bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Age Cutoff for Early‐Onset Parkinson's Disease: Recommendations from the International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society Task Force on Early Onset Parkinson's Disease
Authors: Mehanna Raja , Smilowska Katarzyna , Fleisher Jori , Post Bart , Hatano Taku , Pimentel Piemonte Maria Elisa , Kumar Kishore Raj , McConvey Victor , Zhang Baorong , Tan Eng‐King , Savica Rodolfo ,   the International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society Task Force on Early Onset Parkinson's Disease
Published: July 2022

Background

Early‐onset Parkinson's disease (EOPD)/young‐onset Parkinson's disease (YOPD) is defined as Parkinson's disease (PD) with an age at onset (AAO) after age 21 years but before the usual AAO for PD. Consensus is lacking, and the reported maximal age for EOPD/YOPD has varied from 40 to 60 years, leading to a lack of uniformity in published studies and difficulty in harmonization of data. EOPD and YOPD have both been used in the literature, somewhat interchangeably.

Objective

To define the nomenclature and AAO cutoff for EOPD/YOPD.

Methods

An extensive review of the literature and task force meetings were conducted. Conclusions were reached by consensus.

Results

First, the literature has seen a shift from the use of YOPD toward EOPD. This seems motivated by an attempt to avoid age‐related stigmatization of patients. Second, in defining EOPD, 56% of the countries use 50 or 51 years as the cutoff age. Third, the majority of international genetic studies in PD use an age cutoff of younger than 50 years to define EOPD. Fourth, many studies suggest that changes in the estrogen level can affect the predisposition to develop PD, making the average age at menopause of 50 years an important factor to consider when defining EOPD. Fifth, considering the differential impact of the AAO of PD on professional and social life, using 50 years as the upper cutoff for the definition of EOPD seems reasonable.

Conclusions

This task force recommends the use of EOPD rather than YOPD. It defines EOPD as PD with AAO after 21 years but before 50 years.
A highly accurate matrix method for solving a class of strongly nonlinear BVP arising in modeling of human shape corneal
Authors: Abbasi Zahra , Izadi Mohammad , Hosseini Mohammad Mehdi
Published: July 2022

This research study presents a novel highly accurate matrix approach for numerical treatments of a strongly nonlinear boundary value problem occurring in the modeling of the corneal shape of the human eye. Using the technique of quasilinearization, the nonlinear model is reduced into a sequence of linearized problems. Then, a spectral collocation procedure based on novel shifted Vieta‐Fibonacci (SVF) is applied to transform each subproblem into a linear algebraic system of equations. An upper bound for the error is provided, and convergence analysis of the SVF series solution in the weighted norm is discussed. The technique of error correction is used to improve the SVF polynomial solutions by means of the residual error function. Various numerical tests are provided to demonstrate the accuracy and efficiency of the presented collocation algorithm. The validation of the proposed approach is shown by comparison with available existing numerical solutions.
Depletion of d‐ and l‐asparagine in cerebrospinal fluid in acute lymphoblastic leukemia during PEGasparaginase therapy
Authors: Brigitha Leiah J. , Pieters Rob , Struys Eduard A. , Bakkali Abdellatif , van der Sluis Inge M.
Published: July 2022

Background

l‐Asparaginase hydrolyzes l‐asparagine and not its enantiomer d‐asparagine. Unlike l‐asparagine, d‐asparagine is nonessential for the survival of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) cells. Studies showed that serum asparagine is depleted below 0.5 μM in ≥96% of the patients during pegylated Escherichia coli l‐asparaginase (PEGasparaginase) treatment; however, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) asparagine levels are depleted in only 20%–30% of the patients. Thus far, studies only reported the total CSF asparagine (sum of d‐ and l‐asparagine) concentrations. Data on the pharmacological goal, which is l‐asparagine depletion, are lacking.

Method

Therefore, we studied this in 30 patients (95 samples) with newly diagnosed ALL. They received two doses of PEGasparaginase on day 4 and 18 in induction.

Results

Median age at diagnosis was 5.7 years (range 1.5–17.1 years). d‐Asparagine and l‐asparagine concentrations (median (range)) before PEGasparaginase treatment were 0.038 (0.0–0.103) μM and 6.1 (1.82–11.5) μM, respectively. CSF l‐asparagine concentrations were reduced by 85% (76%–100%) and approximately one‐third of the patients (32%) had CSF l‐asparagine depletion below 0.5 μM 11 days after the second PEGasparaginase dose administration. CSF d‐asparagine and l‐glutamine levels remained stable before and after administration of PEGasparaginase. The percentage of d‐asparagine as a fraction of total asparagine (sum of d‐ and l‐asparagine) was 0.62% before and 4.5% after PEGasparaginase treatment. No correlation was found between higher serum PEGasparaginase activity and CSF l‐asparagine concentration.

Conclusion

l‐Asparagine is not a better parameter than total asparagine in CSF due to the negligible amount of d‐asparagine in the CSF before and after PEGasparaginase treatment.
Acute retigabine‐induced effects on myelinated motor axons in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Authors: Sleutjes Boudewijn T. H. M. , Stikvoort García Diederik J. L. , Kovalchuk Maria O. , Heuberger Jules A. A. C. , Groeneveld Geert Jan , Franssen Hessel , van den Berg Leonard H.
Published: July 2022

Altered motor neuron excitability in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) has been suggested to be an early pathophysiological mechanism associated with motor neuron death. Compounds that affect membrane excitability may therefore have disease‐modifying effects. Through which mechanism(s), these compounds modulate membrane excitability is mostly provided by preclinical studies, yet remains challenging to verify in clinical studies. Here, we investigated how retigabine affects human myelinated motor axons by applying computational modeling to interpret the complex excitability changes in a recent trial involving 18 ALS patients. Compared to baseline, the post‐dose excitability differences were modeled well by a hyperpolarizing shift of the half‐activation potential of slow potassium (K+)‐channels (till 2 mV). These findings verify that retigabine targets slow K+‐channel gating and highlight the usefulness of computational models. Further developments of this approach may facilitate the identification of early target engagement and ultimately aid selecting responders leading to more personalized treatment strategies.
Building proactive organizational resilience against the risk of major process safety incidents
Authors: Qureshi Muhammad Mushahid R.
Published: July 2022

Major process safety incidents remain a key challenge to all industries involved in the handling, processing, manufacturing and transport of hazardous materials, including hydrocarbons. Over the past decade, there have been a number of incidents that have led to significant changes in the manner in which major industrial incidents are perceived and managed. Many companies adopt a traditional risk‐based approach when managing hazards. Larger organizations, such as oil and gas and petrochemical companies, can benefit from a proactive enterprise risk management (ERM) approach to build organizational resilience against potential threats to the business. While general risk management practices are focused on facility/asset level risks, the ERM approach offers a broader perspective when evaluating risks faced by businesses. The approach is flexible, dynamic, and cyclic in nature and provides a structured solution to the constantly evolving business risk environment. The results are intended to provide company executives with “a boardroom preview” of the risks faced and managed by the organization. This paper highlights the practical application of a six‐step ERM framework when assessing, analyzing, and recommending mitigation measures to bridge gaps related to managing major process safety risks. In addition, a structured methodology for the development and utilization of key risk indicators intended for continuous monitoring of process safety risks at a corporate level will be shared. Lessons learned from conducting this exercise will be discussed with practical advice on how to overcome commonly faced barriers.
Photocatalytic Degradation Performance of Fluorine and Nitrogen Co‐doped TiO2/AC Composites over Printing and Dyeing Wastewater under Visible‐Light Irradiation
Authors: Chen Zhen , Zhu Yingying , Xu Yang , Xia Zhenguo , Li Xinbao
Published: July 2022

Printing and dyeing wastewater is one of the difficult wastewater to treat because of its complex composition, difficult degradation, high color and high concentration of organic matter. At present, photocatalysis, a chemical treatment method, is playing an increasingly important role in the field of printing and dyeing wastewater treatment. To improve the photocatalytic degradation efficiency of TiO2 on printing and dyeing wastewater, F−N‐TiO2/AC composite photocatalysts were prepared by loading titanium dioxide (TiO2) particles onto activated carbon (AC) using an impregnation‐hydrothermal method and co‐doping with fluorine and nitrogen. The characterization results showed that the TiO2 particles were loaded onto the surface and pores of AC, which increased the specific surface area of the composite and the average particle size of the TiO2 particles was reduced by the co‐doping of fluorine and nitrogen. Using methyl orange solution to simulate dye wastewater, the highest degradation efficiency (100 %) of methyl orange was achieved via F−N‐TiO2/AC composite photocatalysts when the F/TiO2 molar ratio was 0.3 and N/TiO2 molar ratio was 0.5. The rate of adsorption reaction for methyl orange by F−N‐TiO2/AC followed the pseudo second‐order kinetic. The effects of the catalyst dosage, environmental pH and interferences in water on the degradation efficiency of the F−N‐TiO2/AC composite photocatalyst were then investigated. The photocatalytic degradation of methyl orange is well fitted by a first‐order kinetic model and the degradation rate is 0.09616 min−1, which is about 6 times higher than that of TiO2/AC composites. Meanwhile, the F−N‐TiO2/AC composite photocatalyst had good recycling performance and the degradation efficiency toward methyl orange was still >80 % after five times of repeated use.
Annulation of the Ugi Products Using Palladium Catalysts
Authors: Bagheri Maedeh , Mohammadsaeed Shirin , Gholamzadeh Parisa
Published: July 2022

For almost half a century of efforts to make them, the importance of Ugi products has substantially expanded because they are used as precursors for the synthesis of more complex structures, such as peptides, amino acids, pharmaceutical compounds, and heterocycles. Through the introduction of a double or triple bond along with a carbon‐halide bond in the starting materials, the Ugi adduct can be cyclized through Pd‐catalyzed intramolecular reactions to create sophisticated heterocycles. This article discusses the role of palladium in the catalytic cyclization of the Ugi adducts and covers the published research from 2000 to 2022. Moreover, the proposed mechanisms of Pd‐catalyzed annulation of Ugi adducts are also reviewed.
Preconcentration of Four Benzodiazepines Using a Magnetic Adsorbent Based on Fe3O4/Octanoic Acid Nanocomposite, and Their Quantification by HPLC‐UV
Authors: Azari Zhila , Pourbasheer Eslam , Bahar Shahriyar , Abdolmohammad‐Zadeh Hossein , Ganjali Mohammad Reza
Published: July 2022

The aim of this study is to apply the magnetic solid phase extraction and high performance liquid chromatography equipped with an ultraviolet detector for the simultaneous extraction of four mostly utilized kinds of drugs, Benzodiazepines, as acidic and basic drugs. Fe3O4/octanoic acid nanocomposite as adsorbent was synthesized during the facile one‐pot co‐precipitation method. The morphological, structural and magnetic characterization of the synthesized nanomaterial was carried out by different techniques. Main parameters, influencing the magnetic solid‐phase extraction efficiency, such as pH, the amount of Hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (HTAB), adsorbent amount, ionic strength, extraction time, and desorption conditions were optimized. To quantify the trace amounts of drugs, least amount of methanol was used for the proper elution and better preconcentration, while batch technique of extraction was used too. Under the optimized extraction conditions, the method proved to be effective due to the good linearity (10–5000 ng mL−1), low limits of detection (1.5–12.0 ng mL−1), and relatively high enrichment factors (118–132). The method was applied for monitoring of the benzodiazepines in urine, hair and water samples. In addition, the relative standard deviation was determined around 1.7–6.5, and the intra‐ and inter‐day precisions for five replications found lower 5 and 7 %, respectively. All attained results bring the suggested method in comparison with other before utilized methods.
Visible Light Driven Photodegradation of Pathological Effluents and Biological Evaluation of Green ZnO Nanoparticles
Authors: Peddada Lakshmi Madhuri , Sagurthi Someswar Rao , Guguloth Vijaya Charan , Annapragada Ratnamala , Kanuparthy Phani Raja
Published: July 2022

ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) are biosynthesized for the first time with the aqueous wheatgrass extract (WGE) using the solution combustion method. The synthesized nanoparticles were characterized by XRD, SEM, TEM, DLS, TGA, UV‐Vis. and FTIR. The synthesized ZnO NPs were crystalline, having a wurtzite structure, with an average particle size of 25 nm, confirmed from TEM and DLS. The biosynthesized ZnO NPs from WGE has shown excellent activity against Gram‐positive and Gram‐negative bacteria. They also exhibited good antioxidant and anti‐inflammatory activities with IC50 value of 4.63 μg/mL. When treated with MCF‐7 cell lines, these biosynthesized WGE ZnO NPs have shown a remarkable decline in the cell viability with IC50 value of 44.67 μg/mL. Under the visible light, crystal violet and safranin stains have shown excellent degradation at neutral pH without any reductant, indicating that these green WGE ZnO NPs can serve as a potential photocatalyst in treating wastewater effluents.
Enhanced Methanol Electrooxidation Performance Based on Pt Cluster‐Decorated CuCoO2 on Carbon
Authors: Xing Wanpei , Kong Lingwei , Zhang Xulei , Zhang Yan , Tu Xi , Yu Jia , Yang Jianhua , Zhou Chao , Zhu Wenhuan , Huang Jun
Published: July 2022

Nowadays, the high cost and poor durability of commercial catalyst Pt/C for methanol oxidation reaction have impeded the further development of direct methanol fuel cells. Herein, we firstly introduced a delafossite CuCoO2 to act as the support of noble metal Pt. The strong metal support interaction between Pt and CuCoO2, abundant hydroxide species and active sites on the surface of catalyst may be the key factors for enhanced performances of methanol oxidation. Pt‐CuCoO2/C achieved a mass activity of 1.16 A mgPt−1, which obtained 3.02 times enhancement compared with commercial Pt/C (0.38 A mgPt−1). The If/Ib value of Pt‐CuCoO2/C is 1.96, much higher than that of Pt/C (0.76), demonstrating favorable anti‐poisoning ability. After 200 times cycling, Pt‐CuCoO2/C still maintained 77.1 % of its initial activity, exhibiting superior COads intermediate tolerance and stability. Low cost, better performances and stability of Pt‐CuCoO2/C reveal that it can be seen as a hopeful catalyst.
Utilization of Waste and Renewable Material‐HCM as an Efficient Adsorbent for Heavy Metal Ions Removal: A Study of Adsorption Isotherms and Kinetics**
Authors: Aulakh Manpreet K , Kaur Harpreet , Bansal Mehak , Pal Bonamali , Singh Satnam
Published: July 2022

This work describes the method of extraction and characterization of hardness causing materials (HCM) from boiling tap water via distillation assembly. The obtained white colored powered material was then calcined at different temperatures. It was revealed that powder residue was mainly consisted of calcium carbonate at room temperature and decomposed majorly to CaO, confirmed using XRD, when calcined at 900 °C for about 4 h. Moreover, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) showed single‐step decomposition in case of HCM‐900 °C whereas two‐step decomposition was observed for both HCM‐400 °C and HCM without calcination which can attributed to release of CO2 from CaCO3 and then decomposition of CaO in later cases. The SEM images showed crumbled type structure, flaked structure and disintegrated small‐sized round shaped agglomerated particles for HCM‐25 °C, HCM‐400 °C and HCM‐900 °C. In addition, the impact of adsorption of different heavy metal ions (Mn7+, Cr6+ and Ni2+) over HCM with different time intervals was studied. The Langmuir adsorption isotherm is the best fit adsorption isotherm for this work. The kinetics studies follow the second order reaction. The results revealed that the Mn7+ adsorbs at higher efficiency among all the metal ions at negatively charged surface of HCM‐ 900°C due to higher oxidation state of Mn7+.
Exciton Dynamics of MEH‐PPV polymer based Nanocomposites: Effect of Molecular Orbital Energy Levels of Nanoparticles**
Authors: Ashok Kumar Sangeetha , Periyasamy Bhuvana K
Published: July 2022

Exploring and investigating the strategies to improve quantum efficiency and photostability of light‐emitting polymers in polymer light‐emitting diodes is significantly an important topic of research. Thus this study endeavours towards the determination of the role of molecular orbital energy levels of metal oxide nanoparticles on the performance characteristics of hybrid nanocomposites. This work attempts to vary the proportions of zirconium dioxide (ZrO2) nanoparticles in nanocomposites of poly[2‐methoxy‐5‐(2’‐ethylhexyloxy)‐1,4‐phenylenevinylene] (MEH‐PPV), which leads to a six‐fold enhancement of luminescence quantum efficiency and increased radiative recombination rate due to an appropriate energy level alignment. An improvement in photostability was also reported due to a reduction in polymer chain defects, inhibition of moisture intervention and most importantly, impediment of the photo‐oxidation by controlling the triplet exciton dynamics. Thus, efforts are made to validate the role of energy levels of ZrO2nanoparticles in improving the luminescence quantum efficiency and photostability of MEH‐PPV compared to ZnO incorporated MEH‐PPV.
Construction of Three‐Dimensional In‐Zn‐Cd‐S Composite Materials and Their Visible‐Light Catalytic Performance
Authors: Gong Xiaoyu , Li Zhiqiang , Yu Minghui , Yu Hao , Wang Shuang , Shao Hongyu , Cheng Yuye , Dou Minghao , Li Danni , Li Shenjie , Chen Yanyan
Published: July 2022

In this paper, a simple template‐free one‐step hydrothermal method was used to construct three‐dimensional In−Zn−Cd−S composite materials. By changing the ratio of In3+/(Zn2++Cd2+) and controlling the band gap of semiconductor, a novel efficient and stable photocatalyst was designed. In−Zn−Cd−S composite showed good adsorption capacity and photocatalytic activity. When In3+/(Zn2++Cd2+) was equal to 1/5, the photocatalytic activity of the composite was the highest. The degradation rate of RhB could reach 92.6 % within 5 min, and 97.6 % after 15 min. The results of cyclic experiments show that the IZCS‐4 catalyst has good cyclic performance and structural stability. According to the free radical capture experiment, the main effect of IZCS‐4 on the photodegradation of organic pollutants is H+ and ⋅O2−. The enhanced photocatalytic activity of the alloy semiconductor material is mainly because it can effectively separate the photogenerated carriers and successfully inhibit the photocorrosion of In2S3 monomer.
Molecular Characterization of a South American Yellow Dye Source: Cosmos Sulphureus
Authors: Sabatini Francesca , Alcantara‐Garcia Jocelyn , Degano Ilaria
Published: July 2022

Determining the dye source used in ancient coloured textiles is challenging, especially if little information is available on the raw materials or traditional recipes of the geographical area. This is the case of South American dye sources and particularly of yellow ones, the widest and highest photo‐sensitive class. In this work, Cosmos sulphureus, an annual plant whose flowers were used for dyeing in nuances of red to yellow, was analysed. The petal content was analysed by high‐pressure liquid chromatography with a diode array detector (HPLC‐DAD) and high‐resolution mass spectrometer (HPLC‐HRMS) and sixteen compounds were identified, some of which had never been reported in Cosmos sulphureus. Not mordanted and mordanted yarns, dyed with Cosmos sulphureus petal extract and artificially aged, were analysed to assess the role played by the mordant and ageing. The information pointed at Cosmos sulphureus as the dye source in a yellow Chimú / Chancay textile (1000‐1047 AD).
Green Lewis Acid Catalysis in Organic Reactions
Authors: Bayat Mohammad , Gheidari Davood
Published: July 2022

To development of environmentally friendly catalysts, Lewis acids water‐stable catalysts, and Lewis acid‐surfactant‐combined catalysts, can be used for reactions in water.
Metallochromic Hydrazone‐Based Chemosensor with Application in a Colorimetric Paper Strip for Selective Detection of Cu2+
Authors: Sharmoukh Walid , Abdelrahman Meram S. , Shaban Elkhabiry , Khattab Tawfik A.
Published: July 2022

A new tricyanofuranhydrazone‐based colorimetric chemosensor (TCFH) was synthesized and immobilized onto paper strips for selective detection of Cu2+ in aqueous environments. The synthesis strategy of TCFH involved an azo‐coupling process between the diazonium salt of 8‐aminoquinoline and an active methyl‐bearing tricyanofuran (TCF) heterocyclic moiety. Due to intramolecular charge transfer, TCFH chromophore demonstrated pronounced solvatochromism depending on the solvent polarity. Changes in both color and UV‐Vis absorption spectra demonstrated by the developed chemosensor proved that TCFH can be utilized to detect Cu2+ in the presence of other competing metallic cations and anions. The synthesized TCFH probe, which contains a hydrazone recognition moiety, demonstrates dramatic solvatochromic activity and high selectivity at the microlevel of copper ions with a color shift from yellow to purple. Moreover, test strips of TCFH were successfully developed and applied for the detection of copper ions at different concentrations in aqueous media. The colorimetric properties of the prepared TCFH‐immobilized paper strips were investigated by CIE Lab chromogenic parameters, colorimetric strength (K/S) and UV‐Vis absorbance spectra. The best detection of Cu2+ was achieved in the pH range of 6.6–7.4 demonstrating an immediate color switch relying on the total content of Cu2+. SEM was applied to characterize the deposition of tricyanofuranhydrazone onto the surface of the paper strip.
Synthesis of Coumarin 3‐aldehyde Derivatives via Photocatalytic Cascade Radical Cyclization‐Hydrolysis
Authors: Li Haiyan , Chen Long , Wang Tao , Xiong Fei
Published: July 2022

New synthetic method of coumarins 3‐aldehyde via visible light stimulation and oxidation promotion cascade radical cyclization/hydrolysis process is reported. this reaction involves a two‐step procedure, the 1,3‐dioxolane radical is initiated in situ from 1,3‐dioxolane via the excited Ru(bpy)3Cl2 and oxidant TBHP, subsequently an addition to triple bond of various alkynes produces vinyl radicals, the radical intermediates can smoothly convert to coumarin 3‐aldehyde via tandem cyclization/acidic hydrolysis process in good to excellent yields. Furthermore, the synthetic application valuable of coumarin 3‐aldehyde is also evaluated in this work.
Bromine‐Mediated C‐S Bond Formation: Synthesis of Thiazoles from α‐Methylene Ketones by Using Oxone Oxidative System
Authors: Wang Xingyi , Zhu Yue , Zhou Tingting , Yang Weiqing , Fu Haiyan , Chen Hua , Ma Menglin
Published: July 2022

A novel method for the synthesis of various 2,4,5‐trisubstituted thiazoles from methylketones and thiourea/thioacetamide/amidinothiourea using NaBr/Oxone oxidative system has been developed. The three intimately connected advantages of this method, which form a whole, are that the reaction underwent a one‐pot α‐bromination/cyclization process, the use of more common methylene ketones as the raw material rather than α‐halomethylene ketones and a cheap and easily available catalytic amount sodium bromide as the bromine source instead of stoichiometric bromine or NBS.
Gold‐Catalyzed Synthesis of Spirocycles: Recent Advances
Authors: Ganguly Somnath , Bhakta Sayantika , Ghosh Tapas
Published: July 2022

Different types of gold‐catalysts with additives yielded high enantioselective and stereoselective spiro carbocyclic and spiro heterocyclic scaffolds. Gold‐catalyzed spirocyclization proceeds through key intermediates like gold‐alkyne and gold‐allene complex which give direct access to spiro products via cyclization, dearomatization, hydroamination, hydroalkoxylation, cascade reaction, etc. This review article aims to provide an overview of gold‐catalyzed reactions for the formation of spirocycles from various substrates, mentioning methodologies, applications, and mechanistic insights.
Revisiting Classical Pummerer Cyclization Reaction: A Key Strategy for the Synthesis of (±)‐Quinagolide
Authors: Chavan Subhash P. , Kawale Sanket A. , Tripathi Anupam , Kadam Appasaheb L. , Gonnade Rajesh G.
Published: July 2022

A formal synthesis of (±)‐quinagolide using β‐alanine as a starting material has been achieved. Late stage intramolecular classical Pummerer reaction has been used as a key synthetic tool to construct octahydrobenzo[g]quinoline skeleton of quinagolide. Conjugative reduction of olefin, regioselective C‐alkylation over O‐alkylation of β‐ketoester followed by retro‐Dieckmann/ Dieckmann reaction sequence has been used as a key reaction sequence to achieve prerequisite sulfoxide for the Pummerer reaction. While revisiting the classical Pummerer reaction, the one‐pot sequential thionium ion induced cyclocarbamation followed by N‐carbamate deprotection and Friedel‐Crafts type Pummerer cyclization was observed as an important finding of the present work.
Naphthol green B Removal using a Novel Hydrogel Composite: Thermodynamics, Isotherms, Kinetics and Optimization by RSM
Authors: Pıhtılı Güzin , Tanyol Mehtap , Birkan Kubra
Published: July 2022

In this study, the efficiency of the Poly(4‐vinylpyridine‐co‐acrylamide) doped with EuCl3 {(Poly(4‐VP‐co‐AAM)/EuCl3)} hydrogel synthesized in the laboratory by free radical in‐situ polymerization method in removing naphthol green B (NGB) from wastewater was investigated. The structural properties of the adsorbent have been described by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT‐IR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X‐ray diffraction (XRD) analyses. The dependence of NGB adsorption performance on varying such as the amount of adsorbent, initial NGB concentration and contact time were investigated in a batch system. To determine the interaction effects of the selected parameters on the adsorption process and to optimize the adsorption capacity of the process, the central composite design (CCD) in the response surface methodology (RSM) was used. Optimum conditions were found to be 110 mg/L NGB concentration, 0.05 g/100 mL Poly(4‐VP‐co‐AAM)/EuCl3/EuCl3 dosage and 165.81 min contact time. The adsorption capacity and removal efficiency under these conditions were 206.46 mg/g and 92.50 %, respectively. Experimental equilibrium data were in better agreement with the Langmuir isotherm. The kinetic results indicated that the adsorption process can be defined by pseudo‐second‐order kinetic with internal diffusion as one of the rate‐determining steps. The adsorption process was found to be exothermic and spontaneous. Experimental results showed that dye can be successfully removed from wastewaters using Poly(4‐VP‐co‐AAM)/EuCl3 hydrogel as adsorbent.
Polycrystalline InGaO Thin‐Film Transistors with Coplanar Structure Exhibiting Average Mobility of ≈78 cm2V‐1s‐1and Excellent Stability for Replacing Current Poly‐Si Thin‐Film Transistors for Organic Light‐Emitting Diode Displays
Authors: Rabbi Md. Hasnat , Lee Suhui , Sasaki Daichi , Kawashima Emi , Tsuruma Yuki , Jang Jin
Published: July 2022

Highly ordered polycrystalline indium gallium oxide (PC‐IGO) film is obtained by the crystallization of room temperature sputtered amorphous IGO on a hot plate at 350 °C for 1 h and then annealed for 1 h in an N2O environment. A high‐density PC‐IGO of ≈7.15 g cm−3with reduced oxygen vacancy (≈14.83%) and hydroxyl (OH) related defects (≈10.96%) has been obtained by N2O annealing. Self‐aligned coplanar thin‐film transistor (TFT) with the PC‐IGO exhibits the average saturation mobility of 78.73 cm2V−1s−1, threshold voltage of −1.07 V, subthreshold swing of 0.147 V dec−1, and the on/off current ratio of over 108. The TFTs show excellent stability under bias‐temperature stress with a negligible threshold voltage shift (ΔVTH) of + 0.1 and −0.1 V for the positive and negative bias stresses, respectively. The TFTs exhibit very stable environmental stability when the TFTs are stored under high humidity (85%) and a high temperature (85 °C) for 2 days. The ring oscillator and the gate driver mode of the PC‐IGO TFTs exhibit the propagation delay of 7.44 ns/stage with rising/falling times of less than 0.7 μs, respectively. Therefore, the PC‐IGO TFTs are suitable for large area, high‐resolution active‐matrix organic, and inorganic light‐emitting diodes displays.
Tailoring cobalt‐free La0.5Sr0.5FeO3‐δ cathode with a nonmetal cation‐doping strategy for high‐performance proton‐conducting solid oxide fuel cells
Authors: Yin Yanru , Dai Hailu , Yu Shoufu , Bi Lei , Traversa Enrico
Published: July 2022

A nonmetal doping strategy was exploited for the conventional La0.5Sr0.5FeO3‐δ (LSF) cathode, allowing high performance for proton‐conducting solid oxide fuel cells (H‐SOFCs). Unlike previous studies focusing on the utilization of metal oxides as dopants, phosphorus, which is a nonmetal element, was used as the cation dopant for LSF by partially replacing Fe ions to form the new La0.5Sr0.5Fe0.9P0.1O3‐δ (LSFP) compound. The H‐SOFC using the LSFP cathode showed a two‐fold peak power density as compared to that using the LSF cathode. Both experimental studies and first‐principle calculations were used to unveil the mechanisms for the high performance of the LSFP cells.
Allometric Changes and Shape Comparisons of Two Southwestern Sucker Species and Their Hybrids Using a Geometric Morphometric Approach
Authors: Wolters‐Rinker Pilar N. , Rogowski David L. , Gibb Alice C.
Published: July 2022

Hybridization between two sucker species, Razorback Sucker Xyrauchen texanus and Flannelmouth Sucker Catostomus latipinnis, historically has occurred but has been facilitated by anthropogenic habitat alteration. The ability to differentiate Razorback Suckers from Flannelmouth Suckers and hybrids is essential for the conservation and management of the endangered Razorback Sucker. The purpose of our study was to investigate allometry—that is, how shape changes with length—of Razorback Sucker, Flannelmouth Sucker, and their hybrids. Razorback Sucker and Flannelmouth Sucker were artificially spawned to produce four progenies: Razorback Sucker, Flannelmouth Sucker, female Razorback Sucker × male Flannelmouth Sucker and female Flannelmouth Sucker × male Razorback Sucker. We also used hatchery‐reared Razorback Sucker and wild‐captured Flannelmouth Sucker to fill the size‐class gaps in our data. We conducted geometric morphometric analyses and used conditional inference trees to determine the length at which body shapes begin to differentiate among these four fish types. We used piecewise linear models to understand the allometry of each fish type and to evaluate the size at which body shape begins to differ from the juvenile form. Although we found statistical shape differences between the two hybrids, they would be difficult to detect with the naked eye. The results of our study showed that fish that are smaller than 140 mm total length (TL) are difficult to differentiate using shape alone. With the information provided in this study, field biologists should be cautious when identifying suckers smaller than 140 mm TL in the Colorado River basin.
Addressing Culture in L2 Writing: Teaching Strategies for the EAP Classroom
Authors: Bhowmik Subrata , Chaudhuri Anita
Published: July 2022

In this Teaching Issues contribution, six instructional strategies to address culture in second language (L2) writing are discussed. These strategies have been conceptualized as a set of heuristics to enhance student awareness about various cultural and linguistic resources in L2 writing. Each teaching strategy is based on challenges that student writers typically encounter in the classroom. Thus, the six strategies address student needs, and align with the current scholarship in teaching L2 writing. The efficacy of the teaching strategies proposed is weighed in against Henry Giroux's curriculum theory, informed by a critical conceptualization of the dialectic.
How Does the Test Modality of Weekly Quizzes Influence Learning the Spoken Forms of Second Language Vocabulary?
Authors: Uchihara Takumi
Published: July 2022

The study investigates how the test modality (spoken or written) of classroom weekly quizzes influences vocabulary learning strategies and facilitates learning the spoken and written knowledge of form‐meaning connection in L2 words. Japanese university students in academic English courses were assigned to two experimental conditions (spoken test and written test groups). The spoken test group prepared for and took weekly quizzes delivered in spoken format, whereas the written test group took the same quizzes delivered in written format. Over 10 weeks, learners were presented with the spoken or written forms of 20 English words and asked to provide the L1 translations of those words. Before and after the semester‐long treatment, 45 target words were tested in both spoken and written format via L2‐to‐L1 translation tasks. Additionally, a questionnaire survey on vocabulary learning strategies was conducted to examine how learners prepared for weekly quizzes outside of the classroom. Results revealed that learners in the spoken test group showed a significantly larger gain in spoken vocabulary than did the learners in the written test group. However, there was no significant difference between the two groups for written vocabulary learning. The spoken test group tended to rely on studying target vocabulary in a spoken form more frequently, whereas the written test group studied vocabulary in written form more frequently. This study provided implications for how teachers should administer classroom testing with the aim to develop learners' L2 spoken vocabulary knowledge effectively.
Stable sorghum grain quality QTL were identified using SC35 × RTx430 mapping population
Authors: Ayalew Habtamu , Peiris Shantha , Chiluwal Anuj , Kumar Ritesh , Tiwari Manish , Ostmeyer Troy , Bean Scott , Jagadish S. V. Krishna
Published: July 2022

Understanding the genetic control and inheritance of grain quality traits is instrumental in facilitating end‐use quality improvement. This study was conducted to identify and map quantitative trait loci (QTL) controlling protein, starch, and amylose content in grain sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] grown under variable environmental conditions. A recombinant inbred line (RIL) population derived from a cross between RTx430 and SC35 was evaluated in six environments across Hays and Manhattan, KS. Significant variation was observed in genotype, environment, and genotype × environment interaction for all three quality traits. Unlike the RILs, the two parental lines did not show significant differences for these traits. However, significant transgressive segregation was observed for all traits resulting in phenotypic performance extending beyond the two parents. A total of seven protein, 10 starch, and 10 amylose content QTL were identified. Chromosomal regions and phenotypic variation (PVE) of QTL were variable across growing conditions. Quantitative trait loci hotspots for all three traits were detected on chromosomes 1 (115.2–119.2 cM) and 2 (118.2–127.4 cM). Candidate gene analysis indicated that these QTL hotspots were conditioned by several transcription factors, such as Cytochrome P450 and basic helix–loop–helix DNA binding protein, which regulate starch and protein accumulation in the grain. The identified genomic regions and underlying candidate genes provide a starting point for further validation and marker‐assisted gene pyramiding to improve sorghum grain quality.
Challenges and progress in research, diagnostics, and therapeutics in Alzheimer's disease and related dementias
Authors: Dokholyan Nikolay V. , Mohs Richard C. , Bateman Randall J.
Published: July 2022

The health, well‐being, and financial security of Americans are greatly impacted by Alzheimer's disease. The forecast paints an upward trajectory with the number of Americans suffering from Alzheimer's disease and related dementia. To discuss the Alzheimer's crisis, The Senate Committee on Finance, Subcommittee on Health Care, held a hearing titled, “The Alzheimer's Crisis: Examining, Testing, and Treatment Pipelines and Fiscal Implications,” on December 16, 2020. Here, we summarize and expand on the discussion of the panel and its review of recent progress, ongoing challenges associated with Alzheimer's disease, and potential initiatives that promise to speed progress in developing treatments and improving care.
Microplastic induces soil water repellency and limits capillary flow
Authors: Cramer Andreas , Benard Pascal , Zarebanadkouki Mohsen , Kaestner Anders , Carminati Andrea
Published: July 2022

Soils are considered the largest sink of microplastic (MP) in terrestrial ecosystems. However, little is known about the implications of MP on soil physical properties. We hypothesize that low wettability of MP induces soil water repellency, depending on MP content and size of MP and soil particles. We quantified wettability of mixtures of MP and sand. The sessile drop method (SDM) was applied to measure static contact angle (CA) of MP and glass beads at contents ranging from 0 to 100% (w/w). The results are extrapolated to varying combinations of MP and soil particle sizes based on specific surface area. Capillary rise was imaged with neutron radiography quantifying the effect of MP on dynamic CA, water imbibition, and water saturation distribution in sand. At 5% (w/w) MP content, static CA exhibited a steep increase to 80.2° for MP 20–75 μm and 59.7° for MP 75–125 μm. Dynamic CAs were approximately 40% lower than static CAs. Capillary rise experiments showed that MP 20–75 μm reduced water imbibition into sand columns (700–1,200 μm), with average dynamic CA of 40.3° at 0.35% (w/w) MP content and 51.8° at 1.05%. Decreased water saturation and increased tortuosity of flow paths were observed during imbibition peaking at 3.5% (w/w) local MP content. We conclude, in regions with high MP content. water infiltration and thus MP transport are hindered. Local low wettability induced by MP is expected to limit soil wettability and impede capillary rise.
Effects of atmospheric stability on the structural response of a 12 MW semisubmersible floating wind turbine
Authors: Rivera‐Arreba Irene , Wise Adam S. , Hermile Mahé , Chow Fotini K. , Bachynski‐Polić Erin E.
Published: July 2022

Global dynamic response models used for the design of wind turbines are largely based on neutral stability, which is not representative of real atmospheric conditions. Offshore wind farms, for example, have been seen to experience predominantly unstable conditions, especially at lower wind speeds. In the current work, we use four wind generation models under stable, neutral and unstable atmospheric stability conditions to study the low‐frequency content of the global responses of a semisubmersible floating wind turbine (FWT). To represent the wind fields, we use the Kaimal Spectrum and Exponential Coherence Model (Kaimal), the Mann Spectral Tensor Model (Mann), a point measurement based model (TIMESR) and large‐eddy simulation (LES). At the low‐frequency range, both atmospheric stability and the turbulence wind model significantly affect the response of the FWT. In all the cases studied throughout this paper, the structural response under unstable conditions is higher than under stable or neutral conditions. The TIMESR and the Kaimal models fitted to the FINO‐1 offshore meteorological mast measurements show more similar responses than the Mann model; surge and pitch are higher for the TIMESR and Kaimal models, and yaw is lower. When fitted to LES, TIMESR and Kaimal predict surge and pitch responses closer to LES, but they underestimate the responses related to yaw, opposite to what the Mann model does. The responses are directly related to turbulence intensity and coherence, which are affected by atmospheric stability. Therefore, based on the analyses carried out through this study, the structural analysis of FWT should account for the effect of atmospheric stability.
Evaluation of unmanned aerial vehicles for surveys of lek‐mating grouse
Authors: Augustine Jacqueline K. , Burchfield David
Published: July 2022

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), or drones, are being utilized by wildlife biologists to monitor populations of birds and mammals. However, the reaction of wildlife to drones varies by species, so a preliminary evaluation must be conducted to determine if the target species can be detected via drone footage and to determine how the target species will react to drone presence. Lek‐mating prairie‐chickens (Tympanuchus spp.) seem amenable to drone‐based surveys because they are relatively large and display in groups on elevated sites with sparse vegetation. The goal of our study was to determine what flight characteristics maximize prairie‐chicken detection on drone video footage, to document the birds' reactions to the drones, and to compare how the noise produced by the drones compares to ambient sounds. We tested 3 sizes of rotary‐winged drones, flown at 3 heights, with 3 different camera angles by flying over known prairie‐chicken leks. We determined that >65% of prairie‐chickens present were detected using video footage at a height of 100 m with a 10° camera angle. Drones of different sizes had similar detectability. However, observers in blinds adjacent to leks routinely detected more birds than were detected on drone footage (detection on drone footage was 39.7 ± 9.6% of birds present). Prairie‐chickens flushed in 96% of trials when a drone was flown over display locations. Time to return to the lek following drone disturbance was similar to prairie‐chickens' reactions to natural predators. Prairie‐chickens flushed when drone sound levels were comparable to ambient noise. Developing guidelines for the ethical use of drones in wildlife research will require quantifying the amount of taxa‐specific disturbance caused by drones. Our study begins to close this knowledge gap by documenting disturbance to upland, lek‐mating grouse of conservation concern, and suggests that the focal species' reaction to aerial predators may provide clues as to how that species may react to drones.
Patterns of genetic diversity of brown trout in a northern Spanish catchment linked to structural connectivity
Authors: González-Ferreras Alexia María , Leal Sheila , Barquín José , Almodóvar Ana
Published: July 2022

The alteration of structural connectivity in fluvial networks is important for the genetic dynamics of aquatic species. Exploring the effects of network fragmentation through genetic analysis is crucial to assess the conservation status of riverine species. In this study, we investigated the genetic consequences of the altered connectivity of brown trout in the Deva–Cares catchment (northern Spain). We investigated (1) genetic diversity, (2) genetic differentiation and genetic structure, (3) migration rates and effective population size and (4) genetic differentiation and riverscape characteristics. Analysis of the genetic variation among 197 individuals from the 13 study sites revealed a high degree of genetic differentiation (FST = 0.181). Below-barrier study sites had higher genetic diversity and lower FST values, while headwater and above-barrier study sites had lower genetic diversity and higher FST values. Most of the genetic groups identified were separated by one or more impermeable barriers. We reported an abrupt decrease in genetic diversity and effective population size in upper course tributaries and isolated reaches. Likewise, a downstream-biased gene flow was found, and it was most likely related to the fragmentation caused by barriers, since the results from migration indicated that gene flow between groups without impermeable barriers was higher bidirectionally. Isolation by impermeable barriers played a more important role than hydrological distance in determining the genetic structure. Most of the genetic groups showed small effective population sizes. Genetic analysis at the river network scale provides evidence for the role of barriers in determining genetic diversity patterns, highlighting the importance of maintaining and restoring river longitudinal connectivity.
Start, Stop, Continue? The Benefit of Overlapping Intravenous Thrombolysis and Mechanical Thrombectomy
Authors: Burian Egon , Sepp Dominik , Lehm Manuel , Bernkopf Kathleen , Wunderlich Silke , Riederer Isabelle , Maegerlein Christian , Alegiani Anna , Zimmer Claus , Boeckh-Behrens Tobias ,   GSR-ET Investigators
Published: July 2022

Objective

Here we compare the procedural and clinical outcome of patients undergoing thrombectomy with running thrombolysis to matched controls with completed intravenous therapy and an only marginally overlapping activity.

Methods

Patients from 25 sites in Germany were included, who presented with an acute ischemic stroke. Patients’ baseline characteristics (including ASPECTS, NIHSS and mRS), grade of reperfusion, and functional outcome 24 h and at day 90 after intervention were extracted from the German Stroke Registry (n = 2566). In a case-control design we stepwise matched the groups due to age, sex and time to groin puncture and time to flow restoration.

Results

In the initial cohort (overlap group n = 864, control group n = 1702) reperfusion status (median TICI in overlap group vs. control group: 3 vs. 2b), NIHSS after 24 h, early neurological improvement parameters, mRS at 24 h and at day 90 were significantly better in the overlap group (p < 0.001) with a similar risk of bleeding (2.9% vs. 2.4%) and death (18% vs. 22%). After adjustment mRS at day 90 still showed a trend for lower disability scores in the overlap group (3 IQR 1-5 vs. 3 IQR 1-6, p = 0.09). While comparable bleeding risk could be maintained (4% in both groups), there were significantly more deaths in the control group (18% vs. 30%, p = 0.006).

Conclusion

The presented results support the approach of continuing and completing a simultaneous administration of intravenous thrombolysis during mechanical thrombectomy procedures.