bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Measurement of Dielectric and Magnetic Constants of Ferrofluid-Doped Sol-Gels by a Resonant Cavity Method
Authors: Mahamat B. Mahamout , Arafat O. B. , Sauviac B. , Blanc-Mignon M. F. , Neveu S. , Vincent D. , Royer F.
Published: January 2022

Materials with specific electromagnetic properties are increasingly used for the realization of passive components. Therefore, electromagnetic characterization is a priority to know these materials properties. This study focuses on the electromagnetic characterization of 10 nm maghemite ferrofluid doped sol-gel using a resonant cavity method. We deposited the sol-gel by dipping/removal on an alumina substrate in order to make measurements on the cavity to determine the complex permittivity and permeability. Two studies were carried out; the first consisted in varying the doped sol-gel thickness of layers of the same concentration in the realization of samples; and the second consisted in varying the volume concentration of ferrofluid according to the matrix dimensions. The first study showed that the dielectric constants do not vary with the thickness of the magnetic sol-gel layers. In the second study, measurements also showed that the gyromagnetic resonance is the same for all samples regardless of the ferrofluid volume concentration.
Effect of Two Drying Methods on the Bioactive Cashew Apple Varieties Consumed in the City of Garoua (Northern Cameroon)
Authors: Ghislain Kouogueu Seuyim , Wandji Maxwell Nguedjo , Ruth Edwige Dibacto Kemadjou , Yves Didier Nseme Mboma , Pelagie Marcel Djouka Nembot , Guy Roussel Takuissu Nguemto
Published: January 2022

Aims: The cashew tree (family Anacardiaceae) grows widely in many parts of African countries, including Cameroon. Its fruit and nut are used for food and several studies have shown their beneficial effects on health. This work aimed to evaluate the impact of two drying methods on the content of bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity.

Methodology: Four varieties (VAR 1, VAR 2, VAR 3, VAR 4) of cashew apple samples were collected and drying using sun-dried and oven-dried to a constant weight, and then ground in a blender to a powder, the fresh one was cut up and crushed in a blender. All sample were reconstituted with distilled water and polyphenols, flavonoids, alkaloids contents, and antioxidant activity through different mechanisms (DPPH radical, FRAP and TAC assays) were assessed.

Results: Alkaloids ranged from 1.50 mg EQui/g MF to 5.69 mg EQui/g DM for fresh and oven-dried VAR 1 respectively, polyphenols ranged from 786.15 mg EAG/g MF to 2836.92 mg EAG/g DM for fresh and oven-dried VAR 1 respectively, flavonoids ranged from 8.18 mg EAG/g MF to 295.45 mg EAG/g DM for fresh and oven-dried VAR 2 respectively. TAC values ranged from 13.09 mg EAA/g MF to 67.06 mg EAA/g for fresh and oven-dried VAR3 and VAR2 respectively. The highest DPPH radical scavenging value (86.25%) was obtained with fresh VAR 4 and the lowest (25.67%) with fresh VAR 1. The highest ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) was obtained with fresh VAR 1 and VAR 3 (0.27 mg AAE/g MF) and the lowest with VAR 3 and VAR 4 oven-dried (0.23 mg AAE/g MF).

Conclusion: In conclusion, the different cashew varieties studied in this work are a good source of antioxidants. The drying method significantly affects bioactive compounds and antioxidant activities. A weak but not significant correlation was obtained between the number of bioactive compounds and antioxidant activities.
Morphological and Biochemical Bases of Resistance of Some Groundnut Germplasms against Tobacco Caterpillar, Spodoptera litura (Fabricius) and Leaf Miner, Aproaerema modicella (Deventer)
Authors: Rahman Shaik Moizur , Vijayalakshmi K , Durga Rani Ch. V. , Basha S. Ameer , Srinivas C.
Published: January 2022

A screening experiment of forty germplasm lines was conducted at College Farm, College of Agriculture, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad in rabi, 2019-20 and was laid in Randomized block design (RBD) having two replicates. Three germplasm lines viz., ICGV 16679 (13.71% leaf damage), ICGV 07222 (14.00% leaf damage) and ICGV 93468 (14.25% leaf damage) showed greater resistance than the resistant check, ICGV 86031 (15.04% leaf damage) against tobacco caterpillar and with respect to resistance against leaf miner, no germplasm line was found to be superior than the resistant check, ICGV 86031 (7.82% leaf damage). However, the germplasm line, ICGV 02266 (8.35% leaf damage) was next best to the resistant check. The various morphological and biochemical characters were recorded and correlated with insect pest damage and incidence to know their role in imparting resistance/susceptibility. Resistance to various insect pests in germplasm lines was due to significantly higher trichome density on leaf lamina, higher phenol and tannin content.
Assessment of Hazard and Risk Related Activities at Npdc-Ogini Oil Field Flow Station, Okpaile in Isoko North, Delta State, Nigeria
Authors: Oghenefegor Asomaku Sunny , Babatunde Bolaji B. , Elekwachi Wali , Victoria O. Emelu
Published: January 2022

The activities of oil, Gas and energy contains numerous hazards which could lead to multiple disasters such as loss of capital, damage to reputation, and also degrading the environment. The Essence of job hazards analysis and risk assessment is to design a safe working environment and to control and reduced potential hazards.  Both primary and secondary data sources were employed in this study. Topographic statistics were also obtained from goggle earth and STRM (30M x 30M resolution) download from the United State Geological Survey. Questionnaires were administered to 100 people from 3 different department at NPDC-Ogini flow station in a confidential manner. A descriptive statistics such as mean, mode, median and standard deviation were used through the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 20.2 and Microsoft Excel 2007 software to analyze the data generated. Inferential statistics were used to test the hypothesis.  The hypothesis were tested using analysis of variance (ANOVA). The study has identified associated hazards and the risk level attached to the confirmed activities of Ogini field flow station. The analysis show that the F. calculated value was 0.759 and the F-table value was 0.471. Since the F- table value is less than the F-calculated value .The result of the hypothesis has also shown that there is no significant relationship between job hazards analysis and risk assessment of the flow station activities. Companies in this sector should have a proactive thinking and attitude towards all activities and also have a reasonable level of preparedness and preparedness plans in place in case of any incidence. If these hazards are properly managed and controlled with all measures in place and also adhering to all regulatory agencies both locally and internationally, the companies will achieve a zero goal in incidence and accidents.
An Interesting Case of Melioidosis
Authors: Vijay J. , Vedamanickam R. , Devi K. Saranya
Published: January 2022

Melioidosis also termed as Whitmore’s disease is an infectious disease which is caused by bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei.Southeast Asia and northern Australia are endemic to this diseases which is predominantly transmitted in tropical climates.The coarse of disease involves multiple system involvement most common being lungs and it is mistaken as tuberculosis in many times.the other system involved are musculoskeletal and abscess over internal organs in spleen ,liver.This is a case report of 20 year old male presented with history of fever, swelling over multiple sites of the body, reddish discharge from the swelling, with history of planting trees in the past. Routine investigation showed leucocytosis and multiple abscess in liver and spleen .Blood culture showed positive for burkholderia pseudomallei .started treatment with meropenam and linezolid for 2 weeks and patient resolved from symptoms completely and discharged. Here we discuss about an clinical coarse and treatment response to bacteria burkholderia pseudomallei.
Pulsatile Delivery of Fexofenadine Hydrochloride Pulsincap by Box-Behnken Design
Authors: Prasanthi D. , Rajguru Shreya Ajay , Aishwarya C. , Rahman Aisha
Published: January 2022

Objective: Fexofenadine hydrochloride is a selective peripheral H1-blocker, used for allergy symptoms, such as hay fever and urticaria. Allergic symptoms are aggressive during early morning hours, so a pulsatile delivery system with a lag time of 4-5 hours was formulated and optimized by Box-Behnken design.

Materials and Methods: Pulsincap system using formaldehyde-treated capsules and hydrogel plug.  Box-Behnken design was applied for optimization in which three independent variables, X1= Drug: polymer ratio, X2 = Polymer: polymer ratio (Ethylcellulose: HPMC E15) and X3 = Plug weight were selected. Three dependent variables R1 = Percent release of drug after 4 hours, R2 = percent release after 10 hours and R3 = Lag time were selected.

Results: FTIR and DSC studies confirmed compatibility of drug and excipients. The empty formaldehyde-treated capsules were evaluated for physical appearance, solubility, capsule dimensions and formaldehyde content. Hydrogel plugs, powder blend and pulsincap formulations were evaluated for Physico-chemical parameters and all the parameters were within acceptable limits. Contour plots and Response surface plots indicated that as Drug: Polymer ratio (X1) and Plug weight (X3) increased, Lag time increased but% drug release decreased. As Polymer: Polymer ratio (X2) increased, the lag time was at a moderate level. Predicted vs actual responses showed the correlation of 0.786 for% release in 4hrs, 0.9744 for% release in 10hrs and 0.6281 for lag time. Optimized formulation G1 was suggested by design (with criteria 4.5-6hrs lag time, 10-20% release in 4hrs & 60-70% drug release within 10hrs). The optimised formulation was stable.

Conclusion: Pulsincap system of Fexofenadine hydrochloride can be obtained by using retarding polymers like ethyl cellulose, HPMC E15 and formaldehyde cross-linked capsules.
A Case Report On: Incomplete Abortion with Chronic Hypertension
Authors: Vaishnavi . , Gomase Kavita , Taksande Vaishali
Published: January 2022

Introduction: Abortion is a distressing experience that affects the mother in a variety of ways by influencing on emotional status that can finally result in psychological disorders such as depression [1].  An incomplete abortion occurs when the products of conception are lost in the first 20 weeks of pregnancy. Moderate to severe vaginal bleeding, as well as lower abdomen and/or pelvic pain, are common symptoms of incomplete abortion [2]. Substantial evidence indicates that women with a history of spontaneous abortion have a greater risk of non-communicable diseases, including hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, and type 2 diabetes [3]. In low and middle-income nations, abortion is one of the most common causes of maternal death [4]. In general, incomplete abortions are unavoidable, with chromosomal abnormalities accounting for 50% of all occurrences. Age, maternal disorders (diabetes, hypertension, renal disease, thyroid issue, polycystic ovarian syndrome, lupus, thrombophilia), under or overweight, aberrant uterus, teratogen exposure (drug, alcohol, caffeine, radiation), and infections are all changeable etiologies and risk factors (human immunodeficiency virus, sexually transmitted infections, Listeria monocytogenes) [2].

Case Presentation: A 30-year-old woman's case study with 15 weeks pregnant admitted in the obstetric and gynecological unit on the date 11 June 2021 with complaints of amenorrhea since 4 months, bleeding per vaginam, passage of clots, blurring of vision, pain in abdomen, breathlessness and her blood pressure was noted as 140/100mm of Hg. Interventions: Generally, the patient with abortion and raised blood pressure is hospitalized and care is provided in the obstetric and gynecological unit or ward. The goals during this phase are saving a life of mother, maintaining and restoring hemodynamic  stability and preventing the spread of infection or correcting the complication.

Outcomes: During the period of five days treatment, the client was having raised blood pressure but significantly the client’s health was improved with further treatment and management .After a hospital stay of five days the markable progress was seen further before returning to the  home. Discussion: Although the patient reacted well to treatment, more interventions and health education could be used in the future to help the patient  to achieve the better health results.
Fractures of Tibia Diaphysis Managed with Internal Fixation by Elastic Nails: An Alternative Approach
Authors: Patil Bhushan , Dadlani Mohit , Taywade Shounak , Saoji Amit , Gupta Sarthak
Published: January 2022

Background: Intramedullary nailing techniques specially using elastic nails like Enders nail are a good treatment option, owing to their cost effectiveness, less use of fluroscopy and ease of procedure with short learning curve. This study is aimed to bring evidence to the hypothesis that Ender nails can be used successfully in tibia shaft fractures under certain indications. Due to the economic nature and easy procedure, we aimed specifically to demonstrate that elastic IM nailing, esp. Ender nails can be a good alternative to interlock nailing for select cases of diaphyseal fractures. The study aims at evaluating outcome of Enders nail in diaphyseal tibia fractures.

Material and Methods: This study was carried on in the Department of Orthopaedics, tertiary care hospital during the period of April 2019 to March 2020. It is a prospective type of study. Patients were evaluated based on functionality and radiology, post-surgery.

Results: A total of 30 patients of tibial shaft fractures were selected and managed with closed reduction and internal fixation with Enders nail. Male to female ratio was 4:1. 24 (80%) patients sustained injury from motor vehicular accidents. 40% patients with open fracture and 60% closed fracture patients were involved. 60% if the patients showed clinic-radiological union in 12-14 weeks, while 50% of the patients achieved a post operative knee range of movement of 0 to 131-140 degrees.

Conclusion: Closed reduction with internal fixation by Enders nail can be a good alternative for management of tibia diaphysis fractures, when performed after proper patient selection and patient counselling.
PIP3abundance overcomes PI3K signaling selectivity in invadopodia
Authors: Jakubik Charles T. , Weckerly Claire C. , Hammond Gerald R.V. , Bresnick Anne R. , Backer Jonathan M.
Published: January 2022

PI3Kβ is required for invadopodia‐mediated matrix degradation by breast cancer cells. Invadopodia maturation requires GPCR activation of PI3Kβ and its coupling to SHIP2 to produce PI(3,4)P2. We now test whether selectivity for PI3Kβ is preserved under conditions of mutational increases in PI3K activity. In breast cancer cells where PI3Kβ is inhibited, short‐chain diC8‐PIP3 rescues gelatin degradation in a SHIP2‐dependent manner; rescue by diC8‐PI(3,4)P2 is SHIP2‐independent. Surprisingly, the expression of either activated PI3Kβ or PI3Kα mutants rescued the effects of PI3Kβ inhibition. In both cases, gelatin degradation was SHIP2‐dependent. These data confirm the requirement for PIP3conversion to PI(3,4)P2for invadopodia function and suggest that selectivity for distinct PI3K isotypes may be obviated by mutational activation of the PI3K pathway.
The role of exosomes in intercellular and inter‐organ communication of the peripheral nervous system
Authors: Bischoff Julia Patricia , Schulz Alexander , Morrison Helen
Published: January 2022

Exosomes, nano‐sized extracellular vesicles, are produced via the endosomal pathway and released in the extracellular space upon fusion of multivesicular bodies with the plasma membrane. Recent evidence shows that these extracellular vesicles play a key role in cell‐to‐cell communication. Exosomes transport bioactive proteins, mRNAs, and microRNA (miRNAs) in an active form to adjacent cells or to distant organs. In this review, we focus on the role of exosomes in peripheral nerve maintenance and repair, as well as peripheral nerve/organ crosstalk, and discuss the potential benefits of exploiting exosomes for treating PNS injuries. In addition, we will highlight the emerging role of exosomes as new important vehicles for physiological systemic crosstalk failures, which could lead to organ dysfunction during neuroinflammation or aging.
Prevalence of Frailty in Ankylosing Spondylitis, Psoriatic Arthritis, and Rheumatoid Arthritis: Data from a National Claims Dataset
Authors: Lieber Sarah B. , Navarro‐Millán Iris , Rajan Mangala , Curtis Jeffrey R. , Sattui Sebastian E. , Lui Geyanne , Schwartzman Sergio , Mandl Lisa A.
Published: January 2022

Objective

Frailty is associated with disability and mortality independent of age. Although studies have evaluated frailty in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), information on the prevalence of frailty in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is limited. We aimed to determine the prevalence of frailty in AS and PsA and to evaluate whether characteristics known to be associated with frailty, including anxiety, differ among these three types of inflammatory arthritis.

Methods

We performed a cross sectional study of Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) beneficiaries aged 65 years or older with AS, PsA, or RA enrolled in 2014. We operationalized frailty using a validated claims‐based frailty index. We also explored the prevalence of frailty among CMS beneficiaries younger than age 65 years with work disability, a younger population that also may be at risk of frailty.

Results

The prevalence of frailty in beneficiaries aged 65 years or older with AS and PsA was 45.2% and 46.7%, respectively, significantly lower than in RA (65.9%, P < 0.05). The prevalence of frailty in beneficiaries less than 65 years old was much lower overall, though still highest in RA; 11.7%, 4.4%, and 7.0% in RA, AS, and PsA, respectively (P < 0.05). Anxiety was significantly associated with frailty in subjects of all ages, particularly among those less than 65 years old (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

Almost half of beneficiaries with AS or PsA aged 65 years old or older were frail, higher than in younger disabled beneficiaries. Further studies are needed to understand the risks of developing frailty in these diseases. Frailty was associated with anxiety, particularly in the younger age groups.
Design and application of a sparse GMDH‐PID controller
Authors: Wakitani Shin , Yamamoto Toru
Published: January 2022

The database‐driven PID (DD‐PID) controller is an effective nonlinear PID controller design method; however, some electrical control units in industrial systems cannot implement its algorithm because the DD‐PID control scheme requires a large memory capacity and a high‐performance processor. In this article, to solve this problem, a group method of data handling PID (GMDH‐PID) controller is proposed that approximately expresses the behavior of the DD‐PID controller by combinations of simple nonlinear functions. Although this method can reduce the amount of memory capacity and computing power required, the coefficients in each nonlinear function calculated by the least squares method (LSM) may not be stable because of the multicollinearity of the input signals. In this study, instead of LSM, the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator, which is a sparse modeling method, was employed as a coefficient calculation method of the GMDH, in which some coefficients can be calculated as zero in order to avoid the influence of multicollinearity. The effectiveness of the proposed method was evaluated by simulation and experimental testing.
Elucidating the Critical Role of Ruthenium Single Atom Sites in Water Dissociation and Dehydrogenation Behaviors for Robust Hydrazine Oxidation‐Boosted Alkaline Hydrogen Evolution
Authors: Li Jiachen , Li Yang , Wang Jiaao , Zhang Chi , Ma Huijun , Zhu Chenhui , Fan Daidi , Guo Zhaoqi , Xu Ming , Wang Yaoyu , Ma Haixia
Published: January 2022

Hydrazine oxidation (HzOR)‐assisted overall water splitting (OWS) provides a unique approach to energy‐efficient hydrogen production (HER). However, there are still major challenges in the design of bifunctional catalysts and gain deep insight into the mechanism of both water dissociation and dehydrogenation kinetics triggered by the same active species during HzOR‐assisted OWS. Here, ruthenium single atoms (Ru SAs) anchored onto sulphur‐vacancies of tungsten disulphide (WS2) are prepared by a sulfidation and facile galvanostatic deposition strategy. The WS2/Ru SAs act as a bifunctional catalyst and outperforms commercial platinum (Pt) catalysts for both HzOR and HER. Ultralow potentials of −74 and −32.1 mV at 10 mA cm−2 are achieved for HzOR and HER, respectively. Two‐electrode electrolyzer using WS2/Ru SAs as both anode and cathode reaches 10 mA cm−2 with cell voltage of only 15.4 mV, which is far below that of most electrocatalysts including commercial Pt. Density functional theory calculations unravel the critical role of Ru SAs in WS2, where the sluggish dissociation of water in HER can be promoted on Ru sites, and the sulfur sites of WS2 exhibit a more thermoneutral behavior for hydrogen intermediate adsorption. Moreover, Ru sites are also active centers for stepwise hydrazine dehydrogenation during HzOR.
A High‐Performance Nonlinear Metasurface for Spatial‐Wave Absorption
Authors: Luo Zhangjie , Ren Xueyao , Zhou Lin , Chen Yu , Cheng Qiang , Ma Hui Feng , Cui Tie Jun
Published: January 2022

Nonlinear absorption is a significant topic in classic nonlinear sciences. Today, a growing interest in this area is drawn by increasingly severe interferences associated with strong microwaves. Although conventional absorbers may help mitigate the harmful effects, they unavoidably cause a huge loss to small useful signals. Here, a novel nonlinear absorbing metasurface is proposed targeting spatial waves. Based on an active nonlinear mechanism, the input impedance of the metasurface is highly dependent on the wave intensity. When the waves get stronger, the impedance‐match between the meta‐surface and free space is improved, so they are preferably allowed to enter the structure and be dissipated inside. A prototype is fabricated and measured in a microwave anechoic chamber, and its intriguing characteristics such as wide incident angle scope, dual polarizations, and wide instantaneous bandwidth are demonstrated, which are in good agreement with theoretical and simulated anticipations. With an ultralow profile and a simple direct‐current‐supplying strategy, the proposal can find potential applications in various scenarios to reinforce the protection of the weak against the strong.
Laponite‐Based Nanomaterials for Drug Delivery
Authors: Kiaee Gita , Dimitrakakis Nikolaos , Sharifzadeh Shabnam , Kim Han‐Jun , Avery Reginald K. , Moghaddam Kamyar Mollozadeh , Haghniaz Reihaneh , Yalcintas Ezgi Pinar , Barros Natan Roberto de , Karamikamkar Solmaz , Libanori Alberto , Khademhosseini Ali , Khoshakhlagh Parastoo
Published: January 2022

Laponite is a clay‐based material composed of synthetic disk‐shaped crystalline nanoparticles with highly ionic, large surface area. These characteristics enable the intercalation and dissolution of biomolecules in Laponite‐based drug delivery systems. Furthermore, Laponite's innate physicochemical properties and architecture enable the development of tunable pH‐responsive drug delivery systems. Laponite's coagulation capacity and cation exchangeability determine its exchange capabilities, drug encapsulation efficiency, and release profile. These parameters are exploited to design highly controlled and efficacious drug delivery platforms for sustained drug release. In this review, they provide an overview of how to design efficient delivery of therapeutics by leveraging the properties and specific interactions of various Laponite–polymer composites and drug moieties.
Regulated Exogenous/Endogenous Inflammation via “Inner‐Outer” Medicated Electrospun Fibers for Promoting Tissue Reconstruction
Authors: Zhou Xue , Saiding Qimanguli , Wang Xianjing , Wang Juan , Cui Wenguo , Chen Xinliang
Published: January 2022

Regenerative medicine aims to provide solutions for structural and functional recovery in conditions where organs suffer from varying degrees of diseases or injuries. However, the exogenous inflammation triggered by implanted biomaterials and endogenous inflammation caused by some disease or tissue destruction has not been solved properly yet. Herein, a functional “inner‐outer” medicated core–shell electrospun fibrous membrane is fabricated with RGD surface modification for exogenous inflammation suppression and puerarin loading in the core for long‐term endogenous inflammation inhibition through microsol electrospinning technique. The “outer” RGD significantly increases biocompatibility of fibrous membrane through promoting cell viability, adhesion, and proliferation while the “inner” puerarin suppresses inflammatory gene expression via sustained drug release in vitro. Moreover, in a rat abdominal wall hernia model, the functional fibrous membrane successfully reduces exogenous and endogenous inflammation response and promotes wound healing through collagen deposition, smooth muscle formation, and vascularization. In summary, the functional “inner‐outer” medicated fibrous membrane holds a great potential for clinical treatment of diseases that needs tissue reconstruction structurally and functionally accompanied by immunoregulation.
Smart Adhesives via Magnetic Actuation
Authors: Zhao Jinsheng , Li Xiangyu , Tan Yu , Liu Xiaokun , Lu Taiping , Shi Mingxing
Published: January 2022

Smart adhesives possess a wide range of applications owing to their reversibly and repeatedly switchable adhesion in transfer technology. Despite recent advances, it still remains a technical and scientific challenge to achieve strategies for rapidly tunable adhesion in a noncontact manner. In this study, a smart adhesive to achieve dynamically tunable adhesion is developed. Specifically, a mushroom‐shaped adhesive with a magnetized tip is actuated to reversibly and rapidly transform the morphology via magnetic actuation. The smart adhesive has two working modes, namely, selective pickup mode and pick‐and‐place mode. In the selective pickup mode, the external magnetic field is applied and the tip undergoes bending deformation. Changes in tip morphology allow for a reversible switch of the adhesion between “turn on” and “turn off.” In the pick‐and‐place mode, the external magnetic field is applied when the target object needs to be released. Upward bending deformation of the micro‐beam, a part of the tip, creates an initial crack at the edge of the adhesion interface. The propagation of the edge crack modulates the adhesion from strong to weak and the target object is instantly released. The proposed smart adhesive may be of interest for practical applications demanding highly precise and swiftly controlled movements.
Liquid‐Metal‐Based Nanophotonic Structures for High‐Performance SEIRA Sensing
Authors: Miao Xianglong , Luk Ting Shan , Liu Peter Q.
Published: January 2022

Surface‐enhanced infrared absorption (SEIRA) spectroscopy can provide label‐free, nondestructive detection and identification of analytes with high sensitivity and specificity, and therefore has been widely used for various sensing applications. SEIRA sensors usually employ resonant nanophotonic structures, which can substantially enhance the electric field and hence light–matter interactions by orders of magnitude in certain nanoscale hot spots of the devices. However, as ever, smaller hot spots are employed to further enhance the field, the delivery of analytes into such hot spots becomes increasingly challenging. Here, high‐performance nanophotonic SEIRA sensors based on nanopatch antennas with a liquid gallium ground plane are demonstrated, which not only lead to ultrahigh field confinement and enhancement, but also allow for convenient and efficient delivery of analytes into nanometric hot spots by employing a simple procedure suitable for point‐of‐care applications. The sensors exhibit superior sensitivity in the midinfrared spectral region. Around 10% molecular vibrational signals (i.e., the modulation of a sensor's reflection spectrum owing to the molecular vibrational modes of the analytes) near 2900 cm−1 are achieved from sensing monolayer 1‐octadecanethiol. This cost‐effective and reliable method for realizing liquid‐metal‐based nanophotonic structures provides a new strategy for developing high‐performance sensors and other photonics applications in the infrared region.
Synthetic Matrix Scaffolds Engineer the In Vivo Tumor Immune Microenvironment for Immunotherapy Screening
Authors: O'Melia Meghan J. , Mulero‐Russe Adriana , Kim Jihoon , Pybus Alyssa , DeRyckere Deborah , Wood Levi , Graham Douglas K. , Botchwey Edward , García Andrés J. , Thomas Susan N.
Published: January 2022

Immunotherapy has emerged as one of the most powerful anti‐cancer therapies but is stymied by the limits of existing preclinical models with respect to disease latency and reproducibility. Additionally, the influence of differing immune microenvironments within tumors observed clinically and associated with immunotherapeutic resistance cannot be tuned to facilitate drug testing workflows without changing model system or laborious genetic approaches. To address this testing platform gap in the immune oncology drug development pipeline, the authors deploy engineered biomaterials as scaffolds to increase tumor formation rate, decrease disease latency, and diminish variability of immune infiltrates into tumors formed from murine mammary carcinoma cell lines implanted into syngeneic mice. By altering synthetic gel formulations that reshape infiltrating immune cells within the tumor, responsiveness of the same tumor model to varying classes of cancer immunotherapies, including in situ vaccination with a molecular adjuvant and immune checkpoint blockade, diverge. These results demonstrate the significant role the local immune microenvironment plays in immunotherapeutic response. These engineered tumor immune microenvironments therefore improve upon the limitations of current breast tumor models used for immune oncology drug screening to enable immunotherapeutic testing relevant to the variability in tumor immune microenvironments underlying immunotherapeutic resistance seen in human patients.
High‐Performance Memristors Based on Ultrathin 2D Copper Chalcogenides
Authors: Yin Lei , Cheng Ruiqing , Wen Yao , Zhai Baoxing , Jiang Jian , Wang Hao , Liu Chuansheng , He Jun
Published: January 2022

Copper chalcogenides represent a class of materials with unique crystal structures, high electrical conductivity, and earth abundance, and are recognized as promising candidates for next‐generation green electronics. However, their 2D structures and the corresponding electronic properties have rarely been touched. Herein, a series of ultrathin copper chalcogenide nanosheets with thicknesses down to two unit cells are successfully synthesized, including layered Cu2Te, as well as nonlayered CuSe and Cu9S5, via van der Waals epitaxy, and their nonvolatile memristive behavior is investigated for the first time. Benefiting from the highly active Cu ions with low migration barriers, the memristors based on ultrathin 2D copper chalcogenide crystals exhibit relatively small switching voltage (≈0.4 V), fast switching speed, high switching uniformity, and wide operating temperature range (from 80 to 420 K), as well as stable retention and good cyclic endurance. These results demonstrate their tangible applications in future low‐power, cryogenic, and high temperature harsh electronics.
Synergistic Disruption of Metabolic Homeostasis through Hyperbranched Poly(ethylene glycol) Conjugates as Nanotherapeutics to Constrain Cancer Growth
Authors: Pan Dayi , Zheng Xiuli , Zhang Lu , Li Xin , Zhu Guonian , Gong Meng , Kopytynski Michal , Zhou Luonan , Yi Yong , Zhu Hongyan , Tian Xiaohe , Chen Rongjun , Zhang Hu , Gu Zhongwei , Gong Qiyong , Luo Kui
Published: January 2022

Combination therapy is a promising approach for effective treatment of tumors through synergistically regulating pathways. However, the synergistic effect is limited, likely by uncontrolled co‐delivery of different therapeutic payloads in a single nanoparticle. Herein, a combination nanotherapeutic is developed by using two amphiphilic conjugates, hyperbranched poly(ethylene glycol)–pyropheophorbide‐a (Ppa) (HP‐P) and hyperbranched poly(ethylene glycol)–doxorubicin (DOX) (HP‐D) to construct co‐assembly nanoparticles (HP‐PD NPs) for controllably co‐loading and co‐delivering Ppa and DOX. In vitro and in vivo antitumor studies confirm the synergistic effect of photodynamic therapy and chemotherapy from HP‐PD NPs. Metabolic variations reveal that tumor suppression is associated with disruption of metabolic homeostasis, leading to reduced protein translation. This study uncovers the manipulation of metabolic changes in tumor cells through disruption of cellular homeostasis using HP‐PD NPs and provides a new insight into the rational design of synergistic nanotherapeutics for combination therapy.
A New Strategy for Microbial Taxonomic Identification through Micro‐Biosynthetic Gold Nanoparticles and Machine Learning
Authors: Yu Ting , Su Shixuan , Hu Jing , Zhang Jun , Xianyu Yunlei
Published: January 2022

Microorganisms can serve as biological factories for the synthesis of inorganic nanomaterials that can become useful as nanocatalysts, energy‐harvesting–storage components, antibacterial agents, and biomedical materials. Herein, the development of biosynthesis of inorganic nanomaterials into a simple, stable, and accurate strategy for distinguishing microorganisms from multiple classification levels (i.e., kingdom, order, genus, and species) without gene amplification, biochemical testing, or target recognition is reported. Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) biosynthesized by different microorganisms differ in color of the solution, and their features can be characterized, including the particle size, the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) spectrum, and the surface potential. The inter‐relation between the features of micro‐biosynthetic AuNPs and the classification of microorganisms are exploited at different levels through machine learning to establish a taxonomic model. This model agrees well with traditional classification methods that offers a new strategy for microbial taxonomic identification. The underlying mechanism of this strategy is related to the biomolecules produced by different microorganisms including glucose, glutathione, and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate‐dependent reductase that regulate the features of micro‐biosynthetic AuNPs. This work broadens the application of biosynthesis of inorganic materials through micro‐biosynthetic AuNPs and machine learning, which holds great promise as a tool for biomedical research.
Efficient and Ultraviolet‐Durable Nonfullerene Organic Solar Cells: From Interfacial Passivation and Microstructural Modification Perspectives
Authors: Lan Weixia , Gu Jialu , Gao Xiaohui , Gong Chunliu , Liu Yuanyuan , Zhang Weidong , Sun Yi , Yue Tao , Wei Bin , Zhu Furong
Published: January 2022

Ultraviolet (UV)‐durable organic solar cells (OSCs) are realized by incorporating a CdSe@ZnS quantum dots (QDs)‐modified PEDOT:PSS hole extraction layer (HEL). The use of the CdSe@ZnS QDs‐modified PEDOT:PSS HEL has an obvious improvement in UV‐durability of OSCs. A more than 50% reduction in the power conversion efficiency (PCE) is observed for a (PM6:Y6)‐based control OSC with a PEDOT:PSS HEL, under the 1000 min accelerated UV (365 nm, 16 W) aging test. Whereas a much reduced reduction of 35% in PCE is observed for the OSCs with a CdSe@ZnS QDs‐modified PEDOT:PSS HEL, under the same accelerated UV aging test condition. Results reveal that the Coulombic attraction between the PEDOT units and PSS chains in the PEDOT:PSS layer is disturbed due to the interaction between hydroxyl ligands of the CdSe@ZnS QDs and PSS through hydrogen bond, leading to an increase in the electric conductivity in PEDOT:PSS layer through transforming PEDOT quinoid structure to expanded‐coil structure. The use of the CdSe@ZnS QDs‐modified PEDOT:PSS HEL also favors the efficient operation of the nonfullerene acceptor (NFA)‐based OSCs through maintaining a high built‐in potential across the bulk heterojunction. The results demonstrate the importance of the interface engineering to alleviate UV light‐induced degradation processes of NFA‐based OSCs.
Highly Performed Fiber‐Based Supercapacitor in a Conjugation of Mesoporous MXene
Authors: Guo Zijiao , Lu Zan , Li Yue , Liu Wei
Published: January 2022

With the continuous demands for wearable electronics, the embeddable power sources have drawn attention to develop advanced electrode materials and feasible manufacture procedures. Fiber‐based flexible energy storage devices have the potential to be practically integrated by utilizing the high‐performance materials with precisely constructed structures. Herein, a novel approach is presented to achieve an outstanding fiber‐based supercapacitor by simultaneous wet‐spinning of mesoporous MXene (Ti3C2Tx) nanoflakes. The volumetric capacitance of the porous fiber is enhanced up to ≈145% when the content of mesoporous MXene reaches 15 wt%. The symmetric all‐solid‐state fiber supercapacitor shows an extraordinary capability of 821.5 F cm–3 at a current density of 0.5 A cm–3, which reflects an enormous improvement to that of a nonporous MXene fiber‐based supercapacitor. The measured energy density is 8.9 mWh cm–3 at a power density of 401 mW cm–3, which also indicates the effective synergy of the constructed pathways for ions and electrons. This work demonstrates the feasibility of scalable production of fiber‐based electrode materials with porous MXene for powering wearable applications.
Enabling Modular Autonomous Feedback‐Loops in Materials Science through Hierarchical Experimental Laboratory Automation and Orchestration
Authors: Rahmanian Fuzhan , Flowers Jackson , Guevarra Dan , Richter Matthias , Fichtner Maximilian , Donnely Phillip , Gregoire John M. , Stein Helge S.
Published: January 2022

Materials acceleration platforms (MAPs) operate on the paradigm of integrating combinatorial synthesis, high‐throughput characterization, automatic analysis, and machine learning. Within a MAP, one or multiple autonomous feedback loops may aim to optimize materials for certain functional properties or to generate new insights. The scope of a given experiment campaign is defined by the range of experiment and analysis actions that are integrated into the experiment framework. Herein, the authors present a method for integrating many actions within a hierarchical experimental laboratory automation and orchestration (HELAO) framework. They demonstrate the capability of orchestrating distributed research instruments that can incorporate data from experiments, simulations, and databases. HELAO interfaces laboratory hardware and software distributed across several computers and operating systems for executing experiments, data analysis, provenance tracking, and autonomous planning. Parallelization is an effective approach for accelerating knowledge generation provided that multiple instruments can be effectively coordinated, which the authors demonstrate with parallel electrochemistry experiments orchestrated by HELAO. Efficient implementation of autonomous research strategies requires device sharing, asynchronous multithreading, and full integration of data management in experimental orchestration, which to the best of the authors’ knowledge, is demonstrated for the first time herein.
Apparent Colors of 2D Materials
Authors: Puebla Sergio , Li Hai , Zhang Hua , Castellanos-Gomez Andres
Published: January 2022

Finding 2D and thin‐film layered materials have become essential to develop not only in scientific‐related fields, but also in a wide industry, which is constantly feeding from this progress. For electronic devices, thin‐film materials are supposed to be a step forward to overcome Moore's law. In many other technologic areas, the development of tools based on flakes of materials has found new physics, becoming a rising field. Although, destructive techniques are commonly used to characterize the thickness of these materials. Herein, a list of materials is presented, whose thicknesses are characterized by their apparent colors in several substrates, a harmless, fast, and reliable technique that has been already used to determine the number of layers in several works. This list is also enlarged with other materials and substrates.
Enhancing Penetration Ability of Semiconducting Polymer Nanoparticles for Sonodynamic Therapy of Large Solid Tumor
Authors: Wang Xin , Wu Min , Li Haoze , Jiang Jianli , Zhou Sensen , Chen Weizhi , Xie Chen , Zhen Xu , Jiang Xiqun
Published: January 2022

Sonodynamic therapy (SDT) holds growing promise in deep‐seated or large solid tumor treatment owing to its high tissue penetration depth ability; however, its therapeutic efficacy is often compromised due to the hypopermeable and hypoxic characteristics in the tumor milieu. Herein, a semiconducting polymer nanoparticle (SPNC) that synergistically enhances tumor penetration and alleviates tumor hypoxia is reported for sonodynamic therapy of large solid tumors. SPNC comprises a semiconducting polymer nanoparticle core as a sonodynamic converter coated with a poly (ethylene glycol) corona. An oxygen‐modulating enzyme, catalase, is efficiently conjugated to the surface of nanoparticles via the coupling reaction. Superior to its counterpart SPNCs (SPNC2 (84 nm) and SPNC3 (134 nm)), SPNC with the smallest size (SPNC1 (35 nm)) can efficiently penetrate throughout the tumor interstitium to alleviate whole tumor hypoxia in a large solid tumor model. Upon ultrasound (US) irradiation, SPNC1 can remotely generate sufficient singlet oxygen to eradicate tumor cells at a deep‐tissue depth. Such a single treatment of SPNC1‐medicated sonodynamic therapy effectively inhibits tumor growth in a large solid tumor mouse model. Therefore, this study provides a generalized strategy to synergistically overcome both poor penetration and hypoxia of large tumors for enhanced cancer treatment.
High‐Efficiency Non‐Fullerene Acceptors Developed by Machine Learning and Quantum Chemistry
Authors: Zhang Qi , Zheng Yu Jie , Sun Wenbo , Ou Zeping , Odunmbaku Omololu , Li Meng , Chen Shanshan , Zhou Yongli , Li Jing , Qin Bo , Sun Kuan
Published: January 2022

Y6 and its derivatives have greatly improved the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of organic photovoltaics (OPVs). Further developing high‐performance Y6 derivative acceptor materials through the relationship between the chemical structures and properties of these materials will help accelerate the development of OPV. Here, machine learning and quantum chemistry are used to understand the structure–property relationships and develop new OPV acceptor materials. By encoding the molecules with an improved one‐hot code, the trained machine learning model shows good predictive performance, and 22 new acceptors with predicted PCE values greater than 17% within the virtual chemical space are screened out. Trends associated with the discovered high‐performing molecules suggest that Y6 derivatives with medium‐length side chains have higher performance. Further quantum chemistry calculations reveal that the end acceptor units mainly affect the frontier molecular orbital energy levels and the electrostatic potential on molecular surface, which in turn influence the performance of OPV devices. A series of promising Y6 derivative candidates is screened out and a rational design guide for developing high‐performance OPV acceptors is provided. The approach in this work can be extended to other material systems for rapid materials discovery and can provide a framework for designing novel and promising OPV materials.
Toward Hydrogen‐Free and Dendrite‐Free Aqueous Zinc Batteries: Formation of Zincophilic Protective Layer on Zn Anodes
Authors: Hong Lin , Wang Liang‐Yu , Wang Yuling , Wu Xiuming , Huang Wei , Zhou Yongfeng , Wang Kai‐Xue , Chen Jie‐Sheng
Published: January 2022

Rechargeable aqueous Zn‐ion batteries (ZIBs) are regarded as one of the most promising devices for the next‐generation energy storage system. However, the uncontrolled dendrite growth on Zn metal anodes and the side hydrogen evolution reaction, which has not yet been well considered, hinder the practical application of these batteries. Herein, a uniform and robust metallic Sb protective layer is designed based on the theoretic calculation and decorated on Zn plate via in situ replacement reaction. Compared with the bare Zn plate, the as‐prepared Zn@Sb electrode provides abundant zincophilic sites for Zn nucleation, and homogenizes the electric field around the Zn anode surface, both of which promote the uniform Zn deposition to achieve a dendrite‐free morphology. Moreover, the Gibbs free energy (∆GH) calculation and in situ characterization demonstrate that hydrogen evolution reaction can be effectively suppressed by the Sb layer. Consequently, Sb‐modified Zn anodes exhibit an ultralow voltage hysteresis of 34 mV and achieve excellent cycling stability over 1000 h with hydrogen‐ and dendrite‐free behaviors. This work provides a facile and effective strategy to suppress both hydrogen evolution reaction and dendrite growth.
Development and Prospects of Halide Perovskite Single Crystal Films
Authors: Gao Wenxiu , Zhang Zhuolei , Xu Rukai , Chan Emory M. , Yuan Guoliang , Liu Jun‐Ming
Published: January 2022

Halide perovskite single crystal (HPSC) films have demonstrated extraordinary performance in solar cells, photodetectors, and lighting applications, owing to the high carrier mobility, long carrier diffusion length, tunable bandgap, and large light absorption coefficients of these materials. Here, the recent development of the major HPSC thin films is reviewed systematically, including MAPbI3, α‐FAPbI3, MAPbBr3, CsPbBr3, with special emphasis on different classes of fabrication methods and thin‐film characteristics. Finally, the conclusion and prospects in this field are discussed in detail. It is anticipated that the HPSC thin films will lead to a compelling future for the rising electronic applications.
ULTRARAM: A Low‐Energy, High‐Endurance, Compound‐Semiconductor Memory on Silicon
Authors: Hodgson Peter D. , Lane Dominic , Carrington Peter J. , Delli Evangelia , Beanland Richard , Hayne Manus
Published: January 2022

ULTRARAM is a nonvolatile memory with the potential to achieve fast, ultralow‐energy electron storage in a floating gate accessed through a triple‐barrier resonant tunneling heterostructure. Here its implementation is reported on a Si substrate; a vital step toward cost‐effective mass production. Sample growth using molecular beam epitaxy commences with deposition of an AlSb nucleation layer to seed the growth of a GaSb buffer layer, followed by the III–V memory epilayers. Fabricated single‐cell memories show clear 0/1 logic‐state contrast after ≤10 ms duration program/erase pulses of ≈2.5 V, a remarkably fast switching speed for 10 and 20 µm devices. Furthermore, the combination of low voltage and small device capacitance per unit area results in a switching energy that is orders of magnitude lower than dynamic random access memory and flash, for a given cell size. Extended testing of devices reveals retention in excess of 1000 years and degradation‐free endurance of over 107 program/erase cycles, surpassing very recent results for similar devices on GaAs substrates.