bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of Major Impurity in the Vanadium‐Rich Solution on the Growth of NaV2O5 Crystals under Hydrothermal Conditions
Authors: Kang Qian , Zhang Yimin , Bao Shenxu
Published: January 2025

NaV2O5 is a promising cathode material for ion batteries with high capacity and good cycle performance. The high concentration of vanadium and low impurity in vanadium‐rich solution makes it possible to be used as raw material for vanadium product preparation. Vanadium solution containing impurity was prepared to investigate its influence mechanism on NaV2O5 crystal precipitation. The influence of four major impurity elements on the precipitation of NaV2O5 following the order of P > Al > Si > Fe. With the increase of impurity concentrations, vanadium conversion rate and V content of the precipitates decreased to varying degrees, while impurity content increased. When concentrations of Fe, Al and Si were high, the resulting precipitate was still NaV2O5, but the crystal structure changed. The AlOH and SiOH hider the condensation between VOH and broke the rod into irregular flakes and blocks. As P concentration gradually increased, the precipitates changed from NaV2O5 to VO2(H2O) 0.5 and then to Na3.053((V5O9)(PO4)2(OH)0.1(H2O)8, meanwhile, the morphologies changed from rod to plate, then to cross‐like, and finally to cube. Revealing the influence of impurity in vanadium‐rich solution on the growth of NaV2O5 crystal is conducive to the popularization of the process.
Selective Laser Sintering of NFG/Fe3O4 and NFG/SiCnw Composites for Efficient Electromagnetic Microwave Absorption
Authors: Gan Qiufu , Deng Shixiong , Huang Yaoling , He Linhua , Wu Haihua , Deng Kaixin , Fu Wenxin , Chao Bin , Chen Guoxun , Liu Wei
Published: January 2025

This study details the creation of NFG/Fe3O4 and NFG/SiCnw composites utilizing selective laser sintering (SLS) technology, along with a range of postprocessing methods for structural‐functional integration in electromagnetic microwave absorption, based on the preparation of hybrid powders. The NFG/Fe3O4 composite, after vacuum impregnation with epoxy resin solution, reaches a flexural strength of 7.12 MPa. At a thickness of 2 mm, the composite exhibits a minimum reflection loss (RL) of −41.81 dB and an effective absorption bandwidth (EAB) of 6.56 GHz. The green bodies produced by SLS feature rich microporous structures, which provide an optimal environment for the in situ generation of SiCnw during high‐temperature sintering. The efficient microwave absorption properties of the NFG/SiCnw composite stem from the synergy between conductivity loss and polarization loss, as well as multiple reflection and scattering loss mechanisms. When the thickness is 1.5 mm, the porous NFG/SiCnw composite demonstrates remarkable electromagnetic microwave absorption capabilities, with an RLmin of −51.10 dB and an EAB of 5.04 GHz. The NFG/Fe3O4 and NFG/SiCnw composites, fabricated using SLS technology and enhanced through various postprocessing techniques, successfully combine radar wave absorption and structural support, offering immense potential for industrial applications in electromagnetic wave absorption.
Nanoparticle‐Coated X2CrNiMo17‐12‐2 Powder for Additive Manufacturing – Part I: Surface, Flowability, and Optical Properties of SiC, Si, and Si3N4 Coated Metal Powders
Authors: Lüddecke Arne , Hantke Nick , Zetzener Harald , Sehrt Jan T. , Kwade Arno
Published: January 2025

The coating of metal powders with nanoparticles renders the possibility to improve powder bed fusion of metals using a laser beams (PBF‐LB/M) from the powder side of view. The literature indicates that nanoparticle coatings not only improve mechanical properties of final parts but also decrease manufacturing costs through higher process efficiencies. Herein, coatings of X2CrNiMo17‐12‐2 with silicon, silicon carbide, and silicon nitride are presented using different particle sizes of 65–200 nm and different coating surface coverages, which lead to homogeneous and stable coatings. A scale‐up and process parameter variations demonstrate the reproducibility of the process and also the relevance of the used processes for commercial applications. The main finding of this study is that the surface roughness due to nanoparticle coating is related directly to the powder flowability measured with the ring shear tester as a property function. In addition, for similar coating structures, the nanoparticle material influences the flowability due to the nature of its Hamaker constant. However, the reflectance of coated metal powders is dependent on the reflection of the coating material, the induced surface structure, and the amount of coated particles. These relationships might be transferred to improvements in the PBF‐LB/M process.
Nature Herbal Medicine‐ Tissue Engineering Strategies for Regulate Cell Homeostasis in Bone Regeneration
Authors: Wei Xu , Xie Hao , Liu Can , Li Yan , Sun Kai , Qi Baoyu , Guo Xiangyun , Liu Zhaofeng , Huang Xinlin , Sun Chuanrui , Wang Jian , Zhang Yili , Fan Lei , Zhu Liguo
Published: January 2025

Bone fractures, especially large and complex defects, continue to pose significant challenges in the medical field. Current treatments often rely on autografts or allografts for structural support, which can lead to problems such as reduced bioactivity, infection risks, and potential pathogen transmission. Nature herbal medicine (NHM), including herbs and herbal extracts, offers a promising alternative by effectively modulating inflammatory responses, enhancing osteoblast function, and inhibiting bone resorption, thereby facilitating fracture repair. However, traditional drug delivery methods for NHM encounter challenges such as potential drug interactions, poor tissue distribution, and reduced patient compliance. Biomaterials, engineered to interact with biological systems, play essential roles in tissue repair, mechanical support, and drug delivery. When used as drug carriers, biomaterials can be combined with NHM to form stable drug delivery systems that further promote bone regeneration. Here the applications of biomaterials are reviewed, such as hydrogels, extracellular vesicles, and bone cement, in conjunction with NHM for regulating bone homeostasis and fracture repair, aiming to provide valuable insights and guidance for future research and therapeutic strategies.
Multi‐Site High‐Entropy Immobilizer for All‐Iodine Species Fixation in High‐Performance Zinc‐Iodine Batteries
Authors: Li Yanxin , Jia Hongfeng , Hao Yuehan , Ali Usman , Liu Bingqiu , Zhang Lingyu , Li Lu , Lian Ruqian , Wang Chungang
Published: January 2025

Zinc‐iodine (Zn‐I2) batteries are of great interest thanks to their high energy density, low cost, and inherent safety. However, the dissolution of I− and the generated polyiodides exacerbated by the dissolved I− severely reduces the utilization of the active substance, resulting in poor coulombic efficiency and a drastic decrease in performance. In this regard, chemical immobilization of iodine species with high‐entropy material is developed. Benefiting from the remarkable catalytic and anchoring activity of the high‐entropy material, accelerated catalytic conversion and chemisorption of polyiodides are realized. Meanwhile, the distribution characteristics of the multi‐active adsorption centers on the high‐entropy material enable the abundant active sites to anchor the highly soluble and hard‐to‐mobilize I− in a chemical bonding manner. Such a unique bonding mode allows all iodine species (I2/I−/I3−) to be firmly immobilized on the electrode, which enhances the effectiveness and utilization of rechargeable Zn‐I2 batteries. High‐entropy material with the ability to immobilize all species of iodine provides a novel/effective strategy for realizing high‐performance Zn‐I2 batteries.
Stable Halide Perovskite Memristor Utilizing Innovative Silver/Bismuth Electrode as an Alternative to Gold
Authors: Feng Jiuchao , Fan Yanwei , Wang Yue , Song Qing , Liu Yang , Chen Yonghua , Li Deli , Huang Wei
Published: January 2025

Perovskite memristors hold great promise for neuromorphic computing due to their ease of fabrication and sensitivity to light and electrical stimuli. However, the common use of expensive metal electrodes, such as gold (Au) and unstable silver (Ag), limits their stability and broader application. In this study, a cost‐effective perovskite memristor utilizing a novel Ag/Bismuth (Ag/Bi) bilayer electrode, which serves as a viable alternative to Au while maintaining excellent performance, is presented. This design prevents electrochemical reactions and the formation of unstable metallic filaments, enabling controlled mixed electronic/ionic conductivity. Moreover, the low work function of the Ag/Bi bilayer reduces the built‐in voltage, facilitating the formation and retention of conductive filaments, which improves device performance and stability. The memristor exhibits a high on/off ratio (102), excellent endurance (≈800 cycles), long retention (>104 s), and storage stability comparable to Au‐based devices. Furthermore, it demonstrates neuromorphic synaptic behaviors, including long‐ and short‐term plasticity (STP), potentiation/depression, and spike‐timing‐dependent plasticity (STDP). When integrated into a spiking neural network (SNN) for digital image recognition using the MNIST dataset, the device achieves an accuracy of 86.68%. This work demonstrates the potential of the cost‐effective Ag/Bi bilayer electrode in enhancing the stability and performance of perovskite memristors.
Asymmetric CuS1N4 as Axial Polarization Site Trigger Rapid Charge Transport Channels for Boosting Photosynthesis of Ammonia
Authors: Yan Xihang , Wu Yao , Guo Fangyu , Xiong Jun , Zhang Yi , Wang Liang , Dai Jiayu , Hao Gazi , Jiang Wei , Di Jun
Published: January 2025

Effective photogenerated charge transfer and utilization have been regarded as a critical factor for achieving highly efficient photosynthesis of ammonia. However, the lacks necessary driving force in many catalysts limit the directly charge transfer. In this work, Cu porphyrin‐based monoatomic layer (PML‐Cu) is modified on face‐centered cubic structured defective CdIn2S4 via solvothermal reaction, with a strong coupled interfacial Cu─S bond is constructed. Owing to the formation of axial CuS1N4 polarization site, the local interfacial asymmetric configuration can be created between CdIn2S4 and PML‐Cu to form a strong potential difference, inducing the rapid charge transport from CdIn2S4 to PML‐Cu via Cu─S bond. Meantime, the electron‐enriched CuS1N4 site is beneficial to the stabilization of *NHOH intermediate state, and then lowering the *NHO→*NHOH rate‐limiting step energy barrier. Benefiting from these features, the PML‐Cu/CdIn2S4 exhibit good NH3 generation rate of 1979.0 µmol g−1 h−1, with apparent quantum efficiency of 8.56% at 380 nm and 7.40% at 450 nm, respectively. This work provides an accessible pathway for designing interfacial asymmetric configuration with strong coupling to boost photocatalysis.
Polyproline‐Polyornithine Diblock Copolymers with Inherent Mitochondria Tropism
Authors: Pegoraro Camilla , Karpova Ekaterina , Qutbuddin Yusuf , Sanchis Esther Masiá , Dimitrijevs Pavels , Huck‐Iriart Cristián , Gavrilović Svetozar , Arsenyan Pavel , Schwille Petra , Felip‐León Carles , Duro‐Castano Aroa , Conejos‐Sanchez Inmaculada , Vicent María J.
Published: January 2025

Mitochondria play critical roles in regulating cell fate, with dysfunction correlating with the development of multiple diseases, emphasizing the need for engineered nanomedicines that cross biological barriers. Said nanomedicines often target fluctuating mitochondrial properties and/or present inefficient/insufficient cytosolic delivery (resulting in poor overall activity), while many require complex synthetic procedures involving targeting residues (hindering clinical translation). The synthesis/characterization of polypeptide‐based cell penetrating diblock copolymers of poly‐L‐ornithine (PLO) and polyproline (PLP) (PLOn‐PLPm, n:m ratio 1:3) are described as mitochondria‐targeting nanocarriers. Synthesis involves a simple two‐step methodology based on N‐carboxyanhydride ring‐opening polymerization, with the scale‐up optimization using a “design of experiments” approach. The molecular mechanisms behind targetability and therapeutic activity are investigated through physical/biological processes for diblock copolymers themselves or as targeting moieties in a poly‐L‐glutamic (PGA)‐based conjugate. Diblock copolymers prompt rapid cell entry via energy‐independent mechanisms and recognize mitochondria through the mitochondria‐specific phospholipid cardiolipin (CL). Stimuli‐driven conditions and mitochondria polarization dynamics, which decrease efficacy depending on disease type/stage, do not compromise diblock copolymer uptake/targetability. Diblock copolymers exhibit inherent concentration‐dependent anti‐tumorigenic activity at the mitochondrial level. The diblock copolymer conjugate possesses improved safety, significant cell penetration, and mitochondrial accumulation via cardiolipin recognition. These findings may support the development of efficient and safe mitochondrial‐targeting nanomedicines.
Advanced Polymeric Nanoparticles for Cancer Immunotherapy: Materials Engineering, Immunotherapeutic Mechanism and Clinical Translation
Authors: Jia Wencong , Wu Ye , Xie Yujie , Yu Meihua , Chen Yu
Published: January 2025

Cancer immunotherapy, which leverages immune system components to treat malignancies, has emerged as a cornerstone of contemporary therapeutic strategies. Yet, critical concerns about the efficacy and safety of cancer immunotherapies remain formidable. Nanotechnology, especially polymeric nanoparticles (PNPs), offers unparalleled flexibility in manipulation‐from the chemical composition and physical properties to the precision control of nanoassemblies. PNPs provide an optimal platform to amplify the potency and minimize systematic toxicity in a broad spectrum of immunotherapeutic modalities. In this comprehensive review, the basics of polymer chemistry, and state‐of‐the‐art designs of PNPs from a physicochemical standpoint for cancer immunotherapy, encompassing therapeutic cancer vaccines, in situ vaccination, adoptive T‐cell therapies, tumor‐infiltrating immune cell‐targeted therapies, therapeutic antibodies, and cytokine therapies are delineated. Each immunotherapy necessitates distinctively tailored design strategies in polymeric nanoplatforms. The extensive applications of PNPs, and investigation of their mechanisms of action for enhanced efficacy are particularly focused on. The safety profiles of PNPs and clinical research progress are discussed. Additionally, forthcoming developments and emergent trends of polymeric nano‐immunotherapeutics poised to transform cancer treatment paradigms into clinics are explored.
Distinct Transmission of Left‐ and Right‐Handed Magnon Modes in Compensated Ferrimagnet/Antiferromagnet Structures
Authors: Li Yan , Wang Weidi , Liu Chen , Chen Aitian , Zheng Dongxing , Yang Tao , Tang Meng , Fang Bin , Ma Yinchang , Shen Ka , Manchon Aurélien , Qiu Ziqiang , Zhang Xixiang
Published: January 2025

The chirality of magnons, exhibiting left‐ and right‐handed polarizations analogous to the counterparts of spin‐up and spin‐down, has emerged as a promising paradigm for information processing. However, the potential of this paradigm is constrained by the controllable excitation and transmission of chiral magnons. Here, the magnon transmission is explored in the Gd3Fe5O12/NiO/Pt structures. It is demonstrated that both left‐ and right‐handed magnon modes, thermally generated in the compensated ferrimagnet Gd3Fe5O12, can efficiently propagate through the antiferromagnetic NiO layer. Remarkably, these modes undergo distinct decay processes in NiO, manifested by different evolutions of the spin diffusion length with temperature. This behavior can be explained by an exchange model rooted in the spin‐flop magnetic configuration between Gd3Fe5O12 and NiO, which establishes a chiral selection rule for magnon transmission. These findings offer significant fundamental insight into controlling chiral magnons, opening avenues for chirality‐based magnonics.
Sustainable Sensors Prepared by Environmentally Benign Means for Improving the Environmental Footprint of Wearable Electronics
Authors: Amoah Cephas , Mahmood Usmaan , Skene W. G.
Published: January 2025

Sustainable electronic devices offer the virtue of energy efficiency. However, their fabrication is often reliant on environmentally deleterious methods and materials that overshadow the environmental benefits the devices provide. Toward improving the overall environmental footprint of devices, stretchable and conductive substrates for enabling wearable electronics are fabricated predominately from both sustainable and biodegradable materials (chitosan and sorbitol) along with an environmental benign solvent: water. Indeed, the >95 wt.% of the stretchable and bendable sensor consists of sustainable and biodegradable materials. By blending a collectively self‐doped and water‐soluble conductive homopolymer during processing, stretchable films with a transverse resistance as low as 0.08 MΩ are obtained. Both the conductivity and mechanical properties of the films including elongation at break and Young's modulus are contingent on the chitosan molecular weight. The elongation at break of the films prepared from high molecular weight chitosan is upward of 200%, with the optical transmission of 60% above 500 nm, and minimal conductive hysteresis with stretching. Both the mechanical compliance and conductivity of the sustainable films are ideal for enabling wearing electronics. This is demonstrated by their use as strain sensors for tracking both human movement and phonation detection.
Divergent Hydroelementation of Unsaturated C−C Bonds Using 3d Transition Metal Based Catalysts
Authors: Chakraborty Gargi , Maity Soumitra
Published: January 2025

Divergent hydroelementation reactions offer a cost‐effective synthetic protocol to prepare two or more products starting from same set of reactant molecules by altering one or more reaction parameters. This strategy is quite helpful in functionalizing unsaturated C−C bonds into several value‐added chemical compounds by using various organic and metal‐based catalysts. In this regard, catalysts derived from 3d metals have come to the fore, providing an alternative to heavier transition metals and rare‐earth elements. In this review, we summarize and elucidate the recent developments of divergent hydroelementation of alkenes and alkynes using the first‐row transition metal complexes by categorizing them into three classes: (1) Catalyst and ligand‐controlled; (2) Reaction component‐controlled and (3) Substrate‐controlled. Given the importance of hydroelementation reactions, we hope this review will be helpful to the organic chemistry community.
Organophotocatalytic Site‐Selective Radical Deuteration at Sterically Hindered Benzylic Positions by Consecutive Hydrogen Atom Transfer
Authors: Qu Chuan‐Hua , Chen Shan‐Shan , Zhu Lin , Tang Yan , Zhang Si‐Si , Peng Hong‐Bo , Song Gui‐Ting
Published: January 2025

Site‐selective C−H bond activation or exchange labeling with hydrogen isotope are of vital importance, in particular for high‐specific‐selectivity deuteration of pharmaceuticals. While catalytic approaches relying on closed‐shell manifolds have been well documented for efficient delivery of deuterium at sterically less hindered benzylic positions, complementary strategies target sterically bulky benzylic positions remain a long‐standing challenge. We herein disclose a mild, versatile approach to achieve efficient and selective radical deuteration by merging organophotoredox catalysis and bromine radical catalysis. This open‐shell strategy provides the unparalleled ability of the convergent unification of readily available quinoxalinones and para‐quinone methides (p‐QMs) and D2O through a simultaneous highly cross‐, regio‐, and chem‐selective radical coupling‐H/D exchange approach. Furthermore, the long‐standing challenge of the incorporation of deuterium to sterically bulky benzylic positions has been addressed through this approach.
Extreme Enhancement‐Mode Operation Accumulation Channel Hydrogen‐Terminated Diamond FETs with Vth < −6 V and High on‐Current
Authors: Qu Chunlin , Maini Isha , Guo Qing , Stacey Alastair , Moran David A. J.
Published: January 2025

In this work, a new Field Effect Transistor device concept based on hydrogen‐terminated diamond (H‐diamond) is demonstrated that operates in an Accumulation Channel rather than a Transfer Doping regime. The FET devices demonstrate both extreme enhancement‐mode operation and high on‐current with improved channel charge mobility compared to Transfer‐Doped equivalents. Electron‐beam evaporated Al2O3 is used on H‐diamond to suppress the Transfer Doping mechanism and produce an extremely high ungated channel resistance. A high‐quality H‐diamond surface with an unpinned Fermi level is crucially achieved, allowing for the formation of a high‐density hole accumulation layer by gating the entire device channel which is encapsulated in dual‐stacks of Al2O3. Completed devices with gate/channel length of 1 µm demonstrate record threshold voltage < −6 V with on‐current > 80 mA mm−1. Carrier density and mobility figures extracted by CV analysis indicate a high 2D charge density of ≈ 2 × 1012 cm−2 and increased hole mobility of 110 cm2 V−1 s−1 in comparison with more traditional Transfer‐Doped H‐diamond FETs. These results demonstrate the most negative threshold voltage yet reported for H‐diamond FETs and highlight a powerful new strategy to greatly improve carrier mobility and enable enhanced high power and high frequency diamond transistor performance.
Toward Higher Energy Density All‐Solid‐State Batteries by Production of Freestanding Thin Solid Sulfidic Electrolyte Membranes in a Roll‐to‐Roll Process
Authors: Rosner Maria , Cangaz Sahin , Dupuy Arthur , Hippauf Felix , Dörfler Susanne , Abendroth Thomas , Schumm Benjamin , Althues Holger , Kaskel Stefan
Published: January 2025

All‐solid‐state batteries (SSB) show great promise for the advancement of high‐energy batteries. To maximize the energy density, a key research interest lies in the development of ultrathin and highly conductive solid electrolyte (SE) layers. In this work, thin and flexible sulfide solid electrolyte membranes are fabricated and laminated onto a non‐woven fabric using a scalable and solvent‐free, continuous roll‐to‐roll process (DRYtraec). These membranes show significantly improved tensile strength compared to unsupported sheets, which facilitates cell assembly and allows a continuous component production using a single‐step calendering process. By tuning the thickness, densified membranes with thicknesses ranging from 40 to 160 µm are obtained after a compression step. The resulting SE membranes retain a high ionic conductivity (1.6 mS cm−1) at room temperature. An excellent rate capability is demonstrated in a SSB pouch cell with a Li2O–ZrO2‐coated LiNi0.9C0.05Mn0.05O2 cathode, a 55 µm thin SE membrane, and a columnar silicon anode fabricated by a scalable physical vapor deposition process. At stack level, a promising energy density of 673 Wh L−1 (and specific energy of 247 Wh kg−1) is achieved, showcasing the potential for high energy densities by reducing the SE membrane thickness while retaining good mechanical properties.
Metaverse technologies in acute care medical education: A scoping review
Authors: Lau Justine , Dunn Nicholas , Qu Marianna , Preyra Rebecca , Chan Teresa M.
Published: January 2025

Background

The concept of the metaverse is a virtual world that immerses users, allowing them to interact with the digital environment. Due to metaverse's utility in collaborative and immersive simulation, it can be advantageous for medical education in high‐stakes care settings such as emergency, critical, and acute care. Consequently, there has been a growth in educational metaverse use, which has yet to be characterized alongside other simulation modalities literature. This scoping review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of all research describing metaverse use in education for emergency, critical, and acute care.

Methods

We used Arksey and O'Malley's framework with the Levac et al. modifications to conduct a scoping review by searching these five databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, ERIC, Web of Science, and Education Source). The framework comprises six steps: (1) identifying the research question; (2) identifying relevant literature; (3) study selection; (4) data extraction; (5) collating, summarizing, and reporting data; and (6) consultation with key informants. Relevant themes and trends were extracted and mapped for reporting.

Results

The search yielded 8175 citations, which ultimately led to data extraction from 65 articles. Studies evaluated metaverse programs for the learning and assessment of both technical skills (management of code blue, sepsis, stroke, etc.) and nontechnical skills (e.g., interprofessional collaboration, communication, critical decision making). Barriers to metaverse implementation include technical challenges and difficulty evaluating educational effectiveness.

Conclusions

The results of this scoping review highlight the current applications of metaverse as an educational tool, its identified strengths and weaknesses, and further comparison between metaverse and other educational modalities such as high‐fidelity simulation. This work provides direction for future primary and secondary research that can aid educational programmers and curriculum planners in maximizing metaverse potential in emergency, critical, and acute medical education.
Inpatient Hospitalizations for COVID‐19 Among Patients With Prader–Willi Syndrome: A National Inpatient Sample Analysis
Authors: Luccarelli James , Strong Theresa V. , Rubin Emily B. , McCoy Thomas H.
Published: January 2025

Prader–Willi syndrome (PWS) is a genetic disorder associated with baseline respiratory impairment caused by multiple contributing etiologies. While this may be expected to increase the risk of severe COVID‐19 infections in PWS patients, survey studies have suggested paradoxically low disease severity. To better characterize the course of COVID‐19 infection in patients with PWS, this study analyses the outcomes of hospitalizations for COVID‐19 among patients with and without PWS. The National Inpatient Sample, an all‐payors administrative claims database of hospitalizations in the United States, was queried for patients with a coded diagnosis COVID‐19 in 2020 and 2021. Hospitalizations for patients with PWS compared to those for patients without PWS using Augmented Inverse Propensity Weighting (AIPW). There were 295 (95% CI: 228–362) COVID‐19 hospitalizations for individuals with PWS and 4,112,400 (95% CI: 4,051,497–4,173,303) for individuals without PWS. PWS patients had a median age of 33 years compared to 63 for those without PWS. Individuals with PWS had higher baseline rates of obesity (47.5% vs. 28.4%). AIPW models show that PWS diagnosis is associated with increased hospital length of stay by 7.43 days, hospital charges by $80,126, and the odds of mechanical ventilation and in‐hospital death (odds ratios of 1.79 and 1.67, respectively). PWS patients hospitalized with COVID‐19 experienced longer hospital stays, higher charges, and increased risk of mechanical ventilation and death. These results suggest that PWS should be considered a risk factor for severe COVID‐19, warranting continued protective measures and vaccination efforts. Further research is needed to validate coding for PWS and assess the impact of evolving COVID‐19 variants and population immunity on this vulnerable population.
Chloride Residues in RuO2 Catalysts Enhance Its Stability and Efficiency for Acidic Oxygen Evolution Reaction
Authors: Chen Jiadong , Qi Menghui , Yang Yun , Xiao Xiaofen , Li Ying , Jin Huile , Wang Yong
Published: January 2025

. Ruthenium dioxide (RuO2) is a benchmark electrocatalyst for proton exchange membrane water electrolyzers (PEMWE), but its stability during the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is often compromised by lattice oxygen involvement and metal dissolution. Despite that the typical synthesis of RuO2 produces chloride residues, the underlying function of chloride have not well investigated. In this study, we synthesized chlorine‐containing RuO2 (RuO2‐Cl) and pure RuO2 catalysts with similar morphology and crystallinity. RuO2‐Cl demonstrated superior stability, three times greater than that of pure RuO2, and a lower overpotential of 176 mV at 10 mA cm−2. Furthermore, the RuO2‐Cl catalysts that were in situ synthesized on a platinum‐coated titanium felt could maintain high performance for up to 1200 hours at 100 mA cm−2. Computational and experimental analyses show that chloride stabilizes RuO2 by substituting the bridging oxygen atoms, which subsequently inhibits lattice oxygen evolution and Ru demetallation. Notably, this substitution also lowers the energy barrier of the rate‐determining step by strengthening the binding of *OOH intermediates. These findings offer new insights into the previously unknown role of chloride residues and how to improve RuO2 stability.
Gas‐Releasing Polymer Tubesomes: Boosting Gas Delivery of Nanovehicles via Membrane Stretching
Authors: Yang Cuiqin , Zhang Yulian , Xu Miaomiao , Li Jianfeng , Yan Qiang
Published: January 2025

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S), one of the three gas signaling molecules, not only plays a vital role in mediating a series of cellular activities but also manifests exciting applications in clinical therapy. However, one main obstacle in using H2S as a gaseous therapeutic agent is to realize on‐demand storage and delivery of gas, and thus, it is of great importance to develop H2S‐donating vehicle platforms. Although a variety of polymer‐based gas‐releasing carriers have been designed, almost all the systems are limited to spherical structures. Here we explore the role of polymer self‐assembled morphologies, especially toward those non‐spherical nanostructures, on the H2S release capacity. A kind of tubular polymersomes (i.e. tubesomes), formed by the membrane stretching of polythionoester‐containing block copolymer vesicles, exhibit enhanced cysteine‐responsive H2S‐releasing behavior in contrast to their spherical counterparts. Moreover, we found that the amount and rate of H2S release from diverse polymersomes is relied on the extent of membrane elongation, which allows us to regulate the gas releasing kinetics through tailoring the membrane geometries. More importantly, it is demonstrated that the tubesomes as polymer‐type H2S donors have better anticancer performance than those spherical polymersomes. This would inspire new possibilities to boost gas therapeutic efficacy through shaping the morphology of gas nanovehicles.
Regulation of TADF by Internal and External Heavy Atom Effect in D‐A MOF for Heterocrystal based Temperature‐Compensated Photonic Device
Authors: Zhang Bo , Li Chang‐Tai , Wang Han‐Yu , Fang Han , Feng Rui , Yu Mei‐Hui , Li Wei , Chang Ze , Bu Xian‐He
Published: January 2025

The application of temperature‐compensated photonic device is hampered by poor accuracy and overly simplistic functions of propagation in photonic integrated circuits (PICs) field. Herein, we report a new library of donor‐acceptor metal–organic framework (D−A MOF) with thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) and the fabricating of temperature‐compensated photonic device by virtue of the unique temperature response character of TADF emitters. Highly tunable through‐space charge transfer (TSCT) of TADF was realized within the D−A MOFs through a novel strategy that synergistically combines the internal heavy atom effect (HAE) with an external HAE, induced by the incorporation of heavy atoms into different components, achieving the regulable photophysical indicators including adjustable PL wavelength (534 to 592 nm) and surging quantum yield (5.02 %–47.39 %). Further investigation of the impact of external HAE on TADF was conducted through crystal structures and Hirshfeld surface plots of four D−A regimes featuring substituent‐based linkers. Notably, temperature‐compensated photonic device based on heterocrystal was fabricated through integrating D−A MOFs with contrary temperature response. The emission signal output of the heterojunction remained nearly stable in 215 K to 295 K range, highlighting the promising potential application of TADF D−A MOF featuring sensitive temperature response in PICs field.
Discovering Cell‐Targeting Ligands and Cell‐Surface Receptors by Selection of DNA‐Encoded Chemical Libraries against Cancer Cells without Predefined Targets
Authors: Gui Yuhan , Hou Rui , Huang Yuchen , Zhou Yu , Liu Shihao , Meng Ling , Li Ying , Sang Lam Fong , Ding Ruoyun , Cao Yan , Li Gang , Lu Xiaojie , Li Xiaoyu
Published: January 2025

Small molecules that can bind to specific cells have broad application in cancer diagnosis and treatment. Screening large chemical libraries against live cells is an effective strategy for discovering cell‐targeting ligands. The DNA‐encoded chemical library (DEL or DECL) technology has emerged as a robust tool in drug discovery and has been successfully utilized in identifying ligands for biological targets. However, nearly all DEL selections have predefined targets, while target‐agnostic DEL selections interrogating the entire cell surface remain underexplored. Herein, we systematically optimized a cell‐based DEL selection method against cancer cells without predefined targets. A 104.96‐million‐member DEL was selected against MDA‐MB‐231 and MCF‐7 breast cancer cells, representing high and low metastatic properties, respectively, which led to the identification of cell‐specific small molecules. We further demonstrated cell‐targeting applications of these ligands in cancer photodynamic therapy and targeted drug delivery. Finally, leveraging the DNA tag of DEL compounds, we identified α‐enolase (ENO1) as the cell surface receptor of one of the ligands targeting the more aggressive MDA‐MB‐231 cells. Overall, this work offers an efficient approach for discovering cell‐targeting small molecule ligands by using DELs and demonstrates that DELs can be a useful tool to identify specific surface receptors on cancer cells.
Asymmetric Heck Silylation of Unactivated Alkenes
Authors: Wang Bingcheng , Zhao Jiajin , Ying Jiale , Cheng Biao , Lu Zhan
Published: January 2025

Heck silylation of unactivated alkenes is an efficient strategy for the synthesis of useful organosilicon compounds. However, extensive efforts have been dedicated to only achieving achiral molecules. Herein, a highly regio‐ and enantioselective cobalt‐catalyzed Heck silylation of unactivated alkenes with hydrosilanes is reported for the first time, providing access to axially chiral alkenes in good to excellent yields with 87–98 % ee. Aryl and alkyl groups as well as quaternary carbon centers at the 4‐position of vinylcyclohexane could be well tolerated, featuring good functional group tolerance. The gram‐scale reaction proceeds smoothly under mild conditions even with 0.5 mol % catalyst loading. A possible mechanism has been proposed, in which enantioselectivity is controlled by alkene insertion. A templating strategy that enhances weak bond interaction is employed to control regioselectivity by modifying the substituents on the ligand and silane.
Covalent Organic Frameworks with Carbon‐centered Radical Sites for Promoting the 4e‐ Oxygen Reduction Reaction
Authors: Xu Tingting , Zhou Huaqun , Zhang Xiaofei , Herng Tun Seng , Ding Jun , Chi Chunyan , Zhu Jun
Published: January 2025

Radical covalent organic frameworks (RCOFs) have demonstrated significant potential in redox catalysis and energy conversion applications. However, the synthesis of stable RCOFs with well‐defined neutral carbon radical centers is challenging due to the inherent radical instability, limited synthetic methods and characterization difficulties. Building upon the understanding of stable carbon radicals and structural modulations for preparing crystalline COFs, herein we report the synthesis of a crystalline carbon‐centered RCOF through a facile post‐oxidation process. Moreover, the RCOF demonstrated outstanding catalytic activity in the 4e‐ oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) with a half‐wave potential of 0.82 V (vs. RHE) and electron transfer number of 3.98, among the highest in reported COF‐based electrocatalysts. The promoted 4e‐ and suppressed 2e‐ ORR pathway (99.5% vs. 0.5%) can be attributed to facilitated reaction initiation and smoother transition steps at the carbon radical sites, which is practically beneficial for minimizing peroxide formation, thus contributing to safer and more sustainable fuel cell and metal‐air battery applications. Overall, our study not only provided a facile strategy for preparing stable RCOFs with well‐defined neutral carbon radical centers but also demonstrated their capability to fine‐tune the redox catalytic activity of COF materials, which could be potentially useful in electrocatalysis and energy conversion applications.
High‐Performance Polyurethane Coatings From Cardanol‐Derived Polyols: A Sustainable Approach for Mild Steel Protection
Authors: Patil Himanshu A. , More Aarti P.
Published: January 2025

This paper presents a study of the ring‐opening process for production of polyols, including diols (two hydroxyl groups), triols (three hydroxyl groups), and tetra‐ols (four hydroxyl groups). These cardanol‐based polyols were subsequently used as important precursors in the formulation of PU coatings, which were cured on mild steel substrates using a polyisocyanate hardener. The synthesized PU coatings had exceptional mechanical qualities, including maximum pencil hardness (6H), high flexibility with minimal breaking during conical mandrel bending, and superb impact resistance. The coatings were also highly chemically resistant, withstanding immersion in acid (0.5 N HCl), alkali (0.5 N NaOH), and organic solvents (xylene, MEK) without degradation. Notably, the PU coating made from tetra‐ol polyol had the maximum thermal stability (T50% = 445°C), gel content (96%), and water resistance (1.4% absorption). This enhanced performance is due to the increased cross‐linking density caused by the four reactive hydroxyl groups of tetra‐ol. The salt spray analysis demonstrated that the tetra‐ol‐based PU coating outperformed its diol and triol counterparts, with negligible pitting and blistering after 500 h of exposure to a 3.5% NaCl solution. This indicates its superior barrier qualities and tolerance to corrosive conditions.
Preparation, Characterization, and In Vitro Anti‐Inflammatory Activity of Polyvinyl Alcohol‐Based Hydrogels Containing Astragalus Polysaccharide for Cartilage Repair
Authors: Kang Ju , Dong Mengzhen , Wang Zhenlong , Li Jiacheng , Wang Kaiyue , Yang Simin , Ju Ruijun , Peng Xiaoming , Wang Ruijie , Guan Jie
Published: January 2025

Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) hydrogels have been extensively utilized in cartilage repair due to their hydrophilicity and superior biocompatibility. However, achieving cartilage repair materials with optimal mechanical, structural, and biological properties has remained challenging. In this study, multiple groups of composite hydrogels were prepared using PVA, chitosan, and agarose via a freeze–thaw cycle method, and their performances were comprehensively evaluated. We identified that a composite hydrogel consisting of 15 wt% PVA, 1.5 wt% chitosan, and 1 wt% agarose possessed a porous structure, high tensile strength, suitable water content, and swelling rate, alongside excellent blood compatibility and noncytotoxicity. Building on this formulation, a novel hydrogel was developed by incorporating astragalus polysaccharide. This new hydrogel was assessed for its biocompatibility and anti‐inflammatory properties in vitro. The findings revealed that this enhanced hydrogel significantly promoted cell growth and adhesion, inhibited the inflammatory response induced by lipopolysaccharide, positioning it as a promising candidate for cartilage repair materials.
Electromagnetic Interference Shielding Offered by Waterborne Poly(Urethane‐Imide) Composites Reinforced With Carbon Nanostructures
Authors: Lin Chih‐Lung , Cheng Yen‐Yu , Rwei Syang‐Peng
Published: January 2025

Electromagnetic waves are produced in large volumes by the increasing number of electronic devices, and some devices must be shielded from these waves to prevent electromagnetic interference (EMI). Traditional metals are effective shielders but have limitations in modern electronics, so researchers have proposed the use of polymers containing conductive fillers. In the present study, waterborne poly(urethane‐imide) (WPUI) composites reinforced with conductive carbon nanostructures (CNS) are developed for EMI shielding applications. NCO‐terminated imide oligomers are successfully synthesized, so a solvent is not needed to incorporate imide structures into polyurethane. Additionally, a reactive nonionic dispersant is employed to prevent emissions from amine neutralizers. The proposed WPUI, which has high thermal stability and heat resistance, is thus environmentally friendly. The composites are experimentally evaluated through Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and tensile stress–strain analysis and furthermore subjected to an EMI shielding test. Compared with polyurethane, the WPUI–CNS composite has considerably superior tensile strength and flexibility. Incorporating 5 wt% CNS into WPUI results in an EMI shielding effectiveness of 50 dB and does not negatively affect the WPUI's favorable physical properties, which is not the case for current alternatives. The optimal WPUI composite is found to have excellent performance under high‐temperature conditions.
High‐Performance PLA Foam Blocks Prepared From Beads Modified by Chain Extension and Heterogeneous Nucleation
Authors: Li Jiaxun , Zhang Jing , Xu Liang , Qian Junfeng , He Mingyang
Published: January 2025

Supercritical CO₂ foaming effectively forms a uniform cellular structure in polylactic acid (PLA) beads by utilizing the high diffusion rate and solubility of CO₂ in polymers. In this study, PLA beads are modified with a chain extender (CE) composed of ethylene and glycidyl methacrylate, while thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) serves as a heterogeneous nucleating agent. After being foamed with supercritical CO, the modified PLA beads are compression molded into foam blocks. The volume expansion ratio of PLA/TPU/CE foams increases by 12.5‐fold, and the resulting foam blocks exhibit a high compressive modulus of 21 MPa. The enhanced compressive strength results from the synergistic effects of chain extension and heterogeneous nucleation, which enhance the material's cellular structure and internal crosslinking. This study offers an effective strategy to enhance the compressive properties of PLA foam blocks, expanding their applications in high‐performance industries. In addition, the use of eco‐friendly PLA and the potential for scalable production make this approach a promising alternative for sustainable materials.
Tracking mathematics achievement gaps in England: Gender, socioeconomic status and ethnicity
Authors: Coates Adam
Published: January 2025

Educational inequality and mathematics achievement have been long‐term concerns in England. However, most studies of inequalities focus on achievement across multiple‐subjects, and studies of mathematics achievement gaps tend to look at a single test in a single year. This study provides an overview of mathematics achievement gaps in the last 13 years. Aggregate data for nearly 13 million pupils for Key Stages 1, 2, 4 and 5 are used to explore the achievement gaps by gender, Free School Meal (FSM) eligibility and ethnicity. The Common Language Effect Size is used as a measure of relative achievement for the different groups. The findings show virtually equal overall achievement in mathematics between boys and girls, but boys achieve more highest and lowest grades. In contrast, the gap for FSM eligible pupils is immense: at KS4 the average FSM pupil achieves lower grades than 66% of other pupils. Ethnicity achievement gaps show a generally consistent order, with Chinese achieving the highest average grades and Gypsy/Roma achieving the lowest. The gaps for ethnicity expand as pupils progress through their schooling. All achievement gaps have fundamentally remained constant over time, with the exception of a few ethnic groups whose relative achievement has increased. Overall, this study hopefully provides a reference point for future research that explores causes and ways to reduce the identified achievement inequalities.
Realizing Antithermal Quenching Red Emission in Mn4+‐Activated Rb2NaVF6 for Optical Thermometry Sensor Application
Authors: Jia Hui , Liao Hanrui , Zhang Weilun , Wang Wei , Sun Jinxuan , Li Wei , Wei Yi
Published: January 2025

Currently, the development of red Mn4+‐activated fluoride luminescent materials attracts a lot of attention in optical thermometry sensors, solid lighting, display, and plant growth areas. Nevertheless, the thermal stability of Mn4+‐activated fluoride luminescent materials is still a crucial issue. Herein, a new red Rb2NaVF6:Mn4+ luminescent material with outstanding thermal stability was successfully synthesized through the facial coprecipitation method. Mn4+ ions prefer to occupy VF6 octahedra based on the accurate Rietveld refinement results. Accordingly, the as‐prepared Rb2NaVF6:Mn4+ exhibits a broad absorption region from 300 to 500 nm with a maximum of 468 nm, matching well with the near‐ultraviolet and blue InGaN chip. Upon 468 nm excitation, Rb2NaVF6:Mn4+ can emit narrow‐band red light at 632 nm. Notably, Rb2NaVF6:Mn4+ shows superior antithermal quenching properties, of which the integrated intensities at 175°C can realize as high as 140% than that at 25°C. Owing to the diverse thermal quenching behavior between anti‐Stokes and Stokes emission, Rb2NaVF6:Mn4+ displays promising candidates in optical thermometry sensors with a relative sensitivity Sr of 0.49%. This study offers new insight into developing antithermal quenching red Mn4+‐activated fluoride luminescent materials.
Protein thermal stability in the undergraduate biochemistry laboratory: Exploring protein thermal stability with yeast alcohol dehydrogenase
Authors: Bates Alison , Williams Kathryn M. , Hagerman Ann E.
Published: January 2025

We created a novel laboratory experience where undergraduate students explore the techniques used to study protein misfolding, unfolding, and aggregation. Despite the importance of protein misfolding and aggregation diseases, protein unfolding is not typically explored in undergraduate biochemistry laboratory classes. Yeast alcohol dehydrogenase (YADH) is used in the undergraduate biochemistry laboratory course at Miami University as the model system to explore protein overexpression and purification, bioinformatics, and enzyme characterization. Using one model protein across the entire semester allows the students to independently link topics introduced in the individual experiments; for example, students might draw connections between the thermal denaturation experiment and the requirement to keep the enzyme cold during a kinetics experiment. Students quantitated changes in secondary structure resulting from thermal denaturation by analyzing circular dichroism data. Monitoring the turbidity of a YADH solution with a temperature‐controlled UV–Vis spectrometer was a reliable and easy method for undergraduate students to observe the thermally‐induced aggregation of YADH. Together these experiments provide undergraduate students with first‐hand experience in techniques to study protein unfolding and aggregation.