bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
In‐line residual strain monitoring for thermoplastic automated tape layup using fiber Bragg grating sensors
Authors: Yadav Neha , Wachtarczyk Karol , Gąsior Paweł , Schledjewski Ralf , Kaleta Jerzy
Published: January 2022

Automated tape layup (ATL) has been used extensively for manufacturing composites laminates using unidirectional prepregs for high‐performance industries like aerospace. Residual stress is one of the defects that adversely affect the layup quality. These stresses affect geometrical tolerances in the form of distortion of the final product and are found to have a detrimental impact on the mechanical properties. In‐line monitoring of such defects will help in productivity increase and achieving a reliable process control. The aim of the present work is to demonstrate the feasibility of fiber Bragg grating sensors for monitoring residual strains. FBGs are embedded inside a thermoplastic UD laminate. Temperature and strain discrimination is performed to recognize intermittent residual strains during the layup. Finally, intermittent residual strain is used to develop an understanding of the global residual strain. Effect of selective process parameter on residual stress formation and the evolution of the same is also analyzed.
The spatiotemporal characteristics of N170s for faces and words: A meta‐analysis study
Authors: Nan Weizhi , Liu Yuqi , Zeng Xianqing , Yang Weibin , Liang Junhua , Lan Yonglong , Fu Shimin
Published: January 2022

N170 is a negative event‐related potential (ERP) component in response to visual stimuli, such as faces. It remains controversial whether N170 reflects the specific processing of faces or can also be elicited by objects of expertise (e.g., words). In this research, we conducted a meta‐analysis for the spatiotemporal characteristics of N170 of face and word stimuli from 24 studies in which both stimuli were presented for each subject. We observed that (1) both face and word stimuli can elicit conspicuous N170s and that there was no difference between the amplitude of face‐N170 and word‐N170; (2) there is no difference in the latencies between the two N170s; and (3) both N170s are distributed in the occipitotemporal regions but with a reversed hemispheric distribution pattern—face‐N170 is more negative in the right than left occipitotemporal regions, while word‐N170 is the opposite. These results showed that the face‐ and word‐N170s are qualitatively the same but have different hemispheric lateralization advantages—N170 might be a general neural index of the expertise‐dependent object‐recognition process in occipitotemporal regions.
Can extroversion congruence promote online interaction? Evidence from college first‐year students
Authors: Wang Kexin , Chen Shuang , Zhang Jianxin , Deng Yang , Zhang Zheng , Zhou Mingjie
Published: January 2022

Building a new social network (SNS) with connections is especially important for first‐year students to deal with the transition to college. The goal of the current study was to investigate the link between congruence in extroversion and the interaction frequency within cross‐sex classmate dyads on SNS. Based on a cross‐sectional study among 371 cross‐sex first‐year students dyads (Mage = 18; SD = 2.08) using polynomial regression with response surface analysis, we found that: (i) dyads with congruent levels of extroversion indeed interacted more frequently online than dyads with incongruent levels of extroversion; (ii) extroverted dyads interacted more frequently online than introverted dyads; and (iii) dyads with an increased level of incongruence on extroversion had a decreased frequency of online interaction. The sex‐segregated social network might be magnified by the difference in extroversion within cross‐sex dyads. The discussion focused on potential explanations from the reward of interaction model and the expectations for cross‐sex friendship.
Measurement of material degradation in dependence of shear rate, temperature, and residence time
Authors: Schall Christoph , Schöppner Volker
Published: January 2022

During processing, plastics are frequently exposed to high stresses. These include, above all, shear and temperature within the scope of the residence time of the manufacturing process in order to achieve a homogeneous plastic melt for further processing. The stress of the manufacturing process can lead to molecular degradation, which can have a negative effect on the product properties. Since it makes sense to take molecular degradation into account for many processes, a test stand for material characterization was designed and a regression equation was derived for the mathematical description of the degradation behavior. With the help of this regression equation, a prediction of the expected material degradation can be made, provided that the shear rate, the temperature and the associated residence time are known.
Fabrication of hierarchical porous polymer particles via blending strategy of water and polymer mixture
Authors: Wang Bin , Li Tian , Guo Wenling , Cao Peng , Wang Rongmin , Song Pengfei , He Yufeng , Li Yonggang
Published: January 2022

Hierarchical porous polymer particles (HPPPs) from the assembly of polymer chains have attracted increasing interest because of their prospective applications in drug delivery and catalysis. This work utilized a blending strategy of polymer mixture in mixed solvents to fabricate HPPPs with adjustable pore structures. Firstly, using methacrylic acid (MAA) and methyl methacrylate (MMA) with a precise ratio, a copolymer solution of P(MMA‐MAA) was prepared in a mixed solvent of ethanol and water. Then, styrene (St) was added stepwise along with polymerization for achieving a translucent polymer mixture. Further, a quantitative amount of the polymer mixture and six‐fold volume of water were rapidly mixed with vortex oscillation. The HPPPs were formulated eventually by the assembly of hydrophilic P(MMA‐MAA) copolymers and hydrophobic PSt homopolymers, as well as micelles comprised of P(MMA‐MAA) copolymer and low‐polarity solvent. The size and number of nanopores were effectively regulated by the solvent polarity, polymerization temperature and monomer ratios. Moreover, the resultant HPPPs exhibited a hierarchical porous structure, having broad application in biomedical and environmental sciences. © 2022 Society of Industrial Chemistry.
Enhanced Radiative Efficiency of InGaAs/GaAsP Multiple Quantum Wells by Optimizing the Thickness of Interlayers
Authors: Hino Maui , Asami Meita , Watanabe Kentaroh , Nakano Yoshiaki , Sugiyama Masakazu
Published: January 2022

InGaAs/GaAsP multiple quantum wells (MQWs) are used in electronic devices because the high radiative efficiency of MQWs improves the device performance. To realize high radiative efficiency, a GaAs interlayer is inserted to decrease the defects at the heterointerface between the well and barrier of the MQWs. However, it is unclear how the interlayer thickness and insertion position affect the radiative efficiency of the MQWs. Herein, the influence of the GaAs interlayer thickness on the radiative efficiency by measuring the photoluminescence of MQWs with different interlayer thicknesses is investigated. A thicker GaAs interlayer below the InGaAs enhances the radiative efficiency. Moreover, the GaAs interlayer above the InGaAs must be thicker than ≈6 nm to enhance the radiative efficiency. The initial growth of GaAs above the InGaAs degrades the surface morphology, which may be associated with the carry‐over of indium on the InGaAs surface and may generate defects between the InGaAs and GaAsP layers. The surface of sufficiently thick GaAs interlayers has a flatter morphology and is free from the degradation of radiative efficiency. The results suggest inserting of interlayers with a smooth surface morphology between strained layers during epitaxial growth is an effective method to suppress nonradiative recombination.
Design and Simulation of Normally Off High‐Electron‐Mobility Light‐Emitting Transistor
Authors: Makki Aya Hekmet , Park Si-Hyun
Published: January 2022

Herein, a built‐in normally off GaN‐based high‐electron‐mobility light‐emitting transistor is designed and simulated. The proposed structure can significantly minimize the device area, eliminate the parasitic component introduced by metal interconnectors, ensure a fail‐safe operation owing to its normally off operating condition, and it affords fabrication simplicity, a preferable quality for display applications. Using 2D computer‐aided design software (Silvaco's TCAD), the device's electrical and optical features are investigated, revealing good output power linearity and light intensity control by the gate voltage.
Durable Activated Carbon Electrodes with a Green Binder
Authors: R. K. Azega , Haque Mohammad Mazharul , Vyas Agin , Tam Pui Lam , Smith Anderson D. , Lundgren Per , Enoksson Peter
Published: January 2022

Herein, the fabrication and electrochemical performance of thick (180−280 μm) activated carbon (AC) electrodes with carbonized lignin‐derived carbon fiber (LCF) inclusions are reported. Efforts are taken in fabricating robust free‐standing electrodes from an environmentally friendly binder, microfibrillated cellulose (MFC), considering the biologically hazardous nature of other commonly used binders like polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), n‐methyl‐2‐pyrrolidone (NMP), and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF). Generally, electrodes composed of MFC binder are prone to cracking upon drying, especially with higher mass loadings, which leads to nonflexibility and poor device stability. The LCF inclusions into the AC electrode with MFC binders not only increase flexibility but also contribute to better conductivity in the electrodes. The LCFs act as an intermediate layer among AC particles and serve as conductive pathways, facilitating exposure of more active surfaces to the electrolyte. A thick electrode with high mass loading of 10 mg cm−2 is achieved. The results show that by incorporating 2 wt% LCF to the AC material, the best device with 5 mg cm−2 delivers a specific capacitance of 97 F g−1, while the specific capacitance of the reference AC device without LCF is 85 F g−1.
A gene network of uterine luminal epithelium organizes mouse blastocyst implantation
Authors: Aikawa Shizu , Hirota Yasushi , Fukui Yamato , Ishizawa Chihiro , IIda Rei , Kaku Tetsuaki , Hirata Tomoyuki , Akaeda Shun , Hiraoka Takehiro , Matsuo Mitsunori , Osuga Yutaka
Published: January 2022

Purpose

The receptive endometrium is critical for blastocyst implantation. In mice, after blastocysts enter the uterine cavities on day 4 of pregnancy (day 1 = vaginal plug), blastocyst attachment is completed within 24 h, accompanied by dynamic interactions between the uterine luminal epithelium and the blastocysts. Any failures in this process compromise subsequent pregnancy outcomes. Here, we performed comprehensive analyses of gene expression at the luminal epithelium in the peri‐implantation period.

Methods

RNA‐seq combined with laser microdissection (LMD) was used to reveal unique gene expression kinetics in the epithelium.

Results

We found that the prereceptive epithelium on day 3 specifically expresses cell cycle‐related genes. In addition, days 3 and 4 epithelia express glutathione pathway‐related genes, which are protective against oxidative stresses. In contrast, day 5 epithelium expresses genes involved in glycolysis and the regulation of cell proliferation. The genes highly expressed on days 3 and 4 compared to day 5 are related to progesterone receptor signaling, and the genes highly expressed on day 5 compared to days 3 and 4 are associated with the ones regulated by H3K27me3.

Conclusions

These results suggest that specific gene expression patterns govern uterine functions during early pregnancy, contributing to implantation success.
Guaranteed cost optimal leader‐synchronization strategy design for distributed multi‐agent systems with input saturation
Authors: Shi Min , Yuan Huanhuan , Yuan Yuan
Published: January 2022

In this article, a guaranteed cost optimal leader‐synchronization control strategy design problem is investigated for the input‐saturated multi‐agent systems (MASs). A time‐varying network topology is adopted to describe the varying network communication among the MASs in practical situation. With considering input saturation, time‐varying network topology, and stochastic nonlinearities disturbance, it is literally impossible to obtain the accurate value of the associate cost function for the leader‐synchronization performance. As an alternative, an upper bound of cost function is derived for the distributed MASs. Then, the guaranteed cost optimal leader‐synchronization strategy is designed such that the upper bound can be minimized under a fixed domain of attraction (DOA). Meanwhile, an optimization problem is solved to maximize the DOA by the linear matrix inequality (LMI) method over an infinite horizon. Finally, a aircraft example consisting of a leader and four followers is provided to illustrate the validity of the proposed methodology.
Asymmetric integral BLF based state‐constrained flight control using NN and DOB
Authors: Guo Yuyan , Yan Tian , Xu Bin , Tao Chenggang , Sun Shaoshan
Published: January 2022

This article proposes an adaptive back‐stepping flight controller under angle of attack (AOA) constraints. Taking the hypersonic flight vehicle (HFV) for example, considering the AOA constraints caused by the scramjet intake requirements, the asymmetric integral barrier Lyapunov function is used to design the controller, while the AOA is directly limited to a predefined interval without setting the tracking error and virtual control constraints separately. Furthermore, the neural networks and disturbance observer are applied in the controller to deal with the model uncertainty and external disturbance. The system stability and the AOA constraints are proved via Lyapunov analysis. Simulation tests on HFV longitudinal dynamics present that the proposed controller can prevent the AOA from exceeding the given bounds while altitude and velocity tracking.
HydroMoth: Testing a prototype low‐cost acoustic recorder for aquatic environments
Authors: Lamont Timothy A. C. , Chapuis Lucille , Williams Ben , Dines Sasha , Gridley Tess , Frainer Guilherme , Fearey Jack , Maulana Permas B. , Prasetya Mochyudho E. , Jompa Jamaluddin , Smith David J. , Simpson Stephen D.
Published: January 2022

Passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) involves recording the sounds of animals and environments for research and conservation. PAM is used in a range of contexts across terrestrial, marine and freshwater environments. However, financial constraints limit applications within aquatic environments; these costs include the high cost of submersible acoustic recorders. We quantify this financial constraint using a systematic literature review of all ecoacoustic studies published in 2020, demonstrating that commercially available autonomous underwater recording units are, on average, five times more expensive than their terrestrial equivalents. This pattern is more extreme at the low end of the price range; the cheapest available aquatic autonomous units are over 40 times more expensive than their terrestrial counterparts. Following this, we test a prototype low‐cost, low‐specification aquatic recorder called the ‘HydroMoth’: this device is a modified version of a widely used terrestrial recorder (AudioMoth), altered to include a waterproof case and customisable gain settings suitable for a range of aquatic applications. We test the performance of the HydroMoth in both aquaria and field conditions, recording artificial and natural sounds, and comparing outputs with identical recordings taken with commercially available hydrophones. Although the signal‐to‐noise ratio and the recording quality of HydroMoths are lower than commercially available hydrophones, the recordings with HydroMoths still allow for the identification of different fish and marine mammal species, as well as the calculation of ecoacoustic indices for ecosystem monitoring. Finally, we outline the potential applications of low‐cost, low‐specification underwater sound recorders for bioacoustic studies, discuss their likely limitations, and present important considerations of which users should be aware. Several performance limitations and a lack of professional technical support mean that low‐cost devices cannot meet the requirements of all PAM applications. Despite these limitations, however, HydroMoth facilitates underwater recording at a fraction of the price of existing hydrophones, creating exciting potential for diverse involvement in aquatic bioacoustics worldwide.
Folic‐Acid‐Functionalized Au Nanoclusters with Red Fluorescence Emission for Rapid and Selective Detection of Cancer Cells
Authors: Wu Miao , Cui Huijing , Yang Yizhou , Dang Ben , Li Daowei , Zhang Zhuqing , Yang Xudong
Published: January 2022

Metal nanoclusters have low toxicity and excellent fluorescence properties, and play an important role in environmental and biological detection. Herein, we demonstrate a new approach for synthesis of fluorescent Au nanoclusters (Au NCs) with the function of cancer cells detection. Firstly, we design and synthesize the copolymers of Folic acid–bovine serum albumin (FA‐BSA). In addition, the FA‐BSA copolymer prepared can be used as both stabilizer and reducer of Au NCs, and Au NCs were synthesized by simple hydrothermal method. Therefore, we obtain the fluorescent Au NCs by a convenient, safety and environment‐friendly route. The as‐prepared FA‐functionalized Au NCs are water‐soluble, highly stable and good biological compatibility, and exhibit longwave emission with red light region. Significantly, the Au NCs show outstanding capacity to specifically target the cells overexpressing the folate receptor (FR). These properties indicate that the prepared Au NCs are a promising fluorescent probe for cancer diagnosis and treatment.
Synthesis of a Novel [diresorcinate‐1,10‐phenanthrolinecobalt(II)] Complex, and Potentiodynamic Fabrication of Poly(DHRPCo)/GCE for Selective Square Wave Voltammetric Determination of Procaine Penicillin G in Pharmaceutical and Biological Fluid Samples
Authors: Kassa Adane , Abebe Atakilt , Tamiru Getinet , Amare Meareg
Published: January 2022

This work presents synthesis, and characterization of a novel [diresorcinate‐1,10‐phenanthrolinecobalt(II)] (DHRPCo) complex, and potentiodynamic fabrication of poly(DHRPCo)/GCE for SWV determination of procaine penicillin G (ProPenG) in various pharmaceutical and biological samples. While UV‐Vis and FT‐IR results demonstrated stepwise synthesis of DHRPCo, the CV and EIS results evidenced modification of the surface of GCE by an electroactive polymer film that improved electrode surface area. In contrast to the peak of ProPenG at the unmodified electrode, an irreversible oxidative peak at poly(DHRPCo)/GCE with lower potential and six folds of current enhancement observed, that confirmed electrocatalytic effect of the polymer, SWV response of poly(DHRPCo)/GCE showed linear dependence on concentration of ProPenG in the range 0.1–200 μM, with LoD of 4.9 nM. Spike recovery results in various pharmaceutical and biological samples in the range 98.03–106.50 %, interference recovery in the presence of selected potential interferents at their various levels with associated errors under 3.39 %, and stability of the modifier with analysis time validated the method for determination of ProPenG. Poly(DHRPCo)/GCE was applied for determination of ProPenG in three brands of injection pharmaceutical formulation, human urine, human blood serum, and cow's milk samples. While no ProPenG was detected in the human urine, serum, and cow's milk samples, detected ProPenG in the injection powder samples was within 96.1–101.3 % of company label. The developed method showed superior performance over recently reported methods making it an excellent candidate for determination of ProPenG in real samples.
Trimetallic Au@RhCu Core‐Shell Nanodendrites as Efficient Bifunctional Electrocatalysts toward Hydrogen and Oxygen Evolution Reactions
Authors: He Zeyang , Wang Haoquan , Yu Tao , Zuo Linzhi , Yan Shitan , Bian Ting , Su Shichuan
Published: January 2022

Developing efficient and stable electrocatalysts for water splitting is highly desirable due to growing energy demands. Here, Au@RhCu nanodendrites with core‐shell nanostructure were facile generated via seed‐mediated method. Through composition optimization, the Au@Rh3Cu nanodendrites show excellent hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) activity with an overpotential of 83 mV at the current density of 10 mA cm−2, together with a small Tafel slope of 33.4 mV dec−1. Meanwhile, the Au@Rh3Cu nanocrystals are also a good oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalyst with an overpotential of 415 mV (at 10 mA cm−2) and a Tafel slope of 127 mV dec−1. Additionally, the Au@Rh3Cu exhibits excellent stability for both HER and OER. Such attractive catalytic performance can be assigned to the large surface area produced by the unique core‐shell dendritic nanostructure, the synergistic effect between different metal elements and the positive influence of Au seeds. This work would offer a reliable pathway for the design of multimetallic core‐shell dendritic nanostructures as promising electrocatalysts toward water splitting.
Hydroxy(tosyloxy)iodobenzene (HTIB): A Convenient Oxidizing Agent for the Synthesis of Heterocycles
Authors: Kamal Raj , Omkar  , Kumar Vipan , Kumar Rajesh
Published: January 2022

Organo hypervalent iodine reagents are nowadays more attractive and versatile reagents for various chemical transformations in synthetic organic chemistry. These reagents are milder and having similar reactivity compared with toxic heavy metal reagents. Organo hypervalent iodine (λ3) reagents are successfully utilized to prepare synthetically and biologically important heterocycles. Hydroxy(tosyloxy)iodobenzene (HTIB) also acknowledged as Koser's reagent uses as an environmentally sustainable alternative to toxic heavy metals for the numerous and valuable organic transformations. The goal of this review is to highlight the recent advancements of the HTIB especially in the construction of heterocycles with various substitution patterns in a well‐organized form via tosyloxylation of ketones and oxidative cyclization methodology. This review compiles the up‐to‐date synthetic advancements of HTIB in the field of heterocycles.
Metal‐Free Derivatization of Benzhydrols with Organosilanes
Authors: Almaghrabi Mona , Bolshan Yuri
Published: January 2022

A methodology for the direct coupling between benzhydryl alcohols and organotrimethylsilanes has been developed. This transformation occurs in the presence of a substoichiometric amount of an inexpensive, commercially available aqueous tetrafluoroboric acid catalyst. The developed conditions demonstrate good functional group tolerance to both electron‐donating and electron‐withdrawing substituents. Additionally, the reaction conditions do not require the exclusion of air and moisture.
Cascade Reaction by I2/Base‐Promoted Synthesis of Chromeno‐[3,4‐c]pyrrol‐4(2H)‐ones from 2‐Hydroxychalcones and β‐Enamine Esters
Authors: Wu Qin , Wang Shuang , Li Jingpeng , Li Weiqiang , Chen Minghong , Huang Chao
Published: January 2022

An efficient methodology for the synthesis of a variety of chromeno[3,4‐c]pyrrol‐4(2H)‐ones from 2‐hydroxychalcones and N‐substituted β‐enamine esters via I2/base promoted Michael addition/cyclization/lactonization/aromatization sequence have been developed, affording the coumarin heterocyclic derivatives in moderate to excellent yields. This approach is a highly efficient and convenient way to get derivatives of chromeno[3,4‐c]pyrrol‐4(2H)‐ones from readily accessible substrates under green reaction conditions.
Mechanistic Study of Silyl‐Assist Effect on 1,2‐cis‐α‐Glucosylation
Authors: Kawanobe Yuichi , Kuragaki Naoya , Tsubomura Taro , Yamazaki Yasuomi , Kuribara Taiki , Totani Kiichiro
Published: January 2022

The stereoselectivity of the 1,2‐cis‐α‐glucosylation reaction has been reported to be enhanced by introducing a tert‐butyldimethylsilyl (TBS) protecting group into the glucosyl donor. Herein, the origin of this silyl‐assist effect was identified using chemical experiments and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Glucosylation reactions using various glucosyl donors with different TBS group positions showed that α‐selectivity decreased when the TBS group position was further from the anomeric position. These systematic experiments showed that the silyl‐assist effect was mainly due to electronic factors. Comparing DFT calculations of oxocarbenium intermediates derived from typical glucosyl donors showed that the introduced TBS group contributed to enhanced electron density at the anomeric position. Chemical experiments and DFT calculations showed that introducing a TBS group near the anomeric position stabilized the cationic intermediate and promoted α‐selectivity.
Microfluidic Size Exclusion Chromatography (μSEC) for Extracellular Vesicles and Plasma Protein Separation
Authors: Leong Sheng Yuan , Ong Hong Boon , Tay Hui Min , Kong Fang , Upadya Megha , Gong Lingyan , Dao Ming , Dalan Rinkoo , Hou Han Wei
Published: January 2022

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are recognized as next generation diagnostic biomarkers due to their disease‐specific biomolecular cargoes and importance in cell–cell communications. A major bottleneck in EV sample preparation is the inefficient and laborious isolation of nanoscale EVs (≈50–200 nm) from endogenous proteins in biological samples. Herein, a unique microfluidic platform is reported for EV‐protein fractionation based on the principle of size exclusion chromatography (SEC). Using a novel rapid (≈20 min) replica molding technique, a fritless microfluidic SEC device (μSEC) is fabricated using thiol‐ene polymer (UV glue NOA81, Young's modulus ≈1 GPa) for high pressure (up to 6 bar) sample processing. Controlled on‐chip nanoliter sample plug injection (600 nL) using a modified T‐junction injector is first demonstrated with rapid flow switching response time (<1.5 s). Device performance is validated using fluorescent nanoparticles (50 nm), albumin, and breast cancer cells (MCF‐7)‐derived EVs. As a proof‐of‐concept for clinical applications, EVs are directly isolated from undiluted human platelet‐poor plasma using μSEC and show distinct elution profiles between EVs and proteins based on nanoparticle particle analysis (NTA), Western blot and flow cytometry analysis. Overall, the optically transparent μSEC can be readily automated and integrated with EV detection assays for EVs manufacturing and clinical diagnostics.
Ultrathin and Super Strong UHMWPE Supported Composite Anion Exchange Membranes with Outstanding Fuel Cells Performance
Authors: Yuan Wei , Zeng Lingping , Li Ying , Wang Jianchuan , Wang Xi , Liao Qiang , Li Li , Wei Zidong
Published: January 2022

For high‐performance anion exchange membrane fuel cells (AEMFCs), the anion exchange membrane (AEMs) should be as thin as possible to reduce the ohmic resistance. However, the mechanical stability of ultrathin AEMs cannot be guaranteed, as well as a huge risk of gas (H2&O2) permeation. In this work, composite AEMs based on ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) are prepared by in situ bulk polymerization. The as‐prepared composite membranes can be as thin as 4 µm, and possess super high strength beyond 150 MPa. It also shows extremely low hydrogen permeation, low water uptake, low dimensional swelling, high conductivity, and good alkaline stability. In addition, the fuel cell performance based on the ultrathin composite AEMs exhibits outstanding peak power density of 1014 and 534 mW cm−2 for H2‐O2 and H2‐Air (CO2‐free) at 65 °C, respectively, as well as good short‐term durability.
Effect of Self‐Seed Inducing on the Growth Mechanism and Photovoltaic Performance of Cu2ZnSnSe4 Thin Films
Authors: Liang Yunfeng , Zeng Chunhong , Zeng Longlong , Yan Genghua , Yuan Ye , Lin Xianzhong , Zhu Hai , Mai Yaohua , Hong Ruijiang
Published: January 2022

The self‐seed inducing grain growth mechanism for a Cu2ZnSnSe4 (CZTSe) thin film is explored via the existence of the fine‐grain CZTSe synthesized spontaneously at a relatively low soft‐selenization temperature of 300°C. Fine control over the elementary proportion and distribution of metal precursors is an important approach for obtaining the self‐seed inducing effect after soft selenization. Herein, a multiple‐cycle metal stack precursor, prepared by a weighting method, is developed to control the elementary proportion and distribution. By shortening the diffusion distance to produce a self‐seed inducing effect at soft selenization, the formation of detrimental intrinsic defects and secondary phases is effectively suppressed, contributing to the optimization of the CZTSe absorber back contact and surface. Consequently, the conductivity of the grain interiors and boundaries of the absorber layer is enhanced, the electric potential and roughness of the surface are reduced considerably, and the minority carrier lifetime of the layer is increased. When the number of stacked cycles increases from 1 to 7, the champion efficiency of CZTSe solar cell improves from 2.97% to 8.05% with a significant decrease in the open circuit voltage deficit from 0.831 to 0.617 V. These results may prove useful for developing a wider range of multinary compound semiconductor devices.
Gold nanostar‐based complexes applied for cancer theranostics
Authors: Yang Rui , Gao Yue , Ouyang Zhijun , Shi Xiangyang , Shen Mingwu
Published: January 2022

Cancer remains a major health problem that plagues human beings, calling widespread attention to develop novel theranostics to achieve sensitive diagnosis and efficient therapy. Multifunctional nanomedicine that can integrate diagnosis with treatment formulations has been emerging as a powerful strategy to overcome the current drawbacks in conventional clinical cancer treatments. Due to the good biocompatibility, easy surface modification, surface‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS)/computed tomography (CT)/photoacoustic (PA) imaging properties, and exceptional photothermal performance of gold nanostars (AuNSs), various AuNS‐based complexes or nanohybrids including metal compound/AuNSs, SiO2/AuNSs, polymer/AuNSs, and dendrimer/AuNSs, and so forth have been developed, holding great blueprint in cancer theranostics. Herein, we concisely review the recent progresses in the intriguing design of AuNS‐based nanoplatforms, and their applications in bioimaging, therapy and imaging‐guided cancer treatment, and clarify the possible future perspectives for the design of AuNS‐facilitated cancer theranostics.
Provably non-stiff implementation of weak coupling conditions for hyperbolic problems
Authors: O’Reilly Ossian , Nordström Jan
Published: January 2022

In the context of coupling hyperbolic problems, the maximum stable time step of an explicit numerical scheme may depend on the design of the coupling procedure. If this is the case, the coupling procedure is sensitive to changes in model parameters independent of the Courant–Friedrichs–Levy condition. This sensitivity can cause artificial stiffness that degrades the performance of a numerical scheme. To overcome this problem, we present a systematic and general procedure for weakly imposing coupling conditions via penalty terms in a provably non-stiff manner. The procedure can be used to construct both energy conservative and dissipative couplings, and the user is given control over the amount of dissipation desired. The resulting formulation is simple to implement and dual consistent. The penalty coefficients take the form of projection matrices based on the coupling conditions. Numerical experiments demonstrate that this procedure results in both optimal spectral radii and superconvergent linear functionals.
Identification of Preoperative Fat‐Free Mass Index for the Prognosis of Curatively Resected Esophageal Cancer
Authors: Yago Akikazu , Ohkura Yu , Ueno Masaki , Fujisawa Kentoku , Ogawa Yusuke , Shimoyama Hayato , Urabe Masayuki , Haruta Shusuke , Udagawa Harushi
Published: January 2022

Background

The progressive, systemic depletion of muscle mass is a poor prognostic factor for various types of cancers. However, the assessment of body composition for patients with esophagectomy remains unclear. Therefore, we evaluated the significance of the fat‐free mass index (FFMI) and estimated the appropriate cutoff value.

Methods

We compiled clinicopathological characteristics of patients who underwent curative operation for esophageal cancer between October 2013 and March 2018 at Toranomon Hospital and reviewed them until December 2020. We analyzed the short‐ and long‐term outcomes, compared to conventional nutritional factors, and calculated the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve.

Results

A total of 200 patients were eligible for inclusion. FFMI was ineffective in predicting postoperative complications, with no correlation with other nutritional biomarkers. Preoperative low FFMI led to poor overall survival (OS), and the lower cutoff values based on the time‐dependent ROC analysis were 14.4 and 16.8 kg/m2 in women and men, respectively. Multivariate analysis for OS revealed that low FFMI (p = 0.010, HR 2.437, 95% CI 1.234–4.815) and clinical stage (p = 0.010, HR 4.781, 95% CI 1.447–15.796) were independent prognostic factors. The 3‐year survival rates were 68.9% in low FFMI and 88.6% in normal FFMI.

Conclusions

The low FFMI was not predictive of postoperative complications but an independent prognostic factor in esophageal cancer with curative resection, having no correlation with other biomarkers. Our cutoff FFMI values could be useful in selecting the target for muscle improvement programs.
Open holes in composite laminates with finite dimensions: structural assessment by analytical methods
Authors: Nguyen-Hoang M. , Becker W.
Published: January 2022

Open circular holes are an important design feature, for instance in bolted joint connections. However, stress concentrations arise whose magnitude depends on the material anisotropy and on the defect size relative to the outer finite plate dimensions. To design both safe and light-weight optimal structures, precise means for the assessment are crucial. These can be based on analytical methods providing efficient computation. For this purpose, the focus of the present paper is to provide a comprehensive stress and failure analysis framework based on analytical methods, which is also suitable for use in industry contexts. The stress field for the orthotropic finite-width open-hole problem under uniform tension is derived using the complex potential method. The results are eventually validated against Finite-Element analyses revealing excellent agreement. Then, a failure analysis to predict brittle crack initiation is conducted by means of the Theory of Critical Distances and Finite Fracture Mechanics. These failure concepts of different modelling complexity are compared to each other and validated against experimental data. The size effect is captured, and in this context, the influence of finite width on the effective failure load reduction is investigated.
A comparison of deep learning models for end-to-end face-based video retrieval in unconstrained videos
Authors: Ciaparrone Gioele , Chiariglione Leonardo , Tagliaferri Roberto
Published: January 2022

Face-based video retrieval (FBVR) is the task of retrieving videos that containing the same face shown in the query image. In this article, we present the first end-to-end FBVR pipeline that is able to operate on large datasets of unconstrained, multi-shot, multi-person videos. We adapt an existing audiovisual recognition dataset to the task of FBVR and use it to evaluate our proposed pipeline. We compare a number of deep learning models for shot detection, face detection, and face feature extraction as part of our pipeline on a validation dataset made of more than 4000 videos. We obtain 97.25% mean average precision on an independent test set, composed of more than 1000 videos. The pipeline is able to extract features from videos at$$\sim $$∼7 times the real-time speed, and it is able to perform a query on thousands of videos in less than 0.5 s.
Combination of waveforms in modern spinal cord stimulation
Authors: S Piedade G. , S. Gillner , J. Slotty P. , J Vesper
Published: January 2022

Background

After the surge of burst stimulation, different waveforms were developed to optimize results in spinal cord stimulation. Studies have shown higher responder rates for multiwave therapy, but since the launch of such multiwave systems, little is known about the patients’ preference regarding waveforms in the long-term follow-up. No study connected particular waveforms to specific pain etiologies or required stimulation parameters so far.

Method

Thirty-four patients with refractory chronic neuropathic pain were treated with spinal cord stimulation systems providing multiwave therapy between September 2018 and October 2019. Patients with a follow-up of at least 6 months were selected; 10 subjects were excluded due to revision surgery, infection, and loss to follow-up. Data regarding pain intensity and preferred waveform for the trial, the implantation, 3-month and 6-month follow-up were recorded.

Results

During the trial phase, 10 patients (43.5%) achieved significant pain relief using tonic stimulation, 5 using burst (21.7%), 3 using microburst (13.0%), and 4 using a combination of tonic and microburst (17.4%). One single patient preferred Contour stimulation during the trial. After 3 months, 6 patients preferred microburst (25%), 6 preferred tonic (25%), 5 used a combination of tonic and microburst (20.8%), and 5 patients used burst (20.8%). After 6 months, similar results were obtained. Contour and Whisper were used in complex cases failing to other waveforms.

Conclusions

Tonic stimulation, isolated or in combination, remains an important component in spinal cord stimulation, being used by almost half of the patients. Over time, the usage of microburst increased considerably. Whisper and Contour, although battery-consuming, are good salvage options in complex cases.
Vascular and neurosensory evaluation in relation to lingual canal anatomy after mandibular midline implant installation in edentulous patients
Authors: Chaar Mohamed Sad , Naguib Amr Ahmed , Abd Alsamad Ahmed Mohamed , Ahmed Dina Fahim , Abdel Nabi Nouran , Kern Matthias
Published: January 2022

Objectives

The aim of this study is to investigate vascular and neurosensory complications in edentulous patients following the installation of mandibular midline single implants in relation to lingual canals.

Materials and methods

After performing a cone beam computed tomography scan for the 50 recruited patients, the relationship between the potential implant site and the lingual canals was assessed, and all vascular and neurosensory complications were recorded.

Results

Six patients (12%) reported profuse bleeding during implant placement, and 13 (26%) reported transient neurosensory changes, which were resolved after 3 months. According to the virtual implant planning, 44 patients (88%) would have their implants touching the lingual canals, six of them reported vascular changes (14%), and 12 out of 44 patients reported neurosensory changes (27%). For the six patients who would have their implants not touching the lingual canals, one patient reported transient neurosensory changes.

Conclusions

The mandibular lingual canals are constant anatomic landmarks. Injury to the supra-spinosum lingual canals may occur during midline implant placement, depending on the implant length and the bone height.

Clinical relevance

Despite that injury to the supra-spinosum lingual canals during implant insertion does not result in permanent vascular or neurosensory complications, caution is required to avoid the perforation of the lingual cortices.
Removal of organotin compounds and metals from Swedish marine sediment using Fenton’s reagent and electrochemical treatment
Authors: Norén Anna , Lointier Célia , Modin Oskar , Strömvall Ann-Margret , Rauch Sebastien , Andersson-Sköld Yvonne , Karlfeldt Fedje Karin
Published: January 2022

Metal and tributyltin (TBT) contaminated sediments are problematic for sediment managers and the environment. This study is the first to compare Fenton’s reagent and electrochemical treatment as remediation methods for the removal of TBT and metals using laboratory-scale experiments on contaminated dredged sediment. The costs and the applicability of the developed methods were also compared and discussed. Both methods removed > 98% TBT from TBT-spiked sediment samples, while Fenton’s reagent removed 64% of the TBT and electrolysis 58% of the TBT from non-spiked samples. TBT in water phase was effectively degraded in both experiments on spiked water and in leachates during the treatment of the sediment. Positive correlations were observed between TBT removal and the added amount of hydrogen peroxide and current density. Both methods removed metals from the sediment, but Fenton’s reagent was identified as the most potent option for effective removal of both metals and TBT, especially from highly metal-contaminated sediment. However, due to risks associated with the required chemicals and low pH level in the sediment residue following the Fenton treatment, electrochemical treatment could be a more sustainable option for treating larger quantities of contaminated sediment.
Bax Contributes to Retinal Ganglion Cell Dendritic Degeneration During Glaucoma
Authors: Risner Michael L. , Pasini Silvia , McGrady Nolan R. , Calkins David J.
Published: January 2022

The BCL-2 (B-cell lymphoma-2) family of proteins contributes to mitochondrial-based apoptosis in models of neurodegeneration, including glaucomatous optic neuropathy (glaucoma), which degrades the retinal ganglion cell (RGC) axonal projection to the visual brain. Glaucoma is commonly associated with increased sensitivity to intraocular pressure (IOP) and involves a proximal program that leads to RGC dendritic pruning and a distal program that underlies axonopathy in the optic projection. While genetic deletion of the Bcl2-associated X protein (Bax-/-) prolongs RGC body survival in models of glaucoma and optic nerve trauma, axonopathy persists, thus raising the question of whether dendrites and the RGC light response are protected. Here, we used an inducible model of glaucoma in Bax-/- mice to determine if Bax contributes to RGC dendritic degeneration. We performed whole-cell recordings and dye filling in RGCs signaling light onset (αON-Sustained) and offset (αOFF-Sustained). We recovered RGC dendritic morphologies by confocal microscopy and analyzed dendritic arbor complexity and size. Additionally, we assessed RGC axon function by measuring anterograde axon transport of cholera toxin subunit B to the superior colliculus and behavioral spatial frequency threshold (i.e., spatial acuity). We found 1 month of IOP elevation did not cause significant RGC death in either WT or Bax-/- retinas. However, IOP elevation reduced dendritic arbor complexity of WT αON-Sustained and αOFF-Sustained RGCs. In the absence of Bax, αON- and αOFF-Sustained RGC dendritic arbors remained intact following IOP elevation. In addition to dendrites, neuroprotection by Bax-/- generalized to αON-and αOFF-Sustained RGC light- and current-evoked responses. Both anterograde axon transport and spatial acuity declined during IOP elevation in WT and Bax-/- mice. Collectively, our results indicate Bax contributes to RGC dendritic degeneration and distinguishes the proximal and distal neurodegenerative programs involved during the progression of glaucoma.
Variations in length of stay among survived very preterm infants admitted to Chinese neonatal intensive care units
Authors: Zhang Min , Wang Yan-Chen , Feng Jin-Xing , Yu Ai-Zhen , Huang Jing-Wei , Jiang Si-Yuan , Gu Xin-Yue , Sun Jian-Hua , Cao Yun , Zhou Wen-Hao , Lee Shoo K. , Wang Li-Li , Yin Rong ,   Chinese Neonatal Network
Published: January 2022

Background

This study aimed to describe length of stay (LOS) to discharge and site variations among very preterm infants (VPIs) admitted to 57 Chinese neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) and to investigate factors associated with LOS for VPIs.

Methods

This retrospective multicenter cohort study enrolled all infants < 32 weeks’ gestation and admitted to 57 NICUs which had participated in the Chinese Neonatal Network, within 7 days after birth in 2019. Exclusion criteria included major congenital anomalies, NICU deaths, discharge against medical advice, transfer to non-participating hospitals, and missing discharge date. Two multivariable linear models were used to estimate the association of infant characteristics and LOS.

Results

A total of 6580 infants were included in our study. The overall median LOS was 46 days [interquartile range (IQR): 35–60], and the median corrected gestational age at discharge was 36 weeks (IQR: 35–38). LOS and corrected gestational age at discharge increased with decreasing gestational age. The median corrected gestational age at discharge for infants at 24 weeks, 25 weeks, 26 weeks, 27–28 weeks, and 29–31 weeks were 41 weeks, 39 weeks, 38 weeks, 37 weeks and 36 weeks, respectively. Significant site variation of LOS was identified with observed median LOS from 33 to 71 days in different hospitals.

Conclusions

The study provided concurrent estimates of LOS for VPIs which survived in Chinese NICUs that could be used as references for medical staff and parents. Large variation of LOS independent of infant characteristics existed, indicating variation of care practices requiring further investigation and quality improvement.
Prediction modelling in the early detection of neonatal sepsis
Authors: Sahu Puspita , Raj Stanly Elstin Anbu , Simon Lewis Leslie Edward , Prabhu Krishnananda , Rao Mahadev , Kunhikatta Vijayanarayana
Published: January 2022

Background

Prediction modelling can greatly assist the health-care professionals in the management of diseases, thus sparking interest in neonatal sepsis diagnosis. The main objective of the study was to provide a complete picture of performance of prediction models for early detection of neonatal sepsis.

Methods

PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL databases were searched and articles which used various prediction modelling measures for the early detection of neonatal sepsis were comprehended. Data extraction was carried out based on Critical Appraisal and Data Extraction for Systematic Reviews of Prediction Modelling Studies checklist. Extricate data consisted of objective, study design, patient characteristics, type of statistical model, predictors, outcome, sample size and location. Prediction model Risk of Bias Assessment Tool was applied to gauge the risk of bias of the articles.

Results

An aggregate of ten studies were included in the review among which eight studies had applied logistic regression to build a prediction model, while the remaining two had applied artificial intelligence. Potential predictors like neonatal fever, birth weight, foetal morbidity and gender, cervicovaginitis and maternal age were identified for the early detection of neonatal sepsis. Moreover, birth weight, endotracheal intubation, thyroid hypofunction and umbilical venous catheter were promising factors for predicting late-onset sepsis; while gestational age, intrapartum temperature and antibiotics treatment were utilised as budding prognosticators for early-onset sepsis detection.

Conclusion

Prediction modelling approaches were able to recognise promising maternal, neonatal and laboratory predictors in the rapid detection of early and late neonatal sepsis and thus, can be considered as a novel way for clinician decision-making towards the disease diagnosis if not used alone, in the years to come.