bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Synthesis and evaluation of the biological activities of novel hybrid isoindol‐1,3‐dione containing an aziridine unit
Authors: Gundogdu Ozlem , Gumus Rasim , Karatas Omer Faruk , Kara Yunus
Published: March 2023

Aziridine‐containing compounds have many biological activities, particularly antitumor, and antibacterial activities, due to the presence of an aziridine ring. The aim of this study was to synthesize four hybrid isoindol‐1,3‐dione analogues containing aziridine units (8a–d) and evaluate their cytotoxic potential against the A549, MCF7, and PC3 cell lines. A549, MCF7, and PC3 cells exposed to each obtained compound at doses of 5, 25, and 100 μM were incubated for 24 h and 8c was found to exhibit obvious anticancer activity against all three cancer cell lines. Further apoptosis assays and in vitro wound‐healing tests were performed and the results were evaluated.
An efficient protocol for the synthesis of substituted 5‐amino pyrazole bearing benzo[d]imidazolone Core and their antioxidant activity
Authors: Sanghavi Kartik N. , Kher Mukesh N. , Kapadiya Khushal M.
Published: March 2023

An efficient, facile and regioselective route has been utilized for the synthesis of novel series of 5‐(5‐amino‐1H‐pyrazol‐3‐yl)‐1,3‐dimethyl‐1,3‐dihydro‐2H‐benzo[d]imidazol‐2‐one derivatives (5a‐l). The methyl 3,4‐diaminobenzoate (1) used CDI/DMF system for the cyclization to benzimidazolone followed by N‐methylation and next ACN/n‐BuLi media at −70°C to afford high yielded key intermediate, 3‐(1,3‐dimethyl‐2‐oxo‐2,3‐dihydro‐1H‐benzo[d]imidazol‐5‐yl)‐3‐oxopropanenitrile (4). The final adducts synthesis involved catalytic optimization to generate 5‐amino pyrazole‐based adducts (5a‐l) rather than 3‐amino pyrazole (6a‐l) are discussed. Chromatographic and spectral techniques (1H & 13C NMR, LC–MS, elemental analysis) confirmed the newly synthesized structures and were evaluated for antioxidant activity using DPPH free radical scavenging assay. The entire compounds showed extra (higher) potency against used standard ascorbic acid except 5j (2‐F Ph substituent) while, 5c (−Et substitution) was found to be most potent among others.
The bimodality of South Asia High and its relationship with Asian rainfall in September
Authors: Xue Xu , Chen Wen , Hou Shuangshuang
Published: March 2023

This study examines daily longitudinal locations of South Asia High (SAH) in September and its connection with Asian September rainfall variation. Results suggest that daily longitudinal locations of September SAH exhibits as bimodality, which is featured by two preferable locations with one high‐frequency location lying over southern Tibetan Plateau and the other over southern Iranian Plateau. Referred to the two preferred locations, the SAH is classified into east and west SAH mode. The two modes may be attributed to a warm column over central eastern Tibetan or eastern Iranian Plateau, which warms the above troposphere and maintains a SAH at upper troposphere over corresponding location. In addition, bimodality of the SAH has a close relationship with Asian September rainfall. The east mode of SAH is associated with an increasing rainfall over western China and decreasing rainfall over northern Indian Peninsula, southwestern Tibetan Plateau, Indochina Peninsula, eastern China and Korea Peninsula, while the west mode of SAH is linked with the reverse pattern. Specifically, the atmospheric circulation at upper troposphere is featured by one large anticyclonic circulation above eastern Tibetan Plateau and two cyclonic circulations over northern Iranian Plateau and eastern Korea. In the lower troposphere, southerly and northerly anomalies form a convergence zone over western China. Meantime, a cyclonic moisture circulation with warm and wet southerly vapour flow results in above‐normal rainfall over western China. An anticyclone over northern Iranian Plateau at lower troposphere results in an anticyclonic moisture divergence and deficient rainfall over southwestern Tibetan Plateau and northern India. Moreover, a cyclonic circulation over eastern Korea Peninsula with marked northwesterly and moisture flux divergence results in below‐normal rainfall over eastern China and Korea Peninsula.
Evaluation and future projection of the extreme precipitation over India and its homogeneous regions: A regional earth system model perspective
Authors: Kumari Amita , Kumar Pankaj
Published: March 2023

A regional earth system model (ROM) was used to examine the projected change in the precipitation extremes (PEs) and associated dynamical and thermodynamical processes over India during the Indian summer monsoon (ISM). In this regard, PEs are computed for India, its six homogeneous regions and subregions the Western Ghats (WG) and central India (CI). The changes are computed for mid‐future (2040–2069: MDF) and far‐future (2070–2099: FRF) with respect to the historical period (1969–2000). ROM showed better resemblance with observation in simulating PEs over other regional climate models (RCMs) that participated in the CORDEX‐CORE simulation. The intense rainfall (95th percentile: R95) is expected to be enhanced over most of the region during MDF that further intensifies in FRF except CNE (central northeast) and NEI (northeast India), where the increase in R95 was restricted only up to MDF. Interestingly, very intense rainfall (99.9th percentile: R99) showed robust increases in both MDF and FRF for all regions. Additionally, long wet (dry) events were shortened (lengthen). Moreover, the short wet and dry spell frequency has increased, while the duration of the wet (dry) spell has decreased (increased) in both time slices over India with noticeable regional variation. This is attributed to the strong cyclonic circulation, reduced vertical wind shear and enhanced moisture transport during the ISM in both time slices. It is very important to highlight the substantial changes in the precipitation extremes to have better planning and strategies that will be helpful to minimize the incurred losses.
Performance evaluation of high‐resolution IMDAA and IMERG for detecting cloudburst events over the Northwest Himalayas
Authors: Garg Sourabh , Jena Pravat , Devi Usha , Azad Sarita
Published: March 2023

The main goal of this research is to assess the Indian Monsoon Data Assimilation and Analysis (IMDAA), a recently established high‐resolution (0.12° × 0.12°) reanalysis dataset, for observing cloudburst events over the Northwest Himalaya (NWH). In addition, a high‐resolution (0.1° × 0.1°) satellite estimate, the Integrated Multi‐satellitE Retrievals for Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) version 6 (IMERG‐V06B) (Final run), is validated against the IMDAA. The following is a summary of our significant findings. (1) Reanalysis data from the IMDAA detects 11 out of 16 cloudburst incidences. In addition, 10 events captured in the IMERG‐V06B data are a subset of those captured by IMDAA. According to contingency measures, the probability of detection (POD) of IMERG‐V06B at 99.99th percentile is 33.33%–63.39% along the geographical extent of NWH. When utilizing the improved probability of detection (IPOD) to account for time, the possibility of IMERG‐V06B detecting cloudburst occurrences ranges from 41.24% to 68.25%. (2) According to the finding, the IMDAA accurately detects cloudburst events in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), where data from the India Metrological Department (IMD) at a resolution of 0.25° × 0.25° have underperformed. As a result, we can deduce that IMDAA can be used to observe extreme events in the Himalayas. IMERG‐V06B is also relevant satellite data for monitoring cloudburst events and validating climate models.
Dispersive solid phase extraction of metronidazole and clarithromycin from human plasma using a β‐cyclodextrin grafted polyethylene polymer composite
Authors: Javanbakht Faezeh , Afshar Mogaddam Mohammad Reza , Nemati Mahboob , Farajzadeh Mir Ali
Published: March 2023

In this work, for the first time, a polymeric composite based on β‐cyclodextrin grafted with polyethylene has been prepared through ball milling and used as an efficient sorbent for dispersive solid phase extraction of metronidazole and clarithromycin from plasma samples. The prepared sorbent was characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometry, X‐ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscopy. In the extraction process, after precipitating the proteins, the sorbent was added into the sample solution, and the mixture was vortexed to facilitate and speed up the sorption of the analytes onto the sorbent surface. After centrifuging, the sorbent particles were contacted with methanol to elute the analytes under the vortexing process. After this step, an aliquot of the eluate was taken and injected into high‐performance liquid chromatography–diode array detector for quantitative analysis. Under the optimum extraction conditions, the extraction recoveries for metronidazole and clarithromycin were 76 and 83%, respectively. The limits of detection were 2.6 and 2.2 ng/ml for metronidazole and clarithromycin, respectively. The repeatability of the offered approach, expressed as relative standard deviation, was equal to or less than 4.7%. Finally, the method was successfully applied to plasma samples of the patients treated with metronidazole and clarithromycin.
Fast Predicting the Complex Nonlinear Dynamics of Mode‐Locked Fiber Laser by a Recurrent Neural Network with Prior Information Feeding
Authors: Pu Guoqing , Liu Runmin , Yang Hang , Xu Yongxin , Hu Weisheng , Hu Minglie , Yi Lilin
Published: March 2023

As an imperative method of investigating the internal mechanism of femtosecond lasers, traditional femtosecond laser modeling relies on the split‐step Fourier method (SSFM) to iteratively resolve the nonlinear Schrödinger equation suffering from the large computation complexity. To realize inverse design and optimization of femtosecond lasers, numerous simulations of mode‐locked fiber lasers with different cavity settings are required, further highlighting the time‐consuming problem induced by the large computation complexity. Here, a recurrent neural network is proposed to realize fast and accurate femtosecond mode‐locked fiber laser modeling. The generalization over different cavity settings is achieved via the proposed prior information feeding method. With the acceleration of GPU, the mean time of the artificial intelligence (AI) model inferring 500 roundtrips is less than 0.1 s, which is ≈146 times faster than the SSFM running on a CPU. The proposed AI‐enabled method is promising to become a standard approach to femtosecond laser modeling.
Cauchy–Szegö commutators on weighted Morrey spaces
Authors: Fu Zunwei , Gong Ruming , Pozzi Elodie , Wu Qingyan
Published: March 2023

In the setting of quaternionic Heisenberg group , we characterize the boundedness and compactness of commutator for the Cauchy–Szegö operator on the weighted Morrey space with , , and . More precisely, we prove that is bounded on if and only if . And is compact on if and only if .
On the linear stability of simple and semi‐simple periodic waves for a system of cubic Klein–Gordon equations
Authors: Hakkaev Sevdzhan , Syuleymanov Turhan
Published: March 2023

We study the linear stability of traveling wave solutions for the nonlinear wave equation and coupled nonlinear wave equations. It is shown that periodic waves of the dnoidal type are spectrally unstable with respect to co‐periodic perturbations. Our arguments rely on a careful spectral analysis of various self‐adjoint operators, both scalar and matrix and on instability index count theory for Hamiltonian systems.
An inverse problem for a two‐dimensional diffusion equation with arbitrary memory kernel
Authors: Saif Summaya , Malik Salman
Published: March 2023

An inverse source problem (ISP) of recovering space‐dependent source term along with diffusion concentration for a two‐dimensional diffusion equation involving integral convolution of arbitrary memory kernel in time is considered. The unique existence of the solution is proved using a bi‐orthogonal system of functions obtained from the associated non‐self‐adjoint spectral problem and its adjoint problem which form Riesz basis in
. In addition, some particular cases of ISP are described as special cases of our results.
On (contra)pedals and (anti)orthotomics of frontals in de Sitter 2‐space
Authors: Li Yanlin , Tuncer O. Oğulcan
Published: March 2023

In this paper, we mainly investigate (contra)pedals and (anti)orthotomics of frontals in the de Sitter 2‐space from the viewpoint of singularity theory and differential geometry. We utilize the de Sitter Legendrian Frenet frames to provide parametric representations of (contra)pedal curves of spacelike and timelike frontals in the de Sitter 2‐space and to investigate the geometric and singularity properties of these (contra)pedal curves. We then introduce orthotomics of frontals in the de Sitter 2‐space and explain these orthotomics as wavefronts from the viewpoint of Legendrian singularity theory. Furthermore, we generalize these methods to study antiorthotomics of frontals in the de Sitter 2‐space.
A wideband transition from substrate integrated suspended parallel strip line (SISPSL) to differential shielded GCPW
Authors: Liu Jia , Wang Yongqiang , Ma Kaixue , An Wenxing
Published: March 2023

In this paper, a novel wideband substrate integrated suspended parallel strip line (SISPSL) to differential shielded grounded coplanar waveguide (GCPW) transition is proposed. By embedding the traditional double‐side parallel‐strip line inside multilayer boards, SISPSL has the advantage of self‐packaging and there is almost no radiation loss. SISPSL has inherent differential transmission properties, and a transition from SISPSL to differential GCPW is designed based on multilayer boards. The measured bandwidth of the back‐to‐back transition is from 0.01 to 40 GHz.
Development and clinical application of a GPU‐based Monte Carlo dose verification module and software for 1.5 T MR‐LINAC
Authors: Cheng Bo , Xu Yuan , Li Shijun , Ren Qiang , Pei Xi , Men Kuo , Dai Jianrong , Xu Xie George
Published: March 2023

Background

Adaptive radiotherapy (ART) has made significant advances owing to magnetic resonance linear accelerator (MR‐LINAC), which provides superior soft‐tissue contrast, fast speed and rich functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to guide radiotherapy. Independent dose verification plays a critical role in discovering errors, while several challenges remain in MR‐LINAC.

Purpose

A Monte Carlo‐based GPU‐accelerated dose verification module for Unity is proposed and integrated into the commercial software ArcherQA to achieve fast and accurate quality assurance (QA) for online ART.

Methods

Electron or positron motion in a magnetic field was implemented, and a material‐dependent step‐length limit method was used to trade off speed and accuracy. Transport was verified by dose comparison with EGSnrc in three A‐B‐A phantoms. Then, an accurate Monte Carlo‐based Unity machine model was built in ArcherQA, including an MR‐LINAC head, cryostat, coils, and treatment couch. In particular, a mixed model combining measured attenuation and homogeneous geometry was adopted for the cryostat. Several parameters in the LINAC model were tuned to commission it in the water tank. An alternating open‐closed MLC plan on solid water measured with EBT‐XD film was used to verify the LINAC model. Finally, the ArcherQA dose was compared with ArcCHECK measurements and GPUMCD in 30 clinical cases through the gamma test.

Results

ArcherQA and EGSnrc were well matched in three A‐B‐A phantom tests, and the relative dose difference (RDD) was less than 1.6% in the homogenous region. A Unity model was commissioned in the water tank, and the RDD in the homogenous region was less than 2%. In the alternating open‐closed MLC plan, the gamma result (3%/3 mm) between ArcherQA and Film was 96.55%, better than the gamma result between GPUMCD and Film (92.13%). In 30 clinical cases, the mean three‐dimensional (3D) gamma result (3%/2 mm) was 99.36% ± 1.28% between ArcherQA and ArcCHECK for the QA plans and 99.27% ± 1.04% between ArcherQA and GPUMCD for the clinical patient plans. The average dose calculation time was 106 s in all clinical patient plans.

Conclusions

A GPU‐accelerated Monte Carlo‐based dose verification module was developed and built for the Unity MR‐LINAC. The fast speed and high accuracy were proven by comparison with EGSnrc, commission data, the ArcCHECK measurement dose, and the GPUMCD dose. This module can achieve fast and accurate independent dose verification for Unity.
Low‐rank motion correction for accelerated free‐breathing first‐pass myocardial perfusion imaging
Authors: Cruz Gastao , Hua Alina , Munoz Camila , Ismail Tevfik Fehmi , Chiribiri Amedeo , Botnar René Michael , Prieto Claudia
Published: March 2023

Purpose

Develop a novel approach for accelerated 2D free‐breathing myocardial perfusion via low‐rank motion‐corrected (LRMC) reconstructions.

Methods

Myocardial perfusion imaging requires high spatial and temporal resolution, despite scan time constraints. Here, we incorporate LRMC models into the reconstruction‐encoding operator, together with high‐dimensionality patch‐based regularization, to produce high quality, motion‐corrected myocardial perfusion series from free‐breathing acquisitions. The proposed framework estimates beat‐to‐beat nonrigid respiratory (and any other incidental) motion and the dynamic contrast subspace from the actual acquired data, which are then incorporated into the proposed LRMC reconstruction. LRMC was compared with iterative SENSitivity Encoding (SENSE) (itSENSE) and low‐rank plus sparse (LpS) reconstruction in 10 patients based on image‐quality scoring and ranking by two clinical expert readers.

Results

LRMC achieved significantly improved results relative to itSENSE and LpS in terms of image sharpness, temporal coefficient of variation, and expert reader evaluation. Left ventricle image sharpness was approximately 75%, 79%, and 86% for itSENSE, LpS and LRMC, respectively, indicating improved image sharpness for the proposed approach. Corresponding temporal coefficient of variation results were 23%, 11% and 7%, demonstrating improved temporal fidelity of the perfusion signal with the proposed LRMC. Corresponding clinical expert reader scores (1–5, from poor to excellent image quality) were 3.3, 3.9 and 4.9, demonstrating improved image quality with the proposed LRMC, in agreement with the automated metrics.

Conclusion

LRMC produces motion‐corrected myocardial perfusion in free‐breathing acquisitions with substantially improved image quality when compared with iterative SENSE and LpS reconstructions.
The test−retest reproducibility of the multiple array probe Leiden in men with lower urinary tract symptoms
Authors: Beverini Martina , Goes Selma , Witte Lambertus P. W. , van Koeveringe Gommert A. , van der Laan Nienke , Knol‐de Vries Grietje E. , Blanker Marco H.
Published: March 2023

Background

We aimed to study the test–retest reliability of the Multiple Array Probe Leiden (MAPLe), a multiple electrode probe designed to acquire and discriminate electromyography signals in the pelvic floor muscles, in men with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS).

Methods

Adult male patients with LUTS with sufficient knowledge of Dutch language, but without complications (e.g., urinary tract infection), or previous urologic cancer and/or urologic surgery were enrolled. In the initial study, next to physical examination and uroflowmetry, all men underwent MAPLe assessment at baseline and after 6 weeks. Second, participants were reinvited for a new assessment using a stricter protocol. A time interval of 2 h (M2) and 1 week (M3) after baseline (M1) allowed the calculation of the intraday agreement (M1 vs. M2), and the interday agreement (M1 vs. M3) for all 13 MAPLe variables.

Results

The outcomes of the initial study in 21 men suggested a poor test−retest reliability. The second study in 23 men showed a good test−retest reliability with intraclass correlations ranging from 0.61 (0.12−0.86) to 0.91 (0.81−0.96). The agreement was generally higher for the intraday determinations than for the interday determinations.

Conclusions

This study revealed a good test−retest reliability of the MAPLe device in men with LUTS, when using a strict protocol. With a less strict protocol, the test−retest reliability of MAPLe was poor in this sample. To make valid interpretations of this device in a clinical or research setting, a strict protocol is needed.
Loss to Follow‐up in Head and Neck Cancer: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials
Authors: Sawaf Tuleen , Quinton Brooke A. , Moss Gabriel , Yaffe Noah M. , Quereshy Humzah A. , Cabrera‐Aviles Claudia , Fowler Nicole , Li Shawn , Thuener Jason E. , Lavertu Pierre , Rezaee Rod P. , Teknos Theodoros N. , Tamaki Akina
Published: March 2023

Objective

To evaluate the reporting and rates of loss to follow‐up (LTFU) in head and neck cancer (HNC) randomized controlled trials based in the United States.

Data Sources

Pubmed/MEDLINE, Cochrane, Scopus databases.

Review Methods

A systematic review of titles in Pubmed/MEDLINE, Scopus, and Cochrane Library was performed. Inclusion criteria were US‐based randomized controlled trials focused on the diagnosis, treatment, or prevention of HNC. Retrospective analyses and pilot studies were excluded. The mean age, patients randomized, publication details, trial sites, funding, and LTFU data were recorded. Reporting of participants through each stage of the trial was documented. Binary logistic regression was performed to evaluate associations between study characteristics and reporting LTFU.

Results

A total of 3255 titles were reviewed. Of these, 128 studies met the inclusion criteria for analysis. A total of 22,016 patients were randomized. The mean age of participants was 58.6 years. Overall, 35 studies (27.3%) reported LTFU, and the mean LTFU rate was 4.37%. With the exception of 2 statistical outliers, study characteristics including publication year, number of trial sites, journal discipline, funding source, and intervention type did not predict the odds of reporting LTFU. Compared to 95% of trials reporting participants at eligibility and 100% reporting randomization, only 47% and 57% reported on withdrawal and details of the analysis, respectively.

Conclusion

The majority of clinical trials in HNC in the United States do not report LTFU, which inhibits the evaluation of attrition bias that may impact the interpretation of significant findings. Standardized reporting is needed to evaluate the generalizability of trial results to clinical practice.
Comparison of Preoperative DOI Estimation in Oral Tongue Cancer With cN0 Disease
Authors: Au Vivienne H. , Miller Lauren E. , Deschler Daniel G. , Lin Derrick T. , Richmon Jeremy D. , Varvares Mark A.
Published: March 2023

Objective

To understand the accuracy of pre‐ and intraoperative estimation of tumor depth of invasion (DOI).

Study Design

A retrospective case‐control study.

Setting

Patients who presented at 1 institution with oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma that underwent oncologic resection between 2017 and 2019 were identified.

Methods

Patients that met the inclusion criteria were included. Patients with nodal, distant, or recurrent disease, prior history of head and neck cancer, or preoperative tumor assessment and/or final histopathology that did not include DOI were excluded. Preoperative DOI estimation and technique and pathology reports were obtained. Our primary outcome was the sensitivity and specificity of DOI estimation modalities including full‐thickness biopsy (FTB), manual palpation (MP), punch biopsy (PB), and intraoperative ultrasound (IOUS).

Results

Tumor DOI was assessed quantitatively preoperatively in 40 patients by FTB (n = 19, 48%), MP (n = 17, 42%), or PB (n = 4, 10%). Additionally, 19 patients underwent IOUS to assess DOI. The sensitivities of FTB, MP, and IOUS for DOI ≥ 4 mm were 83% (confidence interval [CI]: 44%‐97%), 83% (CI: 55%‐95%), and 90% (CI: 60%‐98%), respectively, and the specificities were 85% (CI: 58%‐96%), 60% (CI: 23%‐88%), and 78% (CI: 45%‐94%).

Conclusion

Our study demonstrated that DOI assessment tools measured had similar sensitivity and specificity in stratifying patients with DOI ≥4 mm, with no statistically superior diagnostic test. Our results support the need for additional research into nodal disease prediction and continued refinement of ND decisions with respect to DOI.
Ketamine use for management of vaso‐occlusive pain in pediatric sickle cell disease
Authors: Harris Emily M. , Vilk Emily , Donado Carolina , Williams Alexis , Heeney Matthew M. , Solodiuk Jean , Greco Christine , Archer Natasha M.
Published: March 2023

Background

Typical sickle cell disease (SCD) vaso‐occlusive pain episode (VOE) management includes opioids, which are often inadequate and can be associated with significant side effects. Ketamine, a dissociative anesthetic, is a potentially effective adjunct to VOE management.

Objectives

This study aimed to characterize ketamine use for VOE management in pediatric SCD.

Method

This retrospective case series summarizes a single‐center experience regarding the use of ketamine for inpatient management of pediatric VOE in 156 admissions from 2014 to 2020.

Results

Continuous low‐dose ketamine infusion was most commonly prescribed to adolescents and young adults as an adjunct to opioids (median starting dose 2.0 μg/kg/min; median maximum dose 3.0 μg/kg/min). Ketamine was started a median of 13.7 hours after admission. Median ketamine infusion duration was 3 days. In most encounters, ketamine infusion was discontinued prior to opioid patient‐controlled analgesia (PCA) discontinuation. The majority of encounters (79.3%) had a reduction in either PCA dose, continuous opioid infusion, or both while receiving ketamine. Low‐dose ketamine infusion was associated with side effects noted in 21.8% (n = 34) of encounters. The most common side effects included dizziness (5.6%), hallucinations (5.1%), dissociation (2.6%), and sedation (1.9%). There were no reports of ketamine withdrawal. Most patients who received ketamine went on to receive it again during a subsequent admission.

Conclusion

Further study is needed to determine the optimal timing of ketamine initiation and dosing. The variability of ketamine administration highlights the need for standardized protocols for ketamine use in VOE management.
Carbon‐glass reinforced epoxy hybrid composites for crashworthy structural applications
Authors: El Aal Mohamed Ibrahim Abd , Awd Allah Mahmoud M. , Abd El‐baky Marwa A.
Published: March 2023

The goal of this work is to experimentally explore the crashworthiness performance and the deformation history of hybrid thin‐walled composite tubes. Glass (G)/carbon (C) reinforced epoxy circular specimens were prepared by wet wrap using hand lay‐up technique and then subjected to quasi‐static axial compressive loads to examine the impact of the hybridization process and stacking sequences on the crashworthiness performance and the deformation history. Crush indicators, that is, the initial peak force (), absorbed energy (AE), specific absorbed energy (SEA) of the designed tubes were assessed. The specimen's failure modes were discussed. Cost analysis for the proposed materials was carried out. According to the experimental findings, the hybridization and stacking order significantly influence the crashworthiness performance and failure mode of G/C reinforced epoxy composite tubes. C/2G/2C/2G/C hybrid is recommended as an energy absorber material for automobiles.
Comparison of mechanical properties of the Type 1 and Type 2 composite hydraulic cylinder designs: A numerical study
Authors: Coskun Taner , Sahin Omer Sinan
Published: March 2023

Hydraulic cylinders can reach enormous sizes depending on the working pressure and application areas. These structures, which are typically fabricated using traditional steels, can be quite heavy, which can cause a number of issues, particularly low system efficiency and fuel performance. A Type 1 composite hydraulic cylinder (CHC) with geodesic dome trajectories was created in our earlier work, and the effects of composite material utilization on the structural weight and mechanical responses were examined. Furthermore, the applicability of the geodesic dome to the CHCs was examined, and the benefits and drawbacks of using the dome profile were found. A Type 2 CHC was created in the current study, and the structural performances of Type 1 and Type 2 CHCs were compared. In this regard, numerical analyses were done to assess the mechanical responses and structural performance of a Type 2 CHC. Additionally, utilizing response surface methodology (RSM), the design parameters were optimized. The outputs of the current study were then verified by comparing the outcomes of statistical‐based RSM and FEM examinations. As a result, the structural weights for both designs were compared with steel hydraulic cylinders of the same strength, and it was revealed that Type 1 and Type 2 CHCs were 53.78% and 38.42% lighter than steel ones, respectively. In addition, the advantages and disadvantages of the design types were discussed, and thus the optimum design was determined by considering the application areas and requirements.
Full‐field hygroscopic characterization of tough 3D‐printed supramolecular hydrogels
Authors: Vonk N. H. , van Adrichem S. C. A. , Wu D. J. , Dankers P. Y. W. , Hoefnagels J. P. M.
Published: March 2023

Chain‐extended ureido‐pyrimidinone poly(ethylene glycol) (CE‐UPy‐PEG) is a supramolecular hydrogel with excellent mechanical properties and shape memory capabilities, making it highly suitable for 3D printing of complex biomimetic structures to mimic biomaterials. However, its transient hygroexpansion response under environmental change, specifically relative humidity (RH), which is strongly affected by the supramolecular sub‐structure, is poorly understood. Therefore, a high‐precision full‐field fiber‐swelling methodology is applied to 3D‐printed CE‐UPy‐PEG fibers, enabling investigation of the influence of PEG chain length (1.5, 3, and 10 kg/mol studied here) and RH rate from wet to dry on the longitudinal and transverse surface strain evolution during multiple RH cycles. The PEG length directly influences the fibers' hygroscopic properties, because only CE‐UPy‐PEG3k and CE‐UPy‐PEG10k exhibit a phase transformation from semicrystalline to amorphous at higher RH levels, which is fully described by a phenomenological phase transformation model. Furthermore, all fibers display cyclic repeatability (shape memory), increased swelling for longer PEG chains and lower RH rate, and disappearance of sub‐millimeter‐sized tube‐like voids after wetting.
Remediation of chloroform in fine‐textured soil using zero‐valent iron
Authors: Murata Alison P. , Siddique Tariq , Jobson Allen M. , Kuznetsova Alsu , Dhar Amalesh , Naeth M. Anne
Published: March 2023

Chloroform, a probable human carcinogen, is mainly produced anthropogenically for industrial use and may be released to the environment from a large number of sources related to its manufacture and use, including pulp and paper mills, hazardous waste sites, and sanitary landfills. Remediation of chloroform through conventional technologies has been met with limited success due to the conditions required and the formation of hazardous substances such as dichloromethane. The objective of this study was to investigate chloroform reduction in multicontaminated fine‐textured soil using zero‐valent iron (Fe0) in anaerobic microcosms. Four amended matrices were tested: simple matrix control (glass beads), soil matrix control (glass beads + soil), Fe0 in a simple matrix (glass beads + Fe0), and Fe0 in a soil matrix (soil + Fe0). Headspace chloroform and its transformation products dichloromethane, chloromethane, and methane were measured over 230 days and during short intervals in the initial 3 days. Chloroform (~0.3 mM initial mass) persisted in both control microcosms but was completely transformed in microcosms containing soil + Fe0 by 12 h and glass beads + Fe0 by 48 h. Reductive dechlorination of chloroform occurred with simultaneous production of dichloromethane (~0.11 to 0.14 mM mass) and chloromethane (~0.02 to 0.13 mM mass). Little methane (~0.07 to 0.26 μM mass) production as an end product of chloroform reduction was observed in microcosms amended with Fe0. Produced dichloromethane and chloroform almost disappeared by 230 days. The results showed a complete chloroform transformation pathway that has good potential for the remediation of chlorinated compounds in fine‐textured soil. The role of soil clay minerals in redox reactions can be further investigated to improve the reductive dechlorination of chlorinated compounds in contaminated environments.
Flexible template matching for observational study design
Authors: Zhao Ruochen , Lu Bo
Published: March 2023

Matching is a popular design for inferring causal effect with observational data. Unlike model‐based approaches, it is a nonparametric method to group treated and control subjects with similar characteristics together, hence to re‐create a randomization‐like scenario. The application of matched design for real world data may be limited by: (1) the causal estimand of interest; (2) the sample size of different treatment arms. We propose a flexible design of matching, based on the idea of template matching, to overcome these challenges. It first identifies the template group which is representative of the target population, then match subjects from the original data to this template group and make inference. We provide theoretical justification on how it unbiasedly estimates the average treatment effect using matched pairs and the average treatment effect on the treated when the treatment group has a bigger sample size. We also propose using the triplet matching algorithm to improve matching quality and devise a practical strategy to select the template size. One major advantage of matched design is that it allows both randomization‐based or model‐based inference, with the former being more robust. For the commonly used binary outcome in medical research, we adopt a randomization inference framework of attributable effects in matched data, which allows heterogeneous effects and can incorporate sensitivity analysis for unmeasured confounding. We apply our design and analytical strategy to a trauma care evaluation study.
Novel Mg‐ and Ga‐doped ZnO/Li‐Doped Graphene Oxide Transparent Electrode/Electron‐Transporting Layer Combinations for High‐Performance Thin‐Film Solar Cells
Authors: Kim Jihun , Jang Jun Sung , Shin Seung Wook , Park Hyeonghun , Jeong Woo‐Lim , Mun Seung‐Hyun , Min Jung‐Hong , Ma Jiyoung , Heo Jaeyeong , Lee Dong Seon , Woo Jung‐Je , Kim Jin Hyeok , Kim Hyeong‐Jin
Published: March 2023

Herein, a novel combination of Mg‐ and Ga‐co‐doped ZnO (MGZO)/Li‐doped graphene oxide (LGO) transparent electrode (TE)/electron‐transporting layer (ETL) has been applied for the first time in Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 (CZTSSe) thin‐film solar cells (TFSCs). MGZO has a wide optical spectrum with high transmittance compared to that with conventional Al‐doped ZnO (AZO), enabling additional photon harvesting, and has a low electrical resistance that increases electron collection rate. These excellent optoelectronic properties significantly improved the short‐circuit current density and fill factor of the TFSCs. Additionally, the solution‐processable alternative LGO ETL prevented plasma‐induced damage to chemical bath deposited cadmium sulfide (CdS) buffer, thereby enabling the maintenance of high‐quality junctions using a thin CdS buffer layer (≈30 nm). Interfacial engineering with LGO improved the Voc of the CZTSSe TFSCs from 466 to 502 mV. Furthermore, the tunable work function obtained through Li doping generated a more favorable band offset in CdS/LGO/MGZO interfaces, thereby, improving the electron collection. The MGZO/LGO TE/ETL combination achieved a power conversion efficiency of 10.67%, which is considerably higher than that of conventional AZO/intrinsic ZnO (8.33%).
Ink‐Stained Chalk: A Low‐Cost 3D Evaporator for Efficient and Stable Solar Desalination
Authors: Ding Meichun , Zhao Demin , Liu Hongguang , Zhao Yuya , Li Feifei , Jia Dedong , Li Chenwei
Published: March 2023

Solar‐driven steam generation is considered one of the most promising techniques to obtain fresh water. Under the same projection area, a 3D evaporator has a larger evaporation area and can get more energy from the environment, resulting into better evaporation performance. 3D evaporators are often hindered by complex and dangerous fabrication processes, special and expensive equipment, and costly raw materials. Herein, a simple method to prepare a low‐cost and highly efficient 3D solar evaporator using chalk and ink that are common in classrooms is proposed. This method does not involve expensive raw materials and any equipment, and the manufacturing process is simple and fast, especially suitable for less developed regions. Thanks to the excellent hydrophilicity of chalk and the strong sunlight absorption of black ink, the ink‐stained chalk (ISC) shows up to 20.49 kg m−2 h−1 of the evaporation rate under one sun illumination. When treating a real seawater sample, ISC prepared from broken or used chalks show highly efficient (8.97–19.91 kg m−2 h−1) and stable (24 h) solar desalination. The ISC presented in this work offers a new avenue to develop 3D solar evaporator for low‐cost and high‐efficient seawater desalination, which is especially attractive for remote and less developed areas.
Piezoelectric Energy Harvesting Using Solar Radiation Pressure Enhanced by Surface Plasmons at Visible to Near‐Infrared Wavelengths
Authors: Ryu Jae-Hoon , Lee Ha Young , Kim Sung-Hyun , Lee Jeong-Yeon , Jang Jun-Hyeon , Ahn Hyung Soo , Hwang Sun-Lyeong , Taylor Robert A. , Ha Dong Han , Yi Sam Nyung
Published: March 2023

A light‐pressure electric generator (LPEG) device, which harvests piezoelectric energy using solar radiation enhanced by surface plasmons (SPs), is demonstrated. The design of the device is motivated by the need to drastically increase the power output of existing piezoelectric devices based on SP resonance. The solar radiation pressure can be used as an energy source by employing an indium tin oxide (ITO)/Ag double layer to excite the SPs in the near‐infrared (NIR) and visible light regions. The LPEG with the ITO layer generates an open‐circuit voltage of 295 mV, a short‐circuit current of 3.78 μA, and a power of 532.3 μW cm−2 under a solar simulator. The power of the LPEG device incorporating the ITO layer increased by 38% compared to the device without the ITO layer. The effect of the ITO layer on the electrical output of the LPEG was analyzed in detail by measuring the electrical output when visible and NIR lights are incident on the device using optical bandpass filters. In addition, finite‐difference time‐domain simulation confirmed that the pressure of the incident light can be further amplified by the ITO/Ag double layer. Finally, the energy harvested from the LPEG was stored in capacitors to successfully illuminate red light‐emitting diodes.
Role of Nonfullerene Acceptor Impurities and Purification on the Efficiency and Stability of Organic Photovoltaics
Authors: Kumari Tanya , Ahmadpour Mehrad , Morin Pierre-Olivier , Ahmad Mariam , Atajanov Rovshen , Rindom Cecilie , Oh Jiyeon , Yakoob Mohammed Amir , Bergeron Jean-Sébastien , Grenier François , Yang Changduk , Nielsen Mogens Brøndsted , Turkovic Vida , Madsen Morten
Published: March 2023

The introduction of nonfullerene acceptors (NFAs) has pushed the power conversion efficiency and organic photovoltaics (OPV) device stability to new standards. In this aspect, removal of trace impurities from one purification stage to the next is frequently stressed throughout the synthesis of photoactive OPV materials and NFAs to obtain the highest‐purity material. However, detailed studies of the effect of purification on device performance are less reported. Herein, the role of NFA trace impurities on the optoelectronic characteristics and lifetime of resulting OPV devices is studied. The optimization of PBDB‐T:ITIC‐X devices, with various ITIC purity levels (X), has been thoroughly studied via a combination of photophysical, chemical, morphological, electrical, and optical characterization techniques, to shine light on the role of these impurities on device performance and lifetime. The findings suggest that, even in materials with larger concentrations of trace impurities, careful tuning can produce high efficiencies. Interestingly, the less‐pure materials lead to longer device lifetimes along with an enhancement in accumulative power generation by a factor 3, compared to the purest ITIC‐based devices. This demonstrates that selecting a material with the highest purity may not always be the best option for NFA OPV and that any positive effects of NFA purification must be carefully considered in light of both the device efficiency and stability.
Recent progress of dendrite‐free stable zinc anodes for advanced zinc‐based rechargeable batteries: Fundamentals, challenges, and perspectives
Authors: Wang Xiao , Sun Chenglin , Wu Zhong‐Shuai
Published: March 2023

Zinc‐based batteries are a very promising class of next‐generation electrochemical energy storage systems, with high safety, eco‐friendliness, abundant resources, and the absence of rigorous manufacturing conditions. However, practical applications of zinc‐based rechargeable batteries are impeded by the low Coulombic efficiency, inferior cyclability, and poor rate capability, due to the instability of zinc anode. Herein, effective strategies for dendrite‐free zinc anode are symmetrically reviewed, especially highlighting specific mechanisms, delicate design of electrode and current collectors, controlled electrode|electrolyte interface, ameliorative electrolytes, and advanced separators design. First, the particular mechanisms of dendrites formation and the associated fundamentals of the stable Zn metal anodes are presented elaborately. Then, recent key strategies for dendrites prevention and hydrogen evolution reaction suppression are categorized, discussed, and analyzed in detail in view of the electrodes, electrolytes, and separators. Finally, the challenging perspectives and major directions of stable zinc anodes are briefly discussed for further industrialization and commercialization of zinc‐based rechargeable batteries.
External field–assisted batteries toward performance improvement
Authors: Wang Wanwan , Lu Yi‐Chun
Published: March 2023

Rechargeable batteries are essential for the increased demand for energy storage technologies due to their ability to adapt intermittent renewable energies into electric devices, such as electric vehicles. To boost the battery performance, applying external fields to assist the electrochemical process has been developed and exhibits significant merits in energy efficiency and cycle stability enhancement. This perspective focuses on recent advances in the development of external field–assisted battery technologies, including photo‐assisted, magnetic field–assisted, sound field–assisted, and multiple field–assisted. The working mechanisms of external field–assisted batteries and their challenges and opportunities are highlighted.
A systematic literature review of sociotechnical systems in systems engineering
Authors: Polojärvi Dana , Palmer Erika , Dunford Charlotte
Published: March 2023

Systems engineers use the term sociotechnical system in academic literature and in their practice. Sociotechnical systems are gaining more attention as systems engineers aspire to address the social elements of their systems engineering practice as well as societal challenges, such as those included in the International Council on Systems Engineering (INCOSE) Vision 2035. Even though there is a basic working definition of sociotechnical system in the Systems Engineering Book of Knowledge (SEBoK), use of the term varies in systems engineering literature depending on application domain. As systems engineering research and practice venture into social domains, it is critical that systems engineers have a shared understanding of terms they use as a foundation of knowledge and practice. To contribute to this foundation, this study is a systematic literature review of how the term sociotechnical system is used in systems engineering literature. We used the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses (PRISMA) methodological framework and Web of Science (WoS) for conducting the systematic literature review. We only included peer‐reviewed systems engineering academic papers in this study, and these papers had to either explicitly define the term or implicitly define it by context in the paper. In total, 61 papers were included after inclusion criteria were met, and these were evaluated and synthesized into definition categories. Evaluation and synthesis were conducted according to the PRISMA framework by the study authors in order to manage bias. We found that most papers use sociotechnical system generically as a system that includes social (people) and technical elements. Papers with more refined definitions of sociotechnical system stem from two distinct theoretical traditions: ergonomics/safety and philosophy of engineering. We do not aim to propose a single, normative definition of sociotechnical system. This study is limited by including only systems engineering literature since sociotechnical system has established definitions in other disciplines (e.g., social sciences disciplines). However, the outcome of this study provides systems engineers with documented understanding of how the term sociotechnical system is used within systems engineering.
Life‐cycle cost‐oriented multiobjective optimization of composite frames considering the slab effect
Authors: Lin Yongjun , Zhang Xianzhao
Published: March 2023

The life‐cycle cost‐oriented design philosophy is a promising tool for building resilient cities as it helps in gaining insights into the impact of hazard‐induced damage and repair of civil and infrastructure systems. In this study, a socioeconomic parameter‐independent practical formulation was introduced for life‐cycle cost analysis by combining the economic loss rate associated with different damage limit states and cloud analysis‐based probabilistic seismic demand model. A framework for life‐cycle cost analysis‐based seismic design optimization was proposed using an emerging nature‐inspired algorithm, namely, the multiobjective cuckoo search. By considering an eight‐story prototype composite frame, the framework was used to determine the trade‐off design alternatives between competing optimization objectives. Conventional and improved fiber models were developed to comparatively evaluate the influence of the slab spatial composite effect on Pareto optimal designs. The key drivers of change in three cost indicators were identified using generalized linear models. The result indicates that the overstrength factor is the critical design parameter affecting the initial construction, seismic damage, and life‐cycle costs, with statistical significance at the 0.001 level.