by Xiu-Zhi Wei  , Jianguo Liu  and Longlong Ma

Received: 28 December 2021;  Published: 21 February 2022;  doi: 10.21926/cr.2201004

In recent years, research on converting biomass platform compounds into high-value chemicals and pharmaceutical intermediates has garnered huge interest. Nitrile and amide groups are key structures in natural products and biologically active molecules. The direct conversion of biomass platform compounds into nitriles and amides will undoubtedly be an important guide for biomass utilization. In this paper, a facile and efficient triphosgene-assisted one-pot conversion for aldehydes and ketones into nitrile and amide [...]

by José C. Conesa

Received: 29 November 2021;  Published: 21 February 2022;  doi: 10.21926/cr.2201005

It is important to understand the band offsets between semiconductors, which are crucial to determine the direction of electron transfer at the interfaces. Two methods are normally used to determine the direction from the first principles: alternating slabs put in contact (without empty spaces between them) and separate calculations for each material surface in the presence of vacuum spaces. The first method may introduce distortions due to insufficient epitaxial match, which may lead to bandgap changes, and the se [...]

by Clemens Drenowatz  , Gerson Ferrari  , Gerhard Ruedl  , Armando Cocca  and Klaus Greier

Received: 15 November 2021;  Published: 18 February 2022;  doi: 10.21926/rpn.2201004

Poor lifestyle choices in adolescents, including low physical activity (PA), excess screen time, and unhealthy dietary habits, are major threats to their health in the future. Unhealthy behaviors such as insufficient PA, high TV time, and poor dietary choices also tend to cluster, but information on the combined association of screen time, sports participation, and dietary habits is limited in Austrian youth. To examine the association among these behaviors, 165 adolescents (74 girls and 91 boys) between 11 and 14 [...]

by Cherechi Ndukwe  , M. Tariq Iqbal  and Jahangir Khan

Received: 16 November 2021;  Published: 17 February 2022;  doi: 10.21926/jept.2201007

SCADA provides real-time system monitoring by constant communication and data exchange between various system devices to achieve data visualization and logging. Presently, in industrial systems, commercial SCADA systems are being used for data monitoring and control. These systems can be expensive, and as such can only be afforded by select industries. Even at these costs, the commercial SCADA systems face some challenges, which include interoperability and scalability issues. Research has shown that these problems [...]

by Dana Shamshtein  and Timur Liwinski

Received: 06 December 2021;  Published: 17 February 2022;  doi: 10.21926/rpn.2201003

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a debilitating illness that places a great burden on global health. A ketogenic diet, which has traditionally been used for treating refractory epileptic disorders, is being increasingly explored for its potential of alleviating other neuropsychiatric conditions. Providing an up-to-date summary on the ketogenic diet’s potential to alleviate MDD, its neurobiological basis, and preliminary clinical evidence. A structured literature survey was performed, and a narrative review was wr [...]

by Phil Ayers  , Megan Harlow  and LeAnn Scott

Received: 30 December 2021;  Published: 15 February 2022;  doi: 10.21926/rpn.2201002

Parenteral nutrition (PN) is a complex medication administered to adult, pediatric, and neonatal patients. PN is recognized as a high-alert medication by the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP). The American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (ASPEN) has published several key recommendations regarding safe use of PN. This manuscript will review several of the important PN papers published in 2020-2021 by ASPEN.

by Lars-Gunnar Lundh

Received: 27 July 2021;  Published: 15 February 2022;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2201008

Experimental phenomenology is the investigation of phenomenological practices and their effects. To engage in a phenomenological practice means to focus attention on aspects of one’s experiences (e.g., sense impressions or body sensations) while adopting a specific kind of attitude (e.g., an explorative attitude) according to some set of instructions. The basic assumption is that the regulation of attention and attitudes involved in such practices may have effects on people’s health and quality of life. The present [...]

by Tiziana M.P. Cattaneo  , Laura Marinoni  , Stefania Mura  and Massimo Brambilla

Received: 24 December 2021;  Published: 15 February 2022;  doi: 10.21926/aeer.2201008

Soil is a very complex medium made of minerals, organic matter, microorganisms, air, and water. Vibrational spectroscopy techniques are exceptionally well-suited to be used with portable and hand-held devices. In this study, NIR spectroscopy was applied using portable instrumentation and the holistic Aquaphotomics approach to identify the differences in three Mediterranean soil profiles from Sardinia (Italy). The soil samples (95) collected from alluvial and loess-sampling sites in the three study areas of North Sa [...]

by Susan M. Joshi  and Leland J. Jackson

Received: 20 November 2021;  Published: 15 February 2022;  doi: 10.21926/aeer.2201007

Cyanobacteria blooms alter aquatic ecosystems and occur frequently in shallow prairie lakes, which are predicted to increase in salinity as the regional climate becomes hotter and drier. However, flat landscapes that experience depression bottom salinity with high concentrations of sulfate in addition to sodium and chloride, may mitigate nutrient increases or even inhibit cyanobacteria growth. Cyanobacteria can dominate shallow lakes with low N:P ratios because many cyanobacteria species fix dissolved N2, whether d [...]

by Alexander Peller  , Lara Suarez  , Ashleigh Trapuzzano  , Matt S. Stock  and Nicole Dawson

Received: 16 November 2021;  Published: 15 February 2022;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.2201188

Gait speed has been correlated to quality of life and has been called the sixth vital sign. The purpose of this study was to understand the factors that comprise fast and comfortable gait speed. 90 older adults provided demographic, cognitive, and functional performance data. Hierarchical linear regression models revealed predictors for comfortable gait speed to be lower-extremity strength ( B = 1.13, β = 0.233, P< .05), comorbid health ( B = −2.95, β = −0.22, P < 0.05), and gender( B = [...]

by Shih-Ang Hsu

Received: 27 December 2021;  Published: 14 February 2022;  doi: 10.21926/aeer.2201006

In September 2020 Hurricane Sally impacted two National Data Buoy Center (www.ndbc.noaa.gov) buoys near its track: 42040 in the deep water and 42012 in the shallow. Using pertinent air-sea interaction formulas from the literature, analyses of these buoy data indicate that, under fully rough airflow and wind sea conditions, U* = a Hs2 /Tp3 + b, here U* is the friction velocity, Hs is the significant wave height, and Tp is the peak wave period. It is found that a = 28 and b = 0.12 for the deep water environment, a = [...]

by Junhyeong T. Park  , Junseong A. Park  , Igor F. Tsigelny  and Valentina L. Kouznetsova

Received: 07 December 2021;  Published: 13 February 2022;  doi: 10.21926/obm.genet.2201147

The occurrence of various mutation patterns, such as changes in the DNA sequence and the loss of some sequences, is called a “mutational signature,” and they represent the molecular fingerprints that exist for the type of mutation occurring in a specific gene. Our study elucidates the correlations of mutational signatures in frequently mutated cancer genes with general mutational signatures previously found for different cancers. We hypothesized that the top twenty most frequently mutated genes (MFMG) of a cancer t [...]

by Mieczyslaw Szyszkowicz  and Nicholas de Angelis

Received: 18 September 2021;  Published: 11 February 2022;  doi: 10.21926/aeer.2201005

Air pollution affects various aspects of human health. Here, the associations between the number of emergency department visits for circulatory and respiratory problems and ambient air pollution in Toronto, Canada, in the period between April 2004 and December 2015 were studied. The health data were linked with urban air pollution data and weather factors. The conditional Poisson regression models were built for 18 strata (sex, age group, season), 8 exposure factors (air pollutants, indexes), and their 15 lags (0-1 [...]

by Geeta Pokhrel  , Hongmei Gu  , Douglas J. Gardner  and Shane O'Neill

Received: 07 December 2021;  Published: 09 February 2022;  doi: 10.21926/rpm.2201003

This study is expanding the previous studies that were focused on the material properties and transportation costs of the two alternative feedstocks for manufacturing wood-plastic composites (WPCs): wood flour and pellets. Besides the material properties and cost analysis, life-cycle assessment (LCA) is equally important to assess the environmental impacts of these two alternative wood feedstocks to manufacture WPCs and gain the knowledge of influences from the manufacturing and transportation processes. The main g [...]

by Ashley Schnackenberg  , Géraldine Bidar  , Valérie Bert  , Patrice Cannavo  , Sébastien Détriché  , Francis Douay  , René Guenon  , Liliane Jean-Soro  , Alice Kohli  , Thierry Lebeau  , Karen Perronnet  , Laure Vidal-Beaudet  , Christophe Waterlot  and Aurélie Pelfrêne

Received: 11 November 2021;  Published: 08 February 2022;  doi: 10.21926/aeer.2201004

Moderately contaminated garden soils can benefit from gentle remediation options such as soil amendments, which improve soil functions and agronomic potentialities while decreasing environmental and human risk. This study aimed to analyze the effects of doses of various common soil amendments generally applied by gardeners on the predicted bioavailability (i.e., extractability) of metal(loid)s (i.e., As, Cd, Pb, and Zn) in contaminated kitchen garden soils. Fourteen different amendment mixes (i.e., a green waste co [...]

by Yasushi Shibata  , Masayuki Goto  and Sumire Ishiyama

Received: 25 October 2021;  Published: 08 February 2022;  doi: 10.21926/obm.neurobiol.2201115

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been used to investigate migraine pathophysiology because it is a non-invasive technique. The main aim of clinical imaging for patients with headaches is to exclude secondary headaches due to organic lesions. Conventional structural imaging techniques such as routine MRI demonstrate white matter lesions, changes in gray matter volume or cortical thickness, and cerebral blood flow in patients with migraine. Changes in metabolite levels are observed by magnetic resonance spectrosc [...]

by Arksarapuk Jittirat  , Natsuki Eguchi  , Natthavat Tanphaichitr  , Myreen Tomas  , Praveen Gundelly  , Kai Zhao  , Leal Herlitz  , Yasolatha Chalicheemala  , Himabindu Yerneni  , Rachel C. Forbes  , Beatrice P. Concepcion  and Ekamol Tantisattamo

Received: 02 May 2021;  Published: 07 February 2022;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2201007

The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has significantly impacted kidney transplantation worldwide. The rate of kidney transplantation decreased during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, especially living donor kidney transplantation. Kidney transplant recipients are at high risk of developing severe complications from COVID-19 due to underlying comorbidities and immunosuppressed status. Management of immunosuppression, including the induction therapy and maintenance immunosuppressive regimen, has b [...]

by Louguangshu Huang  , Hui Liu  , Xiaoxia Xue  , Wuduo Zhao  and Tiesheng Li

Received: 13 December 2021;  Published: 03 February 2022;  doi: 10.21926/cr.2201003

In this article, an approach to generate self-assembly cyclopalladated polythiophene imine monolayers (denoted as ITO@Pd-CPTIMs) is described. The monolayers were fabricated by combining self-assembly (SA), hybrid doping (HD), and electrochemical polymerization (ECP) called SA-HD-ECP. The catalytic activity and stability of the polymerized monolayers in the Suzuki coupling reaction were improved by modulating the structure and morphology in hybrid doping using different thiophene derivatives, concentrations, and sc [...]

by Mats Niklasson  , Irene Niklasson  and Peder Rasmussen

Received: 15 August 2021;  Published: 29 January 2022;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2201005

The aim of this commentary is to present characteristics of an “unidentified psychological barrier,” which we previously have speculated to be associated with vestibular underachievement, an overlooked part for the understanding of the resistance to physical activity as well as in the assessments and interventions of developmental coordination disorder (DCD). Furthermore, we will discuss the importance of its identification and how to push knowledge forward. A delayed or partly absent sensorimotor devel [...]

by Jacy C. Downey  and Clinton G. Gudmunson

Received: 19 October 2021;  Published: 29 January 2022;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2201006

Parents model and teach early health practices that persist into adulthood by establishing a family culture through which children learn related family beliefs, values, and expectations. This phenomenological study examined the ways in which a purposefully selected group of mothers (selected due to their high scores on the Family Nutrition and Physical Activity screening tool) shaped family culture related to physical activity, addressed screen-time behaviors, and established positive eating related routines. Findi [...]

by OBM Integrative and Complementary Medicine Editorial Office

Received: 25 January 2022;  Published: 28 January 2022;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2201004

Interview with Dr. Paul J. Arciero. Precision lifestyle medicine and implementation science are the emerging frontiers of research in his field. He is an applied physiology and nutrition scientist, specializing in evidence-based scientific research on integrative and complementary lifestyle strategies to optimize health, wellness, and performance in individuals and organizations of all ages, fitness and health status. Specifically, his PRISE® Life protocol emphasizes a qualitative approach to nutrition, fitness, an [...]

by Jéssica A.P. Ponciano  and Marcelo S. Batista

Received: 01 December 2021;  Published: 26 January 2022;  doi: 10.21926/cr.2201002

In this paper, the relationship between activity and structure of Cu2+ in different chemical environments of Cu-BETA, La2CuO4, and CuO nanocatalysts was systematically investigated for acetonitrile combustion. The study revealed that exchanged and octahedral species of Cu2+ coexist in Cu-BETA, while octahedral species are dominant in CuO and La2CuO4. All nanocatalysts achieved high conversion rates of acetonitrile, which rapidly increased with temperature. CuO and La2CuO4 led to the formation of undesired products [...]

by Alejandro Ochoa-Ramirez  , Evelyn M. Kuhn  , Jitsupa Sirinit  and Theresa A. Mikhailov

Received: 11 October 2021;  Published: 26 January 2022;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2201003

Many clinical, biochemical, and anthropometric factors have been used to determine the nutritional status of critically ill children. One of the most commonly used anthropometric measurements in children is the head circumference. It is used to assess their development, and in some instances, can be an indicator of chronic malnutrition. We aim to study the association between head circumference and the nutritional status of critically ill children under 2 years old. We retrospectively obtained the head circumferenc [...]

by Jeonghyeon Cheon  and Seunghyun Kim

Received: 21 October 2021;  Published: 25 January 2022;  doi: 10.21926/rpm.2201002

3D printing is an attractive method to fabricate microfluidic devices due to (1) its fast and simple process without specialized equipment and cleanroom environment, and (2) its capability to create complex 3D structures. Combined with Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), it can be used to develop various microfluidic devices taking advantage of both 3D printing and PDMS. In this paper, we investigated a Digital Light Processing (DLP) 3D printer to fabricate 3D printing/PDMS integrated microfluidic devices. We used it to f [...]

by Andreea L. Seritan

Received: 26 November 2021;  Published: 24 January 2022;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.2201187

Older adults’ mental health needs significantly increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. Geriatric psychiatry is an area of extreme workforce shortage globally. A novel curriculum was developed to educate healthcare providers on COVID-19-related geriatric and geropsychiatry topics. Monthly lectures were presented from November 2020 to June 2021. Evaluations were collected after each lecture via an anonymous survey. Overall lecture quality and relevance for the participants’ clinical practices were rated on a 1-3 Lik [...]