bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Nanocellulose‐MXene Biomimetic Aerogels with Orientation‐Tunable Electromagnetic Interference Shielding Performance
Authors: Zeng Zhihui , Wang Changxian , Siqueira Gilberto , Han Daxin , Huch Anja , Abdolhosseinzadeh Sina , Heier Jakob , Nüesch Frank , Zhang Chuanfang (John) , Nyström Gustav
Published: June 2020

Designing lightweight nanostructured aerogels for high‐performance electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding is crucial yet challenging. Ultrathin cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) are employed for assisting in building ultralow‐density, robust, and highly flexible transition metal carbides and nitrides (MXenes) aerogels with oriented biomimetic cell walls. A significant influence of the angles between oriented cell walls and the incident EM wave electric field direction on the EMI shielding performance is revealed, providing an intriguing microstructure design strategy. MXene “bricks” bonded by CNF “mortars” of the nacre‐like cell walls induce high mechanical strength, electrical conductivity, and interfacial polarization, yielding the resultant MXene/CNF aerogels an ultrahigh EMI shielding performance. The EMI shielding effectiveness (SE) of the aerogels reaches 74.6 or 35.5 dB at a density of merely 8.0 or 1.5 mg cm–3, respectively. The normalized surface specific SE is up to 189 400 dB cm2 g–1, significantly exceeding that of other EMI shielding materials reported so far.
Charge Transfer into Organic Thin Films: A Deeper Insight through Machine‐Learning‐Assisted Structure Search
Authors: Egger Alexander T. , Hörmann Lukas , Jeindl Andreas , Scherbela Michael , Obersteiner Veronika , Todorović Milica , Rinke Patrick , Hofmann Oliver T.
Published: June 2020

Density functional theory calculations are combined with machine learning to investigate the coverage‐dependent charge transfer at the tetracyanoethylene/Cu(111) hybrid organic/inorganic interface. The study finds two different monolayer phases, which exhibit a qualitatively different charge‐transfer behavior. Our results refute previous theories of long‐range charge transfer to molecules not in direct contact with the surface. Instead, they demonstrate that experimental evidence supports our hypothesis of a coverage‐dependent structural reorientation of the first monolayer. Such phase transitions at interfaces may be more common than currently envisioned, beckoning a thorough reevaluation of organic/inorganic interfaces.
Soil carbon stock in archaeological black earth under different land use systems in the Brazilian Amazon
Authors: López‐Noronha Renato , de Souza Zigomar Menezes , Soares Marcelo Dayron Rodrigues , Campos Milton César Costa , Farhate Camila Viana Vieira , Oliveira Stanley Robson de Medeiros
Published: June 2020

In the Amazon, there are soils associated with continued human occupation known as “archeological black earth” (ABE). Due to its physical and chemical properties, ABE is more productive than other typical soils in the same region. Therefore, its carbon (C) sequestration mechanism has been a major topic of discussion by the scientific community, aiming to replicate similar characteristics in other soils. Thus, the objective of this study was to develop a predictive model using feature selection and decision tree induction methods for predicting soil C stock in ABE under different land use scenarios. The experiment was carried out in agricultural (coffee, cacao, and beans), pasture, and forest areas. Four feature selection approaches were used to identify the most relevant variables for the proposed model: (i) correlation‐based feature selection, (ii) the χ2 test, (iii) the Wrapper method, and (iv) no feature selection. The decision tree induction technique available in the Weka software was selected for data classification. Soils under cacao and coffee cultivation tend to accumulate more C when compared with soils located at bean crops, pasture, or forest land use systems. Land use and sand content were among the most important variables for the prediction of soil C stock in ABE. Furthermore, the use of a decision tree was effective at predicting soil C stocks for these soils because it enables the creation of models with high accuracy rates of 83, 74, and 81% (using seven, seven, and four rules at depths of 0.00–0.05, 0.05–0.10, and 0.10–0.20 m, respectively).
Model‐based reinforcement learning for nonlinear optimal control with practical asymptotic stability guarantees
Authors: Kim Yeonsoo , Lee Jong Min
Published: June 2020

We propose a new reinforcement learning approach for nonlinear optimal control where the value function is updated as restricted to control Lyapunov function (CLF) and the policy is improved using a variation of Sontag's formula. The practical asymptotic stability of the closed‐loop system is guaranteed during the training and at the end of training without requiring an additional actor network and its update rule. For a single‐layer neural network (NN) with exact basis functions, the approximate function converges to the optimal value function, resulting in the optimal controller. When a deep NN is used, the level set shapes of the trained NN become similar to those of the optimal value function. Because Sontag's formula with CLF is equivalent to the optimal controller when the given CLF has the same level set shapes as the optimal value function, Sontag's formula with the trained NN provides a nearly optimal controller.
Enantioselective Construction of Vicinal Sulfur‐functionalized Quaternary and Tertiary Stereocenters via Organocatalytic Michael Addition of 5H‐Thiazol‐4‐ones to 1‐Azadienes
Authors: Li Fushuai , Zhang Chen , Cheng Yuyu , Jia Qianfa , Li Wenjun , Liu Kun , Li Pengfei
Published: June 2020

An organocatalytic enantioselective Michael addition of 5H‐thiazol‐4‐ones to 1‐azadienes has been developed. In the presence of chiral phosphoric acid, a series of optically active benzofuran derivatives featured by vicinal sulfur‐containing quaternary and tertiary stereocenters were obtained in high yields (71‐99%) with high stereoselectivities (70–96% ee and 8 : 1–20 : 1 d.r.).
Chiral Trifluoromethylated Pyrrolidines via Cu–Catalyzed Asymmetric 1,3‐Dipolar Cycloaddition
Authors: Cheng Xiang , Yan Dingce , Dong Xiu‐Qin , Wang Chun‐Jiang
Published: June 2020

An efficient access to chiral pyrrolidine derivatives bearing one trifluoromethylated quaternary stereogenic centers is developed through Cu(I)/(S)‐TF‐BiphamPhos‐catalyzed asymmetric 1,3‐dipolar cycloaddition of azomethine ylides with tert‐butyl 2‐(trifluoromethyl)acrylate in moderate to high yields, excellent diastereoselectivities and good enantioselectivities (up to 95% yield, >20 : 1 dr, 89% ee).
Photoswitchable Conjugated Oligoelectrolytes for a Light‐Induced Change of Membrane Morphology
Authors: Leifert Dirk , Moreland Alex S. , Limwongyut Jakkarin , Mikhailovsky Alexander A. , Bazan Guillermo C.
Published: June 2020

The synthesis of a new conjugated oligoelectrolyte (COE), namely DSAzB, is described, which contains a conjugated core bearing a diazene moiety in the center of its electronically delocalized structure. Similar to structurally related phenylenevinylene‐based COEs, DSAzB readily intercalates into model and natural lipid bilayer membranes. Photoinduced isomerization transforms the linear trans COE into a bent or C‐shape form. It is thereby possible to introduce DSAzB into the bilayer of a cell and disrupt its integrity by irradiation with light. This leads to controlled permeabilization of membranes, as demonstrated by the release of calcein from DMPG/DMPC vesicles and by propidium iodide influx experiments on S. epidermidis. Both experiments support that the permeabilization is selective for the light stimulus, highly efficient, and repeatable. Target‐selective and photoinduced actions demonstrated by DSAzB may have broad applications in biocatalysis and related biotechnologies.
Allyl palladium complexes bearing carbohydrate‐based N‐heterocyclic carbenes: Anticancer agents for selective and potent in vitro cytotoxicity
Authors: Scattolin Thomas , Bortolamiol Enrica , Rizzolio Flavio , Demitri Nicola , Visentin Fabiano
Published: June 2020

Novel allyl palladium compounds stabilized by carbohydrate‐based N‐heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) were prepared and characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance, high‐resolution mass spectrometry and elemental analysis. The antiproliferative activity of the compounds was tested on a panel of different tumor lines, especially ovarian cancer and MRC‐5 human lung fibroblasts (nontumor cells). These experiments showed that both mixed NHC/PPh3 and NHC/PTA (PTA = 1,3,5‐triaza‐7‐phosphaadamantane) allyl complexes have IC50 (half maximal inhibitory concentration) values comparable and sometimes even significantly lower than cisplatin. Moreover, the mixed NHC/PTA allyl complexes exhibit good activity toward the seven tumor lines tested with a substantial inactivity against normal cells, a necessary condition to avoid the general cytotoxicity of a metallo‐drug. Furthermore, this subclass of compounds proved particularly active on the A549 lung cancer tumor line (up to 100‐fold more cytotoxic than cisplatin) and exhibited satisfactory cytotoxicity against KURAMOCHI and OVCAR3 cell lines, which are currently considered the best in vitro models for serous ovarian cancer, the most lethal tumor for women worldwide.
The Effect of a Skin Barrier Film on the Incidence of Dressing‐Related Skin Blisters After Spine Surgery
Authors: Cole Maryanne , Smith Isabel , Vlad Steven C. , Golenbock Samuel W. , Sorrentino Kerry
Published: June 2020

Tension blisters from adhesive dressings may lead to pain and delayed surgical wound healing for surgical patients and cause an institutional cost burden. Commercial skin barrier film products may reduce dressing‐related postoperative skin blistering in surgical patients. Project investigators at an orthopedic specialty hospital randomized 185 surgical spine patients to receive either a standard wound dressing (ie, control group) or a dressing with the addition of a skin barrier film applied beneath it (eg, treatment group). During the first postoperative dressing change, the participants’ skin was assessed for redness, soreness, blistering, or tearing. Approximately 15% of participants in the treatment group and 15% of participants in the control group developed a postoperative skin injury (P = .98). Multivariable analyses did not indicate the skin barrier film provided a protective effect. Additionally, there was no association between patient‐specific characteristics and skin blisters among the participants. These results do not support the use of a skin barrier film in surgical spine patients.
Stability of a‐C:H:SiOx coating on polypropylene to chemical sterilization
Authors: Grenadyorov Alexander S. , Solovyev Аndrey А. , Malashchenko Vladimir V. , Khlusov Igor A.
Published: June 2020

Polypropylene (PP) is traditionally used in the production of medical devices, such as catheters, dialyzers, syringes due to its good chemical and thermal resistance, biocompatibility, and low cost. Sterilization can however damage these devices, when the polymer additive releases into physiological fluids, thereby harming the patient health. This article proposes to deposit biocompatible a‐C:H:SiOx coatings onto PP surfaces and studies the coating stability after chemical sterilization. Five different chemical sterilizers, namely, hydrogen peroxide, ethanol, miramistin, formaldehyde, and ethylene oxide are used to compare their effect on the coating stability on the PP substrate. Untreated and sterilized samples are incubated in a liquid synthetic nutrient to obtain extracts that are used for sterility testing and determining the degree of interaction of samples with the nutrient medium. The changes in the coating functional groups and surface morphology are examined by using the Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and the scanning electron microscopy, respectively. It is shown that the a‐C:H:SiOx coating has a protective effect on the PP substrates subjected to chemical sterilization. The experiment results clearly showed that the ethanol sterilization causes the most serious changes in the structure of PP, and also leads to the barrier coating failure. On the other hand, ethylene oxide sterilization has a minimal effect on the structure of both uncoated and coated PP substrates.
Healing phenomenon adapted to understand the miscibility of polymer blends: An approach based on the deformation mechanism
Authors: Ferreira Eder H. C. , Fechine Guilhermino J. M.
Published: June 2020

Following many years of studies on polyethylene blends, several indirect classical experimental methods (DSC, XRD, DMA, cryogen fracture surface using SEM, and Rheological Test in Oscillatory Flow) have been used to evaluate the compatibility between polyethylene blends. Here a study of a high‐density polyethylene (HDPE)—ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) system, which evidences that the compatibility of mixtures using these experimental methods does not assure good mechanical performance of the blends. In addition, the potential that these blends can perform mechanically may be overestimated. Based on the theory of healing at a polymer‐polymer interface, it was shown that the maximum mechanical performance of the HDPE‐UHMWPE blend can be obtained for long time molecular diffusion when the mixtures equilibrium (maximum mixing degree) at the HDPE‐UHMWPE interphase is achieved. The degree of mixture at the HDPE‐UHMWPE interphase was assessed indirectly by the deformation mechanism that each phase and the interphase plays during the tensile test (at solid state). The advances reported in this paper can contribute to understanding the mechanical performance of different systems formed by compatible polyethylene blends.
Population analysis to assess the influence of age and body weight on pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of dexmedetomidine in New Zealand White rabbits
Authors: Warzybok Justyna , Bienert Agnieszka , Borsuk‐De Moor Agnieszka , Płotek Włodzimierz , Kulińska Karolina , Czerniak Katarzyna , Billert Hanna , Klupczyńska Agnieszka , Matysiak Jan , Grześkowiak Edmund , Wiczling Paweł
Published: June 2020

The purpose of this work was i) to develop a population pharmacokinetic (PK) and pharmacodynamic (PD) model of dexmedetomidine (DEX) in New Zealand White rabbits, ii) to investigate the influence of the age and weight of the animals on the model parameters, and iii) to assess the linearity of DEX PKs in the examined dose range. This was a prospective, crossover study, using a total of 18 New Zealand White rabbits. DEX was administered as a single intravenous bolus injection in the doses from 25 to 300 μg kg−1. Each New Zealand White rabbit was given the same dose of drug in its three developmental stages. To determine the DEX PK, seven blood samples were taken from each animal. The pedal withdrawal reflex was the PD response used to assess the degree of sedation. Nonlinear mixed effects modelling was used for the population PK/PD analysis. The typical value of elimination clearance was 0.061 L min−1 and was 35% higher in younger New Zealand White rabbits compared with older animals. The PK of DEX was linear in the examined concentration range. Age‐related changes in sensitivity to DEX were not detected. The results suggest that due to the pharmacokinetics, younger animals will have lower DEX concentrations and a shorter duration of sedation than older animals given the same doses of DEX per kg of body weight.
Additive prognostic value of carbohydrate antigen‐125 over frailty in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement
Authors: Romeo Francisco José , Seropian Ignacio Miguel , Chiabrando Juan Guido , Raleigh Juan Valle , Smietniansky Maximiliano , Cal Mariela , Falconi Mariano , Kotowicz Vadim , Agatiello Carla Romina , Berrocal Daniel Horacio
Published: June 2020

Background

To evaluate the additive prognostic value of myocardial, inflammatory, and renal biomarkers according to frailty status in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) for aortic stenosis (AS).

Methods

A total of 111 subjects who underwent TAVR at Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires, Argentina between January 2016 and December 2018 were retrospectively reviewed. Plasma levels of N‐terminal pro‐B‐type natriuretic peptide (NT‐proBNP), high sensitivity troponin T (hs‐cTnT), C‐reactive protein (CRP), cystatin‐c (Cys‐C) and carbohydrate antigen‐125 (CA‐125) were assessed prior to TAVR. Frailty status was assessed according to the fried physical frailty phenotype (FPFP). The primary endpoint was defined as all‐cause death and/or readmission for worsening congestive heart failure (CHF) within the first year after TAVR.

Results

Of the 111 patients included, 48/111 (43%) were considered to be “frail” according to the FPFP. Among biomarkers, we found CA‐125 to be strongly associated with the primary endpoint (p = .006). CA‐125 ≥ 18.2 U/ml was present in 41% and was associated with a higher rate of the primary endpoint (31% vs. 9%; p = .003). After multivariable adjustment, CA‐125 ≥ 18.2 U/ml (hazard ratio [HR] 3.17; p = .024) was the only independent predictor of the primary endpoint. Finally, the inclusion of CA‐125 to frailty significantly improved C‐index (0.68–0.74; p < .05), and provided a Net Reclassification Improvement (NRI) of 0.34 (95% CI 0.19–0.49, p = .031), largely through reductions in risk estimates among pre‐frail and frail patients.

Conclusions

CA‐125, a tumor biomarker, outperformed frailty for predicting the primary endpoint within the first year after TAVR.
Equipment utilization in chronic total occlusion percutaneous coronary interventions: Insights from the PROGRESS‐CTO registry
Authors: Nikolakopoulos Ilias , Choi James W. , Alaswad Khaldoon , Khatri Jaikirshan J. , Krestyaninov Oleg , Khelimskii Dmitrii , Yeh Robert W. , Jaffer Farouc A. , Toma Catalin , Patel Mitul , Mahmud Ehtisham , Lembo Nicholas J. , Parikh Manish , Kirtane Ajay J. , Ali Ziad A. , Gkargkoulas Fotis , Uretsky Barry , Sheikh Abdul M. , Vemmou Evangelia , Xenogiannis Iosif , Rangan Bavana V. , Garcia Santiago , Abdullah Shuaib , Banerjee Subhash , Burke M. Nicholas , Brilakis Emmanouil S. , Karmpaliotis Dimitri
Published: June 2020

Background

We examined guidewire and microcatheter utilization during chronic total occlusion (CTO) percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Methods

We examined device utilization in 2,968 CTO PCIs performed in 2,936 patients at 19 US and two international center between January 2016 and January 2019.

Results

The median number of antegrade guidewires used per case declined (5 in 2016 vs 3 in 2019) and was higher in higher complexity lesions (2 in J‐CTO 0 vs. 8 in J‐CTO 4 or 5 score). In antegrade‐only procedures, the most frequently used guidewires were the Pilot 200 (Abbott Vascular, 37%), Fielder XT (Asahi Intecc, 25%) and Gaia third (Asahi Intecc, 18%), while the most commonly used microcatheters were the Turnpike Spiral (Vascular Solutions, 18%) and Turnpike (Vascular Solutions, 16%). Compared with 2012–2015, during 2016–2019 use of novel equipment such as the Gaia guidewires and the Turnpike microcatheters led to decreased use of Confianza Pro 12 (Asahi Intecc) wire and Corsair (Asahi Intecc) family of microcatheters. In retrograde cases, the guidewires most commonly used were the Sion (44%), Pilot 200 (27%) and Fielder FC (26%), while the Corsair/Corsair Pro, Turnpike LP (Vascular Solutions) and Caravel (Asahi Intecc) were the most frequently used microcatheters for collateral crossing (29%, 26% and 22%, respectively).

Conclusions

The most commonly used guidewires during CTO PCI are polymer‐jacketed guidewires and the most commonly used microcatheters are torquable microcatheters.
An unusual presentation of acquired periungual fibrokeratoma: A mixed form of dome‐shaped and branching type
Authors: Sung Kun‐Yong , Lee SeungKoo , Lee Sang‐Yeul
Published: June 2020

Acquired periungual fibrokeratoma is an uncommon benign fibrous tumour occurring in the periungual area, predominantly the proximal nail fold. We describe a case of acquired periungual fibrokeratoma with an unusual presentation of mixed features including dome‐shaped and branching type in order to facilitate the recognition of this variant.
Efficient Electrocatalytic Performance of WP Nanorods Propagated on WS2/C for Hydrogen Evolution Reduction
Authors: Yang Jinzhou , Yu Zong‐Bao , Sun Wei , Li Yue , Wu Hongda , Geng Zhongxing , Yang Zhanxu
Published: June 2020

Through a stepwise synthesis, intercalation followed by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method, WP nanorods have been grown on the surface of WS2/C composite. Compared to WS2/C, WP nanorods@WS2/C demonstrate better hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) activity and long‐term chronopotentiometric stability as well as suitability in both acid electrolyte and alkaline electrolyte. In order to uncover the enhanced HER property reason, systematic characterizations were applied to assist analyzing. The characterizations used include X‐ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), electrochemical active surface area (ECSA), Raman, and BET. Based on the analysis, it points that improved ECSA, synergy between WS2 and WP nanorods, and enhanced degree of graphitization as well, leads to better HER activities of WP nanorods@WS2/C over WS2/C. This work highlights significant role of WP nanorods in WP/WS2/C three‐phase composite in electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution and may evoke new interest in related nanostructure study.
Insights into Ruthenium(II/IV)‐Catalyzed Distal C−H Oxygenation by Weak Coordination
Authors: Bu Qingqing , Kuniyil Rositha , Shen Zhigao , Gońka Elżbieta , Ackermann Lutz
Published: June 2020

C−H hydroxylation of aryl acetamides and alkyl phenylacetyl esters was accomplished via challenging distal weak O‐coordination by versatile ruthenium(II/IV) catalysis. The ruthenium(II)‐catalyzed C−H oxygenation of aryl acetamides proceeded through C−H activation, ruthenium(II/IV) oxidation and reductive elimination, thus providing step‐economical access to valuable phenols. The p‐cymene‐ruthenium(II/IV) manifold was established by detailed experimental and DFT‐computational studies.
Residence Time Characteristics of the Novel Archimedean Screw Crystallizer/Reactor
Authors: Meise Marius , Jäger Luca , Wilk Andreas , Heitmann Torsten , Scholl Stephan
Published: June 2020

This work presents a novel design of a continuous crystallizer, the Archimedean screw crystallizer reactor (ASKR) with integrated Archimedean screw as conveying element. By the screw, the axial motion of the product solution is initiated, and an undesired axial mixing is restricted. This structure results in a narrow residence time distribution and, thus, promotes a defined product quality. In order to quantitatively assess the flow characteristics of the crystallizer and to highlight the influence of variable operating parameters such as rotational speed and volumetric flow, investigations of the residence time behavior with variation of the operating parameters are reported.
Immunocytochemistry practices in European cytopathology laboratories—Review of European Federation of Cytology Societies (EFCS) online survey results with best practice recommendations
Authors: Srebotnik Kirbiš Irena , Rodrigues Roque Rúben , Bongiovanni Massimo , Strojan Fležar Margareta , Cochand‐Priollet Béatrix
Published: June 2020

Background

Variability in preanalytical and analytical steps for immunocytochemistry (ICC) on cytology samples is poorly defined. The objective of this study was to evaluate current practices for ICC on cytology samples in European laboratories.

Methods

A link to an online survey with 19 questions about ICC practices was distributed to cytology laboratories through national representatives in the European Federation of Cytology Societies.

Results

In total, 245 laboratories responded to the survey by January 30, 2019. Cell blocks, cytospins, liquid‐based cytology (LBC) preparations, and smears alone or in combination with other preparations were used for ICC in 38%, 22%, 21%, and 19% of laboratories, respectively. In general, various combinations of preparations were used for ICC in greater than one‐half of laboratories (147 of 245; 60%), whereas only 1 specific type of cytology preparation was used in the remaining 98 of 245 laboratories (40%) laboratories. The majority of laboratories (217 of 226; 96%) performed ICC on automated platforms using protocols that were the same as those used for formalin‐fixed, paraffin‐embedded samples (238 of 527 laboratories; 45%), either optimized (138 of 527 laboratories; 26%) or optimized and validated (151 of 527 laboratories; 29%) for cytology preparations. Positive control slides, negative control slides, and external quality control were used in 174 of 223 (78%), 112 of 223 (50%), and 111 of 120 (50%) laboratories, respectively. Greater than 1000 ICC tests were performed yearly in 34% of laboratories (65 of 191; average, 1477 tests; median, 500 tests).

Conclusions

ICC is extensively performed in European laboratories using variously prepared cytology preparations on automated platforms, mostly without quality‐assurance measures.
A Woven Supramolecular Metal‐Organic Framework Comprising a Ruthenium Bis(terpyridine) Complex and Cucurbit[8]uril: Enhanced Catalytic Activity toward Alcohol Oxidation
Authors: Zhang Yun‐Chang , Xu Zi‐Yue , Wang Ze‐Kun , Wang Hui , Zhang Dan‐Wei , Liu Yi , Li Zhan‐Ting
Published: June 2020

The self‐assembly of a diamondoid woven supramolecular metal–organic framework wSMOF‐1 has been achieved from intertwined [Ru(tpy)2]2+ (tpy=2,2′,6′,2′′‐terpyridine) complex M1 and cucurbit[8]uril (CB[8]) in water, where the intermolecular dimers formed by the appended aromatic arms of M1 are encapsulated in CB[8]. wSMOF‐1 exhibits ordered pore periodicity in both water and the solid state, as confirmed by a combination of 1H NMR spectroscopy, UV‐vis absorption, isothermal titration calorimetry, dynamic light scattering, small angle X‐ray scattering and selected area electron diffraction experiments. The woven framework has a pore aperture of 2.1 nm, which allows for the free access of both secondary and primary alcohols and tert‐butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP). Compared with the control molecule [Ru(tpy)2]Cl2, the [Ru(tpy)2]2+ unit of wSMOF‐1 exhibits a remarkably higher heterogeneous catalysis activity for the oxidation of alcohols by TBHP in n‐hexane. For the oxidation of 1‐phenylethan‐1‐ol, the yield of acetophenone was increased from 10 % to 95 %.
Internet of Things offloading: Ongoing issues, opportunities, and future challenges
Authors: Heidari Arash , Jabraeil Jamali Mohammad Ali , Jafari Navimipour Nima , Akbarpour Shahin
Published: June 2020

Internet of Things (IoT) has very remarkable advantages over customary communication technologies. However, IoT suffers from different issues, such as limited battery life, low storage capacity, and little computing capacity. For this reason, in many IoT applications and devices, we require an alternative unit to execute the tasks from the user's device and return results. In general, the problem of limited resources by transferring the computation workload to other devices/systems with better resources is addressed by offloading computation. It can be focused on improving the application, extending battery life, or expanding storage capacity. The offloading operation can be performed based on various quality of service (QoS) parameters that contain computational demands for load balancing, response time, application, energy consumption, latency, and other things. Moreover, the systematic literature review (SLR) method is used to identify, assess, and integrate findings from all relevant studies that address one or more research questions on IoT offloading and conduct a comprehensive study of empirical research on offloading techniques. However, we present a new taxonomy for them based on offloading decision mechanisms and overall architectures. Furthermore, we offer a parametric comparison for the offloading methods. As well, we present the future direction and research opportunities in IoT offloading computation. This survey will assist academics and practitioners to directly understand the progress in IoT offloading.
Association of adiposity with diabetes: A national research among Chinese adults
Authors: Fu Wenning , Wang Chao , Zou Li , Jiang Heng , Miller Mia , Gan Yong , Cao Shiyi , Xu Hongbin , Mao Jing , Yan Shijiao , Yue Wei , Yan Feng , Tian Qingfeng , Lu Zuxun
Published: June 2020

Background

Adiposity is an established risk factor for diabetes. The different measurements of adiposity for predicting diabetes have been compared in recent studies in Western countries. However, similar researches among Chinese adults are limited.

Methods

Data were collected from a national survey conducted during September 2014 and May 2015 Among Chinese adults aged 40 years and older across 30 China's provinces. Multilevel model analysis was performed to examine the impacts of different obesity indices [body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), lipid accumulation product index (LAP), visceral adiposity index (VAI), and body adiposity index (BAI)] on the risk of diabetes.

Results

A total of 162 880 participants were included in this study. Of them, 54.47% were female. With an increase in BMI, WC, LAP, VAI, and BAI, the prevalence of diabetes significantly grew (P < 0.001). The multilevel model analysis showed that WC has the strongest impact on diabetes prevalence, while BAI was the weakest. For one SD increment in BMI, WC, LAP, VAI, and BAI, the prevalence of diabetes increased by 27.0% (Odds Ratio (OR) = 1.270, 95% Confidence interval (CI) = 1.251–1.289), 37.4% (OR = 1.374, 95% CI = 1.346–1.401), 28.1% (OR = 1.281, 95% CI = 1.266–1.297), 22.0% (OR = 1.220, 95% CI = 1.204–1.236), and 17.4% (OR = 1.174, 95% CI = 1.151–1.192), respectively.

Conclusion

Obesity indicators of BMI, WC, LAP, VAI, and BAI have significant positive relationships with the risk of diabetes. WC has the strongest impact on diabetes, while BAI has the weakest.
Mapping and assessing the impact of small‐scale ephemeral water sources on wildlife in an African seasonal savannah
Authors: Naidoo Robin , Brennan Angela , Shapiro Aurelie C. , Beytell Piet , Aschenborn Ortwin , Du Preez Pierre , Kilian J. Werner , Stuart‐Hill Greg , Taylor Russell D.
Published: June 2020

In many savannah regions of Africa, pronounced seasonal variability in rainfall results in wildlife being restricted to floodplains and other habitats adjacent to permanent surface water in the dry season. During the wet season, rainfall fills small‐scale, ephemeral water sources that allow wildlife to exploit forage and other resources far from permanent surface water. These water sources remain difficult to quantify, however, due to their small and ephemeral nature, and as a result are rarely included in quantitative studies of wildlife distribution, abundance, and movement. Our goal was to map ephemeral water in Bwabwata National Park in Namibia using two different approaches and to relate measures of ephemeral water to the abundance, distribution, and movement of two large wildlife species. We used high‐resolution Google Earth and Esri World imagery to visually identify waterholes. Additionally, we used Sentinel‐2 satellite imagery to map ephemeral water across the study area using the Normalized Difference Water Index. With these mapped waterhole layers and data from GPS‐collared individuals of African elephant (Loxodonta africana) and African buffalo (Syncerus caffer), we evaluated the importance of ephemeral water in conditioning abundance and movement of these two species. The two approaches to mapping ephemeral water resulted in the visual identification of nearly 10,000 waterholes, and a predicted ephemeral water layer of ~76% accuracy. The inclusion of ephemeral water into models of abundance and movement resulted in improved goodness of fit relative to those without water, and water impacts on abundance and movement were among the strongest of all variables considered. The potential importance of ephemeral water in conditioning the movements and distributions of large herbivores in African savannahs has been difficult to quantify relative to vegetation drivers. Our results suggest research into ephemeral water impacts deserves more attention.
Impaired neuropsychological functioning in patients with hypopituitarism
Authors: Slagboom Tessa N. A. , Deijen Jan Berend , Van Bunderen Christa C. , Knoop Hans A. , Drent Madeleine L.
Published: June 2020

Background

Treatment of pituitary pathology mostly does not result in complete recovery of impairment in cognitive functioning. The primary aim of the current study was to assess cognitive impairment in patients with stable replacement therapy for hypopituitarism during the last 6 months prior to inclusion. It was expected that patients showed subjective and objective subnormal scores on neuropsychological functioning.

Methods

Forty‐two patients (40% men, 49 ± 15 years) treated for hypopituitarism conducted a neuropsychological test battery, including the Cognitive Failures Questionnaire (CFQ), 15‐Word test (15‐WT), Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) Motor Screening Task (MOT), Spatial Working Memory (SWM) and Affective Go/No‐go (AGN). Results were compared to reference values of healthy norm groups.

Results

Male and female participants scored significantly worse on the CFQ (P < .01, d = 0.91‐4.09) and AGN mean correct latency (P < .01, d = 1.66 and 1.29, respectively). Female participants scored significantly worse on 15‐WT direct recall (P = .01, d = 0.66), 15‐WT delayed recall (P = .01, d = 0.79), SWM total errors (P = .05, d = 0.41), SWM strategy (P = .04, d = 0.43), AGN errors of commission (P = .02, d = 0.56) and omission (P = .04, d = 0.41).

Conclusion

This study shows that subjective cognitive functioning is worse in patients treated for hypopituitarism compared to reference data. Also, female participants treated for hypopituitarism score worse on objective aspects of memory and executive functioning compared to reference data. Besides worse focus attention, this objective cognitive impairment was not found in male participants. It is recommended to conduct additional research, which focuses on the design and evaluation of a cognitive remediation therapy, aimed at compensation of impairments in different aspects of memory and executive functioning.
Effects of UV‐B radiation on soil carbon conversion and greenhouse gas emission in paddy soil
Authors: Li Tianguo , Li Xiang , Liang Yong , Li Mingrui , Jiang Ming , Zhan Fangdong , Li Yuan , He Yongmei
Published: June 2020

This paper evaluates the relationship between ultraviolet‐B (UV‐B, 280–315 nm) radiation enhancement on the earth's surface caused by ozone attenuation and climate change. A pot experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of enhanced UV‐B radiation on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the paddy soil with rice straw incorporation (SI). The paddy soil was sampled from the Yuanyang Terrace, Yunnan Province, Southwest China. There were four treatments: natural light (control check, CK), 5.0 kJ·m−2 UV‐B radiation (UVB), SI, and SI + UVB. The effects of UV‐B radiation (5.0 kJ·m−2) on straw degradation, soil carbon invertase activity, active organic carbon content, and GHG emissions were studied. The results showed that UV‐B radiation promoted the degradation of straw components (lignin, cellulose, hemicellulose, and water‐soluble phenol). The SI treatment significantly increased the activity of soil carbon invertase (P < 0.05), the content of soil active organic carbon (P < 0.05), and the emission rates and amounts of GHGs (P < 0.05). Compared to the SI treatment, SI + UVB treatment reduced soil carbon invertase activity and active organic carbon content, resulting in a 17% reduction in CH4 emission and a 40% and 16% increase in CO2 and N2O emission (P < 0.05), but had no significant effect on the global warming potential (GWP). Correlation analysis showed that the degradation rate of straw components was positively correlated with the activity of carbon invertase, the contents of microbial biomass carbon (MBC), easily oxidized organic carbon (EOC), and the CO2 emission rate; the activities of sucrase and cellulase were positively correlated with the contents of MBC and EOC, which were in turn positively correlated with the emission rates of CH4 and CO2. Under SI, UV‐B radiation reduced the soil carbon conversion, which led to a decreased CH4 emission and increased emissions of CO2 and N2O, but did not alter the GWP of GHGs from the paddy soil. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Doubt, Disorientation, and Death in the Plague Time
Authors: Nelson Jamie Lindemann
Published: June 2020

An account of an experience with contracting an illness that may well have been Covid‐19 gives rise to reflections on doubt and on the art of dying well. The upshot: our mortality remains a fundamentally disorienting condition of our existence. If there's any wisdom to be had concerning our deaths, it likely lies in the direction of accepting their deranging character, rather than in searching for the philosophical insight that will reconcile us to our fate.
Learning from Covid
Authors: Hulkower Adira
Published: June 2020

Mrs. Clark's case was an ordinary consult in an extraordinary time. She was refusing dialysis, but the psychiatric unit had concluded that she lacked capacity for such decision‐making. The only difference between Mrs. Clark's current hospitalization and the last two was that it was April 2020 and a virus called Covid‐19 had overtaken our hospital. As the chief of Montefiore Medical Center's bioethics service, when I received a consult before the virus, I always saw the patient. Whether the patient had been in a vegetative state for a day or for years, it didn't matter. I would lay my hand on a leg or an arm and observe. But Covid‐19 enforced physical boundaries between my team and our patients; I would not be able to meet Mrs. Clark. Our hospital responded to the attack on human connection by getting creative. We asked ourselves, which tools are still available to us? Answering this involved, in part, finding new ways for our team of clinical ethicists to support the clinicians caring for Mrs. Clark.
Planetary Ethics: Russell Train and Richard Nixon at the Creation
Authors: Annas George J.
Published: June 2020

This piece offers a retrospective review of a plenary speech at the 1969 Annual Meeting of the American Public Health Association by the leading environmentalist of the Nixon administration, attorney and judge Russell Train. Train's talk, titled “Prescription for a Planet,” can be seen as an early argument for uniting environmental health and public health as the two main determinants of both individual and population health and for the inclusion of these fields in the then‐new field of “bioethics.”
What Could “Fair Allocation” during the Covid‐19 Crisis Possibly Mean in Sub‐Saharan Africa?
Authors: Moodley Keymanthri , Ravez Laurent , Obasa Adetayo Emmanuel , Mwinga Alwyn , Jaoko Walter , Makindu Darius , Behets Frieda , Rennie Stuart
Published: June 2020

The Covid‐19 pandemic has sparked rapid and voluminous production of bioethics commentary in popular media and academic publications. Many of the discussions are new twists on an old theme: how to fairly allocate scarce medical resources, such as ventilators and intensive care unit beds. In this essay, we do not add another allocation scheme to the growing pile, partly out of appreciation that such schemes should be products of inclusive and transparent community engagement and partly out of recognition of their limited utility for physicians working in the field. Instead, we make the more modest claim that context matters when making such decisions and, more specifically, that recommendations from high‐income countries about fair allocation during Covid‐19 should not be cut and pasted into low‐income settings. We offer a few examples of why seemingly universal, well‐intentioned ethical recommendations could have adverse consequences if unreflectively applied in sub‐Saharan Africa.
Communities Matter
Authors: Galarneau Charlene
Published: June 2020

Given the enduring inequities in US health and health care, it is no surprise that particular communities are bearing the disproportionate brunt of the Covid‐19 pandemic and our responses to it. Many ethical aspects of the pandemic involve diverse communities bound by race, ethnicity, disability, income, residence, age, and more. How does bioethics engage these communities in theory and in practice? Only faintly, despite Covid‐19's relentless reminder that communities matter morally. This article sketches initial directions for developing a community‐inclusive bioethics, one that understands communities as critical moral participants in the work of bioethics as well as in health and health care.
Conceptualizing Race in the Genomic Age
Authors: Bliss Catherine
Published: June 2020

My fundamental argument is that a collective concept of race that presumes that there are, or were at some point in the past, discreet genetic groups that have tracked along continental lines and that those differences are the fundamental basis for our folk and political groupings of white, black, Asian, Native American, and Pacific Islander is a fallacy that will always lead to social inequality. Such an understanding of race currently reverberates through genetic science, but for social and political reasons, and with good intentions. But if we want to move toward a social order that promotes social justice, all of us across the sciences, throughout health policy, and in the wider public will need to reconceptualize race in terms of legacies of discrimination. We will need to shift our focus from molecular differences to social and political differences, especially when we conduct gene‐environment analyses.
ProvokingBadBiocitizenship
Authors: Kolopenuk Jessica
Published: June 2020

Mirroring the set of questions explored in the special report in which this essay appears and through a critical Cree standpoint, this essay poses three provocations intended to upend habits of thought relative to notions of goodness, biocitizenship, and the democratization of scientific pursuit. Styled as foreplay, the essay warms the reader up to the desirable possibility of being abadbiocitizen. I briefly establish the colonial conditions under which the fields of genomic science, biomedical research, and bioethics have been made possible. I then offer Indigenous Science, Technology, and Society as an alternative project aimed at disturbing the territorial, political, and morally inflected claims of nation‐states and their citizens, research institutions and their researchers, and bioeconomies and their consumers to continue to possess Indigenous territories and to study Indigenous bodies while controlling the bioethical principles, protocols, and policies for doing so. The work of Indigenous STS seeks to break down the bounded knowledges of disciplinary reason and map the networked interrelations of problems inhibiting and solutions strengthening the empowerment of Indigenous peoplehoods.
We Have Seen the Mutants—and They Are Us: Gifts and Burdens of a Genetic Diagnosis
Authors: Kittay Eva Feder
Published: June 2020

In this essay, I recount and examine my response to a genetic diagnosis of my disabled daughter. My daughter was forty‐nine before the diagnosis came. All her disabilities were traceable to a de novo single gene variant on the PURA gene that was discovered only in 2014. I speak of the jolt and the recalibration that this discovery engendered, concluding that, while it seemed that everything had changed, nothing had changed. But my family did discover a community in which Sesha joins other PURA‐perfect sons and daughters and where we as a family acquire a “horizontal identity” marked by a genetic variant.
Credit where it is due: Investigating pathways from earned income tax credit expansion to maternal mental health
Authors: Gangopadhyaya Anuj , Blavin Fredric , Braga Breno , Gates Jason
Published: June 2020

While earned income tax credit (EITC) expansions are typically associated with improvements in maternal mental health, little is known about the mechanisms through which the program affects this outcome. The EITC could primarily affect mental health through changes in family financial resources, changes in labor supply or changes in health insurance coverage of participants. We attempt to disentangle these mechanisms by assessing the effects of state and federal EITC expansion on mental health, employment, and health insurance by maternal marital status. We find that federal EITC expansions are associated with improved self‐reported mental health for all mothers and large positive effects on employment for unmarried mothers. State EITC expansions are associated with improvements in mental health for married mothers only and have no effect on employment for married or unmarried mothers. Overall and for most subgroups of mothers, we find little association between EITC expansions and changes in health insurance coverage. These findings suggest that while EITC expansions improved mental health for unmarried mothers through a combination of the credit and employment effects, for married mothers, improved mental health is driven through the direct credit alone.
Seismic preparedness of families with children: Measures and dynamics
Authors: Pacheco Mariana Paim , Pereira Sofia Morgado , Rego Isabel Estrela
Published: June 2020

Earthquakes are unpredictable events, thus seismic preparedness of households should be fostered, considering the specific needs of each family. Children, for example, are particularly vulnerable to disasters and to the effects of their consequences, but can also act as promoters of preparedness within families. Being part of a wider research, this qualitative study intends to better understand seismic preparedness within families with children in S. Miguel, the largest and most populated island of the volcanic archipelago of the Azores. Two semi‐structured interviews were conducted. The first interview was conducted with 125 family representatives, addressing their current preparedness measures. From these representatives, 105 families that had non‐existent or insufficient preparedness were selected for a second interview. In the time between the two interviews, the families were instructed to develop seismic preparedness measures. The process of development of these measures was also assessed. Data were analysed using content analysis and frequency analysis. Results point to low levels of preparedness, both at the time of the initial interview and developed subsequently, and families adopted few preparedness measures specifically targeting their children's needs. The results highlight, therefore, that household seismic preparedness should be promoted, with clear indications regarding preparedness specifically for families with children.
The interplay of community and family risk and protective factors on adjustment in young adult immigrants
Authors: Davis Alexandra N. , Carlo Gustavo , Taylor Laura K.
Published: June 2020

We examined the direct and interactive effects of community violence and both family cohesion and conflict on collective efficacy and aggressive behaviours among immigrant young adults. Participants included 221 young adults (ages 18–26; mean age = 21.36; 45.7% female, 190 born outside the U.S.) who completed self‐report measures of their exposure to neighbourhood violence, social cohesion, collective efficacy and prosocial behaviours toward friends and strangers. Results, in general, showed that community violence and family cohesion were positively associated with collective efficacy whereas community violence and family conflict were positively associated with aggressive behaviours. Family cohesion and conflict also moderated the links between community violence and aggressive behaviours. Discussion focuses on the interplay of community and family processes and the relations to adjustment of immigrant young adults.