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Invited for this month's cover is the group of Prof. Dr. Milad Abolhasani at North Carolina State University. The image shows an energy-efficient strategy for on-site and room-temperature hydrogen release from liquid organic hydrogen carriers. The Research Article itself is available at 10.1002/cssc.202200733.

We present an integrated flow chemistry strategy using two membrane-based flow reactors to enhance the extraction and recovery rates of switchable hydrophilicity solvents (SHSs) by five times compared to batch reactors. The developed green flow chemistry strategy achieves an overall single-pass recovery efficiency of 60.1% for 2-(dibutyl amino)ethanol.

A novel Pd/Rh dual-metallic cooperative catalytic process has been developed to effect the reductive carbon-ylation of aryl halides in moderate to good yield. In this reaction, water is the hydride source, and CO serves both as the carbonyl source and the terminal reductant through the water-gas shift reaction. The catalytic generation of the Rh hydride allows for the selective formation of highly hindered aryl aldehydes that are inaccessible through previously reported reductive carbonylation protocols. Moreover, aldehydes with deuterated formyl groups can be efficiently and selectively synthesized using D2O as a cost-effective deuterium source without the need for presynthesizing the aldehyde.

Combinations of rate measurements as functions of reactant pressures, in situ infrared spectroscopy, comparisons of kinetic isotope effects, and rate inhibition effects provide experimental evidence that aldol condensation of acetaldehyde proceeds by kinetically relevant nucleophilic attack of a reactive enolate upon an acetaldehyde molecule over anatase TiO2. Steady-state turnover rates of aldol condensation measured as a function of the pressures of C2H4O, C2H5OH, H2O, and H2 between 503 K and 537 K show that rates reflect a second order dependence on C2H4O pressure and an inverse second order dependence on the C2H5OH pressure at the lowest C2H4O-to-C2H5OH ratios. Infrared spectra obtained in situ show that the exposed cationic Ti-atoms that facilitate aldol addition on TiO2 surfaces are saturated with C2H5OH∗ species and C2H4O∗ coverages are much smaller. In addition, aldol rates increase when C2D4O replaces C2H4O as a reactant, which likely reflects an inverse, secondary isotope effect caused by rehybridization of C-atoms at the transition state that forms a C C bond between two reactive intermediates derived from acetaldehyde. These results suggest that the kinetically relevant step is a bimolecular surface reaction, specifically the nucleophilic attack of an enolate onto a vicinal C2H4O∗ species. This conclusion is consistent also with aldol condensation rates that decrease with an inverse second order dependence on pyridine (C5H5N) pressure, because C5H5N displaces C2H4O from the two Lewis acid sites involved in the kinetically relevant step (confirmed by in situ FTIR). Comparisons to recent reports on the mechanism of this reaction on anatase TiO2 indicate that the presence of high coverages of C2H5OH∗ causes nucleophilic attack to become the kinetically relevant step by significantly reducing the number of enolate-acetaldehyde reactant pairs upon the surface.

The purpose of this study was to examine the child maltreatment as predictors of criminal thinking style among Adolescents. Sample of the study consisted of 150 adolescents (75 Juveniles and 75 normal people) were compared regarding to study variables, the participants almost all existing socioeconomic classes such as low, middle, and high classes in Jordan and they are similar in age, ranging from 12 to 18 years. They are also homogenous about nationality. Moreover, the sample was selected from public schools and rehabilitation centers for juveniles in Russeifa city in Jordan. For data collection, child maltreatment scale and criminal thinking styles “PICTS” which are founded by Imad Mikhmer, 2000 and Glenn Walters, 1989 respectively have been used. Results of the study indicated that there are statistically significant differences at α ≤ 0.05 between juveniles and normal people regarding the variables of the study in favor of criminal’s participants. While, there are no significant influence in mother physical maltreatment among the participants. Also, results of the study find out that there is a statistically significant relationship at α ≤ 0.05 between child maltreatment and criminal thinking styles. Finally, results of the study presented that the criminal thinking can be predicted from perceived father and mother maltreatment in childhood. Results show the danger of child maltreatment and how it affects in future and security of society, and how the cycle of maltreatment works with victim being prone to become a juvenile in the future.

A microstrip patch antenna fed with two opposing microstrip lines is designed. The antenna has four cuts in its corners in order to introduce PIN diode to have a polarization agile antenna by changing the diodes states. Two vertical slots inside the patch are created for axial ratio and bandwidth enhancement. A separate DC biasing is inserted for proper operation of the diodes. Some antenna characteristics such as reflection coefficient, axial ratio, radiation pattern and gain are investigated and optimized through several parametric studies of the antenna geometry. This type of antenna is widely preferred in wireless communication systems.

This paper proposes a rectangular patch antenna fed from two orthogonal microstrip lines for polarization diversity. Different polarization states are achieved by using four PIN diodes placed at the patch corners. The PIN diodes are biased by an external DC circuitry to switch their states. This antenna has an operating frequency of around 2.4 GHz and can produce LHCP, RHCP, and linear polarization when the signal is fed from the horizontal feed and the vertical feed, so six polarization states are achieved. Antenna characteristics such as reflection coefficient, axial ratio, gain, and radiation pattern are being investigated through optimizing all antenna dimensions. This antenna is suitable for many wireless applications.

This study aimed to build self-confidence for high school students in Al-Mafraq Governorate in Jordan following the Item Response Theory (IRT). The scale included its initial version (50) items. To ensure the external validity of the scale, it was reviewed by several experts. According to the experts’ feedback, some items should be deleted or modified. The final version of the scale included (44) items. The scale was further applied to an experimental sample of (310) male and female students to verify psychometricians’ characteristics. Finally, the scale was administered to a sample of (1060) male and female high school students in Al-Mafraq Governorate. Data were collected, coded, and analyzed using statistical programs (SPSS and WINSTEPS). The most important results were the following: the self-confidence measure was one-dimensional, which means it measures only a single dimension. The results further revealed identical to the partial estimation model, and the index of average matching of individuals and the external and internal items approached zero, and the standard deviation approached the correct one. The estimated values of the distinct thresholds for the scale items showed a clear discriminatory ability and the emergence of particular threshold scores on the scale. After deleting the paragraphs that did not fit the study's model, the scale's final version included 39 items. The results also showed that the transfer values of logistical capacity units were within (-2.88 -2.77), within the IRT's accepted range.

Selective dehydrogenation catalysts that produce acetaldehyde from bio-derived ethanol can increase the efficiency of subsequent processes such as C–C coupling over metal oxides to produce 1-butanol or 1,3-butadiene or oxidation to acetic acid. Here, we use in situ X-ray absorption spectroscopy and steady state kinetics experiments to identify Cuδ+ at the perimeter of supported Cu clusters as the active site for esterification and Cu0 surface sites as sites for dehydrogenation. Correlation of dehydrogenation and esterification selectivities to in situ measures of Cu oxidation states show that this relationship holds for Cu clusters over a wide-range of diameters (2–35 nm) and catalyst supports and reveals that dehydrogenation selectivities may be controlled by manipulating either.

The rhodium-catalyzed water–gas shift reaction has been demonstrated to drive the reductive alkylation of several classes of activated methylene compounds at room temperature. Under catalysis by rhodium trichloride (2–3 mol %), carbon monoxide (10 bar), water (2–50 equiv), and triethylamine (2.5–7 equiv), the scope has been successfully expanded to cover a wide range of alkylating agents, including aliphatic and aromatic aldehydes, as well as cyclic ketones, in moderate to high yields. This method is comparable to, and for certain aspects, surpasses the established reductive alkylation protocols.

Nowadays, E-learning is one of the most inevitable technique and learning approach, because it offers indispensable advancement of the education process. Furthermore, it supports and enhances many facets of the learning process. This study aimed to build an attitude scale about e-learning among Isra University students according to the item response theory (IRT) in measurement. To achieve the study’s objectives, the main dimensions of the scale were identified, and 44 items were unevenly formatted. The tool was applied to 550 students who were social media users at Isra University. After analyzing the participants’ responses according to IRT, the final form of the scale consisted of 29 items that were divided into three main dimensions. The reliability of the scale was 0.94%, while the scale had multiple indications of validation.