bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Eco-Friendly Degradation of Blue Reactive Dye Enriched Textile Water by Floating Treatment Wetlands (FTWs) System (Part A)
Authors: Tusief Muhammad Qamar , Malik Mumtaz Hasan , Asghar Hafiz Naeem , Mohsin Muhammad
Published: May 2021

Enriched effluents of textile dye are considered highly complex and containing hazardous components. Their discharge to nearby drains without treatment has high risk to environmental and human health. The physico-chemical strategies under practice to treat these effluents have technical and economical restrictions. Comparatively, biological treatment methods like floating treatment wetlands are less expensive and eco-friendly. Blue reactive dye enriched textile water and prepared synthetically and added to an artificial Floating Treatment Wetlands (FTWs) system vegetated with Eichhornia crassipes and Pistia stratiotes aquatic plants along with Bacillus cereus and Bacillus subtilis bacterial strains. Plant-microbe synergistic effect was studied by measuring the physico-chemical parameters i.e. pH, EC, TDS and TSS of dye enriched water after 0 (at the start of the experiment), 24, 48 and 72 h retention time. A substantial decrease in all these factors (11.34 %, 40.67 %, 64.37 %, 58.23 %, for pH, EC, TDS and TSS respectively) was noted for E. crassipes and B. cereus combination after 72 h retention time. This high lighted the fact that plant assisted microbial FTWs technique can be a unique approach to remediate the textile effluents.
Assessing the Serviceability Status of Existing Transport Network by Using Geospatial Techniques in Metropolitan City Lahore
Authors: Fatima Syeda Jabeen , Javed Muhammad Asif , Ahmed Sajid Rashid
Published: May 2021

Reliable and an efficient Public Transport plays key role in establishing sustainable Urban Transport system and healthy environment in any city. Public Transport equity in terms of easy access for the commuters is very crucial. With the drastic increase in population and cities extent in developing countries like Pakistan, the travel demand is recklessly increasing which urge to provide efficient public transit which may cater the ever increasing transport demand. Lahore being the provincial capital of Punjab and the second most densely populated city of Pakistan, has a remarkably large transportation network. The case study presented an advanced approach to determine the population with walking access to transit stop of Lahore Public Transport network, by using Geographical Information System (GIS). This approach is quite efficient, reliable and helpful to investigate the effectiveness of transit network, user's access to transit stops and spatial gaps in the transit facilities. GIS-based network service area analysis has been utilized to find the transit stop service area of the existing public transport network in metropolitan city Lahore. To  find the transit stop service area, suitable walking time of 8 min or threshold distance of   624 m with walking speed of 78 m/min has been used as a standard. Transit stop service area has been used to find the population with walking access to a transit stop. The results reveal that only 40% of the total population was in suitable walking distance, which shows that less serviceability is due to the improper spatial distribution of existing transit stops across the transit route. The results also identify the population which is not in suitable walking distance to transit service. This study concludes that Geospatial Techniques are significant in assessment of the effectiveness and subsequently measuring the gaps in the existing transport network. Thus, on the basis of these results sustainable solution would be presented to enhance the efficacy of the integrated public transport.
The role of specially protected natural ar as in the formation of Saint Petersburg cultural landscapes
Authors: Isachenko G. , Isachenko T.
Published: May 2021

The network of specially protected natural areas (SPNA) of Saint Petersburg in 2020 included 8 nature reserves and 7 natural monuments of the regional level, with a total area of 6143 ha, or 4.3% of the city's territory. Almost all urban protected areas bear traces of anthropogenic impacts of various ages, and therefore their landscapes can be considered as cultural. Many historical and cultural monuments of the XVIII–XX centuries are preserved within the protected areas of Saint Petersburg. The article considers SPNA of Saint Petersburg: 1) as landscapes that preserve the results of human activity of different ages, including cultural heritage sites; 2) as emerging special cultural landscapes of the metropolis. The article analyzes the contribution of human activity to modern landscapes of SPNA and describes the associative value of cultural landscapes. The difficulties of creating new protected areas and contradictions between the tasks of preserving natural and cultural heritage in the management of SPNA are discussed. It is proved that the protected areas of Saint Petersburg are becoming more and more famous not only as places of "traditional" short-term recreation, but also as locations for new types of activity, including walks on ecological trails. The increasing popularity of protected areas is evidenced by the frequency of their mentions at the Internet.
Coping with Digital Divide in Governance: A Nepalese Perspective of Civil Service Reform
Authors: Amatya Varun , Pathranarakul Pairote
Published: May 2021

There is a growing trend for governments across the world, in order to improve the efficiency of their services to offer to their constituents to implement digital devices in the process of the governance process. The so-called ‘e-services’ include a number of essential measures for civil service institutions to create and manage information, technology, and communication.Current work discusses the effectiveness of e-services as well as challenges implementing said services and suggests ways to overcome the possibility of creating a digital divide via such services. The case study relied on content analysis and a survey approach to generate data.This study proposed that the omnipresent nature of the internet, as well as the dynamic use of digital devices, has the potential to mobilize the public service and aid digital beginners in its considerable capacity to access government services.The general conclusion of this study is that e-government services are crucial for managing future problems as well as appropriately reacting to present and past instances to be able to lessen the digital divide.With regard to the reduction of current and future inefficiencies, the cases of effectiveness, and the costs associated with potential outcomes fully support our findings.We propose that certain issues in relation to e-services can be regulatory, legal, technical as well as certain procedural measures. Another aspect is the civil service personnel's education in relation to said technology, as well as capacity building and continuous upgrading of the digital internet technology available to government officers and the general public.Additionally, civil service reform in Nepal with the possibility of the digitization of documents and capacity building is of great concern.
Tosse e astenia: consigli pratici di gestione nei pazienti eleggibili alle cure palliative pediatriche
Authors: Avagnina Irene , Paolin Chiara , Santini Micaela , Benini Franca
Published: May 2021

Le cure palliative pediatriche (CPP) rappresentano un ambito multidisciplinare della pediatria che si prefigge l’obiettivo di garantire la qualità di vita a bambini affetti da malattie inguaribili ad alta complessità assistenziale e di rispondere ai loro bisogni e a quelli delle loro famiglie. A livello clinico, molteplici sono i sintomi disturbanti con ampia ricaduta sulla qualità della vita, che devono essere gestiti e trattati. Alcuni di questi, in modo particolare, rappresentano una sfida importante per i caregiver e i sanitari che si occupano dei bambini eleggibili alle CPP. Questo secondo lavoro si propone di presentare, con un taglio pratico e di immediata utilità per il pediatra, le strategie di gestione di tosse e astenia. Nell’ambito delle CPP questi due sintomi sono frequenti. La tosse e l’astenia, assieme agli atri sintomi respiratori, al dolore, alla difficoltà di alimentazione, rappresentano un’importante determinante della qualità di vita nei pazienti, impattando significativamente sulla capacità di svolgere le attività della vita quotidiana e sulla loro sfera psicologica e sociale. Per entrambi i sintomi ci sono ancora pochi studi in letteratura che guidino il clinico nella loro gestione, che a oggi si basa ancora troppo sull’esperienza individuale piuttosto che sull’evidenza scientifica.
Does methylprednisolone affect time to recovery in COVID–19 Pneumonia?
Authors: KOCAKAYA Derya , OLGUN YILDIZELI Şehnaz , BALCAN Baran , ERYUKSEL Emel , KARAKURT Sait
Published: May 2021

Objective: Current literature has conflicting results on the role of steroids in the treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)
pneumonia. This study aims to evaluate the effects of steroids on clinical recovery, duration of hospitalization, and time needed for
the cessation of oxygen treatment.
Patients and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the medical records of patients hospitalized for COVID-19 between March and
May 2020. Patient age, laboratory parameters, clinical stages, radiologic scores, length of hospital stay, and time needed for the
cessation of oxygen supplementation were compared.
Results: Thirteen patients were treated with steroids, and 12 controls were included in the analysis. Regarding the laboratory
parameters, the groups were similar except for lymphocyte percentage (9.8 ± 3.2, 7.0 ± 2.9; p=0.033), which was higher, and D-dimer
levels (0.75 (0.60-1.43), 1.57 (0.91-2.29); p=0.047), which were lower in the steroid group on admission. Steroid treatment provided a
tendency of decrease in time to cessation of oxygen supplementation (6.23 ± 3.4 vs 7.67 ± 2.1, p=0.217).
Conclusion: Although, systemic steroids, started in the subacute period, did not affect the length of hospital stay, they provided a
tendency of decrease in the time until the cessation of oxygen supplementation in the subacute period.
Social Video Advertisement Replacement and its Evaluation in Convolutional Neural Networks
Authors: Yang Cheng , Yu Xiang , Kumar Arun , Ali G.G. Md. Nawaz , Chong Peter Han Joo , Lam Patrick
Published: May 2021

This paper introduces a method to use deep convolutional neural networks (CNNs) to automatically replace advertisement (AD) photo on social (or self-media) videos and provides the suitable evaluation method to compare different CNNs. An AD photo can replace a picture inside a video. However, if a human being occludes the replaced picture in the original video, the newly pasted AD photo will block the human occluded part. The deep learning algorithm is implemented to segment the human being from the video. The segmented human pixels are then pasted back to the occluded area, so that the AD photo replacement becomes natural and perfect appearance in the video. This process requires the predicted occlusion edge to be closed to the ground truth occlusion edge, so that the AD photo can be occluded naturally. Therefore, this research introduces a curve fitting method to measure the predicted occlusion edge’s error. By using this method, three CNN methods are applied and compared for the AD replacement. They are mask of regions convolutional neural network (Mask RCNN), a recurrent network for video object segmentation (ROVS) and DeeplabV3. The experimental results show the comparative segmentation accuracy of the different models and DeeplabV3 shows the best performance.
Numerical Analysis of Kinetic Energy Projectile Sabot Structure Influencing the Armour Penetration Depth. Part I - Projectile Basic Option
Authors: Błaszczak Tomasz , Magier Mariusz
Published: May 2021

A numerical analysis over influence of kinetic energy projectile sabot structure on the armour depth penetration is presented in the paper. The analysis has identified an influence of sabot different materials into projectile combat performance, and some areas of sabot structure where its shape can be optimised. The finite element method in Solidworks Simulation environment was used in analysis. Due to it the dynamical loads of the sabot at the time of firing could be investi-gated. The influence of sabot different materials and projectile geometry modifications on the strength of penetrator sabot joining was studied. A pattern of dynamical loads for the penetrator sabot joining was simulated and visualised. For selected options of the structure the calculations were performed over the terminal ballistics. It allowed an identification of potential development trends for this brand of ammunition.
Automatic train operation in the CBTC system
Authors: Modrzejewska Aleksandra
Published: May 2021

Rail transport adapts to the requirements of the modern agglomerations and provides solutions that ensure greater speed and capacity, while being environmentally friendly. Alternative means of rail transport as well as train control systems are proposed. The basis of innovative, effective, attractive and, above all, safe railway is a traffic automation, which can be implemented to a varying range and degree. Automation of systems of the train control and railway traffic management is an area that is constantly being scientifically researched and developed. The most technologically advanced control systems, in which the human factor is eliminated, are CBTC systems. This article presents the characteristics and components of one of the CBTC class family solutions used in the world, i.e. Bombardier’s product - CITYFLO 650. On the example of the CITYFLO 650 solution, the analysis of the fully automatic train operation was performed. Each of the stages of the fully automatic train operation was included in this paper. The conducted analysis confirms the legitimacy of using the CBTC technology on very demanding city lines. Bidirectional train-to-wayside data communications and determination of train location to a high degree of precision make it that CBTC systems fulfill the criteria set by large, fast-growing cities and a growing population. Poland, as a country currently looking for solutions that would reduce the transport problems of large cities, is considering such innovative proposals for rail traffic.
Direct acting oral anticoagulants versus low molecular weight heparin for primary thromboprophylaxis in cancer patients
Authors: Méndez Natalia , Norambuena Constanza , Silva Symón , López Valentín
Published: May 2021

Introduction Low molecular weight heparin is currently the standard therapy for the primary prevention of thromboembolic disease in cancer patients. The use of direct-acting anticoagulants could be an alternative, but its efficacy and safety profile in these types of patients remains unclear. Methods We searched in Epistemonikos, the largest database of systematic reviews in health, which is maintained by screening multiple sources of information, including MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane, among others. We extracted data from identified reviews, analyzed data from primary studies, performed a meta-analysis, and prepared a summary table of results using the GRADE method. Results and conclusions We identified four systematic reviews that together included two primary studies, of which both correspond to trials. We conclude that the use of direct-acting oral anticoagulants probably increases the outcome of major bleeding and likely slightly increases the risk of thromboembolic disease. No studies were found that evaluated the outcome of quality of life or mortality.
Comparison of musical and cultural activities of Serbian cultural societies in Slovenia and Slovenian in Serbia
Authors: Kodela Aleksandar
Published: May 2021

A surprisingly small number of papers dealing with the activity of cultural communities of Serbs in Slovenia and cultural societies of Slovenians in Serbia can be found in the research that primarily investigates promotion and preservation of cultural heritage of these two peoples. The aim of the paper is to show the activities of these two minor communities, focused on promotion and preservation of their own musical heritage within cultural societies where they act. Using the methodology of oral interview of leading people in cultural communities, significant research data were obtained related to study of importance of various aspects of investigation in minor ethnical communities. By comparing the results provided by research in these two national minorities, organized in different cultural societies (i.e. in different countries), we wanted to investigate the relationship between minorities and cultural heritage as well as various aspects of its identification, promotion and transmission. In our paper we found that Serbian cultural societies in Slovenia primarily promoted the folklore tradition, while Slovenian cultural societies in Serbia were engaged in choir singing as their basic activity. The findings of research reveal significant possibilities for further ethno-musicological and musicological investigation combined with other scientific disciplines related to this topic.
Villar Palasí: Sobre tecnocracia y dirección escolar
Authors: González Bertolín Aurelio , Sanz Ponce José Roberto
Published: May 2021

University Professor José Luis Villar Palasí took charge of the Ministry of Science and Education in April 1968, after being nominated by the technocratic sector of the Government, with the political mission and personal conviction of reshaping the organisational structures of education in an attempt to stem the increasing unrest at universities. Nonetheless, he soon came to learn that the Spanish educational system as it stood required a complete renovation if it was to join the ranks of other advanced educational systems in the last quarter of the 20th century. In order to complete this task he recruited a team of qualified technocrats, most of them having independent political views and associations with international agencies and institutions. This ministerial team carried out a diagnosis of the imbalances and contradiction of the educational system at the time and then put forward a proposal for an educational reform, laid out in the so called Libro blanco (White Book). This document would become the foundational plan for the new General Education Act of 1970. However, regarding the matter of academic management, the wording of the Law deviated from the proposals made in Libro blanco, suppressing the Board of Directors. This work reflects on the ideological and political circumstances of the educational reform and Minister Villar Palasí himself. We also attempt to provide some clues as to the causes that led to the abolition of the Corps of Directors.
Transformation of agriculture in Hungary in the period 1990‑2020
Authors: Lennert József , Jenő Zsolt Farkas
Published: May 2021

This paper aspires to provide a thorough overview of the transformation of the Hungarian agricultural sector from 1990 through to 2020. After a brief historical outline, three decades of changes and the present state are discussed in the context of the legislative framework, farm and ownership structure, production structure, land use and ecological sustainability. The changing role played by agriculture in the Hungarian economy and rural societies is also taken into consideration, while the overarching effects of EU accession and the introduction of the CAP are also investigated. The establishment of a legislative framework for privatisation and compensation in respect of the former collectivisation proved one of the major challenges during the transition to a market economy. As a result, this evened out the shares of all agricultural land in private and legal holdings in the first decade, with the number of smallholders exceeding one million. However, the following two decades were characterised by concentration, as the overall number of private holdings fell quickly, while there was an increase in numbers of those with more than 10 ha of utilised agricultural land. Hungary’s political and economic transition was followed immediately by a dramatic decline in terms of production output. However, after the initial plunge, crop production started to rise again rapidly, so that by the early 2000s it had surpassed what had been achieved during the communist era. In contrast, the crisis in livestock production proved to be more prolonged.
L’impact de la dimension culturelle en évaluation et en intervention psychiatriques et légales
Authors: Dembri A. N. , Costi T. , Sanchez M.A.
Published: May 2021

Le présent article situe les données du problème reliées au rôle de l’intervenant d’origine ethnique en psychiatrie légale. Il soulève les points saillants concernant l’évaluation clinique et le diagnostic de patients d’ethnies autres que Québécoise.

Un éclairage sur la problématique de l’émigré, sur les liens existant entre santé mentale et culture seront exposés. Un cas clinique étayera notre réflexion.

Nos conclusions réfutent la nécessité d’être d’une même origine ethnique pour prendre en charge ou traiter un patient. Mais lors d’évaluations ou d’expertises psychiatriques et légales, la présence de l’intervenant homoethnique qui crée un « pont inter culturel » entre le clinicien et le patient est importante. C’est ce rôle de coordination et de jonction entre deux cultures que devraient jouer les cliniques transculturelles.
Autochromes et jardins des Établissements Georges Truffaut (1911–1939) : deux loisirs créatifs pour un double dispositif de communication visuelle
Authors: Viraben Hadrien
Published: May 2021

À travers l’exemple de la revue Jardinage (1911–1939) et des jardins des établissements Georges Truffaut, cet article se propose de montrer comment la stratégie communicationnelle de l’entreprise sollicitait une dynamique intermédiale. L’interaction entre photographie, en particulier autochrome, et jardin a en effet permis d’assurer l’efficacité d’une publicité qui déguisait son objectif commercial sous l’apparence du vraisemblable et de l’intérêt pratique.
The factors of conflictogenity of student environment of the Sakha Republic (Yakutia)
Authors: Kutumova Aliya Kutumovna , Neustroeva Aiza Borisovna
Published: May 2021

This article determines the factors of conflictogenity of student environment in the Sakha Republic (Yakutia). The student environment is permeated with a lot of conflictogenic factors and tensions that need to be managed and reduced to an acceptable level. The key research methods involve sociological surveys conducted among university students and students of the specialized secondary educational establishments in the Sakha Republic (Yakutia). The authors explore the concept of “conflictogenity” and ”conflictogenic factor”, and analyze the demographic characteristics of student youth in the region. The article reveals the current social problems of student community, determines the external and internal conflictogenic factors faced by modern student youth, describes the behavioral tactics of students in conflict situations, and gives subjective assessments to the level of conflictogenity among students. It is noted that the level of conflictogenity of student environment is affected by objective and subjective factors, social risks and problems. As a result, the author identifies that not owning a place to live, unemployment, and financial issues are the most pressing social problems of students. In a conflict situation, most students try to follow the tactics of compromise and cooperation. The authors reveal the differences in the behavior and assessments of respondents depending on such socio-demographic characteristics as gender, age, year of study, family status, and place of residence. The article makes recommendations on reduction of the potential of conflictogenic factors and improvement of student’s situation in the region.
A global-local neighborhood search algorithm and tabu search for flexible job shop scheduling problem
Authors: Escamilla Serna Nayeli Jazmin , Seck-Tuoh-Mora Juan Carlos , Medina-Marin Joselito , Hernandez-Romero Norberto , Barragan-Vite Irving , Corona Armenta Jose Ramon
Published: May 2021

The Flexible Job Shop Scheduling Problem (FJSP) is a combinatorial problem that continues to be studied extensively due to its practical implications in manufacturing systems and emerging new variants, in order to model and optimize more complex situations that reflect the current needs of the industry better. This work presents a new metaheuristic algorithm called the global-local neighborhood search algorithm (GLNSA), in which the neighborhood concepts of a cellular automaton are used, so that a set of leading solutions called smart-cells generates and shares information that helps to optimize instances of the FJSP. The GLNSA algorithm is accompanied by a tabu search that implements a simplified version of the Nopt1 neighborhood defined in Mastrolilli & Gambardella (2000) to complement the optimization task. The experiments carried out show a satisfactory performance of the proposed algorithm, compared with other results published in recent algorithms, using four benchmark sets and 101 test problems.
Molecular diversity within the genus Laeonereis (Annelida, Nereididae) along the west Atlantic coast: paving the way for integrative taxonomy
Authors: Sampieri Bruno R. , Vieira Pedro E. , Teixeira Marcos A. L. , Seixas Victor C. , Pagliosa Paulo R. , Amaral Antonia Cecília Z. , Costa Filipe O.
Published: May 2021

The polychaete genus Laeonereis (Annelida, Nereididae) occurs over a broad geographic range and extends nearly across the entire Atlantic coast of America, from the USA to Uruguay. Despite the research efforts to clarify its diversity and systematics, mostly by morphological and ecological evidence, there is still uncertainty, mainly concerning the species Laeonereis culveri, which constitutes an old and notorious case of taxonomic ambiguity. Here, we revised the molecular diversity and distribution of Laeonereis species based on a multi-locus approach, including DNA sequence analyses of partial segments of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI), 16S rRNA, and 28S rRNA genes. We examined Laeonereis specimens collected from 26 sites along the American Atlantic coast from Massachusetts (USA) to Mar del Plata (Argentina). Although no comprehensive morphological examination was performed between different populations, the COI barcodes revealed seven highly divergent MOTUs, with a mean K2P genetic distance of 16.9% (from 6.8% to 21.9%), which was confirmed through four clustering algorithms. All MOTUs were geographically segregated, except for MOTUs 6 and 7 from southeastern Brazil, which presented partially overlapping ranges between Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo coast. Sequence data obtained from 16S rRNA and 28S rRNA markers supported the same MOTU delimitation and geographic segregation as those of COI, providing further evidence for the existence of seven deeply divergent lineages within the genus. The extent of genetic divergence between MOTUs observed in our study fits comfortably within the range reported for species of polychaetes, including Nereididae, thus providing a strong indication that they might constitute separate species. These results may therefore pave the way for integrative taxonomic studies, aiming to clarify the taxonomic status of the Laeonereis MOTUs herein reported.
Mango Peels and Kernels from Selected Varieties of Côte d’ivoire are Potential Sources of Antioxidative Bioactive Compounds
Authors: Koua Gisèle Y. , Zoue Lessoy T. , Akoa Edwige
Published: May 2021

Aims: This study aimed to quantify the bioactive compounds and the antioxidant activity of mango peels and kernels from two main varieties (Kent, Keitt) cultivated in Côte d’Ivoire.

Study Design: Processing of mango varieties, determination of bioactive compounds content of mango peels and kernels, evaluation of antioxidant activity of mango peels and kernels.

Place and Duration of Study: Felix Houphouet-Boigny University, Biotechnology Laboratory (March to September 2019).

Methodology: Ripe mango (Mangifera indica L) fruits from Kent and Keitt varieties were processed to obtain peels and kernels powders. Methanolic extracts of peels and kernels were used to determine the content of phenolics, flavonoids and tanins while hexanic extracts were used to determine the content of carotenoids and phytosterols. DPPH scavenging and ferric reducing power tests were used to evaluate antioxidant activity of peels and kernels.

Results: Total phenolics content of kernels of Kent (4371.22 ± 24.98 mg/100g dw) and Keitt (4037.93 ± 20.43 mg/100g dw) were higher (P ˂ 0.05) than those of peels from the two varieties (2564.37 – 3082.07 mg/100g dw). The values for carotenoids content of peels varied from 37.53 to 57.74 μg/g dw while those of kernels varied from 1.48 to 3.46 μg/g dw. Based on DPPH test The IC50 values ranged from 0.2 to 0.7 mg/mL with the highest antioxidant activity reported for kernels from Kent variety. The absorbance at 700 nm was found to be 0.4 for kernel of Keitt variety and 0.3 for ascorbic acid at a dose level of 0.03 mg/mL.

Conclusion: Peels and kernels from Kent and Keitt varieties are potential sources of bioactive compounds especially phenolics, tanins, carotenoids and phytosterols. These valuable bioactive compounds in mango by-products may have greater application in the food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries.
Bivariate Burr Type III Distribution: Estimation and Prediction
Authors: Mahmoud A. A. M. , Refaey R. M. , AL-Dayian G. R. , EL-Helbawy A. A.
Published: May 2021

In this paper, a bivariate Burr Type III distribution is constructed and some of its statistical properties such as bivariate probability density function and its marginal, joint cumulative distribution and its marginal, reliability and hazard rate functions are studied. The joint probability density function and the joint cumulative distribution are given in closed forms. The joint expectation of this distribution is proposed. The maximum likelihood estimation and prediction for a future observation are derived. Also, Bayesian estimation and prediction are considered under squared error loss function. The performance of the proposed bivariate distribution is examined using a simulation study. Finally, a data set is analyzed under the proposed distribution to illustrate its flexibility for real-life application.
Copper‐Catalyzed Selective N‐Arylation of Oxadiazolones by Diaryliodonium Salts
Authors: Soldatova Natalia S. , Semenov Artem V. , Geyl Kirill K. , Baykov Sergey V. , Shetnev Anton A. , Konstantinova Anna S. , Korsakov Mikhail M. , Yusubov Mekhman S. , Postnikov Pavel S.
Published: May 2021

Here, we report the method for copper‐catalyzed N‐arylation of diverse oxadiazolones by diaryliodonium salts under mild conditions in high yields (up to 92%) using available CuI as a catalyst. The developed method allows utilizing both symmetric and unsymmetric diaryliodonium salts bearing auxiliary groups such as 2,4,6‐trimethoxyphenyl (TMP). We found that the steric effects in aryl moieties determined the chemoselectivity of N‐ and O‐arylation of the 1,2,4‐oxadiazol‐5(4H)‐ones. Mesityl‐substituted diaryliodonium salts demonstrated the high potential as a selective arylation reagent. The structural study suggests that steric accessibility of N‐atom in 1,2,4‐oxadiazol‐5(4H)‐ones impact to arylation with sterically hindered diaryliodonium salts. The synthetic application of proposed method was also demonstrated on selective arylation of 1,3,4‐oxadiazol‐2(3H)‐ones and 1,2,4‐oxadiazole‐5‐thiol.

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Plant Natural Flavonoids Against Multidrug Resistant Pathogens
Authors: Song Meirong , Liu Ying , Li Tingting , Liu Xiaojia , Hao Zhihui , Ding Shuangyang , Panichayupakaranant Pharkphoom , Zhu Kui , Shen Jianzhong
Published: May 2021

The increasing emergence and dissemination of multidrug resistant (MDR) bacterial pathogens accelerate the desires for new antibiotics. Natural products dominate the preferred chemical scaffolds for the discovery of antibacterial agents. Here, the potential of natural flavonoids from plants against MDR bacteria, is demonstrated. Structure–activity relationship analysis shows the prenylation modulates the activity of flavonoids and obtains two compounds, α‐mangostin (AMG) and isobavachalcone (IBC). AMG and IBC not only display rapid bactericidal activity against Gram‐positive bacteria, but also restore the susceptibility of colistin against Gram‐negative pathogens. Mechanistic studies generally show such compounds bind to the phospholipids of bacterial membrane, and result in the dissipation of proton motive force and metabolic perturbations, through distinctive modes of action. The efficacy of AMG and IBC in four models associated with infection or contamination, is demonstrated. These results suggest that natural products of plants may be a promising and underappreciated reservoir to circumvent the existing antibiotic resistance.
Multistage distributionally robust optimization for integrated production and maintenance scheduling
Authors: Feng Wei , Feng Yiping , Zhang Qi
Published: May 2021

In chemical manufacturing processes, equipment degradation can have a significant impact on process performance or cause unit failures that result in considerable downtime. Hence, maintenance planning is an important consideration, and there have been increased efforts in scheduling production and maintenance operations jointly. In this context, one major challenge is the inherent uncertainty in predictive equipment health models. In particular, the probability distribution associated with the stochasticity in such models is often difficult to estimate and hence not known exactly. In this work, we apply a distributionally robust optimization (DRO) approach to address this problem. Specifically, the proposed formulation optimizes the worst‐case expected outcome with respect to a Wasserstein ambiguity set, and we apply a decision rule approach that allows multistage mixed‐integer recourse. Computational experiments, including a real‐world industrial case study, are conducted, where the results demonstrate the significant benefits from binary recourse and DRO in terms of solution quality.
Population estimate of people with clinical Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment in the United States (2020–2060)
Authors: Rajan Kumar B. , Weuve Jennifer , Barnes Lisa L. , McAninch Elizabeth A. , Wilson Robert S. , Evans Denis A.
Published: May 2021

Introduction

The estimate of people with clinical Alzheimer's disease (AD) and mild cognitive impairment provides an understanding of the disease burden.

Methods

We estimated people with cognitive impairment using a quasibinomial regression model in 10,342 participants with cognitive test scores.

Results

The 2020 US Census–adjusted prevalence of clinical AD was 11.3% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 10.7–11.9): 10.0% among non‐Hispanic Whites, 14.0% among Hispanics, and 18.6% among non‐Hispanic Blacks. We estimate that in 2020, 6.07 (95% CI = 5.75–6.38) million people were living with clinical AD, which increases to 13.85 (95% CI = 12.98–14.74) million in 2060, 423% higher among Hispanics, 192% higher among Blacks, and 63% higher among Whites. However, there are predicted to be more significant increases in later years among those over 85 and women compared to men.

Discussion

The number of people with clinical AD will increase as the “baby boom” generation reaches older ages, exerting a strong upward influence on disease burden.
Integration of Surface‐enhanced Raman Spectroscopy with PCR for Monitoring Single Copy of KRAS G12D Mutation
Authors: Sanchez Barea Joel , Kang Dong‐Ku
Published: May 2021

Identification and monitoring cancer‐related genetic mutation become a powerful tool for targeted therapy in recent decades and KRAS is one of the most frequently mutated oncogenes in many types of cancers. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is one of the most powerful diagnostic tools and it is widely used for monitoring infectious diseases and tumor‐related mutations. However, there are still limitations for monitoring rare mutations in complex biological samples and also for monitoring various mutations in a multiplexed manner from a single set assay. In this study, we present an integration of surface‐enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) with PCR that can be used for monitoring KRAS G12D mutation and also can distinguish from similar mutations such as KRAS G13D, G12S, and G12V. With this approach, various KRAS mutations can be detected from a single set of experiment without complex procedures or microdevices.
Amphiphilic Conjugated Polythiophene‐based Fluorescence “Turn on” Sensor for Selective Detection of Escherichia coli in Water and Milk
Authors: Shim Jimin , Tawfik Salah M. , Thangadurai Daniel T. , Lee Yong‐Ill
Published: May 2021

The ability to detect pathogenic microbes in water and food samples is of prominent interest, but it remains a great challenge. Herein, we report a simple fluorescence sensor based on amphiphilic conjugated polythiophene (ACPT) for the detection of gram‐negative pathogenic bacteria, Escherichia coli, in pH 7.0. The ACPT sensor was synthesized by the oxidative polymerization of water‐soluble thiophene monomers in an aqueous solution. The ACPT sensor undergoes the fluorescence “turn on” response at 432 nm upon the addition of E. coli. The ionic complex, which is generated by electrostatic interaction during the short incubation time of 15 min, resulting in the enhancement of the fluorescence intensity of ACPT. The application of ACPT enables the detection of E. coli pathogens in tap water and milk samples with good recoveries of 96.94–100.83% and 93.27–116.75%, respectively, and excellent reproducibility (n = 3, relative standard deviation [RSD] = 1.78%). The current findings pave the way for the promising application of a novel ACPT system that could be used in food safety and environmental monitoring.
A Yeast Chronological Lifespan Assay to Assess Activity of Proteasome Stimulators
Authors: Maresh Marianne E. , Chen Panyue , Hazbun Tony R. , Trader Darci J.
Published: May 2021

Aging is characterized by changes in several cellular processes, including dysregulation of proteostasis. Current research has shown long‐lived rodents display elevated proteasome activity throughout life and proteasome dysfunction is linked to shorter lifespans in a transgenic mouse model. The ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS) is one of the main pathways leading to cellular protein clearance and quality maintenance. Reduction in proteasome activity is associated with aging and its related pathologies. Small molecule stimulators of the proteasome have been proposed to help alleviate cellular stress related to unwanted protein accumulation. Here we have described the development of techniques to monitor the impact of proteasome stimulation in wild‐type yeast and a strain that has impaired proteasome expression. We validated our chronological lifespan assay using both types of yeast with a variety of small molecule stimulators at different concentrations. By modifying the media conditions for the yeast, molecules can be evaluated for their potential to increase chronological lifespan in five days. Additionally, our assay conditions can be used to monitor the activity of proteasome stimulators in modulating the degradation of a YFP‐α‐synuclein fusion protein produced by yeast. We anticipate these methods to be valuable for those wishing to study the impact of increasing proteasome‐mediated degradation of proteins in a eukaryotic model organism.
Alcohol‐Activated Vanadium‐Containing Polyoxometalate Complexes in Homogeneous Glucose Oxidation Identified with 51V‐NMR and EPR Spectroscopy
Authors: Wesinger Stefanie , Mendt Matthias , Albert Jakob
Published: May 2021

Alcoholic solvents, especially methanol, show an activating affect for heteropolyacids in homogenously catalysed glucose transformation reactions. In detail, they manipulate the polyoxometalate‐based catalyst in a way that thermodynamically favoured total oxidation to CO2 can be completely supressed. This allows a nearly 100 % carbon efficiency in the transformation reaction of glucose to methyl formate in methanolic solution at mild reaction conditions of 90 °C and 20 bar oxygen pressure. By using powerful spectroscopic tools like 51V‐NMR and continuous wave EPR we could unambiguously prove that the vanadate‐methanol‐complex[VO(OMe)3]n is responsible for the selectivity shift in methanolic solution compared to the aqueous reference system.
Synthesis of Polysubstituted Meta‐Halophenols by Anion‐Accelerated 2π‐Electrocyclic Ring Opening
Authors: Staudt Markus , Sølling Theis , Bunch Lennart
Published: May 2021

Disrotatory – thermally allowed – 2π‐electrocyclic ring‐opening reactions require high temperatures to proceed. Herein, we report the first anion‐accelerated 2π‐electrocyclic ring opening of 6,6‐dihalobicyclo[3.1.0]hexan‐2‐ones at low temperature to give the corresponding meta‐halophenols in good to high yields (18 examples, 29–92 % yield, average: 65 %). Many of the phenols have unconventional substitution patterns and are reported here for the first time. Furthermore, the strength of the methodology was shown by the total synthesis of the densely functionalized phenolic natural product caramboxin (isolated as the lactam dehydrate). The reaction mechanism underlying the anion‐acceleration was investigated in an ab initio study, which concluded that base‐mediated proton abstraction anti to the concurrently departing endo‐bromine was the initiating step in an overall concerted reaction mechanism leading directly to the meta‐halophenol.
Recyclable Supramolecular Assembly‐Induced Emission System for Selective Detection and Efficient Removal of Mercury(II)
Authors: Wang Wei‐Ming , Dai Dihua , Wu Jia‐Rui , Wang Chun‐Yu , Wang Yan , Yang Ying‐Wei
Published: May 2021

An efficient strategy for simultaneously detecting and removing Hg2+ from water is vital to address mercury pollution. Herein a supramolecular assembly G⊂H with photoluminescent properties is facilely constructed through the self‐assembly of a functional pillar[5]arene bearing two N,N‐dimethyldithiocarbamoyl binding sites (H) and an AIE‐active tetraphenylethene derivative (G). Remarkably, the fluorescence of G⊂H can be exclusively quenched by Hg2+ among the 30 cations due to the formation of non‐luminous ground state complex and only L‐cysteine can restore fluorescence in the common 20 amino acids. Meanwhile, the probe G⊂H has a considerable thermal and pH stability, a good anti‐interference property from various cations, and a satisfactory sensitivity. More importantly, G⊂H exhibits a prominent capability of Hg2+ removal with rapid capture rate (within 1 h) and excellent adsorption efficiency (98 %), as well as a highly efficient recyclability without losing any adsorption activity.
Ecohydrological metrics for vegetation communities in turloughs (ephemeral karstic wetlands)
Authors: Bhatnagar Saheba , Gill Laurence W. , Waldren Steve , Sharkey Nova , Naughton Owen , Johnston Paul , Coxon Catherine , Morrissey Patrick , Ghosh Bidisha
Published: May 2021

A 28‐year hydrological record on four intermittent wetlands (turloughs) in a hydraulically linked karst area in the west of Ireland was used to assess ecohydrological metrics for different vegetation communities. A methodology using a combination of continuous water level monitoring and high resolution topographic surveying was used to develop a detailed hydrological model of the karst network, from which water levels at any point within the turloughs can be defined at any time during the 28‐year period (1989 to 2017). The flood conditions experienced across the spatial distributions for different vegetation communities (as mapped by a field survey) have then been collated and presented as statistical distributions for flood duration, flood depth, flood frequency and mean temperature/global radiation at the time of year in spring when the flood waters start to recede. Analysis of these four turloughs has revealed distinct differences between vegetation communities, from Eleocharis acicularis communities at the turlough base typically experiencing 6 to 7 months of inundation per year compared to the limestone pavement community at the top fringes of the turloughs only flooded from 1 to 2 months per year. An approach that used Sentinel‐2 satellite data to provide an assessment of whether there have been changes in the spatial distribution of the communities is also presented. Such metrics can be evaluated alongside other variables such as water quality (particularly nutrients), soil type and land‐use, in order to understand the habitat requirements for such plant communities and their associated ecological systems.
Nitrogen‐fixing trees increase soil nitrous oxide emissions: a meta‐analysis
Authors: Kou‐Giesbrecht Sian , Menge Duncan N. L.
Published: May 2021

Nitrogen‐fixing trees are an important nitrogen source to terrestrial ecosystems. While they can fuel primary production and drive carbon dioxide sequestration, they can also potentially stimulate soil emissions of nitrous oxide, a potent greenhouse gas. However, studies on the influence of nitrogen‐fixing trees on soil nitrous oxide emissions have not been quantitatively synthesized. Here, we show in a meta‐analysis that nitrogen‐fixing trees more than double soil nitrous oxide emissions relative to non‐fixing trees and soils. If planted in reforestation projects at the global scale, nitrogen‐fixing trees could increase global soil nitrous oxide emissions from natural terrestrial ecosystems by up to 4.1%, offsetting climate change mitigation via reforestation by up to 4.4%.
Scaling up experimental stress responses of grass invasion to predictions of continental‐level range suitability
Authors: Zhang Bo , Yuan Yingdan , Shu Lele , Grosholz Edwin , Guo Yuxi , Hastings Alan , Cuda James P. , Zhang Jinchi , Zhai Lu , Qiu Jiangxiao
Published: May 2021

Understanding how the biological invasion is driven by environmental factors will improve model prediction and advance early detection, especially in the context of accelerating anthropogenic ecological changes. Although a large body of studies has examined how favorable environments promote biological invasions, a more comprehensive and mechanistic understanding of invasive species response to unfavorable/stressful conditions is still developing. Grass invasion has been problematic across the globe; in particular, C4grass invaders, with high drought tolerance, adaptations to high temperatures, and high water use efficiency, could become more severe. Here, we conducted a rigorous microcosm experiment, with one of the most damaging invasive C4grass, cogongrass (Imperata cylindrica), to explore how cogongrass responds to soil water and nutrient stress. We further integrated the results of the microcosm study with a species distribution model to (1) corroborate greenhouse results with field observations and (2) validate the robustness of our findings at subcontinental scales. Both the microcosm experiments and species distribution model agreed that soil water stress had a stronger impact on cogongrass than the nutrient one. New vegetative growth of cogongrass continued to be inhibited by the prior water stress. The significant water effect on cogongrass total biomass was supported by the finding that both allometric and biochemical traits of cogongrass did not show significant responses to the changes in water treatment. Different to the conventional wisdom that nutrient enrichment plays a bigger role in facilitating biological invasions, this study highlighted the possibility that water conditions may have a more substantial effect on some aggressive invaders. Therefore, an important implication of this study on biological conservation is that field managers might take advantage of the negative effect of global drought on some invasive species to increase the efficiency of their controlling efforts because invasive species may become more vulnerable under drought effect.