Scalable Synthesis and Electrocatalytic Performance of Highly Fluorinated Covalent Organic Frameworks for Oxygen Reduction

In this study, we present a novel approach for the synthesis of covalent organic frameworks (COFs) that overcomes the common limitations of non-scalable solvothermal procedures. Our method allows for the room-temperature and scalable synthesis of a highly fluorinated DFTAPB-TFTA-COF, which exhibits intrinsic hydrophobicity. We used DFT-based calculations to elucidate the role of the fluorine atoms in enhancing the crystallinity of the material through corrugation effects, resulting in maximized interlayer interactions, as disclosed both from PXRD structural resolution and theoretical simulations. We further investigated the electrocatalytic properties of this material towards the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Our results show that the fluorinated COF produces hydrogen peroxide selectively with low overpotential (0.062 V) and high turnover frequency (0.0757 s−1) without the addition of any conductive additives. These values are among the best reported for non-pyrolyzed and metal-free electrocatalysts. Finally, we employed DFT-based calculations to analyse the reaction mechanism, highlighting the crucial role of the fluorine atom in the active site assembly. Our findings shed light on the potential of fluorinated COFs as promising electrocatalysts for the ORR, as well as their potential applications in other fieldsThis work was financially supported by Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación of Spain MICINN (TED2021-129886B-C41, TED2021-129886BC42; TED2021-129886BC43; PID2019-106268GB-C32; PID2019-106268GB C33, PID2020-113608RB-I00; PID2022-138908NB-C33, PID2022-138470NB-100, RED2018-102412-T; PID2020-116728RB-I00). Comunidad de Madrid (P2018/NMT-4349 TRANSNANOAVANSENS Program; SI3/PJI/2021-0034). F.Z. acknowledge financial support from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation, through the “María de Maeztu” Programme for Units of Excellence in R&D (CEX2018-000805-M). R.V. acknowledges “Programa Juan de la Cierva Formación” (FJC2020-045043-I). R.V. and J.A.R.N. acknowledge MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and European Union NextGenerationEU/PRTR

Bonding and the agency risk premium: An analysis of migrations between the AIM and the Official List of the London Stock Exchange

Firms that change their listing from the less regulated AIM to the more regulated main section of the London Stock Exchange exhibit positive abnormal returns on the announcement day. For firms moving in the opposite direction, both announcement and implementation day abnormal returns are negative. Following implementation, the pattern is reversed for both categories of firm. We show that differences in liquidity, conventional risk factors and in medium to long term firm survival rates between the two listing regimes do not explain the observed patterns of returns, suggesting that the answer lies in the different bonding requirements of the two market segments and an agency risk premium.JEL Codes: G12, G14, G15, G30, G32, G3

Clinical implications of gait analysis in the rehabilitation of adult patients with "Prader-Willi" Syndrome: a cross-sectional comparative study ("Prader-Willi" Syndrome vs matched obese patients and healthy subjects)

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Being severely overweight is a distinctive clinical feature of Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS). PWS is a complex multisystem disorder, representing the most common form of genetic obesity. The aim of this study was the analysis of the gait pattern of adult subjects with PWS by using three-Dimensional Gait Analysis. The results were compared with those obtained in a group of obese patients and in a group of healthy subjects.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Cross-sectional, comparative study: 19 patients with PWS (11 males and 8 females, age: 18–40 years, BMI: 29.3–50.3 kg/m²); 14 obese matched patients (5 males and 9 females, age: 18–40 years, BMI: 34.3–45.2 kg/m²); 20 healthy subjects (10 males and 10 females, age: 21–41 years, BMI: 19.3–25.4 kg/m²). Kinematic and kinetic parameters during walking were assessed by an optoelectronic system and two force platforms.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>PWS adult patients walked slower, had a shorter stride length, a lower cadence and a longer stance phase compared with both matched obese, and healthy subjects. Obese matched patients showed spatio-temporal parameters significantly different from healthy subjects.</p> <p>Furthermore, Range Of Motion (ROM) at knee and ankle, and plantaflexor activity of PWS patients were significantly different between obese and healthy subjects. Obese subjects revealed kinematic and kinetic data similar to healthy subjects.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>PWS subjects had a gait pattern significantly different from obese patients. Despite that, both groups had a similar BMI. We suggest that PWS gait abnormalities may be related to abnormalities in the development of motor skills in childhood, due to precocious obesity. A tailored rehabilitation program in early childhood of PWS patients could prevent gait pattern changes.</p

Prader-Willi syndrome: A primer for clinicians

The advent of sensitive genetic testing modalities for the diagnosis of Prader-Willi syndrome has helped to define not only the phenotypic features of the syndrome associated with the various genotypes but also to anticipate clinical and psychological problems that occur at each stage during the life span. With advances in hormone replacement therapy, particularly growth hormone children born in circumstances where therapy is available are expected to have an improved quality of life as compared to those born prior to growth hormone

Bezlotoxumab for Prevention of Recurrent Clostridium difficile Infection

BACKGROUND Clostridium difficile is the most common cause of infectious diarrhea in hospitalized patients. Recurrences are common after antibiotic therapy. Actoxumab and bezlotoxumab are human monoclonal antibodies against C. difficile toxins A and B, respectively. METHODS We conducted two double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, phase 3 trials, MODIFY I and MODIFY II, involving 2655 adults receiving oral standard-of-care antibiotics for primary or recurrent C. difficile infection. Participants received an infusion of bezlotoxumab (10 mg per kilogram of body weight), actoxumab plus bezlotoxumab (10 mg per kilogram each), or placebo; actoxumab alone (10 mg per kilogram) was given in MODIFY I but discontinued after a planned interim analysis. The primary end point was recurrent infection (new episode after initial clinical cure) within 12 weeks after infusion in the modified intention-to-treat population. RESULTS In both trials, the rate of recurrent C. difficile infection was significantly lower with bezlotoxumab alone than with placebo (MODIFY I: 17% [67 of 386] vs. 28% [109 of 395]; adjusted difference, −10.1 percentage points; 95% confidence interval [CI], −15.9 to −4.3; P<0.001; MODIFY II: 16% [62 of 395] vs. 26% [97 of 378]; adjusted difference, −9.9 percentage points; 95% CI, −15.5 to −4.3; P<0.001) and was significantly lower with actoxumab plus bezlotoxumab than with placebo (MODIFY I: 16% [61 of 383] vs. 28% [109 of 395]; adjusted difference, −11.6 percentage points; 95% CI, −17.4 to −5.9; P<0.001; MODIFY II: 15% [58 of 390] vs. 26% [97 of 378]; adjusted difference, −10.7 percentage points; 95% CI, −16.4 to −5.1; P<0.001). In prespecified subgroup analyses (combined data set), rates of recurrent infection were lower in both groups that received bezlotoxumab than in the placebo group in subpopulations at high risk for recurrent infection or for an adverse outcome. The rates of initial clinical cure were 80% with bezlotoxumab alone, 73% with actoxumab plus bezlotoxumab, and 80% with placebo; the rates of sustained cure (initial clinical cure without recurrent infection in 12 weeks) were 64%, 58%, and 54%, respectively. The rates of adverse events were similar among these groups; the most common events were diarrhea and nausea. CONCLUSIONS Among participants receiving antibiotic treatment for primary or recurrent C. difficile infection, bezlotoxumab was associated with a substantially lower rate of recurrent infection than placebo and had a safety profile similar to that of placebo. The addition of actoxumab did not improve efficacy. (Funded by Merck; MODIFY I and MODIFY II ClinicalTrials.gov numbers, NCT01241552 and NCT01513239.