bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Role of α, γ, and Metastable Polymorphs on Electrospun Polyamide 6/Functionalized Graphene Oxide
Authors: Macossay Javier , Avila‐Vega Yazmín I. , Sheikh Faheem A. , Cantu Travis , Longoria‐Rodríguez Francisco E. , Ramírez‐Soria Edgar H. , Advíncula Rigoberto C. , Bonilla‐Cruz José
Published: June 2020

The present paper describes the addition of nitroxide‐functionalized graphene oxide (GOFT) into polyamide 6 (PA6) micro‐ and nanofibers, which are obtained through electrospinning. Scanning electron microscopy micrographs demonstrate the presence of fibers. Tensile testing presents an unexpected and non‐obvious behavior, in which the Young's modulus, tensile strength, and elongation simultaneously and remarkably increase compared to the pristine polymer nanofibers. GOFT induces the hydrogen bonding between the NH group from PA6 with the functional groups, thus promoting higher crystallinity of the polymer matrix. Nonetheless, deconvoluted curves by differential scanning calorimetry reveal the presence of two quasi‐steady polymorphs (β and δ phases) contributing to 46% of the total crystallinity. This evidence suggests that their presence and high ratios are responsible for the unexpected and simultaneous enhancement of tensile properties.
Enhancing the lifetime and corrosion resistance of gears made of carbon steel
Authors: Ramlee E.B. , Hussain P.B. , Shaik N.B.
Published: June 2020

Gears for structural machines require high fatigue strength for high performance. Generally, gears made of carbon steel easily corrode, thus, shortening their fatigue life. The aim of this paper is to improve the fatigue strength of carbon steel gears by means of heat treatment method which was nitriding composed of 95 % nitrogen gas as well as 5 % hydrogen gas, and to investigate its properties after nitriding. Therefore, in order to find the optimum nitriding temperature to increase the hardness and corrosion resistance of gears, the gas nitriding process was conducted at two different tube furnace temperatures: low (550 °C) and high (1150 °C), both for four hours. Microstructural and mechanical property evaluation of the low and high temperature nitrided low‐carbon steel BS970‐080A15 were studied and the results were compared to identify which gear had better performance in terms of hardness as well as corrosion resistance. The results from Vickers hardness test and weight loss analysis proved that high temperature nitrided carbon steel is harder and more corrosion resistant than the low temperature one.
Effective beneficiation of low content nickel ferrous laterite using fluxing agent through Na2SO4 selective reduction
Authors: Widyartha B. , Setiyorini Y. , Abdul F. , Subakti T.J. , Pintowantoro S.
Published: June 2020

To address the issue of high energy employment and un‐green processing in limonitic laterites extraction, selective reduction using Na2SO4 additive with the introduction of different fluxes including quicklime, dolomite, and limestone followed by magnetic separation was studied. The objective of the research was to find out the influence of fluxes in optimizing ferronickel product of reduction. The reduction process was carried out at 1400 °C for 6 hours and the obtained product was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), emission dispersive x‐ray (EDX), and x‐ray diffraction (XRD) to image the morphology, determine the composition, and examine the mineralogical structure. Result showed that the employment of fluxes exhibited positive effect in improving the product. The highest nickel grade was 21.68 % using limestone flux, while the most promising recovery was 93.73 % utilizing dolomite flux. Meanwhile, mineralogical assessment also proved that the ascending of nickel content is due to the formation of troilite (FeS) as the result of synergy between Na2SO4 additives and carbonate minerals from fluxes. This result exhibits a notable performance of fluxes for improving the product of selective reduction.
Train to Lose: Innate Immune Memory in Metaflammation
Authors: Charles‐Messance Hugo , Sheedy Frederick J.
Published: June 2020

Westernized diets and lifestyle are linked to the development of metabolic syndrome, characterized by obesity, type 2 diabetes, and increased cardiovascular disease risk. Systemic low‐grade inflammation is a common feature of chronic metabolic disorders and is believed to promote disease progression. Therefore, modulating inflammation is a commonly explored strategy to prevent obesity‐associated co‐morbidities. In this review, how current knowledge on the recently described concept of innate immune memory could underline metaflammation in the context of metabolic syndrome is explored. It is hoped that these insights provide a new perspective to address the question of innate immune activation during disease progression.
Remotely controlled reconfigurable antenna for modern 5G networks applications
Authors: Elwi Taha A.
Published: June 2020

In this work, a low‐profile antenna based on metamaterial (MTM) of a Hilbert‐shaped fractal with 3 × 2 array printed on a rectangular area and fed with a coplanar waveguide structure is exemplified for this study. The antenna is designed to show a reconfigurable performance that is remotely controlled through tuning the light intensity on an array of photo‐resistors to enable dynamic reconfiguration with control circuitry free wires over multiband of frequencies. From the measured antenna gain spectrum, a significant change in the antenna gain is found due to illuminating the photo‐resistors that suits the application of amplitude shift keying (ASK). For instance, at 2.45 GHz the gain is raised from 1.2 up to 7.8 dBi and at 5.8 GHz the gain enhancement is found about 6.6 dBi.
Exploring the potential of acceptance and commitment therapy model in self‐care behaviour in persons with heart failure
Authors: Al‐Hammouri Mohammed Munther , Rababah Jehad A. , Aldalaykeh Mohammed
Published: June 2020

Aim

This study examined the interaction among cognitive fusion, mindfulness and committed action on the self‐care behaviour in person with heart failure as guided by the acceptance and commitment therapy model.

Design

An exploratory cross‐sectional design was used.

Method

Participants with heart failure from in‐patients setting (N = 165) were recruited from two major regional hospitals. Data were collected using self‐report questionnaires of the study variables and demographic characteristics. Data were analysed using Hayes SPSS process macros.

Results

Based on the acceptance and commitment therapy model propositions, all main and interaction effects, except for cognitive fusion, were significant. The current study showed that the main effect of the study variables on self‐care behaviour was insufficient and adding complex interactions between these variables improved the model fit, as it was suggested by the acceptance and commitment therapy model.
A reduced‐order extrapolating space–time continuous finite element method for the 2D Sobolev equation
Authors: Yang Jing , Luo Zhendong
Published: June 2020

This paper mainly concerns with the order reduction to the coefficient vectors of the classical space–time continuous finite element (STCFE) solutions for a two‐dimensional Sobolev equation. The classical STCFE model is first constructed for the governing equation, and the theoretical results of the existence, stability, and convergence are provided for the STCFE solutions. We then employ a proper orthogonal decomposition to develop a reduced‐order extrapolating STCFE (ROESTCFE) vector model with the lower dimension, and demonstrate the existence, stability, and convergence for the ROESTCFE solutions by the matrix means, resulting in the very concise and flexible theoretical analysis. Lastly, we examine the effectiveness of the developed ROESTCFE model by several numerical tests. It is shown that the ROESTCFE method is computationally very cheap in actual applications.
Interdigitated back‐contacted structure: A different approach towards high‐efficiency ultrathin copper indium gallium (di)selenide solar cells
Authors: Rezaei Nasim , Procel Paul , Simor Marcel , Vroon Zeger , Zeman Miro , Isabella Olindo
Published: June 2020

An interdigitated back‐contacted (IBC) configuration is proposed for submicron copper indium gallium (di)selenide (CIGS). In a modelling platform, the structure was opto‐electrically optimized for maximum efficiency. The results are compared with a reference front/back‐contacted (FBC) solar cell with similar absorber thickness and exhibiting 11.9% efficiency. The electrical passivation at the front side is accomplished by an Al2O3 layer, which is endowed with negative fixed charges. The results indicate that with an optimal geometry and engineered bandgap grading, the efficiency of the new IBC structure can reach 17%. Additionally, with a reasonably low defect density in the absorber layer, efficiencies as high as 19.7% and open‐circuit voltage comparable with that of the record solar cell are possible with the IBC structure.
Estimating the intermediate precision in petroleum analysis by (±)electrospray ionization Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry
Authors: Folli Gabriely S. , Souza Lindamara M. , Araújo Bruno Q. , Romão Wanderson , Filgueiras Paulo R.
Published: June 2020

Rationale

Electrospray ionization Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (ESI FT‐ICR MS) is an important analytical technique used for the elucidation of crude oil polar compounds at the molecular level, providing thousands of heteroatom compounds in a single analysis. Due to the high resolution, the complexity of data produced, and steps involved in spectra acquisition and processing, it is necessary to estimate its intermediate precision.

Methods

Intermediate precision was estimated for positive‐ and negative‐ion ionization modes (ESI(±)) using Composer® software for two Brazilian crude oil samples. The analytical parameters evaluated were the class distribution histogram, the double bond equivalent (DBE) distribution, and the DBE versus carbon number. The statistical parameters used to study the intermediate precision were calculated from the average, standard deviation, confidence interval (significance level at 5%), coefficient of variation (CV), intermediate precision limit (ISO 5725), and principal component analysis (PCA).

Results

Two crude oil samples (A and B) were analyzed, in triplicate, for seven consecutive days by ESI(±) FT‐ICR MS. The assigned class limit by ESI(+) for crude oil A was 0.42% (O2S[H] class) and for crude oil B was 0.04% (N2O2S[H] class). The assigned DBE intensity limits for the two crude oils were 0.04% for ESI(+) and 0.013% for ESI(−). The PCA for ESI(−) and ESI(+) modes presented better precision for crude oils B and A, respectively.

Conclusions

The most abundant classes and DBE of the majority class (i.e., with the highest intensity) are the parameters produced from the Composer® software that had the highest precision and can be used to estimate crude oil properties. The DBE values presented lower intermediate precision limit values (0.04%) than the assigned class values (0.4%). According to CV and PCA, ESI(+) was more precise for crude oil A (83% precision) and ESI(−) for crude oil B (84% precision).
Humidity Sensing Properties of Organometallic Perovskite CH3NH3PbI3
Authors: Ilin Alexander S. , Forsh Pavel A. , Martyshov Mikhail N. , Kazanskii A. G. , Forsh Ekaterina A. , Kashkarov Pavel K.
Published: June 2020

It is known that the photovoltaic properties of organic perovskite based solar cells decline at high humidity that is one of the perovskite solar cells disadvantages. We investigated the effect of humidity on the perovskite CH3NH3PbI3 conductivity that can be applied to creation of cheap and effective humidity sensors. The measurements have shown that perovskite CH3NH3PbI3 has a competitively high sensitivity to humidity. The mechanisms that lead to a change in the perovskite conductivity in a humid environment are proposed.
Hydrometallurgical Regeneration of LiMn2O4 Cathode Scrap Material and Its Electrochemical Properties
Authors: Liu Dandan , Zhang Yanhui , Su Zhi
Published: June 2020

The main researches focus on the recovery of metal elements in lithium manganate and not consider regenerating the cathode scrap materials. In this study, first, the polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) binder is removed by a combination of solvent dissolution and heat treatment. PVDF is easily separated by dissolving in an N‐methyl‐2‐pyrrolidone solution at a heating temperature of 60 °C, stirring time of 50 min, and solid solution ratio of 80 g⋅L−1. The dissolution rate of the scrap material achieves 86.70 % under optimal conditions. Further, using inductively coupled plasma spectroscopy to define the Li and Mn metal contents, and the LiMn2O4 cathode material is regenerated by a hydrometallurgical method. At the optimum calcination conditions of 500 °C for 12 h, electrochemical performance show that there are obvious charge and discharge platforms in the charge/discharge curves, and high first‐cycle discharge capacity is 123.7 mAh g−1 (3.0–4.3 V and 0.1 C), after 50 cycles, it decrease to 83.2 mAh g−1.
Remarkably Boosted Molecular Delivery Triggered by Combined Thermal and Flexoelectrical Field Dual Stimuli
Authors: Zhang Shuting , Yu Peng , Zhang Yi , Ma Zequn , Teng Kaixuan , Hu Xiantong , Lu Limei , Zhang Yihe , Zhao Yantao , An Qi
Published: June 2020

Efficient controllable drug delivery is important in medical treatment. Abrupt release of a drug is important in targeted drug release therapies or first‐aid scenarios but materials reported to date still suffer from low efficiencies with regards to both release speeds and the total released amount. In this study, we report that combining both thermal and flexoelectrical field stimuli can lead to effective acceleration of drug delivery. When tapping the flexible substrate elevated temperatures, acceleration of drug release is increased from up to 21 % to 540 % times for different molecules, remarkably higher than a single type of thermal or E‐field stimulus. In addition, the dual responsive substrate exhibits good antibacterial effects. We believe that the work reported herein will be of benefit to the design of rapid drug release materials for medical treatment.
Enhancing Hydrogen Evolution Reaction by Synergistically Coupling NiMo Alloy with Ni(OH)2 Nanosheet on Carbon Cloth
Authors: Li Chunyan , Wang Jiankang , Wang Yajing , Li Jiaxin , Yao Zhongping , Jiang Zhaohua
Published: June 2020

Sluggish water dissociation step severely constraints the efficiency of alkaline hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Inspired by the merits of the favorable water dissociation ability of Ni(OH)2 and moderate hydrogen bonding strength on NiMo alloy, in this paper, NiMo/Ni(OH)2 nanohybrid on carbon cloth (CC) was synthesized by hydrothermal method and subsequent electrodeposition technique. XRD, SEM and XPS confirmed NiMo alloy was electrodeposited on Ni(OH)2 nanosheet surface. Alkaline HER measurement unveiled that NiMo/Ni(OH)2/CC exhibited the highest alkaline HER performance with overpotential of 132 mV at 10 mA/cm2 among as‐prepared samples, Tafel slope and EIS spectra verified the HER kinetics and the water dissociation rate were enhanced after embedding NiMo alloy into Ni(OH)2 nanosheets. The outstanding alkaline HER performance can be assigned to the coupling effect between NiMo alloy and Ni(OH)2, and Ni alloying with Mo. The preeminent HER performance and facile preparation method of NiMo/Ni(OH)2/CC endow it with prospect application in alkaline water splitting.
Design and Synthesis of Aminoacetylenic Indole and Carbazole Hybrid Compounds
Authors: Al‐Qawasmeh Raed A. , Hussein Nura A. , Shehadi Ihsan , Khanfar Monther A. , Salameh Bader A.
Published: June 2020

A novel series of aminoacetylenic indole and carbazole hybrid compounds had been prepared via a three‐component reaction system in which a mannich type reaction was used in the coupling of propargylic indole or carbazole with cyclic amines and formaldehyde in the presence of Cu(I) catalyst. A side product of the self‐coupling reaction of propargylic indole was also separated and characterized by physicochemical techniques. NMR, single crystal x‐ray, High‐resolution mass spectra (HRMS) are used in the characterization of the synthesized compounds and intermediates
DNA and Protein Interaction Studies of Heteroleptic Copper (II) Derivatives of Benzothiazole‐Based Schiff Base and N,N‐Donor Ligands
Authors: Kiran Tummalapalli , Pathak Madhvesh , Chanda Kaushik , Balamurali M. M.
Published: June 2020

A couple of heteroleptic copper(II) complexes, [Cu(HL1)(bpy)](NO3)2.2H2O (4 a) and [Cu (HL1)(phen)](NO3)2.2H2O (4 b), where HL1 is 2‐((benzo[d]thiazol‐2‐ylimino)methyl) phenol, bpy=2,2′‐bipyridyl and phen is 1,10‐phenanthroline have been synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, UV/Vis, FTIR, NMR spectroscopic and mass spectrometric techniques. The binding interaction of metal complexes with ct‐DNA was assessed by electronic absorption, fluorescence spectroscopy and docking studies. The studies reveal that the complexes 4 a and 4 b interact with DNA via intercalation mode of binding with an intrinsic binding constant (Kb) 1.45 ± 0.21 × 104 M−1 and 4.65 ± 0.21 × 104 M−1, respectively. Further, protein (Bovine serum albumin i. e. BSA) interaction studies revealed the quenching constants (Kb) to be 5.62 × 105 M−1 for complex 4 a and 1.03 × 106 M−1 for complex 4 b. All the spectral data proved about metal complexes bind with ct‐DNA and BSA having significant binding affinities. Circular dichroism studies also revels the intercalative mode with conformational changes of ct‐DNA with increasing concentrations. DNA binding property of such molecules serves as shape selective conformational probes. Similar compounds are reported to have potential applications in medicinal and diagnostic industries. They have significant roles in the development of fluorescent probes for biological applications.
Synthesis, Antimicrobial Activity, Molecular Docking and DFT Study: Aryl‐Carbamic Acid 1‐Benzyl‐1H‐[1,2,3]Triazol‐4‐ylmethyl Esters
Authors: Naveen  , Kumar Tittal Ram , Vikas Ghule D. , Rani Poonam , Lal Kashmiri , Kumar Ashwani
Published: June 2020

Bioactive carbamate‐1,4‐disubstituted 1,2,3‐triazole hybrid molecules were synthesized and characterized in high yield from carbamate‐linked terminal alkynes and in situ generated azides using Cell‐CuI‐NPs as heterogeneous catalysts via CuAAC reaction. The synthesized compound 8 demonstrated better antibacterial activity with MIC: 0.0077 μmol mL−1 for each bacterial strain E. coli, S. epidermidis and B. subtilis as compared to reference drug Norfloxacin (MIC: 0.0098 μmol mL−1). Also, the antifungal activity of compound 8 with MIC: 0.0077 μmol mL−1 for fungal strain C. albicans was found superior among all synthesized compounds and even better than reference drug Fluconazole with MIC: 0.0102 μmol mL−1. The biological activity results were supported by molecular docking as well as DFT study.
2D Boron Imidazolate Framework Nanosheets with Electrocatalytic Applications for Oxygen Evolution and Carbon Dioxide Reduction Reaction
Authors: Wen Tian , Liu Min , Chen Shumei , Li Qiaohong , Du Yonghua , Zhou Tianhua , Ritchie Chris , Zhang Jian
Published: June 2020

Ultrathin 2D materials possess unique properties that translate to enhanced efficiency as electrocatalysts, stimulating research toward methodologies that support their preparation. Herein, a two‐step strategy is reported that involves the preparation of the new boron imidazolate framework (BIF‐73) which is subsequently utilized as a precursor to yield the crystalline 2D nanosheet material (Fe@BIF‐73‐NS) via post‐synthetic modification. This new electrocatalytic material stabilizes ultra‐small (Fe2O3) fragments resulting in an excellent electrocatalytic performance for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER: lower overpotential with 291 mV at the current density of 10 mA cm−2) and carbon dioxide reduction reaction (faradaic efficiency of CO reaching 88.6% at −1.8 V vs Ag/AgCl) without the need for noble metals. Additionally, theoretical calculations and microscopy reveal that the superior OER performance can be attributed to the increased exposure of binding sites within the material to which the catalytically active Fe3+ centers are bound through a post‐synthetic modification procedure. A red‐shift of the Fermi level around the valence band is observed and is proposed to be a result of the aforementioned interactions. This work opens an avenue toward the development of 2D functional metal organic framework nanosheets for energy conversion applications.
Microfluidic‐Based Approaches in Targeted Cell/Particle Separation Based on Physical Properties: Fundamentals and Applications
Authors: Nasiri Rohollah , Shamloo Amir , Ahadian Samad , Amirifar Leyla , Akbari Javad , Goudie Marcus J. , Lee KangJu , Ashammakhi Nureddin , Dokmeci Mehmet R. , Di Carlo Dino , Khademhosseini Ali
Published: June 2020

Cell separation is a key step in many biomedical research areas including biotechnology, cancer research, regenerative medicine, and drug discovery. While conventional cell sorting approaches have led to high‐efficiency sorting by exploiting the cell's specific properties, microfluidics has shown great promise in cell separation by exploiting different physical principles and using different properties of the cells. In particular, label‐free cell separation techniques are highly recommended to minimize cell damage and avoid costly and labor‐intensive steps of labeling molecular signatures of cells. In general, microfluidic‐based cell sorting approaches can separate cells using “intrinsic” (e.g., fluid dynamic forces) versus “extrinsic” external forces (e.g., magnetic, electric field, etc.) and by using different properties of cells including size, density, deformability, shape, as well as electrical, magnetic, and compressibility/acoustic properties to select target cells from a heterogeneous cell population. In this work, principles and applications of the most commonly used label‐free microfluidic‐based cell separation methods are described. In particular, applications of microfluidic methods for the separation of circulating tumor cells, blood cells, immune cells, stem cells, and other biological cells are summarized. Computational approaches complementing such microfluidic methods are also explained. Finally, challenges and perspectives to further develop microfluidic‐based cell separation methods are discussed.
A Novel Biosensor Based on Molybdenum Disulfide (MoS2) Modified Porous Anodic Aluminum Oxide Nanochannels for Ultrasensitive microRNA‐155 Detection
Authors: Jiao Songlong , Liu Lei , Wang Jianqiao , Ma Kejian , Lv Jun
Published: June 2020

Artificial photoresponsive nanochannels have attracted widespread attention because of their capacity to achieve ion transport through light modulation. Herein, a biosensor for ultrasensitive miRNA‐155 detection is devised based on molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) modified porous anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) photoresponsive nanochannels by atomic layer deposition (ALD). According to the optimized experimental results, when the cycles of ALD, the wavelength, and the power of the excitation laser are 70 cycles, 450 nm, and 80 mW, respectively, the most supreme photocurrent performance of these photoresponsive nanochannels are obtained. AAO nanochannels modified with MoS2 can work as a photoelectrochemical (PEC) biosensor by generating photoexcitation current; what is more, the high channel density in AAO can magnify the ion current signal response effectively by aggrandizing the flux of electroactive species. By using AAO photoresponsive nanochannels with an average diameter of 150 nm as PEC biosensor, an ultrasensitive detection record ranging from 0.01 fM to 0.01 nM with a detection limit of 3 aM can be achieved. This work not only proposes a simple method for manufacturing semiconductor photoresponsive nanochannels, but also exhibits great potential in the ultrasensitive detection of biomolecules.
2D Intrinsic Ferromagnetic MnP Single Crystals
Authors: Sun Xian , Zhao Shasha , Bachmatiuk Alicja , Rümmeli Mark H. , Gorantla Sandeep , Zeng Mengqi , Fu Lei
Published: June 2020

2D intrinsic ferromagnetic materials are highly anticipated in spintronic devices due to their coveted 2D limited magnetism. However, 2D non‐layered intrinsic ferromagnets have received sporadic attention, which is largely attributed to the fact that their synthesis is still a great challenge. Significantly, manganese phosphide (MnP) is a promising non‐layered intrinsic ferromagnet with excellent properties. Herein, high‐quality 2D MnP single crystals formed over liquid metal tin (Sn) is demonstrated through a facile chemical vapor deposition technique. The introduction of liquid metal Sn provides a fertile ground for the growth of 2D MnP single crystals. Interestingly, 2D MnP single crystals maintain their intrinsic ferromagnetism and exhibit a Curie temperature above room temperature. The research enriches the diversity of 2D intrinsic ferromagnetic materials, opening up opportunities for further exploration of their unique properties and rich applications.
Mechanically Reinforced Localized Structure Design to Stabilize Solid–Electrolyte Interface of the Composited Electrode of Si Nanoparticles and TiO2 Nanotubes
Authors: Ge Mingzheng , Tang Yuxin , Malyi Oleksandr I. , Zhang Yanyan , Zhu Zhiqiang , Lv Zhisheng , Ge Xiang , Xia Huarong , Huang Jianying , Lai Yuekun , Chen Xiaodong
Published: June 2020

Silicon anode with extremely high theoretical specific capacity (≈4200 mAh g−1), experiences huge volume changes during Li‐ion insertion and extraction, causing mechanical fracture of Si particles and the growth of a solid–electrolyte interface (SEI), which results in a rapid capacity fading of Si electrodes. Herein, a mechanically reinforced localized structure is designed for carbon‐coated Si nanoparticles (C@Si) via elongated TiO2 nanotubes networks toward stabilizing Si electrode via alleviating mechanical strain and stabilizing the SEI layer. Benefited from the rational localized structure design, the carbon‐coated Si nanoparticles/TiO2 nanotubes composited electrode (C@Si/TiNT) exhibits an ideal electrode thickness swelling, which is lower than 1% after the first cycle and increases to about 6.6% even after 1600 cycles. While for traditional C@Si/carbon nanotube composited electrode, the initial swelling ratio is about 16.7% and reaches ≈190% after 1600 cycles. As a result, the C@Si/TiNT electrode exhibits an outstanding capacity of 1510 mAh g−1 at 0.1 A g−1 with high rate capability and long‐time cycling performance with 95% capacity retention after 1600 cycles. The rational design on mechanically reinforced localized structure for silicon electrode will provide a versatile platform to solve the current bottlenecks for other alloyed‐type electrode materials with large volume expansion toward practical applications.
Shortest Directed Networks in the Plane
Authors: Maxwell Alastair , Swanepoel Konrad J.
Published: June 2020

Given a set of sources and a set of sinks as points in the Euclidean plane, adirected networkis a directed graph drawn in the plane with a directed path from each source to each sink. Such a network may contain nodes other than the given sources and sinks, called Steiner points. We characterize the local structure of the Steiner points in all shortest-length directed networks in the Euclidean plane. This characterization implies that these networks are constructible by straightedge and compass. Our results build on unpublished work of Alfaro, Campbell, Sher, and Soto from 1989 and 1990. Part of the proof is based on a new method that uses other norms in the plane. This approach gives more conceptual proofs of some of their results, and as a consequence, we also obtain results on shortest directed networks for these norms.
Independent domains of daily mobility in patients with neurological gait disorders
Authors: Wuehr Max , Huppert A. , Schenkel F. , Decker J. , Jahn K. , Schniepp R.
Published: June 2020

The aim of this study was to establish a comprehensive and yet parsimonious model of daily mobility activity in patients with neurological gait disorders. Patients (N = 240) with early-stage neurological (peripheral vestibular, cerebellar, hypokinetic, vascular or functional) gait disorders and healthy controls (N = 35) were clinically assessed with standardized scores related to functional mobility, balance confidence, quality of life, cognitive function, and fall history. Subsequently, daily mobility was recorded for 14 days by means of a body-worn inertial sensor (ActivPAL®). Fourteen mobility measures derived from ActivPAL recordings were submitted to principle component analysis (PCA). Group differences within each factor obtained from PCA were analyzed and hierarchical regression analysis was performed to identify predictive characteristics from clinical assessment for each factor. PCA yielded five significant orthogonal factors (i.e., mobility domains) accounting for 92.3% of the total variance from inertial-sensor-recordings: ambulatory volume (38.7%), ambulatory pattern (22.3%), postural transitions (13.3%), sedentary volume (10.8%), and sedentary pattern (7.2%). Patients' mobility performance only exhibited reduced scores in the ambulatory volume domain but near-to-normal scores in all remaining domains. Demographic characteristics, clinical scores, and fall history were differentially associated with each domain explaining 19.2–10.2% of their total variance. This study supports a low-dimensional five-domain model for daily mobility behavior in patients with neurological gait disorders that may facilitate monitoring the course of disease or therapeutic intervention effects in ecologically valid and clinically relevant contexts. Further studies are required to explore the determinants that may explain performance differences of patients within each of these domains and to examine the consequences of altered mobility behavior with respect to patients' risk of falling and quality of life.
Validation of the Early Language Scale
Authors: Visser-Bochane Margot I. , van der Schans Cees P. , Krijnen Wim P. , Reijneveld Sijmen A. , Luinge Margreet R.
Published: June 2020

The aim of this study was to assess the criterion validity of a new screening instrument, the Early Language Scale (ELS), for the identification of young children at risk for developmental language disorder (DLD), and to determine optimal age-adjusted cut-off scores. We recruited a community-based sample of 265 children aged 1 to 6 years of age. Parents of these children responded on the ELS, a 26-item “yes-no” questionnaire. The children were assessed with extended language tests (language comprehension, word production, sentence production, communication). A composite score out of these tests (two tests below – 1 SD or one below − 1.5 SD) was used as reference standard. We assessed the validity of the ELS, measured by sensitivity, specificity, predictive values, and AUC. The optimal sensitivity/specificity age-dependent cut-off ELS score was at 15th percentile. Sensitivity and specificity were 0.62 and 0.93, respectively. Positive predictive value was moderate (0.53), negative predictive value was high (0.95), the positive likelihood ratio was 9.16, and negative likelihood ratio was 0.41. The area under the ROC curve was 0.88. The items covered the increasing language development for the ages from 1 to 6.

Conclusion: The ELS is a valid instrument to identify children with DLD covering an age range of 1 to 6 years in community-based settings.What is Known:• Early identification and treatment of developmental language disorders can reduce negative effects on children’s emotional functioning, academic success, and social relationships.• Short, validated language screening instruments that cover the full age range of early childhood language development lack.What is New:• The 26-item Early Language Scale (ELS) is a valid instrument to identify children at risk for developmental language disorder in well-child care and early educational settings among Dutch children aged 1–6 years.
A multicenter retrospective evaluation of Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML) therapy in Austria assessing the impact of early treatment response on patient outcomes in a real-life setting
Authors: Petzer Andreas L. , Sperr Wolfgang R. , Buxhofer-Ausch Veronika , Sliwa Thamer , Schmidt Stefan , Greil Richard , Wölfler Albert , Pichler Petra , Dormann Clemens , Burgstaller Sonja , Tinchon Christoph , Lang Alois , Goebel Florian , Uthman Shanow , Muenchmeier Niklas , Valent Peter
Published: June 2020

Background

Several clinical trials in chronic phase (CP) chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) showed that early response to tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) treatment results in an improved long-term survival and progression-free survival. This study assessed whether patients achieving early treatment response (ETR; partial cytogenetic response or BCR-ABL1 mRNA ≤10% at 3 months) in daily practice also have a long-term survival benefit.

Methods

The Retrospective Evaluation of Early response in CML for long-term Treatment outcome (R-EFECT), a multicenter, retrospective chart review, documented patients with newly diagnosed CML-CP starting first-line TKI therapy in routine clinical practice. The primary aim was to assess the 5‑year overall survival rate.

Results

Of the 211 patients from 12 centers across Austria (January 2004–May 2010), 176 (median age, 56 years) were included in the analysis. All patients received first-line therapy with imatinib. Overall, 136 patients (77.3%) achieved ETR (ETR+ group), whereas 40 (22.7%) did not reach ETR (ETR− group). The ETR+ group had higher 5‑year overall survival (92.5% vs. 77.5%, P = 0.018) and progression-free survival (95.6% vs. 87.5%, P = 0.06) rates compared with the ETR− group. As expected, more patients in the ETR− group were switched to another TKI. At the last contact, 120 patients were still on imatinib and 44 had switched to another TKI (25 to nilotinib, 15 to dasatinib, and 4 to bosutinib).

Conclusion

The data are in line with randomized trials demonstrating that ETR is associated with improved survival and thus confirmed these results in patients treated in daily clinical routine.
Management of patients with SARS-CoV-2 infections and of patients with chronic lung diseases during the COVID-19 pandemic (as of 9 May 2020)
Authors: Flick Holger , Arns Britt-Madelaine , Bolitschek Josef , Bucher Brigitte , Cima Katharina , Gingrich Elisabeth , Handzhiev Sabin , Hochmair Maximilian , Horak Fritz , Idzko Marco , Jaksch Peter , Kovacs Gabor , Kropfmüller Roland , Lamprecht Bernd , Löffler-Ragg Judith , Meilinger Michael , Olschewski Horst , Pfleger Andreas , Puchner Bernhard , Puelacher Christoph , Prior Christian , Rodriguez Patricia , Salzer Helmut , Schenk Peter , Schindler Otmar , Stelzmüller Ingrid , Strenger Volker , Täubl Helmut , Urban Matthias , Wagner Marlies , Wimberger Franz , Zacharasiewicz Angela , Zwick Ralf Harun , Eber Ernst
Published: June 2020

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is currently a challenge worldwide. In Austria, a crisis within the healthcare system has so far been prevented. The treatment of patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), including SARS-CoV‑2 infections, should continue to be based on evidence-based CAP guidelines during the pandemic; however, COVID-19 specific adjustments are useful. The treatment of patients with chronic lung diseases has to be adapted during the pandemic but must still be guaranteed.
Mechanisms behind altered pulsatile intracranial pressure in idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus: role of vascular pulsatility and systemic hemodynamic variables
Authors: Evensen Karen Brastad , Eide Per Kristian
Published: June 2020

Background

The dementia subtype idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH) has unknown etiology, but one characteristic is elevated intracranial pressure (ICP) wave amplitudes in those individuals who respond with clinical improvement following cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) diversion. To explore the mechanisms behind altered ICP wave amplitudes, we correlated central aortic blood pressure (BP) and ICP waveform amplitudes (intracranial aortic amplitude correlation) and examined how this correlation relates to ICP wave amplitude levels and systemic hemodynamic parameters.

Methods

The study included 29 patients with probable iNPH who underwent continuous multi-hour measurement of ICP, radial artery BP, and systemic hemodynamic parameters. The radial artery BP waveforms were used to estimate central aortic BP waveforms, and the intracranial aortic amplitude correlation was determined over consecutive 4-min periods.

Results

The average intracranial aortic amplitude correlation was 0.28 ± 0.16 at the group level. In the majority of iNPH patients, the intracranial aortic amplitude correlation was low, while in about 1/5 patients, the correlation was rather high (average Pearson correlation coefficient > 0.4). The degree of correlation was hardly influenced by systemic hemodynamic parameters.

Conclusions

In about 1/5 iNPH patients of this study, the intracranial aortic amplitude correlation (IAACAORTIC) was rather high (average Pearson correlation coefficient > 0.4), suggesting that cerebrovascular factors to some extent may affect the ICP wave amplitudes in a subset of patients. However, in 14/19 (74%) iNPH patients with elevated ICP wave amplitudes, the intracranial aortic amplitude correlation was low, indicating that the ICP pulse amplitude in most iNPH patients is independent of central vascular excitation, ergo it is modulated by local cerebrospinal physiology. In support of this assumption, the intracranial aortic amplitude correlation was not related to most systemic hemodynamic variables. An exception was found for a subgroup of the patients with high systemic vascular resistance, where there was a correlation.
Ontologies for finding journalistic angles
Authors: Opdahl Andreas L. , Tessem Bjørnar
Published: June 2020

Journalism relies more and more on information and communication technology (ICT). ICT-basedjournalistic knowledge platformscontinuously harvest potentially news-relevant information from the Internet and make it useful for journalists. Because information about the same event is available from different sources and formats vary widely,knowledge graphsare emerging as a preferred technology for integrating, enriching, and preparing information for journalistic use. The paper explores how journalistic knowledge graphs can be augmented with support fornews angles, which can help journalists to detect newsworthy events and make them interesting for the intended audience. We argue that finding newsworthy angles on news-related information is an important example of a topical problem in information science: that of detecting interesting events and situations in big data sets and presenting those events and situations in interesting ways.
UNESCO Global Geoparks: Rechtsinstrumente der Unterschutzstellung im deutschen Recht – Analyse und
Empfehlungen
Authors: Wolf Rainer , Köck Wolfgang
Published: June 2020

UNESCO-Geoparks sind neben den Weltnaturerbestätten und den Weltkulturerbestätten eine weitere
Kategorie der internationalen Anerkennung besonders qualifizierter Stätten und Landschaften. Der Beitrag
untersucht die Unterschutzstellungsoptionen für Geoparks im deutschen Recht, dabei werden unterschiedliche
Rechtsinstrumente des Fachrechts und der Raumordnung betrachtet und vergleichend bewertet. Ein besonderes
Augenmerk gilt der Frage, ob und ggf. unter welchen Voraussetzungen Erneuerbare Energien-Projekte Einfluss
auf die Anerkennung von Geoparks haben können.
Flächenverbrauch im Recht: 30-Hektar-Ziel und Flächenzertifikatehandel
Authors: Hamacher Hendrik
Published: June 2020

Die Problematik des Flächenverbrauches ist seit Jahrzehnten in Deutschland bekannt. Zugleich
wird diese in Politik und Gesellschaft nur geringfügig berücksichtigt. Dabei ist der Schutz und
der nachhaltige Umgang der Ressource Fläche aus vielfältigen Gründen von immenser Bedeutung.
Gleichwohl führen die gegenwärtigen Methoden und Instrumente nicht dazu, die politisch verabschiedeten
Ziele zu erreichen. Im Rahmen dieses Beitrages werden auf Grundlage der aktuellen Gegebenheiten, neue Möglichkeiten
zur Reduzierung des Flächenverbrauches beschrieben und deren Umsetzbarkeit untersucht. Hierbei stehen
der Flächenzertifikatehandel, der in einem Modellversuch seine Praxistauglichkeit bewiesen hat und
die Etablierung des 30-Hektar-Ziels im ROG im Mittelpunkt.
The Erogenous Mirror: Intersubjective and Multisensory Maps of Sexual Arousal in Men and Women
Authors: Maister Lara , Fotopoulou Aikaterini , Turnbull Oliver , Tsakiris Manos
Published: June 2020

Erogenous zones of the body are sexually arousing when touched. Previous investigations of erogenous zones were restricted to the effects of touch on one’s own body. However, sexual interactions do not just involve being touched, but also involve touching a partner and mutually looking at each other’s bodies. We take a novel interpersonal approach to characterize the self-reported intensity and distribution of erogenous zones in two modalities: touch and vision. A large internet sample of 613 participants (407 women) completed a questionnaire, where they rated intensity of sexual arousal related to different body parts, both on one’s own body and on an imagined partner’s body in response to being touched but also being looked at. We report the presence of a multimodal erogenous mirror between sexual partners, as we observed clear correspondences in topographic distributions of self-reported arousal between individuals’ own bodies and their preferences for a partner’s body, as well as between those elicited by imagined touch and vision. The erogenous body is therefore organized and represented in an interpersonal and multisensory way.
A new non-invasive in situ underwater DNA sampling method for estimating genetic diversity
Authors: Balázs Gergely , Vörös Judit , Lewarne Brian , Herczeg Gábor
Published: June 2020

DNA-based methods form the cornerstone of contemporary evolutionary biology and they are highly valued tools in conservation biology. The development of non-invasive sampling methods can be crucial for both gathering sample sizes needed for robust ecological inference and to avoid a negative impact on small and/or endangered populations. Such sampling is particularly challenging in working with aquatic organisms, if the goal is to minimize disturbance and to avoid even temporary removal of individuals from their home range. We developed an in situ underwater method of DNA sampling and preservation that can be applied during diving in less than a minute of animal handling. We applied the method on a Herzegovinian population of olm (Proteus anguinus, Caudata), an endangered aquatic cave-dwelling vertebrate, which makes it an excellent model to test the method under the harshest conditions. We sampled 22 adults during cave-diving and extracted sufficient quantity and quality of DNA from all individuals. We amplified 10 species-specific microsatellite loci, with PCR success varying between 6 and 10 loci (median: 7 loci). Fragment length analyses on 9 loci revealed a single allele at all loci across all individuals. This is in stark contrast to four Croatian populations studied with the same 10 loci previously that showed high within-population genetic variation. Our population and the four Croatian populations were genetically highly divergent. We propose that our method can be widely used to sample endangered aquatic populations, or in projects where the disturbance of individuals must be kept minimal for conservation and scientific purposes.
Digital piracy and the perception of price fairness: evidence from a field experiment
Authors: Kukla-Gryz Anna , Tyrowicz Joanna , Krawczyk Michał
Published: June 2020

We study a relationship between perceived price fairness and digital piracy. In a large-scale field experiment on customers of a leading ebook store, we employ the Bayesian truth serum to elicit the information on acquiring books from unauthorized sources (often referred to as digital piracy). We provide empirical evidence in support of the conjecture that willingness to “pirate” is associated with having experienced subjective overpricing. We propose and verify the relevance of two mechanisms behind this link: reactance theory and moral cleansing/licensing. The results indicate that pricing policy perceived as fair may reduce the scope for digital piracy.
Concentration Inequalities for Bounded Functionals via Log-Sobolev-Type Inequalities
Authors: Götze Friedrich , Sambale Holger , Sinulis Arthur
Published: June 2020

In this paper, we prove multilevel concentration inequalities for bounded functionals$$f = f(X_1, \ldots , X_n)$$f=f(X1,…,Xn)of random variables$$X_1, \ldots , X_n$$X1,…,Xnthat are either independent or satisfy certain logarithmic Sobolev inequalities. The constants in the tail estimates depend on the operator norms ofk-tensors of higher order differences off. We provide applications for both dependent and independent random variables. This includes deviation inequalities for empirical processes$$f(X) = \sup _{g \in {\mathcal {F}}} {|g(X)|}$$f(X)=supg∈F|g(X)|and suprema of homogeneous chaos in bounded random variables in the Banach space case$$f(X) = \sup _{t} {\Vert \sum _{i_1 \ne \ldots \ne i_d} t_{i_1 \ldots i_d} X_{i_1} \cdots X_{i_d}\Vert }_{{\mathcal {B}}}$$f(X)=supt‖∑i1≠…≠idti1…idXi1⋯Xid‖B. The latter application is comparable to earlier results of Boucheron, Bousquet, Lugosi, and Massart and provides the upper tail bounds of Talagrand. In the case of Rademacher random variables, we give an interpretation of the results in terms of quantities familiar in Boolean analysis. Further applications are concentration inequalities forU-statistics with bounded kernelshand for the number of triangles in an exponential random graph model.
The Effects of Cognitive Training on Brain Network Activity and Connectivity in Aging and Neurodegenerative Diseases: a Systematic Review
Authors: van Balkom Tim D. , van den Heuvel Odile A. , Berendse Henk W. , van der Werf Ysbrand D. , Vriend Chris
Published: June 2020

Cognitive training (CT) is an increasingly popular, non-pharmacological intervention for improving cognitive functioning in neurodegenerative diseases and healthy aging. Although meta-analyses support the efficacy of CT in improving cognitive functioning, the neural mechanisms underlying the effects of CT are still unclear. We performed a systematic review of literature in the PubMed, Embase and PsycINFO databases on controlled CT trials (N > 20) in aging and neurodegenerative diseases with pre- and post-training functional MRI outcomes up to November 23rd 2018 (PROSPERO registration number CRD42019103662). Twenty articles were eligible for our systematic review. We distinguished between multi-domain and single-domain CT. CT induced both increases and decreases in task-related functional activation, possibly indicative of an inverted U-shaped curve association between regional brain activity and task performance. Functional connectivity within ‘cognitive’ brain networks was consistently reported to increase after CT while a minority of studies additionally reported increased segregation of frontoparietal and default mode brain networks. Although we acknowledge the large heterogeneity in type of CT, imaging methodology, in-scanner task paradigm and analysis methods between studies, we propose a working model of the effects of CT on brain activity and connectivity in the context of current knowledge on compensatory mechanisms that are associated with aging and neurodegenerative diseases.