bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Quantifying smoking exposure, genomic correlates, and related risk of treatment failure in p16+ squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx
Authors: Schrank Travis , Weir William , Lal Asim , Landess Lee , Lenze Nicholas , Hackman Trevor
Published: November 2021

Objectives

HPV‐associated (p16+) squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx (OPSCC) has improved survival as compared to HPV‐negative, smoking‐associated disease. Intermediate outcomes have been noted in patients with p16+ tumors and smoking exposure. However, the extent of smoking exposure required for outcomes to decrease has not been delineated due to low failure rates and poor availability of quantitative tobacco smoke exposure data. Our primary objective is to characterize the dose‐dependent relationship between recurrence‐free survival (RFS) and tobacco smoke exposure in p16+ OPSCC and secondarily correlate tobacco smoke exposure with genomic alterations.

Methods

Single institution chart review was performed of patients diagnosed with p16+ OPSCC from 2003 to 2015. Patients were excluded if staging, treatment details, recurrence status, or smoking exposure in pack‐years were not available. Two hundred and forty‐four patients were included.

Results

Patients with 25 pack‐years or greater smoking history exhibited a dose‐dependent decrease in RFS compared to never smokers. This was robust to multivariate analysis for including staging and demographic factors. Forty‐three patients with available targeted tumor sequencing data were identified. A strong trend was observed for increased C to A transversion mutations above 25 pack‐years, which are known to be associated with exposure to tobacco smoke. Similarly, the proportion of COSMIC Signature 4 mutations were also found to be more common in patients with more than 25 pack‐years of smoking exposure.

Conclusion

Evidence‐based smoking exposure thresholds are needed to define inclusion criteria for trials of de‐escalation therapy for p16+ OPSCC. Patients with smoking exposure greater than 20 pack‐years have increased risk of recurrence and a distinct pattern of genomic alterations. Further studies are needed to delineate the potential consequences of mild smoking exposure. Smoking‐related mutational signatures may hold potential for biomarker development in p16+ OPSCC.

Level of Evidence

2B
Jacaranda oil administration improves serum biomarkers and bioavailability of bioactive conjugated fatty acids, and alters fatty acid profile of mice tissues
Authors: Van Nieuwenhove Carina P. , del Huerto Moyano Andrea , Van Nieuwenhove Guido A. , Molina Verónica , Luna Pizarro Patricia
Published: November 2021

Jacaric acid, a conjugated linolenic acid (CLNA) present in jacaranda oil (JO), is considered a potent anticarcinogenic agent. Several studies have focused on its biological effects, but the metabolism once consumed is not clear yet. The aim of this work was to evaluate the effects of two different daily doses of JO on serum parameters and fatty acid (FA) profile of mice tissues after 4 weeks of feeding. No significant changes on body weight gain, food intake, or tissue weight were determined after 0.7 or 2 ml/kg of JO supplementation compared to control animals. Significantly lower blood low‐density lipoproteins‐cholesterol (20 mg/dl) and glucose (~147–148 mg/dl) levels were detected in both oil‐treated groups compared to control (31.2 and 165 mg/dl, respectively). Moreover, jacaric acid was partially converted into cis9, trans11 conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and thus further incorporated into tissues. Liver evidenced the highest total conjugated fatty acid content (1.1%–2.2%), followed by epididymal (0.7%–1.9%) and mesenteric (1.4%–1.8%) fat. Lower saturated and higher unsaturated fatty acid content was detected in both oil‐treated groups compared to control. Our results support the safety of JO and its potential application with a functional or nutraceutical propose, by increasing human CLNA consumption and further availability of CLA.
Plasma Glucosylsphingosine in GBA1 Mutation Carriers with and without Parkinson's Disease
Authors: Surface Matthew , Balwani Manisha , Waters Cheryl , Haimovich Alexander , Gan‐Or Ziv , Marder Karen S. , Hsieh Tammy , Song Linxia , Padmanabhan Shalini , Hsieh Frank , Merchant Kalpana M. , Alcalay Roy N.
Published: November 2021

Background

Biallelic mutations in the GBA1 gene encoding glucocerebrosidase cause Gaucher's disease, whereas heterozygous carriers are at risk for Parkinson's disease (PD). Glucosylsphingosine is a clinically meaningful biomarker of Gaucher's disease but could not be assayed previously in heterozygous GBA1 carriers.

Objective

The aim of this study was to assess plasma glucosylsphingosine levels in GBA1 N370S carriers with and without PD.

Methods

Glucosylsphingosine, glucosylceramide, and four other lipids were quantified in plasma from N370S heterozygotes with (n = 20) or without (n = 20) PD, healthy controls (n = 20), idiopathic PD (n = 20), and four N370S homozygotes (positive controls; Gaucher's/PD) using quantitative ultra‐performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry.

Results

Plasma glucosylsphingosine was significantly higher in N370S heterozygotes compared with noncarriers, independent of disease status. As expected, Gaucher's/PD cases showed increases in both glucocerebrosidase substrates, glucosylsphingosine and glucosylceramide.

Conclusions

Plasma glucosylsphingosine accumulation in N370S heterozygotes shown in this study opens up its future assessment as a clinically meaningful biomarker of GBA1‐PD. © 2021 The Authors. Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Parkinson Movement Disorder Society.
Stocking Practices and Lake Characteristics Influence Probability of Stocked Walleye Survival in Wisconsin’s Ceded Territory Lakes
Authors: Lawson Zach J. , Latzka Alexander W. , Eslinger Lawrence
Published: November 2021

As culturally important fisheries for Walleye Sander vitreus exhibit declining densities and reductions in natural recruitment, stocking has increased in popularity as a management tool in Wisconsin’s Ceded Territory. Walleyes were stocked in an average of 160 lakes per year in the 1980s compared with 223 lakes per year in the 2010s. However, many Walleye fingerling stocking events are unsuccessful, with zero or few fish being detected as yearlings in electrofishing surveys the following year. We integrated 31 years of stocking and electrofishing data with lake habitat characteristics to identify factors that influence stocked fingerling survival, measured by the number of individuals stocked compared with those sampled in stocking evaluation surveys. Notably, 21% of stocking events exhibited zero returns in the following year. To handle the prominence of zeros, we used a zero-inflated mixed-effects model to test for effects of stocking practices and lake attributes along with lake-level random effects. Our results suggest that the average length and stocking density are important stocking-practice-level characteristics, while water clarity, water temperature, and lake surface area are important lake-level characteristics for predicting survival. Concerningly, we found a significant reduction in stocked fingerling survival through time. Managers should weigh these factors when determining whether stocking is worthwhile for the system in question and, if so, when selecting a stocking product. Although overall survival of stocked fingerlings is relatively low, better understanding stocking efficacy can help managers maximize utility of limited resources. Future work should assess stocking success in the context of recruitment to the fishery or return to creel. In light of recent work on Walleye fishery collapses and shifting environmental conditions, managers need to temper presumptions of Walleye stocking success and shepherd realistic expectations of stocking utility in regional Walleye rehabilitation efforts.
A moving morphable component‐based topology optimization approach considering transient structural dynamic responses
Authors: Li Jialin , Zhang Youwei , Du Zongliang , Liu Chang , Zhang Weisheng , Guo Xinglin , Guo Xu
Published: November 2021

A novel approach is developed under the moving morphable component (MMC) framework to solve topology optimization problems considering transient structural dynamic responses, where the structure for optimization is constructed with a collection of structural components, and the structural layout can be described explicitly via only a small number of design variables characterizing the positions and geometries of the components. The transient dynamic response of the structure and corresponding sensitivities are computed via step‐by‐step numerical integration and mode reduction technique is also employed to enhance the computational efficiency. Compared with existing works, the numerical instabilities induced by localized vibration modes can be substantially alleviated and the computational effort for direct sensitivity analysis is significantly reduced in the proposed approach. Two and three‐dimensional numerical examples considering the cases of nonproportional damping mechanism and time‐varying mass are also provided to manifest the validity of the proposed approach.
Practice of integrated treatment process for acute ischaemic stroke in hospital coordinated by emergency stroke nurses
Authors: Li Dongmei , Zhang Hongjian , Lu Xiaoying , Zhang Lingjuan , Liu Jianmin
Published: November 2021

Aims

To explore the practice effect of establishing an integrated treatment process by stroke emergency nurses in general hospitals for acute ischaemic stroke (AIS).

Design

Compared the time spent in each link before and after the establishment of AIS integrated treatment.

Methods

Since March 2016, we set up a team of emergency stroke nurses (ESN), trained and assessed the knowledge of emergency stroke, and set up a post of ESN.

Results

The median time of admission‐judgement, admission‐establishment of venous access, admission‐cranial CT examination and admission‐intravenous thrombolytic therapy was statistically significantly shortened after the implementation of the integrated treatment process of AIS coordinated by stroke emergency nurses (p < .01). The new treatment process of AIS further shortens the time of each treatment link and promotes the timeliness.
Nurses' experiences of communicating with patients with aphasia
Authors: Hur Yujin , Kang Younhee
Published: November 2021

Aim

This study explored nurses' experiences of communicating with patients with aphasia.

Design

A naturalistic paradigm approach was adopted to describe the phenomenon of interest.

Methods

Participants were neurological nurses employed in various neurological departments and recruited using purposive sampling. Group interviews were conducted for 1 hr and 30 min using semi‐structured open‐ended questions. The Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research checklist was followed.

Results

Four generic categories were derived: “Conversations with the aphasic patients are frustrating, which leads to impatience among nurses, and they eventually dismiss the patients,” “Feeling responsible for communicating with aphasic patients but also experiencing guilt for not being able to give adequate care in practice,” “Concerns about communication methods with aphasic patients” and “Desire to learn ways to communicate with aphasic patients.” Appropriate education and support should be given to nurses to facilitate communication with aphasic patients to ensure that they are not excluded from medical benefits because of communication difficulties.
Energy‐efficient cabin climate control of electric vehicles using linear time‐varying model predictive control
Authors: Chen Youyi , Kwak Kyoung Hyun , Kim Jaewoong , Kim Youngki , Jung Dewey
Published: November 2021

A cabin climate control system, often referred to as a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, is one of the largest auxiliary loads of an electric vehicle (EV), and the real‐time optimal control of HVAC brings a significant energy‐saving potential. In this article, a linear‐time‐varying (LTV) model predictive control (MPC)‐based approach is presented for energy‐efficient cabin climate control of EVs. A modification is made to the cost function in the considered MPC problem to simplify the Hessian matrix in utilizing quadratic programming for real‐time computation. A rigorous parametric study is conducted to determine optimal weighting factors that work robustly under various operating conditions. Then, the performance of the proposed LTV‐MPC controller is compared against a rule‐based (RB) controller and a nonlinear economic MPC (NEMPC) benchmark. Compared with the RB controller benchmark, the LTV‐MPC reaches the target cabin temperature at least 69 s faster with 3.2% to 15% less HVAC system energy consumption, and the averaged cabin temperature difference is 0.7°C at most. Compared with the NEMPC, the LTV‐MPC controller can achieve comparable performance in temperature regulation and energy consumption with fast computation time: the maximum differences in temperature and energy consumption are 0.4°C and 2.6%, respectively, and the computational time is reduced 72.4% on average with the LTV‐MPC.
Influence of fatigue stress on the radial strength of polymeric braided vascular stents
Authors: Jaziri Hiba , Mokhtar Sofiene , Kyosev Yordan , Chakfe Nabil , Heim Frederic , Ben Abdessalem Saber
Published: November 2021

Metallic stents have been largely used over the last decades to treat vascular diseases like coronary artery or peripheral vessel stenosis. Although they remain the gold standard for vascular treatment, they are subjected to in‐vivo complications such as corrosion, structural failure, fractures, and re‐stenosis due especially to the material which is used. Polymer material being less rigid than metallic material could be a potential solution and would help limiting these issues especially in peripheral vessels where flexibility is required. Among polymeric materials, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) has been used to develop stents of this study, since its biocompatibility has already been proven especially in the field of cardiovascular applications. Moreover, to guarantee flexibility, braiding technology has been used to manufacture the samples. The goal of this work was to evaluate PET‐braided stents behavior under accelerated fatigue up to 105 cycles. The effect of fatigue on the radial compression strength was then investigated and the material surface was examined by SEM to identify locations of structural failure. The effect of the different manufacturing parameters (braiding angle, braiding pattern, stent diameter, and wire diameter) on the fatigue behavior was also assessed. Results show that stents have a good elastic recovery of their diameters after fatigue despite the friction that occurred between the filaments. Moreover, fatigue loading induces radial strength loss in all stents. However, this loss varies according to the stent design. In addition, no wire fracture has been reported. It comes out from the study that PET‐braided stents show suitable mechanical behavior over accelerated fatigue loading up to 105 cycles and that their braiding parameters have a huge impact on their performances.
Enhanced toughness and lowered dielectric loss of reactive POSS modified bismaleimide resin as well as the silica fiber reinforced composites
Authors: Zhang Zongwu , Tian Dan , Niu Zhaoqi , Zhou Yijie , Hou Xiao , Ma Xiaoyan
Published: November 2021

Inherent brittleness is the most weakness of bismaleimide resin, which adversely affects the performance and application of the terminal fiber reinforced bismaleimide composites. In this study, polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) with glycidyl group (G‐POSS) and methacryloxy propyl group (MA‐POSS) are utilized to toughen diallyl bisphenol‐A/N, N′‐4,4′‐diphenylmethane bismaleimide (BD resin) to obtain hybrid resins named BDGP and BDMP. The results of hybrid resins show that the two series hybrid resins perform higher toughness, strength, water resistance as well as lower dielectric constant and loss comparing with pristine BD resin, and BDMP perform better than BDGP due to that MA‐POSS can react with BD resin while G‐POSS cannot. In specific, the BDMP3 in which 3 wt% MA‐POSS is added performs the highest impact strength of 19.0 KJ/m2, increased by 102.1% comparing with pristine BD resin, and it also performs the lowest dielectric constant of 3.04 as well as lowest dielectric loss of 0.006 at 1 MHz. In addition, the silica fiber reinforced BDMP composites (SF/BDMP) are fabricated, and the results show that the bending strength and interlaminar shear strength of SF/BDMP3 composite are enhanced to 290.2 and 32.5 MPa, 32.0% and 38.4% higher than those of SF/BD composite, and the corresponding dielectric loss (0.025) at 8.2 GHz is reduced by 45.9%. This research displays that reactive POSS can improve the toughness and reduce the dielectric loss of resin, which is benefit to obtain a high performance and functional resin‐based composites with excellent mechanical properties and low dielectric properties.
Olive fiber reinforced epoxy composites: Dimensional Stability, and mechanical properties
Authors: Sarmin Siti Noorbaini , Jawaid Mohammad , Awad Sameer A. , Saba Naheed , Fouad Hassan , Alothman Othman Y. , Sain Mohini
Published: November 2021

The processing of olive (Olea europaea L.) oil results in large quantities of solid waste consisting primarily of tree pruning remainders from olive trees growing. This has led to the idea of utilizing the leftovers into a value‐added product; natural composite materials are utilized as alternatives to environmentally damaging synthetic materials. This study deals with the evaluation of the filling properties of the residue; olive tree small branch (OTS), olive tree big brunch (OTB) and olive tree leaves powder, for epoxy matrix biocomposite. Olive powder reinforced epoxy composite was processed at 40% filler loading. In this paper, the various forms of impacts of filler within epoxy on the physical and mechanical of epoxy composites were scrutinized by tensile, flexural, impact, thickness swelling, and water absorption tests. From the observation, it was discovered that the tensile and flexural strength of epoxy composite reinforced with OTS and OTB increased by about 27% and 47%, respectively. The impact strength values of OTS and OTB epoxy composites were 8.61, 7.88, and 5.97 J/m, respectively, while the virgin epoxy increased up to 16 J/m. The microstructure of the composites is also analyzed using scanning electron microscopy to analyze interfacial bonding.
Improvement in the thermal and mechanical properties of PP/Clay nanocomposite using novel ethoxylated oxidized PE wax as a compatibilizer
Authors: Karimi Mohammad Hadi , Mortazavi Seyed Mohammad Mahdi , Ahmadjo Saeid , Azizi Hamed , Rostami‐Darounkola Mohammad Reza
Published: November 2021

An ethoxylated polyethylene wax (E‐OPEW) was synthesized by PEGylation reaction between methoxy polyethylene glycol and oxidized PE wax. Clay nanoparticles were modified with different ratios of E‐OPEW and then compounded with PP by the melt mixing process. E‐OPEW and PP showed excellent compatibility, but at high percentages of wax (15%), incompatibility occurred between the two phases. In addition, the presence of modified clays in the PP matrix decreased the crystallinity percentage, though it did not change the melting temperature significantly. The results showed that functionalized wax is able to penetrate between clay platelets and increase the distance between them and improve their dispersion in the polymer matrix. Furthermore, it was observed that the distance between clay platelets increased by increasing E‐OPEW content. In addition, this result led to a significant improvement in the barrier properties of clay platelets and the thermal stability of the modified nanocomposite compared to other cases. Despite the improved dispersion of nanoparticles, the mechanical strength of nanocomposites decreased at a high percentage of E‐OPEW.
A new approach of microwave treatment to augment the mechanical properties of polymeric materials
Authors: Chopra Swamini , Pande Kavita , Tupe Pritamkumar S. , Zine Kanchan , Rathod Kartik , Deshmukh Abhay , Peshwe Dilip R.
Published: November 2021

The present study portrays a novel post‐processing treatment by using microwave radiations for enhancing mechanical properties of five commonly used engineering polymers, polyamide (PA), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), polypropylene (PP), polycarbonate (PC), and acrylonitrile‐butadiene‐styrene (ABS). The analysis revealed that the crystal structures of the polymers improved after the treatment due to more favorable rearrangement of crystalline segments within the polymers. Furthermore, tensile properties and tribological performance of microwave‐treated polymers were found to be significantly better when compared to those of untreated counterparts. The tensile strength, elongation, and wear performance of PA increased by 51%, 286%, and 45%, respectively, only after a treatment of 20 s. A similar response was also exhibited by other polymers as well. It was noted that optimum time for microwave treatment can vary depending on different crystalline nature of the polymers. The degree of randomness in the molecular chains of semicrystalline polymers is less; thus, it requires less treatment time. However, for amorphous polymers, as randomness increases, more time is needed. As such, post‐processing microwave treatment of polymers has proven beneficial as a cost‐effective, time‐saving, and environment‐friendly technique for enhancing material properties significantly.
The course on norm‐referenced academic assessment: A survey of special education faculty
Authors: Lockwood Adam B. , Farmer Ryan L. , Schmitt Margaret , Sealander Karen , Lanterman Christopher , Adkins Megan
Published: November 2021

Special education teachers play a key role in educational assessment practices, including frequently administering norm‐referenced tests of academic achievement. This study examined the course on norm‐referenced assessment provided in special education training programs. Data regarding course (a) structure; (b) assignments; (c) test administration requirements; and (d) content were collected from one hundred forty‐two special education instructors. Results suggest that norm‐referenced assessment is not heavily emphasized in special education programs and that the practical application of assessment skills is limited. Additionally, instructors appear to experience a shortage of support and materials compared to other assessment trainers, such as school psychologists. Implications for future research, practice and training are discussed.
Sustainability performance of polyethylene terephthalate, clarifying challenges and opportunities
Authors: Sarda Parikshit , Hanan Jay C. , Lawrence Joseph G. , Allahkarami Masoud
Published: November 2021

Publications on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) continue to increase including the number of publications on recycling. PET is a versatile material with the ability to be remade from its polymer state through mechanical recycling and even back to its original monomer through advanced recycling. The scale of PET's use affords continued research and applications in improved recycling. Publications on new uses of discarded PET and the ability to clean and convert it into many forms including alternative materials are expanding with an attempt to complete circular use or improve the end of life. As indicated in life cycle assessment studies, increases in recycling lower the energy required to manufacture products. The future for PET will reduce energy demands further with the largest breakthroughs in recycling technologies and bio‐sourced resins trending toward zero energy and carbon negative solutions. Opportunities remain for improvement in the use of PET with light weighting. The testing of new resins, development of bio‐feedstocks, improvements in engineering, processing, recycling, and design continue to provide benefits. This review provides context for these developments.
Severe respiratory viral infections in children with history of asymptomatic or mild COVID‐19
Authors: Rai Nooralam , Cornett Joseph A , Zachariah Philip , Quittell Lynne , Lovinsky‐Desir Stephanie
Published: November 2021

Importance

The spectrum of complications of COVID‐19 in children, including the effect of COVID‐19 on later viral infection, is not known.

Objective

To examine the features of children hospitalized for respiratory illness with history of prior COVID‐19.

Design

Retrospective observational case series at a single pediatric quaternary medical center in New York City. Data were obtained from review of medical records.

Participants

Children with prior mild or asymptomatic COVID‐19 and no known risk factors for severe respiratory disease, who were hospitalized at our center for acute respiratory illness from October 2020 to May 2021, were reviewed.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Co‐morbidities, history of prior COVID‐19 symptoms, respiratory viral panel findings, acuity of illness, degree of respiratory decompensation based on support and interventions required, duration of hospitalization, and overall clinical course were assessed from the medical record.

Results

This study included 5 patients (median age, 4 years; age range: 0.8–9 years; 4 [80%] male). All had positive COVID‐19 serology, 1 (20%) had mild symptoms, while the others had no symptoms of prior Sars‐CoV‐2 infection, 3 (60%) had asthma, and the remaining had no co‐morbidities. All were admitted between April and May 2021. Two were re‐admitted for respiratory symptoms in the subsequent 3 months.

Conclusions and Relevance

This case series describes a possible association between severe lower respiratory tract infection and prior mild COVID‐19 in children. Larger cohort studies describing the respiratory effects of prior COVID‐19 in children are needed.
Back‐Contacted Carrier Injection for Scalable GaN Light Emitters
Authors: Kim Iurii , Kauppinen Christoffer , Radevici Ivan , Kivisaari Pyry , Oksanen Jani
Published: November 2021

It has recently been proposed that back‐contacted III–V light‐emitting diodes (LEDs) could offer improved current spreading as compared to conventional mesa or double side contacted structures. This has inspired also experimental efforts to realize such structures, but fabrication methods for them have not yet been fully established. Herein, the use of unintentionally doped and partially carrier‐selective contacts (SC) is studied to realize back‐contacted indium gallium nitride (InGaN) LEDs. The sharp electroluminescence peak at 439 nm from the multiquantum well stack demonstrates that the approach allows fabricating back‐contacted InGaN LEDs without intentionally doped n‐GaN layers and without inflicting damage in the active region, often observed in alternative approaches relying on lateral doping and the use of high energy particles during fabrication. The samples are fabricated on a finger configuration with several finger widths between 1 and 20 μm. It is observed that the emission spreads most uniformly throughout the structure for fingers with the width of 5 μm. As shown by the simulations, with improved contact resistances, the structures reported herein could enable fabricating back‐contacted LEDs with unity injection efficiency and improved current spreading, offering a path toward large‐area LEDs without contact shading even in materials where n‐doping is elusive.
Theoretical and Experimental Studies of Charge Ordering in CaFeO3 and SrFeO3 Crystals
Authors: Kotomin Eugene A. , Kuzmin Alexei , Purans Juris , Timoshenko Janis , Piskunov Sergei , Merkle Rotraut , Maier Joachim
Published: November 2021

A comparative study of the isoelectronic and perovskites has been performed by means of ab initio quantum chemical calculations and X‐ray absorption spectroscopy at the Fe K‐edge. EXAFS and XANES measurements are performed and discussed for the first time. The results of simulations are in good agreement with previous findings, supporting a cubic perovskite structure of and transition from the room‐temperature orthorhombic (space group ) charge‐delocalized state in to the low‐temperature monoclinic (space group ) charge‐disproportionated state. The local atomic and magnetic structures, as well as electronic properties, are discussed in detail.
Polymorphism and Faceting in Ga2O3 Layers Grown by HVPE at Various Gallium‐to‐Oxygen Ratios
Authors: Shapenkov Sevastian , Vyvenko Oleg , Nikolaev Vladimir , Stepanov Sergei , Pechnikov Alexei , Scheglov Mikhail , Varygin Georgiy
Published: November 2021

Herein, the influence of the oxygen flow on the formation of metastable polymorphs of gallium oxide (Ga2O3) grown by halide vapor phase epitaxy (HVPE) on c‐plane patterned sapphire substrates (PSS), on gallium nitride (GaN) templates, and on m‐plane smooth sapphire substrates is reported. X‐ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and cathodoluminescence are used to identify different polymorphic phases. The samples deposited on bare PSS exhibit faceted growth of the α‐Ga2O3 on the cones of the sapphire substrate and the formation of the κ‐Ga2O3 between the cones. In contrast, growth on GaN templates results in hexagonal columns of κ‐Ga2O3 which produce a continuous smooth layer upon coalescence. The growth of Ga2O3 on m‐plane sapphire substrates results in overgrown pyramids of the α‐phase. For all types of substrates, the variation of the oxygen flow affects only the thickness and coalescence of Ga2O3 layers. Thus, the growth of Ga2O3 metastable polymorphs is mainly influenced by the form, orientation, and symmetry of the substrate and shows a weak dependence on stoichiometry.
Solid‐Phase Crystallization of GeSn Thin Films on GeO2‐Coated Glass
Authors: Mizoguchi Takuto , Ishiyama Takamitsu , Moto Kenta , Imajo Toshifumi , Suemasu Takashi , Toko Kaoru
Published: November 2021

Polycrystalline Ge thin films are promising candidates for next‐generation thin‐film transistors. However, the difficulty in Fermi‐level control due to the high density of defect‐induced acceptors has been one of the main problems for device applications. Herein, GeO2 preparation and Sn addition are combined in the advanced low‐temperature (375 °C) solid‐phase crystallization of Ge layers that have been recently developed. The GeO2 underlayer works effectively at a low Sn composition (< 4%), enlarging the grain size by a magnification of ≈5. An appropriate amount of unsubstituted Sn reduces acceptor defects and achieves a minimum hole concentration of 3 × 1016 cm−3 by combining post‐annealing (500 °C). This hole concentration is the lowest level for undoped polycrystalline Ge‐based thin films, which allows control over their Fermi level widely by impurity doping. Although the lower hole concentration provides a higher energy barrier height of the grain boundary, the hole mobility is maintained at 190 cm2 V−1 s−1 owing to the large grains (15 μm diameter). This achievement paves the way for the implementation of poly‐Ge‐based thin films in various semiconductor devices, including advanced thin‐film transistors.
Measuring peripherality extent in chemical graphs via graph operations
Authors: Azari Mahdieh , Dehgardi Nasrin
Published: November 2021

The Mostar index is a recently‐introduced molecular structure descriptor used for measuring the peripherality and distance‐non‐balancedness extent in molecular graphs. In this paper, we present exact formulae or sharp upper bounds on the Mostar index of some families of graph operations. Using the obtained results, the peripherality extent of some chemical graphs and nanostructures are measured and a number of results related to the Mostar index of graph operations reported in (Int.J.Quantum.Chem.2021,121(15), e26674) and (TWMS J.App.and Eng.Math.2021,11(2), 587) are improved or generalized.
An overlapping peaks separation algorithm for ion mobility spectrometry based on second‐order differentiation and dynamic inertia weight particle swarm optimization algorithm
Authors: Gao Ren , Li Junhui , Gao Wenqing , Li Lei , Wang Xinkai , Wu Bing , Wu Yong , Yu Jiancheng
Published: November 2021

Rationale

Ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) is a powerful analytical tool extensively applied in numerous domains. However, there still exists the phenomenon of peaks overlapping in the analysis of isomers with similar structures due to the limited resolution of IMS. In this paper, a dynamic inertia weight particle swarm optimization (DIWPSO) algorithm combined with second‐order differentiation is proposed to separate the IMS overlapping peaks efficiently and precisely.

Methods

It can identify the component number of overlapping peaks and limit those parameters (ion mobility, intensity, and full‐width at half maximum of each single peak) of the peak model in a small range using second‐order differentiation. Based on this, DIWPSO that has been set the best operating parameters is capable of accurately separating IMS overlapping peaks to identify the compound within a short time.

Results

A comparison between the performance of DIWPSO and the improved particle swarm optimization (IPSO) found that DIWPSO with separation errors less than 2.34% overall outperforms IPSO whose maximum error is up to 5.58%. Moreover, the running time of DIWPSO is 30–80 times less than that of IPSO, and DIWPSO exhibits stronger robustness.

Conclusions

This method can automatically identify the component number of IMS overlapping peaks and resolve them with muticomponents and different overlapped degrees rapidly and accurately, which further improves the structural resolution of IMS.
Distributed robust tracking control for multiple Euler–Lagrange systems with full‐state constraints and input saturation using an event‐triggered scheme
Authors: Liu Haitao , Du Guangshuo , Tian Xuehong , Zou Lanping
Published: November 2021

In this article, distributed tracking control is studied for multiple Euler–Lagrange systems in the presence of external disturbances and input saturation. Specifically, full‐state constraints, input saturation, communication delays, and unmeasured velocities are all considered simultaneously. First, a novel event‐triggered scheme is developed to save the communication source and reduce computational load. Second, the anti‐saturation compensation algorithm is exploited to compensate for system saturation. Third, an adaptive law is designed to offset external disturbances. Moreover, a high‐gain observer is employed to estimate unmeasured velocities. Theorem analysis shows the stability of the closed‐loop system, and numerical simulations are provided to verify the effectiveness of the proposed control strategy.
Engineered Magnetic Nanocomposites to Modulate Cellular Function
Authors: Filippi Miriam , Garello Francesca , Yasa Oncay , Kasamkattil Jesil , Scherberich Arnaud , Katzschmann Robert K.
Published: November 2021

Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) have various applications in biomedicine, including imaging, drug delivery and release, genetic modification, cell guidance, and patterning. By combining MNPs with polymers, magnetic nanocomposites (MNCs) with diverse morphologies (core–shell particles, matrix‐dispersed particles, microspheres, etc.) can be generated. These MNCs retain the ability of MNPs to be controlled remotely using external magnetic fields. While the effects of these biomaterials on the cell biology are still poorly understood, such information can help the biophysical modulation of various cellular functions, including proliferation, adhesion, and differentiation. After recalling the basic properties of MNPs and polymers, and describing their coassembly into nanocomposites, this review focuses on how polymeric MNCs can be used in several ways to affect cell behavior. A special emphasis is given to 3D cell culture models and transplantable grafts, which are used for regenerative medicine, underlining the impact of MNCs in regulating stem cell differentiation and engineering living tissues. Recent advances in the use of MNCs for tissue regeneration are critically discussed, particularly with regard to their prospective involvement in human therapy and in the construction of advanced functional materials such as magnetically operated biomedical robots.
Silver Peroxide Nanoparticles for Combined Antibacterial Sonodynamic and Photothermal Therapy
Authors: Bi Xuelong , Bai Qiang , Liang Manman , Yang Dongqin , Li Siheng , Wang Lina , Liu Jing , Yu William W. , Sui Ning , Zhu Zhiling
Published: November 2021

Metal peroxide nanoparticles designed to elevate the oxidative stress are considered a promising nanotherapeutics in biomedical applications, including chemotherapy, photodynamic therapy, and bacterial disinfection. However, their lack of specificity towards the therapeutic target can cause toxic side effects to healthy tissues. Here, silver peroxide nanoparticles (Ag2O2 NPs) capable of controlled reactive oxygen species (ROS) release are synthesized. The release of bactericidal Ag+ ions and ROS is strictly regulated by external stimuli of ultrasound (US) and near‐infrared (NIR) light. In vitro and in vivo investigations show that the Ag2O2 NPs present enhanced antibacterial and antibiofilm capabilities with a killing efficiency >99.9999% in 10 min, significantly accelerate multi‐drug resistant Staphylococcus aureus infected skin wound closure with excellent cytocompatibility and hemocompatibility. This work not only provides the first paradigm for fabricating silver peroxide nanoparticle but also introduces a highly efficient noninvasive and safe therapeutic modality for combating bacterial infectious diseases.
In Situ/Operando Insights into the Stability and Degradation Mechanisms of Heterogeneous Electrocatalysts
Authors: Liu Lindong , Li Wanting , He Xianbo , Yang Jiao , Liu Nian
Published: November 2021

The further commercialization of renewable energy conversion and storage technologies requires heterogeneous electrocatalysts that meet the exacting durability target. Studies of the stability and degradation mechanisms of electrocatalysts are expected to provide important breakthroughs in stability issues. Accessible in situ/operando techniques performed under realistic reaction conditions are therefore urgently needed to reveal the nature of active center structures and establish links between the structural motifs in a catalyst and its stability properties. This review highlights recent research advances regarding in situ/operando techniques and improves the understanding of the stabilities of advanced heterogeneous electrocatalysts used in a diverse range of electrochemical reactions; it also proposes some degradation mechanisms. The review concludes by offering suggestions for future research.
Epitaxial Growth of 2D Ultrathin Metastable γ‐Bi2O3 Flakes for High Performance Ultraviolet Photodetection
Authors: Wu Jie , Wang Fakun , Li Haobo , Yang Sijie , Li Pengyu , Zhao Yinghe , Li Yuan , Zhai Tianyou
Published: November 2021

Ultraviolet detection is of great significance due to its wide applications in the missile tracking, flame detecting, pollution monitoring, and so on. The nonlayered semiconductor γ‐Bi2O3 is a promising candidate toward high‐performance UV detection due to the wide bandgap, excellent light sensitivity, environmental stability, nontoxic and elemental abundance properties. However, controllable preparation of ultrathin 2D γ‐Bi2O3 flakes remains a challenge, owing to its nonlayered structure, metastable nature, and other competing phases. Moreover, the UV photodetectors based on 2D γ‐Bi2O3 flake have not been implemented yet. Here, ultrathin (down to 4.8 nm) 2D γ‐Bi2O3 flakes with high crystal quality are obtained via a van der Waals epitaxy method. The as‐synthesized single‐crystalline γ‐Bi2O3 flakes show a body‐centered cubic structure and grown along (111) lattice plane as revealed by experimental observations. More importantly, photodetectors based on the as‐synthesized 2D γ‐Bi2O3 flakes exhibit promising UV detection ability, including a responsivity of 64.5 A W−1, a detectivity of 1.3 × 1013 Jones, and an ultrafast response speed (τrise ≈ 290 µs and τdecay ≈ 870 µs) at 365 nm, suggesting its great potential for various optoelectronic applications.
High‐Entropy Alloys for Electrocatalysis: Design, Characterization, and Applications
Authors: Zhang Yiqiong , Wang Dongdong , Wang Shuangyin
Published: November 2021

High‐entropy alloys (HEAs) are expected to function well as electrocatalytic materials, owing to their widely adjustable composition and unique physical and chemical properties. Recently, HEA catalysts are extensively studied in the field of electrocatalysis; this motivated the authors to investigate the relationship between the structure and composition of HEAs and their electrocatalytic performance. In this review, the latest advances in HEA electrocatalysts are systematically summarized, with special focus on nitrogen fixation, the carbon cycle, water splitting, and fuel cells; in addition, by combining this with the characterization and analysis of HEA microstructures, rational design strategies for optimizing HEA electrocatalysts, including controllable preparation, component regulation, strain engineering, defect engineering, and theoretical prediction are proposed. Moreover, the existing issues and future trends of HEAs are predicted, which will help further develop these high‐entropy materials.
Magnetic Relaxation Switching Immunoassay Based on Hydrogen Peroxide‐Mediated Assembly of Ag@Au–Fe3O4 Nanoprobe for Detection of Aflatoxin B1
Authors: Dong Yongzhen , Wen Cong‐ying , She Yongxin , Zhang Yu , Chen Yiping , Zeng Jingbin
Published: November 2021

Magnetic relaxation switching (MRS) sensors have shown great potential in food safety monitoring due to their high signal‐to‐noise ratio and simplicity, but they often suffer from insufficient sensitivity and stability due to the lack of excellent magnetic nanoprobes. Herein, dumbbell‐like Au–Fe3O4 nanoparticles are designed as magnetic nanoprobes for developing an aflatoxin B1‐MRS immunosensor. The Fe3O4 portion in the Au–Fe3O4 nanoparticles functions as the magnetic probe to provide transverse relaxation signals, while the Au segments serve as a bridge to grow Ag shell and assemble the Au–Fe3O4 nanoparticles, thus modulating transverse relaxation time of surrounding water molecular. The formation of Ag@Au–Fe3O4 is triggered by hydrogen peroxide. After degraded by horseradish peroxidase, hydrogen peroxide reduces Ag+ to Ag nanoparticles which assemble dispersed Au–Fe3O4 to aggregated Ag@Au–Fe3O4, thus dramatically improving the sensitivity of traditional MRS sensor. Combined with competitive immunoreaction, this Ag@Au–Fe3O4–MRS immunosensor can detect aflatoxin B1 with a high sensitivity (3.81 pg mL−1), which improved about 21 folds and 9 folds than those of enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay and high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), respectively. The good consistency with HPLC in real samples detection indicates the good accuracy of this immunosensor. This Ag@Au–Fe3O4–MRS immunosensor offers an attractive tool for detection of harmful substances.
A Tumor‐Targeting Metal‐Organic Nanoparticle Constructed by Dynamic Combinatorial Chemistry toward Accurately Redressing Carcinogenic Wnt Cascade
Authors: Liu Tianya , Yan Jin , He Chenchen , You Weiming , Ma Fang , Chang Zhuo , Li Yong , Han Suxia , He Wangxiao , Liu Wenjia
Published: November 2021

Targeted and immunological therapy have revolutionized the malignancy treatment, but is suffering from the dose‐limiting side effects and inadequate responsiveness. The emerging nanoscale infinite coordination polymers provide a feasible strategy for tumor targeting and immune sensitization. Herein, a “one‐pot” self‐assembled strategy based on dynamic combinatorial chemistry (DCC) principle is designed to construct a tumor‐targeting metal‐organic nanoparticle (MOICP) through a spontaneous co‐assembling among three metal‐organic coordination polymers tuned by a Wnt‐inhibitor carnosic acid (CA). Responding to the tumor microenvironment, MOICP presents an optimized tumor‐preferential accumulation and the satisfactory biosafety. MOICP is more active in vitro and in vivo than CA in suppressing of Wnt signaling pathway, and potently inhibits tumor growth in a patient‐derived xenograft model of Wnt‐activated pancreatic carcinoma. Moreover, MOICP reverses the lack of intratumoral infiltration of T lymphocytes, and hence augments the action of Anti‐PD1 (programmed cell death protein 1) immunotherapy in B16F10 melanoma allograft mice model. This clinically viable MOICP can not only be applied to Wnt inhibition for cancer targeted therapy and immunotherapeutic sensitization, but also provides a de novo pattern for nanomedicine architecture with cargo‐initiated co‐self‐assembly guided by DCC, thereby bringing new inspiration in general for disease intervention.
Ultrahigh Power Factor and Ultralow Thermal Conductivity at Room Temperature in PbSe/SnSe Superlattice: Role of Quantum‐Well Effect
Authors: Gao Zhiwen , Ning Xingkun , Wang Jia , Wang Jinrong , Wang Shufang
Published: November 2021

Reduced dimension is one of the effective strategies to modulate thermoelectric properties. In this work, n‐type PbSe/SnSe superlattices with quantum‐well (QW) structure are fabricated by pulsed laser deposition. Here, it is demonstrated that the PbSe/SnSe multiple QW (MQW) shows a high power factor of ≈25.7 µW cm−1 K−2 at 300 K, four times larger than that of PbSe single layers. In addition, thermal conductivity falls below 0.32 ± 0.06 W m−1 K−1 due to the phonon scattering at interface when the PbSe well thickness is confined within the scale of phonon mean free path (1.8 nm). Featured with ultrahigh power factor and ultralow thermal conductivity, ZT at room temperature is significantly increased from 0.14 for PbSe single layer to 1.6 for PbSe/SnSe MQW.
Dynamic 1T‐2H Mixed‐Phase MoS2 Enables High‐Performance Li‐Organosulfide Battery
Authors: Lv Xucheng , Guo Wei , Song Jiahan , Fu Yongzhu
Published: November 2021

Achieving high energy density and long cycle life in realistic batteries is still an unmet need, which has triggered research into the discoveries of new electrode materials as well as new storage mechanisms. As a kind of new cathode materials for rechargeable lithium batteries, organosulfide compounds R‐Sn‐R (n = 3–6) based on conversion chemistries of SS bonds have many advantages and promising prospects; however, poor electric/ionic conductivity and sluggish redox kinetics is a major hinder for their applications. Here an organic–inorganic hybrid cathode by introducing 1T MoS2 grown on reduced graphene oxide to hybridize with phenyl tetrasulfide (Ph‐S4‐Ph, theoretical specific capacity 570 mAh g−1), enhancing the battery performance is reported. This includes the improved charge transfer, stable long cycles, and close‐to‐practical energy density in coin cells and pouch cells, which also show high mass loadings and contents, and low electrolyte dependence. Furthermore, the dynamic 1T‐2H mixed‐phase during the charge/discharge is revealed to be critical for the improved performance. This study proves the hybrid nanomaterials as a promising solution to address the challenges facing lithium‐organosulfide batteries.