bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Autologous Whole Blood Therapy in Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria: A Comparative Study Between Autologous Serum Skin Test Positive and Negative Patients
Authors: Marigeri Manjunath V , Subramaniyan Radhakrishnan , Janney Manasa Shettisara , Donaparthi Navya
Published: April 2023

Introduction: Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria (CSU) is frequently encountered in our day to day practice. Patients are often reluctant to take medicines for prolonged durations and seek interventions for rapid and prolonged remission. Autologous Whole Blood Therapy (AWBT) has been used with varied results in CSU and Autologous Serum Skin Test (ASST) reactivity has shown to influence the therapeutic response in some studies. Aim: To compare the efficacy of AWBT in ASST positive versus negative CSU. Materials and Methods: The present prospective, interventional, parallel group study was conducted in the Department of Dermatology, Command Hospital Air Force (tertiary care centre), Bangalore, India, from January 2014 to December 2015. Eight weekly injections of AWB (5 mL) were administered to 30 ASST positive and 30 age and sex matched ASST negative patients of CSU and followed-up for four weeks. Modified Urticaria Severity Score (MUSS) was recorded at baseline, 4th, 8th and 12th weeks to assess objective response to AWBT. Subjective response was documented as poor, satisfactory, good and excellent based on patient’s feedback at the end of 12 weeks. Independent two-sample t-test, Chi-square (χ2 ) test and cross tabulations were used to analyse the data through Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software version 21.0. A p-value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: A total of 102 consenting patients were subjected to ASST, out of which 38 patients were ASST positive. After excluding those who were lost to follow-up, data from 30 ASST positive patients and corresponding age and sex matched ASST negative controls were analysed. Baseline MUSS of ASST positive group was significantly higher, indicating more severe nature of CSU. With AWBT, improvement in MUSS of ASST positive group (68.49±10.32%) was significantly higher than the ASST negative group (p-value <0.001) and ASST positive group required significantly lesser doses of rescue antihistamines (p-value <0.001) at the end of 12 weeks. Subjective response to AWBT was either good or excellent in both groups. Conclusion: Although AWBT resulted in significant reduction of MUSS in ASST positive patients, it benefited patients in both groups irrespective of their ASST reactivity status. AWBT can be used as an effective adjuvant in the treatment of CSU.
Comparison of the Anti-microbial Efficacy of Clove, Cinnamon, Turmeric, Nutmeg, and Peppermint Essential Oil against Oral Pathogens: An In-vitro Study
Authors: Subhashree M , Mohandas Rahul , Kumar R Pradeep
Published: April 2023

Introduction: Antibiotics are routinely used in dental practice to treat microbial diseases. However, the spread of drug resistant pathogens has drawn researchers’ interest to find out new antimicrobial agents against oral microbial diseases. Aim: To compare the anti-microbial activity of clove oil, cinnamon oil, turmeric oil, nutmeg oil, and peppermint oil against oral pathogens. Materials and Methods: It was an in-vitro study. The organisms used in this study were Streptococcus mutans, Candida albicans and Enterococcus faecalis. Agar Well Diffusion Method was used to assess the anti-microbial efficacy of the five essential oils against oral pathogens. Five discs/concentration/microorganism were used in the study. The zone of inhibition was measured after incubation. Kruskal Wallis Test was used to compare the difference in the anti-microbial activity of the oils. Results: The mean zone of inhibition of clove oil against Streptococcus mutans, Candida albicans, and Enterococcus faecalis was highest at 100 µL (29.8 mm, 44.75 mm, 40.33 mm, respectively), cinnamon oil was highest at 100 µL (39.8 mm, 40.33 mm, 40 mm, respectively), turmeric oil was highest at 100 µL (41.8 mm, 40.50 mm, 40 mm, respectively), peppermint oil was highest at 100 µL (41.8 mm, 27.16 mm, 17 mm, respectively) and nutmeg oil against was highest at 100 µL (24 mm, 24.83 mm, 9.3 mm, respectively). Conclusion: Clove oil, cinnamon oil, turmeric oil, nutmeg oil, and peppermint oil had anti-microbial activity against oral pathogens. Based on the findings, the most effective oil against Streptococcus mutans was turmeric oil and peppermint oil. The most effective oil against Candida albicans and Enterococcus faecalis was clove oil.
Ultrasonographic Evaluation of Thyroid Gland Volume and Nodularity in Pregnant versus Non Pregnant Females: A Cross-sectional Study
Authors: Agrawal Alka , Shukla Prachi , Taya Silky , Gawali Akansha , Rathore Manish
Published: April 2023

Introduction: Continuous stimulation of thyroid gland occurs during pregnancy in order to meet the demands of growing foetus. This might result in variations in thyroid gland morphology which may be misdiagnosed if not assessed accurately. Ultrasonography can measure these variations during pregnancy in the form of change in volume, echotexture, nodularity etc. Aim: To compare the thyroid volume and nodules using ultrasound, amongst different trimesters of pregnancy and with non pregnant women of similar age and find the correlation with different factors. Materials and Methods: A time-bound, hospital-based, crosssectional observational study was done in the Department of Radiodiagnosis, Maharaja Yeshwantrao (MY) Hospital, Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India, from April 2021 to August 2022 on 240 patients. All subjects were divided into groups of 60 women each, which included non pregnant women in group 1 and pregnant women during each trimester in rest three groups, as group 2, 3 and 4, respectively. Thyroid volume and nodules were measured in each group. The descriptive data was calculated using mean and standard deviation and then compared using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) test. Linear regression analysis was also used to assess the correlation. Results: Most 125 (52%) of the women belonged to the younger age group i.e., 21-25 years. Majority i.e., 114 (47.5%) of pregnant women were primigravida. Mean total thyroid volume in non pregnant group, 1st trimester group, 2nd trimester group and in 3rd trimester group were 5.44±0.82 mL, 5.85±0.64 mL, 6.25±0.67 mL and 7.24±1.16 mL, respectively, with up to 24% increase of thyroid volume during the course of pregnancy (p-value=0.001). Thyroid nodule incidence was 12.2% in pregnant women and 5% in non pregnant women. Conclusion: With pregnancy, there is an increase in thyroid gland size along with a small increase in thyroid nodularity. Also, the interplay of a few factors such as Body Mass Index (BMI), parity, age etc., was noted.
Number of Digits in Fractional Part of Arithmetic Operations of Two Terminating Decimals
Authors: Wang Xingbo
Published: April 2023

By defining the valid digits and the standard fraction form of a terminating decimal, this paper makes an investigation on the number of digits in the fractional part of addition, subtraction, and multiplication of two terminating decimals. It is proved that the number of the valid digits in the fractional part of addition or subtraction of two terminating decimals does not exceed the maximal number of the valid digits of the two operands while that of multiplication does not exceed the total of the two. Several theorems are proved in detail mathematical deductions and a potential application is exhibited in integer factorization. The results in the paper are helpful to understand the change of the number of digits in the related arithmetic operations.
Phenotypic and Allelic Frequency of ABO and Rh (D) Blood Group among Whole Blood Donors in a Teaching Hospital of Chhattisgarh
Authors: Minal Wasnik , Saurabh Lahare , Ramesh Chandrakar
Published: April 2023

Background: ABO and Rh (D) blood groups are the most important in blood transfusion and are determined genetically. Although these blood groups are common to all humans, there is variation in their allelic frequency based on region and population. This study was performed to determine the allelic frequency of ABO & Rh (D) in the donor population in the Blood Center of Chhattisgarh located in Central India.

Place and Duration of Study: It is a cross-sectional study performed in the Department of Transfusion Medicine & Blood Bank of a teaching hospital from July 2021-February 2022.

Methodology: Only the accepted whole blood donors were included. ABO & Rh (D) blood grouping was performed by conventional tube technique and their allelic frequency was determined. We studied 4078 whole blood donors out of which 4055 were males and 23 were females.

Results: Phenotypic frequency of ABO blood group system was O>B>A>AB. Rh (D) positive was more prevalent than Rh (D) negative. Allele frequency of ABO system was 0.1545 for IA, 0.2351 for IB, and 0.6105 for IO. In Rh system, allele frequency of ID was 0.8441 and Id was 0.1559.

Conclusion: Phenotypic & allelic frequency of ABO & Rh (D) shows heterogeneous distribution in different parts of the world. Our study showed blood group O & allele IO as the most common. This data is of utmost importance in the planning of transfusion services, especially during a healthcare crisis in low-resource area like ours.
Effect of Nano Zinc and Foliar Application of Boron on Growth and Yield of Finger Millet
Authors: Kruthika N. S. , Mehera Biswarup , Kumar Prateek
Published: April 2023

A field experiment was conducted during Kharif 2022 at Crop Research Farm, Department of Agronomy, SHUATS, Prayagraj (U.P) to determine the “Effect of nano zinc and foliar application of boron on growth and yield of finger millet (Eleusine coracana L.)”. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design comprising of 10 treatments which include of three levels of [Nano zinc 300 ppm, 600 ppm, 900 ppm] and three levels of foliar application of Boron at [0.1%, 0.3% and 0.5%], whose effect is observed in finger millet. The results revealed that the treatment with application of Nano zinc 900 ppm + Boron at 0.5% recorded higher plant height, number of tillers/plant, plant dry weight, CGR,RGR and yield parameter test weight, seed yield, stover yield and harvest index.
Influence of Calcium and Gibberellic Acid on Growth, Yield and Economics of Summer Groundnut (Arachis hypogea L.)
Authors: Reddy P. Pavani , Debbarma Victor , Chilakala Salma
Published: April 2023

A field experiment was conducted during Zaid season (2022) to determine the Influence of calcium and gibberellic acid on growth, yield and economics of summer groundnut (Arachis hypogea L.). Experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design (RBD) with 3 replicates of 10 treatments. The results showed that treatment 9 of [Ca (40kg/ha) + GA3 (120ppm)] recorded significantly higher plant height (60.4 cm), more dry weight (45.95g), maximum number of nodules/plant (16.4), maximum number of pods/plant (24.60), maximum number of kernels/pod (1.93), higher seed index (37.8 g), higher seed yield (2.02t/ha), higher haulm yield (4.11 t/ha) and higher harvest index (32.83 %). Maximum gross returns (1,25,778.00 INR/ha), maximum net returns (87,853.50 INR/ha) and highest benefit cost ratio (2.32) was also recorded in treatment 9 of Ca (40kg/ha) + GA3 (120ppm) as compared to other treatments.
The Effect of Granular KCl Fertilizer Dosage on K-available, K-uptake, and Yield of Sweet Corn (Zea mays saccharata sturt.) in Inceptisol from Jatinangor
Authors: Sofyan Emma Trinurani , Sara Dirga Sapta , Agistin Andriyani
Published: April 2023

This research aimed to determine the effect and the best granular KCl fertilizer dosage in increasing K-available, K-Uptake, and yield of sweet corn (Zea mays saccharata Sturt.) Talenta variety on Inceptisols from Jatinangor. The method used was a randomized completely block design (RCBD) with nine treatments and three replications. The treatment consists of the without fertilization  as control (A; N, P, K (B); ¼ K + N, P (C); ½ K + N, P (D); ¾ K + N, P (E); 1 K + N, P (F); 1¼ K + N, P (G); 1½ K + N, P (H); and 1¾ K + N, P (I). The results showed that granular KCl fertilizer affected available K, K uptake, and sweet corn yields. The dose of fertilizer that had the best effect on sweet corn yield was a combination of 1 K + N, P single with 100 kg ha-1 KCl granules which produced a cob weight of 0.49 kg plant-1 on Inceptisol from Jatinangor.
Static Model for the Drain Rate of Clay Extraction and Power Consumption for Sand Washing
Authors: Mehdiyeva A. M. , Neymatov V. A. , Allahverdiyeva N. M.
Published: April 2023

The issues of modeling the formation of a two-phase liquid-solid particle system in devices operating on the principle of mixing and dispersion. For this purpose, static formulas have been compiled for such parameters as the rate of discharge of clay extraction and the power consumption for washing sand, the speed of rotation of the liquid with untreated sand, the influence of the ratio of geometric dimensions on the above parameters has been considered. A static model has been compiled that allows us to identify patterns of changes in these parameters. Based on the obtained waveforms from the simulation of the model, conclusions were made according to which, when constructing an automatic control system for sand washing, it is necessary to ensure stabilization by such basic indicators as the required sand-clay ratio, the humidity of the cleaned sand, power consumption.
Constructivist Materials in Teaching Selected Topics in the Contemporary World Course
Authors: Dacuycuy Marc Clinton A. , Rabago Jasper Kim M. , Paguyo Carolyn G. , Fernando Sonny Rae I. , Lasaten Ronald Candy S.
Published: April 2023

Using the descriptive research design and the Research and Development methodology, the aim of this study was to develop a Constructivist Material in teaching The Contemporary World course. The study specifically sought to determine which lessons in The Contemporary World would be best taught using constructivist strategies, determining the features and parts of the constructivist materials to be developed and validate the material in terms of its learning outcomes, content, activities, assessment techniques and instructional qualities. The major steps in the Research and Development cycle followed by the researcher in preparing the resource materials were the bibliographic stage, developmental stage and the validation stage. Data were gathered using two instruments and the first one is a survey checklist to determine the lessons in The Contemporary World that can best be taught using constructivist strategies and the constructivist strategies that are most suited to teach each lesson and the other instrument is the content validation scale to determine the validity of the constructivist material for The Contemporary World course. The content validity of the constructivist materials was determined using the mean. The results revealed that the developed material in teaching The Contemporary World course met the standards in developing a constructivist learning material as manifested by the overall highly valid descriptive rating. The constructivist material in teaching The Contemporary World is recommended for use and to further validate and determine its effectiveness, a pilot testing can be administered for further enhancements and refinement. Similar research is recommended to continue the development of constructivist strategy-based resource materials in the other fields of the social sciences, particularly the new set of courses in the newly revised General Education curriculum.
Pengaruh Variasi Posisi Pengelasan dan Diameter Elektroda pada Pengelasan Logam Tak Sejenis AISI 304 – ST42 terhadap Kekuatan Tarik dan Lebar HAZ
Authors: Setiawan Eko Agung , Rosidah Afira Ainur
Published: April 2023

Pengelasan logam tidak sejenis banyak diaplikasikan dengan tujuan memadukan beberapa sifat untuk saling melengkapi kekurangan masing-masing jenis logam. Kombinasi ini mampu memberikan peningkatan sifat mekanik dan mengurangi biaya. Oleh karena itu, pengelasan ST 42 dan AISI 304 dilakukan guna mendapatkan peningkatan sifat mekanik melalui kekuatan tarik, lalu didukung dengan foto makro untuk mengetahui lebar HAZ. Variasi posisi pengelasan 1G, 2G, 3G dengan menggunakan diameter elektroda 2 mm, 2,6 mm, dan 3,2 mm digunakan sebagai parameter yang diamati untuk mengetahui kekuatan tarik dan struktur makro yang diperoleh. Dari hasil penelitian didapatkan kekuatan tarik tertinggi menggunakan posisi pengelasan 2G diameter elektroda 3,2 mm sebesar 391,92 N/mm2, sedangkan kekuatan tarik terendah terjadi pada posisi pengelasan 3G diameter elektroda 2 mm sebesar 230,83 N/mm2. Sedangkan, hasil pengamatan struktur makro, HAZ terbesar terjadi pada posisi pengelasan 3G dengan diameter elektroda 3,2 mm dengan nilai 0,58 mm, serta nilai HAZ terkecil adalah 0,43 mm dengan posisi pengelasan 3G menggunakan diameter elektroda 2 mm. Hal ini menyatakan bahwa perbedaan diameter elektroda sangat mempengaruhi kekuatan tarik sambungan las, perbedaan hasil pengelasan ini disebabkan karena jumlah fluks pada elektroda.
3‐Mercaptopropionate Dioxygenase (MDO)
Authors: Schmittou Allison N , Solano Yasmeen J , Kiser Philip D , Pierce Brad S
Published: April 2023

Bacterial 3‐mercaptopropionate dioxygenase (MDO) is a mononuclear nonheme iron dioxygenase that catalyzes the O2‐dependent oxidation of 3‐mercaptopropioniate (3MPA) to produce 3‐sulfinopropionate (3SPA). MDO is a member of the cupin superfamily of proteins and therefore shares a similar active site architecture as mammalian and bacterial cysteine dioxygenases (CDOs). However, unlike CDOs, which exhibit near exclusive specificity forl‐cysteine (CYS), MDOs are more flexible with respect to accommodating other thiol‐bearing substrates of comparable size to 3MPA. The active site of MDO and CDO share two major structural features. First, they both contain a mononuclear nonheme iron site coordinated by three histidine residues. Since all protein‐derived ligands occupy one face of an octahedron, binding of dioxygen and organic substrate occurs at the opposite face of the 3‐His facial triad. Second, both enzymes share a conserved sequence of outer Fe‐coordination sphere amino acids (Ser, His, and Tyr) positioned adjacent to the iron site (∼ 4 Å). These residues participate in an extended proton relay network which ultimately donates an H‐bond to the enzymatic Fe‐site. To date, MDOs have only been identified among Gram‐negative soil proteobacteria. It is believed that the high concentration of 3MPA present in coastal sediments can be attributed to bacterial catabolism of organosulfur compounds present in saline environments. Indirect evidence also suggests that 3MPA may play a more central role in bacterial sulfur metabolism than currently understood.
Stocking buprenorphine: The latest hitch in the MOUD field
Authors: Knopf Alison
Published: April 2023

Prescribers can spend hours trying to find a pharmacy that has buprenorphine — especially in rural areas. This is not a new problem, and in fact, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) convened a meeting about it last August. A report was supposed to have been issued by now, but so far, according to the press office, there is nothing.
Eco‐Friendly Transparent Silk Fibroin Radiative Cooling Film for Thermal Management of Optoelectronics
Authors: Chen Yu‐Hsuan , Hwang Ching‐Wen , Chang Sih‐Wei , Tsai Meng‐Ting , Jayakumaran Kavya Nair , Yang Ling‐Chu , Lo Yu‐Chieh , Ko Fu‐Hsiang , Wang Hsueh‐Cheng , Chen Hsuen‐Li , Wan Dehui
Published: April 2023

Although transparent radiative cooling is a passive cooling strategy with practical applications and aesthetic appeal, complex manufacturing processes and the use of environmentally unfriendly thermal emitters remain latent problems. Herein, eco‐friendly transparent silk radiative cooling (TSRC) films are developed, regenerated from natural silkworm cocoons, for zero‐energy‐consumption thermal management of optoelectronic devices. These TSRC films can dissipate heat radiatively through molecular vibrations of the protein backbone and side chains, while retaining the function and appearance of the associated devices, due to their high visible transparency. Theoretical and experimental investigations revealed that the thermal emission increases rapidly upon increasing the film thickness, but slowly thereafter achieves saturation; nevertheless, the intrinsic solar absorption of silk in the ultraviolet and near‐infrared regions also grows linearly, unavoidably weakening the cooling effect. After spectroscopic optimization, the maximum cooling power during the daytime and nighttime is improved to 77.6 and 101.7 W m−2, respectively. Gratifyingly, the films have a remarkable effect on the cooling performance of electronic devices under sunlight. For example, the TSRC film provides a temperature drop of 5.1 °C for a smartphone during multitasking and charging, and 14 °C for a silicon solar panel with an improvement in the photoelectronic conversion efficiency (≈7%).
Atomically Unraveling the Structural Evolution of Surfaces and Interfaces in Metal Halide Perovskite Quantum Dots
Authors: Ma Mengmeng , Zhang Xuliang , Xu Liang , Chen Xiao , Wang Lei , Cheng Tao , Wei Fei , Yuan Jianyu , Shen Boyuan
Published: April 2023

Revealing the local structural change of metal halide perovskites (MHPs) induced by external conditions is important to understand its performance and stability in optoelectronic applications. However, previous studies on the properties and structures of MHPs are usually limited by the spatial resolution of the probe, and it is still challenging to obtain its atomic structural information in real space. In this work, the integrated differential‐phase‐contrast scanning transmission electron microscopy is applied to the low‐dose imaging of CsPbI3 quantum dots (QDs). In particular, the local structures in QDs, such as surfaces and interfaces, can be atomically resolved. Then, the structural evolution of CsPbI3 QDs under various external conditions can be unraveled during in situ heating or ex situ treatments, where it lose cubic shapes and fuse to larger particles. The changes in surfaces and interfaces with missing Cs ions and PbI6 octahedrons can be semi‐quantitatively studied by profile analysis and bond‐length measurement in images. Finally, density functional theory calculations are performed to illustrate the properties and stabilities of the different structures that are observed. These results provide atomic‐scale insights into the structural evolution of QDs, which is of great importance to modify the performance of perovskite materials and devices.
Enhanced Photoresponsivity of Perovskite QDs/Graphene Hybrid Gate‐Free Photodetector by Morphologically Controlled Plasmonic Au Nanocrystals
Authors: Yadav Shyam Narayan Singh , Hanmandlu Chintam , Patel Dinesh Kumar , Singh Rajan Kumar , Chen Chun‐Yen , Wang Yen‐Yu , Chu Chih‐Wei , Liang Chi‐Te , Lin Chih‐Ting , Lu Yu‐Jung , Yen Ta‐Jen
Published: April 2023

Owing to their excellent carrier mobility, high absorption coefficient, exceptional quantum efficiency, and low‐cost solution processability, perovskite quantum dots (PQDs) are a promising candidate for photodetection. However, PQDs‐based photodetectors typically show poor optoelectronic performances, mainly limited by their weak light–matter interaction. In this work, MAPbBr3 PQDs are hybridized with graphene (Gr) and morphologically controlled plasmonic gold nanocrystals (AuNCs) to demonstrate a superior photodetector at 432 nm through a synergetic effect. The experimental results indicate that three shaped AuNCs (i.e., sphere, the octahedron (OD), and rhombic dodecahedron (RD)) all contribute to better photodetection behaviors due to surface trap state passivation and enhanced charge carrier densities with longer lifetime compared to that of pristine PQDs. In particular, the PQDs/RD‐AuNCs/Gr system demonstrates a record‐high responsivity of 2.7 × 105 A W−1, a detectivity of 4.9 × 1013 Jones, and external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 7.9 × 107% at 1.6 µW cm−2 illumination power density of 432 nm wavelength with a lowest applied voltage of 1.0 V for a gate‐free PQDs/AuNCs/Gr‐based photodetector. Furthermore, to the authors’ knowledge, this device shows the highest responsivity among the PQDs/AuNCs/Gr‐based electrostatic gate‐free lateral configuration photodetectors.
Integration of Exciton Donor and Acceptor in a Blue‐Emitting Molecule with Zero Radius of Intramolecular Energy Transfer Mechanism for Highly Efficient and Stable Fluorescent OLEDs
Authors: Park Bubae , Kim Ki Ju , Nam Hyewon , Park Bum Joon , Kang Sunwoo , Oh Hyoung Yun , Kim Taekyung
Published: April 2023

Multimaterial emission layer (EML) with host and dopant is known for its advantages in efficiency and lifetime for organic light‐emitting diodes (OLEDs). However, as the compositions and the mixing ratio in the EML diversify, complex device physics and photophysics and complicated fabrication processes become challenging issues. Herein, a new concept to integrate exciton donor (host) and acceptor (dopant) into a single emitting molecule is suggested. 9‐(8,9,10,11‐Tetradeuterospiro[benzo[de]anthracene‐7,9′‐fluoren]‐2'‐yl)‐9H‐carbazole (SBAF‐Cz) and 8,9,10,11‐tetradeutero‐N‐(9,9‐dimethyl‐9H‐fluoren‐2‐yl)‐N‐phenylspiro[benzo[de]anthracene‐7,9′‐fluoren]‐3‐amine (FPA‐SBAF) are used as host and dopant, respectively. By integrating two units, 8,9,10,11‐tetradeutero‐2′‐(9H‐carbazol‐9‐yl)‐N‐(9,9‐dimethyl‐9H‐fluoren‐2‐yl)‐N‐phenylspiro[benzo[de]anthracene‐7,9′‐fluoren]‐3‐amine (FPA‐SBAF‐Cz) is synthesized, and photophysical and electrical properties are characterized. Density functional theory and experimental results consistently reveal that SBAF‐Cz and FPA‐SBAF are photophysically and electrically independent. The electrical properties of FPA‐SBAF‐Cz behave independently, while the photophysical properties are the sum of those of SBAF‐Cz and FPA‐SBAF, which is attributed to the zero radius of intramolecular energy transfer (ZRIET) between donor and acceptor in FPA‐SBAF‐Cz. The single‐component blue OLED with FPA‐SBAF‐Cz exhibits a maximum external quantum efficiency of 4.18%, which is higher than those of OLEDs with SBAF‐CZ:FPA‐SBAF multicomponent EMLs. Surprisingly, the device lifetime to 50% decrease from initial luminance is 114 h in FPA‐SBAF‐Cz OLED, which is 2.2 times longer than that of SBAF‐Cz:FPA‐SBAF OLEDs.
Tuning of the Electronic and Optical Properties of Monolayer GaSe Via Strain
Authors: Dien Vo Khuong , Han Nguyen Thi , Bang‐Li Wei , Lin Kuang‐I , Lin Ming‐Fa
Published: April 2023

This paper investigates strain effects on the electronic and optical properties of monolayer GaSe using first‐principles calculations. The geometric deformation significantly alters energy dispersion, band gap, and the band edge states of GaSe. The band gap evolution exhibits both linearly and nonlinearly with the strains and is strongly dependent on the types of deformation and the direction of the modifications. The external mechanical strains also significantly tailor the optical properties of GaSe, the exciton binding energy is strongly reduced when the tensile strain is applied, while the opposite way is true for compressive stress. Moreover, the inhomogeneous strain also induces a nonuniform electronic screening environment and strong polarization in the absorption spectra. The calculations demonstrate that the electronic and optical properties of GaSe monolayer can be significantly tuned by using strain engineering which appears as a promising way to design novel optoelectronic devices.
Halide Double Perovskite Nanocrystals Doped with Rare‐Earth Ions for Multifunctional Applications
Authors: Li Xin , Wang Dingdi , Zhong Yuan , Jiang Feng , Zhao Deqiang , Sun Siqi , Lu Po , Lu Min , Wang Zhenyu , Wu Zhennan , Gao Yanbo , Zhang Yu , Yu William W. , Bai Xue
Published: April 2023

Most lead‐free halide double perovskite materials display low photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) due to the indirect bandgap or forbidden transition. Doping is an effective strategy to tailor the optical properties of materials. Herein, efficient blue‐emitting Sb3+‐doped Cs2NaInCl6nanocrystals (NCs) are selected as host, rare‐earth (RE) ions (Sm3+, Eu3+, Tb3+, and Dy3+) are incorporated into the host, and excellent PLQY of 80.1% is obtained. Femtosecond transient absorption measurement found that RE ions not only served as the activator ions but also filled the deep vacancy defects. Anti‐counterfeiting, optical thermometry, and white‐light‐emitting diodes (WLEDs) are exhibited using these RE ions‐doped halide double perovskite NCs. For the optical thermometry based on Sm3+‐doped Cs2NaInCl6:Sb3+NCs, the maximum relative sensitivity is 0.753% K−1, which is higher than those of most temperature‐sensing materials. Moreover, the WLED fabricated by Sm3+‐doped Cs2NaInCl6:Sb3+NCs@PMMA displays CIE color coordinates of (0.30, 0.28), a luminous efficiency of 37.5 lm W−1, a CCT of 8035 K, and a CRI over 80, which indicate that Sm3+‐doped Cs2NaInCl6:Sb3+NCs are promising single‐component white‐light‐emitting phosphors for next‐generation lighting and display technologies.
Self‐Driving Underwater “Aerofluidics”
Authors: Yong Jiale , Peng Yubin , Wang Xiuwen , Li Jiawen , Hu Yanlei , Chu Jiaru , Wu Dong
Published: April 2023

Here, the concept of “aerofluidics,” in which a system uses microchannels to transport and manipulate trace gases at the microscopic scale to build a highly versatile integrated system based on gas‒gas or gas‒liquid microinteractions is proposed. A kind of underwater aerofluidic architecture is designed using superhydrophobic surface microgrooves written by a femtosecond laser. In the aqueous medium, a hollow microchannel is formed between the superhydrophobic microgrooves and the water environment, which allows gas to flow freely underwater for aerofluidic devices. Driven by Laplace pressure, gas can be self‐transported along various complex patterned paths, curved surfaces, and even across different aerofluidic devices, with an ultralong transportation distance of more than 1 m. The width of the superhydrophobic microchannels of the designed aerofluidic devices is only ≈42.1 µm, enabling the aerofluidic system to achieve accurate gas transportation and control. With the advantages of flexible self‐driving gas transportation and ultralong transportation distance, the underwater aerofluidic devices can realize a series of gas control functions, such as gas merging, gas aggregation, gas splitting, gas arrays, gas‒gas microreactions, and gas‒liquid microreactions. It is believed that underwater aerofluidic technology can have significant applications in gas‐involved microanalysis, microdetection, biomedical engineering, sensors, and environmental protection.
Development and evaluation of a formulation of probiont Phaeobacter inhibens S4 for the management of vibriosis in bivalve hatcheries
Authors: Takyi Evelyn , LaPorte Jason , Sohn Saebom , Stevick Rebecca J. , Witkop Erin M. , Gregg Lauren S. , Chesler‐Poole Amanda , Small Jessica , White Meredith M. , Giray Cem , Rowley David C. , Nelson David R. , Gomez‐Chiarri Marta
Published: April 2023

Larval eastern oysters (Crassostrea virginica) grown in shellfish hatcheries are susceptible to bacterial diseases, particularly vibriosis. Probiotics are microbes that confer health benefits to the host and have been identified as promising tools to manage diseases in aquaculture. The marine bacterium Phaeobacter inhibens S4 (S4) protects larval eastern oysters against challenge with the bacterial pathogen Vibrio coralliilyticus RE22 (RE22). A concentrated liquid formulation of probiont S4 that maintained high cell viability after long‐term storage was developed for commercial use in shellfish hatcheries. The safety and efficacy of the formulation were tested in six different trials in two hatcheries. The S4 formulation was added to C. virginica larvae culture tanks daily at 104 colony forming units (CFU)/mL from Day 1 post fertilisation until Day 6, 12 or 14, depending on the trial. Treatment of larvae in the hatchery with the S4 formulation did not significantly affect the survival and growth of the larvae. Formulated probiont S4 treatment in the hatchery led to a significant increase in relative percent survival (RPS) when larvae were subsequently challenged with the pathogen RE22 (105 CFU/mL) for 24 h in a laboratory challenge as compared to probiotic‐untreated RE22‐challenged larvae (RPS increase of 46%–74%, p < 0.05). These results suggest that this novel S4 formulation is a safe, easy‐to‐use and effective tool in preventing larval losses due to vibriosis in hatcheries.
Acid‐catalyzed One Pot Synthesis of Thiazolo[4,5‐b]indolamines from α‐Diazoimidamides and Thioureas
Authors: Mangali Rofin , Muthusamy Sengodagounder
Published: April 2023

A novel synthetic method for the formation of thiazolo[4,5‐b]indol‐2‐amines from α‐diazoimidamides and mono‐substituted thioureas in the presence of a catalytic amount of boron trifluoride etherate and camphorsulfonic acid under mild conditions was demonstrated. This methodology has a wide‐ranging scope of α‐diazoimidamides and mono‐substituted thioureas, amenable for upscaling experiments and further transformation.
What can Mendelian randomization contribute to biological anthropology?
Authors: Bonilla Carolina , Herrera Guadalupe , Sans Mónica
Published: April 2023

Uncovering causal relationships between exposures and outcomes can be difficult in observational studies because of the potential for confounding and reverse causation to produce biased estimates. Conversely, randomized controlled trials (RCTs) provide the strongest evidence for causality but they are not always feasible. Mendelian randomization (MR) is a method that aims to strengthen causal inference using genetic variants as proxies or instrumental variables (IVs) for exposures, to overcome the above‐mentioned biases. Since allele segregation occurs at random from parents to offspring, and alleles for a trait assort independently from those for other traits, MR studies have frequently been compared to “natural” RCTs. In biological anthropology (BA) relationships between variables of interest are usually evaluated using observational data, often remaining descriptive, and other approaches to causal inference have seldom been implemented. Here, we propose the use of MR to investigate cause and effect relationships in BA studies and provide examples to show how that can be done across areas of BA relevance, such as adaptation to the environment, nutrition and life history theory. While we consider MR a useful addition to the biological anthropologist's toolbox, we advocate the adoption of a wide range of methods, affected by different types of biases, in order to better answer the important causal questions for the discipline.
Surgical tracheostomy in a patient with a stuck tracheal tube in situ
Authors: Cole E. , Conway D.
Published: April 2023

The inability to extubate a patient's trachea due to a mechanical complication is rarely encountered in clinical practice. The risks of attempting to remove a stuck tracheal tube include laryngeal trauma, vocal cord injury and arytenoid dislocation, all of which have significant implications. Here, we report the case of a patient who was admitted to the intensive care unit for mechanical ventilation following liver transplant surgery. Her trachea was initially extubated on the second postoperative day, but she required further mechanical ventilation the following day and her trachea was re‐intubated. Five days later, she was deemed suitable for tracheal extubation, but the formation of granulation tissue around the tracheal tube prevented its removal. A multi‐disciplinary decision‐making approach was taken when deciding to site a surgical tracheostomy. A flexible bronchoscope was used as an aid for safe placement. This facilitated safe extrication of the tracheal tube, which was freed by gentle manipulation both proximally and distally. We suspect that tracheal tube size may have been a factor in the development of the granulation tissue in this case. It is important to consider tracheal tube size in all patients, particularly if they require tracheal re‐intubation or are likely to require mechanical ventilation for a prolonged period.
Optimization workflow to parameterize elastomer material models based on arbitrary time‐domain measurement data
Authors: Rapp Tobias , Jacobs Georg , Berroth Joerg , Bauermeister Ralf , Wischmann Stefan
Published: April 2023

Predicting the behavior of elastomer components always requires experimental characterization of their nonlinear mechanical properties. This involves measuring the ratio of stresses and strains and the dissipated energy per load cycle in harmonic deformations of test specimens. Characteristic values, such as the elastomer's stiffness and damping, and their dependence on amplitude and frequency are then calculated and used to identify material model parameters. However, determining these characteristic values imposes significant requirements on test setup and control, as they are only meaningful when calculated from ideally sinusoidal and steady‐state load sequences. This can result in unnecessary methodological errors for any real‐world measurement. This contribution presents a method for identifying material model parameters that omits determining characteristic values, greatly reducing testing times and prediction errors. The method involves an optimization‐based variation of model parameters to directly match the stress response of a material model with measured stresses. Its independence from ideal test sequences is shown by applying the method to numerically generated measurement data with artificial control errors. Application to real measurement data reveals a possible reduction of testing times from about 2 h to below 35 s while preserving the model's accuracy.
The simple synthesis of all‐organic polymer bilayer films: Achieving simultaneous enhancements in energy storage density and efficiency
Authors: Liu Shiyu , Zhang Wenchao , Guan Feng , Yao Yuanhang , Yue Dong , Feng Yu
Published: April 2023

All‐organic dielectric polymers with excellent capacitive energy storage capabilities have great potential applications in the fields of modern electronics and power systems. However, it is still challenging to achieve simultaneous improvements in both energy density and efficiency in these all‐organic dielectric polymers. This work proposes the all‐organic bilayer composite films with ferroelectric polymer poly(vinylidene fluoride‐hexafluoropropylene) (P(VDF‐HFP)) and linear polymer fluorene polyester (FPE) as the energy storage dielectrics for film capacitors. Compared with pure FPE films, the bilayer composite films exhibit improved dielectric constant. What is more outstanding is that the bilayer composite films has higher energy storage density and energy storage efficiency under the same electric field compared with the pure P(VDF‐HFP) film. Particularly, an outstanding Ud of 7.00 J/cm3 accompanied with great η of 95.9% has been delivered in the resulting bilayer composite films via optimizing the P(VDF‐HFP) content (22.2 vol%) at 520 kV/mm. The compatibility of the two polymers was discussed by simulating the potential distribution of the two polymer molecular chains. This work opens up a new way to prepare compatible polymer flexible capacitor films on a large scale.
Improving the tribological performance of polyphenylene sulfide by incorporating irradiation treated polytetrafluoroethylene powders
Authors: Li Jixiang , Mei Junqi , Peng Xionghou , Zou Huawei , Zhou Shengtai
Published: April 2023

In this work, the efficacy of using irradiation treated polytetrafluoroethylene (i.e., i‐PTFE) powders on the tribological properties of polyphenylene sulfide (PPS)‐based composites was systematically investigated. The results showed that the addition of i‐PTFE powders significantly improved the friction and wear properties of PPS. The average friction coefficient and specific wear rate of PPS/i‐PTFE 20 wt% composite reached 0.129 and 1.75 × 10−5 mm3 N−1 m−1, which were 77.4% and 99.5% lower than those of pure PPS, respectively. SEM observations indicated that the i‐PTFE powders exhibited a relatively uniform distribution within PPS, which favored the formation of intact, uniform and continuous transfer film on the surface of friction pair, thereby resulting in a significant improvement of tribological properties for PPS/i‐PTFE composites. The worn surface of the testing specimen turned smoother and the wear debris became smaller with increasing addition of i‐PTFE powders, which was related to the improvement of tribological performance by forming transfer film at the sliding interface. This work provided a strategy to fabricate high performance self‐lubricating polymer composites that demonstrate potential applications in engineering sectors.
Functional Molecular Granular Materials: Advances and Perspectives
Authors: Liu‐Fu Wei , Zhou Xin , Chen Jiadong , Yin Jia‐Fu , Yang Junsheng , Yin Panchao
Published: April 2023

Molecular granular materials (MGMs) are constructed with sub‐nanoscale molecular clusters (MCs) as the building units and they have recently been observed to possess enriched functionalities distinct from granular materials of colloid nanoparticles. Herein, the birth and recent research advances in MGMs are summarized with the topics covering the precise synthesis of MC assemblies with target topologies, the hierarchical relaxation dynamics and tuneable viscoelasticity, impact‐resistant capacity, and proton conductivity performance. The extremely small size of MC renders them two features: bulk diffusive dynamics with energy scale close to thermal fluctuation energy and the dominant volume fraction of surface structures. This finally leads to the hierarchical relaxation dynamics and broadly tuneable viscoelasticity of MGMs although the structural units are with small sizes and low Mw. Therefore, MGMs have been applied as impact resistant materials and proton conductors for the highly tuneable relaxation dynamics.
Metal‐Organic Frameworks (MOFs) and Their Derivatives for Electrocatalytic Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Reduction to Value‐added Chemicals: Recent Advances and New Challenges
Authors: Qu Guangfei , Wei Kunling , Pan Keheng , Zhou Junhong
Published: April 2023

Excess CO2 can be effectively converted into valuable fuels and chemicals by electrochemical CO2 reduction, which can help establish a low‐carbon emission economy and solve the current energy crisis. In recent years, metal‐organic frameworks (MOFs), as an emerging multifunctional material with porous structure, high chemical tunability and large specific surface area, has received increasing attention in the field of electrochemical CO2RR. In this paper, we present a comprehensive overview of various MOFs and their derivatives as CO2RR electrocatalysts and analyze their roles in the catalytic process from physical and chemical aspects. In addition, combining experiments and theory, this article also offers a personal view on the electronic structure modulation strategies to improve electrocatalytic performance. The article concludes with an analysis of the challenges in realizing MOFs and their derivatives for electrocatalytic CO2RR applications.
Tailoring Electrolyte Distributions to Enable High‐performance Li3PS4‐based All‐solid‐state Batteries under Different Operating Temperatures
Authors: Wei Chaochao , Yu Dian , Xu Xiangling , Wang Ru , Li Jiayang , Lin Jinyan , Chen Shaoqing , Zhang Long , Yu Chuang
Published: April 2023

Li3PS4 shows great potential as solid electrolyte for all‐solid‐state lithium batteries (ASSLBs) due to its high Li‐ion conductivity and excellent mechanical properties. However, its poor interfacial stability with bare high‐nickel active materials in the cathode mixture inhibits the energy density and electrochemical performances of the corresponding LiNi0.6Mn0.2Co0.2O2/Li3PS4/Li−In battery. The Li3InCl6 electrolyte with good electrochemical/chemical stability with bare LiNi0.6Mn0.2Co0.2O2(NCM622), which acts both as a Li‐ion additive in the cathode mixture and as an isolation layer to isolate the direct contact between the sulfide electrolytes and active materials, providing superior solid/solid interface stabilities in the assembled battery. XPS and TEM results confirm that this strategy can mitigate the side reactions between the bare NCM622 and Li3PS4 electrolytes. In‐situ EIS and DRT results prove that this grading utilization of different solid electrolytes can greatly alleviate the poor electrochemical stability between those two materials, yielding smaller interfacial resistances. The corresponding battery delivers high discharge capacities at various C‐rates under different operating temperatures. It delivers a much higher initial discharge capacity of 187.7 mAh g−1 (vs. 92.5 mAh g−1) at 0.1 C with a coulombic efficiency of 87.6% (vs. 71.1%) at room temperature. Moreover, this battery can even show highly reversible capacity with excellent cyclability when the operating temperature lowers to 0 and −20 °C. This work provides a hierarchical utilization strategy to fabricate sulfide electrolytes‐based ASSLBs with high energy density and superior cycling performance combined with highly‐oxidation cathode materials.
The Italian quick survey on the effects of the COVID‐19 health emergency on businesses: Sampling strategy and data editing
Authors: Casciano M. C. , Varriale R.
Published: April 2023

During the first phase of the COVID‐19 pandemic, Istat performed the quick survey “Situation and perspectives of Italian enterprises during the COVID‐19 health emergency,” with the aim of assessing the economic situation and the specific actions adopted by businesses to reduce the economic impacts of the emergency. To ensure the continuity in the information flow and to analyze the temporal evolution of the observed phenomena, the survey has been repeated in three different waves. The outcomes of each wave was released just after 2 months from the launch of the survey. The present work analyses the characteristics of the sampling strategy and describes the complexity of the data editing process, in the case of a survey planned to produce estimates able to ensure an acceptable level of accuracy in the maximum timeliness.
Super‐stiff guidewire or loach guidewire during percutaneous nephrolithotomy?
Authors: Ding Xiaobo , Hou Yuchuan , Wang Chunxi , Wang Yanbo
Published: April 2023

Objectives

The objectives of this work are to compare the outcomes between loach guidewire and super‐stiff guidewire during percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) and find potential indications of different guidewires.

Patients and methods

We retrospectively reviewed our institutional PCNL database from 2017 to 2021. Patients who underwent PCNL guided by loach guidewire were assigned to group A (489 patients); patients who received super‐stiff guidewire were assigned to group B (269 patients). Preoperative demographic data, intraoperative parameters, and postoperative complications were compared. The conditions and reasons of failed placement of guidewire needed readjustment were evaluated as well.

Results

Preoperative demographic data and most intraoperative parameters were not statistically different between the groups. Postoperative Clavien–Dindo complications were also comparable, with low rate of complications. However, failed placement of guidewire more occurred in group A (8.2% vs. 4.0%, respectively, p = 0.03). Compared with the super‐stiff guidewire, the loach guidewire was easier pass/slip into any place either it be perinephric or blood vessels. In most failed group A cases and all failed group B cases, the guidewire was placed in the perirenal fat. Six patients (15%) in group A, the guidewires entered into vessels.

Conclusions

Our results support that the faulty placement of loach guidewire is significantly more common compared with super‐stiff guidewire. Double confirmation is needed to prevent a major complication out of wrong dilatation whenever there is doubt about the wrong location of the guidewire.