bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Systematic review of clinical effectiveness, components, and delivery of pulmonary rehabilitation in low-resource settings
Authors: Habib GM Monsur , Rabinovich Roberto , Divgi Kalyani , Ahmed Salahuddin , Saha Samir Kumar , Singh Sally , Uddin Aftab , Uzzaman Md. Nazim , Pinnock Hilary
Published: November 2020

Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) is a guideline-recommended multifaceted intervention that improves the physical and psychological well-being of people with chronic respiratory diseases (CRDs), though most of the evidence derives from trials in high-resource settings. In low- and middle-income countries, PR services are under-provided. We aimed to review the effectiveness, components and mode of delivery of PR in low-resource settings. Following Cochrane methodology, we systematically searched (1990 to October 2018; pre-publication update March 2020) MEDLINE, EMBASE, CABI, AMED, PUBMED, and CENTRAL for controlled clinical trials of adults with CRD (including but not restricted to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) comparing PR with usual care in low-resource settings. After duplicate selection, we extracted data on exercise tolerance, health-related quality of life (HRQoL), breathlessness, included components, and mode of delivery. We used Cochrane risk of bias (RoB) to assess study quality and synthesised data narratively. From 8912 hits, we included 13 studies: 11 were at high RoB; 2 at moderate RoB. PR improved functional exercise capacity in 10 studies, HRQoL in 12, and breathlessness in 9 studies. One of the two studies at moderate RoB showed no benefit. All programmes included exercise training; most provided education, chest physiotherapy, and breathing exercises. Low cost services, adapted to the setting, used limited equipment and typically combined outpatient/centre delivery with a home/community-based service. Multicomponent PR programmes can be delivered in low-resource settings, employing a range of modes of delivery. There is a need for a high-quality trial to confirm the positive findings of these high/moderate RoB studies.
A dataset of plant and microbial community structure after long-term grazing and mowing in a semiarid steppe
Authors: Li Wenhuai , Hodzic Jasna , Su Jishuai , Zheng Shuxia , Bai Yongfei
Published: November 2020

Grazing and mowing are two dominant management regimes used in grasslands. Although many studies have focused on the effects of grazing intensity on plant community structure, far fewer test how grazing impacts the soil microbial community. Furthermore, the effects of long-term grazing and mowing on plant and microbial community structure are poorly understood. To elucidate how these management regimes affect plant and microbial communities, we collected data from 280 quadrats in a semiarid steppe after 12-year of grazing and mowing treatments. We measured plant species abundance, height, coverage, plant species diversity, microbial biomass, and microbial community composition (G+ and G− bacteria; arbuscular mycorrhizal and saprotrophic fungi; G+/G− and Fungi/Bacteria). In addition, we determined the soil’s physical and chemical properties, including soil hardness, moisture, pH, organic carbon, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus. This is a long-term and multifactorial dataset with plant, soil, and microbial attributes which can be used to answer questions regarding the mechanisms of sustainable grassland management in terms of plant and microbial community structure.
Diffraction data from aerosolized Coliphage PR772 virus particles imaged with the Linac Coherent Light Source
Authors: Li Haoyuan , Nazari Reza , Abbey Brian , Alvarez Roberto , Aquila Andrew , Ayyer Kartik , Barty Anton , Berntsen Peter , Bielecki Johan , Pietrini Alberto , Bucher Maximilian , Carini Gabriella , Chapman Henry N. , Contreras Alice , Daurer Benedikt J. , DeMirci Hasan , Flűckiger Leonie , Frank Matthias , Hajdu Janos , Hantke Max F. , Hogue Brenda G. , Hosseinizadeh Ahmad , Hunter Mark S. , Jönsson H. Olof , Kirian Richard A. , Kurta Ruslan P. , Loh Duane , Maia Filipe R. N. C. , Mancuso Adrian P. , Morgan Andrew J. , McFadden Matthew , Muehlig Kerstin , Munke Anna , Reddy Hemanth Kumar Narayana , Nettelblad Carl , Ourmazd Abbas , Rose Max , Schwander Peter , Marvin Seibert M. , Sellberg Jonas A. , Sierra Raymond G. , Sun Zhibin , Svenda Martin , Vartanyants Ivan A. , Walter Peter , Westphal Daniel , Williams Garth , Xavier P. Lourdu , Yoon Chun Hong , Zaare Sahba
Published: November 2020

Single Particle Imaging (SPI) with intense coherent X-ray pulses from X-ray free-electron lasers (XFELs) has the potential to produce molecular structures without the need for crystallization or freezing. Here we present a dataset of 285,944 diffraction patterns from aerosolized Coliphage PR772 virus particles injected into the femtosecond X-ray pulses of the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS). Additional exposures with background information are also deposited. The diffraction data were collected at the Atomic, Molecular and Optical Science Instrument (AMO) of the LCLS in 4 experimental beam times during a period of four years. The photon energy was either 1.2 or 1.7 keV and the pulse energy was between 2 and 4 mJ in a focal spot of about 1.3 μm x 1.7 μm full width at half maximum (FWHM). The X-ray laser pulses captured the particles in random orientations. The data offer insight into aerosolised virus particles in the gas phase, contain information relevant to improving experimental parameters, and provide a basis for developing algorithms for image analysis and reconstruction.
Author Correction: Genome assembly and annotation of Meloidogyne enterolobii, an emerging parthenogenetic root-knot nematode
Authors: Koutsovoulos Georgios D. , Poullet Marine , Elashry Abdelnaser , Kozlowski Djampa K. L. , Sallet Erika , Da Rocha Martine , Perfus-Barbeoch Laetitia , Martin-Jimenez Cristina , Frey Juerg Ernst , Ahrens Christian H. , Kiewnick Sebastian , Danchin Etienne G. J.
Published: November 2020

A Correction to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-020-00747-0.
Portable Raman leaf-clip sensor for rapid detection of plant stress
Authors: Gupta Shilpi , Huang Chung Hao , Singh Gajendra Pratap , Park Bong Soo , Chua Nam-Hai , Ram Rajeev J.
Published: November 2020

Precision agriculture requires new technologies for rapid diagnosis of plant stresses, such as nutrient deficiency and drought, before the onset of visible symptoms and subsequent yield loss. Here, we demonstrate a portable Raman probe that clips around a leaf for rapid, in vivo spectral analysis of plant metabolites including carotenoids and nitrates. We use the leaf-clip Raman sensor for early diagnosis of nitrogen deficiency of the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana as well as two important vegetable crops, Pak Choi (Brassica rapa chinensis) and Choy Sum (Brassica rapa var. parachinensis). In vivo measurements using the portable leaf-clip Raman sensor under full-light growth conditions were consistent with those obtained with a benchtop Raman spectrometer measurements on leaf-sections under laboratory conditions. The portable leaf-clip Raman sensor offers farmers and plant scientists a new precision agriculture tool for early diagnosis and real-time monitoring of plant stresses in field conditions.
Spatio-temporal analysis of oil lake and oil-polluted surfaces from remote sensing data in one of the Libyan oil fields
Authors: Abdunaser Khalifa
Published: November 2020

The study area, which is part of the Sirt sedimentary basin in the north-central part of Libya, is characterized by natural resources of important environmental value that need special attention as they are threatened by many human activities. The focus of this study was mainly on the production of high-resolution maps of oil-contaminated surfaces, and the series time maps of events resulting from oil pollution using multi temporal satellite data and validation of the results. Digital image processing techniques were used on satellite-based sensing, whether optical or radar data, which proved to be a cost-effective way to collect information on the volume of lake water, and to assess the depth and concentration of pollution in the study area rich in lakes taken from different periods (1972 to 2006). The area of the oil-contaminated lake, called produced water, was calculated from the 1972 Landsat MSS digital satellite imagery data and was about 1.8 km2and then increased to 10.7 km2, during 2006 from Landsat digital image TM data. The size change in this area was due to the increase of the quantities of water production that continued to increase as the oil and gas fields reached maturity. The 2019 Landsat satellite imagery reveals a drastic shrinkage in the area of the lake attributed to the suspension of the produced water pumping as well as the cycle of evaporation that resulted to the water led to a limited volume of water remaining in the lake.
Converse magneto-electric effects in a core–shell multiferroic nanofiber by electric field tuning of ferromagnetic resonance
Authors: Liu Ying , Sreenivasulu G. , Zhou P. , Fu J. , Filippov D. , Zhang W. , Zhou T. , Zhang T. , Shah Piyush , Page M. R. , Srinivasan Gopalan , Berweger S. , Wallis T. M. , Kabos P.
Published: November 2020

This report is on studies directed at the nature of magneto-electric (ME) coupling by ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) under an electric field in a coaxial nanofiber of nickel ferrite (NFO) and lead zirconate titanate (PZT). Fibers with ferrite cores and PZT shells were prepared by electrospinning. The core–shell structure of annealed fibers was confirmed by electron- and scanning probe microscopy. For studies on converse ME effects, i.e., the magnetic response of the fibers to an applied electric field, FMR measurements were done on a single fiber with a near-field scanning microwave microscope (NSMM) at 5–10 GHz by obtaining profiles of both amplitude and phase of the complex scattering parameter S11 as a function of bias magnetic field. The strength of the voltage-ME coupling Av was determined from the shift in the resonance field Hr for bias voltage of V = 0–7 V applied to the fiber. The coefficient Av for the NFO core/PZT shell structure was estimated to be − 1.92 kA/Vm (− 24 Oe/V). A model was developed for the converse ME effects in the fibers and the theoretical estimates are in good agreement with the data.
Analysis of vitamin D level among asymptomatic and critically ill COVID-19 patients and its correlation with inflammatory markers
Authors: Jain Anshul , Chaurasia Rachna , Sengar Narendra Singh , Singh Mayank , Mahor Sachin , Narain Sumit
Published: November 2020

COVID-19 is characterized by marked variability in clinical severity. Vitamin D had recently been reviewed as one of the factors that may affect the severity in COVID-19. The objective of current study is to analyze the vitamin D level in COVID-19 patients and its impact on the disease severity. After approval from Ethics Committee, M.L.B Medical College the current study was undertaken as continuous prospective observational study of 6 weeks. Participants were COVID-19 patients of age group 30–60 years admitted during the study period of 6 weeks. Study included either asymptomatic COVID-19 patients (Group A) or severely ill patients requiring ICU admission (Group B). Serum concentration of 25 (OH)D, were measured along with serum IL-6; TNFα and serum ferritin. Standard statistical analysis was performed to analyze the differences. Current Study enrolled 154 patients, 91 in Group A and 63 patients in Group B. The mean level of vitamin D (in ng/mL) was 27.89 ± 6.21 in Group A and 14.35 ± 5.79 in Group B, the difference was highly significant. The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency was 32.96% and 96.82% respectively in Group A and Group B. Out of total 154 patients, 90 patients were found to be deficient in vitamin D (Group A: 29; Group B: 61). Serum level of inflammatory markers was found to be higher in vitamin D deficient COVID-19 patients viz. IL-6 level (in pg/mL) 19.34 ± 6.17 vs 12.18 ± 4.29; Serum ferritin 319.17 ± 38.21 ng/mL vs 186.83 ± 20.18 ng/mL; TNFα level (in pg/mL) 13.26 ± 5.64 vs 11.87 ± 3.15. The fatality rate was high in vitamin D deficient (21% vs 3.1%). Vitamin D level is markedly low in severe COVID-19 patients. Inflammatory response is high in vitamin D deficient COVID-19 patients. This all translates into increased mortality in vitamin D deficient COVID-19 patients. As per the flexible approach in the current COVID-19 pandemic authors recommend mass administration of vitamin D supplements to population at risk for COVID-19.
LOXL2 promotes aggrecan and gender-specific anabolic differences to TMJ cartilage
Authors: Tashkandi Mustafa M. , Alsaqer Saqer F. , Alhousami Thabet , Ali Faiza , Wu Yu-Chiao , Shin Jennifer , Mehra Pushkar , Wolford Larry M. , Gerstenfeld Louis C. , Goldring Mary B. , Bais Manish V.
Published: November 2020

In the United States, 5–12% of adults have at least one symptom of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders, including TMJ osteoarthritis (TMJ-OA). However, there is no chondroprotective agent that is approved for clinical application. We showed that LOXL2 is elevated in the regenerative response during fracture healing in mice and has a critical role in chondrogenic differentiation. Indeed, LOXL2 is an anabolic effector that attenuates pro-inflammatory signaling in OA cartilage of the TMJ and knee joint, induces chondroprotective and regenerative responses, and attenuates NF-kB signaling. The specific goal of the study was to evaluate if adenoviral delivery of LOXL2 is anabolic to human and mouse TMJ condylar cartilage in vivo and evaluate the protective and anabolic effect on cartilage-specific factors. We employed two different models to assess TMJ-OA. In one model, clinical TMJ-OA cartilage from 5 different samples in TMJ-OA cartilage plugs were implanted subcutaneously in nude mice. Adenovirus LOXL2 -treated implants showed higher mRNA levels of LOXL2, ACAN, and other anabolic genes compared to the adenovirus-Empty-treated implants. Further characterization by RNA-seq analysis showed LOXL2 promotes proteoglycan networks and extracellular matrix in human TMJ-OA cartilage implants in vivo. In order to evaluate if LOXL2-induced functional and sex-linked differences, both male and female four-month-old chondrodysplasia (Cho/+) mice, which develop progressive TMJ-OA due to a point mutation in the Col11a1 gene, were subjected to intraperitoneal injection with Adv-RFP-LOXL2 every 2 weeks for 12 weeks. The data showed that adenovirus delivery of LOXL2 upregulated LOXL2 and aggrecan (Acan), whereas MMP13 expression was slightly downregulated. The fold change expression of Acan and Runx2 induced by Adv-RFP-LOXL2 was higher in females compared to males. Interestingly, Adv-RFP-LOXL2 injection significantly increased Rankl expression in male but there was no change in females, whereas VegfB gene expression was increased in females, but not in males, as compared to those injected with Adv-RFP-Empty in respective groups. Our findings indicate that LOXL2 can induce specifically the expression of Acan and other anabolic genes in two preclinical models in vivo. Further, LOXL2 has beneficial functions in human TMJ-OA cartilage implants and promotes gender-specific anabolic responses in Cho/+ mice with progressive TMJ-OA, suggesting its merit for further study as an anabolic therapy for TMJ-OA.
A shell matrix protein of Pinctada mazatlanica produces nacre platelets in vitro
Authors: Rivera-Perez Crisalejandra , Flores-Sánchez Iliana Alejandra , Ojeda Ramírez de Areyano Josafat Jehu , Rojas Posadas Delia Irene , Hernández-Saavedra Norma Y.
Published: November 2020

Nacre is the main component of the pearl oyster shells and it is synthesized by specialized soluble and insoluble shell matrix proteins. Insoluble proteins from the decalcification of the shell are the less studied proteins due to the technical problems to isolate them from the organic matrix. In this study, an insoluble shell matrix protein from Pinctada mazatlanica, pearlin (Pmaz-pearlin), was successfully cloned from the mantle tissue, and the native protein isolated from the shell was functionally characterized. The full coding sequence of Pmaz-pearlin mRNA consists of 423 base pairs, which encode to a 16.3 kDa pearlin. Analysis of the deduced amino acid sequence revealed that Pmaz-pearlin contained four acidic regions, an NG repeat domain, and Cys conserved residues, the latter potentially forms four disulfide bridges which might stabilize the protein structure. The isolated protein from the shell is a glycoprotein of ~ 16.74 kDa which can produce aragonite and calcite crystals in vitro. Our results show that Pmaz-pearlin is a well-conserved protein involved in nacre layer growth, which produces calcite crystals in the presence of CaCl2, aragonite crystal polymorphs with a hexagonal structure in the presence of MgCl2, and needle-like crystal structure polymorphs in the presence of CaCO3 The identity of the crystals was confirmed using RAMAN analyses.
Facile one-pot green synthesis of Ag–ZnO Nanocomposites using potato peeland their Ag concentration dependent photocatalytic properties
Authors: Alharthi Fahad A. , Alghamdi Abdulaziz Ali , Al-Zaqri Nabil , Alanazi Hamdah S. , Alsyahi Amjad Abdullah , Marghany Adel El , Ahmad Naushad
Published: November 2020

Herein, a facile green synthesis route was reported for the synthesis of Ag–ZnO nanocomposites using potato residue by simple and cost effective combustion route and investigated the photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue (MB) dye. In the preparation potato extract functioned as a biogenic reducing as well as stabilizing agent for the reduction of Ag + , thus eliminating the need for conventional reducing/stabilizing agents. Ag–ZnO nanocomposites with different Ag mass fractions ranging from 2 to 10% were characterized by using XRD, FT-IR, XPS, SEM, TEM, and UV–Vis spectroscopy. XRD analysis revealed that the as prepared Ag–ZnO nanocomposites possessed high crystallinity with hexagonal wurtzite structure. TEM and SEM images showed that the Ag–ZnO nanocomposites in size ranging from 15 to 25 nm have been obtained, and the particle size was found to increase with the increase in percentage of Ag. FTIR results confirmed the characteristics band of ZnO along with the Ag bands. XPS analysis revealed a pair of doublet with peaks corresponding to Ag and a singlet with peaks corresponding to ZnO. With the increase of concentration of Ag in ZnO, the intensity of NBE emission in the PL spectra was observed to be decrease, resulted to the high photocatalytic activity. Photocatalytic properties of Ag–ZnO nanocomposites evaluated against the MB dye under visible-light irradiation showed superior photodegradation of ~ 96% within 80 min for 2% Ag–ZnO nanocomposites. The apparent reaction rate constant for 2% Ag–ZnO nanocomposites was higher than that of other nanocomposites, which proved to be the best photocatalyst for the maximum degradation of MB. Furthermore, various functional parameters such as dosing, reaction medium, concentration variation were performed on it for better understanding. The enhancement in photocatalytic degradation might be due to the presence of Ag nanoparticles on the surface of ZnO by minimizing the recombination of photo induced charge carriers in the nanocomposites.
Structural basis of superinfection exclusion by bacteriophage T4 Spackle
Authors: Shi Ke , Oakland Justin T. , Kurniawan Fredy , Moeller Nicholas H. , Banerjee Surajit , Aihara Hideki
Published: November 2020

A bacterial cell infected with T4 phage rapidly establishes resistance against further infections by the same or closely related T-even-type bacteriophages – a phenomenon called superinfection exclusion. Here we show that one of the T4 early gene products and a periplasmic protein, Spackle, forms a stoichiometric complex with the lysozyme domain of T4 tail spike protein gp5 and potently inhibits its activity. Crystal structure of the Spackle-gp5 lysozyme complex shows that Spackle binds to a horseshoe-shaped basic patch surrounding the oligosaccharide-binding cleft and induces an allosteric conformational change of the active site. In contrast, Spackle does not appreciably inhibit the lysozyme activity of cytoplasmic T4 endolysin responsible for cell lysis to release progeny phage particles at the final step of the lytic cycle. Our work reveals a unique mode of inhibition for lysozymes, a widespread class of enzymes in biology, and provides a mechanistic understanding of the T4 bacteriophage superinfection exclusion.
Parallel fast and slow recurrent cortical processing mediates target and distractor selection in visual search
Authors: Donohue Sarah E. , Schoenfeld Mircea A. , Hopf Jens-Max
Published: November 2020

Visual search has been commonly used to study the neural correlates of attentional allocation in space. Recent electrophysiological research has disentangled distractor processing from target processing, showing that these mechanisms appear to operate in parallel and show electric fields of opposite polarity. Nevertheless, the localization and exact nature of this activity is unknown. Here, using MEG in humans, we provide a spatiotemporal characterization of target and distractor processing in visual cortex. We demonstrate that source activity underlying target- and distractor-processing propagates in parallel as fast and slow sweep from higher to lower hierarchical levels in visual cortex. Importantly, the fast propagating target-related source activity bypasses intermediate levels to go directly to V1, and this V1 activity correlates with behavioral performance. These findings suggest that reentrant processing is important for both selection and attenuation of stimuli, and such processing operates in parallel feedback loops.
Early detection of doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity in rats by its cardiac metabolic signature assessed with hyperpolarized MRI
Authors: Timm Kerstin N. , Perera Charith , Ball Vicky , Henry John A. , Miller Jack J. , Kerr Matthew , West James A. , Sharma Eshita , Broxholme John , Logan Angela , Savic Dragana , Dodd Michael S. , Griffin Julian L. , Murphy Michael P. , Heather Lisa C. , Tyler Damian J.
Published: November 2020

Doxorubicin (DOX) is a widely used chemotherapeutic agent that can cause serious cardiotoxic side effects culminating in congestive heart failure (HF). There are currently no clinical imaging techniques or biomarkers available to detect DOX-cardiotoxicity before functional decline. Mitochondrial dysfunction is thought to be a key factor driving functional decline, though real-time metabolic fluxes have never been assessed in DOX-cardiotoxicity. Hyperpolarized magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can assess real-time metabolic fluxes in vivo. Here we show that cardiac functional decline in a clinically relevant rat-model of DOX-HF is preceded by a change in oxidative mitochondrial carbohydrate metabolism, measured by hyperpolarized MRI. The decreased metabolic fluxes were predominantly due to mitochondrial loss and additional mitochondrial dysfunction, and not, as widely assumed hitherto, to oxidative stress. Since hyperpolarized MRI has been successfully translated into clinical trials this opens up the potential to test cancer patients receiving DOX for early signs of cardiotoxicity.
Synergistic non-bonding interactions based on diketopyrrolo-pyrrole for elevated photoacoustic imaging-guided photothermal therapy
Authors: Liu Fang , Ma Feiyan , Chen Qing , Zhou Enbao , Zhang Puwen , Cui Zhanjun , Liu Zhonghua , Huang Yongwei
Published: November 2020

Synergistic non-bonding interactions in fluorine and chalcogen-substituted diketopyrrolopyrrole nanoagents for elevated photoacoustic imaging-guided photothermal therapy.
Unveiling the phonon scattering mechanisms in half-Heusler thermoelectric compounds
Authors: He Ran , Zhu Taishan , Wang Yumei , Wolff Ulrike , Jaud Jean-Christophe , Sotnikov Andrei , Potapov Pavel , Wolf Daniel , Ying Pingjun , Wood Max , Liu Zhenhui , Feng Le , Rodriguez Nicolas Perez , Snyder G. Jeffrey , Grossman Jeffrey C. , Nielsch Kornelius , Schierning Gabi
Published: November 2020

Charge-compensation-induced Frenkel defects were proven as the major reason for phonon scattering of p-type half-Heusler ZrCoSb.
Correction: Stress-localized durable icephobic surfaces
Authors: Irajizad Peyman , Al-Bayati Abdullah , Eslami Bahareh , Shafquat Taha , Nazari Masoumeh , Jafari Parham , Kashyap Varun , Masoudi Ali , Araya Daniel , Ghasemi Hadi
Published: November 2020

Correction for ‘Stress-localized durable icephobic surfaces’ by Peyman Irajizad et al., Mater. Horiz., 2019, 6, 758–766, DOI: 10.1039/C8MH01291A.
The importance of the iron valence state in NiCoFe nanosheet array catalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction
Authors: Hu Hua-Shuai , Li Yang , Deng Gao , Shao Ya-Ru , Li Ke-Xin , Wang Chong-Bin , Feng Yuan-Yuan
Published: November 2020

The catalytic performances of NiCoFe nanosheet array catalysts for the OER are strongly dependent on the valence state of iron cations in the precursors.
Indium promoted C(sp3)–P bond formation by the Domino A3-coupling method – a combined experimental and computational study
Authors: Das Suman , Rawal Parveen , Bhattacharjee Jayeeta , Devadkar Ajitrao , Pal Kuntal , Gupta Puneet , Panda Tarun K.
Published: November 2020

An efficient catalytic process for the synthesis of α-aminophosphonates is developed by a one-pot three-component reaction in the presence of In complexes at room temperature. DFT based mechanistic studies of the catalytic reactions are reported.
Polymorphism-based luminescence and morphology-dependent optical waveguide properties in 1 : 1 charge transfer cocrystals
Authors: Wang Jing , Xu Shuping , Li Aisen , Chen Lei , Xu Weiqing , Zhang Hongyu
Published: November 2020

Polymorphism-based luminescence and morphology- and color-dependent optical waveguide properties were observed in two polymorphic CT cocrystals, which result from different mixed stacking structures and intermolecular CT interactions between D and A.
Photocatalyst-, metal- and additive-free, direct C–H arylation of quinoxalin-2(1H)-ones with aryl acyl peroxides induced by visible light
Authors: Xu Jun , Zhang Hongdou , Zhao Jianming , Ni Zhigang , Zhang Pengfei , Shi Bing-Feng , Li Wanmei
Published: November 2020

A visible light-mediated direct C–H arylation of quinoxalin-2(1H)-ones with aryl acyl peroxides has been developed.
Copper-catalyzed, N-directed remote C(sp3)–H azidation and thiocyanation
Authors: Min Qing-Qiang , Yang Jia-Wen , Pang Meng-Juan , Ao Gui-Zhen , Liu Feng
Published: November 2020

A mild and practical protocol is developed for the synthesis of distal azido and thiocyanato alkylamines via N-directed remote C(sp3)–H functionalization.
Palladium(ii)-catalyzed three-component tandem reactions: synthesis of multiply substituted quinolines
Authors: Zhang Yetong , Chen Lepeng , Shao Yinlin , Zhang Fangjun , Chen Zhongyan , Lv Ningning , Chen Jiuxi , Li Renhao
Published: November 2020

The three-component tandem reaction of 2-aminobenzonitriles, arylboronic acids and ketones as available reagents allowing the synthesis of polysubstitution quinolines is reported.
Photocatalytic intermolecular anti-Markovnikov hydroamination of unactivated alkenes with N-hydroxyphthalimide
Authors: Ye Zhi-Peng , Hu Yuan-Zhuo , Xia Peng-Ju , Xiang Hao-Yue , Chen Kai , Yang Hua
Published: November 2020

A visible-light-induced/phosphite-promoted anti-Markovnikov hydroamination of alkenes with N-hydroxyphthalimide was successfully realized, which was initiated by a proton-coupled electron transfer to enable direct cleavage of its N–O bond.
Process optimization and kinetics of microwave assisted transesterification of crude glycerol for the production of glycerol carbonate
Authors: Teng Wai Keng , Yusoff Rozita , Aroua Mohamed Kheireddine , Ngoh Gek Cheng
Published: November 2020

The production of glycerol carbonate (GC) from industrial grade crude glycerol was catalyzed by calcium oxide (CaO) via microwave assisted transesterification (MAT).
Enzyme-like MOFs: synthetic molecular receptors with high binding capacity and their application in selective photocatalysis
Authors: Wan Libin , Liu Hui , Huang Chuixiu , Shen Xiantao
Published: November 2020

By directly printing “tailor-made” cavities within MOFs, enzyme-like MOFs were fabricated with high binding capacity and photocatalytic selectivity towards the target pollutant.
Anti-PD-L1 DNA aptamer antagonizes the interaction of PD-1/PD-L1 with antitumor effect
Authors: Gao Tian , Mao Zheng , Li Wenjing , Pei Renjun
Published: November 2020

A DNA aptamer targeting PD-L1 antagonizes the interaction of PD-1 and PD-L1 with antitumor effect.
Chemodynamic/photothermal synergistic therapy based on Ce-doped Cu–Al layered double hydroxides
Authors: Wang Zhengdi , Fu Liyang , Zhu Yu , Wang Sa , Shen Guohong , Jin Lan , Liang Ruizheng
Published: November 2020

Ultrathin CuAlCe layered double hydroxide nanosheets loaded with indocyanine green (ICG) were designed, and showed excellent synergetic chemodynamic/photothermal therapy.
Nanocrack-based strain sensors
Authors: Zhang Chi , Sun Jining , Lu Yao , Liu Junshan
Published: November 2020

This review presents the typical fabrication processes, sensing mechanism, performance, applications and current challenges of nanocrack-based strain sensors (nCBSSs).
Facile fabrication of ultrathin graphene film with ultrahigh electrical conductivity and superb electromagnetic interference shielding effectiveness
Authors: Liu Xiaojing , Wu Wenyu , Guo Bin , Cui Minghao , Ma Huaxin , Zhang Zhao , Zhang Ruijun
Published: November 2020

Graphene films prepared through a self-assembly of graphene oxide and its derivatives have been recently explored for electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding applications.
Host factors involved in influenza virus infection
Authors: Husain Matloob
Published: November 2020

Influenza virus causes an acute febrile respiratory disease in humans that is commonly known as ‘flu’. Influenza virus has been around for centuries and is one of the most successful, and consequently most studied human viruses. This has generated tremendous amount of data and information, thus it is pertinent to summarise these for, particularly interdisciplinary readers. Viruses are acellular organisms and exist at the interface of living and non-living. Due to this unique characteristic, viruses require another organism, i.e. host to survive. Viruses multiply inside the host cell and are obligate intracellular pathogens, because their relationship with the host is almost always harmful to host. In mammalian cells, the life cycle of a virus, including influenza is divided into five main steps: attachment, entry, synthesis, assembly and release. To complete these steps, some viruses, e.g. influenza utilise all three parts — plasma membrane, cytoplasm and nucleus, of the cell; whereas others, e.g. SARS-CoV-2 utilise only plasma membrane and cytoplasm. Hence, viruses interact with numerous host factors to complete their life cycle, and these interactions are either exploitative or antagonistic in nature. The host factors involved in the life cycle of a virus could be divided in two broad categories — proviral and antiviral. This perspective has endeavoured to assimilate the information about the host factors which promote and suppress influenza virus infection. Furthermore, an insight into host factors that play a dual role during infection or contribute to influenza virus-host adaptation and disease severity has also been provided.
The emergence of prioritisation systems to inform plant health biosecurity policy decisions
Authors: MacLeod Alan , Lloyd Simon
Published: November 2020

The management of risk is fundamental to biosecurity. Potential pest risks must be recognised early, with appropriate measures taken to prevent or reduce the potential damage a non-native species can cause. Risk registers are a recognised tool to support risk management, especially in project management or governance of corporate risk. The use of risk registers and risk prioritisation systems in the plant health biosecurity sphere has emerged in recent years driven by the recognition that resources to assess pest risks in detail are scarce, and biosecurity actions need to be targeted and prioritised. Individual national plant protection organisations have consequently developed a variety of tools that prioritise and rank plant pests, typically taking likelihood of pest entry, establishment, spread and impact into account. They use expert opinion to give scores to risk elements within a framework of multi-criteria decision analysis to rank pests based on the prioritisation aims of users. Knowing that biosecurity extends beyond national borders we recognise that such systems would add value to global efforts to detect and share information on emerging pests to better target actions against pests to protect plant biosecurity.
Affinely adjustable robust energy management system for smart homes
Authors: Zhang Cuo , Yang Dong Zhao , Yin Xia
Published: November 2020

As plentiful roof‐top photovoltaic (PV) panels and battery energy storage systems (BESSs) have been installed in residential houses, smart homes which provide reliable and cost‐efficient energy for customers have been increasingly developing. This study proposes a smart home coordinated operation framework consisting of day‐ahead scheduling of a BESS and deferrable appliances as well as real‐time BESS affinely adjustable control. The scheduling aims to minimise daily energy usage bills and the affinely adjustable control aims to eliminate fluctuations of intermittent PV output and at‐will uncertain appliances. This study proposes an affinely adjustable robust energy management system (AAREMS) which can optimise the day‐ahead scheduling with full consideration of the real‐time BESS control under uncertainties. Moreover, affinely adjustable robust counterpart formulation is developed to solve the AAREMS under the worst case of real‐time uncertainty realisation. The simulation results verify the high efficiency of the proposed AAREMS in minimising the energy usage bills for the customers and providing certain and invariable power injection for the utility grid.
Weather biased optimal delta model for short‐term load forecast
Authors: Uppal Manish , Kumar Garg Vijay , Kumar Dinesh
Published: November 2020

In the current scenario of the deregulated Indian electricity market where the power demand and its availability vary remarkably, the factors playing a significant role in demand variations are often associated with the impact of unprecedented weather conditions and technological evolutions. To maintain grid security and discipline that yield to financial implications, there lies a great need to formulate an equilibrium between electricity supply and demand. Devising a model to anticipate the variations which are highly adaptive to such changes is the need of the hour. For this purpose, an algorithm has been proposed in this study, which is best suited for the day‐ahead load forecast. The variables selected for the forecast are one‐day‐lagged demand statistics, seasonality trend, weather, and calendar variables. The proposed algorithm outperforms the existing benchmark model, which is evaluated through various statistical performance metrics such as mean absolute percentage error, mean absolute error, root‐mean‐square error, and coefficient of variation. The performance of the proposed methodology at the seasonal level is analysed and validated through uncertainty analysis with one post‐sample year for the state of Delhi, India. This model presents its compatibility to prevalent grid regulations as well as shall hold good in the weather and demand variations possibly expected in the future.
Welche Pflichten ergeben sich aus dem Transparenzregister?
Authors: Alt Benjamin
Published: November 2020

Seit Oktober 2017 ergeben sich neue Verpflichtungen aus dem Geldwäschegesetz (GwG). Zu diesem Zeitpunkt wurde das Transparenzregister eingeführt, welches juristische Personen des Privatrechts und eingetragene Personengesellschaften dazu verpflichtet, gewisse Angaben in das Transparenzregister einzutragen. Doch was bedeutet das nun für Praxisinhaber?
An apparatus for rapid and nondestructive comparison of masks and respirators
Authors: Sheets Donal , Shaw Jamie , Baldwin Michael , Daggett David , Elali Ibrahim , Curry Erin B. , Sochnikov Ilya , Hancock Jason N.
Published: November 2020

The SARS-CoV-2 global pandemic has produced widespread shortages of certified air-filtering personal protection equipment and an acute need for rapid evaluation of breathability and filtration efficiency of proposed alternative solutions. Here, we describe experimental efforts to nondestructively quantify three vital characteristics of mask approaches: breathability, material filtration effectiveness, and sensitivity to fit. We focus on protection against aqueous aerosols >0.3 μm using off-the-shelf particle, flow, and pressure sensors, permitting rapid comparative evaluation of these three properties. We present and discuss both the pressure drop and the particle penetration as a function of flow to permit comparison of relative protection for a set of proposed filter and mask designs. The design considerations of the testing apparatus can be reproduced by university laboratories and medical facilities and used for rapid local quality control of respirator masks that are of uncertified origin, monitoring the long-term effects of various disinfection schemes and evaluating improvised products not designed or marketed for filtration.
Fluid–particle drag and particle–particle drag in low-Reynolds-number bidisperse gas–solid suspensions
Authors: Duan Fan , Zhao Li , Chen Xiao , Zhou Qiang
Published: November 2020

Particle-resolved direct numerical simulations (PR-DNSs) of dynamic bidisperse gas–solid suspensions are performed at low particle Reynolds numbers. Unlike the fixed-bed suspensions, the mobility of particles allows particles of different size types to develop different slip velocities relative to the fluid phase. The scaled slip velocity, defined as the ratio of the slip velocity of one particle type to the mean slip velocity of the mixture, varies profoundly depending on the specific properties of the bidisperse mixture. For large particles, the drag force, scaled by the mean drag force of the mixture, is reasonably predicted by the models obtained from fixed-bed suspensions, while for small particles, these models tend to underestimate the scaled drag force as the scaled slip velocity decreases. By introducing the scaled slip velocity, a new model for the fluid–particle drag on each particle type is proposed and agrees well with the PR-DNS data. For the situation where the monodisperse drag models are employed to predict the mixture mean drag force, a new mean diameter that is variant with the total solid volume fraction is suggested. This diameter increases as the total solid volume fraction decreases and approaches the Sauter mean diameter in the close-packed volume fraction. In dilute suspensions, due to the strong influence of surrounding fluids on the particle phase, the simulated particle–particle drag is significantly smaller than the predictions of models based on kinetic theory of granular flow. Based on the PR-DNS results, new relations for particle–particle drag are also proposed.
Specular transmission in nodal-line Weyl semimetal resonant tunneling junction
Authors: Li Yu-Xian
Published: November 2020

We investigate the transport properties in nodal-line Weyl semimetal resonant tunneling junction. Double reflections and double transmissions appear, which are specular reflection, retroreflection, normal transmission, and specular transmission. The incident angle dependence transmissions and reflections are studied with different incident energies and different quantum well widths. The retroreflection and the specular transmission appear only when the incident angle of the electron θ is less than the critical value θc. As the incident energy approximately equals the z component of the momentum, double transmissions disappear completely, perfect retroreflection (specular reflection) can be found when θ is smaller (bigger) than θc. Under certain conditions, the transmission and reflection types and their magnitudes can be controlled. For the different cases that the nodal line of the Weyl semimetal is parallel to and perpendicular to the interface, the conductance spectra exhibit strong anisotropy. These physical phenomena help us to design nodal-line Weyl semimetal-based nanodevices.
Polarization dependent photoluminescence and optical anisotropy in CuPtB-ordered dilute GaAs1–xBix alloys
Authors: Paulauskas Tadas , Čechavičius Bronislovas , Karpus Vytautas , Jočionis Lukas , Tumėnas Saulius , Devenson Jan , Pačebutas Vaidas , Stanionytė Sandra , Strazdienė Viktorija , Geižutis Andrejus , Čaplovičová Mária , Vretenár Viliam , Walls Michael , Krotkus Arūnas
Published: November 2020

The GaAs1–xBix semiconductor alloy allows one to achieve large bandgap reduction and enhanced spin–orbit splitting energy at dilute Bi quantities. The bismide is currently being developed for near- to mid-infrared lasers, multi-junction solar cells, and photodetectors. In this structure–property relationship study of GaAsBi alloys, we report polarization dependent photoluminescence that reaches a polarization ratio up to 2.4 at room temperature. Polarization dependence is also presented using transmittance spectra, birefringence, and linear dichroism. The optical anisotropy observations agree with the predictions of point symmetry reduction in the CuPtB-type ordered GaAsBi phase. The structural ordering is investigated experimentally from the atomic scale in molecular-beam epitaxy (MBE) grown samples on exact and miscut (001) GaAs substrates, as well as on (001) Ge. The latter sample is composed of anti-phase domains in which the ordering axes are rotated by 90° angles. Since the conditions stabilizing the CuPtB ordered phase fall within the typical MBE growth regime of dilute bismides, the optical anisotropy in GaAsBi alloys is expected to be ubiquitous. These findings are important for the future development of GaAsBi-based optoelectronics and also provide new means to analyze structurally complex bismide alloys.
Unified quasi-optical theory of short-wavelength radiation amplification by relativistic electron beams moving near the impedance surfaces
Authors: Malkin A. M. , Zheleznov I. V. , Sergeev A. S. , Zaslavsky V. Yu. , Makhalov P. B. , Ginzburg N. S.
Published: November 2020

We combine impedance approximation with a quasi-optical approach to describe the amplification of short-wavelength radiation by rectilinear relativistic electron beams (REBs) moving near the impedance surfaces. We consider a number of physical systems in which wave propagation and amplification by REBs under certain conditions can be described within the developed unified approach. These include metal surfaces with shallow periodical corrugations, the surface of the isotropic plasma, and metals with finite conductivity. In the latter case, resistive instability arises. For the specified class of systems, universal (differing only in the definition of impedance) linear and nonlinear equations are obtained, which allow for finding the instability increments, the spatial profiles of excited fields, and the efficiency of energy extraction.
Plants of Subtropical Eastern Australia
Authors: Benwell Andrew
Published: November 2020

Plants of Subtropical Eastern Australia describes the rich flora of this biogeographically distinct region located on the east coast of Australia, covering the north coast of New South Wales and coastal South-East Queensland. This guide presents a selection of common, threatened and ecologically significant plants found in the region’s major vegetation habitats including rainforest, heathland, grassy forest, wetlands and rock outcrops.
More than 500 plants are featured, with photographs and descriptive features enabling the reader to identify these species if encountered. Interesting biological, cultural and historical characteristics of each species are included, along with notes on the plant’s biogeography and a map of its distribution.
Suitable for anyone with an interest in plant ecology and botany, Plants of Subtropical Eastern Australia is the definitive guide to this fascinating region of Australia and its unique flora.
Methods for correcting inference based on outcomes predicted by machine learning
Authors: Wang Siruo , McCormick Tyler H. , Leek Jeffrey T.
Published: November 2020

Significance

Machine learning is now being used across the entire scientific enterprise. Researchers commonly use the predictions from random forests or deep neural networks in downstream statistical analysis as if they were observed data. We show that this approach can lead to extreme bias and uncontrolled variance in downstream statistical models. We propose a statistical adjustment to correct biased inference in regression models using predicted outcomes—regardless of the machine-learning model used to make those predictions.
Sketching a motivational landscape
Authors: Mearns Tessa , de Jong Nivja
Published: November 2020

Studies of motivation in bilingual education settings often address questions of differences between learners in
bilingual programmes and those in mainstream education. Problematic in this respect is our increasing awareness of the inherent
differences between these two learner groups, as learners in bilingual programmes have often chosen or been selected for a
bilingual route (Mearns et al., 2017). The study presented here therefore does not seek
to compare learners in bilingual and non-bilingual programmes, but rather to explore the nature of language learning motivation
within the context of bilingual secondary education (BSE) in the Netherlands. Using a purpose-designed tool reflecting the L2
Motivational Self System (Dörnyei, 2009), this study investigated trends in motivation
across genders, academic tracks and year-groups of nearly 2000 learners. Findings suggest that, although these learners all have
bilingual education in common, differences between the motivations of these groups should not be overlooked.
The impact of the simultaneity vector on the temporal-aspectual
development of the perfect tense in Romance languages
Authors: Torres Susana Azpiazu
Published: November 2020

This paper seeks an explanation of the Perfect in
the Romance languages that takes into account its temporal rather
than aspectual features. We contend that there is no real
“aoristicization” process of the Perfect over time and across
languages, but instead a semantic expansion of the notion of
simultaneity enclosed in the functional configuration of the form.
Based on the classical time vector configuration for Spanish posited
by Rojo (1974) and Rojo & Veiga (1999), we
argue that the semantic differences of the Perfect in Romance
languages can be explained as a different development of the
semantic possibilities of the simultaneity vector, whereby it may
remain at a very low level and be hardly deictic (Portuguese) or
become a pure sign of locutionality, and therefore mainly pragmatic
(French).
The Swedish perfect and periphrasis
Authors: Heinat Fredrik
Published: November 2020

This paper investigates the apparent
near-optionality of the perfect auxiliary ha
(‘have’) in Swedish. Restrictions on the near-optionality of
ha-omission are typically recognized in the
previous literature as lexical or structural. The paper scrutinizes
the viability of these restrictions by means of corpus data. Most of
these restrictions are shown not to hold. Instead, the paper defends
the view that the optionality of the perfect auxiliary
ha in Swedish is linked to whether the clause
it occurs in requires a finite feature or not, and whether
ha is the only element that can supply a value
for this feature. The phenomenon of ha-omission is
accounted for in the syntactic frame work LFG. It is shown that
ha can only be omitted if another element in
the clause can provide a value for the finite feature.