bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Understanding the Enhanced Capacitive Desalination Performance of Spherical ZnCo2O4 Electrode
Authors: Si Wei , Li Haibo
Published: April 2021

In this work, the spinel ZnCo2O4 (ZCO) prepared by a simple strategy is employed for capacitive deionization (CDI) towards enhanced desalination performance. The ZCO reveals typical spherical structure that is beneficial in providing 3D tunnels for ions diffusion. On the basis of electrochemical measurements, the ZCO electrode possesses specific capacitance of 307.9 F g−1 in 1 m NaCl solution at the scan rate of 1 mV s−1. Remarkably, the equivalent series resistance and the Warburg impedance of ZCO electrode is only 0.54 and 0.66 Ω, respectively. Such low resistivity is conducive to improve the efficiency of charge transfer and the driven energy utilization. Regarding the desalination, the ZCO electrode illuminates the salt removal capacity of 39.4 mg g−1 in 2000 µS cm−1 NaCl solution at 1.2 V. Under the same experimental conditions, the ZCO electrode demonstrates a high desalination capacity of 73.39 mg g−1 with charge efficiency of 76.8% at a constant current of 10 mA g−1. Moreover, the preferential removal of Na+, K+, and Mg2+ enabled by ZCO electrode is investigated, suggesting the radius of hydration ions plays a significant role. Beyond that, the analysis on the morphology, crystal phase, and valance state of ZCO electrode at different desalination/salination state are explored to propose the possible desalination mechanism.
Conjugated Linkers Improve the Photoelectrocatalytic H2‐Evolution Activity of Cobaloxime‐Modified Silicon Photocathodes by Largely Suppressing Charge Recombination
Authors: Gong Lunlun , Yin Heng , Tian Ruixue , Li Yingzheng , Wang Xiuli , Wang Mei
Published: April 2021

For molecular catalyst‐modified semiconductor hybrid photoelectrodes, the linker that tethers a molecular catalyst to an electrode surface is one of the important structural factors to influence the photoelectrocatalytic (PEC) H2‐evolution activity of the photoelectrode. A better understanding about the impact of different linkers on charge transfer kinetics of hybrid photoelectrodes will shed light on the design of more efficient photoelectrodes for the selected molecular catalyst and semiconductor. In this work, a series of cobaloxime catalysts, CoPy‐4‐L‐HA (CoPy = cobaloxime; HA = hydroxamate anchor; L = none, CH2, CHCH, and (CHCH)2), are immobilized to the surface of p‐Si|TiO2 with different linkers. Comparative studies on PEC performance of these hybrid photocathodes reveal that the p‐Si|TiO2|CoPy‐4‐(CHCH)2‐HA) electrode exhibits the highest PEC activity among the tested photocathodes, despite the longer linker of (CHCH)2 compared to other ones. The j(0 V) of −0.68 mA cm−2 for p‐Si|TiO2|CoPy‐4‐(CHCH)2‐HA is higher than those reported for planar Si‐based photocathodes decorated with molecular catalysts. The impacts of the length and conjugation property of linkers on the kinetics of surface charge transfer and recombination are probed by transient absorption spectroscopy, and the results well clarify the origin for the disparity in the PEC activities of p‐Si|TiO2|CoPy‐4‐L‐HA photocathodes with different linkers.
Nonlinear Photoelectric Properties by Strained MoS2 and SnO2 Core‐Shell Nanotubes for Flexible Visible Light Photodetectors
Authors: Han Jin Kyu , Song Da Som , Lim Yi Rang , Agbenyeke Raphael E. , Castelli Ivano E. , Esposito Vincenzo , Kim Sun Young , Bu Sang Don , Song Wooseok , Myung Sung , Lee Sun Sook , Lim Jongsun
Published: April 2021

A new type of coaxial hetero‐structured MoS2/SnO2 nanotube (MS‐NT) array is rationally designed for flexible visible light photodetector. Herein, a suitable solution for fabricating MS‐NT comprising SnO2 with controlled thickness and strain is proposed. The thickness of SnO2 deposited on MoS2 nanotubes are delicately manipulated by adjusting atomic layer deposition (ALD) cycles, which cause the internal tensile strain of the hybrid nanotubes. The photocurrent of the MS‐NT‐based photodetector exhibits high photoresponsivity values of 198.4 mA W‐1 and external quantum efficiency of 0.78%. In the analysis, a linear correlation between the excitation power and the photocurrent extracted from the MNT‐based devices is discerned. At the same time, a superlinearity of photocurrent in the MS‐NT arrays‐based device is found. Density functional theory calculations are adopted to unveil the strong correlation between the strain, bandgap, and photocurrent of the MS‐NT, which is a decisive factor for understanding the experimental evidences. The detailed mechanism for enhance photoresponsivity is further suggested for the strain‐tailored MS‐NT arrays‐based device. Such peculiar properties are expected to open a new chapter in the era of smart optical devices that require low driving voltage and high power efficiency.
Visualization of neurofibrillary tangle maturity in Alzheimer's disease: A clinicopathologic perspective for biomarker research
Authors: Moloney Christina M. , Lowe Val J. , Murray Melissa E.
Published: April 2021

Neurofibrillary tangles, one of the neuropathologic hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease, have a dynamic lifespan of maturity that associates with progressive neuronal dysfunction and cognitive deficits. As neurofibrillary tangles mature, the biology of the neuron undergoes extensive changes that may impact biomarker recognition and therapeutic targeting. Neurofibrillary tangle maturity encompasses three levels: pretangles, mature tangles, and ghost tangles. In this review, we detail distinct and overlapping characteristics observed in the human brain regarding morphologic changes the neuron undergoes, conversion from intracellular to extracellular space, tau immunostaining patterns, and tau isoform expression changes across the lifespan of the neurofibrillary tangle. Post‐translational modifications of tau such as phosphorylation, ubiquitination, conformational events, and truncations are discussed to contextualize tau immunostaining patterns. We summarize accumulated and emerging knowledge of neurofibrillary tangle maturity, discuss the current tools used to interpret the dynamic nature in the postmortem brain, and consider implications for cognitive dysfunction and tau biomarkers.
Transformable Nanosensitizer with Tumor Microenvironment‐Activated Sonodynamic Process and Calcium Release for Enhanced Cancer Immunotherapy
Authors: Tan Xuan , Huang Jingzhao , Wang Yiqian , He Shasha , Jia Le , Zhu Yanhong , Pu Kanyi , Zhang Yan , Yang Xiangliang
Published: April 2021

Despite the promise of sonodynamic processes in cancer therapy, existing sonosensitizers often fail to regulate the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) against tumors, potentially leading to off‐target toxicity to normal tissues. We report a transformable core‐shell nanosonosensitizer (TiO2@CaP) that reinvigorates ROS generation and dissolves its CaP shell to release Ca2+ in an acidic tumor microenvironment (TME) under ultrasound activation. Thus, TiO2@CaP acts as a smart nanosonosensitizer that specifically induces mitochondrial dysfunction via overloading intracellular Ca2+ ions to synergize with the sonodynamic process in the TME. TiO2@CaP substantially enhances immunogenic cell death, resulting in enhanced T‐cell recruitment and infiltration into the immunogenic cold tumor (4T1). In conjunction with checkpoint blockade therapy (anti‐PD 1), TiO2@CaP‐mediated sonodynamic therapy elicits systemic antitumor immunity, leading to regression of non‐treated distant tumors and inhibition of lung metastasis. This work paves the way to development of “smart” TME‐activatable sonosensitizers with temporospatial control over antitumor responses.
Pinning Effect Enhanced Structural Stability toward a Zero‐Strain Layered Cathode for Sodium‐Ion Batteries
Authors: Chu Shiyong , Zhang Chunchen , Xu Hang , Guo Shaohua , Wang Peng , Zhou Haoshen
Published: April 2021

Layered oxides as the cathode materials of sodium‐ion batteries are receiving extensive attention due to their high capacity and flexible composition. However, the layered cathode tends to be thermodynamically and electrochemically unstable during (de)sodiation. Herein, we propose the pinning effect and controllable pinning point in sodium storage layered cathodes to enhance the structural stability and achieve optimal electrochemical performance. 0 %, 2.5 % and 7.3 % transition‐metal occupancies in Na‐site as pinning points are obtained in Na0.67Mn0.5Co0.5−xFexO2. 2.5 % Na‐site pinned by Fe3+ is beneficial to restrain the potential slab sliding and enhance the structural stability, resulting in an ultra‐low volume variation of 0.6 % and maintaining the smooth two‐dimensional channel for Na‐ion transfer. The Na0.67Mn0.5Co0.4Fe0.1O2 cathode with the optimal Fe3+ pinning delivers outstanding cycle performance of over 1000 cycles and superior rate capability up to 10 C.
How does social media sentiment impact mass media sentiment? A study of news in the financial markets
Authors: Ren Jie , Dong Hang , Padmanabhan Balaji , Nickerson Jeffrey V.
Published: April 2021

Mass media sentiment of financial news significantly influences investment decisions of investors. Hence, studying how this sentiment emerges is important. In years past, this was straightforward, often dictated by journalists who cover financial news, but this has become more complex now. In this paper, we focus on how social media sentiment affects mass media sentiment. Using data from Sina Weibo and Sina Finance (around 60 million weibos and 6.2 million news articles), we show that social media does influence mass media sentiment emergence for financial news. The sentiment consistency between social media reaction and prior news articles amplifies the persistence of mass media sentiment over time. By contrast, we found limited evidence of social media reducing the persistence of mass media sentiment over time. The results have significant implications for understanding how 2 types of media, treated separately in the literature, may be connected.
Photofermentative biohydrogen generation from organic acids by Rhodobacter sphaeroides O.U.001: Computational fluid dynamics modeling of hydrodynamics and temperature
Authors: Basak Nitai , Jana Asim Kumar , Das Debabrata
Published: April 2021

Hydrogen gas is a clean‐burning fuel suitable for powering public vehicles. Hydrogen fuel has the highest energy density (143 MJ kg−1). This research paper emphasizes three‐dimensional hydrodynamics and temperature distribution during photobiohydrogen generation by Rhodobacter sphaeroides strain O.U.001 in a triple‐jacketed 1 L photobioreactor (PBR). The fermentation broth has turbulent flow conditions and light gradients among various layers, which affect the light conversion efficiency of the PBR. From the carbon source (malic acid), various organic acids are produced within fermentation (lactate, acetate, and formate). Modeling and simulation studies by computational fluid dynamics confirmed uniform fluid dynamics and heat transfer throughout the annular PBR. The modified Gompertz equation gave good simulated fitting with an experimental value for H2 generation. R. sphaeroides O.U. 001 gave good simulated results for H2 generation with mathematical modeling of substrate consumption kinetics and substrate utilization for biomass.
Understanding school mobility and mobile pupils in England
Authors: Jørgensen Clara Rübner , Perry Thomas
Published: April 2021

A significant proportion of pupils move school during their school career for reasons other than standard structural moves between educational stages. Little is known about the underlying causes of these moves and the characteristics and experiences of mobile pupils are challenging to research. There is currently a large disconnect between the macro level of system structures, data and policy and the individual experiences and journeys of mobile pupils. This article brings together international literature around school mobility and mobile pupils, with analyses of the English National Pupil Database (NPD), tracking a cohort from age 5 to 16, to better understand when school moves occur and the characteristics of mobile pupils. Findings reveal a sizable underlying rate of moves in England of about 1.5–2% per term and identify differences in mobility related to disadvantage, school phase, ethnic group and SEND status. The predictive power of the data, however, is low, highlighting the need for more research, policy and practice in this area to better understand individual mobility circumstances. By bringing together the literature and the data, the article concludes with a discussion of what is known about school mobility and recommends further areas for research into the characteristics, experiences and outcomes of mobile school pupils.
Identification of Active Sites in the Catalytic Oxidation of 2‐Propanol over Co1+xFe2–xO4 Spinel Oxides at Solid/Liquid and Solid/Gas Interfaces
Authors: Falk Tobias , Budiyanto Eko , Dreyer Maik , Pflieger Christin , Waffel Daniel , Büker Julia , Weidenthaler Claudia , Ortega Klaus Friedel , Behrens Malte , Tüysüz Harun , Muhler Martin , Peng Baoxiang
Published: April 2021

A series of Co1+xFe2–xO4 (0≤x≤2) spinel nanowires was synthesized by nanocasting using SBA‐15 silica as hard template, which was characterized by X‐ray powder diffraction, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. The Co1+xFe2–xO4 spinels were applied in the aerobic oxidation of aqueous 2‐propanol solutions to systematically study the influence of exposed Co and Fe cations on the catalytic properties. The activity of the catalysts was found to depend strongly on the Co content, showing an exponential increase of the reaction rate with increasing Co content. Ensembles of Co3+cus (coordinatively unsaturated) sites were identified as the active sites for selective 2‐propanol oxidation, which are assumed to consist of more than six Co ions. In addition, gas‐phase oxidation with and without water vapor co‐feeding was performed to achieve a comparison with liquid‐phase oxidation kinetics. An apparent activation energy of 94 kJ mol−1 was determined for 2‐propanol oxidation over Co3O4 in the liquid phase, which is in good agreement with the gas‐phase oxidation in the presence of water vapor. In contrast to gas‐phase conditions, the catalysts showed high stability and reusability in the aqueous phase with constant conversion in three consecutive runs.
Effects of calcination atmosphere on the performance of the co‐precipitated Ni/ZrO2 catalyst in dry reforming of methane
Authors: Zhang Meng , Zhang Junfeng , Zhou Zeling , Zhang Qingde , Tan Yisheng , Han Yizhuo
Published: April 2021

The effects of the calcination atmospheres (H2, N2, and O2) on the performance of Ni/ZrO2 catalysts prepared by the conventional co‐precipitation method for dry reforming of methane (DRM) were investigated in this work. The catalyst calcined in O2 atmosphere (NZO) showed the highest Ni dispersion (10.99%), followed by the one calcined in N2 (NZN, 8.14%) and H2 atmosphere (NZH, 5.97%). Additionally, NZO and NZN exhibited relatively stronger metal‐support interaction than NZH and the incorporated Ni species on NZO and NZN were capable of stabilizing the metastable tetragonal ZrO2, which possessed more oxygen vacancies and higher oxygen mobility than monoclinic ZrO2. The evaluation results revealed that the activity of the employed catalysts displayed the following sequence: NZO > NZN > NZH, which was mainly determined by their Ni dispersion. The amount of carbon deposited on NZO (2.2%) was less than that on NZN (5.0%), and the deactivation rate of NZO (0.47% per hour) was slower than that of NZN (0.53% per hour). Due to its low CH4 conversion and the weak metal‐support interaction, NZH showed the least carbon deposition (1.1%) and the slowest deactivation rate (0.37% per hour) among the representative catalysts.
Synthesis of Phenanthridine and Quinoxaline Derivatives viaCopper‐Catalyzed Radical Cyanoalkylation of Cyclobutanone Oxime Esters and Vinyl Azides
Authors: Liang Qi , Lin Long , Li Guodong , Kong Xianqiang , Xu Bo
Published: April 2021

Main observation and conclusion

A copper‐catalyzed radical cyclization of cyclobutanone oxime esters and vinyl azide is described. This method provides facile access to cyanoalkyl‐substituted phenanthridines and quinoxalines with excellent isolated yields. Moreover, these reactions proceed under mild conditions with a board substrate scope and excellent functional group tolerance.
A Jackknife empirical likelihood approach forK‐sample Tests
Authors: Sang Yongli , Dang Xin , Zhao Yichuan
Published: April 2021

The categorical Gini correlation is an alternative measure of dependence between categorical and numerical variables, which characterizes the independence of the variables. A non‐parametric test based on the categorical Gini correlation for the equality ofKdistributions is developed. By applying the jackknife empirical likelihood approach, the standard limiting chi‐squared distribution with degrees of freedom ofK − 1 is established and is used to determine the critical value andp‐value of the test. Simulation studies show that the proposed method is competitive with existing methods in terms of power of the tests in most cases. The proposed method is illustrated in an application on a real dataset.
Assessment of non‐vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants for the management of left ventricular thrombus
Authors: Li Shunhui , Deng Yuqing , Tong Yifan , Xiong Qiangzhen , Hu Jing , Jiang Xiaojie , He Tao , Liu Liyun , Chen Hui
Published: April 2021

Although several studies have assessed the effect of non‐vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) relative to that of vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) in patients with left ventricular thrombus, the results remain controversial. Herein, a meta‐analysis was performed to compare the effectiveness and safety of NOACs versus VKAs for the treatment of left ventricular thrombus. We systematically searched the Cochrane Library, PubMed and Embase databases until November 2020 for studies that compared the effects of NOACs versus VKAs in patients with left ventricular thrombus. The treatment effects were expressed as odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) and pooled by a random‐effects model. Seven retrospective studies involving 865 patients with left ventricular thrombus (266 NOAC and 599 VKA users) were included. The pooled analysis suggested no difference in the rate of thrombus resolution between the NOAC and VKA groups (OR = 0.83, 95% CI 0.61–1.13). There were also no differences in the rates of stroke or systemic embolism (OR = 0.62, 95% CI 0.20–1.97), bleeding events (OR = 0.73, 95% CI 0.37–1.45), or all‐cause death (OR = 0.92, 95% CI 0.50–1.69) between patients treated with NOACs and those treated with VKAs. In addition, the rates of thrombus resolution, stroke or systemic embolism, bleeding events, and all‐cause death between NOAC‐ and warfarin‐treated patients were also similar. Our current evidence suggested that NOAC and VKA users had similar rates of thrombus resolution and clinical outcomes among patients with left ventricular thrombus. Further large‐scale prospective studies should confirm our results.
CX3CR1 mutation alters synaptic and astrocytic protein expression, topographic gradients, and response latencies in the auditory brainstem
Authors: Milinkeviciute Giedre , Chokr Sima M. , Castro Emily M. , Cramer Karina S.
Published: April 2021

The precise and specialized circuitry in the auditory brainstem develops through adaptations of cellular and molecular signaling. We previously showed that elimination of microglia during development impairs synaptic pruning that leads to maturation of the calyx of Held, a large encapsulating synapse that terminates on neurons of the medial nucleus of the trapezoid body (MNTB). Microglia depletion also led to a decrease in glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), a marker for mature astrocytes. Here, we investigated the role of signaling through the fractalkine receptor (CX3CR1), which is expressed by microglia and mediates communication with neurons. CX3CR1−/− and wild‐type mice were studied before and after hearing onset and at 9 weeks of age. Levels of GFAP were significantly increased in the MNTB in mutants at 9 weeks. Pruning was unaffected at the calyx of Held, but we found an increase in expression of glycinergic synaptic marker in mutant mice at P14, suggesting an effect on maturation of inhibitory inputs. We observed disrupted tonotopic gradients of neuron and calyx size in MNTB in mutant mice. Auditory brainstem recording (ABR) revealed that CX3CR1−/− mice had normal thresholds and amplitudes but decreased latencies and interpeak latencies, particularly for the highest frequencies. These results demonstrate that disruption of fractalkine signaling has a significant effect on auditory brainstem development. Our findings highlight the importance of neuron–microglia–astrocyte communication in pruning of inhibitory synapses and establishment of tonotopic gradients early in postnatal development.
Nano‐Optical Tweezers: Methods and Applications for Trapping Single Molecules and Nanoparticles
Authors: Kolbow Joshua D. , Lindquist Nathan C. , Ertsgaard Christopher T. , Yoo Daehan , Oh Sang‐Hyun
Published: April 2021

Optical tweezers were developed in 1970 by Arthur Ashkin as a tool for the manipulation of micron‐sized particles. Ashkin's original design was then adapted for a variety of purposes, such as trapping and manipulation of biological materials[1] and the laser cooling of atoms.[2,3] More recent development has led to nano‐optical tweezers, for trapping particles on the scale of only a few nanometers, and holographic tweezers, which allow for dynamic control of multiple traps in real‐time. These alternatives to conventional optical tweezers have made it possible to trap single molecules and to perform a variety of studies on them. Presented here is a review of recent developments in nano‐optical tweezers and their current and future applications.
Double‐gate line‐tunneling field‐effect transistor devices for superior analog performance
Authors: Simhadri Hariprasad , Dan Surya Shankar , Yadav Ramakant , Mishra Ashutosh
Published: April 2021

This paper presents a double‐gate line‐tunneling field‐effect transistor (DGLTFET) device optimized for superior analog performance. DGLTFET has thrice the on currents Ion, at least one order lower off currents I o f f, twice the transconductance gm, at least two orders higher output resistance ro, and at least two orders higher overall intrinsic gain gmro than the equivalent metal‐oxide‐semiconductor field‐effect transistor (MOSFET) having the same width at the same technology node. The proposed device, being a double‐gate (DG) structure, exhibits extremely high vertical fields which ensures that line‐tunneling dominates over the point‐tunneling by several orders. This eliminates the notorious “hump” or the “kink” effects observed in conventional LTFET characteristics, which are detrimental for analog applications. In this work, we have optimized the DGLTFET device by changing critical parameters like the epi‐layer thickness and its doping concentration, which have serious influence on the line‐tunneling behavior. Optimization of the critical parameters for enhanced line‐tunneling leads to improved analog performance parameters like gm and ro, and finally, superior analog circuits. The performance of the DGLTFET was benchmarked with the equivalent MOSFET in fundamental analog VLSI circuits, namely, CS amplifier (both resistive and cascode loads), current mirror (both single‐stage and cascode configurations), and a two‐stage op‐amp. This paper shows that the DGLTFET CS amplifier has a gain‐BW product or unity‐gain BW fT of 15 GHz, while that of MOSFET CS amplifier with the same bias current is 10 GHz. The DGLTFET current mirror has at least three orders of magnitude higher ro than the corresponding MOSFET current mirror. Similarly, the common‐mode rejection ratio (CMRR) of the DGLTFET op‐amp is 57 dB compared to the CMRR of 33.5 dB of the equivalent design in standard 45‐nm complementary metal‐oxide semiconductor (CMOS) technology. The 45‐nm library is the lowest industry‐standard technology node currently available free for academic licenses in the public domain; hence, the benchmarking for validation was carried out at 45 nm. However, the claims/investigations made in this work are also valid for lower technologies, and related results are excluded in this report keeping the manuscript length in mind.
Structural Variety of Iron Carbonyl Clusters Featuring Ferrocenylphosphines
Authors: Korb Marcus , Liu Xianming , Walz Sebastian , Mahrholdt Julia , Popov Alexey A. , Lang Heinrich
Published: April 2021

The reaction chemistry of Fe2(CO)9 (10) with ferrocenenyl dichlorophosphines of different substitution is discussed. Single FcPCl2, (5) as well as 1,1’‐ (6) and 1,2‐ (9) difunctionalized phosphines were used, of which 6 and 9, were prepared in a novel straightforward synthetic process. Substrate 5 gave butterfly‐shaped Fe2(CO)6(μ2‐Cl)(μ2‐PFcCl) and Fe2(CO)6(μ2‐PFcR1)(μ2‐PFcR2) (R1, R2=Cl, H). In addition, nido‐Fe3(CO)10(μ3‐PFc) and nido‐Fe3(CO)9(μ3‐PFc)2 were obtained. 1,1’‐Functionalized 6 bridges both ends of the Fe2(CO)6 entity. Therein, the so far smallest non‐binding P⋅⋅⋅P distance (2.7674(12) Å) between both 1,1’‐substituents is observed. Additionally, an ‘organometallic octabisvalene’, containing two [2]ferrocenophane entities was obtained. The eight‐membered cyclic structure is twisted by 35.31(9)° regarding their ferrocenyl axis. Usage of 1,2‐(PCl2)2 functionalized 9 produced two isomers of a P−P connected dimer, which coordinates towards two independent Fe2(CO)6 fragments in a novel μ,μ’,κ8 or bis(μ,κ4) fashion, resulting in a meso isomer with a planar core, and a racem mixture, possessing a pocket‐type structure. The latter shows the so far shortest observed P⋅⋅⋅P distance of 2.950(7) Å between two ortho P atoms of a ferrocenyl backbone. The results confirm that the geometric properties of ferrocenyls featuring 1,1’‐ and 1,2‐substitution patterns are not comparable with phenyl‐based analogues. X‐ray single crystal solid state structures, and DFT calculations were carried out.
Direct internal methane reforming in biogas fuelled solid oxide fuel cell; the influence of operating parameters
Authors: Saadabadi S. Ali , Illathukandy Biju , Aravind Purushothaman Vellayani
Published: April 2021

Internal dry reforming (IDR) of methane for biogas‐fed solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) applications has been experimentally investigated on planar Ni‐GDC (cermet anode) electrolyte‐supported cells. This study focuses on the effect of CO2 concentration, current density, operating temperature, and residence time on internal methane dry reforming. A single cell is fed with different CH4/CO2 mixture ratios between 0.6 and 1.5. Extra CO2 recovered from carbon capture plants can be utilized here as a reforming agent. The I‐V characterization curves are recorded at different operating conditions in order to determine the best electrochemical performance while the power production is maximized, and carbon deposition is suppressed. The outlet gas from the anode is analyzed by a micro gas chromatograph to investigate methane conversion inside the anode fuel channel and to understand its influence on the cell performance. Relatively long‐term experiments have been performed for all gas mixtures at 850°C under a current density of 2000 A m−2. The results indicate that when the cell is fed with biogas with an equimolar amount of CH4 and CO2, carbon deposition is prevented, and maximum power density is obtained.
Systematic review of the current psychosocial interventions for people with moderate to severe dementia
Authors: Hui Esther K. , Tischler Victoria , Wong Gloria H. Y. , Lau W. Y. Tiffany , Spector Aimee
Published: April 2021

Objective

Dementia, a global epidemic, currently affects 50 million individuals worldwide. There are currently limited effective treatments for moderate to severe dementia, and most treatments focus on reducing symptoms rather than improving positive factors. It is unclear if improvements are not possible due to disease severity. This review examines the efficacy of the current psychosocial interventions for people with moderate to severe dementia, focusing on improving cognition and quality of life (QoL) to evaluate what treatments are working and whether improvements are possible.

Methods

A systematic search was conducted using six key databases to identify psychosocial interventions for people with moderate to severe dementia, measuring cognition or QoL in randomized controlled trials (RCTs), published between 2000 and 2020.

Results

The search identified 4193 studies, and 74 articles were assessed for full‐text review. Fourteen RCTs were included and appraised with the Physiotherapy Evidence Database Scale. The included RCTs were moderate in quality.

Conclusions

Aromatherapy and reminiscence therapy showed the strongest evidence in improving QoL. There was some evidence that aerobic exercise enhanced cognition, and a multicomponent study improved QoL. However, a quality assessment, using pre‐specified criteria, indicated many methodological weaknesses. While we found improvements in cognition and QoL for moderate to severe dementia, results must be interpreted with caution. Future interventions with rigorous study designs are a pressing need and required before we can recommend specific interventions.
Distinct and temporally associated neural mechanisms underlying concurrent, postsuccess, and posterror cognitive controls: Evidence from a stop‐signal task
Authors: Cao Hengyi , Cannon Tyrone D.
Published: April 2021

Cognitive control is built upon the interactions of multiple brain regions. It is currently unclear whether the involved regions are temporally separable in relation to different cognitive processes and how these regions are temporally associated in relation to different task performances. Here, using stop‐signal task data acquired from 119 healthy participants, we showed that concurrent and poststop cognitive controls were associated with temporally distinct but interrelated neural mechanisms. Specifically, concurrent cognitive control activated regions in the cingulo‐opercular network (including the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex [dACC], insula, and thalamus), together with superior temporal gyrus, secondary motor areas, and visual cortex; while regions in the fronto‐parietal network (including the lateral prefrontal cortex [lPFC] and inferior parietal lobule) and cerebellum were only activated during poststop cognitive control. The associations of activities between concurrent and poststop regions were dependent on task performance, with the most notable difference in the cerebellum. Importantly, while concurrent and poststop signals were significantly correlated during successful cognitive control, concurrent activations during erroneous trials were only correlated with posterror activations in the fronto‐parietal network but not cerebellum. Instead, the cerebellar activation during posterror cognitive control was likely to be driven secondarily by posterror activation in the lPFC. Further, a dynamic causal modeling analysis demonstrated that postsuccess cognitive control was associated with inhibitory connectivity from the lPFC to cerebellum, while excitatory connectivity from the lPFC to cerebellum was present during posterror cognitive control. Overall, these findings suggest dissociable but temporally related neural mechanisms underlying concurrent, postsuccess, and posterror cognitive control processes in healthy individuals.
Prognostic imaging variables for recurrent laryngeal and hypopharyngeal carcinoma treated with primary chemoradiotherapy: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Smits Hilde J. G. , Assili Sanam , Kauw Frans , Philippens Marielle E. P. , de Bree Remco , Dankbaar Jan W.
Published: April 2021

Background

In this systematic review, we aim to identify prognostic imaging variables of recurrent laryngeal or hypopharyngeal carcinoma after chemoradiotherapy.

Methods

A systematic search was performed in PubMed and EMBASE (1990–2020). The crude data and effect estimates were extracted for each imaging variable. The level of evidence of each variable was assessed and pooled risk ratios (RRs) were calculated.

Results

Twenty‐two articles were included in this review, 17 on computed tomography (CT) and 5 on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) variables. We found strong evidence for the prognostic value of tumor volume at various cut‐off points (pooled RRs ranging from 2.09 to 3.03). Anterior commissure involvement (pooled RR 2.19), posterior commissure involvement (pooled RR 2.44), subglottic extension (pooled RR 2.25), and arytenoid cartilage extension (pooled RR 2.10) were also strong prognostic factors.

Conclusion

Pretreatment tumor volume and involvement of several subsites are prognostic factors for recurrent laryngeal or hypopharyngeal carcinoma after chemoradiotherapy.
High performance nonvolatile organic field‐effect transistor memory devices based on pyrene diimide derivative
Authors: Wang Wei Vanessa , Zhang Yamin , Li Xiang‐Yang , Chen Zi‐Zhen , Wu Ze‐Hua , Zhang Lei , Lin Ze‐Wei , Zhang Hao‐Li
Published: April 2021

Developing high‐quality electret layer is important for the fabrication of high‐performance nonvolatile organic field effect transistor memory devices (OFET‐NVMs). In this work, three representative aromatic diimide frameworks are employed for comparative studies as n‐type doping materials for the electret layers in OFET‐NVMs, which are naphthalene diimide (NDI), perylene diimide (PDI), and pyrene diimide (PyDI). When blended with polystyrene (PS) to prepare the electret layers, all the memory devices containing aromatic diimide dopants exhibited significantly improved performances compared with the undoped counterparts, indicating that low‐lying LUMO energy levels of these dopants are beneficial for charge injection. All the devices with n‐type dopants exhibited long retention times (more than 104 s) and good switching reliability in more than 400 continuous write‐read‐erase‐read cycles. Among them, the PyDI‐based memory device exhibited superior performance compared with other aromatic diimides, which achieved a memory window of 34.0 V, a trapping charge density of 1.98 × 1012 cm−2 along with an on/off ratio higher than 104. This work indicates that PyDI framework could be a new platform for the future design of n‐type dopant for high‐performance nonvolatile organic field‐effect transistor memory devices.

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Natural language processing‐based lexical meaning analysis: An application of in‐network caching‐oriented translation system
Authors: Wang Bozhou , Jia Chunmei
Published: April 2021

The massive amount of data affects the scaling of neural network‐based Natural Language Processing (NLP). Although distributed training can solve this to some extent, it brings the problem of transmission bottleneck of communication networks. To address the communication bottleneck of distributed parallel training, (a) an in‐network caching‐oriented training system architecture is proposed, which utilizes the in‐network caches to reduce the parameter transmission and reduce the communication overhead, and (b) an improved attention model based on the variation algorithm is proposed to further reduce the model size and improve the lexical meaning analysis capability from two aspects. The experimental results show that the proposed system can effectively improve the scalability of neural networks and the translation quality.
A review of specialty fiber biosensors based on interferometer configuration
Authors: Li Xuegang , Chen Ning , Zhou Xue , Gong Pengqi , Wang Shankun , Zhang Yanan , Zhao Yong
Published: April 2021

Optical fiber biosensors have attracted extensive research attention in fields such as public health research, environmental science, bioengineering, disease diagnosis and drug research. Accurate detection of biomolecules is essential to limit the extent of disease outbreaks and provide valuable guidance for regulatory agencies to take timely measures. Among many optical fiber sensors, optical fiber biosensors based on specialty fibers have the advantages of biocompatibility, small size, high measurement resolution, high stability and immunity to electromagnetic interference. In this paper, four types interferometer biosensors based on specialty fiber, namely Mach‐Zehnder interferometer, Michelson interferometer, Fabry ‐ Perot interferometer and Sagnac interferometer, are reviewed in terms of operating principles, sensing structure and application fields. The fiber types are further divided into micro‐nano optical fiber, thin core fiber, polarization maintaining fiber, polymer fiber, microstructure optical fiber. Furthermore, this paper evaluates the advantages and disadvantages of these interferometer biosensors. Finally, main challenging problems and expectational development direction of specialty fiber interferometer biosensors are summarized. This text clearly shows the huge development potential of optical fiber biosensors in biomedical.
Incorporating a structural extracellular matrix gradient into a porcine urinary bladder matrix‐based hydrogel dermal scaffold
Authors: Allbritton‐King Jules D. , Kimicata Megan , Fisher John P.
Published: April 2021

The increasing prevalence of chronic, nonhealing wounds necessitates the investigation of full‐thickness skin substitutes conducive to host integration and wound closure. Extracellular matrix (ECM)‐based hydrogel scaffolds mimic the physiological matrix environment of dermal cells, thereby conferring favorable cellular adhesion, infiltration, and proliferation. However, low‐concentration ECM hydrogels rapidly lose mechanical strength as they degrade, leaving them susceptible to shrinkage from fibroblast‐mediated contraction. Conversely, high‐concentration ECM hydrogels are typically too dense to permit nutrient diffusion and cellular migration. This study investigates the design and fabrication of a graded‐concentration hydrogel composed of porcine urinary bladder matrix (UBM) as a dermal scaffold for potential use in chronic wound treatment. Our method of UBM isolation and decellularization effectively removed native DNA while preserving matrix proteins. Hydrogels composed of a range of decellularized UBM (dUBM) concentrations were characterized and used to design a three‐tiered gradient hydrogel that promoted cellular activity and maintained structural integrity. The gradient dUBM hydrogel showed stability of cross‐sectional area during collagenase degradation, despite considerable loss of mass. The gradient dUBM hydrogel also resisted fibroblast‐mediated contraction while supporting high surface cell viability, demonstrating the mechanical support provided by denser layers of dUBM. Overall, incorporation of an ECM concentration gradient into a porcine UBM‐based hydrogel scaffold capitalizes on the unique advantages of both high and low‐concentration ECM hydrogels, and mitigates the structural weaknesses that have limited the efficacy of hydrogel dermal scaffolds for chronic wounds. Our gradient design shows promise for future development of stable, pro‐regenerative wound scaffolds with customized architectures using 3D printing.
Design of new drug delivery platform based on surface functionalization of black phosphorus nanosheet with a smart polymer for enhancing the efficiency of doxorubicin in the treatment of cancer
Authors: Hashemzadeh Hassan , Raissi Heidar
Published: April 2021

The development of drug delivery systems (DDSs) has raised hopes for targeted cancer therapy. Smart polymers can be conjugated with several nanoparticles and increase their efficiency in biomedical applications. In this work, the classical molecular dynamics and well‐tempered metadynamics simulations are performed to study the behavior of black phosphorus (BPH) nanosheet functionalized with polyethylenimine (PEI) in adsorption, diffusion, and release of doxorubicin (DOX) anticancer drug. Adsorption of the drug on PEI‐BPH surface is mainly due to the formation of strong pi–pi interaction between the drug and BPH. The drug‐binding to the nanosheet is enhanced by the intermolecular hydrogen bond that formed between DOX and PEI. The energy values for the interaction of DOX with BPH and PEI are calculated to be about − 180 and − 50 kJ/mol, respectively. The obtained results indicated that the adsorption of the drug molecules on the nanosheet destroyed the hydration layer around the BPH‐PEI surface. The free energy calculation for DDS shows a global minimum in which the distances of DOX from BPH surface and PEI are about 1.0 and 0.5 nm, respectively. Furthermore, the diffusion of DDS into the membrane has a macropinocytosis pathway that is in line with experimental observations. Moreover, it is found that, unlike the isolated DOX, the drug in complex with BPH‐PEI can be easily penetrated membrane cells. The study of the pH‐responsive release of the drug shows the high solubility of the polymer in the water environment plays the main role in swelling of DDS and the release of the DOX molecules.
Response relationship between the abrupt temperature change‐climate warming hiatus and changes in influencing factors in China
Authors: Huang Xing , Ma Long , Liu Tingxi , Sun Bolin , Chen Yang , Qiao Zixu , Liang Longteng
Published: April 2021

The mechanism of the abrupt temperature change‐climate warming hiatus is not clear, and understanding the response relationships between it and the influencing factors is significant to the study the mechanism. Based on the annual average temperature (Tave), annual average minimum temperature (Tmin), and annual average maximum temperature (Tmax) of 622 meteorological stations in China from 1951 to 2018, the response relationships between the three temperatures and the influencing factors were analyzed. The results showed that In the periods before, during, and after an abrupt temperature change, For the abrupt changes in the three temperatures, the regions significantly influenced by the solar radiation (SR), AMO, multivariate El Niño southern oscillation (ENSO) index (MEI), and Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) accounted for more than 80% of China, and for the abrupt changes in Tmin, the regions with significant influences covered the whole of China. The regions significantly influenced by the AO accounted for more than 60% of China, and the regions significantly influenced by the remaining factors accounted for more than 30% of China. The AO mainly influenced the abrupt temperature change in the northern regions, the AGG and CO2 mainly influenced all the regions except for Northeast China, and the influencing scopes of the atmospheric pressure (AP) were relatively small and not concentrated. In summary, when some conditions continued for a period and a tendency rate or value was reached, abrupt temperature change occurred, and the conditions were as follows: the AGG continued to increase, the PDO was in a positive phase, the AMO and SR continued to rise, the MEI changed abruptly, and the AP in each zone continued to decline/increase and experienced the subsequent trend change. In the periods before, during, and after the climate warming hiatus, few influencing factors had a significant correlation with the temperatures. The MEI and PDO influenced more than 80% of the regions that experienced the climate warming hiatus, and other factors influenced less than 60% of these regions. In the 1990s, especially after 1998, the increase in the AGG slowed, the PDO declined or was in a negative phase, the MEI and SR decreased, and the AP in each zone continued to decline/increase and experienced the subsequent trend change; when those conditions continued for a period and a tendency rate or value was reached, the climate warming hiatus occurred. The abrupt temperature change‐climate warming hiatus was the result of the joint action of multiple influencing factors.
Surgical Margin Determination in the Era of HPV‐Positive Oropharyngeal Cancer
Authors: Pool Christopher , Weaver Taelor , Zhu Junjia , Goldenberg David , Goyal Neerav
Published: April 2021

Objectives/Hypothesis

The goal of head and neck cancer surgery is the complete resection of tumor with a cuff of healthy tissue. A 5‐mm margin is optimal but not always achievable in the oropharynx. We aimed to identify a consensus of definition and management of close margins for human papilloma virus (HPV)‐associated oropharyngeal cancer without other risk factors.

Study Design

Descriptive survey.

Methods

A survey of the American Head and Neck Society (AHNS) was conducted to evaluate the abovementioned objectives by presenting hypothetical scenarios and asking questions regarding management.

Results

One‐hundred fifty‐five AHNS members completed the survey (18% response rate). Close margins were defined as <5 mm, <3 mm, and <1 mm by 27.7%, 32.3%, and 32.3% of respondents. There was no significant difference in margin determination with experience level (P = .186). In an HPV‐positive tumor with close margins, 51% chose postoperative observation. The remainder chose adjuvant radiation (22.6%), chemoradiation (1.9%), or re‐excision of the wound bed (19.4%). There was no association between postoperative close margin management and experience level (P = .80).

Conclusion

Heterogeneity exists in the definition and management of close margins in HPV‐mediated oropharyngeal carcinoma (OPSCC). Establishing a standard regarding close margins in HPV‐mediated OPSCC may allow for the optimization of outcomes and help define best practices.

Level of Evidence

5 Laryngoscope, 131:E2650–E2654, 2021
Psychometric evaluation of Persian version of the balanced measure of psychological needs scale among university students
Authors: Sharif Nia Hamid , Rahmatpour Pardis , Khoshnavay Fomani Fatemeh , Arslan Gokmen , Kaveh Omolhoda , Pahlevan Sharif Saeed , Kaur Harpaljit
Published: April 2021

Aim

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the reliability, validity and factor structure of the Persian version of the BMPN in Iranian university students.

Design

Cross‐sectional.

Methods

Study was conducted among Iranian medical sciences students from April to May 2020. A total of 660 students participated in the online self‐administrated questionnaire. Construct validity, convergent and divergent validity, and reliability of P‐BMPN were evaluated.

Results

The Exploratory factor analysis showed that the Persian version of the BMPN has 17 items with four factors: dissatisfaction, autonomy Satisfaction, relatedness satisfaction and competence satisfaction that explained 40.17% of the total variance. Based on confirmatory factor analysis, all goodness‐of‐fit indices confirmed the model fit.

Conclusion

These results suggest that the Persian version of the BMPN is a reliable and valid measure to assess satisfaction and dissatisfaction of the psychological needs in Iranian university students.
Electromagnetic shielding material based on hydrogenated natural rubber/expanded graphite blend: Preparation and characterization
Authors: Nguyen Thu Ha , Nguyen Vân‐Anh , Ougizawa Toshiaki , Kawahara Seiichi , Cao Hong Ha
Published: April 2021

Expanded graphite (EG) and hydrogenated natural rubber (HNR) latexes with the hydrogenation conversion of 60 and 95 mol% (HNR60 and HNR95, respectively) were prepared according to our proposed procedure, and they were blended in the latex stage. The characterization of EG was determined through BET surface area determination, XRD, and SEM. The investigation of HNR/EG blends was carried out through the tensile property measurement, weather resistance determination, electromagnetic shielding efficiency measurement, and TEM observations. The SEM images and the angles of X‐ray diffraction of EG showed the significant expansion of the graphite and graphitic carbon structure with the interlayer spacing (d) of 3.357 Å. The EG was porous with 91.2146 m2/g of BET‐specific surface by N2 adsorption/desorption isotherms measurements. The highest tensile property, weather resistance, and electromagnetic shielding efficiency of HNR60 were achieved when the amount of dispersed EG was 10%. In contrast, those of HNR95 were achieved when the amount of dispersed EG was 12%. EG was found to be well dispersed in HNR95 than HNR60 as being verified through TEM and FIB‐SEM observations.