bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Utility of Preimplantation Genetic Test in Couples with History of Infertility and Pregnancy Loss
Authors: Hadjidekova Savina , Staykova Slavyana , Staneva Rada , Pancheva Maria , Serafimova Maria , Nikolova Kristina , Toncheva Draga , Stamenov Georgi
Published: May 2022

Preimplantation genetic test (PGT) is cutting-edge technology for early detection of genetic abnormalities in embryos prior to their implantation in the uterus. PGT prevents the transfer of affected embryos during in vitro fertilization (IVF) procedures and termination of pregnancy. In our study we report the results from 185 couples with history of infertility and pregnancy loss that had undergone IVF procedures with PGT. Trophectoderm biopsy was carried out on 497 blastocyst stage embryos originating from 231 oocyte retrieval cycles. Array-based comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH) and next-generation sequencing (NGS) were subsequently performed. One hundred and ninety-six embryos had balanced profile (40.16%) and 292 embryos showed unbalanced profile (59.84%). Embryo transfer was performed in 109 cases (58.92%) and biochemical pregnancy was reported in 33.03%. Live birth rate was 29.36% and pregnancy loss occurred in 3.67% of cases. Our results show that PGT reduces the number of meaningless transfers, eliminates the trauma of termination of desired pregnancy and possible medical complications. In couples with reproductive failure PGT decreases the risk for pregnancy loss, increases the chance of conceiving with a chromosomally balanced embryo and live birth of a healthy offspring per transfer.
Prevalence in Apparently Healthy Postmenopausal Women of More than 1 SD T-score Difference between Two Adjacent Lumbar Spine Vertebrae (L1–L4) without Any Identifiable Cause
Authors: Sirakova Kristina , Gerganova Antonina , Temelkova Nataliya
Published: May 2022

The presence of isolated low bone density of a single lumbar vertebra (difference of above 1 SD T-score between two adjacent vertebrae without a probable explanatory reason) seems to be one of the unsolved issues in clinical densitometry. The present study aims to investigate the epidemiology of the latter mentioned difference in BMD. In a prospective manner 4027 apparently healthy Bulgarian women between 50 and 65 years of age underwent а scan of the lumbar spine (L1–L4) on a DXA machine – Hologic Discovery A. The data were collected and analysed with the statistical package SPSS. In the observed group the incidence of the difference of above 1 SD T-score between two adjacent lumbar vertebrae without a causal visible abnormality is quite low – 1.34% (n = 54). In the study population, the mean T-score was 1.49 (±0.469 SD) and the difference itself was between – 1 and – 2.6 SD T-score. A consensus statement and a guideline for further clinical management of patients with this finding are necessary to be created.
Deep learning methods for inverse problems
Authors: Kamyab Shima , Azimifar Zohreh , Sabzi Rasool , Fieguth Paul
Published: May 2022

In this paper we investigate a variety of deep learning strategies for solving inverse problems. We classify existing deep learning solutions for inverse problems into three categories of Direct Mapping, Data Consistency Optimizer, and Deep Regularizer. We choose a sample of each inverse problem type, so as to compare the robustness of the three categories, and report a statistical analysis of their differences. We perform extensive experiments on the classic problem of linear regression and three well-known inverse problems in computer vision, namely image denoising, 3D human face inverse rendering, and object tracking, in presence of noise and outliers, are selected as representative prototypes for each class of inverse problems. The overall results and the statistical analyses show that the solution categories have a robustness behaviour dependent on the type of inverse problem domain, and specifically dependent on whether or not the problem includes measurement outliers. Based on our experimental results, we conclude by proposing the most robust solution category for each inverse problem class.
A new spatiotemporal two-stage standardized weighted procedure for regional drought analysis
Authors: Niaz Rizwan , Iqbal Nouman , Al-Ansari Nadhir , Hussain Ijaz , Elsherbini Elashkar Elsayed , Shamshoddin Soudagar Sadaf , Gani Showkat Hussain , Mohamd Shoukry Alaa , Sh. Sammen Saad
Published: May 2022

Drought is a complex phenomenon that occurs due to insufficient precipitation. It does not have immediate effects, but sustained drought can affect the hydrological, agriculture, economic sectors of the country. Therefore, there is a need for efficient methods and techniques that properly determine drought and its effects. Considering the significance and importance of drought monitoring methodologies, a new drought assessment procedure is proposed in the current study, known as the Maximum Spatio-Temporal Two-Stage Standardized Weighted Index (MSTTSSWI). The proposed MSTTSSWI is based on the weighting scheme, known as the Spatio-Temporal Two-Stage Standardized Weighting Scheme (STTSSWS). The potential of the weighting scheme is based on the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI), Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI), and the steady-state probabilities. Further, the STTSSWS computes spatiotemporal weights in two stages for various drought categories and stations. In the first stage of the STTSSWS, the SPI, SPEI, and the steady-state probabilities are calculated for each station at a 1-month time scale to assign weights for varying drought categories. However, in the second stage, these weights are further propagated based on spatiotemporal characteristics to obtain new weights for the various drought categories in the selected region. The STTSSWS is applied to the six meteorological stations of the Northern area, Pakistan. Moreover, the spatiotemporal weights obtained from STTSSWS are used to calculate MSTTSSWI for regional drought characterization. The MSTTSSWI may accurately provide regional spatiotemporal characteristics for the drought in the selected region and motivates researchers and policymakers to use the more comprehensive and accurate spatiotemporal characterization of drought in the selected region.
CALIFICACIÓN ENERGÉTICA OBLIGATORIA PARA VIVIENDAS: APORTES PARA LA DISCUSIÓN
Authors: Encinas Felipe , Bustamante Waldo , Ladrón de Guevara Felipe
Published: May 2022

El proyecto de Ley sobre Eficiencia Energética establece la obligatoriedad de la Calificación Energética de Viviendas, que hasta la fecha, había sido de aplicación voluntaria. Si bien esto puede representar un avance en la reducción de las asimetrías de información que aqueja a los consumidores, requiere de un esfuerzo significativo de comunicación e implementación y la complementariedad con otros instrumentos para que sea efectiva.
Retrospective Study on Health Impact of Dietary Protein, Vitamin and Electrolyte Supplementation: A Pilot Study
Authors: Fernando P. N. J. , Pigera S. , Rashani S. A. N. , Jayawickrema S. J. , Silva A. P. de
Published: May 2022

Aims: Daily use of commercially available protein, multivitamin and electrolyte dietary supplements (MS) is a common practice among athletes. The aim of this study was to identify the effects of MS on athlete’s health.

Study Design: A retrospective cohort, pilot study.

Methodology: This Study was conducted with 45 healthy athletes who were using MS (n=25) and not using MS (n=20). In this study, MS users were consuming protein, multivitamin and electrolyte dietary supplements daily for more than 2 months continuously. Health effects of the study subjects were evaluated by biochemical tests and physical examination by a physician. Study was carried out at the Sri Lanka Anti-Doping Agency, Lanka Hospital Sri Lanka between June 2019 and February 2020.

Results: MS users had shown higher relative risk (RR) to have increased total cholesterol(RR=8.7;P<0.05)and LDL levels(RR=2.9;P<0.05) compared to non-MS users. The RR of overweight was 2.4 higher for MS users males than females. RR to increase weight had varied with type of sport and period on MS.

Conclusion: Negative effect was observed in the Lipid profile and weight of the MS users. Consuming MS more than 2 months, has an increasing effect on the lipid profile and weight of athletes and it is more pronounced in males. The clinical implication of this finding needs further study.
Structural Breaks, Growth and Instability Test in Onion Cultivation: A Case of Saurashtra Region of Gujarat
Authors: Hemagandhi S. , Tarpara V. D. , Vasavada K. M.
Published: May 2022

Onion is one of the most important commercial vegetable crops grown in India. Among the bulb crops onion is the only member grown to a great extent in this country. The historical data on area, production and yield of onion from Gujarat were collected for 26 years from the year 1992-93 to 2017-2018 and analysis was carried out using compound growth rate, Cuddy- Della Vella index and Structural break analysis (Chow test). This study was conducted on onion cultivation in Gujarat for the study period of 1992-93 to 2017-18. To capture the impact of NHM (National Horticulture Mission), the study period was re-categorized into: Pre- NHM Period (1992-93 to 2004-05); Post- NHM Period (2005-06 to 2017-18) and Overall Period (1992-93 to 2017-18). Major onion producing districts of Gujarat were selected for analysis. In case of growth rate and instability the yield was showed negative during study period so, more emphasis should be given to enhance the yield level with the help of innovations and technology in onion cultivation. structural break points plays a vital role regarding the forecasting purpose. For, structural break chow test was carried out, the results revealed that occur of structural break in particular district due to area and yield components used in this study.
Prevalence and Otorhinological Symptoms of People with COVID-19 in Rivers State
Authors: A. Oparaodu U. , C. Owhondah G. , E. Aaron F. , R. Inuele J. , T. Livingstone S.
Published: May 2022

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has dramatically spread all over the world, crossing the borders of all countries. It is presented mainly by lower respiratory tract symptoms such as fever, cough, dyspnea, and chest tightness. However, COVID-19 causes different upper respiratory tract-related symptoms including nasal congestion, sore throat, and olfactory dysfunction. Therefore, this study was aimed to evaluate the Prevalence and otorhinologic / Ear Nose and Throat ( ENT) Symptomatology of Individual with COVID-19 in Rivers State. The study was a prospective descriptive study of all consenting patients who received care through hospitals, designated for COVID-19 treatment in Rivers State. A total number of 2223 Samples consisting of 137 (6.16%) symptomatic and 2086 asymptomatic (93.84%) were taken in accordance with Nigerian protocol for samples collection and PCR Diagnosis for SARS COV-2. The age, sex, date onset of symptoms, and date of sample collection were documented. A diagnosis of COVID-19 infection was made according to the guidance developed by the NCDC using multiplex RT‑PCR which identified the E‑gene, RDRP‑gene, and N-gene using GeneFinder by Osang Korea. Results revealed that out of the total number of 2223 patients tested 206 were positive of COVID-19 and 2017 (91%) were tested negative. Out 206 positive cases recorded 110 patients were with symptoms, the most frequent recorded ENT manifestations were dry cough and fever (24.5%), loss of smell (24.5%), Difficulty in Breathing (11.8%),Headache (10.9%), Sore throat (7.3%), Nasal congestion (6.5%),,Loss of taste (6.4%),Sneezing (3.6%), dizziness (2.7%), and running nose (1.8%). The study has shown that the prevalence of COVID-19 among symptomatic and asymptomatic patients in the study location is high and a cause of epidemiologic concern as asymptomatic patients contribute a significant burden and carriers of COVID-19 infections. The study also revealed that ENT syndrome is the major symptoms associated with Covid 19.
Visual and Invisible Aesthetic Values in the Murals of An Định Palace, Vietnam
Authors: Huế M. A. Nguyễn Thị Minh
Published: May 2022

Mural paintings in An Định Palace include decorative floral arrangements, European motifs combined with Huế's traditional motifs, especially the six landscape paintings of the mausoleums of the six former emperors of the Nguyễn Dynasty. They were drawn with oil paint applied directly on the walls of the interior space in the Khải Tường pavilion. The works reflect the values of human life, aesthetic ideals, the East-West visual aesthetics, and the unique aesthetic and French cultural influences upon Emperor Khải Định. Through the murals, he expressed deep memories of his ancestors. Additionally, these six landscape paintings imply the topic of mausoleums - which indicates the world of death and its heavy atmosphere. It brings the hidden aesthetic codes, especially arising from the life and the physiology of Emperor Khải Định, which have been left unanswered.
Effect of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi and Bio - Inoculants on Germination and Seedling Growth of Carica papaya L. Var. Gujarat Junagadh Papaya-1
Authors: Desai Devanshi H. , Tank Ramesh V. , Desai Ketan D. , Desai Het S. , Mehta Vivek S. , Champaneri Dushyant D.
Published: May 2022

Background: Glomus intraradices fungi and three bio-inoculants (Pseudomonas fluorescens, Trichoderma viride, and Trichoderma harzianum) are known to have certain beneficial effects on germination and seedling growth of several tropical fruit crops. A pot study was conducted to evaluate the effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi and bio inoculants on seed germination and seedling growth of a papaya cultivar Gujarat Junagadh Papaya-1 at regional horticultural research station (RHRS), ASPEE College of Horticulture and Forestry (ACHF), Navsari Agricultural University, Navsari, Gujarat, India.

Methods: The seeds of papaya were sown in the Monsoon season (June-Aug 2019) in polybags. The seeds of papaya were coated by AM fungi (G. intraradices), three bio inoculants, and their combinations. There were 9 treatments including control treatment.

Results: An application of T. harzianum was found to be the most effective on seed germination and seedling growth by enhancing germination percentage (89%) along with early emergence (6 days) and consolidating all the growth parameters. T. harzanium was also effective on underground plant parts such as tap root length and diameter. The combination of all four bio-inoculants also gave significant results. Results from this study could be helpful for the West Indian fruit growers by enhancing the opportunities to use bioagents for sustaining their farming systems.
Effect of Micronutrients on Physico-Chemical Parameters of Fruit and Yield of Guava (Psidium guajava L.) cv. L-49
Authors: Meena Monika Kumari , Verma R. S.
Published: May 2022

This research was done to find out the effect of micronutrients on physico-chemical parameters of fruit and yield of guava (Psidium guajava L.). For this purpose, guava var. L-49 was used in this research. The experiment consisted of eight treatment combinations having Zn, Mn and Fe concentrations of 0.5, 0.5 and 0.4 % respectively, in Randomized Block Design with three replications. There was a significant effect of micronutrients (Zn, Mn and Fe). According to the results, significant increases of fruit size (cm), fruit weight (gm), volume of fruit (cm3), specific gravity and chemical parameters are Total soluble solids (TSS 0Brix), acidity (%), ascorbic acid (Vitamin ‘C’) (mg/100gm pulp), of fruit were determined with increasing micronutrients application. This experimental research carried out at Horticulture Research Farm, Department of Horticulture, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Vidya-Vihar, Rae Bareli Road, Lucknow 226 025 (U.P.) during the summer season of 2019-20.
Effect of Selected Fungicides in the Control of Aflatoxin-producing Fungi in Pre-harvest Maize (Zea mays L) in Anambra State
Authors: Achugbu Adaeze Nnedinma , Amadi Jude Ejiofor , Ekwealor Kenneth Udeh , Omaka Onyekachi , Oledibe Odira Johnson
Published: May 2022

Contamination of maize by toxigenic fungi is the process that occur yet in the field. Aflatoxin contamination in several foodstuffs has been a recurrent problem. This study is aimed to evaluate the effect of selected fungicides in the control of aflatoxin-producing fungi affecting growth in pre-harvest maize (Zea mays L). Maize seeds treated with organic and synthetic fungicides were sown immediately after land preparation comprising of 13 plots. Five plants each were randomly selected from 13 plots for collecting data for 12 weeks at 2 week interval. Effect of organic and synthetic fungicide in the control of aflatoxin production on the growth parameters of maize showed that maize treated with Azadirachta indica recorded significant growth in the leaf area for all treatments for weeks 8, 10 and 12 while at week 6, maize treated with Cymbopogon citratus showed significant growth in the leaf area at 0.05% for TLg25%, TLg75% and TLg100%. Maize treated with synthetic fungicide (mancozeeb) showed significant growth in the leaf area for weeks 8, 10, 12 in all treatments. Maize treated with Azadirachta indica recorded a significant difference in the plant height for week 4, 10 and 12 in all treatments. For maize treated with Cympobogon citratus, weeks 2 and 8 recorded no significant difference in the plant height but showed a significant growth in the plant height at weeks 4 and 12 (for all treatments) while weeks 6 and 10 recorded significant growth in the plant height for some of the treatments. Maize treated with synthetic fungicide showed significant growth in the plant height for weeks 4, 10 and 12. Fungal isolates identified in this study were: Aspergillus spp. Fusarium spp. and Penicillium spp., with Aspergillus spp. having the highest frequency of occurrence of 4 in treatments TAi100%, TLg75%. The result showed that both organic and synthetic fungicide were effective in the control of aflatoxin-producing fungi on the maize yield but was more effective with the organic fungicide. The use of Azadirachta indica and Cymbopogon citratus is recommended as a means of biofungicides to control aflatoxin-producing fungi in maize.
Mycorrhizal Fungi and their Importance in the Conservation of the Caatinga
Authors: Nonato Erika Rayra Lima , Leite Juliana Araújo , Silva Jailson Medeiros , Nóbrega Clícia Martins Benvinda , Silva Jodiene do Nascimento , Antas Renato Nogueira , Ribeiro Isabella Rocha
Published: May 2022

The suppression of native vegetation due to inadequate practices has contributed to the non-survival of many plant species, resulting in the loss of the genetic heritage of the Caatinga flora. However, their growth and establishment can be improved by the presence of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), a symbiotic association formed by plant roots and soil fungi that helps seedlings to increase nutrition and tolerance to water deficit, a common situation in stressful environments such as the Caatinga. This review aimed to discuss the importance of mycorrhizal fungi in the development and conservation of native species of the Caatinga that live under water stress, highlighting the effects caused by arbuscular mycorrhiza, its importance for conservation and mechanisms of plant adaptation to stress. The research sought to gather data from articles and journals with the help of key words indexed in Science Direct, Scientific Eletronic Library Online (SciELO), on the Google Academic platform and in the Catalog of Theses and Dissertations of the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher-Level Person (Capes). The results indicate that the inoculation of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi through root growth can increase the absorption of water and nutrients, assisting in the development of local plants of the Caatinga that live under stress, contributing to the structure of the plant community and the functioning of the natural ecosystem. As research on this subject is still scarce, it is necessary to disseminate research on this subject in order to obtain a wider range of information.
The Dermoscopic Patterns in Common Pigmented Skin Lesions
Authors: Khan Sabira Baz , Ahmed Hafiz Bashir , Bano Shazia , Ellahi Erum , Mughal Hira , Shafqaut Hira
Published: May 2022

Objective:  To determine the dermoscopic patterns in common pigmented skin lesions.

Setting and duration Study: This study was conducted at Dermatology Department, Civil Hospital, Hyderabad, during October 18, 2020 to April 17, 2021.

Materials and Methods: After taking approval from hospital ethical committee and written informed consent from 150 patients, all patients with pigmented skin lesions were enrolled. Demographic information were also recorded. Detailed history and thorough dermatological, physical and systemic examination was conducted. Routine investigations and histopathology was taken wherever necessary to aid the clinical diagnosis. Dermoscopic and clinical photographs were taken after informed consent. All dermoscopic findings were studied using handheld pocket dermoscope. In the case of patient having multiple lesions, only a single active lesion was selected for dermoscopy.

Results: Age range in this study was from 15 to 60 years with median (IQR) age was17 (15 -60) years and mean duration of disease was 5.67+ 2.14 months. Among the common pigmented skin lesions, 86 (57.4%) had sharp demarcation, 29 (19.3%) had Dots and gobules, 7 (4.5%) had Pseudonetwork, 12 (8%) had Homogenous structure less pigmentation, 78 (52%) had Milia-like cysts and 21 (14%) had Cerebriform pattern.

Conclusion: This study shows the high frequency of dermoscopic patterns in common pigmented skin lesions. This concludes that derrmoscopy is a useful and essential technique to clinically manage pigmented skin lesions, and it plays a fundamental role in early identification of pigmented lesions.
The Importance of Stacking and Coordination for Li, Na, and Mg Diffusion and Intercalation in Ti3C2T2 MXene
Authors: Hadler‐Jacobsen Jacob , Schnell Sondre Kvalvåg
Published: May 2022

The 2D layered Ti3C2T2 MXene is known for its diverse chemistry and has been investigated as potential anode and cathode in Li, Na, and Mg batteries. Ti3C2T2 layers can stack in at least two different ways depending on the termination group chemistry. In addition, stacking and termination groups influence the diffusivity and energy of ions intercalated in the MXene. How stacking influences the diffusivity, and how intercalated ions influence the stacking stability are not fully understood. In this study, density functional theory simulations explore Li, Na, and Mg ions intercalated in Ti3C2T2 stacked in four different ways; two are experimentally verified, and previously discussed in literature, and two with limited experimental evidence. It is shown that the stacking can reduce diffusion by 8–20 orders of magnitude. It is also explained how the termination group chemistry and the intercalated Li/Na/Mg ions change the relative stability of the stackings. The stacking's influence on diffusion properties is explained by examining the coordination of the ions at different points along the migration path. It is suggested that Ti3C2T2 with significant fluorine termination can be well‐suited for especially Na anode use, and regardless of termination is unsuited as Mg cathode.
Enhanced Photocarrier Collection in Bismuth Vanadate Photoanode through Modulating the Inner Potential Distribution
Authors: Liu Bo , Sun Mengdi , Tan Bing , Zhang Zemin , Han Weihua
Published: May 2022

Photoelectrochemical (PEC) synthesis provides a promising approach to produce green fuels, while the low energy conversion efficiency limits its application due to photocarrier recombination. Photocarrier recombination can be inhibited by building potential gradients in the photoelectrode with heterojunctions. However, despite the achieved progress, only a small amount of photocarriers can be collected and take PEC reactions. One of the main reasons is that the potential gradient provided by heterojunctions is limited in the depletion region, while photocarrier recombination mainly occurrs in the charge diffusion region. To break through the limitation of band engineering technique, herein, polarized BaTiO3 nanoparticles are embedded in BiVO4 composite photoanode to modulate the inner potential distribution so that more photocarriers can be successfully collected. The results show that the energy conversion efficiency has been significantly improved, as evidenced by an improved PEC H2O2 production concentration of 836 µmol L–1 under simulated sunlight illumination, which is 2.6 times of pure BiVO4 in the same situation. This work demonstrates a feasible strategy to enhance photocarrier collection efficiency by modulating the inner potential distribution in photoelectrode with an embedded polarizer, which can significantly enhance the energy conversion efficiency without extra energy consumption.
Novel Spin‐Decoupling Strategy in Liquid Crystal‐Integrated Metasurfaces for Interactive Metadisplays
Authors: Naveed Muhammad Ashar , Kim Joohoon , Javed Isma , Ansari Muhammad Afnan , Seong Junhwa , Massoud Yehia , Badloe Trevon , Kim Inki , Riaz Kashif , Zubair Muhammad , Mehmood Muhammad Qasim , Rho Junsuk
Published: May 2022

Symmetric spin–orbit interaction (SOI)‐based approaches apply a practical limit on helicity multiplexed metaoptics, i.e., center symmetric information encoding. Contrarily, asymmetric SOI's based on the combination of geometric and propagation phase‐delay approaches can effectively address such limitations for multifunctional multiplexed metaoptics on the cost of design complexities. In this paper, a simple asymmetric SOI‐based technique is realized for multifunctional metaoptics, employing only a single unit cell, breaking the conventional tradeoff between design complexity and efficient asymmetric transmission efficiency. The design approach depends on geometric phase alone, which eases the fabrication challenges and decreases the computational cost associated with previous asymmetric SOI‐based metaoptics. Furthermore, this study utilizes a new, low‐cost CMOS‐compatible material to optimize the proposed single unit cell for low loss and high transmission efficiency over the complete visible domain. On‐axis and off‐axis holographic metasurfaces are designed and integrated with pressure‐sensitive liquid crystal cells to demonstrate actively tunable metaholography with no limitation of center symmetric information encoding. The simple design technique, cost‐effective fabrication, and finger touch‐enabled holographic output switching make this integrated setup a potential candidate for many applications such as smart safety labeling, motion or touch recognition, and interactive displays for impact monitoring of precious artworks and products.
A Highly Crystallized Hexagonal BCN Photocatalyst with Superior Anticorrosion Properties
Authors: Guo Fangsong , Li Shanrong , Yang Can , Zhang Jinshui , Hou Yidong , Wang Xinchen
Published: May 2022

A major challenge in the nitride‐based materials for photocatalytic oxidation reaction is their low stability under oxidizing and acidic environment. To solve these problems, highly crystallized hexagonal boron carbon nitride (BCN) with more homogeneous mixing of B, C, and N atoms is achieved by pyrolysis of precursor materials in the presence of NaOH as a crystallization promoter. The high crystallinity and chemical homogeneity features of the fabricated BCN reduce the structural defects and accelerate the interfacial charge transfer and separation, thus inhibiting the self‐oxidation and endowing it with a superior oxidation resistance. With these prominent advantages, the highly crystallized BCN exhibits markedly enhanced photocatalytic activity and long‐term anticorrosion stability under oxygen and self‐generated acidic condition, far beyond polycrystalline BCN. This work offers new insights into the catalyst design of crystalline BCN and demonstrates its great promise for solar energy applications.
High‐Performance Blue Quantum‐Dot Light‐Emitting Diodes by Alleviating Electron Trapping
Authors: Wang Fangfang , Hua Qingzhao , Lin Qingli , Zhang Fengjuan , Chen Fei , Zhang Huimin , Zhu Xiaoxiang , Xue Xulan , Xu Xiongping , Shen Huaibin , Zhang Hanzhuang , Ji Wenyu
Published: May 2022

Currently, blue quantum‐dot light‐emitting diodes (QLEDs) remain the bottleneck limiting the development of QLED‐based applications. To achieve high‐performance blue QLEDs, poly‐N‐vinylcarbazole (PVK) is usually employed as the hole‐transport layer (HTL) to reduce the hole injection barrier. However, fabrication of efficient blue QLEDs with PVK HTL remains challenging and empirical/accidental. Here, it is demonstrated that PVK layer can trap electrons and hence resulting in low device efficiency. This is why the performance of blue QLEDs is highly dependent on the PVK batch received from the manufacturers. As an interlayer, ZnSe/ZnS quantum dots (QDs) are inserted between PVK and blue ZnCdSe/ZnS QD emitters. The resulted device presents an external quantum efficiency of 20.6% under 2920 cd m−2, enhanced by ≈35% compared with that of PVK‐alone device. The remarkable enhancement is owing to the QD interlayer that not only suppresses the electron trapping in PVK, increasing the probability of exciton recombination within the emissive layer, but also facilitates the hole injection, improving the charge balance in blue devices.
Modulation of Spin Dynamics in 2D Transition‐Metal Dichalcogenide via Strain‐Driven Symmetry Breaking
Authors: Liu Tao , Xiang Du , Ng Hong Kuan , Han Zichao , Hippalgaonkar Kedar , Suwardi Ady , Martin Jens , Garaj Slaven , Wu Jing
Published: May 2022

Transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) possess intrinsic spin–orbit interaction (SOI) with high potential to be exploited for various quantum phenomena. SOI allows the manipulation of spin degree of freedom by controlling the carrier's orbital motion via mechanical strain. Here, strain modulated spin dynamics in bilayer MoS2 field‐effect transistors (FETs) fabricated on crested substrates are demonstrated. Weak antilocalization (WAL) is observed at moderate carrier concentrations, indicating additional spin relaxation path caused by strain fields arising from substrate crests. The spin lifetime is found to be inversely proportional to the momentum relaxation time, which follows the Dyakonov–Perel spin relaxation mechanism. Moreover, the spin–orbit splitting is obtained as 37.5 ± 1.4 meV, an order of magnitude larger than the theoretical prediction for monolayer MoS2, suggesting the strain enhanced spin‐lattice coupling. The work demonstrates strain engineering as a promising approach to manipulate spin degree of freedom toward new functional quantum devices.
Impurity Gettering in Polycrystalline‐Silicon Based Passivating Contacts—The Role of Oxide Stoichiometry and Pinholes
Authors: Yang Zhongshu , Krügener Jan , Feldmann Frank , Polzin Jana‐Isabelle , Steinhauser Bernd , Le Tien T. , Macdonald Daniel , Liu AnYao
Published: May 2022

Polycrystalline‐silicon/oxide (poly‐Si/SiOx) passivating contacts for high efficiency solar cells exhibit excellent surface passivation, carrier selectivity, and impurity gettering effects. However, the ultrathin SiOxinterlayer can act as a diffusion barrier for metal impurities and this potentially slows down the overall gettering rate of the poly‐Si/SiOxstructures. Herein, the factors that determine the blocking effects of the SiOxinterlayers are identified and investigated by examining two general types of the SiOxinterlayers: 1.3 nm ultrathin tunneling SiOxwith negligible pinholes and 2.5 nm SiOxwith thermally created pinholes. Iron is used as tracer impurity in silicon to quantify the gettering rate. By fitting the experimental gettering kinetics by a diffusion‐limited segregation gettering model, the blocking effects of the SiOxinterlayers are quantified by a transport parameter. Both the oxide stoichiometry and pinhole density affect the effective transport of iron through SiOxinterlayers. The oxide stoichiometry depends strongly on the oxidation method, while the pinhole density is affected by the activation temperature, doping concentration, doping technique, and possibly the dopant type as well. To enable a fast gettering process during typical high‐temperature formation of the poly‐Si/SiOxstructures, a SiOxinterlayer that is less stoichiometric or with a higher pinhole density is preferred.
Recent Development and Future Perspectives of Amorphous Transition Metal‐Based Electrocatalysts for Oxygen Evolution Reaction
Authors: Guo Tianqi , Li Lidong , Wang Zhongchang
Published: May 2022

Oxygen evolution reaction (OER), as a relevant half reaction for water splitting to address the energy crisis, has captured a great deal of attention. However, this technology has always been impeded by the lack of a highly efficient and stable electrocatalyst. Amorphous materials, which possess long‐range disorder and only short‐range order over a few atoms, are often superior to their crystalline counterparts in electrocatalysis owing to their more active sites, broader chemical composition range, and more structural flexibility. This review first introduces some assessment criteria for the OER and then presents theoretical modeling of the OER mechanisms and the state‐of‐the‐art amorphous transition metal‐based OER electrocatalysts, involving oxides, hydroxides, sulfides, phosphides, borides, and their composites, as well as their practical applications in the OER. Finally, recent development, existing challenges, and future perspectives for amorphous transition metal‐based OER electrocatalysts are discussed. This paper offers valuable guidance in designing highly efficient and stable amorphous OER electrocatalysts for future energy applications.
A novel adoptive synthetic TCR and antigen receptor (STAR) T‐Cell therapy for B‐Cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Authors: Wang Jiasheng , Zhang Xian , Zhou Zhixiao , Liu Yue , Yu Li , Jia Lemei , Yang Junfang , Li Jingjing , Yu Hanyang , Li Wenzhong , Liu Guangna , Rui Wei , Zheng Hongli , Zhao Xueqiang , Lin Xin , Lu Peihua
Published: May 2022

We developed a T‐cell‐receptor (TCR) complex‐based chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) named Synthetic TCR and Antigen Receptor (STAR). Here, we report pre‐clinical and phase I clinical trial data (NCT03953599) of this T‐cell therapy for refractory and relapsed (R/R) B‐cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B‐ALL) patients. STAR consists of two protein modules each containing an antibody light or heavy chain variable region and TCR α or β chain constant region fused to the co‐stimulatory domain of OX40. T‐cells were transduced with a STAR‐OX40 lentiviral vector. A leukemia xenograft mouse model was used to assess the STAR/STAR‐OX40 T cell antitumor activity. Eighteen patients with R/R B‐ALL were enrolled into the clinical trial. In a xenograft mouse model, STAR‐T‐cells exhibited superior tumor‐specific cytotoxicity compared with conventional CAR‐T cells. Incorporating OX40 into STAR further improved the proliferation and persistence of tumor‐targeting T‐cells. In our clinical trial, 100% of patients achieved complete remission 4 weeks post‐STAR‐OX40 T‐cell infusion and 16/18 (88.9%) patients pursued consolidative allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo‐HSCT). Twelve of 16 patients (75%) remained leukemia‐free after a median follow‐up of 545 (433–665) days. The two patients without consolidative allo‐HSCT relapsed on Day 58 and Day 186. Mild cytokine release syndrome occurred in 10/18 (55.6%) patients, and 2 patients experienced grade III neurotoxicity. Our preclinical studies demonstrate super anti‐tumor potency of STAR‐OX40 T‐cells compared with conventional CAR‐T cells. The first‐in‐human clinical trial shows that STAR‐OX40 T‐cells are tolerable and an effective therapeutic platform for treating R/R B‐ALL.
Making homes more accessible for people with mobility impairment: A lived experience perspective
Authors: Goodwin Isabella , Davis Elise , Winkler Di , Douglas Jacinta , Wellecke Cornelia , D’Cruz Kate , Mulherin Peter , Liddicoat Stephanie
Published: May 2022

People with mobility impairment have the right to live in accessible housing that meets their needs. Although the Australian National Construction Code for residential housing will be amended to include minimum accessibility standards in September 2022, some states have chosen not to adopt these standards (New South Wales, Western Australia and South Australia). The inclusion of people with lived experience in decisions surrounding accessible housing design is lacking. This study sought the perspective of people with mobility impairment on the most important modifications they would make to the design of their own homes, and the homes of their friends and family, to make them more accessible. An online survey was completed from February to March 2021 by 145 people living in Australia including 112 people with mobility impairment, and 33 family members. Results indicated that 71 per cent of the participants were living in housing that did not fully meet their accessibility needs. Descriptive qualitative analyses demonstrated that commonly reported modifications included a step‐free entrance, wider internal doors and corridors, and level access throughout the home. These modifications would promote social inclusion, functioning, independence and overall quality of life. These results have policy implications for the implementation of accessibility standards in the National Construction Code.
Direct Conversion of Syngas to Higher Alcohols via Tandem Integration of Fischer–Tropsch Synthesis and Reductive Hydroformylation
Authors: Jeske Kai , Rösler Thorsten , Belleflamme Maurice , Rodenas Tania , Fischer Nico , Claeys Michael , Leitner Walter , Vorholt Andreas J. , Prieto Gonzalo
Published: May 2022

The selective conversion of syngas to higher alcohols is an attractive albeit elusive route in the quest for effective production of chemicals from alternative carbon resources. We report the tandem integration of solid cobalt Fischer–Tropsch and molecular hydroformylation catalysts in a one‐pot slurry‐phase process. Unprecedented selectivities (>50 wt %) to C2+ alcohols are achieved at CO conversion levels >70 %, alongside negligible CO2 side‐production. The efficient overall transformation is enabled by catalyst engineering, bridging gaps in operation temperature and intrinsic selectivity which have classically precluded integration of these reactions in a single conversion step. Swift capture of 1‐olefin Fischer–Tropsch primary products by the molecular hydroformylation catalyst, presumably within the pores of the solid catalyst is key for high alcohol selectivity. The results underscore that controlled cooperation between solid aggregate and soluble molecular metal catalysts, which pertain to traditionally dichotomic realms of heterogeneous and homogeneous catalysis, is a promising blueprint toward selective conversion processes.
Sensitive, Efficient and Portable Analysis of Molecular Exchange Processes by Hyperpolarized Ultrafast NMR
Authors: Kharbanda Yashu , Urbańczyk Mateusz , Zhivonitko Vladimir V. , Mailhiot Sarah , Kettunen Mikko I. , Telkki Ville‐Veikko
Published: May 2022

Molecular exchange processes are ubiquitous in nature. Here, we introduce a method to analyze exchange processes by using low‐cost, portable, single‐sided NMR instruments. The inherent magnetic field inhomogeneity of the single‐sided instruments is exploited to achieve diffusion contrast of exchange sites and spatial encoding of 2D data. This so‐called ultrafast diffusion exchange spectroscopy method shortens the experiment time by two to four orders of magnitude. Furthermore, because full 2D data are measured in a single scan (in a fraction of a second), the sensitivity of the experiment can be improved by several orders of magnitude using so‐called nuclear spin hyperpolarization methods (in this case, dissolution dynamic nuclear polarization). As the first demonstration of the feasibility of the method in various applications, we show that the method enables quantification of intra‐ and extracellular exchange of water in a yeast cell suspension.
Comparative Study of the Performance of Two Different Luciferases for the Analysis of Fumonisin B1 in Wheat Samples
Authors: Luque‐Uría Álvaro , Peltomaa Riikka , Navarro‐Duro Marina , Fikacek Sabrina , Head Trajen , Deo Sapna , Daunert Sylvia , Benito‐Peña Elena , Moreno‐Bondi María C.
Published: May 2022

Invited for this month‘s cover are the collaborating groups of Prof. Moreno‐Bondi at Complutense University of Madrid, Spain and Prof. Sylvia Daunert at University of Miami, Florida, USA. The cover picture shows a competitive immunoassay between a fumonisin B1 mimopeptide fused to the NanoLuc luciferase and the mycotoxin for the binding sites of the anti‐fumonisin B1 antibody immobilized onto magnetic microparticles. More information can be found in the Research Article by E. Benito‐Peña, M. C. Moreno‐Bondi, and co‐workers.
The shape effect and mechanism of particle‐reinforced shear‐thickening gel composites
Authors: Lin Huan , Shao Jianming , Cai Lihai , Liu Wenyan , Li Wanli , Dong Xia
Published: May 2022

In order to meet the requirements of practical applications, the shape effect of particles and their shear‐thickening mechanism is very crucial to the shear thickening gels (STG). In this work, three kinds of STG/particle composites were successfully prepared by blending nanoscale SiO2, microscale MWCNTs, and millimeter‐scale carbon fiber in STG. The Rheological Property, compression, and impact resistance of STG/particle composites were tested and analyzed. The results showed that the enhancement of the shear‐thickening properties of STG by nanoparticles was more pronounced than that of micrometer and millimeter‐sized particles. Nanoscale SiO2 significantly improved the storage modulus of STG, the G'max of STG/6%SiO2 increased by 124.63% compared with pure STG. Nanoscale SiO2 also had a great enhancement effect on the compression resistance of STG, the bearing capacity of STG/6%SiO2 and STG increased by 7.7 and 4.5 times. Furthermore, the energy absorption of STG/6%SiO2 and STG increased by 545% and 282% respectively. The drop hammer impact test also showed that STG/6%SiO2 had the best impact resistance. In addition, a possible mechanism of shear‐thickening properties of particle‐enhanced STG was proposed.
Development and molecular modeling studies of new thiadiazole piperazine urea derivatives as potential fatty acid amide hydrolase inhibitors
Authors: Gur Maz Tugce , Turanlı Sumeyye , Caliskan H. Burak , Çalışkan Burcu , Banoglu Erden
Published: May 2022

A series of novel piperazine urea derivatives with thiadiazole moieties were designed, synthesized, and investigated for their inhibition potential against human fatty acid amide hydrolase (hFAAH). The urea derivatives possessing p‐chlorophenylthiadiazole and benzylpiperazine fragments (19–22) were effective inhibitors of hFAAH. Notably, compounds with 4‐chlorobenzyl (19) and 4‐fluorobenzyl (20) tails at the piperazine side were identified as the most active inhibitors with IC50 values of 0.13 and 0.22 µM, respectively. The preincubation test of 19 was in agreement with the irreversible binding mechanism. Molecular docking was performed to explore the potential binding interactions with key amino acid residues at the FAAH active site. These newly identified inhibitors could serve as leads for the further development of potent and selective FAAH inhibitors for FAAH‐associated diseases.
Simultaneous reduced‐order control and fault detection for discrete‐time switched systems with relaxed persistent dwell time regularity
Authors: Guo Shun , Long Yue , Su Qingyu , Zhao Xiao‐Qi , Zhong Guang‐Xin
Published: May 2022

This paper focuses on the problem of simultaneous control and fault detection (FD) for discrete‐time switched systems. The main goal is to develop a control/detection unit (CDU) associated with a switching law to control the system and detect faults simultaneously. When the switched systems are with partial measurable states, we directly use these states to construct partial control and FD signals. Next, the reduced‐order CDU is designed to generate the other control and FD signals. Compared with existing results based on full‐order CDU, the proposed results lead to less conservatism and reduce design complexity. The switching law is constructed in the frame of persistent dwell time (PDT) switching. A novel switching number constraint condition is introduced, which further relaxes the restrictions on the dwell time of switching processes of PDT. The less restriction on dwell time degrades the performance requirement of each subsystem and upgrades the degree of freedom for switching law design. Based on the proposed results, a class of nonweighted performance indexes is introduced to characterize the fault sensitivity and robustness. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed method is illustrated by an example.
A novel approach of numerical optimization for control theory problems based on generalization of Gigena's method
Authors: Afzal Usman , Raza Nauman , Sial Sultan , Inc Mustafa
Published: May 2022

In this article, a new efficient numerical method is proposed to solve control theory problems in a finite difference setting. The method was originally devised by Gigena for determining and analyzing constrained local extrema without using Lagrange multipliers with the use of differential forms. He efficiently solved a number of algebraic problems and proved his method to be a better alternative as compared with already existing methods. Inspired by his work, we extended the scope of his work and generalized his technique to solve optimal control problems. The results are highly encouraging, and it can be seen that the proposed method has great advantages in terms of efficiency and computational cost in solving optimal control problems. This new approach provides a new way of looking at solving numerous other optimal control problems, such as discrete time models, with ease.
An adaptive reaching law of chattering‐free discrete‐time sliding mode control for systems with external disturbance
Authors: Deng Xu , Feng Zhengping , He Chenlu
Published: May 2022

An adaptive reaching law of chattering‐free discrete‐time sliding mode control is proposed for the systems with external disturbance. An adaptive function is proposed in the reaching law which can increase reaching speed as sliding variable is far away from zero and avoid undesired chattering when sliding variable is close to origin. Moreover, a third‐order backward difference of disturbance is added to obtain a narrower quasi‐sliding mode band (QSMB). Both the closed‐loop system performance and finite reaching steps to achieve the desired QSMB are theoretically analyzed. The simulation results verify the effectiveness of the proposed control strategy.
Structure–activity relationship and in silico development of c‐Met kinase inhibitors
Authors: Ghosh Suparna , Cho Seung Joo
Published: May 2022

Overexpression and concomitant drug resistance of c‐Met kinase are strongly associated with poor prognosis in gastric carcinoma. This needs the further development of existing lead compounds against c‐Met. Herein, we conducted molecular modeling studies of 4‐phenoxypyridine derivatives as c‐Met kinase inhibitors using docking, molecular dynamics (MD), and binding energy estimation to examine receptor–ligand interaction, complex stability, and binding affinity. We developed statistically significant three‐dimensional structure–activity relationship models (3D‐QSAR) to correlate the physicochemical characteristics of the inhibitors with their biological activities. The field effects of the chemical descriptors were determined as contour polyhedrons and emphasized as SAR. Thirty new compounds were designed according to the SAR scheme, and their activities were predicted using the 3D‐QSAR model. The designed compounds with higher predicted pIC50 values than the most active compounds in the dataset were subjected to absolute binding free‐energy evaluation by free energy perturbation (FEP) method.