bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Present Practices and Constraints of Juice and Gur Production from Date Palm Trees in Bangladesh
Authors: Hoq A. B. M. Nurul , Islam Nazrul , Bagum Thahamina , Choudhury Shormin
Published: September 2023

Aims: The aim of this study was to determine the present status of date palm juice and gur, to assess the socioeconomic characteristics of respondents involved in date palm juice and gur production, and to explore the production-based constraints of date palm gur.

Study Design: The cross-sectional survey method was used in this study, along with a descriptive research design.

Place and Duration of the Study: The study was conducted in 4 upazilas (sub-district), namely Bagha, Lalpur, Khjjuria and Dumuria, under the 4 districts Rajshahi, Natore, Jessore and Khulna in Bangladesh, from November 2020 to March 2021.

Methodology: Out of 133 farmers, 97 were selected as samples using a random sampling technique. Data collected using a structured questionnaire were subjected to descriptive analysis, including frequency count, percentage, and mean for describing the level of selected variables.

Results: Rajshahi had a maximum area covered by date palm trees (12.02 ha), the highest number of trees (1129), and the highest amount of produced gur (14454 kg) compared to other districts. The greatest percentages of farmers were old (43.3%) and had a high annual income (42.3%). All the farmers used seed as propagating material. In case of constraints, ‘decrease of number of gachi’ ranked first followed by ‘adulteration of gur’ second and ‘decrease of number of date palm trees’ third.

Conclusion: It can be concluded that a decreased number of gachi is one of the major constraints for juice and gur production in Bangladesh. Continuous training and management of date palm trees, as well as the production of juice and gur with scientific technology, will improve farmers’ incomes and livelihoods.
Ichthyofauna in the Lomami National Park and Its Hinterlands, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Authors: Shabani Ekyamba , Tambwe Ernest Lukusha , Wembo Oscar Ndeo , Bolonga Alain Bolonga , Lingofo Roger Bolaya , Kankonda Alidor Busanga
Published: September 2023

This investigation deals with freshwater fish populations in thirteen sampling rivers of Lomami National Park (LNP) and its hinterlands. The study aimed to inventory the ichthyofauna in freshwater bodies of LNP and its hinterlands; determine fish species with high economic value according to preference by riparian communities; and assess the conservation status of fish species. Intensive fish sampling was conducted thirteen rivers of LNP and its hinterlands using gill nets with stretched mesh sizes of 9.5, 10, 12, 15 and 20 mm in 2016. A survey questionnaire was administered to fishermen in order to determine fish species with high economic value.  A total of 2985 fish were caught in thirteen rivers belonging to 129 species, 54 genera, 20 families and 8 orders. The family of Mormyridae dominated in the fish collection with 30 species followed by family of Alestidae with 23 species. Clarias spp., Schilbe spp., Chrysichthys spp., Auchenoglanis occidentalis, Polypterus spp., Hydrocynus spp., Alestes spp., Parachana spp. and species of Mormyridae were recorded as fish species with high economic value. The majority of species was least concerned, but one was reported as endangered species (Nannothrissa sterwarti) and another vulnerable (Labeo rectipinnis). The analysis displayed that all rivers were diverse with a minimum observed in the Onema River. The probability of catching two individuals of different species in the same river was high in all rivers, but it was higher in the Amboko, Lodja, Lomami and Yalo Rivers (96%); and it was slightly low in the Onema River (73%). The Kruskal–Wallis result showed statistical differences among sampling rivers (P = 0.0000).

Our findings provided valuable information for the conservation and management of fish species in the freshwater of Lomami National Park and its hinterlands.
Synthesis, Characterization, Antibacterial and Antioxidant Activities of Cu(II), Ni(II), and Zn(II) Mixed Ligand Complexes Containing Isoniazid Based Bidentate Schiff Base
Authors: Ashrafuzzaman Md. , Camellia Farzana Khanm , Rahman Md. Hafijur , Hossain Md. Delwar , Hossain Md. Tanvir , Rahman Hafizur , Shovon Md. Golam Mostafiz , Paul Gobindo Kumar , Kudrat-E-Zahan Md. , Haque Md. Masuqul
Published: September 2023

Two mixed ligands (L1, L2), L1 = N-(4-methoxybenzylidene) isonicotinohydrazone, L2 = 2-aminophenol, and their metal (Cu2+, Ni2+, and Zn2+) complexes with stoichiometry (1:1:1) were synthesized and characterized by analytical and physico-chemical techniques such as conductivity, magnetic susceptibility measurements, IR-spectra, and UV-Visible spectra. All of the metal complexes were 1:1 electrolyte, according to the molar conductance measurements. It can be concluded from the IR study that the ligands were coordinated to the corresponding metal ions through N and O donor sites of the azomethine nitrogen atom and the carbonyl oxygen atom. Magnetic moment and UV-Vis spectra data confirmed that square planar geometry for Cu(II) and Ni(II) complexes, and tetrahedral structure for  Zn(II) ion complex. The metal complexes derived from L1 and L2 were tested against Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas sp. Among the tested compounds, Cu(II) complex showed higher antibacterial activity over both bacterial strains against reference drug Kanamycin-30. Moreover, synthesized metal complexes exhibited moderate antioxidant activity than the Schiff base. Cu(II) complex was found to be most active whereas, Zn(II) complex showed the lowest antioxidant activity comparable to the BHT.
Synergy Between AI and Robotics: A Comprehensive Integration
Authors: Ness Stephanie , Shepherd Nicki James , Xuan Teo Rong
Published: September 2023

The emergence of artificial intelligence is mostly linked to software-driven robotic systems, including mobile robots, unmanned aerial aircraft, and, to a growing extent, semi-autonomous automobiles. Nevertheless, the significant disparity between the algorithmic realm and the physical realm hinders current systems from achieving the desired outcome of creating intelligent and user-friendly robots that can effectively engage with and manipulate our human-centric environment. The nascent field of machine intelligence (MI), which combines robotics and artificial intelligence, strives to develop reliable and embodiment-aware artificial intelligence systems. These systems possess self-awareness and an understanding of their environment, enabling them to adapt to the interacting body they are operating. The incorporation of artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics into control, perception, and machine-learning systems is necessary for the realization of fully autonomous intelligent systems in our everyday existence. This review provides an overview of the historical development of machine intelligence, tracing its origins to the twelfth century. It then proceeds to examine the present state of robotics and artificial intelligence (AI), discussing significant systems and contemporary research directions. Additionally, the article outlines the remaining challenges in these fields and speculates on the potential future of human-machine interactions that has yet to be realized.
The Phantom Menace: A Moderation Analysis of Gender on MSMEs’ Financial Literacy and Financial Performance
Authors: Angreyani Andi Dewi , Akbar Abdi , Haeruddin M. Ikhwan Maulana , Mustafa Muh. Yushar , Mustafa Fahrina
Published: September 2023

Micro, small, and medium enterprises or MSMEs in the Indonesian economy have a major role as the largest provider of employment, a means of community empowerment, a creator of new markets, a source of innovation, and their contribution to the balance of payments. Data from the Indonesian co-funding fintech association shows that around 46.6 million MSMEs in Indonesia cannot reach access to financial services or financial inclusion from banks and fintech due to lack of knowledge about financial literacy and inclusion. Therefore, knowledge about financial literacy and inclusion is very important for MSME actors, especially for their financial management which will have implications for the performance and sustainability of MSMEs. Meanwhile, the number of micro and small enterprises is dominated by women with home-based businesses, while in medium enterprises more dominated by men. With these findings, an issue that is hotly discussed in the literature is the issue of gender stereotypes that have implications for business management. In Indonesia, women are also shown to be more involved in private spaces while men are more involved in professional roles. However, findings from a number of studies also show that women's financial literacy levels tend to be lower than men. As a result, in the context of MSMEs in Indonesia, literature indicates that there are issues of financial literacy, gender differences, and constraints on access to financial services in MSME activities which then become something that is principled and important for MSMEs. Therefore, with the support of the above issues, this study then formulated a research objective, which was only found in the literature, namely the analysis of the effect of digital financial literacy and inclusion on the financial performance of MSMEs with gender as a moderation variable. The output of this research is expected to present information that makes a positive contribution both theoretically and managerially. In particular, contributions in providing detailed explanations and guidelines related to financial literacy, financial inclusion, financial performance, and gender issues for MSME actors. This research is also expected to provide recommendations for future research.
Evaluation and Performance of Integrated Crop Management in Chilli in Rainfed Tracts of Prakasam District, Andhra Pradesh, India
Authors: Siva M. , Prasad N. V. V. S. Durga , Chowdary L. Rajesh , Jahnavi M. , Usha M. , Reddy T. V.
Published: September 2023

Chilli is an important high value spice crop, its integrated crop management is an important area for the welfare andlivelihood security of farmers. Most of the farmers of Prakasam district of Andhra Pradesh are growing wide varieties and cultivars of chilli but so far the research findings on chilli integrated crop management were less aware. To know the yield potential of integrated crop management and its economic impact, evaluation on integrated crop management was conducted at Chandhaluru and Nallaguntla Guedm villages. The adopted package of practices was seed rate @1kg/ha, spacing 60x45cm, FYM 15t/ha, Urea, single super and muriate of potash256:150:80 kg/acre. There was wide variation between integrated crop management and farmers practice in fruit yield and economic returns. The results on yield and economic returns indicated that chilli integrated crop management was found superior to farmers practice. Integrated crop management could obtain 124 fruits per plant and yield of 47.00q/ha, thirps incidence (24.3%), whitefly incidence (9.67 %) and fruit rot infestation (6.0%). Whereas,in farmers practicefruits obtained were99per plant and yield of 43.00q/ha, thripsincidence (44.67 %),whiteflyincidence (28.33) and fruit rot(18 %)  with a net income of Rs220000/- and B:C ratio 1: 1.88 compared to farmers practice with a net income of Rs113333/-with B:C ratio 1:1.36. The integrated crop management percent yield increased over farmers practices8.5 per cent. It was concluded that integrated crop management could help to improve the economy of the farmers.
First Episode Schizophrenia: Psychiatric and Cognitive Study for the Patients and Their First-degree Relatives
Authors: Abdellatif Ola Othman Mahmoud , Haiba Amr Adel , Badawy Adel Abd El-Kareem , Elsawy Hossam Eldin Fathallah
Published: September 2023

Background: severe and persistent mental condition Adults have a lifetime prevalence of schizophrenia that ranges from 0.4 to 1%. The purpose of this study was to compare the cognitive function of first-episode schizophrenic patients to that of multiple schizophrenic patients, as well as to examine cognitive function in patients with first-episode schizophrenia and the impact of treatment on first-degree relatives of the patient.

Methods: The 200 participants in this cross-sectional case-control study were of both sexes and ranged in age from 18 to 50. There were five groups created for the subjects: Group I (n=50): Schizophrenia in its initial episode. Group II (n=50): Relatives of schizophrenia patients experiencing their first episode. Group III (n=50): Schizophrenia with multiple episodes. Healthy volunteers make up Group IV (n=50). Group V (n=36): Group I was followed up with one year following therapy.

Results: Total IQ, attention, executive function, memory function, and social cognition were significantly different between patients and controls. First-degree relatives and the control group showed substantial differences in attention, executive function, and memory function. The Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) categories that were completed and the number of preservation errors, as well as the Trail Making Test (TMT) A and B, Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Perception and experiencing areas of emotional intelligence (MESCIT), mental control, logical memory, total number of digits, association learning, and visual reproduction are all measured by the Wechsler Memory Scale (WMS). Other than the perception branch and experiential region (social cognition), there was no statistically significant change in the overall IQ, WCST, Benton Visual Retention Test (BVRT), or MESCIT.

Conclusions: In terms of general intelligence, attention, executive function, memory function, and social cognition, first episode patients outperformed many episode patients.
In-silico Analysis of Newcastle Disease Virus Strains from Outbreaks in Zaria and Kano of Nigeria
Authors: Sajo Mohammed Usman , Usman Bello , Adam Musa Kalim , Sambo Mubarak , Souley Maman Moutari , Fagbohun Olusegun Adesina , Sa’idu Lawal
Published: September 2023

Introduction: Newcastle Disease (ND) is the major constraint to poultry production in developing country like Nigeria. Numerous outbreak cases of ND have being reported frequently even in vaccinated farms. The large antigenic disparity of the Newcastle Disease Virus (NDV) and potential for significant evolutionary divergence between field strains and widely used vaccinations are thought to be the root of the issue.

Aim/Objectives: A cross-sectional studies was carried-out to identify a discrepancy between the vaccinal strains and circulating NDV field strains in Zaria and Kano so as to provide solution for the control of ND.

Materials and Methods: In this study, molecular characterization and pathotyping of the field strains of NDV and strains of ND vaccines was carried out to evaluate their relatedness. Using RT-PCR with primers targeting partial fusion gene, 19 out of the (n= 120) samples purposefully collected for the detection of NDV in Zaria (n= 44) and Kano (n= 76) were positives. Twelve of the 19 positive amplicons were successfully sequenced and analyzed.

Results: Only few number of the study’s sample have similarity with some of the vaccine strains.

Conclusion: This study has raised concerns about the methods used to prevent NDV in Nigeria.

Recommendation: It is crucial to develop an ND vaccine that matches the field strains within the country, along with ongoing surveillance of outbreaks for the effective control of the disease.
On Some Theoretic Inventory Control for Oblique Transference Via EOQ Probabilistic Model
Authors: Verma Rohit Kumar , Mamita
Published: September 2023

Experts think organizational inventories hold a significant portion of total business capital. As a result, a more thorough and thoughtful analysis of the inventory problem enables firms to best utilize all of their resources for increased efficiency and effectiveness. In turn, this might assist organizations in achieving their objectives. This paper develops an inventory model for stochastic deteriorating conditions and broad discounts. While other factors were treated as deterministic, degradation was analyzed as a stochastic variable. We can use a variety of initiatives to cut costs and improve competitiveness in the face of the increasingly fierce competition. The business in this article faces significant pressure from customer cost pass-through. The main concerns should be how to organize manufacturing properly, manage inventory, and lower production costs. When developing ideas, buying materials, manufacturing items, and selling them to customers with after-sale services, manufacturing companies work off of market or client demand. Inventory management is a valued function for all firms. the main purpose of the inventory management department is to control the materials from the acquisition to sale, taking decisions of how much and when to buy the items avoiding excess or unplanned stockout. The shortages are legal, and some items are completely backordered. Some theoretical conclusions are drawn in order to maximize the anticipated total profit per unit of time, and using these conclusions, a practical and efficient solution method is created. It is crucial to note that the algorithm creates the best possible order quantity and backordering quantity solutions.
Concepções sobre deficiência por estudantes de licenciatura em Pedagogia
Authors: Souza Christianne Thatiana Ramos de , Silva Jayna Suenne Silva da
Published: September 2023

A universidade pública deve propagar ações inclusivas destinadas às pessoas com deficiência. As sociedades atuais têm privilegiado modelos que valorizam a produtividade e a perfeição em detrimento do respeito à di- ferença. Em diferentes realidades, é comum evidenciar inúmeras conquistas normativas. Todavia, preceitos e ações excludentes são igualmente presentes nas relações e nos discursos sociais, localizando a deficiência estritamente no organismo. Os objetivos deste estudo foram conhecer as concepções sobre deficiência de estudantes de Licenciatura em Pedagogia do campus Guamá da Universidade Federal do Pará, situado em Belém/PA, e fazer um levan- tamento da formação inicial recebida por estes alunos acerca da educação especial. Foram entrevistados 14 estudantes, sendo dois de cada ano letivo, compreendendo o período eleito entre os anos de 2017 e 2020. As respostas foram organizadas em três eixos temáticos: concepções sobre a deficiência; formação inicial docente; e concepção sobre o preconceito. A análise das entrevistas indicou as seguintes concepções: metafisica, biológica, social e justaposta. Com o maior índice de concordância voltado para a concepção biológica. Nota-se que, mesmo dentro do contexto universitário, que é rico em diversidade, alguns discentes ainda estão em processo de elaboração e formação de conceito em relação à deficiência, e muitos ainda atribuem a deficiência somente ao organismo. Os resultados desta pesquisa permitiram reconhecer como um pequeno grupo de estudantes compreende alguns as- suntos relevantes, como: a deficiência, a inclusão, o preconceito e formação inicial.
Psychometric properties and factor structure of the Vietnamese Copenhagen Burnout Inventory
Authors: Tran Thuy Thi Thu , Nguyen Quynh Thuy , Nguyen Nga Thi , Vu Son Thai , Kaewboonchoo Orawan , Kawakami Norito , Nguyen Huong Thanh
Published: September 2023

Objectives

This article examines the validity and reliability of the Vietnamese version of the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI-V) among hospital nurses in Vietnam in 2022.

Methods

This article examined data from 587 nurses in two city hospitals in Vietnam in 2022. The reliability was determined via internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha coefficient) and test–retest reliability (Intraclass correlation coefficient). Factorial and construct validity of CBI-V were explored with confirmation factor analysis (CFA), exploratory factor analysis (EFA), and correlations with other mental health outcomes (measured by the depression, anxiety, and stress scale), job performance (Work Health Performance Questionnaires), work engagement (Utrecht work engagement), and quality of life (EQ-5D-5L). Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS 20.0 and AMOS 20.0.

Results

Cronbach’s alpha coefficients of CBI-V’s three subscales showed good internal consistency (from 0.87 to 0.91). CFA showed a good fit of the three-factor model with the current data. EFA results showed that all items were loaded in accordance with the CBI’s original three constructs, excluding work burnout item 7, forming the fourth factor with a single item. All of CBI-V’s three subscales correlated with other constructs in expected directions.

Conclusion

The CBI-V showed good validity and reliability among hospital nurses. It can be a reliable tool to measure burnout among nurses in a low- and middle-income country in Vietnam during such a crisis as COVID-19. Future studies should examine the construct of the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory in different occupation groups.
Real‐World Treatment Effectiveness of Disease‐Modifying Antirheumatic Drugs by Serostatus Among Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis
Authors: Jin Yinzhu , Liu Jun , Desai Rishi J. , Kim Seoyoung C.
Published: September 2023

Objective

The objective of this study was to compare the clinical effectiveness of biologic disease‐modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARDs) or Janus kinase inhibitors (JAKi) among seropositive versus seronegative patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in a real‐world setting.

Methods

We used Optum's deidentified Clinformatics Data Mart Database (January 1, 2004, to March 31, 2021) linked with outpatient laboratory test results. The study population was adult patients with RA who initiated a bDMARD or JAKi. The index date was the dispensing of the first‐ever study drug. At least 1‐year continuous enrollment before and after the index date was required. Disenrollment due to death after the index date was allowed. Serostatus was defined using laboratory test results or the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision code M05x or M06.0x any time prior to the index date. Treatment effectiveness was measured based on a claims‐based composite endpoint at 1‐year post index, including nonoccurrence of any of the following: addition of conventional synthetic DMARDs, addition of or switching to new bDMARDs/JAKi, initiation of glucocorticoids, increased glucocorticoid dose, or death. Log‐binomial regression models were constructed to estimate the risk ratio (RR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) comparing seropositive patients with seronegative patients, adjusting for more than 60 baseline covariates.

Results

We identified a total of 7813 seropositive patients and 4202 seronegative patients. The mean (±SD) age was 56.7 (±14.0) years; 77.9% were female. The risk of 1‐year treatment effectiveness was 70.2% among seropositive patients and 69.8% among seronegative patients. The adjusted RR (95% CI) was 1.00 (0.98‐1.02).

Conclusion

In this real‐world cohort study, seropositive and seronegative patients with RA had similar 1‐year treatment effectiveness after initiating a bDMARD/JAKi.
Tofacitinib Efficacy and Safety in Patients With Ankylosing Spondylitis by Prior Biologic Disease‐Modifying Antirheumatic Drug Use: A Post Hoc Analysis
Authors: Deodhar Atul , Marzo‐Ortega Helena , Wu Joseph , Wang Cunshan , Dina Oluwaseyi , Kanik Keith S. , Fallon Lara , Gensler Lianne S.
Published: September 2023

Objective

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of tofacitinib in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) by prior biologic disease‐modifying antirheumatic drug (bDMARD) use.

Methods

Data from a placebo‐controlled, double‐blind study of patients with active AS were analyzed. Patients received tofacitinib 5 mg twice daily (BID) or placebo to week 16; all received open‐label tofacitinib 5 mg BID to week 48 and were stratified by prior treatment (bDMARD‐naive or tumor necrosis factor inhibitor [TNFi]–inadequate responder [IR], including bDMARD‐experienced [non‐IR]). Disease activity/safety were assessed throughout.

Results

Of 269 patients, 207 (77%) were bDMARD‐naive; 62 (23%) were in the TNFi‐IR subgroup. TNFi‐IR patients had higher baseline BMI (28.0 vs. 26.1 kg/m2), longer symptom duration (14.4 vs. 13.2 years), and lower concomitant conventional synthetic DMARD use (14.5% vs. 30.9%) than bDMARD‐naive patients. At week 16, for most outcomes, tofacitinib efficacy exceeded placebo for both subgroups and was sustained to week 48. At week 16, tofacitinib versus placebo differences were similar between bDMARD‐naive and TNFi‐IR patients (Assessment in Spondyloarthritis international Society 40 treatment difference [95% confidence interval]: 30.8% [19.1%‐42.6%] vs. 19.4% [1.7%‐37.0%]). Adverse event (AE) proportions were similar between tofacitinib‐treated bDMARD‐naive/TNFi‐IR patients (77.5%/77.4%) at week 48 with no deaths. A numerically higher proportion of tofacitinib‐treated TNFi‐IR versus bDMARD‐naive patients discontinued study drug (12.9% vs. 3.9%) or dose reduced/temporarily discontinued due to AEs (19.4% vs. 11.8%).

Conclusion

Tofacitinib efficacy exceeded placebo at week 16 for bDMARD‐naive/TNFi‐IR patients and was sustained to week 48. The absolute magnitude of responses was generally greater in bDMARD‐naive patients versus TNFi‐IR patients. More TNFi‐IR versus bDMARD‐naive patients discontinued or dose reduced/temporarily discontinued tofacitinib due to AEs. Small sample size and sample size differences between subgroups limited the interpretation.
SAMHSA awards $131.7 million to support at‐risk youth
Authors: Knopf Alison
Published: September 2023

Last week the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) announced $131.7 million awarded this month in grant programs that connect youth and families to services for substance use disorder and mental illness.
A “New Deal” for Addiction Treatment
Authors: Kent Rob
Published: September 2023

“I pledge you, I pledge myself, to a New Deal for the American People.” –Franklin D. Roosevelt
Addiction psychiatrists convene, share insights on treatment
Authors: Knopf Alison
Published: September 2023

This summer, experts in addiction psychiatry visited the American Psychiatric Association (APA) to share tips on how to treat substance use disorders (SUDs). Headed by APA president Petros Levounis, M.D., himself an addiction psychiatrist, the “Addictions Update” meeting was the first of the APA's “educational series.”
Enhancing Soft‐Magnetic Properties of Fe‐Based Nanocrystalline Materials with a Novel Double‐Scanning Technique
Authors: Özden Merve G. , Morley Nicola A.
Published: September 2023

This article presents a novel scanning technique for the laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) of Fe‐based soft‐magnetic alloys, which have low glass forming ability, and microstructural change happens during LPBF process. This technique involves double scanning where 1) the first scan applied uses high energy density (E = P/vht, where P is the laser power, v is the laser scan speed, h is the hatch spacing, and t is the layer thickness) with different process parameters (P: 30, 40, and 50 W, v: 500, 600, and 700 mm s−1, h: 20 and 30 μm, and t: 50 μm) to achieve high density and 2) the second scan employed before the spreading subsequent powder layer uses low E (=20 J mm−3, P = 20 W, v = 1000 mm s−1, h = 20 μm, and t = 50 μm) to refine the microstructure and thus reduce coercivity. This increases the saturation magnetization to a maximum value of 226.81 Am2 kg−1 and reduces the coercivity to a lowest value recorded (130 A m−1). Likewise, the bulk density (94.59–99.25%) is enhanced significantly with double scanning, especially the samples produced using high P (50 W) resulting from the relieving of the mechanical and thermal stress evolving during the process.
Block Copolymer Approach toward Selective Atomic‐Layer Deposition of ZnO Films
Authors: Philip Anish , Dong Yujiao , Vapaavuori Jaana , Karppinen Maarit
Published: September 2023

High‐quality thin films of ZnO fabricated with atomic‐layer precision are attracting increasing interest in various applications beyond the conventional semiconductor industry. This has posed new demands for these thin films regarding, for example, the substrate compatibility and substrate‐selective deposition. Herein, the impact of different underlining polymer substrates on the film growth characteristics of ZnO coatings fabricated with the atomic‐layer deposition (ALD) technique is investigated. The resultant thin films are systematically characterized for the growth rate, crystallinity, surface morphology, hydrophilicity, and electrical conductivity. Most excitingly, based on the understanding gained for the ZnO film growth on the different homopolymer surfaces, nanoscale‐patterned block copolymer (BCP) films via spin coating are designed and fabricated to demonstrate block‐selective ALD of ZnO on these BCP surfaces. It will be shown that the polyethylene oxide parts of the BCP act as a significantly more passive surface for the ZnO growth than the polystyrene. Altogether, this concept couples two highly controllable methods—atomic‐level precision of ALD and nanoscale precision of BCP substrates—into a simple and scalable way of producing diverse nanomaterial patterns.
Effect of Aging Treatment on Precipitation Strengthening Phase and Mechanical Properties of Al–Cu–Li Alloy
Authors: Zhang Hui , Zhong Tao , Qian Bingyu , Turakhodjaev Nodir , Liang Feng , Sun Dongpeng , Wu Ruizhi , Ma Xiaochun , Du Chunlin , Shen Song , Yang Xinhe , Ma Zhikun , Hou Legan , Betsofen Sergey
Published: September 2023

The microstructure and mechanical properties of Al–Cu–Li alloy with different aging processes have been investigated. The experimental results indicate that increasing aging temperature enhances the precipitation kinetics of the alloy, which is beneficial for T1 phase precipitation. The average size of δ′ phase is decreased from 18.2 to 11.6 nm when aging process changes from 200 °C single‐stage aging to 150 °C/200 °C two‐stage aging. The two‐stage aging can effectively suppress the coarsening of δ′ phase because T1 phase competes with δ′ phase for Li atoms. The past researches have pointed out that T1 phase thickens when aging temperature exceeds 190 °C. However, the results indicate that two‐stage aging can not only retard thickening but also increase number density of T1 phase. The alloy reaches maximum strength in two‐stage aging, and the ultimate tensile strength, yield strength, and elongation are 415 MPa, 376 MPa, and 5.9%, respectively. When the diameter of T1 phase reaches a critical value, the strengthening mechanism of T1 phase has changed from shear mechanism to bypass mechanism. The diameter distribution range of T1 phase is large in this paper, and the strengthening mechanism of T1 phase is a mixed strengthening mechanism of shear mechanism and bypass mechanism.
Improved Air Stability of Tin Halide Perovskite Solar Cells by an N‐Type Active Moisture Barrier
Authors: Zhang Zuhong , Su Zhenhuang , Li Guixiang , Li Jing , Aldamasy Mahmoud H. , Wu Jiaxin , Wang Chenyue , Li Zhe , Gao Xingyu , Li Meng , Abate Antonio
Published: September 2023

Tin halide perovskite solar cells are promising for the next generation of highly efficient photovoltaics. Their commercialization can be accelerated by increasing their stability in moisture and oxygen. Herein, an n‐type organic molecule (IO‐4Cl) is applied as an interlayer between the perovskite films and electron transport layers in p‐i‐n structured devices. The electron‐rich indacenodithieno‐[3,2‐b]thiophene enhances electron transport, while the hydrocarbon side chains and rigid conjugated backbone isolate air. It is also shown that the C═O in IO‐4Cl can coordinate with Sn2+ on perovskite films' surface and grain boundaries to enhance perovskite crystal stability. In addition, IO‐4Cl slows down crystallization dynamics, resulting in lower non‐radiation recombination. The moisture ingress in the perovskite films is tracked under high relative humidity (RH) and it is found that IO‐4Cl can mitigate moisture infiltration. Finally, the devices with IO‐4Cl maintain 95% of the initial power conversion efficiency after 1200 h of storage in a nitrogen‐filled glovebox, and their stability in ambient air (60–80% RH) is significantly improved against pristine devices, thus demonstrating the beneficial effects of IO‐4Cl interlayer on device stability.
Recent Advances in Living Algae Seeding Wound Dressing: Focusing on Diabetic Chronic Wound Healing
Authors: Ma Jiahui , Fang Yimeng , Yu Haiyang , Yi Jia , Ma Yilei , Lei Pengyu , Yang Qinsi , Jin Libo , Wu Wei , Li He , Sun Da
Published: September 2023

Diabetic chronic wounds (DCWs) are a severe complication of diabetes, and current treatments present several deficiencies, including unsatisfactory efficacy and inability to continuously supply oxygen. This review highlights the recent advances in a novel therapeutic strategy that addresses these challenges: considerable biological powerful inclusions, oxygen or hydrogen and ROS production, DCW glucose consumption, chemotaxis at the wound site, highly editable, great biological safety, low cost, and readily available. Over the past decade, this strategy has shown encouraging results in improving the healing delay induced by hyperglycemia, forming a new concept of “living material” application based on living algae. This review discusses the unique advantages of algae as a treatment strategy, the applications and characteristics of different types of living algae in wound dressings, and the challenges and improvement strategies for this innovative approach.
Achieving High‐Efficiency Wind Energy Harvesting Triboelectric Nanogenerator by Coupling Soft Contact, Charge Space Accumulation, and Charge Dissipation Design
Authors: Mu Qianjin , He Wencong , Shan Chuncai , Fu Shaoke , Du Shihe , Wang Jian , Wang Zhao , Li Kaixian , Hu Chenguo
Published: September 2023

To enhance the durability of a triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG), soft contact is an effective approach due to its flexible and elastic contact mode. However, soft contact is hard to obtain with a large charge density by triboelectrification, resulting in low power output. Herein, a novel blade soft contact TENG (BSC‐TENG), coupling flexible functional blades with shielded electrodes on the rotor, charge accumulation, and charge dissipation design on the stator, is proposed. Extra polishing blades and debris storage grooves are adopted in the BSC‐TENG to further ensure high durability. A remarkable charge density of 328 µC m−2 is achieved, setting a new record for soft contact TENGs. Besides, the output charge remains at 100% even after 200 000 cycles. The wind‐driven BSC‐TENG not only can power 3840 green LEDs and 80 parallel hygrothermometers but also can drive electronic devices for smart farms, establishing self‐powered sensing systems. This work provides a novel strategy for enhancing soft contact TENG output and durability.
Shell Formulation in Soft Gelatin Capsules: Design and Characterization
Authors: Naharros‐Molinero Almudena , Caballo‐González María Ángela , de la Mata F. Javier , García‐Gallego Sandra
Published: September 2023

Soft gelatin capsules (SGCs) are the most widely used pharmaceutical form after tablets. The active components, active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), or nutrients are dissolved, dispersed, or suspended in a liquid or semisolid fill, which is covered with a gelatin shell. Several factors can modify the properties of the gelatin shell and subsequently affect their operative handling during manufacturing process and the stability of the soft gelatin capsules. Three elements appear to be crucial: the shell formulation (type and content of the different components such as gelatins—source, extraction method—plasticizers, or additives); the manufacture and storage conditions (temperature, humidity, light) as well as the interactions between fill‐shell formulas. Mechanical and thermal analysis arise as straightforward but highly useful tools to monitor the properties of the gelatin shell. This review provides an updated overview on the shell formulation and design. Additionally, it presents the uses of mechanical and thermal techniques to characterize and evaluate the impact of different parameters on the gelatin behavior over the production and stability of these pharmaceutical forms. This will help to detect changes that are yet not visible by visual inspection ensuring a suitable finished product over its shelf‐life.
Ultra‐Emissive MgO‐PVDF Polymer Nanocomposite Paint for Passive Daytime Radiative Cooling
Authors: Das Prasanna , Rudra Sourav , Maurya Krishna Chand , Saha Bivas
Published: September 2023

Passive daytime radiative cooling (PDRC) holds enormous potential to provide low‐cost, electricity‐free cooling in hot environments and to overcome the urban heat island effects. Conventional radiative cooling devices consist of complicated multilayer structure, and reflective back metallic plates that are unsuitable for household applications. Most single‐layer polymer nanocomposites are also not practically applicable due to their high cost, frailty, and sub‐optimum cooling performances arising from low thermal emissivity. Herein, it is shown that ultra‐white and ultra‐emissive magnesium oxide (MgO)‐polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) nanocomposite that exhibits an average ≈7°C temperature decrease below the sub‐ambient conditions under direct sunlight. The optimized MgO‐PVDF metamaterials with a dielectric particle size of ≈50 nm exhibit a large solar reflectance of 96.3% due to the Mie‐scattering and a record high thermal emission of 98.5% at the atmospheric transmission window due to the anharmonic multiphonon Mg─O bond vibrations, and other stretching/bonding vibrations from the polymer. The nanocomposite paint exhibits water‐resistant hydrophobic properties and can be easily coated on pavers, wood sticks, etc., with high uniformity and good adhesion. This work provides a low‐cost, scalable, and solution‐processed nanocomposite coating with excellent cooling performance for pavers, tiles, and building cooling applications, especially in equatorial regions, southeast Asia, middle‐east, and African regions.
Silicon Rich Nitride Huygens Metasurfaces in the Visible Regime
Authors: Goldberg Oren , Gherabli Rivka , Engelberg Jacob , Nijem Jinan , Mazurski Noa , Levy Uriel
Published: September 2023

In recent years there has been a shift of interest in the Nanophotonics community moving from using metallic/plasmonic materials to using high‐index dielectric materials for the construction of metasurfaces. Although high‐index dielectrics hold many advantages over their plasmonic counterparts, the selection of materials that exhibit high‐index properties, have low loss, and are complemetary metal‐oxide‐semiconductor (CMOS) compatible that also operate in the visible regime is extremely challenging. In this work, a high‐index dielectric material using silicon rich nitride (SRN) is proposed and experimentally demonstrated as a platform for solving this problem. While SRN has been used before for diffractive lenses and structural colors, here its applicability for Huygens‐type metasurfaces is focused upon. Specifically, a Huygens metasurface that operates in the visible range around a wavelength of 575 nm is theoretically and experimentally demonstrated, and the capabilities of spatially controlling the phase of this metasurface are further demonstrated by designing and fabricating a Huygens meta hologram. The study also shows that the refractive index can be controlled by the interplay between SiH4 and NH3 during the plasma‐enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) process.
Strong Electron–Phonon and Phonon–Phonon Interactions Lead to High Thermoelectric Performances in Lead Phosphorene via Symmetry Breaking
Authors: Wu Ao , Xia Yujie , Zhang Yiming , Peng Lei , Shao Hezhu , Cen Yan , Zhu Heyuan , Zhang Hao
Published: September 2023

Understanding the full electron–phonon and phonon–phonon interaction effects in semiconductors is crucial for tuning electronic and phonon transport properties with the purpose to the enhancement of thermoelectric performances. In this work, based on the detailed investigations on 2D lead phosphorene (PbP) by using the first‐principle calculations, it is demonstrated that, in , , and PbP, the electron–phonon interactions are significantly stronger than conventional group‐IV monolayers such as silicene by five orders in magnitude, and intravalley scatterings dominate over the intervalley scattering due to less degenerate band extrema near Fermi level. Based on the selection‐rule analysis, it is found that the symmetry breaking in the janus γ phase compared to the higher‐symmetry α phase allows fewer symmetry operations, leading to more allowed scattering channels for electrons and phonons, subsequently suppressing the electron and phonon transport in PbP. Due to the low Debye temperatures, and strong four‐phonon interactions, the lattice thermal conductivities at room temperature in these monolayers are sharply decreased. Finally, it is found that the maximum thermoelectric figure of merits for these three monolayers reach 0.90/0.24/1.25 at room temperature, respectively. This work not only paves the way for the promising applications of PbP monolayers in thermoelectric devices, but also suggests that symmetry breaking and strong high‐order phonon–phonon interactions are crucial to identifying excellent thermoelectric materials.
Design of Wide‐Beam Leaky‐Wave Antenna Arrays Based on the Bilinear Transformation of IIR Digital Filters and the Z Transform
Authors: Verdú‐Monedero Rafael , Gómez‐Tornero José‐Luis , Morales‐Sánchez Juan
Published: September 2023

In the pioneering work, the radiation diagrams of leaky wave antenna arrays can achieve attenuation nulls and gains at specific angles by manually placing the zeros and the poles in the Z domain of the corresponding discrete linear time‐invariant (LTI) system. This handcrafted design procedure does not allow radiation diagrams with wide beams since the interaction between poles involved in the wide beam and their corresponding leaky modes cannot be easily handled. To overcome this limitation, this paper describes a novel method for designing radiation diagrams of leaky‐wave antenna arrays based on the theory of IIR discrete filters. The proposed method relies on the design of discrete filters with the prototypes of analog low‐pass filters defined by Butterworth and Chebyshev type I polynomials, whose roots along with the bilinear transformation provide the location of the poles and the zeros of the discrete LTI system and, therefore, the parameters of the leaky‐wave antenna array. Results with different designs and a comparison with other approaches show the utility and effectiveness of this novel method to design wide‐beam leaky‐wave antenna arrays.
Blends of Conjugated and Adhesive Polymers for Sticky Organic Thin‐Film Transistors
Authors: Sutjianto James G. , Yoo Sang H. , Westerman Clayton R. , Jackson Thomas N. , Wilker Jonathan J. , Gomez Enrique D.
Published: September 2023

Here, a polymer blend active layer that exhibits both electronic and adhesive properties is introduced. Various conjugated polymers are blended with a catechol‐based polymer that shows high adhesion, such that blends serve as the active layer of multifunctional sticky organic thin‐film transistors (OTFTs). Blend films maintain relatively constant field‐effect charge carrier mobility in OTFTs regardless of composition. Lap shear adhesion strength tests show that all blend films exhibit adhesive properties with adhesion values ranging from 0.05 to 4.30 MPa. With relatively consistent mobility and the presence of adhesive properties at different compositions, blends of conjugated and adhesive polymers can lead to next‐generation organic transistors for stable 3D stacking and waterproof adhesive sensors.
High‐Performance Air‐Stable 2D‐WSe2/P3HT Based Inorganic–Organic Hybrid Photodetector with Broadband Visible to Near‐IR Light Detection
Authors: Khanikar Prabal Dweep , Dewan Sheetal , John John Wellington , Shukla Atul , Das Pritam , Dhara Sajal , Karak Supravat , Lo Shih‐Chun , Namdas Ebinazar B. , Das Samaresh
Published: September 2023

Photodetectors that can achieve high‐speed photoresponse and high responsivity with broadband detection are essential for bio‐health monitoring, imaging, chemical sensing, and many other applications. Herein a high‐performance inorganic–organic hybrid photodetector based on a heterojunction of exfoliated 2D tungsten diselenide (WSe2) layers and solution‐processable poly(3‐hexylthiophene‐2,5‐diyl), P3HT is reported. The heterojunction shows enhanced exciton harvesting through long‐range energy transfer from P3HT to WSe2, which is confirmed using photoluminescence quenching and fluorescence decay measurements. The detector shows broadband light detection from visible to near‐infrared (NIR) (400−1100 nm), and air‐stable device performance. The device exhibits the highest responsivity of 17.6 AW−1 for low incident light intensity (<10−5 W cm−2) at 640 nm wavelength of light. Furthermore, a fast photoresponse speed with a rise/fall time of 9.5/5.1 µs, which retained its performance for more than four months under ambient conditions is demonstrated. The superior device performance presented here using an inorganic–organic hybrid heterojunction is the key to producing novel high‐performance and air‐stable photodetectors with broad spectral bandwidth.
Partition‐based distributed extended Kalman filter for large‐scale nonlinear processes with application to chemical and wastewater treatment processes
Authors: Li Xiaojie , Law Adrian Wing‐Keung , Yin Xunyuan
Published: September 2023

In this article, we address a partition‐based distributed state estimation problem for large‐scale general nonlinear processes by proposing a Kalman‐based approach. First, we formulate a linear full‐information estimation design within a distributed framework as the basis for developing our approach. Second, the analytical solution to the local optimization problems associated with the formulated distributed full‐information design is established, in the form of a recursive distributed Kalman filter algorithm. Then, the linear distributed Kalman filter is extended to the nonlinear context by incorporating successive linearization of nonlinear subsystem models, and the proposed distributed extended Kalman filter approach is formulated. We conduct rigorous analysis and prove the stability of the estimation error dynamics provided by the proposed method for general nonlinear processes consisting of interconnected subsystems. A chemical process example is used to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed method and to justify the validity of the theoretical findings. In addition, the proposed method is applied to a wastewater treatment process for estimating the full‐state of the process with 145 state variables.
Plasma‐catalytic synthesis of acrylonitrile from methane and nitrogen
Authors: Page Colin , Peralta Abner , Ponukumati Aditya , Moher Dillon , Foston Marcus , Thimsen Elijah
Published: September 2023

In this work, we demonstrate plasma‐catalytic synthesis of hydrogen and acrylonitrile (AN) from CH4 and N2. The process involves two steps: (1) plasma synthesis of C2H2 and HCN in a nominally 1:1 stoichiometric ratio with high yield up to 90% and (2) downstream thermocatalytic reaction of these intermediates to make AN. The effect of process parameters on product distributions and specific energy requirements are reported. If the catalytic conversion of C2H2 and HCN in the downstream thermocatalytic step to AN were perfect, which will require further improvements in the thermocatalytic reactor, then at the maximum output of our 1 kW radiofrequency 13.56 MHz transformer, a specific energy requirement of 73 kWh kgAN−1 was determined. The expectation is that scaling up the process to higher throughputs would result in decreases in specific energy requirement into the predicted economically viable range less than 10 kWh kgAN−1.