bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Issues Impacting Sustainability in the Oil and Gas Industry
Authors: Anis Mohamad Danish , Siddiqui Tauseef Zia
Published: December 2015

This research paper explores the concept of sustainability and the role played by O&G industry in achieving sustainable development. The authors bring a rational approach in defining the key issues for the O&G sector that affect sustainability as well as try to devise the inherent risks as well as mitigation approaches adopted by these companies. Sustainability is a topic gaining fast repute today. As new conventional oil and gas sources decline, unconventional sources, including shale gas in the US, oil sands in Canada, coal seam gas in Australia, and deep-water offshore wells in Brazil, West Africa and Asia have been identified as key areas with significant reserves potential. Despite the growth potential, sustainability risks such as climate change, safety risks, and community disagreements exert pressure on the economic feasibility of these opportunities.

The three components of sustainable development: economic, environmental and social, often referred to as the ‘Triple Bottom Line’ or TBL, can be used in evaluating a company’s performance in financial, environmental and social dimensions. These three dimensions of sustainable development, as explained by John Elkington and adopted by Shell’s first sustainability report in 1997, are also commonly referred to as the 3Ps: People, Planet and Profit.

The paper also focuses on analyzing the various threats that could obstruct sustainable development being carried out by companies in the oil and gas industry. The importance of sustainable economic growth with regards to the oil and gas industry has also been highlighted. The 3Ps explained above can be used to categorize the key issues/risks that impact sustainability. The researchers concluded that the sustainability programs followed by oil and gas industry are not satisfactory; however there is strong evidence of improvement in near future. Towards the end, the researchers have tried to list the Strategies and Methodologies for enhancing the effectiveness of sustainability strategies and programs for the sector.
The Effect of Customer Relationship Management System Adoption and Perception on Organization Performance: Study of Jordnian Hospital Sectors
Authors: Alkhazali Abdel Rahman , Hassan Shahizan
Published: December 2015

The Customer Relation Management System (CRMS) has considerable interest in recent years. The past research on the relationship between CRMS adoption and CRMS perception on the organization performance has largely been based on international data, this paper reviews the relationship between the CRMS perception, CRMS adoption and organization performancein for the Jordanian hospitals using the partial least squares equation modeling as the approach to examine the model. Furthermore this paper found a significant relationship between CRMS adoption and organization performance, and CRMS adoption with CRMS perception.
The Driving Force of Government in Promoting BIM Implementation
Authors: Liu Shijing , Xie Benzheng , Tivendal Linda , Liu Chunlu
Published: December 2015

The adoption of Building Information Modelling (BIM) is one of the greatest technological innovations in the construction industry to date. However, the implementation of BIM lags far behind its potential due to the existence of various barriers. Strong government support is critical for the successful development and deployment of complex technology systems. BIM could seek government support to drive its implementation process and overcome the barriers. Through a survey, this paper aims to discover stakeholders’ expectations of the government role in BIM implementation and explores specific ways for governments to promote BIM implementation. The research findings are expected to assist related departments to accelerate BIM implementation.
Institutions, Entrepreneurship, and Post-Soviet Development: An Assessment of Moldova’s Entrepreneurial Climate (1991-2009)
Authors: Nicoara Olga
Published: December 2015

This paper explores the relation between Moldova’s institutions, entrepreneurship, and poor economic performance 18 years after socialism. The prevailing local institutions determine the direction of entrepreneurship in society (North, 1990; Baumol, 1990; Olson, 1996; Boettke, 1998). Societies with a mix of institutions favorable to productive entrepreneurship experience sustained growth. Conversely, societies with institutions rewarding unproductive and destructive entrepreneurship experience economic stagnation. Using the conceptual frameworks of new institutional economics, Austrian market process theory, and interviews with local entrepreneurs, I explore the link between Moldova’s institutional context and the local entrepreneurship and underdevelopment. For a better understanding of Moldova’s poor economic performance after socialism, scholars and policy makers must investigate the existing underlying gap between the de jure and the de facto institutional barriers to productive entrepreneurship.
Taiwan Vulnerability Analysis: A Comparative Study with Japan, China, U.S.A., U.K., France, and the Netherlands
Authors: Su Yu-Shou
Published: December 2015

Taiwan has performed well economically during the past four decades. However, economic development can be profoundly hampered by natural disasters. Sustainable economic development requires environmental resilience. With 23 million people occupying only 13,974 square miles of land, Taiwan is both densely populated and highly exposed to natural disasters: 73.1% of the total population lives in vulnerable areas, and Taiwan is ranked as the country most exposed to multiple hazards (The World Bank, 2005). Storms and floods damage Taiwan frequently, with an average of six typhoons hitting Taiwan annually for the past four decades. Taiwan had the highest occurrence and highest death toll on the natural disaster density indicator (NDDI) in comparison with China, Japan, U.S.A, U.K., France, and the Netherlands from 1985 to 2014. Also, Taiwan’s economic losses during the past thirty years are estimated at $650, 000 per km². This is approximately 5 times that of the Netherlands’ $134,362 and the U.K.’s $135,292, 8 times that of the U.S.A.’s $78,186 losses, and 9 times that of France’s $70,599. Research finds that every dollar invested into disaster preparedness would save $4 to $7 dollars in post-disaster damages (Multihazard Mitigation Council, 2005; The National Academy of Sciences, 2012). Hence, promoting urban resilience policies for disaster risk reduction should become a priority in Taiwan and other Asian nations in the future. Most important is the need of a strong political commitment and leadership to initiate and implement spatial policies toward resilience.
Improving Water System Resiliency and Security: Advanced Metering Infrastructure
Authors: Mix Nelson , Thompson Kenneth A.
Published: December 2015

This article documents lessons learned from US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) interviews with representatives of eight leading US water utilities that have implemented advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) to improve the resiliency and security of their water distribution systems. Improvements were made using noncustomer billing functions to detect customer leaks, reverse flow, and meter tampering. Insights that can be leveraged by other water utilities as well as gaps that reduce the benefits of the new functions are identified and discussed. In addition, USEPA promotes the use of a surveillance and response system (SRS) to improve the detection and response time to water quality incidents within the distribution system. An SRS integrates information from multiple monitoring and surveillance components to alert the utility to water quality anomalies, which could be associated with possible contamination. On the basis of positive anecdotes from the interviews, application of AMI as a component of an SRS is also reviewed.
Travail de rue, reconnaissance et citoyenneté : étude d’un cas montréalais1
Authors: Castillo González Eduardo , Marion Élodie , Saulnier Mélody
Published: December 2015

Cet article présente l’étude d’un programme de Travail de rue s’adressant aux jeunes en difficultés dans un arrondissement de la ville de Montréal. Le document vise essentiellement la discussion des effets du programme sur la population desservie. La combinaison de méthodes qualitatives et quantitatives a permis de récolter un riche matériau de recherche de même que d’identifier deux sphères de la vie sociale des jeunes sur lesquelles le travail de rue, une pratique de proximité, semble avoir un effet important : le développement d’un sentiment de reconnaissance et l’exercice de la citoyenneté. Qui plus est, les analyses permettent d’entrevoir dans ce milieu l’impact positif de la pratique du travail de rue, cet impact étant davantage perceptible chez les filles que chez les garçons. Enfin, les particularités du travail de rue en tant que pratique d’intervention, son caractère atypique et les stratégies d’intervention qui y sont reliées sont discutées à différents moment dans cet article.
Optical observation of DNA motion during and immediately after nanopore translocation
Authors: Yamazaki Hirohito , Ito Shintaro , Esashika Keiko , Saiki Toshiharu
Published: December 2015

Herein, we report an optical nanopore detection system capable of investigating DNA motion near nanopores not only during translocation but also post-translocation with submillisecond resolution. Using our optical nanopore detection system, we observed the voltage dependence of the dwell time of both 10-kbp double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) and lambda DNA in the excitation volume, which can be attributed to the drift-dominated motion. We found that the lambda DNA had slower drift motion than 10-kbp dsDNA, indicating that DNA with longer gyration experiences a lower nonuniform electric force.
Factors associated with extubation time in coronary artery bypass grafting patients
Authors: Rezaianzadeh Abbas , Maghsoudi Behzad , Tabatabaee Hamidreza , Keshavarzi Sareh , Bagheri Zahra , Sajedianfard Javad , Gerami Hamid , Rasouli Javad
Published: December 2015

Background and Objectives.Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death worldwide, with coronary artery disease being the most common. With increasing numbers of patients, Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG) has become the most common operation in the world. Respiratory disorder is one of the most prevalent complications of CABG. Thus, weaning off the mechanical ventilation and extubation are of great clinical importance for these patients. Some post-operative problems also relate to the tracheal tube and mechanical ventilation. Therefore, an increase in this leads to an increase in the number of complications, length of hospital stay, and treatment costs. Since a large number of factors affect the post-operative period, the present study aims to identify the predictors of extubation time in CABG patients using casualty network analysis.

Method.This longitudinal study was conducted on 800 over 18 year old patients who had undergone CABG surgery in three treatment centers affiliated to Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. The patients’ information, including pre-operative, peri-operative, and post-operative variables, was retrospectively extracted from their medical records. Then, the data was comprehensively analyzed through path analysis using MPLUS-7.1 software.

Results.The mean of extubation time was 10.27 + 4.39 h. Moreover, extubation time was significantly affected by packed cells during the Cardiopulmonary Bypass (CPB), packed cells after CPB, inotrope use on arrival at ICU, mean arterial pressure 1st ICU, packed cells 1st ICU, platelets 1st ICU, Blood Urea Nitrogen 1st ICU, and hematocrit 1st ICU.

Conclusion.Considering all of the factors under investigation, some peri-operative and post-operative factors had significant effects. Therefore, considering the post-operative factors is important for designing a treatment plan and evaluating patients’ prognosis.
How word-beginnings constrain the pronunciations of word-ends in the reading aloud of English: the phenomena of head- and onset-conditioning
Authors: Ulicheva Anastasia , Coltheart Max
Published: December 2015

Background.A word whose body is pronounced in different ways in different words is body-inconsistent. When we take the unit that precedes the vowel into account for the calculation of body-consistency, the proportion of English words that are body-inconsistent is considerably reduced at the level of corpus analysis, prompting the question of whether humans actually use such head/onset-conditioning when they read.

Methods.Four metrics for head/onset-constrained body-consistency were calculated: by the last grapheme of the head, by the last phoneme of the onset, by place and manner of articulation of the last phoneme of the onset, and by manner of articulation of the last phoneme of the onset. Since these were highly correlated, principal component analysis was performed on them.

Results.Two out of four resulting principal components explained significant variance in the reading-aloud reaction times, beyond regularity and body-consistency.

Discussion.Humans read head/onset-conditioned words faster than would be predicted based on their body-consistency and regularity only. We conclude that humans are sensitive to the dependency between word-beginnings and word-ends when they read aloud, and that this dependency is phonological in nature, rather than orthographic.
Ceros y unos en la musicología. Software y análisis musical
Authors:   Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Sammartino Federico
Published: December 2015

En el presente trabajo presento una aproximación a la utilización de software para el análisis de la música y la manera en que se articula con un plan de investigación. Tomando como ejemplo el uso del software Sonic Visualiser en el análisis de las variaciones rítmicas y métricas y la descripción de la vocalidad entre intérpretes amateurs de Estancia La Candelaria (Córdoba, Argentina),planteo que la realización de un análisis musical asistido por computadoras (i) no es un fin en sí mismo, sino una herramienta a disposición que se inserta en un plan de investigación más amplio; (ii) ofrece alternativas que están ausentes de los análisis tradicionales; (iii) acelera el estudio de los datos; (iv) permite abordar cuestiones relativas a los procesos cognitivos de la interpretación y la percepción; (v) provee recursos innovadores para la descripción y presentación del análisis. Con este trabajo se pretende llenar un vacío sobre el tema que se vislumbra en América Latina.
Rethinking Sasanian Iconoclasm
Authors: Shenkar Michael
Published: December 2015

This article presents a detailed reconsideration of the well-established and canonized theory of “Sasanian iconoclasm” postulated by Mary Boyce in 1975. The Sasanians did not develop any prohibition against anthropomorphic representations of the gods, and in the surviving Zoroastrian literature and inscriptions there is no evidence of either theological disputes over idols or of a deliberate eradication of them by the Persian kings. Sasanian cult was aniconic, but the historical and archaeological evidence clearly demonstrates that Sasanian visual culture was anything but iconoclastic. It seems that the Persian iconoclastic identity was constructed in the early Sasanian period as a response to the challenges posed by Christianity. By joining the common monotheistic discourse against idolatry, the Zoroastrian clergy adopted the conventions of the world in which they lived. Attacks against “idols” and “idolatry” should be understood in the context of internal and external polemical discourse against beliefs deemed to be erroneous by the Zoroastrian priesthood.
Patronage and Poetry in the Islamic World: Social Mobility and Status in the Medieval Middle East and Central Asia. By Jocelyn Shariet
Authors: Beelaert Anna Livia , Kilpatrick Hilary
Published: December 2015

Patronage and Poetry in the Islamic World: Social Mobility and Status in the Medieval Middle East and Central Asia. By Jocelyn Shariet. Library of Middle East History, vol. 24. London: I. B. Tauris, 2011. Pp. x + 326. £62.50, $105.
Transmission of the Avesta. Edited by Alberto Cantera
Authors: Tucker Elizabeth
Published: December 2015

The Transmission of the Avesta. Edited by Alberto Cantera. Iranica, vol. 20. Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz Verlag, 2012. Pp. xx + 552, 34 illustrations, 48 tables, 18 diagrams. €116.
Calm before the Storm: Selected Writings of Itamar Singer on the End of the Late Bronze Age in Anatolia and the Levant; and Pax Hethitica: Studies on the Hittites and Their Neighbours in Honour of Itamar Singer
Authors: Beckman Gary
Published: December 2015

The Calm before the Storm: Selected Writings of Itamar Singer on the End of the Late Bronze Age in Anatolia and the Levant. By Itamar Singer. Writings from the Ancient World Supplements, vol. 1. Atlanta: Society of Biblical Literature, 2011. Pp. vii + 766, illus. $69.95 (paper).

Pax Hethitica: Studies on the Hittites and Their Neighbours in Honour of Itamar Singer. Studien zu den Boğazköy-Texten, vol. 51. Edited by Yoram Cohen, Amir Golan, and Jared L. Miller. Wies baden: Harrasowitz Verlag, 2010. Pp. xiv + 439, illus., portrait.
In‐Sensor Touch Analysis for Intent Recognition
Authors: Xu Yijing , Yu Shifan , Liu Lei , Lin Wansheng , Cao Zhicheng , Hu Yu , Duan Jiming , Huang Zijian , Wei Chao , Guo Ziquan , Wu Tingzhu , Chen Zhong , Liao Qingliang , Zheng Yuanjin , Liao Xinqin
Published: September 2024

Tactile intent recognition systems, which are highly desired to satisfy human's needs and humanized services, shall be accurately understanding and identifying human's intent. They generally utilize time‐driven sensor arrays to achieve high spatiotemporal resolution, however, which encounter inevitable challenges of low scalability, huge data volumes, and complex processing. Here, an event‐driven intent recognition touch sensor (IR touch sensor) with in‐sensor computing capability is presented. The merit of event‐driven and in‐sensor computing enables the IR touch sensor to achieve ultrahigh resolution and obtain complete intent information with intrinsic concise data. It achieves critical signal extraction of action trajectories with a rapid response time of 0.4 ms and excellent durability of >10 000 cycles, bringing an important breakthrough of tactile intent recognition. Versatile applications prove the integrated functions of the IR touch sensor for great interactive potential in all‐weather environments regardless of shading, dynamics, darkness, and noise. Unconscious and even hidden action features can be perfectly extracted with the ultrahigh recognition accuracy of 98.4% for intent recognition. The further auxiliary diagnostic test demonstrates the practicability of the IR touch sensor in telemedicine palpation and therapy. This groundbreaking integration of sensing, data reduction, and ultrahigh‐accuracy recognition will propel the leapfrog development for conscious machine intelligence.
Skin‐Inspired High‐Performance E‐Skin With Interlocked Microridges for Intelligent Perception
Authors: Zhang Yajie , Qiu Mingfu , Zhang Xinyu , Zheng Guoqiang , Dai Kun , Liu Chuntai , Shen Changyu
Published: September 2024

Electronic skin is increasingly receiving tremendous attention for its potential applications in medical rehabilitation and human‐machine interaction. However, the trade‐off between detection range and sensitivity of e‐skin has not been well addressed, although various strategies have been proposed. Interlocked microridges between the epidermis and dermis can effectively transfer stress to mechanoreceptors, allowing human skin to exhibit excellent sensitivity even upon both subtle and large external stimuli. Herein, inspired by human skin, a novel bionic e‐skin is developed in which interlocked microridges are introduced between the sensitive layer and interdigitated electrode. Thanks to the interlocked microridges, excellent compression capability and remarkable change of contact area between sensitive layer and interdigitated electrode can be achieved and the e‐skin exhibits an ultrahigh sensitivity (≈1502.5 kPa−1), excellent durability (10 000 cycles), a short response time (10 ms) as well as a wide detection range (≈160 kPa). Moreover, due to the effective transmission of external stress from a sensitive layer to an interdigitated electrode, such bionic e‐skin has ability to detect a wide range of human vital signs and vibrations caused by sound waves. Such facile preparation of bionic interlocked microridges opens a new pathway to achieve high‐performance e‐skins and extend their application prospects in future wearable intelligent systems.
All‐in‐One Hybrid Solar‐Driven Interfacial Evaporators for Cogeneration of Clean Water and Electricity
Authors: Ebrahimian Mashhadi Mojtaba , Hassan Md. Mehadi , Yang Ruijie , Lu Qingye
Published: September 2024

Solar‐driven interfacial evaporators (SDIEs) have recently attracted considerable interest due to their ability to harvest abundant solar energy and treat seawater/wastewater for both freshwater production and electricity generation. However, during photothermal conversion in SDIEs, a portion of the incident sunlight is inevitably wasted, which presents an opportunity for potential alternative applications. There are also other types of harvestable energy like interactions between absorber materials’ surfaces and water/ions—called hydroelectricity (HE), as a form of renewable energy. This review paper provides an overview of studies focusing on utilizing SDIEs with a single structure capable of simultaneously producing freshwater and electricity, referred to as all‐in‐one hybrid SDIEs, with a particular emphasis on the HE power generation mechanism, which is the most commonly applied. An introduction to the photothermal conversion of sunlight into heat and fundamental aspects of the HE effect in hybrid SDIEs are discussed accordingly. The key results from studies on photothermal materials employed in all‐in‐one hybrid SDIEs are then explained and compared. This review will be concluded by spotlighting recent advancements, existing challenges, and promising opportunities that lie ahead for the materials used in these systems.
Accelerating Lithium‐Ion Transfer and Sulfur Conversion via Electrolyte Engineering for Ultra‐Stable All‐Solid‐State Lithium–Sulfur Batteries
Authors: Li Meng , Huang Zimo , Liang Yuhao , Wu Zhenzhen , Zhang Hui , Chen Hao , Zhang Shanqing
Published: September 2024

Offering ultrahigh energy density and exceptional safety, all‐solid‐state lithium–sulfur batteries (ASSLSBs) can be one of the most promising energy storage systems if their inherent challenges, including slow Li+ mass transport and insufficient sulfur utilization efficiency, are completely tackled. In this work, an amide‐based electrolyte additive with a high Gutmann donor number is used to construct a deep eutectic system, a “one‐stone‐two‐birds” solution to address these issues. In particular, an acetamide is used to interact with the insulative Li2S via a strong S─H bond and Li─O bond to boost the electrochemical reaction kinetics of lithium‐sulfur (Li─S) chemistry and sulfur utilization and simultaneously form a deep eutectic LiTFSI‐acetamide system to enhance ionic conductivity of solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs). Such a seamless integration of this system into the solid‐state LSBs helps deliver a high initial discharge specific capacity of 1012 mAh g−1 at 0.05 C and attain a stable cyclability for 1300 cycles at 0.1 C. This remarkable achievement in high performance and stability can effectively facilitate the commercialization of ASSLSBs.
3D‐Printed Latticed Microneedle Array Patches for Tunable and Versatile Intradermal Delivery
Authors: Rajesh Netra U. , (Luna) Hwang Jihyun , Xu Yue , Saccone Max A. , Hung Andy H. , Hernandez Rosa A.S. , Coates Ian A. , Driskill Madison M. , Dulay Maria T. , Jacobson Gunilla B. , Tian Shaomin , Perry Jillian L. , DeSimone Joseph M.
Published: September 2024

Using high‐resolution 3D printing, a novel class of microneedle array patches (MAPs) is introduced, called latticed MAPs (L‐MAPs). Unlike most MAPs which are composed of either solid structures or hollow needles, L‐MAPs incorporate tapered struts that form hollow cells capable of trapping liquid droplets. The lattice structures can also be coated with traditional viscous coating formulations, enabling both liquid‐ and solid‐state cargo delivery, on a single patch. Here, a library of 43 L‐MAP designs is generated and in‐silico modeling is used to down‐select optimal geometries for further characterization. Compared to traditionally molded and solid‐coated MAPs, L‐MAPs can load more cargo with fewer needles per patch, enhancing cargo loading and drug delivery capabilities. Further, L‐MAP cargo release kinetics into the skin can be tuned based on formulation and needle geometry. In this work, the utility of L‐MAPs as a platform is demonstrated for the delivery of small molecules, mRNA lipid nanoparticles, and solid‐state ovalbumin protein. In addition, the production of programmable L‐MAPs is demonstrated with tunable cargo release profiles, enabled by combining needle geometries on a single patch.
Precisely Tunable Instantaneous Carbon Rearrangement Enables Low‐Working‐Potential Hard Carbon Toward Sodium‐Ion Batteries with Enhanced Energy Density
Authors: Liu Junjie , You Yiwei , Huang Ling , Zheng Qizheng , Sun Zhefei , Fang Kai , Sha Liyuan , Liu Miao , Zhan Xiao , Zhao Jinbao , Han Ye‐Chuang , Zhang Qiaobao , Chen Yanan , Wu Shunqing , Zhang Li
Published: September 2024

As the preferred anode material for sodium‐ion batteries, hard carbon (HC) confronts significant obstacles in providing a long and dominant low‐voltage plateau to boost the output energy density of full batteries. The critical challenge lies in precisely enhancing the local graphitization degree to minimize Na+ ad‐/chemisorption, while effectively controlling the growth of internal closed nanopores to maximize Na+ filling. Unfortunately, traditional high‐temperature preparation methods struggle to achieve both objectives simultaneously. Herein, a transient sintering‐involved kinetically‐controlled synthesis strategy is proposed that enables the creation of metastable HCs with precisely tunable carbon phases and low discharge/charge voltage plateaus. By optimizing the temperature and width of thermal pulses, the high‐throughput screened HCs are characterized by short‐range ordered graphitic micro‐domains that possess accurate crystallite width and height, as well as appropriately‐sized closed nanopores. This advancement realizes HC anodes with significantly prolonged low‐voltage plateaus below 0.1 V, with the best sample exhibiting a high plateau capacity of up to 325 mAh g−1. The energy density of the HC||Na3V2(PO4)3 full battery can therefore be increased by 20.7%. Machine learning study explicitly unveils the “carbon phase evolution−electrochemistry” relationship. This work promises disruptive changes to the synthesis, optimization, and commercialization of HC anodes for high‐energy‐density sodium‐ion batteries.
Carbon‐Based Biosensor in Point of Care Setting
Authors: Jin Jiaqi , Guo Jiuchuan , Guo Jinhong , Li Diangeng
Published: September 2024

In medical diagnosis, detecting disease biomarkers at ultra‐low concentrations is vital. Point‐of‐care (POC) diagnostics require rapid detection, live monitoring, high sensitivity, low detection threshold, and cost‐effectiveness. Carbon‐based nanomaterials (CBNs) are promising due to their large surface‐to‐volume ratio, conductivity, biocompatibility, and stability, making them ideal for biosensors. Recent advancements in CBN applications, including biosensing, drug delivery, and cancer therapy, highlight their potential in enhancing detection sensitivity and specificity. Electrochemical sensors and biosensor platforms using carbon nanocomposites are pivotal in diagnostics. This review explores the current state and future challenges of CBN integration in POC settings, envisioning a transformative impact on healthcare diagnostics and therapeutics.
Enhanced Anticancer Effects of Intratumorally Injected Electrostatic Doxorubicin‐Loaded Click‐Type Crosslinked Hyaluronic Acid Hydrogel
Authors: Ju Hyeon Jin , Kim Min Ju , Kim Shina , Son Kyung Eun , Lee Min Young , Kim Han Su , Kim Moon Suk
Published: September 2024

Injectable depots have received increasing notoriety as local drug delivery vehicles for tumor treatment. Here, an intratumoral formulation of doxorubicin (Dox) is proposed that relies on the electrostatic interaction between the carboxylic group of click‐type crosslinked hyaluronic acid (Cx‐HA) and cationic Dox to achieve effective tumor treatment. The Dox‐loaded click‐type crosslinked HA (Cx‐HA‐Dox) formulation exhibits adequate injectability for intratumoral injection and rapidly forms a depot at the tumor site, remaining inside the tumor for over 18 days. This enhances the bioavailability and therapeutic efficacy of Dox primarily within the tumor, minimizing off‐target side effects. Intratumoral injection of Cx‐HA‐Dox in animal models significantly suppresses tumor growth, as evidenced by a decrease in tumor volume over time. Histological analysis reveals limited angiogenesis in the treated tumors and an increase in the number of large apoptotic cells. Overall, the findings suggest that the electrostatically crosslinked Cx‐HA‐Dox depot can synergistically enhance the anticancer activity of Dox.
Unraveling Abnormal Thermal Quenching of Sub‐Gap Emission in β‐Ga2O3
Authors: Wang Zhengpeng , Tang Fei , Ren Fang‐Fang , Liang Hongwei , Cui Xiangyuan , Xu Shijie , Gu Shulin , Zhang Rong , Zheng Youdou , Ye Jiandong
Published: September 2024

In this work, the optical transition of self‐trapped excitons (STEs) and the emergent green emission in β‐Ga2O3 samples with/without Sn impurities at various doping levels have been investigated via temperature‐ and power‐dependent photoluminescence. The ultraviolet (UV) emissions ≈ 3.40 eV unanimously exhibit an excitonic nature related to STEs and typical negative thermal quenching (NTQ) characters. The NTQ activation energy decreases from 103.56 to 42.37 meV with the increased electron concentration from 2.1 × 1016 to 6.7 × 1018 cm−3, indicative of the reduced energy barrier that electrons should overcome to form stable STEs due to the lift‐up of Fermi level. In comparison, the green emissions ≈ 2.35 eV with two quenching channels are observed only in samples with Sn impurities at cryogenic temperatures. One channel is the nsnp‐ns2 transition of Sn2+, the other is donor‐acceptor pair recombination via (2VGa‐Sni)2− complex, which is energetically favorable as evidenced by density functional theory calculations. The semi‐classical quantum theory models fitting proves the transition from green to UV emissions with elevated temperature. The enhanced STEs emission with distinguished NTQ effect strengthens evidence that the stable polarons inherently limit the transport of holes in Ga2O3, and also support the potential of Ga2O3 materials for the development of UV optoelectronics.
Columnar Macrocyclic Molecule Tailored Grain Cage to Stabilize Inorganic Perovskite Solar Cells with Suppressed Halide Segregation
Authors: Liu Naimin , Duan Jialong , Li Hui , Ma Linzheng , Wang Bo , Li Jiabao , Duan Xingxing , Guo Qiyao , Dou Jie , Geng Shengwei , Liu Ya , Zhang Chenlong , Liu Yueji , He Benlin , Yang Xiya , Tang Qunwei
Published: September 2024

Solidifying the soft lattice of all‐inorganic mixed‐halide perovskites is of great importance to restrain the notorious halide segregation under persistent light illumination. Herein, a multifunctional columnar macrocyclic molecule additive, namely cucurbituril into perovskite precursor to enhance the crystallization and reduce the defect density in the final perovskite film is introduced. Based on the theoretical calculation and simulation, the cucurbituril molecule with a strong double‐ended negatively‐charged cavity surrounded by terminated oxygen atoms not only coordinates with dangling Pb2+ ions to form host‐guest complexation but also induces an electric dipole field at perovskite grain boundary to effectively repel the iodide ion migration from the inside grain to the defective boundary, significantly suppressing the halide segregation and improving the device performance. As a result, the carbon‐based, all‐inorganic CsPbI2Br solar cell achieves an enhanced efficiency of 15.59% with great tolerance to environmental stresses. These findings provide new insights into the development of a novel passivation strategy with macrocyclic molecules for making high‐efficiency and stable perovskite solar cells.
Revealing Real Active Sites in Intricate Grain Boundaries Assemblies on Electroreduction of CO2 to C2+ Products
Authors: Wang Lei , Yao Xue , Fruehwald Holly , Akhmetzyanov Dmitry , Hanson Mathew , Chen Ning , Smith Rodney , Singh Chandra Veer , Tan Zhongchao , Wu Yimin A.
Published: September 2024

Although intricate structural assemblies contribute to enhancing the activity of electrocatalytic CO2 reduction (ECR) to C2+ products, blindly coupling multiple design strategies may not yield the expected results, and even inhibit the activity of intrinsic catalytic sites. Therefore, elucidating the promoting or inhibitory effects of each design strategy on the CO2‐to‐C2+ conversion to clarify the real active sites and dynamic oxidation processes is of paramount importance. Here, commonly used grain boundaries (GBs), oxidation states, and alloying strategies are focused on, constructing four different types of catalysts structures: original Cu GBs, oxygen‐enriched grain boundary oxidation (GBO), Ag‐enriched GBO, and Cu/Ag GBs. Multiple operando characterizations reveal that GBs and GBO strengthen the resistance of the oxidative Cu species to the electrochemical reduction. The in situ generated strongly oxidative hydroxyl radicals alter the local reaction environment on the catalyst surface, inducing and stabilizing oxidative Cuδ+ species. Catalytic activity comparisons indicate that the oxidation state of Cu plays a decisive role in the CO2‐to‐C2+ conversion, and the nanoalloy effect tends to favor the CH4 production in intricate GBs assemblies. Theoretical calculations suggest that weak CO adsorption on GBO structures facilitates hydrogenation, promoting C–C coupling toward C2+ products.
Development and implementation of just‐in‐time curricula for on‐shift teaching during times of boarding
Authors: Hill Jeffery , Nagle Jason , Stark Bailee , Broadstock Arthur , Lang Spenser
Published: September 2024

Background

Overcrowded emergency departments (EDs) due to boarding of inpatients can lead to fewer patients seen by residents and may negatively impact their education. The existing literature recommends providing educational resource banks to augment teaching during overcrowding. We aimed to develop and evaluate the use of an educational curriculum during times of boarding.

Methods

Using Kern's model of curriculum development, we conducted local and national needs assessments to identify existing curricula. The final curriculum consisted of electrocardiogram (ECG) cases, procedural resources, journal articles, and oral boards style cases. The derived curriculum was implemented at the study site, where content was released weekly via email or Slack and via our departmental educational blog. Residents were asked to fill out a survey assessing their satisfaction with the resource, their current patient load, and current National Emergency Department Overcrowding Study score (NEDOCS). We compared clinician educator satisfaction with teaching before implementation and at 3 months after implementation using Wilcoxon rank‐sum test.

Results

The national needs assessment was sent to the Council of Residency Directors (CORD) listserv. There were 36 unique program responses with only one program with resources for teaching during overcrowding. The derived curriculum was used seven times during the study period. The mean (±SD) NEDOCS at the time of resource use was 238.7 (±23.6). The median (range) number of active patients while using the resource was 4 (0–7). ECG cases were the most used resource. Mean (±SD) satisfaction with teaching before implementation was 2.8 (±0.9; Likert‐type item scale 1 to 6 from not at all to a great deal satisfied). Satisfaction with teaching improved after implementation of the curriculum, with the mean (±SD) increasing to 3.5 (±1.0; p = 0.01).

Conclusions

We report the development and implementation of a local educational curriculum for use during times of boarding. The curriculum was lightly used during the study period, but the availability of a curriculum may have increased satisfaction with teaching during boarding.
NIR‐II AIEgens nanosystem for fluorescence and chemiluminescence synergistic imaging‐guided precise resection in osteosarcoma surgery
Authors: Li Ruotong , Liu Kaiyuan , Hu Qian , Shen Jiakang , Zuo Dongqing , Wang Hongsheng , Zhu Xingjun , Sun Wei
Published: September 2024

Osteosarcoma (OS) is characterized by an unfavorable prognosis and high mortality rates, with the local recurrence attributed to residual lesions post‐surgery being a major reason for treatment failure. Precise and tumor‐specific resection guidance to minimize recurrence remains a significant challenge. In the present study, a nanosystem based on aggregation‐induced emission (AIE) molecules with emission in the second near‐infrared window is proposed for the synergistic fluorescence (FL) and chemiluminescence (CL) imaging‐guided surgical resection for the elimination of tumor foci. The designed AIE molecule, BBTD14, exhibits stable FL with a high quantum yield of up to 3.95%, which effectively matches the energy levels of CL high‐energy states, generating the longest emission wavelength of CL reported to date. Targeted tumor imaging‐guided surgery (IGS) is facilitated by FL and CL nanoprobes (FLNP and CLNP) constructed based on BBTD14. During OS surgery, the FLNP, with the stability of FL and a high targeting capability, was first intravenously used to guide the surgical removal of the main tumor. Subsequently, CLNP was locally incubated to facilitate rapid and accurate evaluation of residual tumors at the operative border. High signal‐to‐noise ratio CL imaging was achieved after spraying with hydrogen peroxide, thereby overcoming the limitations of intraoperative frozen sections. The proposed technique also significantly reduced the recurrence rates in OS mouse models and exhibited high marker specificity in ex vivo OS patient pathology samples, confirming its potential in clinical applications and providing a unique perspective for developing IGS.
Mentors and sponsors: Making a difference for racially and culturally minoritised academics in Australian universities
Authors: Gatwiri Kathomi , Krupka Zoë , James Samara
Published: September 2024

Mentorship and sponsorships play a significant role in faculty experiences, career trajectories, well‐being and academic success in higher education. In this study, 23 racially and culturally minoritised (RACM) academics were interviewed about their experiences working in Australian universities, and all spoke about the key importance of their mentoring experiences. Mentorship was understood as both enabling and constricting, with unspoken rules of conduct and an embedded hierarchical relationship that could perpetuate the exclusion of both marginalised scholars and scholarship. In this paper, the theory of practice architectures, part of a wider ‘practice turn’ within education and the social sciences, was used to conceptualise the qualitative analysis of how mentoring arrangements are experienced by RACM academics in Australian universities. Here, we view academic mentoring as a social architectural practice whose power is articulated in discursive, material‐economic and social‐political arrangements and enacted through language (sayings), actions (doings) and relationships (relatings). This study offers insight not only into the structural and experiential landscape of mentoring for RACM academics but also provides an opportunity to envision pathways for its transformation.
An overview of different methods to establish a murine premature ovarian failure model
Authors: Pouladvand Negar , Azarnia Mahnaz , Zeinali Hadis , Fathi Rouhollah , Tavana Somayeh
Published: September 2024

Premature ovarian failure (POF)is defined as the loss of normal ovarian function before the age of 40 and is characterized by increased gonadotropin levels and decreased estradiol levels and ovarian reserve, often leading to infertility. The incomplete understanding of the pathogenesis of POF is a major impediment to the development of effective treatments for this disease, so the use of animal models is a promising option for investigating and identifying the molecular mechanisms involved in POF patients and developing therapeutic agents. As mice and rats are the most commonly used models in animal research, this review article considers studies that used murine POF models. In this review based on the most recent studies, first, we introduce 10 different methods for inducing murine POF models, then we demonstrate the advantages and disadvantages of each one, and finally, we suggest the most practical method for inducing a POF model in these animals. This may help researchers find the method of creating a POF model that is most appropriate for their type of study and suits the purpose of their research.
Zinc‐Catalyzed Enantioselective Formal (3+2) Cycloadditions of Bicyclobutanes with Imines: Catalytic Asymmetric Synthesis of Azabicyclo[2.1.1]hexanes
Authors: Wu Feng , Wu Wen‐Biao , Xiao Yuanjiu , Li Zhenxing , Tang Lei , He Heng‐Xian , Yang Xue‐Chun , Wang Ji‐Jie , Cai Yuanlin , Xu Tong‐Tong , Tao Jia‐Hao , Wang Guoqiang , Feng Jian‐Jun
Published: September 2024

The cycloaddition reaction involving bicyclo[1.1.0]butanes (BCBs) offers a versatile and efficient synthetic platform for producing C(sp3)‐rich rigid bridged ring scaffolds, which act as phenyl bioisosteres. However, there is a scarcity of catalytic asymmetric cycloadditions of BCBs to fulfill the need for enantioenriched saturated bicycles in drug design and development. In this study, an efficient synthesis of valuable azabicyclo[2.1.1]hexanes (aza‐BCHs) by an enantioselective zinc‐catalyzed (3+2) cycloadditions of BCBs with imines is reported. The reaction proceeds effectively with a novel type of BCB that incorporates a 2‐acyl imidazole group and a diverse array of alkynyl‐ and aryl‐substituted imines. The target aza‐BCHs, which consist of α‐chiral amine fragments and two quaternary carbon centers, are efficiently synthesized with up to 94 % and 96.5:3.5 er under mild conditions. Experimental and computational studies reveal that the reaction follows a concerted nucleophilic ring‐opening mechanism of BCBs with imines. This mechanism is distinct from previous studies on Lewis acid‐catalyzed cycloadditions of BCBs.
Plasmon‐Promoted Interatomic Hot Carriers Regulation Enhanced Electrocatalytic Nitrogen Reduction Reaction
Authors: Liang Wenkai , Xie Miao , Li Dong , Qin Wei , Dai Chang , Wang Yawen , Zhang Hao , Zhao Bo , Jin Guangyao , Sun Yinghui , Jiang Lin
Published: September 2024

Utilizing hot carriers for efficient plasmon‐mediated chemical reactions (PMCRs) to convert solar energy into secondary energy is one of the most feasible solutions to the global environmental and energy crisis. Finding a plasmonic heterogeneous nanostructure with a more efficient and reasonable hot carrier transport path without affecting the intrinsic plasmonic properties is still a major challenge that urgently needs to be solved in this field. Herein, the mechanism by which plasmon‐promoted interatomic hot electron redistribution on the surface of Au3Cu alloy nanoparticles promotes the electrocatalytic nitrogen reduction reaction (ENRR) is successfully clarified. The localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) effect can boost the transfer of plasmon hot electrons from Au atoms to Cu atoms, trigger the interatomic electron regulation of Au3Cu alloy nanoparticles, enhance the desorption of ammonia molecules, and increase the ammonia yield by approximately 93.9 %. This work provides an important reference for rationally designing and utilizing the LSPR effect to efficiently regulate the distribution and mechanism of plasmon hot carriers on the surface of heterogeneous alloy nanostructures.
Mitigating the Kinetic Hysteresis of Co‐Free Ni‐Rich Cathodes via Gradient Penetration of Nonmagnetic Silicon
Authors: Song Yijun , Cui Yongpeng , Wang Bo , Ge Lina , Zhou Li , Qiu Zhijian , Xie Zhipeng , Kong Debin , Li Xiaofang , Zhang Jianqiang , Zhu Lei , Liu Pengyun , Li Xuejin , Yan Zifeng , Xue Qingzhong , Tang Yongfu , Xing Wei
Published: September 2024

Co‐free Ni‐rich layered oxides are considered a promising cathode material for next‐generation Li‐ion batteries due to their cost‐effectiveness and high capacity. However, they still suffer from the practical challenges of low discharge capacity and poor rate capability due to the hysteresis of Li‐ion diffusion kinetics. Herein, based on the regulation of the lattice magnetic frustration, the Li/Ni intermixing defects as the primary origin of kinetic hysteresis are radically addressed via the doping of the nonmagnetic Si element. Meanwhile, by adopting gradient penetration doping, a robust Si−O surface structure with reversible lattice oxygen evolution and low lattice strain is constructed on Co‐free Ni‐rich cathodes to suppress the formation of surface dense barrier layer. With the remarkably enhanced Li‐ion diffusion kinetics in atomic and electrode particle scales, the as‐obtained cathodes (LiNixMn1−xSi0.01O2, 0.6≤x≤0.9) achieve superior performance in discharge capacity, rate capability, and durability. This work highlights the coupling effect of magnetic structure and interfacial chemicals on Li‐ion transport properties, and the concept will inspire more researchers to conduct an intensive study.
Mesostructure‐Specific Configuration of *CO Adsorption for Selective CO2 Electroreduction to C2+ Products
Authors: Li Zaiqi , Sun Bin , Xiao Difei , Liu Hongli , Wang Zeyan , Liu Yuanyuan , Zheng Zhaoke , Wang Peng , Dai Ying , Huang Baibiao , Cheng Hefeng
Published: September 2024

The multi‐carbon (C2+) alcohols produced by electrochemical CO2 reduction, such as ethanol and n‐propanol, are considered as indispensable liquid energy carriers. In most C−C coupling cases, however, the concomitant gaseous C2H4 product results in the low selectivity of C2+ alcohols. Here, we report rational construction of mesostructured CuO electrocatalysts, specifically mesoporous CuO (m‐CuO) and cylindrical CuO (c‐CuO), enables selective distribution of C2+ products. The m‐CuO and c‐CuO show similar selectivity towards total C2+ products (≥76 %), but the corresponding predominant products are C2+ alcohols (55 %) and C2H4 (52 %), respectively. The ordered mesostructure not only induces the surface hydrophobicity, but selectively tailors the adsorption configuration of *CO intermediate: m‐CuO prefers bridged adsorption, whereas c‐CuO favors top adsorption as revealed by in situ spectroscopies. Computational calculations unravel that bridged *CO adsorbate is prone to deep protonation into *OCH3 intermediate, thus accelerating the coupling of *CO and *OCH3 intermediates to generate C2+ alcohols; by contrast, top *CO adsorbate is apt to undergo conventional C−C coupling process to produce C2H4. This work illustrates selective C2+ products distribution via mesostructure manipulation, and paves a new path into the design of efficient electrocatalysts with tunable adsorption configuration of key intermediates for targeted products.