82 after full and 172 after partial vaccination). In a multivariable analysis of a 1:2 propensity‐matched cohort including vaccinated (n = 254) and unvaccinated (n = 508) participants, postvaccination COVID‐19 was associated with reduced risk of death (adjusted HR [aHR], 0.21; 95% CI, 0.11–0.42).

The reduction was observed after both full (aHR, 0.22; 95% CI, 0.08–0.63) and partial (aHR, 0.19; 95% CI, 0.07–0.54) vaccination, following the 1273‐mRNA (aHR, 0.12; 95% CI 0.04–0.37) and BNT162b2 (aHR, 0.27; 95% CI, 0.10–0.71) vaccines and among patients with compensated (aHR, 0.19; 95% CI, 0.08–0.45) and decompensated (aHR, 0.27; 95% CI, 0.08–0.90) cirrhosis. Findings were consistent in a sensitivity analysis restricted to participants who developed COVID‐19 after vaccine availability.

Conclusions

Though patients with cirrhosis can develop breakthrough COVID‐19 after full or partial vaccination, these infections are associated with reduced mortality.
Direct Access to Fluorinated Sulfonylhydrazides and Study of Their Reactivity in Thiolation Reaction on Indoles
Authors: Cao Tingting , Crousse Benoît
Published: January 2022

A new family of fluorinated sulfonyl hydrazides has been easily prepared from accessible and cheap sulfinates and azodicarboxylates. In addition, trifluoromethylsulfonyl hydrazide (Tf(Boc)N−NHBoc) is an effective source of SCF3 in the sulfenylation of indoles.
Water transport pathways influence the propagation of field‐scale NO3−‐N reductions to the watershed scale
Authors: Grose Amelia L. , Speir Shannon L. , Thellman Audrey N. , Dee Martha M. , Tank Jennifer L.
Published: January 2022

Diffuse nutrient runoff from agricultural fields can result in the eutrophication of downstream water bodies, highlighting a need for conservation efforts to reduce dissolved nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) loading to adjacent waterways. However, few studies explore how the impacts of field‐scale conservation manifest at the watershed scale. We explored how sources of streamflow and nutrients may influence the magnitude of the impact of conservation practices at a field versus watershed scale at the Shatto ditch watershed (SDW), where the planting of winter cover crops reduced field‐scale nitrate‐N (NO3−‐N) losses from subsurface tile drains by 69%–90%; yet watershed NO3−‐N export only decreased by 13%. To resolve this discrepancy, we used a water budget approach paired with water stable isotope (18O and 2H) analysis to determine the composition of streamflow across seasons, sampling five times from November 2018 to September 2019. While we hypothesized that watershed‐scale patterns in nutrient export were driven by direct groundwater upwelling, we found that this pathway only accounted for 43% of streamflow on average. We also developed a NO3−‐N mass balance for the watershed during our November 2018 sampling; results indicated groundwater upwelling contributed only ~1% of NO3−‐N export at the watershed outlet, while subsurface tile drains contributed the remaining 99%. Specifically, three large county tile drains (with an unknown drainage area and extent of conservation practice implementation) contributed ~69% of the watershed NO3−‐N export, obscuring the impacts of field‐scale conservation in SDW. Our study highlights the importance of cross‐scale analyses to accurately evaluate the effect of conservation given the interactions between sources of streamflow and nutrient loss at the watershed scale.
Reliability of computed molecular structures
Authors: Zhang Yi‐Liang , Wang Fu‐Li , Ren Ai‐Min
Published: January 2022

When the structures of 1342 molecules are optimized by 30 methods and 7 basis sets, there appear 289 (21.54%) problematic molecules and 112 (8.35%) failed ones. When 278 problematic molecules are compared, the best methods are BHandH and LC‐wPBE, while B97D, BP86, HFS, VSXC, and HCTH are very unreliable. When 179 problematic molecules are computed with larger basis sets, the smallest mean absolute deviation (MAD) of bond angle (2.3°) is shown by QCISD(T)/cc‐pVTZ, while the smallest MAD of bond length (0.021 Å), the best SUM1 (4.9 unit), and the best SUM2 (2.4 unit) are shown by DSDPBEP86(Full), DSDPBEP86, PBE1PBE‐D3, MP2, and MP2(Full) in combination with aug‐cc‐pVQZ, cc‐pVQZ, Def2QZVP, Def2TZVPP, and/or 6–311++G(3df,3pd). Very large basis sets, for example, larger than cc‐pVTZ usually have to be used to obtain very good structures and the performances of many density‐functional theory methods are encouraging. The best results may be the limit of modern computational chemistry.
Establishing three warm‐season turfgrasses with tailored water: I. Growth, cover, and nitrate leaching losses
Authors: Sevostianova Elena , Velasco‐Cruz Ciro , Leinauer Bernd , Serena Matteo , Sallenave Rossana , Horvath Isabelle , Skerker Jenny Beth
Published: January 2022

Although treated effluent is being increasingly used to irrigate mature turfgrass, information on its use to establish grass is limited. Greenhouse experiments were conducted in 2015 and 2017 to examine establishment and nitrate leaching from three warm‐season grasses: buffalograss [Buchloe dactyloides (Natt.) Eng.] ‘SWI 2000’, inland saltgrass [Distichlis spicata (L.) Greene], and bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.] ‘Princess77’. All grasses were grown with tailored (tertiary treated effluent with 15 mg L–1 of NO3–N) water. Grasses were established from seed in a loamy sand and irrigated with either tailored or potable water plus granular Ca(NO3)2 fertilizer. Leachate collected at 10‐ and 30‐cm depths was analyzed for NO3–N and electrical conductivity. Overall, establishment was faster and coverage was greater in 2015 than in 2017, but neither differed between irrigation treatments when grasses were analyzed separately. At the end of both establishment periods, bermudagrass and buffalograss coverage was generally greater than that of inland saltgrass. In 2017, bermudagrass irrigated with tailored water resulted in greater coverage than buffalograss or inland saltgrass. In 2015, nitrate concentrations were greater in leachate collected from bermudagrass and inland saltgrass irrigated with tailored water than from grasses irrigated with potable water. Nitrate concentrations in leachate were generally lower in 2017, reaching a maximum value of 65.3 mg L–1 when averaged over all treatment combinations, and did not differ between treatments. Our data suggest that the three grasses studied can be successfully established from seed using tailored waters.
Comparison of the pediatric hospitalizations due to COVID‐19 and H1N1pdm09 virus infections during the pandemic period
Authors: Devrim İlker , Böncüoğlu Elif , Kıymet Elif , Şahinkaya Şahika , Çelebi Miray Yılmaz , Cem Ela , Düzgöl Mine , Arıkan Kamile Ötiken , Kara Aybüke Akaslan , Devrim Fatma , Ağın Hasan , Bayram Nuri
Published: January 2022

There are two major pandemics in the new millennium, including the pandemic of swine influenza and the COVID‐19 pandemic. These two pandemics affected children as well as the adult population. In this case‐control study, we compared children with COVID‐19 infection and those with H1N1pdm09 virus infection. We also compared the demographic factors, underlying disease, and the requirement for intensive care admission between the hospitalized children with COVID‐19 infection and children with H1N1pdm09 virus infection who were hospitalized during the 2009 H1N1 pandemic. In this study, we evaluated 103 patients with H1N1pdm09 virus infection and 392 patients with COVID‐19 infection. The age was significantly higher in the COVID‐19 patients' group compared to the pandemic influenza group (p < 0.001). The ratio of the children ≥12 years was 10.7% (n = 11) in the H1N1pdm09 virus infection and 36.2% (n = 142) in the COVID‐19 group. The rate of underlying disease was significantly higher in the patients with H1N1pdm09 virus infections (p = 0.02). The prevalence of underlying disease in patients requiring PICU hospitalization was 69.2% (n = 9/13) compared to 25.7% (n = 124/482) in patients who did not require PICU hospitalization. The rate of underlying disease was significantly higher in the PICU group regardless of COVID‐19 or H1N1pdm09 virus (p = 0.002). Our results suggest that older children were more hospitalized for COVID‐19 infections compared to pandemic influenza. In addition, regardless of the type of pandemic infection, the underlying disease is an important factor for pediatric intensive care unit admission. This finding is important for developing strategies for the protection of children with the underlying disease in the upcoming pandemics.
Melatonin treatment reduces qualitative decay and improves antioxidant system in highbush blueberry fruit during cold storage
Authors: Magri Anna , Petriccione Milena
Published: January 2022

BACKGROUND

Blueberry is considered as a ‘functional food’ because it contains bioactive compounds such as flavonoids, phenolic acids, tannins and anthocyanins. The blueberry is one of the most consumed berries in the world and is highly appreciated by consumers because of its unique taste and sensory properties. Fresh blueberries decay rapidly because of mould and water loss. To preserve the qualitative and nutraceutical traits of fresh highbush blueberries during storage, the efficacy of 1 mm melatonin treatment was investigated at 5 °C for 3 weeks.

RESULTS

The results demonstrated that melatonin treatment reduced weight loss and delayed postharvest ripening. Compared to the control, melatonin treatment induced an overproduction of polyphenols, flavonoids, anthocyanins and ascorbic acid, consequently increasing antioxidant activity. The enzymatic antioxidant system was also affected by the treatment. An increase in the activity of catalase, superoxide dismutase and ascorbate peroxidase was observed in treated fruit compared to that in control fruit. Enzymatic browning, controlled by assaying the content of malondialdehyde and hydrogen peroxide, polyphenol oxidase, guaiacol peroxidase and lipoxygenase activities, appeared to slow down under melatonin treatment.

CONCLUSION

Melatonin coating is a valid tool for delaying the perishability and qualitative decay of highbush blueberry fruit during cold storage. Furthermore, this treatment increases the production of secondary metabolites such as polyphenols, flavonoids, anthocyanins and ascorbic acid, improving the nutraceutical traits of this fruit during storage. Melatonin treatment can be considered as an environmentally sustainable, non‐harmful‐to‐human‐health alternative for the postharvest preservation of highbush blueberry fruit. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.
Biomass magnetic porous carbon prepared from mangosteen shell for the preconcentration of three bisphenols from beverages followed by liquid chromatography with quadrupole‐Orbitrap high‐resolution mass spectrometry determination
Authors: Deng Hongling , Su Xin‐guo , Wang Haibo , Liang Minhua , Huang Jianghua
Published: January 2022

Natural biomass magnetic porous carbon was successfully prepared via a cost‐effective and green route using mangosteen shells as raw material. The prepared magnetic porous carbon was used as a magnetic solid‐phase extraction adsorbent for bisphenols enrichment from beverages followed by high‐performance liquid chromatography‐quadrupole‐Orbitrap high‐resolution mass spectrometry. Parameters affecting extraction efficiency including sample solution pH, adsorbent amount, extraction time, eluent type, and volume were optimized. Results showed that biomass magnetic porous carbon had excellent adsorption properties for bisphenols due to its large specific surface area and abundant functional groups, which could form hydrogen bonding and π‐π stacking with bisphenols. The enrichment factor of 3 bisphenols was in the range of 15–19. Under optimum conditions, favorable linearity for all analytes was obtained with correlation coefficients higher than 0.998. Recoveries of spiked samples were in the range of 88.5–105.1% with a relative standard deviation of 3.4–5.5%. These results demonstrated that magnetic porous carbon may be a promising adsorbent for the enrichment of aromatic compounds.
Li‐Salt Doped Single‐Ion Conducting Polymer Electrolytes for Lithium Battery Application
Authors: Loaiza Laura C. , Johansson Patrik
Published: January 2022

Traditionally solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) for lithium battery application are made by dissolving a Li‐salt in a polymer matrix, which renders both the Li+ cations, the charge carriers of interest, and the anions, only by‐standers, mobile. In contrast, single‐ion conductors (SICs), with solely the Li+ cation mobile, can be created by grafting the anions onto the polymer backbone. SICs provide the safety, mechanical stability, and flexibility of SPEs, but often suffer in ionic conductivity. Herein an intrinsically synergetic design is suggested and explored; one dopes a promising SIC, LiPSTFSI (poly[(4‐styrenesulfonyl) (trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide]), with a common battery Li‐salt, LiTFSI. This way one both increases the Li+ concentration and transport. Indeed, systematically exploring doping, it is found that 50–70 wt% of LiTFSI renders materials with considerable improvements in both the (Li+) dynamics and the ionic conductivity. A deeper analysis allows to address connections between the ion transport mechanism(s) (Arrhenius/VTF), the charge carrier speciation and concentration, and the free volume and glass transition temperature. While no silver bullet is even remotely found, the general findings open paths to be further explored for SPEs in general and Li‐salt doped SICs in particular.
Superwetting Polyvinlydene Fluoride Membranes with Micro‐Nano Structure for Oil‐in‐Water Emulsion Separation
Authors: Zhao Yingying , Ji Xiaoli , Wu Lili , Zhang Zezhen , Zhang Chaocan
Published: January 2022

Membrane technology is seen as one of the useful strategies for the treatment of oily wastewater, but the membrane fouling in the process of membrane filtration seriously may affect some properties and time‐consuming. Hydrophilic membrane surface can reduce membrane fouling. The appropriate design for membrane composition and surface structure can transform membrane surface with expected performance. In this work, hydrophilic polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membranes with micro‐nanostructure are fabricated by in situ synthesis and layer‐by‐layer assembly strategies. A zeolitic imidazolate framework‐8 (ZIF‐8) and tannic acid are used to construct microstructure and support hydrophilic groups. The water contact angle and water flux of initial PVDF membrane are 110.67° and 6585.7 L m−2 h−1, respectively, while the optimally modified membrane possesses water contact of 14.5° and water flux of 13641.8 L m−2 h−1. The modified membrane not only owns good underwater oil repellency and oil adhesion resistance but also processes good separation performance for surfactant stable oil‐in‐water emulsion. Furthermore, the modified membranes exhibit constant permeability and underwater oleophobicity in cycling experiments and harsh environments, indicating that the modified coating has stability against shedding of the modified materials. This method supports valuable references for MOF application in the field of oil–water separation.
Robust Catechol Containing Cationic Waterborne Polyurethanes with Antibacterial, UV Protective, and Adhesive Properties
Authors: Li Zhi , Zhao Shujun , Pang Huiwen , Sun Yi , Zhang Shifeng , Yu Yanglun
Published: January 2022

Functional cationic waterborne polyurethanes (CWPUs) with environmental friendliness and excellent mechanical properties are widely desired in the materials industry. However, traditional modification methods such as molecular structure adjustment, crosslinking modification, and physical filling for polyurethane are overly complex and do not typically improve mechanical properties to the point of satisfying the stringent requirements for modern industrial materials. In this study, phenolic acid 3,4‐dihydroxybenzoic acid with a catechol structure is applied to neutralize the tertiary ammonium structure on the side chain of polyurethane for the facile preparation of CWPU materials. The effects of this neutralizer on the microstructure, mechanical properties, and functional performance of CWPU samples (e.g., antibacterial, ultraviolet protection, coating properties) are systematically investigated. The results indicate that the catechol structures of the neutralizer provide abundant hydrogen bonding reaction sites, which greatly improves the mechanical properties of the CWPU films with the maximum strength of 43 MPa and simultaneously 1241% elongation at break. Furthermore, catechol structure and cationic attribute endow the CWPUs with excellent adhesion to various substrates, strong ultraviolet protection performance, and antibacterial ability. The proposed approach can be used to prepare robust CWPUs with strong functional performance as highly effective, environmental‐friendly materials over a large scale.
Lightweight Nanofibrous Crosslinked Composite Aerogels with Controllable Shapes and Superelasticity for Pressure Sensors
Authors: Ouyang Zhaofeng , Wang Chuang , Xu Dewen , Yu Hou‐Yong , Zhou Ying , Mu Mengya , Ge Dan , Miao Zhouyu , Tam Kam Chiu
Published: January 2022

So far it is still a big challenge to construct the nanofibrous crosslinked composite aerogels with high compressive stress and excellent elastic resilience for pressure sensors. To solve this problem, a novel strategy of combining rigid inorganic nanofibers and flexible organic nanofibers is designed to obtain the crosslinked composite aerogels with outstanding compressive stress and stability. Surprisingly, the as‐prepared composite aerogels have an extremely low density of 11.27 mg cm−3, and the crosslinked composite aerogels with desire shapes can be easily controlled via changing the different molds on demand. More importantly, the composite aerogels can be compressed up to 80% with a quite high compressive stress of 41 kPa and it can recover to its original state well. It is worth mentioning that the as‐prepared aerogels can be encapsulated to construct ultrasensitive (0.53 kPa−1) and rapidly responsive (315 ms) pressure sensors for encrypted information transmission. Such excellent crosslinked composite aerogels will open up numerous application opportunities for pressure sensors, thermal insulation, and sound absorption.
Ricci almost solitons on semi‐Riemannian warped products
Authors: Borges Valter , Tenenblat Keti
Published: January 2022

It is shown that a gradient Ricci almost soliton on a warped product, whose potential function f depends on the fiber, is either a Ricci soliton or λ is not constant and the warped product, the base and the fiber are Einstein manifolds, which admit conformal vector fields. Assuming completeness, a classification is provided for the gradient Ricci almost solitons on warped products, whose potential functions depend on the fiber. An important decomposition property of the potential function in terms of functions which depend either on the base or on the fiber is proven. In the case of a complete gradient Ricci soliton, the potential function depends only on the base.
Efficacy of antifungal agents against fungal spores: An in vitro study using microplate laser nephelometry and an artificially infected 3D skin model
Authors: Fink Sarah , Burmester Anke , Hipler Uta‐Christina , Neumeister Claudia , Götz Marcus R. , Wiegand Cornelia
Published: January 2022

Dermal fungal infections seem to have increased over recent years. There is further a shift from anthropophilic dermatophytes to a growing prevalence of zoophilic species and the emergence of resistant strains. New antifungals are needed to combat these fungi and their resting spores. This study aimed to investigate the sporicidal effects of sertaconazole nitrate using microplate laser nephelometry against the microconidia of Trichophyton, chlamydospores of Epidermophyton, blastospores of Candida, and conidia of the mold Scopulariopsis brevicaulis. The results obtained were compared with those from ciclopirox olamine and terbinafine. The sporicidal activity was further determined using infected three‐dimensional full skin models to determine the antifungal effects in the presence of human cells. Sertaconazole nitrate inhibited the growth of dermatophytes, molds, and yeasts. Ciclopirox olamine also had good antifungal activity, although higher concentrations were needed compared to sertaconazole nitrate. Terbinafine was highly effective against most dermatophytes, but higher concentrations were required to kill the resistant strain Trichophyton indotineae. Sertaconazole nitrate, ciclopirox olamine, and terbinafine had no negative effects on full skin models. Sertaconazole nitrate reduced the growth of fungal and yeast spores over 72 h. Ciclopirox olamine and terbinafine also inhibited the growth of dermatophytes and molds but had significantly lower effects on the yeast. Sertaconazole nitrate might have advantages over the commonly used antifungals ciclopirox olamine and terbinafine in combating resting spores, which persist in the tissues, and thus in the therapy of recurring dermatomycoses.
Global analysis of differential gene expression within the porcine conceptus transcriptome as it transitions through spherical, ovoid, and tubular morphologies during the initiation of elongation
Authors: Walsh Sophie C. , Miles Jeremy R. , Keel Brittney N. , Rempel Lea A. , Wright‐Johnson Elane C. , Lindholm‐Perry Amanda K. , Oliver William T. , Pannier Angela K.
Published: January 2022

This study aimed to identify transcriptome differences between distinct or transitional stage spherical, ovoid, and tubular porcine blastocysts throughout the initiation of elongation. We performed a global transcriptome analysis of differential gene expression using RNA‐Seq with high temporal resolution between spherical, ovoid, and tubular stage blastocysts at specific sequential stages of development from litters containing conceptus populations of distinct or transitional blastocysts. After RNA‐Seq analysis, significant differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and pathways were identified between distinct morphologies or sequential development stages. Overall, 1898 significant DEGs were identified between distinct spherical and ovoid morphologies, with 311 total DEGs between developmental stages throughout this first morphological transition, while 15 were identified between distinct ovoid and tubular, with eight total throughout these second morphological transition developmental stages. The high quantity of DEGs and pathways between conceptus stages throughout the spherical to ovoid transition suggests the importance of gene regulation during this first morphological transition for initiating elongation. Further, extensive DEG coverage of known elongation signaling pathways was illustrated from spherical to ovoid, and regulation of lipid signaling and membrane/ECM remodeling across these early conceptus stages were implicated as essential to this process, providing novel insights into potential mechanisms governing this rapid morphological change.
Analysis of skeletal remains from the Battle of Britain: A temporary cemetery of German aviators from World War II
Authors: Verna Emeline , Femolant Jean‐Marc , Signoli Michel , Costedoat Caroline , Bouniol Laetitia
Published: January 2022

During World War II, part of France was occupied by the German army. In the summer of 1940, the Germans wanted to invade England from France. Then, the Battle of Britain began, which lasted until spring 1941 after a victory of the Royal Air Force over the Luftwaffe. During this battle, the Luftwaffe bombed southeast England and the London area using the Beauvais‐Tillé airfield (northern France). This airfield was mainly used by German bomber squadrons. In 2018, a temporary cemetery was discovered during land‐use planning work next to the location of this former airfield. Within the cemetery, 39 graves were discovered. Sixteen contained complete skeletons in coffins, and 23 consisted of fragments of skeletal remains within coffins. The individuals exhumed on the Beauvais site and wearing aviator outfits probably participated in this battle, as suggested by the presence of life jackets, implying flights over the sea. An interdisciplinary approach that employed archaeological and anthropological methods using the analysis of trauma on skeletal remains, in particular, provided details on this period and this type of context.
Gagging and its management—A review
Authors: Parakh Mayank Kumar , D. Krishna Prasad
Published: January 2022

Gagging is a physiologic reaction that is protective in nature. Gagging is commonly seen during dental procedures, and patients who have a sensitive gag reflex can be a challenge to manage. Gagging during dental procedures often causes interruption in the dental treatment, or in rare instances, the treatment has to be postponed. Gagging makes it difficult to perform dental treatment, and there are various methods that are advocated in the literature. Managing a patient with an exaggerated gag reflex is a challenge, and effective and right approach to the management can go long way for the patient. This review aims to highlight the various options of preventing or reducing gagging in patients.
Effects of different interfacial modifiers on the properties of digital printing waste paper fiber/nanocrystalline cellulose/poly(lactic acid) composites
Authors: Zhang Xiaolin , Di Jingjing , Li Jia , Li Shaoge , Duan Jingting , Lv Jinyan , Zhu Xiaofeng , Xu Long , Chang Xing
Published: January 2022

Digital printing waste paper fiber/nanocrystalline cellulose/poly(lactic acid) composites, modified through γ‐methacryloxy propyl trimethoxy silane (KH570), isopropyl tri(dioctylpyrophosphate) titanate, sodium hydroxide, polyethylene glycol 6000 (PEG6000), and a composite silane coupling agent (KH570/PEG6000), were fabricated by melt blending and injection molding, and the effects of different modifiers on the properties of composites were studied. The results show that the mechanical properties of the modified composites were improved, and the best flexural strength, tensile strength, and impact strength were obtained by PEG6000, KH570/PEG6000, and KH570, respectively. Thermogravimetric analysis showed that the thermal decomposition performance of the composites treated by KH570 was relatively superior. Differential scanning calorimetry analysis demonstrated that the melting enthalpy and crystallinity of the modified material increased, while the cold crystallization temperature decreased. After modification, both water absorption and degradation showed a decreasing trend, especially KH570/PEG6000. Under the action of several modifiers, the diffusion coefficient, thermodynamic solubility, and permeability of composites were reduced to varying degrees. Furthermore, scanning electron microscopy demonstrated that interfacial adhesion and composite compatibility were improved with significantly fewer and smaller pores, as well as a fuzzy boundary among the three phases.
Photodegradation actuated shape‐changing hydrogels
Authors: Delgado Stephanie M. , Norris Sam C. P. , Kasko Andrea M.
Published: January 2022

Hydrogels are attractive materials for generating 4D shapes due to their ability to undergo pronounced volume changes in response to several stimuli, including light. We previously reported shape‐changing hydrogels actuated by long‐wave UV and visible light in the presence of live cells using poly(ethylene glycol) macromers incorporating different photodegradable ortho‐nitrobenzyl (o‐NB) groups. In this comprehensive study, we determine the effect of chemical structure of different o‐NB macromers (which influences molar absorptivity and rate constant of degradation), composition (macromer weight percent), fabrication design (initial gel thickness) and environment (ionic strength of solution) on light‐induced hydrogel folding. We demonstrate successful photopolymerization and subsequent photodegradation of hydrogels, multistep folding, and live‐cell encapsulation. This hydrogel system may be useful as new tool in stem cell differentiation and developmental biology research, facilitating the in vitro investigation of processes that are sensitive to both physical and temporal stimuli.
Recent progress in the structural biology of P2X receptors
Authors: Sheng Danqi , Hattori Motoyuki
Published: January 2022

P2X receptors are ATP‐gated trimeric nonselective cation channels that are important for various physiological and pathological processes, including synaptic transmission, pain perception, immune regulation, and apoptosis. Accordingly, they attract a wide range of interest as drug targets, such as those for chronic cough, neuropathic pain, and depression. After the zebrafish P2X4 receptor structure was reported in 2009, various other P2X receptor structures have been reported, extending our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of P2X receptors. This review article describes the recent progress on understanding the structures and mechanisms of P2X receptors, especially of the mechanisms underlying ATP binding and conformational changes during the gating cycle. In addition, since several antagonists for different P2X subtypes have entered into clinical trials, this review also summarizes the binding sites and regulatory mechanisms of these antagonists, which may contribute to new strategies of targeting P2X receptors for drug discovery.
Retracted: Quality management in higher education: Developing the methodology on the basis of total quality management
Authors: Krymets Liudmyla V. , Saienko Oleksandr H. , Bilyakovska Olha O. , Zakharov Oleg Yu. , Ivanova Dora H.
Published: January 2022

Understanding the needs of end users (customers, stakeholders) and the simultaneous application of new methodologies for the implementation of strategic plans in order to meet the needs of external (employers) and internal consumers (students and teachers) are essential elements of quality management in higher education. This article aimed to investigate the general state of modern quality management in higher education. A survey of consumers of educational services in Ukraine was conducted in order to study the current state of quality management in higher education. Interested parties’ theory and total quality management methodology in quality management of higher education served as the basis for the research methodology. The requirements of the administration and departments of higher educational institutions, students and employers in Ukraine to the quality of education were studied. Requirements for meeting the needs of consumers of educational services have been developed. During the study, the principle of ‘student‐centred learning’ and the protection of key interests of students were implemented. It was found that the quality of higher education in Ukraine is characterised by a significant level of dissatisfaction. An empirical assessment of the gap between expectations and actual experience of obtaining higher education was carried out and the discrepancy between education in Ukraine and the requirements of stakeholders was proved.
Teaching for mastery in primary mathematics: A study of translating research into policy and practice
Authors: Coles Alf , Helme Rachel
Published: January 2022

In this paper we investigate the translation of research into professional development (PD) materials for teachers of primary mathematics, by England's National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics, and related changes in teacher practices of teachers using the materials. We use interview data gathered from three teachers, via six teacher interviews, conducted over a two‐year period. The small sample allows us to explore the richness of their stories, while not being able to generalise to all teachers. Our results show that both implicit and explicit messages from research can become visible in new classroom practices. For instance, the teachers in our study all came to view the concept of number quite differently to how they had in the past, and in a way that was in keeping with research that informed the PD materials. A new view of number was implicit in the PD materials and in the teachers’ descriptions of their practice. Other changes in teaching practices were explicitly spoken about by the teachers and were explicitly written about in the PD materials. Our work points to the efficacy of a team of practitioners working, with guidance, to create practical resources which embody research results. We propose viewing teachers as active partners in the process of translating research into practice.
Robust fault‐tolerant motion/force control of a fully‐actuated hexarotor using adaptive sliding mode impedance control
Authors: Rong Yongfeng , Chou Wusheng , Jiao Ran
Published: January 2022

A robust fault‐tolerant motion/force controller is vital for a fully‐actuated unmanned aerial vehicle performing contact‐based aerial manipulation tasks (e.g., window cleaning, infrastructure inspection and so on) in the presence of lumped disturbances (including external disturbances, model uncertainties, and actuator faults) with unknown boundaries. To address this problem, a disturbance‐observer‐based adaptive sliding mode impedance controller is proposed in this article. Using the impedance model as a reference model, the sliding mode impedance controller is constructed with a modified adaptive super‐twisting gain technique to reduce the chattering phenomenon. To avoid overestimation of the unknown disturbance bounds, a novel adaptive third‐order extended state observer is developed to actively estimate the disturbances and compensate for the controller without any priori knowledge of the disturbance bounds. Convergence of the proposed observer and stability of the closed‐loop system are analyzed by the Lyapunov method. The effects of parameters in observers and controllers are presented under measurement noise through numerical simulations. In addition, guidelines for parameter selections are also provided. The advantages and effectiveness of the proposed control strategy are also demonstrated by simulating a push‐and‐slide scenario in the presence of lumped disturbances.
Boosting Electrocatalytic Activity of Single Atom Catalysts Supported on Nitrogen‐Doped Carbon through N Coordination Environment Engineering
Authors: Zhang Xiaoran , Xu Xiaomin , Yao Sixian , Hao Chao , Pan Can , Xiang Xue , Tian Zhi Qun , Shen Pei Kang , Shao Zongping , Jiang San Ping
Published: January 2022

Nonprecious group metal (NPGM)‐based single atom catalysts (SACs) hold a great potential in electrocatalysis and dopant engineering has been extensively exploited to boost their catalytic activity, while the coordination environment of dopant, which also significantly affects the electronic structure of SACs, and consequently their electrocatalytic performance, have been largely ignored. Here, by adopting a precursor modulation strategy, the authors successfully synthesize single cobalt atom catalysts embedded in nitrogen‐doped carbon, Co–N/C, with similar overall Co and N concentrations but different N types, that is, pyridinic N (NP), graphitic N (NG), and pyrrolic N (NPY). Co–N/C with the Co–N4 moieties coordinated with NG displays far superior activity for oxygen reduction (ORR) and evolution reactions, and superior activity and stability in both zinc–air batteries and proton exchange membrane fuel cells. Density functional theory calculation indicates that coordinated N species in particular NG functions as electron donors to the Co core of Co–N4 active sites, leading to the downshift of d‐band center of Co–N4 and weakening the binding energies of the intermediates on Co–N4 sites, thus, significantly promoting catalytic kinetics and thermodynamics for ORR in a full pH range condition.