bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Medical students as research participants: Student experiences, questionnaire response rates and preferred modes
Authors: Joubert G , Steinberg W J , Van de Merwe L J
Published: September 2023

Background. Research projects frequently include students, a potentially vulnerable population, as participants.Objectives. To determine University of the Free State (UFS) medical students’ experiences as research participants. Response rates to and preferences for hard copy and electronic questionnaires were also investigated.Methods. All 804 UFS undergraduate medical students in 2020 were approached to participate in this cross-sectional survey. Fourth- and fifth-year students and one-half of the third-year class were approached in person to complete anonymous hard copy questionnaires in a class setting. First- and second-year students and the other half of the third-year class were contacted electronically to complete anonymous electronic questionnaires.Results. Response rates to hard copy questionnaires were at least ~45% of the entire year group (and >70% of those to whom the questionnaire was distributed in class) compared with approximately a third of those contacted electronically. Students who responded to electronic questionnaires preferred electronic completion, whereas those who responded to hard copy questionnaires preferred the hard copy format, except fifth-year students. The majority of students (except those in their first year) had previously been approached to participate in research projects. Between a fifth and a third of all year groups indicated that they had refused participation at least once. More than a third of fifth-year students experienced insufficient time to decide on participation. Up to a quarter of third- to fifth-year groups had felt pressurised to participate.Conclusion. Hard copy questionnaires in class, the preferred data collection method for many students, produced better response rates but placed potential pressure on students to participate.
The role of migration networks in the development of Botswana’s generalized HIV epidemic
Authors: Song Janet , Okano Justin T , Ponce Joan , Busang Lesego , Seipone Khumo , Valdano Eugenio , Blower Sally
Published: September 2023

The majority of people with HIV live in sub-Saharan Africa, where epidemics are generalized. For these epidemics to develop, populations need to be mobile. However, the role of population-level mobility in the development of generalized HIV epidemics has not been studied. Here we do so by studying historical migration data from Botswana, which has one of the most severe generalized HIV epidemics worldwide; HIV prevalence was 21% in 2021. The country reported its first AIDS case in 1985 when it began to rapidly urbanize. We hypothesize that, during the development of Botswana’s epidemic, the population was extremely mobile and the country was highly connected by substantial migratory flows. We test this mobility hypothesis by conducting a network analysis using a historical time series (1981–2011) of micro-census data from Botswana. Our results support our hypothesis. We found complex migration networks with very high rates of rural-to-urban, and urban-to-rural, migration: 10% of the population moved annually. Mining towns (where AIDS cases were first reported, and risk behavior was high) were important in-flow and out-flow migration hubs, suggesting that they functioned as ‘core groups’ for HIV transmission and dissemination. Migration networks could have dispersed HIV throughout Botswana and generated the current hyperendemic epidemic.
Independent regulation of Z-lines and M-lines during sarcomere assembly in cardiac myocytes revealed by the automatic image analysis software sarcApp
Authors: Neininger-Castro Abigail C. , Hayes James B. , Sanchez Zachary C. , Taneja Nilay , Fenix Aidan M. , Moparthi Satish , Vassilopoulos Stéphane , Burnette Dylan T.
Published: September 2023

Sarcomeres are the basic contractile units within cardiac myocytes, and the collective shortening of sarcomeres aligned along myofibrils generates the force driving the heartbeat. The alignment of the individual sarcomeres is important for proper force generation, and misaligned sarcomeres are associated with diseases including cardiomyopathies and COVID-19. The actin bundling protein, α-actinin-2, localizes to the “Z-Bodies” of sarcomere precursors and the “Z-Lines” of sarcomeres, and has been used previously to assess sarcomere assembly and maintenance. Previous measurements of α-actinin-2 organization have been largely accomplished manually, which is time-consuming and has hampered research progress. Here, we introduce sarcApp, an image analysis tool that quantifies several components of the cardiac sarcomere and their alignment in muscle cells and tissue. We first developed sarcApp to utilize deep learning-based segmentation and real space quantification to measure α-actinin-2 structures and determine the organization of both precursors and sarcomeres/myofibrils. We then expanded sarcApp to analyze “M-Lines” using the localization of myomesin and a protein that connects the Z-Lines to the M-Line (titin). sarcApp produces 33 distinct measurements per cell and 24 per myofibril that allow for precise quantification of changes in sarcomeres, myofibrils, and their precursors. We validated this system with perturbations to sarcomere assembly. We found perturbations that affected Z-Lines and M-Lines differently, suggesting that they may be regulated independently during sarcomere assembly.
Self-formation of concentric zones of telencephalic and ocular tissues and directional retinal ganglion cell axons
Authors: Liu Wei , Shrestha Rupendra , Lowe Albert , Zhang Xusheng , Spaeth Ludovic
Published: September 2023

The telencephalon and eye in mammals are originated from adjacent fields at the anterior neural plate. Morphogenesis of these fields generates telencephalon, optic-stalk, optic-disc, and neuroretina along a spatial axis. How these telencephalic and ocular tissues are specified coordinately to ensure directional retinal ganglion cell (RGC) axon growth is unclear. Here, we report self-formation of human telencephalon-eye organoids comprising concentric zones of telencephalic, optic-stalk, optic-disc, and neuroretinal tissues along the center-periphery axis. Initially-differentiated RGCs grew axons towards and then along a path defined by adjacent PAX2+ VSX2+ optic-disc cells. Single-cell RNA sequencing of these organoids not only confirmed telencephalic and ocular identities but also identified expression signatures of early optic-disc, optic-stalk, and RGCs. These signatures were similar to those in human fetal retinas. Optic-disc cells in these organoids differentially expressed FGF8 and FGF9; FGFR inhibitions drastically decreased early RGC differentiation and directional axon growth. Through the RGC-specific cell-surface marker CNTN2 identified here, electrophysiologically excitable RGCs were isolated under a native condition. Our findings provide insight into the coordinated specification of early telencephalic and ocular tissues in humans and establish resources for studying RGC-related diseases such as glaucoma.
Caspase-mediated nuclear pore complex trimming in cell differentiation and endoplasmic reticulum stress
Authors: Cho Ukrae H , Hetzer Martin W
Published: September 2023

During apoptosis, caspases degrade 8 out of ~30 nucleoporins to irreversibly demolish the nuclear pore complex. However, for poorly understood reasons, caspases are also activated during cell differentiation. Here, we show that sublethal activation of caspases during myogenesis results in the transient proteolysis of four peripheral Nups and one transmembrane Nup. ‘Trimmed’ NPCs become nuclear export-defective, and we identified in an unbiased manner several classes of cytoplasmic, plasma membrane, and mitochondrial proteins that rapidly accumulate in the nucleus. NPC trimming by non-apoptotic caspases was also observed in neurogenesis and endoplasmic reticulum stress. Our results suggest that caspases can reversibly modulate nuclear transport activity, which allows them to function as agents of cell differentiation and adaptation at sublethal levels.
Identification of a pathogen causing fruiting body rot of Sanghuangporus vaninii
Authors: Yuan Weidong , Ma Lin , Chen Xingkun , Song Jiling , Chen Qing
Published: September 2023

Sanghuangporus vaninii is a medicinal macrofungus that is increasingly cultivated in China. During cultivation, it was found that the fruiting body of S. vaninii was susceptible to pathogenic fungi, resulting in significant economic losses to the industry. The symptoms of the disease occur in the initial stage of fruiting body development. The isolate YZB-1 was obtained from the junction of the diseased and healthy areas of the fruiting body. In order to verify the pathogenicity of YZB-1, its purified spore suspension was inoculated into the exposed area nearby the developing fruiting body of S. vaninii. After 10 days, the same disease symptoms appeared in the inoculated area. Morphological identification and molecular analysis of rDNA ITS region confirmed that the isolate YZB-1 was identified as Trichoderma virens. The temperature stability assay revealed that the mycelia of YZB-1 grew the fastest at 25 °C, with growth slowing down gradually as the temperature increased or decreased. Dual-culture tests of T. virens and S. vaninii showed that the inhibition rate of T. virens on S. vaninii mycelium was the highest (79.01 ± 2.79%) at 25 °C, and more green spores were produced at the intersection of T. virens and S. vaninii.
Chronic unpredictable mild stress promotes atherosclerosis via adipose tissue dysfunction in ApoE-/- mice
Authors: Mao Min , Deng Yalan , Wang Li , Zhao Gexin , Qi Ruomei , Gong Huan , Shen Tao , Xu Yitian , Liu Deping , Chen Beidong
Published: September 2023

Background

Chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) has been shown to exacerbate atherosclerosis, but the underlying mechanism remains unknown. Adipose tissue is an energy storage organ and the largest endocrine organ in the human body, playing a key role in the development of cardiovascular disease. In this research, it was hypothesized that CUMS may exacerbate the development of atherosclerosis by inducing the hypertrophy and dysfunction of white adipocytes.

Methods

The CUMS-induced atherosclerosis model was developed in Western diet-fed apolipoprotein E (ApoE)-/- mice. White adipose tissue (WAT), serum, aortic root, and the brachiocephalic trunk were collected and tested after 12 weeks of CUMS development. The mouse model of CUMS was evaluated for depression-like behavior using the open field test (OFT) and the elevated plus maze (EPM) test. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was conducted to detect serum noradrenaline and urine adrenaline protein levels. Serological assays were used to detect serum low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), total cholesterol (TC), and free fatty acid (FFA) concentrations. Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining and oil red O were used to detect atherosclerotic plaque area, lipid deposition, and adipocyte size. The mRNA levels of genes related to aberrant adipose tissue function were determined using real-time PCR. Immunofluorescence assay and western blotting were conducted to examine the expression of proteins in the adipose tissue samples.

Results

CUMS aggravated vascular atherosclerotic lesions in ApoE-/- mice. It decreased body weight while increasing the percentage of WAT. The serological results indicated that the concentration of HDL decreased in CUMS mice. Notably, adipocyte hypertrophy increased, whereas the mRNA levels of Pparg and its target genes (Slc2a4 (encodes for GLUT4), Adipoq, and Plin1) decreased. Further investigation revealed that CUMS increased subcutaneous inguinal WAT (iWAT) lipid synthesis and adipocyte inflammation while decreasing lipid hydrolysis and the expression of HDL-associated protein ApoA-I. Moreover, CUMS aggravated insulin resistance in mice and inhibited the insulin pathway in iWAT.

Conclusions

These findings indicated that CUMS induces adipose tissue dysfunction via a mechanism that leads to dyslipidemia, increased inflammation, and insulin resistance in the body, thereby exacerbating atherosclerosis. Notably, CUMS that is involved in decreasing the expression of HDL-associated proteins in adipose tissue may be a crucial link between adipose hypertrophy and advanced atherosclerosis. This study reveals a novel mechanism via which CUMS exacerbates atherosclerosis from the novel perspective of abnormal adipose function and identifies a novel potential therapeutic target for this disease.
Assessing the impact of the 2018 tetanus guidelines on knowledge and practices of emergency physicians in trauma patients: a national survey study
Authors: Gao Junling , Yu Xiaxia , Cao Guanghui , He Xiaoming , Zhang Pingde , Walline Joseph , Wang Yuanxi , Yu Xingjuan , Xu Jun , Thach Thuan-Quoc , Liu Yong
Published: September 2023

Background

Tetanus remains a significant public health issue in China, with the approach of anti-tetanus prophylaxis in the emergency department resulting in both overuse, particularly of human tetanus immune globulin (TIG), and underuse with the tetanus vaccine. This is largely due to the absence of updated guidelines on tetanus prophylaxis before 2018. Our study aimed to evaluate the effects of the 2018 Chinese tetanus guidelines on the knowledge and practices of emergency physicians about tetanus prevention in trauma patients.

Methods

From November 2019 to April 2020, we conducted a web-based survey involving 499 emergency physicians. The survey included a questionnaire covering knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to tetanus. We assessed the influence of the 2018 tetanus guidelines on the knowledge and practices of emergency physicians related to tetanus prevention for patients with trauma using multiple regression analysis.

Results

The survey results showed that only 45.3% of the participants had received formal training on tetanus immunization, despite 53.3% reporting the availability of tetanus vaccines at their institutions. Physicians typically prescribed tetanus antitoxin or human TIG instead of tetanus toxoid (TT) to treat injuries, regardless of the patient’s TT vaccination history. Among the respondents, those who were aware of the 2018 tetanus guidelines had higher mean scores on the general knowledge, risk knowledge, and treatment knowledge scales, with increases of 6%, 13%, and 9%, respectively, compared to those who were unaware of the guidelines. Awareness of the 2018 tetanus guidelines was associated with a high level of knowledge, as indicated by the general knowledge score, recommendation knowledge score, and total knowledge score, after adjusting for the effects of all variables on the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of the participants. A high level of education was also associated with a high level of knowledge indicated by the recommendation knowledge score and total knowledge score.

Conclusions

Our study highlights a substantial gap in the attitudes, knowledge, and practices of emergency physicians in China regarding tetanus immunization. The results suggest an urgent need to promote the Chinese Expert Consensus Guidelines on tetanus to improve emergency physicians’ knowledge and competence in tetanus prophylaxis. The findings underscore the importance of enhancing physicians’ awareness of the latest guidelines to ensure appropriate and effective treatment for patients with tetanus-prone injuries.
Analysis of the Response Characteristics of Smoke and Carbon Monoxide in Non-Fire Conditions
Authors: Lim You Ri , Shin Young Min , Kim Bong Jun , Han Dong Hun
Published: September 2023

This study confirms the applicability of cross-detection by analyzing the response characteristics of smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, to reduce non-firm alarms. Based on the results of previous studies, various scenarios reflecting non-fire conditions in Korea were selected, to conduct experiments to confirm the change in carbon monoxide concentration and the response of smoke detectors based on the measurement location. Although carbon monoxide was detected earlier than the smoke near the heating source, the smoke detector reacted earlier than the carbon monoxide meter as the distance from the heating source increased. The measured concentration of carbon monoxide was much lower than the concentration generated in the case of a fire, thus confirming the applicability of carbon monoxide cross-sensing for non-fire detection.
Analysis of School Commuting Safety and Accident Trend by School Level: Text Network Analysis and Topic Modeling
Authors: Kim Beomjun , Kim Gwanjun , Park Inseon
Published: September 2023

In this study, the risk factors that lead to accidents when students commute to and from school was analyzed and compared using raw DATA, a collection of data notified by various levels of schools in Seoul between 2016 and 2021. A text-mining technique was employed for this analysis. The results suggest that kindergarteners experience accidents most often on their way home. The physical risk factors that cause accidents include stairs and vehicles which primarily damage the head and face. Keywords such as returning home, preparing to go home, and commuting to school-stairs were extracted in the text analysis. Similarly, elementary school students also experience accidents when returning home. Physical risk factors, such as stairs, are the primary cause of damage to the front teeth and forehead. Keywords such as returning home-stairs, returning home-playground, and returning home after school were identified. Middle school students also experience accidents, on their way home, and significant physical risk factors include stairs and bicycles, which cause injuries to the ankles, knees, ligaments, and legs. Keywords such as commuting to school-bicycle and returning home-play ground-friend-soccer were retrieved through text mining. High school students experience accidents on their way to school. Major physical risk factors, such as stairs, bicycles, and buses, have been found to cause damage to the ankles and knees. The keywords bicycle-commuting to school, bicycle-face, bicycle-steep downhill, and buses-ankle were detected. This study attempted to analyze the factors that lead to accidents when different grades of students commute to and from school to understand the characteristics of safety accidents at different school levels and to provide a policy direction for data-based safety education and safety management measures.
Assessment of the Barrier Performance of the Flourosilicone Treated Fabric Exposed to Pesticides Spraying to Chilli Crop at Laboratory Conditions
Authors: Prabhavathi R. , Anitha D. , Vastrad Jyothi , Neeraja T. , Prakash K. Kiran
Published: September 2023

In this study, in view of development of protective clothing for pesticide sprayers in chilli crop, the suitable fabric polyester 67/cotton 37 with weight  157.7 GSM was selected. BOND-WR-12-A RTU was aqueous fluorosilicone durable water and oil repellent emulsion was used to treat the fabric by using different application parameters at the rate of 5 per cent concentration. As per Chowdhury, 2018 water repellent finish type and concentrations were very important parameters to obtain water repellent fabric having acceptable use properties. Later, the treated fabric was exposed to the selected pesticides like Phosphamidon, Monocrotophos and Dimethoate for  for three exposures. By estimating the absorption and penetration behaviour of the treated and untreated fabrics, the performance of silicon finish was determined by using four factor with CRD and Heuristic method. From this result, the treated fabric had restricted the absorbency over control fabric and the Studies on barrier clothing, [1,2] suggested that blends of polyester cotton and polyester viscose showed better barrier performance with minimum penetration of pesticides than other blended fabrics. Hence it can be used in development of protective clothing for pesticide applicators in chilli crop or any other field crops where ever pesticides are used.
The Liver Function Score – “ALBI” Sets Apart Melioidosis, Scrub Typhus from Viral Hepatitis, Tuberculosis, Enteric Fever in a III-II Grade Score: Useful in Machine Learning and AI
Authors: Kannan Sriram , Pandey Apoorva , Singh Suchita , Chowdhury Soumi , Earny Venkat Abhiram , Ashiq Mohammed , K. E. Vandana , Mukhopadhyay Chiranjay , Kaur Harpreet
Published: September 2023

ALBI (Albumin-Bilirubin) score is routinely used in grading liver function of hepatocarcinoma and hepatitis patients. In this purposive review, the published values of serum albumin, bilirubin in Viral hepatitis, Tuberculosis, Scrub typhus, Enteric fever has been compared with that of melioidosis. Since PubMed yielded zero searches with key words “albumin, bilirubin, melioidosis”, it was searched in Google Scholar, a better retrievable search engine. This yielded 46 relevant  articles with 53 ALBI scores for Melioidosis. An equivalent search to retrieve 53 ALBI scores was made in Google Scholar for other confounding diseases of Melioidosis with search words “albumin, bilirubin, hepatitis” “albumin, bilirubin, tuberculosis”, “albumin, bilirubin, scrub typhus”, “albumin, bilirubin, enteric fever”. This raw data was deposited in Harvard dataverse  (https://doi.org/10.7910/DVN/QEW20J) and subsequent analysis done is documented in this article. This placed Melioidosis patients and Scrub typhus patients to be on an average grade III ALBI and the patients of Viral hepatitis, Tuberculosis, and Enteric fever in grade II ALBI.

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT
Quality Assessment of Sokoto Water Distribution Networks
Authors: Bello M. T. , Bichi M. H.
Published: September 2023

The research is on the quality assessment of Sokoto water distribution networks. Sample coordinates of the study area were taken using GPS, the experiments were carried out at different consumer locations with thirty (30) samples of water collected weekly for four (4) weeks, to determine various purification parameters that are related to both bulk (kb) and wall (KW) reactions coefficients for Sokoto water distribution pipe network, these include residual chlorine, pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), temperature and conductivity. pH, dissolved oxygen (DO) and conductivity have average values ranging from 6.7 to 7.5; 1.1 to 6.5ppm; 310 to 520 μs/cm respectively and conform to the Nigerian Standard for Drinking Water Quality (NSDWQ), except temperature which has the average values between 29 oC, and 32.6oC, and the individual values between 26 oC, and 38.4oC, chlorine residual average values obtained, ranging from 0.11mg/l to 0.26mg/l with the lowest individual value obtained being 0.011mg/l. The age of water supply from the treatment plants in the distribution network is 6 hours and both first and second-order decay reactions were ascertained from the graph and first-order decay having the highest number of occurrences was used in Epanet 2.0 water quality modeling. The kb values ranged from 0.0025 to 0.013md-1. A total of 86 out of the 120 samples, which constitute 71.7% were straight lines which indicate first-order and thus, the average kb was determined to be 0.006/day (0.144/hour).  It was observed that of all the 120 samples examined in the study, chlorine reaction with natural organic matter (NOM) was small. The average kw for Sokoto WDS was deduced to be 0.078m/h, considering, the following steel pipe conditions used in the network area. kW (ft/h), -α =-38.5, H-W C=150, kW = 38.5/150 = 0.257ft/h = 0.078m/h (-0.078m/h).
Knowledge of women seen in primary care about the early detection of breast cancer / Conhecimento de mulheres atendidas na atenção primária sobre a detecção precoce do câncer de mama
Authors: Santos Lira Lara Caline , Xavier de Moraes Laura , Souza Juliana Raquel Silva , De Sousa Francisco Stélio
Published: September 2023

Objetivo: investigar o conhecimento de mulheres atendidas na Atenção Primária sobre a detecção precoce do câncer de mama. Método: estudo de abordagem quantitativa e transversal, realizado com 265 mulheres em idade de rastreamento mamográfico. A coleta foi realizada presencialmente com instrumento validado Breast Cancer Awareness Measure. Resultados: verificou-se que há, de um modo geral, conhecimento sobre os sinais clínicos para o câncer de mama, no entanto há desconhecimento sobre a idade preconizada para realização do exame, e não houve consenso sobre os fatores hereditários para o câncer de mama. A dificuldade de marcar a consulta e a falta de transporte foram apontadas como barreiras que dificultam a procura de profissionais de saúde. Conclusão: torna-se fundamental fortalecer as ações para a detecção precoce do câncer de mama, com produção e disseminação do conhecimento e provimento de subsídios que garantam o acesso rápido e facilitado às iniciativas de rastreamento e diagnóstico precoce.
Mental health outcomes of physical, sexual, and psychological intimate partner violence among women in Turkey: A latent class study
Authors: Yastıbaş‐Kaçar Cennet , Uysal Mete S. , Güngör Duygu
Published: September 2023

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a severe human right violation and a significant public health problem in Turkey. However, its complexity and stratified relationship with mental health problems are still uncovered in this under researched community, as violence is often approached as a uniform health and social problem. In this study, we collected data from 539 female adults in heterosexual relationships in Turkey using convenience and snowball sampling. The aim was to examine violence‐related clusters and their association of these clusters with mental health outcomes, including depression, anxiety, and depression). We assessed whether participants experienced physical, sexual, and psychological violence in their intimate relationships and conducted a latent class analysis. We obtained five violence clusters: (1) no or low violence, (2) high psychological violence, (3) jealous control with physical violence, (4) moderate sexual and psychological violence, and (5) severe physical, sexual, and psychological violence. Analyses of variance showed that women who experienced multiple forms of IPV reported stronger depression, anxiety, and somatization compared with women in the no or low violence class. Additionally, they reported greater depression and anxiety compared with women who experienced only high psychological IPV. However, psychological violence amplified somatization as much as physical and sexual violence.
Limitations of the Tauc Plot Method
Authors: Klein Julian , Kampermann Laura , Mockenhaupt Benjamin , Behrens Malte , Strunk Jennifer , Bacher Gerd
Published: September 2023

The Tauc plot is a method originally developed to derive the optical gap of amorphous semiconductors such as amorphous germanium or silicon. By measuring the absorption coefficient α(hν) and plotting versus photon energy hν, a value for the optical gap (Tauc gap) is determined. In this way non‐direct optical transitions between approximately parabolic bands can be examined. In the last decades, a modification of this method for (poly‐) crystalline semiconductors has become popular to study direct and indirect interband transitions. For this purpose, (ahν)n (n = , 2) is plotted against hν to determine a value of the electronic bandgap. Due to the ease of performing UV–vis measurements, this method has nowadays become a standard to analyze various (poly‐) crystalline solids, regardless of their different electronic structure. Although this leads partially to widely varying values of the respective bandgap of nominally identical materials, there is still no study that critically questions which peculiarities in the electronic structure prevent a use of the Tauc plot for (poly‐) crystalline solids and to which material classes this applies. This study aims to close this gap by discussing the Tauc plot and its limiting factors for exemplary (poly‐) crystalline solids with different electronic structures.
Enhanced Sensitivity of ZnFe2O4 Based on Ordered Magnetic Moment Induced by Magnetic Field: A New Insight into Mechanism
Authors: Zhang Zixuan , Cao Jing , Wang Shuangming , Sun Zhiying , Li Jiahao
Published: September 2023

Semiconductor gas sensor mainly relies on the interaction between sensitive materials and gas to obtain gas information. Deep insight into the interaction mechanism is increasingly important for designing high performance gas sensors. Here, ZnFe2O4 microspheres (MSs) are utilized with tunable magnetism through the assistance of magnetic field to study the essential elements of sensitive processes. The gas sensing properties of ZnFe2O4 MS under different applied magnetic field intensities and various gaseous environments are systematically investigated. The results suggest that ordered magnetic moment induced by magnetic field promotes the probability of contact and reaction between gases and sensitive materials, thus significantly improving the sensitivity. Especially, ZnFe2O4 annealed at 500 °C sensor under the action of 54.6 mT magnetic field exhibits excellent ethanol detection performance (S = 67.8), which is ≈4 times higher than that without magnetic field. By carefully analyzing the experimental results, this research proposes a new physical model called “port docking” to re‐explain the sensitivity mechanism. This work systematically studies the role of the magnetic moment in the sensing process, and provides a new idea for designing high‐performance gas sensors.
Precise RNA Editing: Cascade Self‐Uncloaking Dual‐Prodrug Nanoassemblies Based on CRISPR/Cas13a for Pleiotropic Immunotherapy of PD‐L1‐Resistant Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Zhang Bingchen , Wang Yuehua , Wang Shengtao , Tang Yan , Li Zibo , Lin Ling , Wu Yifen , Yu Zhiqiang
Published: September 2023

CRISPR/Cas13a is a powerful genome editing system for RNA knockdown that holds enormous potential for cancer treatment by targeting currently undruggable oncogenes or immune checkpoints. However, the precise intratumoral activation of CRISPR/Cas13a to maximize the therapeutic efficiency while guaranteeing biosafety remains a daunting challenge. Here, a cascade self‐uncloaking nanoassembly (SRC) based on a dual‐prodrug comprising SN38 and Cas13a/RNP is developed, and the external encapsulation is performed by coating with a ROS‐responsive probe, which is stimulated by the tumor microenvironment to achieve the efficient NIR‐II imaging by CH10055 due to disaggregation into single molecules, while the second release of prodrug in the hypoxic environment enables targeted controlled release. SN38 not only induces immunogenic cell death (ICD), but significantly combats the immunosuppressive microenvironment of colorectal cancer in combination with the RNA editing targeting the novel immune checkpoint TIM3 to regulate the cGAS‐STING pathways, resulting in synergistic activation of both innate and adaptive immunity. The treatment of SRC exhibits a tenfold increase in tumor regression of α‐PD‐L1 in PD‐L1‐resistant orthotopic and xenograft models by inducing effective tumor immune infiltration. These results demonstrate the feasibility of using CRISPR/Cas13a in cancer treatment, and SRC holds immense promise as a neoadjuvant strategy for enhancing CRC immunotherapy.
Boosting Redox Kinetics of Sulfur Electrochemistry by Manipulating Interfacial Charge Redistribution and Multiple Spatial Confinement in Mott–Schottky Electrocatalysts
Authors: Luo Rongjie , Guo Qifei , Tang Zihuan , Zhang Miaomiao , Li Xingxing , Gao Biao , Zhang Xuming , Huo Kaifu , Zheng Yang
Published: September 2023

The serious shuttle effect and sluggish reaction kinetics intrinsically handicap the practical application of Li‐S batteries. Herein, a unique 3D hierarchically porous Mott–Schottky electrocatalyst composed of W2C quantum dots (QD) spatially confined in nitrogen‐doped graphene microspheres (NGM) is proposed for regulating the kinetics of sulfur electrochemistry. Experimental and theoretical results disclose a spontaneous charge rearrangement and induce built‐in electric field across the W2C QD/NGM heterojunction interface, contributing to reduced energy barrier for both polysulfides reduction and Li2S oxidation during entitle discharge/charge processes. Furthermore, the ultrasmall W2C QD with high electrocatalytic activity and superior conductivity can promote the conversion of S species, while the hierarchically porous microspheres assembled from wrinkled graphene nanosheets not only can efficiently inhibit the polysulfides shuttling via multiple spatial confinement, but also provide abundant inner space for stable reservation of active S, highly conductive networks, and maintain the structural integrity of cathode during consecutive cycling. Consequently, Li‐S batteries employed with the designed W2C QD/NGM‐based cathode exhibit outstanding electrochemical properties even at a high sulfur loading. The superior performance combined with the simplicity of the synthesis process represents a promising strategy for the rational design of advanced electrocatalyst for energy applications.
Bioinspired, Sustainable, High‐Efficiency Solar Evaporators for Sewage Purification
Authors: Wang Zubin , Jin Rongyu , Zhang Shiying , Han Xiao , Guo Pu , Jiang Lei , Heng Liping
Published: September 2023

To alleviate the severe water crisis, an interfacial solar evaporator provides a promising method to produce freshwater. Although many superior solar evaporators present high evaporation rates by reducing the water evaporation enthalpy, adapting sustainable materials to construct high‐efficiency solar evaporators remains challenging. Herein, inspired by the corncob pith's structure and functional groups, interconnected porous cellulose hydrogel is proposed by crosslinking sustainable hydroxypropyl cellulose. Benefiting from the porous structure and abundant hydroxy group, the corncob pith/carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and cellulose hydrogel/CNTs evaporators show a low evaporation enthalpy of 880.5 ± 42.1 and 1280.7 ± 57.8 J g−1 due to the reduced hydrogen bond numbers between water molecules and enable evaporation rates of 3.06 and 2.56 kg m−2 h−1, respectively. Moreover, the evaporators present superior purification performance for seawater and sewage, and show excellent anti‐biological fouling properties under light irradiation. It is anticipated that the bionic strategy would provide an in‐depth understanding of designing next‐generation sustainable solar evaporators in the framework of the dual‐carbon concept.
Alendronate Triggered Dual‐Cascade Targeting Prodrug Nanoparticles for Enhanced Tumor Penetration and STING Activation of Osteosarcoma
Authors: Shen Meifang , Wang Yushu , Bing Tiejun , Tang Yujing , Liu Xueyi , Yu Yingjie
Published: September 2023

The complex physiological environment in bone tissue poses a challenge to the efficient delivery of chemotherapeutic agents for osteosarcoma (OS) treatment; hence, an efficient drug delivery system designed for OS is highly desired. Herein, alendronate (Ale)‐based cationic platinum prodrug nanoparticles (Ale NP) are developed, which exhibit cascade responsiveness to the OS tumor microenvironment. With Ale triggered bone targeting and charge reversal effects, Ale NP demonstrates superior capacity for achieving deep penetration into dense OS tissues. Furthermore, Ale NP can induce dendritic cell (DC) maturation via activation of the cyclic GMP‐AMP synthase‐stimulator of interferon genes (cGAS‐STING) pathway using platinum drugs. The highly potent phenanthridine (Pt(II)) can be released in the presence of overexpressed glutathione (GSH) in tumor cells, thereby achieving dual‐targeted cascade delivery of cationic platinum drugs in OS. Notably, Ale NP not only effectively eliminates the tumor in the internal region of OS but also acts as a potent STING agonist to effectively reverse the suppressive microenvironment of OS. Overall, Ale‐triggered dual‐cascade targeting prodrug nanoparticles significantly improve drug targeting and penetration in OS, hence paving a promising avenue for the clinical treatment of OS.
Electrolyte Tuned Robust Interface toward Fast‐Charging Zn–Air Battery with Atomic Mo Site Catalyst
Authors: Wang Qichen , Tang Shuaihao , Wang Zhiqiang , Wu Jiao , Bai Yu , Xiong Yu , Yang Peiyao , Wang Yuchao , Tan Yun , Liu Wei , Xiong Xiang , Lei Yongpeng
Published: September 2023

Stable operation of sustainable Zn–air batteries (ZABs) has attracted considerable attention, but it remains a huge challenge to achieve temperature‐adaptive and fast‐charging ZABs. The poor Zn|electrolyte interface and the sluggish charging kinetic are the major obstacles. Here, high‐performance ZABs are constructed by designing polarized zincophilic solid‐state electrolyte (SSE) with the unique solvation interaction of Zn2+ with ethylene glycol (EG), and atomic Mo site cathode catalyst. On the one hand, the modulation of the solvation structure of Zn2+ ions by partial substitution of H2O with EG inhibits Zn dendrite growth and parasitic reactions, leading to the improvement of the Zn|electrolyte interface. Moreover, the polarized terminal groups in SSE are strongly coordinated with Zn/H2O, which exerts a profound influence on Zn|electrolyte interface stability and low‐temperature properties. On the other hand, atomic Mo incorporated α‐Co(OH)2 mesoporous nanosheets decrease the overpotential of oxygen evolution reaction via strong electronic interaction. Consequently, the assembled aqueous ZABs exhibit ten‐time fast‐charging ability and remarkable cycling stability. Moreover, the assembled solid‐state ZABs show unprecedented stability (1400 cycles at 5 mA cm−2) and high energy efficiency at −40 °C.
Anisotropic Interfaces Support the Confined Growth of Magnetic Nanometer‐Sized Heterostructures for Electromagnetic Wave Absorption
Authors: Xu Chunyang , Luo Kaicheng , Du Yiqian , Zhang Huibin , Lv Xiaowei , Lv Hualiang , Zhang Ruixuan , Zhang Chang , Zhang Jincang , Che Renchao
Published: September 2023

The fabrication of nanometer‐sized magnetic heterostructures with controlled magnetic components and specific interfaces holds great significance in the field of electromagnetic (EM) wave absorption. However, the process of achieving these structures still poses significant challenges. Here, abundant magnetic heterostructures are successfully fabricated by utilizing the surface energy anisotropy differences of the nonasymmetric hammer‐shaped interface to support the nucleation and growth of magnetic heterostructure components while effectively inhibiting their aggregation. Through a confined growth strategy via in situ growth of FeOOH and sequentially precise thermal treatments, dispersion of the heterostructures is achieved at the nanometer scale, while also observing a high degree of chemical stability due to occurrence of a charge‐compensation effect at the interface. Consequently, a series of magnetic heterostructures are obtained via phase translations of FeOOH precursors. The nanometer‐sized heterostructures demonstrate multilevel interfacial polarization effects. Furthermore, the hierarchical core–shell structure of the heterostructures promotes anisotropic polarization absorption. As a result, the multiple interfaces and nanometer‐sized Fe/Fe3O4@SiO2@Fe‐2 heterostructures demonstrate improved EM wave attenuation performance. Remarkably, they achieve an absorption bandwidth of 9 GHz at a thickness of 1.8 mm. A novel avenue is introduced here for investigating the intricate relationship between structure and properties in magnetic heterostructures.
Enabling Effective Thiocyanogen/Thiocyanate Couple for the Zinc─Pseudohalogen Battery
Authors: Gao Kun , Li Shuning , Liu Jiajia , Yang Tian , Yu Wenjing , Ju Shidi , Zhang Shaohua , Zhang Zhipan
Published: September 2023

Pseudohalogens are neutral molecules with similar chemical properties to halogens that can be utilized in zinc batteries. For instance, thiocyanogen, (SCN)2, features a fairly positive standard redox potential when coupled with SCN− (0.77 V vs SHE, standard hydrogen electrode) and serves as a feasible cathode to pair zinc anode. However, the severe hydrolysis of (SCN)2 and generation of trithiocyanate ion, (SCN)3−, and parathiocyanogen, (SCN)x, seriously undermine the couple reversibility, leading to a poor electrochemical performance. Herein, by selecting a water‐in‐salt ZnCl2 electrolyte and an oxygen‐enriched carbon electrode, an effective (SCN)2/SCN− electrochemistry is activated. On the one hand, intensive ion coordination decreases free H2O and SCN− contents to suppress detrimental hydrolysis of (SCN)2 and generation of (SCN)3− and (SCN)x. On the other hand, high electronegativity of oxygen‐containing functional groups facilitates the adsorption of in situ generated (SCN)2 and reduces side reactions. As a result, Zn─(SCN)2 battery can be charged–discharged for 500 cycles and exhibits high capacities (479 mAh g−1 based on the mass of (SCN)2 or 1.73 mAh cm−2 based on device area) and remarkable energy densities (644 Wh kg−1 or 2.216 mWh cm−2). This first reported Zn─(SCN)2 battery pioneers the zinc─pseudohalogen battery and raises it to a higher level among aqueous batteries.
Microneedle Patch Integrated with Porous Silicon Confined Dual Nanozymes for Synergistic and Hyperthermia‐Enhanced Nanocatalytic Ferroptosis Treatment of Melanoma
Authors: Zhao Jingwen , Duan Wei , Liu Xingyue , Xi Fengna , Wu Jianmin
Published: September 2023

Superficial melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer without desirable clinically therapeutic options. Nanozymes, artificial nanomaterials with physicochemical performance and enzyme catalytic properties, have attracted considerable attention for antitumor therapy. However, the therapeutic efficiency of nanozymes is vulnerable to the tumor microenvironment (TME) and delivery process. Herein, a microneedle (MN) patch that integrates porous silicon (PSi) loaded with dual nanozymes is devised to bidirectionally regulate TME and accurately deliver nanocomplex to initiate ferroptosis for melanoma treatment. Benefitting from the channel confinement effect of PSi, the copper‐doped graphene quantum dots and palladium nanoparticles coloaded PSi (CuGQD/PdNPs@PSi) exhibit synergistic effect with enhanced mimicking peroxidase and glutathione oxidase activities, which are ≈2–3‐fold higher than those of monoconfined nanozyme or nonconfined nanozyme complexes. Additionally, the synergistic catalytic performance of CuGQD/PdNPs@PSi can be improved via photostimuli hyperthermia. The CuGQD/PdNPs@PSi can induce ferroptosis manifested by upregulation of lipid peroxides and inactivation of glutathione peroxidase 4. Furthermore, loading of nanocomplexes into MNs for administration resulted in a satisfactory melanoma growth inhibition of 98.8% within 14 days. Therefore, MNs encapsulated with CuGQD/PdNPs@PSi can provide a potentially nanocatalytic strategy for ferroptosis‐inducing tumor treatment while also meeting the medical needs of eradicating superficial tumors.
Buried‐Metal‐Grid Electrodes for Efficient Parallel‐Connected Perovskite Solar Cells
Authors: Li Lei , Chen Peng , Su Rui , Xu Hongyu , Li Qiuyang , Zhong Qixuan , Yan Haoming , Yang Xiaoyu , Hu Juntao , Li Shunde , Huang Tianyu , Xiao Yun , Liu Bin , Ji Yongqiang , Wang Dengke , Sun Huiliang , Guo Xugang , Lu Zheng‐Hong , Snaith Henry J. , Gong Qihuang , Zhao Lichen , Zhu Rui
Published: September 2023

The limited conductivity of existing transparent conducting oxide (TCO) greatly restricts the further performance improvement of perovskite solar cells (PSCs), especially for large‐area devices. Herein, buried‐metal‐grid tin‐doped indium oxide (BMG ITO) electrodes are developed to minimize the power loss caused by the undesirable high sheet resistance of TCOs. By burying 140‐nm‐thick metal grids into ITO using a photolithography technique, the sheet resistance of ITO is reduced from 15.0 to 2.7 Ω sq−1. The metal step of BMG over ITO has a huge impact on the charge carrier transport in PSCs. The PSCs using BMG ITO with a low metal step deliver power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) significantly better than that of their counterparts with higher metal steps. Moreover, compared with the pristine ITO‐based PSCs, the BMG ITO‐based PSCs show a smaller PCE decrease when scaling up the active area of devices. The parallel‐connected large‐area PSCs with an active area of 102.8 mm2 reach a PCE of 22.5%. The BMG ITO electrodes are also compatible with the fabrication of inverted‐structure PSCs and organic solar cells. The work demonstrates the great efficacy of improving the conductivity of TCO by BMG and opens up a promising avenue for constructing highly efficient large‐area PSCs.
Low‐Dimensional‐Materials‐Based Photodetectors for Next‐Generation Polarized Detection and Imaging
Authors: Xin Wei , Zhong Weiheng , Shi Yujie , Shi Yimeng , Jing Jiawei , Xu Tengfei , Guo Jiaxiang , Liu Weizhen , Li Yuanzheng , Liang Zhongzhu , Xin Xing , Cheng Jinluo , Hu Weida , Xu Haiyang , Liu Yichun
Published: September 2023

The vector characteristics of light and the vectorial transformations during its transmission lay a foundation for polarized photodetection of objects, which broadens the applications of related detectors in complex environments. With the breakthrough of low‐dimensional materials (LDMs) in optics and electronics over the past few years, the combination of these novel LDMs and traditional working modes is expected to bring new development opportunities in this field. Here, the state‐of‐the‐art progress of LDMs, as polarization‐sensitive components in polarized photodetection and even the imaging, is the main focus, with emphasis on the relationship between traditional working principle of polarized photodetectors (PPs) and photoresponse mechanisms of LDMs. Particularly, from the view of constitutive equations, the existing works are reorganized, reclassified, and reviewed. Perspectives on the opportunities and challenges are also discussed. It is hoped that this work can provide a more general overview in the use of LDMs in this field, sorting out the way of related devices for “more than Moore” or even the “beyond Moore” research.
Tailoring Pore Networks – Gas Diffusion Electrodes via Additive Manufacturing
Authors: Weber Nils , Linkhorst John , Keller Robert , Wessling Matthias
Published: September 2023

Additive manufacturing (AM) is a promising alternative to conventional electrode production due to its high freedom of design, excellent reproducibility, and a manifold choice of metals serving as substrates or even electrocatalysts in various electrochemical reactions. Nonetheless, porous gas diffusion electrodes (GDEs) have not been fabricated by AM due to the required resolution of the pore network in the micron to submicron range. Herein, the single‐step fabrication of GDEs via AM is demonstrated for the first time. Selective laser melting is used to control the porosity, the pore diameter, and the electrochemically active surface area of the generated pore network by engineering the laser hatching strategy. In this way, the electrocatalytic activity of the fabricated GDEs is tuned for CO2 electroreduction. The CO2 reduction reaction is amplified whilst the competing hydrogen evolution reaction is mitigated at high current densities of 100 mA cm−2. The presented method is a step further towards the production of next‐generation electrodes with tailored gas diffusion layers, thereby boosting electrode performance in a wide range of electrochemical applications.