bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The 'Who' of Manuscript Recipe Books: Tracing Professional Scribes
Authors: Müllneritsch Helga
Published: February 2019

The idea that female scribes – probably members of the middle or upper-classes – made manuscript recipe books for a fee, without being part of the owner’s family, has been discussed in English- and German-language countries for several years. The tradition of making manuscript recipe books for weddings and other important dates in the life of a woman justifies the idea that money was spent to provide such a present, for example, if time was scarce. If the owner did not want to make the effort to write the book on their own, a professional scribe was commissioned to carry out the task for them. In doing so, a personalised book could be made, that was probably more expensive than a printed book, but exclusive and tailored to the customer’s wishes. Three Austrian manuscripts examined in this study serve as a first attempt to reflect about the possibility of female scribes, drawing on examples of women working as paid and unpaid copyists and scribes in the eighteenth-century. One of the volumes gives clear evidence of a professional female scribe penning the book, either for a customer or herself, and the other two imply that professionals had been commissioned.
Varied starting points and pathways
Authors: Burford James , Mitchell Catherine
Published: February 2019

This article argues that the language of ‘diversity’ does multidirectional work – highlighting issues of social justice, as well as obscuring the varied experiences of those gathered underneath its umbrella (Ahmed, 2012). It builds on existing debates about widening participation in higher education, arguing that nuanced accounts of ‘diversity’ and doctoral aspiration are required. We present a duoethnographic text about two doctoral students’ pathways to study. While both students may be positioned as ‘diverse’ within their institution’s equity policy – as a sexuality minority student, and a working-class woman of Māori and European heritage – they reveal dissimilar expectations of what university study was, or could be. These histories of imagining the university shaped their trajectories into and through doctoral study. Drawing on Appadurai’s (2004) work, we argue that aspiration can be a transformative force for ‘diverse’ doctoral students, even if the map that informs aspiration is unevenly distributed. We then investigate why the idea of the ‘academic good life’ might have such aspirational pull for politically-engaged practitioners of minority discourse (Chuh, 2013). The article makes two primary contributions. First, we call for more multifaceted understandings of doctoral ‘diversity’, and for further reflection about the ways that social difference continues to shape academic aspiration. And second, we demonstrate the potential for duothenography to provide insights into the experiences of ourselves and an-Other through a shared examination of university imaginings.
Phylogeny and circumscription of Dasyphyllum (Asteraceae: Barnadesioideae) based on molecular data with the recognition of a new genus, Archidasyphyllum
Authors: Ferreira Paola de Lima , Saavedra Mariana Machado , Groppo Milton
Published: February 2019

Dasyphyllum Kunth is the most diverse genus of the South American subfamily Barnadesioideae (Asteraceae), comprising 33 species that occur in tropical Andes, Atlantic Forest, Caatinga, Cerrado, and Chaco. Based on distribution, variation in anther apical appendages, and leaf venation pattern, it has traditionally been divided into two subgenera, namely, Archidasyphyllum and Dasyphyllum. Further, based on involucre size and capitula arrangement, two sections have been recognized within subgenus Dasyphyllum: Macrocephala and Microcephala (=Dasyphyllum). Here, we report a phylogenetic analysis performed to test the monophyly of Dasyphyllum and its infrageneric classification based on molecular data from three non-coding regions (trnL-trnF, psbA-trnH, and ITS), using a broad taxonomic sampling of Dasyphyllum and representatives of all nine genera of Barnadesioideae. Moreover, we used a phylogenetic framework to investigate the evolution of the morphological characters traditionally used to recognize its infrageneric groups. Our results show that neither Dasyphyllum nor its infrageneric classification are currently monophyletic. Based on phylogenetic, morphological, and biogeographical evidence, we propose a new circumscription for Dasyphyllum, elevating subgenus Archidasyphyllum to generic rank and doing away with the infrageneric classification. Ancestral states reconstruction shows that the ancestor of Dasyphyllum probably had acrodromous leaf venation, bifid anther apical appendages, involucres up to 18 mm in length, and capitula arranged in synflorescence.
Farmers' Willingness to Pay for Agricultural Extension Service, A Case Study of Nubaria's Farmers, Egypt
Authors: Badr Mostafa M.
Published: February 2019

Aims: This study aimed to depict the current Extension Services (ES) in the new lands as perceived by farmers, also, identify farmers' Willing to Pay (WTP) for the ES.

Study Design: A descriptive design was implemented.

Place and Duration of Study: This study was carried out in Albustan district, Nubaria region in North West of the Delta of Egypt from July to December 2018.

Methodology: A convenient sample of 147 respondents were selected of a proportion of 20 % in three villages. The sampling frame included all farmers regardless of their cropping pattern or farm size including beneficiaries and graduate youths. An interview questionnaire was developed to cover 1) socioeconomic characteristics, 2) current ES, 3) farmers WTP for ES and their terms. Frequency, percentage, average, and range utilized for description purposes, while logistic regression was applied to outline the significant covariates of farmers' WTP.

Results: Findings denote a high level of homogeneity regarding the socioeconomic characteristics, horticulture is the most common pattern (82%). The majority of the respondents (81%) noted that they haven't access to a convenient public ES, and near to half (45%) demanded paid ES. Theyindicated a high level of trust in public providers e.g. universities (67%) and public extension (58%), nonetheless, they noted input suppliers (73%) and agriculture experts (66%) as the most frequent seeking providers. Respondents terms for paid ES was focused on four topics i.e. pricing policy, quality, accountability, and other services to be included with ES. With a preference for providing both knowledge and inputs (40%), fixed price (58%) in cash (56%). Logistic regression showed exposure to the extension activities is significantly associated with farmers' WTP, while late payment for inputs at the end of the season is significantly negative.

Conclusion: Farmers' WTP may contribute to outsourcing and improving ES.
Liming and Soil Amendments for Acidity Regulation and Nutrients Uptake by Potato-Mungbean-Rice Cropping Pattern in the Old Himalayan Piedmont Plain
Authors: Sultana Begom Samia , Mian Musharraf Hossain , Jahiruddin M. , Rahman M. Mazibur , Siddique Md. Noor E. Alam , Sultana Jakia
Published: February 2019

Soil acidity and lower soil fertility are the key issues that constraint higher crop yield in the Old Himalayan Piedmont Plain area of Bangladesh. The study evaluated the effect of lime and manure on yield of crops in a cropping pattern, potato-mungbean-transplanted aman (TA) rice. Experiments were conducted at Agricultural Regional Station (ARS), Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI) farm and farmer’s field under Thakurgaon Sadar Upazila, Thakurgoan district, over two consecutive years. Crop varieties were Cardinal for potato, BARI mung6 for mungbean and Bina dhan7 for TA rice. There were nine treatment combinations with three lime levels (0, 1 and 2 t dololime ha-1) and three manure treatments (poultry manure, farm yard manure and control) with three replications. The rate of poultry manure was 3 t ha-1 and that of FYM was 5 t ha-1. Lime was added to the first crop for entire two crop cycles and manures were applied to the first crop of each crop cycle. Application of lime and manure had significant positive effect on the yield of potato and consequently positive residual effects on mungbean and TA rice. An average 45-59% yield benefit over control for the first crop and 41-43% yield benefit for the third crop was observed. Amendment of soil with dololime @ 1 t ha-1 coupled with poultry manure @ 3 t ha-1 or FYM @ 5 t ha-1 could be an efficient practice for achieving higher crop yield due to optimization of soil acidity and nutrient uptake by plants.
Isolation and Identification of Bacteria Associated with Suya (Roasted Meat Product) Sold in Dutsinma Local Government Area, Kastina State
Authors: Orpin J. B. , Mzungu I. , Osuji C. G.
Published: February 2019

A study was carried out to isolate and identify Bacteria associated with suya (roasted meat product) sold in Dutsinma metropolis. Bacteriological analysis was carried out on the thirty (30) unspiced and thirty (30) spiced the samples collected from five (5) different retail outlets for identification and isolation using microscopy and biochemical test. The Prevalence of occurrence of the bacteria isolates was highest for Escherichia coli with 25.9%, Staphylococcus epidermidis with 24.5%, Bacillus cereus with 21.0%, Klebsiella pneumoniae with 11.8%, Staphylococcus aureus with 8.4% Streptococcus faecalis with 6.3%, and Salmonella sp with 2.1%. The mean aerobic plate count were in order of 106 (cfu/g) with the highest value for unspiced suya samples at 2.65 and that of spiced suya samples was 2.95. Occurrence of such organisms in ready-to –eat food constitutes a food safety issue which calls for urgent response in the education of suya producers on the hazards, Critical Control Points and the importance of personal hygiene and clean environment. Critical limits for the critical control points identified in this study are proposed.
Antimicrobial Susceptibility Pattern of Microorganisms Isolated from Tap Surfaces in Nigeria Campus
Authors: Aderanti T. S. , Arotupin D. J. , Adeyemo A. T. , Adegoke T. V.
Published: February 2019

Resistance of microorganisms to available antimicrobial agents have resulted in pernicious effect to human health over the last decades. The increase in antimicrobial resistance of pathogenic microorganisms particularly in tap surfaces is a major concern to the society. This research focused on the investigation of antimicrobial resistance pattern of pathogenic organisms (bacteria and fungi) isolated from various tap surfaces in the Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA) Obakere campus, in Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria. Samples were obtained from different locations (laboratories, hostels and toilets) in FUTA. The samples were analyzed microbiologically on selective, differential and general purpose media. The isolated organisms were identified by the routine microbiological methods. Among the pathogenic microorganisms isolated were Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, K. oxytoca Escherichia coli, Bacillus cereus, Citrobacter freundii, Acinectobacter baumannii, Staphylococcus aureus, Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus niger, Candida albicans and Fusarium oxysporium. The percentage distribution varies with P. aeruginosa (26.09%) having the highest percentage and Klebsiella sp. (4.45%) recorded at the lowest percentage of occurrence. All fungi isolated have simillar percentage distribution. The isolates displayed various levels of resistance to piperacillin (100%), ampicillin (66.67%). ceftazidime (66.67%), tetracycline (83.33%), cefepime (66.67%) and chloramphenicol (66.67%). The resistance to amoxicillin-clavulanate by E. coli and C. freundii isolated from taps surfaces were 60% and 50%, respectively. K. pneumoniae from tap water surface has 100% resistance to cefepime. The high resistance of microorganisms to antimicrobial agents indicated a great threat to people living within FUTA community that constantly obtaining water from these taps surfaces.
Notices of Various Roman Coins found in the Red Abbeystead and adjoining fields to the East of the Village of Newstead, Roxburghshire
Authors: Smith John Alexander
Published: February 2019

Having established in his earlier papers that the area around Newstead was a site of a major Roman occupation, Dr. Smith tries to understand the rough period of that occupation from the evidence provided by coins found in the Red Abbeystead and surrounding fields. Though conceding that the dating cannot be exact, as coins could be circulated long after their minting, he finds that the greatest concentration of coins is in the reign of Antoninus Pius and concludes that this was probably the stablest period in the era of Roman control of the area.
Discovery of Ancient Canoes on the Clyde
Authors: Buchanan John
Published: February 2019

John Buchanan wrote in to communicate the discovery of two canoes in the vicinity of Glasgow and the River Clyde. These two canoes accreted yet more evidence of the earliest rivercraft on the Clyde, fifteen such boats having been found in the 70 years preceding the publication of this article.
The Style of Ornament which prevailed from the Fourth to the Twelfth Century
Authors: Christie Alexander
Published: February 2019

An account of Alexander Christie's lecture on the subject of decorative arts around Europe from the fourth to the twelfth century. Christie opines that architectural features and styles should be taken as representative of the decorative taste of the time. In his lecture, he showed the development of style through drawings and other illustrative props.

 

The minutes of the April 12, 1852 meeting of the Society are appended, largely an account of the donations received.
Roman Bronze Patella
Authors: Smith John Alexander
Published: February 2019

Dr. John Alex Smith exhibited a Roman bronze patella found on a farm near the confluence of the Jed Water and the River Teviot. Not counting trace evidence mentioned by Roy and Stuart, the patella was the first material evidence of Roman inhabitation of the immediate area.
Iron Dagger, East Langton
Authors: Wilson Daniel
Published: February 2019

Dr. Daniel Wilson's description of the discovery of an iron dagger and a knife found on a farm in Kirknewton is reprinted from his Prehistoric Annals of Scotland. The weapons along with a few other other artifacts were found 3.5 feet below the surface when farmhands were draining a field. Wilson notes that these artifacts are all characteristic of the last pagan period in Scotland. The artifacts were donated to the Society.
Ancient Gaelic Inscriptions in Scotland
Authors: Skene William Forbes
Published: February 2019

W.F. Skene read a communication on ancient inscribed Scottish monuments with particular reference to the Ogham inscriptions on the monuments at Newton and Golspie. He then went on to say that such inscriptions, especially when legible were highly valuable in ascertaining the origin, period, and character of the sculptured stones of Scotland. By analysis of two inscriptions from Iona, Skene elucidates a four-line inscription on the stone at St. Vigeans.
Remarks on the occurrence of ornamentation of a byzantine character on weapons and wooden implements, made by the natives of an African Tribe, on the Coast of the Red Sea
Authors: Christie Alexander
Published: February 2019

Alexander Christie, Esq., exhibited several specimens of workmanship from Aden. The most informative of which were a set of large, ornamented wooden spoons. These had been decorated in a style similar to that seen on sculptured standing stones in Scotland and ecclesiastical relics in Scotand and Ireland, prior to the 12th century. By this and evidence culled from an account of the tribe that executed the carvings, Mr. Christie proposed that these people were descended from a branch of the ancient African Church.
US Graduate Medical Education, 2023-2024
Authors: Andrews John S. , Mathews Chris
Published: November 2024

This Appendix presents 2023 National GME Census data detailing the numbers and types of ACGME-accredited training programs and the residents and fellows in them.
As-Needed Blood Pressure Medication and Adverse Outcomes in VA Hospitals
Authors: Canales Muna Thalji , Yang Seonkyeong , Westanmo Anders , Wang Xinping , Hadley Dexter , Ishani Areef , Mohandas Rajesh , Shorr Ronald , Lo-Ciganic Weihsuan
Published: November 2024

Importance

Asymptomatic blood pressure (BP) elevations in the hospital are commonly treated with as-needed BP medications, including recurring as-needed and 1-time administration. Veterans represent a population at risk of ischemic events from rapid lowering of BP, but the impact of as-needed BP medication use in this population is unknown.

Objective

To assess the risks of acute kidney injury (AKI) and other outcomes from as-needed BP medication administration in a hospitalized veteran cohort.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This retrospective cohort study using target trial emulation and propensity score matching included adult veterans, who were hospitalized 3 or more days in Veterans Administration hospitals between October 1, 2015, and September 30, 2020. Participants must have been hospitalized on a non–intensive care unit medical or surgical floor, must not have undergone surgery, and must have received at least 1 scheduled BP medication in the first 24 hours of admission. Participants also must have had at least 1 systolic BP more than 140 mm Hg during hospitalization. Data in this study were analyzed from April 2023 to August 2024.

Main Outcomes and Measures

The primary outcome was time to first AKI occurrence during hospitalization. Secondary outcomes included greater than 25% reduction in systolic BP within 3 hours of as-needed BP medication administration and the composite outcome of myocardial infarction, stroke, or death during hospitalization.

Results

Of the 133 760 veterans eligible for analysis (mean [SD] age, 71.2 [11.6] years), 96% were male. The mean (SD) baseline estimated glomerular filtration rate was 75.7 (22.7) mL/min/1.73m2. A total of 28 526 patients (21%) received as-needed BP medication. As-needed BP medication use was associated with an increased AKI risk (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.23 [95% CI, 1.18-1.29]) compared to nonusers. Subgroup analyses showed higher AKI risk with intravenous as-needed BP medication use (compared to oral or combined oral and intravenous routes). Secondary analyses indicated as-needed BP medication users had a 1.5-fold greater risk of rapid BP reduction (95% CI, 1.39-1.62) and 1.69-fold higher rate of the composite outcome (95% CI, 1.49-1.92) compared to nonusers.

Conclusions and Relevance

The results of this retrospective cohort study showed that as-needed BP medication use among veterans is associated with increased AKI risk. The risks and benefits of this type of BP medication use would best be determined through a prospective trial, and these data suggest that there is the necessary equipoise to conduct such a trial.
What Parents Should Know About Naloxone, a Medication That Reverses Opioid Poisoning or Overdose
Authors: Chaiyachati Barbara H. , Linstead Rachel E. , Thompson Lindsay A.
Published: November 2024

This JAMA Pediatrics Patient Page describes naloxone, a medication that reverses opioid poisoning or overdose.
Findings on weight‐loss drugs offer hope, but caution needed
Authors: Enos Gary
Published: November 2024

Addiction researchers continue to preach caution amid a flurry of findings suggesting that popular weight‐loss medications such as semaglutide could have important applications in treating substance use disorders (SUDs). The latest report found a decreased risk of alcohol use disorder‐related hospitalization in patients who use semaglutide or liraglutide and its lead investigator is echoing the call for evidence from randomized trials to confirm conclusions drawn from observational studies.
AMERSA meeting: OUD, AUD and reflections
Authors: Knopf Alison
Published: November 2024

The Association for Multidisciplinary Education and Research in Substance use and Addiction (AMERSA) promised that its conference, held earlier this month in Chicago, would help participants use new approaches, advocate for policy change, recognize the important of interdisciplinary education and more. It did not fail, reports Stefan Kertesz, M.D., professor of preventive medicine at the University of Alabama and an advocate for the homeless, people with pain, drug users and an active participant in the conference.
Environmental Impact Assessment of Copper‐Alloy Production Using Process Simulation and Semantic Modeling
Authors: Sajjad Mohsin , van den Boogaart Karl Gerald , Steinmeier Leon , Parvez Ashak Mahmud
Published: November 2024

In this research, how environmental impacts of products can be tracked through complex production networks based on semantic data and environmental impact calculations is demonstrated. It focuses on the example of secondary copper production and the subsequent production of copper alloys, namely bronze and brass. The adopted methodology and ontology can however be generalized to other products and environmental impact categories. In this study, HSC Sim and FactSage software are employed to model and simulate the copper alloy production process from copper scrap (CuScrap) and waste‐printed circuit boards (WPCBs) and an ontology to represent the results for individual process parts is developed in a way that impact assessment is possible for all materials in a complex process network. Life cycle assessment (LCA), focused on greenhouse gas emissions (global warming potential [GWP]), is conducted using OpenLCA software and the ecoinvent 3.8 database to evaluate the environmental impacts comprehensively. In the GWP results, variations across all the studied cases are indicated, with bronze production generally exhibiting higher impacts, i.e., 33.46%, 32.33%, and 32.41% for Scrap, Mix, and printed circuit board cases, respectively, as compared to brass production due to the presence of tin (in bronze) which exhibits 3.7 times higher emissions than zinc (present in brass).
Thermally Induced Enhancement of Photoresponse in Radio Frequency‐Sputtered CdS Thin‐Film Photodetectors
Authors: Manilal Athulkrishna , Nair Shantikumar , Thoutam Laxman Raju
Published: November 2024

This work focuses on understanding the defect‐related electronic transport in cadmium sulfide (CdS) thin films, and finds thermal treatment as an efficient tool to tailor its intrinsic defect charge carrier concentration for optimum visible‐light photodetection performance. The radio frequency (RF)‐sputtered CdS thin‐films show a substantial decrease in measured dark‐current by three orders of magnitude (μA to nA) with an increase in substrate deposition temperature (Ts) from room‐temperature (RT) to a maximum of 400 °C. With increase in Ts, the current conduction behavior changes from Ohmic (at RT) to Schottky‐behavior (Ts ≥ 100–400 °C). The decrease in dark‐current and the crossover from Ohmic to Schottky electronic transport behavior, pointed to a decrease in defect‐density charge carrier concentration, with increased Ts. Additionally, post‐deposition thermal annealing of CdS thin films also is found to result in a similar decrease in dark‐current (μA to nA). The photo‐to‐dark‐current ratio of CdS thin‐film visible‐light photodetectors increased by two‐orders of magnitude, and its dynamic response time decreased by an order of magnitude via. thermal engineering. The thermal‐annealing treatment possibly reduced the defect‐related trap‐sites, which enables a reliable and faster photo‐switching response for CdS thin‐film‐based visible‐light photodetectors.
Plant Nano‐Immunoengineering and Biostimulant Applications of Ti3C2Tx MXene Colloids for Enhanced Systemic Defense against Phytopathogens and Stress Resistance Mechanisms
Authors: Khanahmadi Soofia , Richter Carolin , Dhingra Sanjiv , Nava Cruz Naivy , Cord‐Landwehr Stefan , Böhmer Maik , Moerschbacher Bruno M. , Rafieerad Alireza
Published: November 2024

The large‐scale implementation of antimicrobial agrochemicals to increase plant resistance against invasive phytopathogenic organisms and to secure crop yields and quality imposes critical cost and environmental challenges in agriculture. Thus, there is a growing need for alternative sustainable methods in today's farming to boost the plants’ growth and immune systems, safeguarding them from biotic stresses more eco‐economically. In this context, interest in the potential applications of functional carbon‐based nanomaterials has surged due to their tunable physicochemical/biological properties. MXenes, the latest materials in this family, are revolutionizing various fields in biology‐medicine, as they have been shown to possess intrinsic anti‐inflammatory/antimicrobial/anticancer properties and biocompatibility with different cells/tissues at controlled doses, opening avenues for advancing nanoagriculture. Here, innovative applications of mixed‐low‐dimensional titanium carbide MXene (Ti3C2Tx)‐based aqueous colloids are reported for plant immunoengineering and biostimulation, including autoclave‐treated Ti3C2Tx nanosheets’ impacts on enhancing defense‐related biological responses, seed‐to‐seedling transition, and underlying gene/hormone regulatory mechanisms. Foliar application of their relatively low doses serves as elicitor/priming active and stomatal closure‐inducing agent to boost plant innate immunity, expression of defense genes, systemic disease resistance, and defense/growth‐related responses. This sophisticated bioactivity resulted in reactive‐oxygen‐species production, inducing anti‐phytoviral/anti‐phytobacterial/anti‐phytofungal modes‐of‐action through direct pathogens‐inhibition and indirect regulation of plant immune system, implying MXene's potential for agricultural‐protection‐by‐nanodesign.
Zero Thermal Expansion via the Unconventional Sublattice‐Magnetovolume Effect in Rare‐Earth Ferrimagnets
Authors: Xu Jiawang , Wang Guyue , Xing Shouyuan , Xi Lei , Sheng Junchao , Li Shihao , Kan Xucai , Zheng Meng , Gao Yawei , Wang Dingsong , Zheng Xinqi , Zhang Jingyan , Xu Juping , Yin Wen , Zhou Shiming , Shen Baogen , Wang Shouguo
Published: November 2024

Zero thermal expansion (ZTE) alloys are critically needed in sophisticated modern industries, including telescope manufacturing, satellite technology, and semiconductor production, owing to their exceptional dimensional stability. In this study, high‐performance ZTE with a negligible coefficient of thermal expansion αv = 2.7 ppm K−1 over a broad temperature range of 10–220 K is discovered in ErCo2.8Fe0.2 magnet. Owing to an unconventional sublattice‐magnetovolume effect in the Er atoms, the negative thermal expansion in Fe‐substituted ErCo3−xFex magnets can be easily tuned to high‐performance ZTE. Moreover, the direct visualization of the magnetic transition in the predominant magnetization from the Er to the Co/Fe sublattices, as observed by the Lorentz transmission electron microscopy, further elucidates the manipulation mechanism behind the high‐performance ZTE. This study reports a convenient and effective strategy to optimize the thermal expansion characteristics of Er‐Co‐Fe magnets, which can guide future research that broadens the application scope of magnetic materials by leveraging the significant correlation between the magnetic properties and crystal structure of such systems.
Kirigami‐Inspired Stretchable Piezoelectret Sensor for Analysis and Assessment of Parkinson's Tremor
Authors: Xie Qisen , Han Liuyang , Liu Jie , Zhang Wenjie , Zhao Liuyan , Liu Yuhan , Chen Yanru , Li Yuzhen , Zhou Qian , Dong Ying , Wang Xiaohao
Published: November 2024

Human muscle activity contains rich information that can reflect human movement patterns and conditions of diseases or physical abnormalities. Flexible pressure sensors enable the assessment of muscle tremors in Parkinson's disease (PD) through Force Myography (FMG). Here, an easily fabricated, ultra‐sensitive, and stretchable piezoelectret pressure sensor is presented. Utilizing an effective integration of Kirigami structure and piezoelectret air gap, the sensor achieved a dynamic sensitivity of ≈725 pC/N (@5 Hz), measurement repeatability of <2.5%, measurement hysteresis of <1%, a pressure detection limit of <15 Pa, a response time of ≈2.5 ms, stable output within ±3% over 40 000 cycles, and output decay of <2.5% after 1000 cycles of complex deformation, meeting non‐distorted measurement conditions up to 20 Hz. Successful monitoring and assessment of hand muscle tremors are demonstrated. Furthermore, using a 1×3 sensor array enabled tremor localization, achieving a high accuracy rate of 99.5% with machine learning algorithms. Additionally, the sensor facilitated the experimental quantification and assisted scoring of the Movement Disorder Society Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (MDS‐UPDRS), with an accuracy of ≈85%. The sensor demonstrates potential for assisting in the diagnosis and rehabilitation monitoring of Parkinson's disease.
High‐Performance Giant InP Quantum Dots with Stress‐Released Morphological ZnSe‐ZnSeS‐ZnS Shell
Authors: Chen Hsueh‐Shih , Chen Cheng‐Yang , Wu You‐Cneng
Published: November 2024

Indium phosphide (InP) quantum dots (QDs) are increasingly considered potent alternatives to traditional cadmium‐based QDs. Notwithstanding, the material stability of InP, especially when juxtaposed with its cadmium‐based counterparts, poses significant challenges in its application. Generally, a thick ZnS shell is applied to InP cores to thwart photo‐oxidation and diminish nonradiative recombination. Yet, the pronounced lattice mismatch between the InP core and the ZnS shell can introduce lattice defects, consequently attenuating the luminescence efficiency. This makes the cultivation of a flawless thick shell a paramount challenge. In the present research, a synthetic methodology is elucidated to fabricate highly efficient InP QDs with dimensions exceeding 20 nm, achieved by alleviating the lattice mismatch strain during the shell growth. By regulating the shell composition and morphology, InP/ZnSe/ZnSeS/ZnS QDs with shield‐like morphology are prepared and demonstrate a photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) of ≈90%, exhibiting significantly enhanced photostability and thermal stability. This discovery is expected to greatly advance the preparation of highly efficient InP‐based or other QDs, expanding their potential in various applications such as environmentally friendly displays and energy‐saving lighting.
4D Printing of Electrically Activated Reversible Deformation Composite Actuators
Authors: Wang Nan , Xiao Xingzhi , Liu Tingting , Zhang Changdong , Gu Mingfei , Qi Ximeng
Published: November 2024

4D printing of shape memory polymers combines smart materials and 3D printing technology enabling transformations in shape, properties, and functionalities. However, existing research predominantly addresses unidirectional deformation, necessitating the application of external force for reprogramming after each deformation. This limitation impedes the realization of continuous reversible deformation, posing challenges to meet the demands of reversible deformation in complex scenarios. This study introduces an innovative method for fabricating electrically activated reversible composite actuators by 4D printing. The composite actuator's structure comprises conductive ink and shape memory PEEK. Upon current excitation, the composite actuator attains controlled and reversible deformation, attributed to the electro‐thermal sintering properties of the conductive ink, combined with the shape memory effect and phase transition of PEEK. The actuator's deformation performance is validated by subjecting the composite actuator to varying high‐low current excitations, modifying the excitation circuit's configuration, and refining the PEEK printing process. Concurrently, the reversible deformation performance of the actuator is evaluated through the application of cyclic current excitation. Additionally, an inchworm‐like crawling robot is fabricated to demonstrate validation, achieving a speed exceeding 8 mm min−1. The 4D printing technique for composite actuators developed in this study expands potential applications in fields such as reversible actuators, soft robotics, and deployable structures.
Back‐Bias Effects in a SiGe Nanosheet Transistor with Multiple Independent Gates
Authors: Beyer Christoph , Bhattacharjee Niladri , Mikolajick Thomas , Trommer Jens
Published: November 2024

Silicon germanium presents a great opportunity to improve the performance of Schottky barrier transistors through band gap engineering. This work presents a multi‐gated reconfigurable transistor built from pure SiGe channel material for bandgap reduction. The device utilizes industrial‐grade SiGe‐on‐insulator wafers, a hysteresis‐free HfO2‐based dielectric, and alloyed NiTiGeSi contacts, leading to Fermi‐level pinning of the Schottky contact about 200 meV above the valance band. Electron and hole transport in this complex structure have been analyzed as a function of the applied back‐bias by electrical measurements and corresponding technology computer‐aided design simulation. An on/off ratio of 103 with on‐currents up to 3.15 µA can be achieved for the p‐mode. At the same bias, the n‐mode showed no influence of the top gates due to a dominant parasitic hole current path. A strong positive back‐bias induced an n‐type switching operation, resulting in similar on/off‐ratio and subthreshold slopes as achieved with the p‐type mode. Opposed to this, it is shown that a strong negative back‐bias leads to a loss of gate control over the p‐mode, inducing an always‐on behavior. The results will give guidelines for applying Schottky barrier devices in industrial SiGe technologies, e.g., for reconfigurable or cryogenic computing.
Lipid Nanoparticles With Fine‐Tuned Composition Show Enhanced Colon Targeting as a Platform for mRNA Therapeutics
Authors: Rampado Riccardo , Naidu Gonna Somu , Karpov Olga , Goldsmith Meir , Sharma Preeti , Ezra Assaf , Stotsky Lior , Breier Dor , Peer Dan
Published: November 2024

Lipid Nanoparticles (LNPs) recently emerged as an invaluable RNA delivery platform. With many LNP‐based therapeutics in the pre‐clinical and clinical pipelines, there is extensive research dedicated to improving LNPs. These efforts focus mainly on the tolerability and transfectability of new ionizable lipids and RNAs, or modulating LNPs biodistribution with active targeting strategies. However, most formulations follow the well‐established lipid proportions used in clinically approved products. Nevertheless, investigating the effects of LNPs composition on their biodistribution can expand the toolbox for particle design, leading to improved delivery strategies. Herein, a new LNPs (30‐n‐LNPs) formulation with increasing amounts of phospholipids is investigated as a possible mRNA delivery system for treating Inflammatory Bowel Diseases. Compared to LNPs with benchmark composition (b‐LNPs), n‐LNPs containing 30% distearoylphosphatidylcholine (DSPC) are well tolerated following intravenous administration and display natural targeting toward the inflamed colon in dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)‐colitis bearing mice, while de‐targeting clearing organs such as the liver and spleen. Using interleukin‐10‐encoding mRNA as therapeutic cargo, n‐LNPs demonstrated a reduction of pathological burden in colitis‐bearing mice. n‐LNPs represent a starting point to further investigate the influence of LNPs composition on systemic biodistribution, ultimately opening new therapeutic modalities in different pathologies.
Flux Synthesis of A‐site Disordered Perovskite La0.5M0.5TiO3 (M═Li, Na, K) Nanorods Tailored for Solid Composite Electrolytes
Authors: Wang Tao , Ock Jiyoung , Chen X. Chelsea , Wang Fan , Li Meijia , Chambers Matthew S. , Veith Gabriel M. , Shepard Lauren B. , Sinnott Susan B. , Borisevich Albina , Chi Miaofang , Bhattacharya Amit , Clément Raphaële J. , Sokolov Alexei P , Dai Sheng
Published: November 2024

Inorganic fillers play an important role in improving the ionic conductivity of solid composite electrolytes (SCEs) for Li‐ion batteries. Among inorganic fillers, perovskite‐type lithium lanthanum titanate (LLTO) stands out for its high bulk Li+ conductivity on the order of 10−3 S cm−1 at room temperature. According to a literature survey, the optimal LLTO filler should possess the following characteristics: i) a single‐crystal structure to minimize grain boundaries; ii) a small particle size to increase the filler/polymer interface area; iii) a 1D morphology for efficient interface channels; and iv) cubic symmetry to facilitate rapid bulk Li+ diffusion within the filler. However, the synthesis of single crystal, 1D LLTO nanomaterials with cubic symmetry is challenging. Herein, a flux strategy is developed to synthesize La0.5M0.5TiO3 (LMTO, M═Li, Na, and K) single‐crystal nanorods with an A‐site‐disordered, cubic perovskite phase. The flux media promotes the oriented growth of nanorods, prevents nanorods from sintering, and provides multiple alkali metal ion doping at M sites to stabilize the cubic phase. SCEs compositing the Li+‐conducting LMTO nanorods as fillers and poly[vinylene carbonate‐co‐lithium sulfonyl(trifluoromethane sulfonyl)imide methacrylate] matrix exhibit more than twice the conductivity of the neat polymer electrolyte (30.6 vs 14.0 µS cm−1 at 303 K).
End‐to‐End Pierced Carbon Nanosheets with Meso‐Holes
Authors: Kim Minjun , Nara Hiroki , Asakura Yusuke , Hamada Takashi , Yan Peng , Earnshaw Jacob , An Meng , Eguchi Miharu , Yamauchi Yusuke
Published: November 2024

The remarkable properties of 2D nanomaterials are well known. However, their high interfacial adhesion energy often leads to restacking issues, limiting their potential in various applications. A strategic synthetic approach is presented to overcome this challenge. Specifically, the study first demonstrates the use of layered aluminosilicate as a sacrificial 2D template to allow the growth of highly ordered meso‐holey polymeric layers, which can be subsequently exfoliated upon the removal of aluminosilicate and thermally converted to perpendicularly open meso‐holey carbon (POMC). On the other hand, perpendicularly blocked meso‐holey carbon (PBMC) is obtained with non‐sacrificial 2D template of graphene oxide. When both POMC and PBMC are evaluated by operando hydrodynamic electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and transmission line model analysis for electrochemical reduction of oxygen, POMC achieves a remarkable improvement of charge transfer and mass transfer by up to 4.1 and 7.9 times, respectively, as compared to PBMC. This study therefore highlights the importance of perpendicularly open 2D nanoarchitectures in circumventing the restacking effect, offering valuable insights for leveraging 2D nanomaterials with open meso‐holes in various applications.
Generation of Entanglement and Perfect One‐Way EPR Steering via Kerr Nonlinearity in Cavity Magnonics System
Authors: Wang Jia‐Xin , Bai Cheng‐Hua , Guo Qi
Published: November 2024

A scheme is proposed for generating entanglement and achieving perfect one‐way EPR (Einstein–Podolsky–Rosen) steering in a cross‐shaped cavity magnonics system via the Kerr effect arising from magnetocrystalline anisotropy. The scheme involves two microwave cavities with distinct quality factors that simultaneously couple to a magnon mode of a macroscopic yttrium‐iron‐garnet sphere via the magnetic‐dipole interaction. It is demonstrated that both the bipartite and tripartite entanglement among the three modes will be generated due to Kerr nonlinearity, and the perfect one‐way EPR steering will also be achieved between the cavity with higher quality factor and the magnon mode. Notably, this scheme differs from conventional protocols that produce asymmetric EPR steering by introducing additional unbalanced losses or noises; instead, it can generate and manipulate one‐way EPR steering solely by adjusting the detuning between the magnon mode and the microwave drive field. It is also analyzed that the robustness of the entanglement and EPR steering against the dissipation of magnon and environmental temperature. The present scheme may provide a promising platform and an efficient quantum resource for quantum information processing.
On‐Site Portable Lithium Detection in Mining and Recycling Industries Based on a DNAzyme Fluorescent Sensor
Authors: Yang Zhenglin , Farrell Annie , Pradhan Shreestika , Zhang Karen Huilin , Guo Weijie , Wu Yuting , Shao Xiangli , Roy Aritra , Garcia Elijah S. , Lu Yi
Published: November 2024

The global demand for lithium has soared in recent years due to the wide use of lithium batteries. To meet this demand, we herein report developing novel on‐site sample preparation methods for the extraction of Li+ from relevant materials, including brine water, spodumene rock, as well as lithium‐ion battery electrodes, and a DNAzyme‐based fluorescent sensor for sensitive and robust detection of Li+ in these samples down to 1.4 mM (10 ppm) using a portable fluorometer. The system can distinguish key threshold lithium levels that indicate economic value across several industries, including 200 ppm Li+ for brine mining, 6 % Li2O or SC6 for rock mining, and Li+‐specific aging in LIBs. The methods developed and demonstrated in this work will allow highly selective, on‐site, portable detection of lithium in both environmental samples to identify new lithium resources and in battery electrodes to guide recycling strategies in order to meet the global demand for lithium.
Engineered Polymeric Carbon Nitride for Photocatalytic Diverse Functionalization of Electronic‐Rich Alkenes
Authors: Yang Youqing , Shi Jiwei , Liu Chenguang , Liu Qiong , Yang Jian , Tong Xiaogang , Lu Jiong , Wu Jie
Published: November 2024

Engineered polymeric carbon nitride represents a promising class of metal‐free semiconductor photocatalysts for organic synthesis. Herein, we utilized engineered polymeric carbon nitride nanosheets, which exhibit an increased specific surface area and band gap due to enhanced quantum confinement from vacancy enrichment. These nanosheets serve as a heterogeneous organic semiconductor photocatalyst to facilitate diverse functionalizations of electron‐rich alkenes, including arylsulfonylation, aminodifluoroalkylation, and oxytrifluoromethylation. This catalytic system operates under mild conditions, offering excellent functional group compatibility and high yields. Additionally, the catalyst demonstrates outstanding recyclability and efficiency in flow reactors, highlighting its significant potential for industrial applications.
Multiple Redox‐Active Centers in An Azatriangulenetrione‐Based Covalent Organic Framework for High‐Capacity, High‐Rate and Ultra‐Stable Sodium‐Ion Batteries
Authors: Kang Fangyuan , Yan Lei , Chen Zihao , Zhang Yuchan , Gu Qianfeng , Yang Jinglun , Xu Shen , Wang Xiang , Lee Chun‐Sing , Wang Yonggang , Zhang Qichun
Published: November 2024

Sodium‐ion batteries (SIBs) suffer from sluggish kinetics, large volume change, and limited specific capacity due to the large radius of Na+. These issues can be solved through using covalent organic frameworks (COFs) as electrodes. Herein, an azatriangulenetrione‐containing COF (denoted as CityU‐33) was designed and synthesized as an electrode material for SIBs. Due to its inherent abundance of multiple redox‐active sites and fast intercalation kinetics, CityU‐33 delivered a high discharge capacity of 410.4 mAh g−1 at 0.1 A g−1 and showed remarkable long‐term cycling stability, where a discharge capacity of 288 mAh g−1 at 0.2 A g−1 with 97 % retention over 2000 cycles was achieved, making it the top COF electrode material for SIBs.
Ru0.1Mn0.9Ox Electrocatalyst for Durable Oxygen Evolution in Acid Seawater
Authors: Xu Jun , Kao Chun‐Chuan , Shen Haifeng , Liu Hao , Zheng Yao , Qiao Shi‐Zhang
Published: November 2024

Currently, direct electrolysis of seawater for green hydrogen production is primarily focused on neutral and alkaline systems. However, the precipitation of calcium and magnesium ions restricts the advancement of this technology. An acidic system can effectively address this issue. Given that Ru/Ir‐based catalysts with high oxygen evolution reaction (OER) activity also exhibit high chlorine evolution reaction (CER) activity, acid seawater splitting requires anodes with higher selectivity and stability compared to the other two systems. In this study, we propose a non‐precious Ru0.1Mn0.9Ox as the active anode for direct acid seawater electrolysis, which exhibits a high OER selectivity and remarkable stability for more than 1200 hours. Different from the Cl−‐free system, *Cl occupied on Ru sites could shift the OER active center to Mn on Ru0.1Mn0.9Ox, which prevents the lattice oxygen consumed on Ru and hinders the metal site dissolution. As the CER‐insensitive catalytic center, Mn activated by the introduction of Ru can adsorb a substantial amount of *OH, creating an OER‐favored local environment that inhibits CER. We introduce Cl−‐assisted transfer of OER active sites to CER‐insensitive Mn as a fundamental strategy for achieving highly selective and durable oxygen evolution in acidic seawater.
A Helical Tubular Dyad of [9]Cycloparaphenylene: Synthesis, Chiroptical Properties and Post‐Functionalization
Authors: Li Gaolei , Mao Liang‐Liang , Gao Jia‐Nan , Shi Xueliang , Huo Zi‐Ye , Yang Jingxuan , Zhou Wen , Li Hongwei , Yang Hai‐Bo , Tung Chen‐Ho , Wu Li‐Zhu , Cong Huan
Published: November 2024

The bottom‐up synthesis of discrete tubular molecules that mimic the structural features of carbon nanotubes has been a long‐standing pursuit for synthetic chemists. As the shortest segments of armchair‐type carbon nanotubes, cycloparaphenylenes are regarded as ideal macrocyclic building blocks for achieving this goal. Here we report the synthesis of a helical tubular molecule featuring three diyne linkers between two site‐specifically functionalized [9]cycloparaphenylenes. Its C3‐symmetrical, radially conjugated structure and solid‐state packing have been elucidated by spectroscopic and crystallographic characterizations. Notably, the resolved enantiomers display a circularly polarized luminescence brightness value of 1.47×103 M−1 cm−1, which is among the highest values for chiral organic molecules. Furthermore, the diyne‐linked molecule could be directly converted into a thiophene‐linked helical molecule, demonstrating the post‐functionalization approach for the construction of chiral tubular molecules from cycloparaphenylenes.
Reversible and Ultrasensitive Detection of Nitric Oxide Using a Conductive Two‐Dimensional Metal–Organic Framework
Authors: Noh Hyuk‐Jun , Pennington Doran L. , Seo Jeong‐Min , Cline Evan , Benedetto Georganna , Baek Jong‐Beom , Hendon Christopher H. , Mirica Katherine A.
Published: November 2024

This paper describes the use of a highly crystalline conductive 2D copper3(hexaiminobenzene)2 (Cu3(HIB)2) as an ultrasensitive (limit of detection of 1.8 part‐per‐billion), highly selective, reversible, and low power chemiresistive sensor for nitric oxide (NO) at room temperature. The Cu3(HIB)2‐based sensors retain their sensing performance in the presence of humidity, and exhibit strong signal enhancement towards NO over other highly toxic reactive gases, such as NO2, H2S, SO2, NH3, CO, as well as CO2. Mechanistic investigations of the Cu3(HIB)2‐NO interaction through spectroscopic analyses and density functional theory revealed that the Cu‐bis(iminobenzosemiquinoid) moieties serve as the binding sites for NO sensing, while the Ni‐bis(iminobenzosemiquinoid) MOF analog shows no noticeable response to NO. Overall, these findings provide a significant advance in the development of crystalline metal‐bis(iminobenzosemiquinoid)‐based conductive 2D MOFs as highly sensitive, selective, and reversible sensing materials for the low‐power detection of toxic gases.