bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of Increasing Lateral Resistance of Ballastless Bridge Sliding Track Panel System by Installation of Reinforcement Plate
Authors: Park Jongchan , Lim Nam-Hyoung
Published: October 2021

Recently, train speeds have been increased in Korea owing to the expansion of Korea Train eXpress (KTX) operations and development of next-generation high-speed trains. Hence, continuous welded rails (CWRs) that affect the running stability and ride comfort of trains have become essential elements. However, it is difficult to install CWRs on most of the non-ballast bridges constructed since the 1900s owing to the rail additional stress that occurs during installation. As a solution to this problem, the sliding track panel (STP) system that allows longitudinal sliding is proposed. In the application of STP systems, securing the lateral buckling strength is an essential condition. Hence, a finite element analysis model considering the STP system is presented, and the necessity for reinforcement plates is investigated through a pure skeleton-track analysis. The minimum requirements and effects of increasing the stiffness of the reinforcement plates are derived by analyzing the lateral reinforcement plates.
Possibility of Urban Heat Island Formation by Lifting Green Belts: Focusing on the Cases of Busan Metropolitan City, Korea
Authors: Park Jiyong , Kang Seungwon , Jun Sunmin , Jung Juchul
Published: October 2021

We analyzed the temperature changes in cities and regions due to the lifting of the green belt in Busan Metropolitan City. The difference between the average temperature change in the summer surface due to the lifting of the green belt was analyzed in Local Spatial Autocorrelation Analysis (LISA) for the two points in 2000, when the green belt was fully preserved, and in 2018, when the recent record heatwave was recorded. Consequently, approximately 28.14% of the areas where the green belt was lifted from the cluster map became a hotspot. In Busan Metropolitan City, the changes in the soil quality, resulting from the development of new towns, creation of industrial complexes, reduction of green areas, and an increase in impervious areas due to largescale housing development projects following the lifting of the green belt, lead to the temperature rise in the city, thereby causing urban heat island phenomenon. This study contributes to the field by revealing that the urban heat island phenomenon can be affected in the long term depending on the urban development project involved in the lifting of the green belt. In addition to its original function of preserving the environment and preventing urban sprawl, the green belt can be a major urban planning tool for mitigating the rising urban heat island phenomenon caused by climate change, which demonstrates its policy implications.
A Comparative Analysis of Disaster Research Trends Using Topic Modeling and Network Analysis
Authors: Han Chae Yeon , Kim Woo Sik , Yoon Dong Keun
Published: October 2021

This study aims to analyze differences in domestic and international disaster research trends. We first performed topic modeling on 20,477 papers published in three domestic and 12 international journals over the last 21 years (2000-2020) and then visualized the trends. Based on the extracted topics and keywords, we analyzed keyword networks using Gephi. Research in domestic journals mainly revolved around natural disasters like earthquakes, fire, and flooding. In contrast, international journals spotlighted policy-based topics such as disaster governance and community resilience. Meanwhile, globally, building and civil engineering research has shrunk in recent five years (we refer to this as a cold topic). On the other hand, in the past five years, fire and flood research has appeared more frequently in domestic journals, while international journals have presented more articles on community resilience, risk perception, and behavior (we refer to this as a hot topic). Results of this research can provide suggestions about the directions domestic disaster research should develop in the future.
Expression of a Crry/p65 is reduced in acute lung injury induced by extracellular histones
Authors: Nagano Fumihiko , Mizuno Tomohiro , Imai Masaki , Takahashi Kazuo , Tsuboi Naotake , Maruyama Shoichi , Mizuno Masashi
Published: October 2021

Acute lung injury (ALI) occurs in patients with severe sepsis and has a mortality rate of 40%–60%. Severe sepsis promotes the release of histones from dying cells, which can induce platelet aggregation, activate coagulation and cause endothelial cell (EC) death. We previously reported that the expression of membrane complement receptor type 1‐related gene Y (Crry)/p65, which plays a principal role in defence against abnormal activation of complement in the blood, is reduced in response to peritoneal mesothelial cell injury, and we hence hypothesized that a similar mechanism occurs in pulmonary ECs. In this study, we examined the role of Crry/p65 in histone‐mediated ALI using an experimental animal model. In ALI model mice, exposure to extracellular histones induces lung injury and results in a decrease in Crry/p65 expression. The levels of lactic acid dehydrogenase (LDH), a marker of cell damage, were significantly increased in the serum of ALI model compared with vehicle mice. The significant inverse correlation between the expression of Crry/p65 and LDH levels in plasma revealed an association between Crry/p65 expression and cell damage. The levels of complement component 3a (C3a) were also significantly increased in the serum of the ALI model compared with vehicle mice. Notably, a C3a receptor antagonist ameliorated lung injury induced by histones. We hypothesize that extracellular histones induce complement activation via down‐regulation of Crry/p65 and that C3a might serve as a therapeutic target for the treatment of ALI.
Yashts
Authors: Skjærvø Prods Oktor
Published: October 2021

TheYashts(Yašts) are Young Avestan hymns to individual deities.
Old Nubian
Authors: van Gerven Oei Vincent
Published: October 2021

Old Nubian is the modern designation for a literary language attested in texts from the Nubian kingdom of Makuria in the Middle Nile Valley between the late eighth and fifteenth century
ce
. This entry provides a concise overview of the language, its history, and its grammatical features.
Livestock, Sub‐Saharan West Africa
Authors: Stone Abigail Chipps
Published: October 2021

The history of livestock in West Africa is not one of independent domestication, but of introduction and subsequent diversification. When livestock were brought into new areas of sub‐Saharan West Africa, they adapted in interesting ways to suit specific environments and social conditions. With cattle, sheep, and goats in particular, a complex interplay between landscape, climate, disease, and human preferences resulted in a proliferation of breeds prized for the ways they met divergent human needs. This overview focuses on these three species, discussing the timing of their spread into sub‐Saharan West Africa, the emergence of diverse livestock breeds and their use by disparate human groups, and concludes with a brief discussion of the role of dairying in West African livestock systems.
Kushanas
Authors: Skinner Michael C.
Published: October 2021

For close to three centuries, ca. 50–350ce, the Kushanas ruled over one of the largest empires in the ancient world, spanning from the Amu Darya in northern Afghanistan to the Ganges River in northern India. The Kushanas integrated the geographically and culturally diverse regions of Bactria, Gandhara, and northern India into a unified empire, and the political stability ushered in by these rulers brought about a period of prosperity. The Kushanas were descendants of the nomadic Yuezhi tribe that migrated from the Chinese borderlands to northern Afghanistan in the second centurybce. In the first centuryce, Kujula Kadphises expanded from Bactria to Gandhara and founded the Kushana Empire. Epigraphic and numismatic evidence has identified thirteen Kushana rulers, including Kujula. The Kushana Empire reached its zenith in the second centurycestarting with the reign of Kaniska I. In the third centurycethe Sasanians conquered Bactria, but the Kushanas remained in control of Gandhara and northern India. Kushana influence ended in the fourth centurycewhen the Guptas took over northern India and the Kidarites entered Gandhara. The period of Kushana rule impacted South Asian history by introducing an imperial currency, ushering in new artistic and literary traditions, and facilitating the spread of Buddhism along the Silk Road.
Maitrakas
Authors: Schmiedchen Annette
Published: October 2021

The Maitraka dynasty was one of the royal lines which gained strength in the western part of North India in the period from the sixth to the eighth centuries; they ruled from their capital Valabhī over Surāṣṭra, i.e., the Kathiawar Peninsula in Gujarat. The most reliable sources for the reconstruction of the sociopolitical history of the Maitrakas are epigraphic records. These inscriptions were almost exclusively copper‐plate charters, recording royal endowments of land in favor of religious donees, and containing panegyric descriptions of the royal family. Besides evidence for repeated collateral succession, the genealogies of the Maitrakas contain mainly conventional, metaphorical praise of ideal kingship, with the obvious goal of demonstrating that the rulers fulfilled the requirements of perfect kings. From the seventh century, the genealogical accounts of the Maitrakas, the naming conventions, and the use of religious epithets illustrate their anxiety regarding the homogenization of the presentation of their dynastic tradition. Sixteen out of nineteen Maitraka kings were exclusively labeled as “highly devoted to Śiva.” The Maitraka endowments, however, reveal a patronage pattern that predominantly favored Brahmins (with no apparent institutional Śaiva or Vaiṣṇava affiliation) and Buddhist monasteries (for monks and nuns). The kings of this dynasty only made very few endowments for Hindu temples. Despite the role Gujarat played in the medieval history of Jainism, no Maitraka grants in favor of Jaina institutions have been discovered so far.
Zooarchaeology, Isotopes
Authors: Stone Abigail Chipps
Published: October 2021

Isotopic analysis is a key tool in archaeological inquiry today. Using various stable and radiogenic isotopes, archaeologists can ask important questions about diet, migrations, and interactions in the past. In concert with other forms of archaeological analysis, isotopic data help build a more nuanced picture of the social, political, and economic configurations of archaeological human populations and the landscapes in which they lived. In African archaeology, isotopic analysis is especially useful in highlighting the kinds of movements and interactions of people, animals, and goods that might not be visible otherwise. This entry provides a brief overview of several key isotopes used in this work and uses cases studies to illustrate their use in African archaeology.
Thermoluminescence Dating
Authors: Rosenstein Dana Drake
Published: October 2021

In archaeology, thermoluminescence is used to estimate the number of years since an artifact or feature made of geological sediment was last exposed to heat. Many types of archaeological samples are datable by thermoluminescence. By dividing the amount of ionizing radiation accumulated over time in a sample, called the equivalent dose, by the total environmental dose rate from alpha, beta, gamma, and cosmic particles, a luminescence specialist calculates its thermoluminescence age.
OES Beads
Authors: Miller Jennifer M.
Published: October 2021

People have produced ostrich eggshell (OES) beads for at least 50,000 years. They are the oldest type of ornaments to be fully manufactured and mass produced, and all share the same general appearance (small round discs with a central perforation). Archaeologists commonly recover OES beads in Africa; however, they have also been reported from archaeological sites in China, India, Mongolia, and Russia. The bead‐making tradition continued in Africa, where OES beads formed an important part of gift‐exchange systems. Today, modern OES beaded jewelry is still sold in craft shops, particularly in southern Africa.
Glass Bead Technology, Ile‐Ife
Authors: Babalola Abidemi Babatunde
Published: October 2021

Archaeological evidence from Ile‐Ife in southwest Nigeria has revealed the first known primary glass beadmaking from locally made glass in sub‐Saharan Africa dated to the eleventh to fifteenth centuries
ce
. This entry discusses the technology of Ile‐Ife high lime, high alumina glass and the technique of glass beadmaking. Glass production materials and beads from Ile‐Ife provide new insight into the technology of glass, as well as regional and interregional interaction in sub‐Saharan Africa.
Zuozhuan
Authors: Pines Yuri
Published: October 2021

This entry introducesZuozhuan(Zuo TraditionorZuo Commentaryon theSpring and Autumn Annals), the major historical work from China's preimperial age. The entry surveys debates about the nature ofZuozhuan(particularly its relation to the canonicalAnnals), its dating and authorship, and its historical reliability. It highlightsZuozhuan's role as a milestone in the development of Chinese historiography. The entry presentsZuozhuanas a peculiar product of China's aristocratic age, a text the ideological orientations of which differ considerably from those of China's later intellectual tradition.
Shang Yang
Authors: Pines Yuri
Published: October 2021

This entry introduces Shang Yang (d. 338bce), an eminent and controversial reformer who propelled the state of Qin toward a preeminent position in the Chinese world. It outlines Shang Yang's reforms and the major ideas presented in theBook of Lord Shang,attributed to him. The entry explains why, despite Shang Yang's success, he remained immensely hated by many (albeit by no means all) Chinese intellectuals for millennia to come.
Han Feizi
Authors: Poli Maddalena
Published: October 2021

Han Feiziis the title of a book, attributed to Master (zi) Han Fei, who lived toward the end of the Warring States era (475–221bce). The book is considered representative of early Chinese philosophy, and has influenced subsequent generations. It remains unclear how much of the text Han Fei himself wrote. According to his biography, he first submitted his writings to the king of Han to strengthen his native state, but the king did not show interest. Han Fei's writings found a more appreciative audience in the Qin state, whose king invited Han Fei to come and assist him.

The content ofHan Feiziis political philosophy. It promotes the “two‐handles” system, in which the king imparts rewards and punishments to his ministers according to how well they perform their duties. Another theme is that of persuasion: in one of the few chapters directed to ministers rather than to the king,Han Feizielaborates on the art of persuasion (shui). The key to success lies in knowing the mind of the person to be persuaded. The aim of the persuader is to know how to embellish what the person to be persuaded is proud of, and to do away with what he is ashamed of.
Dong Zhongshu
Authors: Leung Vincent S.
Published: October 2021

Dong Zhongshu was a preeminent Confucian scholar of the early Han Empire, often credited with the development of imperial Confucianism as a state ideology. He argued for the singular importance of the Confucian classics as a repository of good governing principles, and the need for the state bureaucracy to staff itself with morally cultivated men. He also appealed to a model of correlative cosmology based on a dynamic interplay of yin–yang forces for his exegetical studies of the Confucian classics, especially theSpring and Autumn Annals.
Huainanzi
Authors: Leung Vincent S.
Published: October 2021

The
Huainanzi
is a compendium of philosophical essays completed in early China sometime before 139
bce
. It was a collaborative effort between numerous scholars under the patronage and editorship of Liu An, the prince of Huainan, who was a member of the royal clan of the Han Empire. It presents a philosophy of good governance, based on a carefully crafted synthesis of all earlier major traditions of thought within a model of correlative cosmology. Massive in scope, it is one of the most important philosophical works that have survived from ancient China.
Qin (State)
Authors: Lander Brian
Published: October 2021

From the ninth to third centuries
bce
the Qin state was a regional power in the western end of the Zhou world. For most of this time its power was limited to the present‐day regions of Shaanxi and eastern Gansu, but in the fourth century
bce
it undertook a series of reforms that increased its military strength and eventually allowed it to defeat its rivals and found the Qin Empire in 221
bce
.
Xiongnu
Authors: Lau Q. Z.
Published: October 2021

The Xiongnu (Chinese:

; pinyin: Xiōngnú) were a confederation of nomadic and semi‐nomadic peoples that primarily lived in the upper reaches of the Ordos Plateau and Mongolian Steppe. Regularly posing diplomatic and military challenges to Chinese states in the Central Plains, the confederation served as the primary geopolitical foil for the early imperial dynasties. A series of costly military campaigns undertaken by Emperor Wu of Han and his successors, along with internal strife, subsequently resulted in a fracturing of their state in the first century
bce
and Han suzerainty over the southern population. While there were later Eurasian polities founded by leaders of Xiongnu descent, competition and challenges posed by other non‐Chinese ethnic groups meant that these polities failed to reach the longevity or dominance of the original confederation.
Zhangjiashan
Authors: Ma Tsang Wing
Published: October 2021

The Zhangjiashan site was used as a cemetery from the Eastern Zhou to the Han period (770
bce
–220
ce
). Among the many tombs found at the site from the 1950s on, tomb no. 247, discovered in 1983, once again aroused scholars' interest in early Chinese legal history for the first time since the discovery of the Shuihudi Qin tomb in the 1970s. Two legal manuscripts, titled
Ernian lüling
(Statutes and Ordinances of the Second Year) and
Zouyan shu
(Book of Submitted Doubtful Cases), were recovered from the tomb. Taking into consideration the nature of the entombed manuscripts, it is suggested that the tomb occupant was a low‐ranking legal official who had served under the jurisdiction of the Nan Commandery in the early Han from 203 to 194
bce
.
Shuihudi
Authors: Ma Tsang Wing
Published: October 2021

The Shuihudi site was one of the major archaeological finds of the 1970s. Among the twelve tombs excavated at the site from 1975 to 1976, tomb no. 11 deserves the widest attention, for 1155 Qin bamboo slips were successfully recovered from within. With a concentration on legal matters, these bamboo manuscripts are closely related to the career of the tomb occupant, Xi, a scribe who had served the Qin from 244bceuntil his death in 217bce. Later archaeological finding suggests that the Shuihudi cemetery had been under the jurisdiction of Anlu County of Nan Commandery during the Qin and early Han periods.
Sima Qian
Authors: Yang Lei
Published: October 2021

Sima Qian (?145–?86
bce
), the grand historian of the Han dynasty (202
bce
–220
ce
), is the founding father of Chinese historiography. He wrote
Shiji
(
Records of the Grand Historian
), the first universal history of China and the greater world known to him. This monumental book recounts events from the origins of Chinese civilization to the reign of the Han dynasty's Emperor Wu (r. 141–87
bce
), covering some 2500 years in a total of 526,500 Chinese characters. What Herodotus was to the historical tradition of the Greco‐Roman world, Sima Qian has been to that of China, Japan, and Korea. Today, this great work is still affectionately and widely read in Asia and many other parts of the world, both within and outside of academia.
Palaces, China
Authors: Luo Di
Published: October 2021

The Chinese palace was the residence of the imperial family, the seat of political power where state affairs were decided and certain state rituals and ceremonies were held, and an embodiment of both the ideal social order and the aesthetic principles of the time. Located near the center of the capital city, the Chinese palace was typically encircled by a palace wall, arranged along a north–south axis, and divided into multiple courtyards, a model which burgeoned in the first millenniumbceand continued into the early 1900s, observable still in the Forbidden City in Beijing. Palaces were predominantly timber‐frame structures, but their architecture underwent considerable transformation through history due to breakthroughs in technology and exchanges with non‐Chinese cultures.
Houses, China
Authors: Luo Di
Published: October 2021

A Chinese house was a place of dwelling, production, recreation, and ritual activities. Visual information on Chinese houses prior to the Ming dynasty can be retrieved from a variety of funerary objects and burial structures thought to represent the dwellings of the living. Ming and Qing vernacular houses varied greatly in form and structure, but thesiheyuan(courtyard house) was the most prevalent and representative. The siting, construction, and ornamentation of the house followedfengshuitheories and incorporated local building practices.
Tomb Structure, Premodern China
Authors: Liu Chao‐Hui Jenny
Published: October 2021

The underground structure of elaborate tombs in China in Antiquity reflected beliefs, rituals, ethnicity, and particular locations in terms of how the structure was composed and decorated and which materials were used. From the Neolithic period, the vertical pit was the most common structure and simple coffins contained the body and grave objects. From the end of the Eastern Han (25bce–220ce), elaborate, multi‐tomb structures were built to allow space for rituals and also for demarcations of the tomb as inside and outside spaces. In the Age of Division (220–581ce), tombs from different regions were built with different materials, stone slabs in the northwest, bricks in the south, etc., which greatly shaped tomb structures. In particular, tombs from the kingdom of the Northern Wei (386–534ce) were influential on successive tomb traditions, as shown in the sloping‐path, double‐chamber imperial tombs of the Tang dynasty (618–907ce).
Introductory patient communication training for medical physics graduate students: Pilot experience
Authors: Padilla Laura , Meleski Whitney Burton , Dominick Caitlin , Athing Caroline , Jones Cassidy L. , Burns Dana , Cathers Lauretta A. , Fields Emma C.
Published: October 2021

Despite medical physics becoming a more patient‐facing part of the radiation oncology team, medical physics graduate students have no training in patient communication. An introductory patient communication training for medical physics graduate students is presented here. This training exposes participants to foundational concepts and effective communication skills through a lecture and it allows them to apply these concepts through realistic simulated patient interactions. The training was conducted virtually, and eight students participated. The impact of the training was evaluated based on changes in both confidence and competence of the participants’ patient communication skills. Participants were asked to fill out a survey to assess their confidence on communicating with patients before and after the training. They also underwent a simulated patient interaction pre‐ and postlecture. Their performance during these was evaluated by both the simulated patient actors and the participants themselves using a rubric. Each data set was paired and analyzed for significance using a Wilcoxon rank‐sum test with an alpha of 0.05. Participants reported significantly higher confidence in their feeling of preparedness to interact with patients (mean = 2.38 vs. 3.88, p = 0.008), comfort interacting independently (mean = 2.00 vs. 4.00, p = 0.002), comfort showing patients they are actively listening (mean = 3.50 vs. 4.50, p = 0.005), and confidence handling challenging patient interactions (mean = 1.88 vs. 3.38, p = 0.01), after the training. Their encounter scores, as evaluated by the simulated patient actors, significantly increased (mean = 77% vs. 91%, p = 0.022). Self‐evaluation scores increased, but not significantly (mean = 62% vs. 68%, p = 0.184). The difference between the simulated patient and self‐evaluation scores for the postinstruction encounter was statistically significant (p = 0.0014). This patient communication training for medical physics graduate students is effective at increasing both the confidence and the competence of the participants in the subject. We propose that similar trainings be incorporated into medical physics graduate training programs prior to students entering into residency.
Failure mode and effect analysis for linear accelerator‐based paraspinal stereotactic body radiotherapy
Authors: Lee Sangkyu , Lovelock Dale Michael , Kowalski Alex , Chapman Kate , Foley Robert , Gil Mary , Pastrana Gerri , Higginson Daniel S. , Yamada Yoshiya , Zhang Lei , Mechalakos James , Yorke Ellen
Published: October 2021

Introduction

Paraspinal stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) involves risks of severe complications. We evaluated the safety of the paraspinal SBRT program in a large academic hospital by applying failure modes and effects analysis.

Methods

The analysis was conducted by a multidisciplinary committee (two therapists, one dosimetrist, four physicists, and two radiation oncologists). The paraspinal SBRT workflow was segmented into four phases (simulation, treatment planning, delivery, and machine quality assurance (QA)). Each phase was further divided into a sequence of sub‐processes. Potential failure modes (PFM) were identified from each subprocess and scored in terms of the frequency of occurrence, severity and detectability, and a risk priority number (RPN). High‐risk PFMs were identified based on RPN and were studied for root causes using fault tree analysis.

Results

Our paraspinal SBRT process was characterized by eight simulations, 11 treatment planning, nine delivery, and two machine QA sub‐processes. There were 18, 29, 19, and eight PFMs identified from simulation, planning, treatment, and machine QA, respectively. The median RPN of the PFMs was 62.9 for simulation, 68.3 for planning, 52.9 for delivery, and 22.0 for machine QA. The three PFMs with the highest RPN were: previous radiotherapy outside the institution is not accurately evaluated (RPN: 293.3), incorrect registration between diagnostic magnetic resonance imaging and simulation computed tomography causing incorrect contours (273.0), and undetected patient movement before ExacTrac baseline (217.8). Remedies to the high RPN failures were implemented, including staff education, standardized magnetic resonance imaging acquisition parameters, and an image fusion process, and additional QA on beam steering.

Conclusions

A paraspinal SBRT workflow in a large clinic was evaluated using a multidisciplinary and systematic risk analysis, which led to feasible solutions to key root causes. Treatment planning was a major source of PFMs that systematically affect the safety and quality of treatments. Accurate evaluation of external treatment records remains a challenge.
Preparation and Characterization of SiO2/α‐Al2O3 Tritium Permeation Barriers at Low Temperature
Authors: Liu Yu-Lan , Yang Ting-Ting , Luo Lai-Ma , Liu Dong-Guang , Wu Yu-Cheng
Published: October 2021

A tritium permeation barrier on the surface of structural materials can effectively solve the problem of tritium fuel penetration and leakage. Herein, SiO2/α‐Al2O3 ceramic coatings are prepared on 316L stainless steel through slurry spin coating method. Different particle sizes of α‐Al2O3 powder are used to prepare three kinds of coatings. The particle sizes of α‐Al2O3 used are 30 nm (sample 1), 200 nm (sample 2), and equal mass ratio of 30 nm and 200 nm mixed (sample 3), respectively. The results show that the ceramic coating is composed of α‐Al2O3 and amorphous SiO2. The coating surface of sample 3 is uniform and compact and exhibits the best microstructure. Compared with samples 1 and 2, sample 3 has better thermal shock resistance. The binding strength of sample 3 is up to 69 N. Electrochemical hydrogen penetration tests indicate that SiO2/α‐Al2O3 ceramic coating can effectively improve the electrochemical hydrogen resistance of 316 L stainless steel substrate. Sample 3 has the lowest stable hydrogen penetration current density and current density difference value. Although the hydrogen resistance of sample 3 is reduced after 50 thermal shocks, it is still better than that of the substrate.
Soft X‐ray Detectors Based on SnS Nanosheets for the Water Window Region
Authors: Shabbir Babar , Liu Jingying , Krishnamurthi Vaishnavi , Ayyubi R. A. W. , Tran Kevin , Tawfik Sherif Abdulkader , Hossain M. Mosarof , Khan Hareem , Wu Yingjie , Shivananju Bannur Nanjunda , Sagar Rizwan Ur Rehman , Mahmood Asif , Younis Adnan , Uddin Md Hemayet , Bukhari Syed A. , Walia Sumeet , Li Yongxiang , Spencer Michelle J.S. , Mahmood Nasir , Jasieniak Jacek J.
Published: October 2021

The structural characteristics of biological specimens, such as wet proteins and fixed living cells, can be conveniently probed in their host aqueous media using soft X‐rays in the water window region (200–600 eV). Conventional X‐ray detectors in this area exhibit low spatial resolution, have limited sensitivity, and require complex fabrication procedures. Here, many of these limitations are overcome by introducing a direct soft X‐ray detector based on ultrathin tin mono‐sulfide (SnS) nanosheets. The distinguishing characteristic of SnS is its high photon absorption efficiency in the soft X‐ray region. This factor enables the fabricated soft X‐ray detectors to exhibit excellent sensitivity values on the order of at peak energies of ≈600 eV. The peak signal is found to be sensitive to the number of stacked SnS layers, with thicker SnS nanosheet assemblies yielding a peak response at higher energies and with peak sensitives of over 2.5 at 1 V. Detailed current–voltage and temporal characteristics of these detectors are also presented. These results showcase the excellent performance of SnS nanosheet‐based soft X‐ray detectors compared to existing direct soft X‐ray detectors, including that of the emerging organic–inorganic perovskite class of materials.
Polymer‐Grafted Nanoparticles as Single‐Component, High Filler Content Composites via Simple Transformative Aging
Authors: Kubiak Joshua M. , Macfarlane Robert J.
Published: October 2021

Polymer‐grafted nanoparticles (PGNPs) are ideal additives to enhance the mechanical properties and functionality of a polymer matrix and can even potentially serve as single‐component building blocks for highly filled composites if the polymer content is kept low. The major challenge facing such syntheses is that PGNP‐based solids with short polymer brushes often have low mechanical strength and limited processability. It therefore remains difficult to form robust architectures with a variety of 3D macroscopic shapes from single‐component PGNP composites. Forming covalent bonds between cross‐linkable PGNPs is a promising route for overcoming this limitation in processability and functionality, but cross‐linking strategies often require careful blending of components or slow assembly methods. Here, a transformative aging strategy is presented that uses anhydride cross‐linking to enable facile processing of single‐component PGNP solids via thermoforming into arbitrary shapes. The use of low Tg polymer brushes enables the production of macroscopic composites with >30 vol% homogeneously distributed filler, and aging increases stiffness by 1–2 orders of magnitude. This strategy can be adapted to a variety of polymer and nanofiller compositions and is therefore a potentially versatile approach to synthesize nanocomposites that are functional, mechanically robust, and easily processable.
Anion‐Rectifying Polymeric Single Lithium‐Ion Conductors
Authors: Cho Seok‐Kyu , Oh Kyeong‐Seok , Shin Jong Chan , Lee Ji Eun , Lee Kyung Min , Cho Junbeom , Lee Won Bo , Kwak Sang Kyu , Lee Minjae , Lee Sang‐Young
Published: October 2021

Polymeric single lithium (Li)‐ion conductors (SICs), along with inorganic conducting materials such as sulfides and oxides, have received significant attention as promising solid‐state electrolytes. Yet their practical applications have been plagued predominantly by sluggish ion transport. Here, a new class of quasi‐solid‐state SICs based on anion‐rectifying semi‐interpenetrating polymer networks (semi‐IPNs) with reticulated ion nanochannels are demonstrated. This semi‐IPN SIC (denoted as sSIC) features a bicontinuous and nanophase‐separated linear cationic polyurethane (cPU), which supports single‐ion conducting nanochannels, and ultraviolet‐crosslinked triacrylate polymer, which serves as a mechanical framework. The cPU phase is preferentially swollen with a liquid electrolyte and subsequently allows anion‐rectifying capability and nanofluidic transport via surface charge, which enable fast Li+ migration through ion nanochannels. Such facile Li+ conduction is further enhanced by tuning ion‐pair (i.e., freely movable anions and cations tethered to the cPU chains) interaction. Notably, the resulting sSIC provides high Li+ conductivity that exceeds those of commercial carbonate liquid electrolytes. This unusual single‐ion conduction behavior of the sSIC suppresses anion‐triggered interfacial side reactions with Li‐metal anodes and facilitates electrochemical reaction kinetics at electrodes, eventually improving rate performance and cycling retention of Li‐metal cells (comprising LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 cathodes and Li‐metal anodes) compared to those based on carbonate liquid electrolytes.
Synergetic Co‐Modulation of Crystallization and Co‐Passivation of Defects for FAPbI3 Perovskite Solar Cells
Authors: Wang Minhuan , Yin Yanfeng , Cai Wanxian , Liu Jing , Han Yaling , Feng Yulin , Dong Qingshun , Wang Yudi , Bian Jiming , Shi Yantao
Published: October 2021

Enhancing crystallinity, passivating the grain boundary and interfacial defects have been validated to be critical for improving the power conversion efficiency (PCE) and stability of perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Herein, a synergetic co‐modulation and co‐passivation strategy is proposed to simultaneously enhance crystallinity and passivate the grain boundary and surface defects of FAPbI3 based PSCs. The 4‐fluoro‐phenethylammonium iodide (4‐F‐PEAI) added in precursor solution and poly (9‐vinylcarbazole) (PVK) added in antisolvent can jointly modulate the crystallization of FAPbI3 films. The 4‐F‐PEAI‐derived 2D perovskite, which is spontaneously formed at the grain boundaries of FAPbI3, can passivate the defects effectively. In the meantime, PVK left on top of a FAPbI3 layer can passivate the surface defects and meanwhile function as an interfacial barrier layer between FAPbI3 and hole transport layer (HTL) to mitigate the detrimental interfacial charge recombination. With the holistic benefit of the enhanced crystallinity, reduced defects and trap sites, and mitigated non‐radiative recombination and suppressed ion migration, the encouraging PCEs up to 21.6% is achieved for the resulting modified PSCs. Additionally, this strategy endows the device with notably enhanced operational stability under continuous exposure to illumination, with more than 84% of the initial PCE being maintained after continuous illumination for 800 h.
Laser Writing of Eutectic Gallium–Indium Alloy Graphene‐Oxide Electrodes and Semitransparent Conductors
Authors: Chambel Alexandre , Sanati Afsaneh L. , Lopes Pedro Alhais , Nikitin Timur , Fausto Rui , de Almeida Aníbal T. , Tavakoli Mahmoud
Published: October 2021

Graphene encapsulated liquid metal particles is a novel and promising class of biphasic composite, with application in the next generation of electronic devices. Here, rapid, low‐cost, and scalable fabrication of solution processed large area rGO@EGaIn electrodes is demonstrated. rGO@EGaIn solution is first deposited over the substrate through spray coating, and then processed through a low‐cost laser (master oscillator power amplifier (MOPA)). This allows simultaneous reduction, thinning, ablation, and high resolution patterning of the deposited films. Surprisingly, it is found that by adjusting the laser parameters, it is possible to make semitransparent conductors via laser thinning of the films. Scanning electronic microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy (EDS) spectroscopy confirm that although the rGO/EGaIn weight ratio is only ≈0.08, the composite has a considerably different microstructure compared to the eutectic gallium–indium alloy (EGaIn) particles alone. Graphene oxide (GO) protects the EGaIn from extreme morphology change under laser irradiation. Therefore, various “shades” of rGO@EGaIn can be fabricated in a single film. This allows development of large electrodes with complex geometries in a few seconds. The conductivity, transparency, and reduction of the laser processed films are characterized by several techniques and an example of application is demonstrated by laser patterning a highly sensitive breath‐monitoring sensor.
A Rh(I)‐Catalyzed Cascade Cyclization of 1,5‐Bisallenes and Alkynes for the Formation of cis‐3,4‐Arylvinyl Pyrrolidines and Cyclopentanes
Authors: Vila Jordi , Vinardell Roger , Solà Miquel , Pla‐Quintana Anna , Roglans Anna
Published: October 2021

The cascade cyclization reactions of 1,5‐bisallenes grant access to a great variety of products by precisely tuning the catalyst system and/or the reagents involved. Herein, we present our findings that 1,5‐bisallenes react with two molecules of dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate to afford, in a completely diastereoselective manner, cis‐3,4‐arylvinyl pyrrolidines and cyclopentanes. DFT calculations have been used to postulate a mechanism for the developed reaction which encompasses a [2+2+2] cycloaddition reaction of the two alkynes and the external double bond of one allene, followed by a cycloisomerization involving the internal double bond of the second allene.

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Selective Anionic Redox and Suppressed Structural Disordering Enabling High‐Energy and Long‐Life Li‐Rich Layered‐Oxide Cathode
Authors: Ahn Jinho , Kang Jungmin , Cho Min‐kyung , Park Hyunyoung , Ko Wonseok , Lee Yongseok , Kim Hyun‐Soo , Jung Young Hwa , Jeon Tae‐Yeol , Kim Hyungsub , Ryu Won‐Hee , Hong Jihyun , Kim Jongsoon
Published: October 2021

Despite their high energy densities, Li‐rich layered oxides suffer from low capacity retention and continuous voltage decay caused by the migration of transition‐metal cations into the Li layers. The cation migration stabilizes oxidized oxygen anions through the decoordination of oxygen from the metal once the anions participate in the redox reaction. Structural disordering is thus considered inevitable in most Li‐rich layered oxides. However, herein, a Mg‐substituted Li‐rich layered oxide, Li1.2Mg0.2Ru0.6O2, with high structural and electrochemical stability is presented. Although using both cationic and anionic redox reactions, Ru migration in Li1.2−xMg0.2Ru0.6O2 is thermodynamically unfavored as a result of selectively oxidized O ions, suppressed structural disordering, and the formation of short (1.75 Å) Ru=O bonds enabled within the layered framework, which effectively decoordinate the oxidized O ions. The unprecedentedly high structural stability of Li1.2Mg0.2Ru0.6O2 leads to not only a high energy density of 964 Wh kg−1 but also outstanding rate capability and cycle performance. These findings demonstrate the potential of this practical strategy for the stabilization of Li‐rich layered oxides even with prolonged cycling.
Computer Vision Analysis on Material Characterization Images
Authors: Cheng Danpeng , Sha Wuxin , Xu Zuo , Huang Lixin , Du Yunpeng , Tang Shun , Guo Yaqing , Cao Yuan-Cheng , Cheng Shijie
Published: October 2021

Material characterization has been proved to be the most intuitive approach to understand the chemical composition, structure, and microstructure of materials, which is the basis of material design. One of the most important steps in material design is to extract the characteristics from an image, and find their associations with the material structure and properties. Therefore, in recent years, with the rapid development of machine vision algorithms, characterization images have attracted attention in the field of material characterization. Researchers use computer vision algorithms, such as image denoising and enhancement, to preprocess the representation image, image segmentation and classification to detect and separate each microstructure from the characterization image, and quantitatively analyze the properties of materials. Herein, the application of computer vision algorithms in material image representation is summarized and discussed. The latest and valuable views for experts and scholars in both computer vision and material grounds are presented. Thus, this review provides guidance for material exploration and promotes the developments of artificial intelligence in the field of materials.
Hairy cell leukemia 2022: Update on diagnosis, risk‐stratification, and treatment
Authors: Troussard Xavier , Maître Elsa , Cornet Edouard
Published: October 2021

Disease Overview

Hairy cell leukemia (HCL) and HCL‐like disorders, including HCL variant (HCL‐V) and splenic diffuse red pulp lymphoma (SDRPL), are a very heterogeneous group of mature lymphoid B‐cell disorders characterized by the identification of hairy cells, a specific genetic profile, a different clinical course, and the need for appropriate treatment.

Diagnosis

Diagnosis of HCL is based on morphological evidence of hairy cells, an HCL immunologic score of 3 or 4 based on the CD11C, CD103, CD123, and CD25 expression, the trephine biopsy which makes it possible to specify the degree of tumoral medullary infiltration and the presence of BRAFV600E somatic mutation.

Risk Stratification

Progression of patients with HCL is based on a large splenomegaly, leukocytosis, a high number of hairy cells in the peripheral blood, and the immunoglobulin heavy chain variable region gene mutational status. VH4‐34‐positive HCL cases are associated with a poor prognosis.

Treatment

Patients should be treated only if HCL is symptomatic. Chemotherapy with risk adapted therapy purine analogs (PNAs) are indicated in first‐line HCL patients. The use of chemo‐immunotherapy combining PNAs and rituximab (R) represents an increasingly used therapeutic approach. Management of relapsed/refractory disease is based on the use of BRAF inhibitors (BRAFi) plus rituximab or MEK inhibitors (MEKi), recombinant immunoconjugates targeting CD22 or Bruton Tyrosine Kinase inhibitors (BTKi). However, the optimal sequence of the different treatments remains to be determined. The Bcl2‐inhibitors (Bcl‐2i) can play a major role in the future.
Fluorinated Perylene Diimide Dimer for Organic Solar Cells as Non‐fullerene Acceptor
Authors: Zhang Linhua , Xia Zihao , Wen Jing , Gao Jianhong , Gao Xiang , Liu Zhitian
Published: October 2021

Fluorination has been widely applied in modification of photovoltaic materials, especially fused ring electron acceptors and polymer donors, but rarely in perylene diimides (PDIs)‐based acceptors. The di‐PDI‐2F is facilely obtained by a one‐step synthesis via stannylation/Stille cross‐coupling reaction. Furtherly, we conducted a comparison study between the newly designed fluorinated PDI dimer di‐PDI‐2F and its non‐fluorinated analogue di‐PDI. After fluorination, the energy levels are downshifted, and the absorption spectrum is greatly blue shifted. When paired with a medium band‐gap donor PM6, di‐PDI‐2F based organic solar cells show reduced trap‐assisted and bimolecular recombination as well as better exciton dissociation and charge collection efficiency than that of di‐PDI based ones, thus a greatly enhanced fill factor (FF), together with improved open circuit voltage (Voc) and short circuit current density (Jsc), leading to a superior power conversion efficiency. This fact suggests the potential of fluorination strategy on PDI based acceptors.
4D printing of thermal responsive structure for environmentally adaptive radiative cooling and heating
Authors: Liu Yuchen , Liu Ruochen , Qiu Jingjing , Wang Shiren
Published: October 2021

Four‐dimensional (4D) printing, which combines a three‐dimensional (3D) printing process with dynamic modulation of materials, provides a possible solution to achieve stimuli‐responsive microstructure that exhibit more complex functionality. One of the potential applications for these stimuli‐responsive hydrogels is switchable passive radiative cooling and warming. However, most current attempts are limited to mono‐functionality, either radiative cooling or warming only. In this article, we demonstrate a double‐side morphing flower structure for a dual functionality, switchable cooling or warming dependent on the environment. The morphing structure was designed with the aid of emissivity calculations and then fabricated by the 3D printing method. The transition between open‐flower and close‐flower states occurs at 32°C within a minute, resulting in ~35% emissivity difference between these two states. As a result, the power difference between inner layer and outer layer was as high as 22 W/m2 which is a function of pyramid bottom size.
Initial emergency laparotomy outcomes following a transdisciplinary perioperative care pathway in Singapore
Authors: Ong Marc Weijie , Goh Serene Si Ning , Tung Wei Min James , Lim Woan Wui , Hu Hilda Haoling , Lim Choong Yan , Ng Priscilla , Tan Kok Yang , Goo Tiong Thye Jerry
Published: October 2021

Aim

Emergency laparotomy (EL) is a common surgery associated with high morbidity and mortality. An enhanced care pathway incorporates evidence‐based care bundles with the aim of providing standardized perioperative care. Prior to 2019, EL management in our institution was not standardized. This study aims to assess whether implementation of a transdisciplinary perioperative Emergency Laparotomy (ELAP) pathway improves clinical and efficiency outcomes of EL.

Methods

A prospective single‐center audit was undertaken between 1 January and 31 December, 2019 following the implementation of the ELAP pathway. Comparisons were made with retrospective data from the preimplementation period between 1 January and 31 December, 2017. Demographics and clinical and efficiency outcomes were compared for patients (age > 16 years old) requiring EL for acute abdominal conditions.

Results

There were 152 and 162 patients from preimplementation and postimplementation periods, respectively. There was a nonsignificant reduction of 30‐day mortality in the intervention group receiving perioperative pathway care compared with the preintervention group (3.1% versus 5.3%, respectively; P = 0.40). There was a decrease in postoperative complications in the intervention group, in particular for Clavien–Dindo IV complications (11.2% versus 3.1%, p < 0.01). Efficiency outcomes improved postimplementation with increased consultant surgeon and anesthetist presence in operating theater and postoperative geriatric assessment for elderly patients. There was an overall reduction in cost of hospital stay from S$32,128 to $27,947 (p = 0.24).

Conclusion

Implementation of a transdisciplinary perioperative care pathway was associated with significant reduction in postoperative complications, improvement in 30‐day mortality and efficiency outcomes at reduced hospital costs for patients following EL in our institution.