bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Solution‐Processed Lead Iodide for Ultrafast All‐Optical Switching of Terahertz Photonic Devices
Authors: Manjappa Manukumara , Solanki Ankur , Kumar Abhishek , Sum Tze Chien , Singh Ranjan
Published: June 2019

Solution‐processed lead iodide (PbI2) governs the charge transport characteristics in the hybrid metal halide perovskites. Besides being a precursor in enhancing the performance of perovskite solar cells, PbI2 alone offers remarkable optical and ultrasensitive photoresponsive properties that remain largely unexplored. Here, the photophysics and the ultrafast carrier dynamics of the solution processed PbI2 thin film is probed experimentally. A PbI2 integrated metamaterial photonic device with switchable picosecond time response at extremely low photoexcitation fluences is demonstrated. Further, findings show strongly confined terahertz field induced tailoring of sensitivity and switching time of the metamaterial resonances for different thicknesses of PbI2 thin film. The approach has two far reaching consequences: the first lead‐iodide‐based ultrafast photonic device and resonantly confined electromagnetic field tailored transient nonequilibrium dynamics of PbI2 which could also be applied to a broad range of semiconductors for designing on‐chip, ultrafast, all‐optical switchable photonic devices.
Pb‐Bi Binary Metal All‐Inorganic Absorber Layer for Stability Enhancement in Perovskite Solar Cells
Authors: Huang Jin , Zhang Dan , Ding Lei , Zhang Fanghui
Published: June 2019

A lead‐bismuth (Pb‐Bi) binary metal based all‐inorganic perovskite film is successfully fabricated and applied as absorber layer to enhance the stability of perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Unlike the Pb‐only perovskite‐based device, the Pb‐Bi binary metal perovskite based one shows better tolerance to humidity and oxygen. High power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 11.9% is obtained for the all‐inorganic (PSC). Noticeably, the PCE only reduced by 10% under atmospheric humidity of 40% in four weeks. An electron‐only device also shows reduced trap states. The improved stability and PCE is ascribed to higher quality perovskite film with less trap states and smaller series resistance (Rs) in the device.
CMOS Compatible Transient Resistive Memory with Prolonged Lifetime
Authors: Zhong Shuai , Ji Xinglong , Zhou Yinning , Zhang Yishu , Ye Ai , Zhao Rong
Published: June 2019

Transient resistive memory has attracted widespread attention because of its potential applications in disposable electronics and bioelectronics. Although various memory structures have been reported with good transient behaviors, their incompatibility with the complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor (CMOS) process has limited large‐scale integration to form transient electronic systems. In addition, the use of highly fluid‐sensitive materials results in memory with a short lifetime in minutes, which is far from being practical. Here, a transient resistive memory is demonstrated with W/Cu/SiO2/W structure that is fully CMOS compatible and has a stable memory performance with high uniformity and excellent transient behaviors in water and biofluids. Furthermore, the dissolution test shows that W is a better electrode choice for prolonging the lifetime of transient memory. Together with a 30 nm Al2O3 encapsulation layer, the device achieves a lifetime of approximately three months at room temperature, which is about four orders of magnitude loner than the best reported transient resistive memories at present. In addition, biocompatibility investigation shows that dissolved memory is not toxic to cell growth and viability, indicating good biocompatibility. This work enables the large‐scale integration of transient resistive memory with other transient components for practical applications.
Blue Electrofluorescence Resulting from Exergonic Harvesting of Triplet Excitons
Authors: Yi Seung Yeon , Ihn Soo‐Ghang , Sim Myungsun , Kim Jong Soo , Kim Inkoo , Chung Yeon Sook , Huh Dal Ho , Kim Sunghan , You Youngmin
Published: June 2019

Advances in electroluminescence demand the development of emissive molecules capable of utilizing all of the electrogenerated excitons. Here, a molecular strategy to harvest the excitons without relying on late transition metals or thermal activation is designed and evaluated. The key process deployed is an exergonic, El‐Sayed rule‐allowed reverse intersystem crossing (ES‐rISC) from the triplet n–π * transition state to the singlet π–π * transition state, followed by fluorescent decay of the latter. To demonstrate the strategy, a series of fluorescent molecules consisting of a 9,10‐diphenylanthracene core and different carbonyl n–π * units (SY compounds) is created. The compounds display a strong blue fluorescence emission with high photoluminescence quantum yields of up to 0.93. Multilayer organic electroluminescence devices containing the SY compounds exhibit maximum external quantum efficiencies greater than that obtained from a singlet‐exciton‐only control device. This improvement is due to their capacity to utilize triplet excitons for fluorescence emission. The studies demonstrate that exergonic ES‐rISC can serve as a promising pathway for creating inexpensive and tractable organic dopants for high‐efficiency electroluminescence.
Low‐Temperature Processing of Printed Field‐Effect Transistors from Sublimating‐Stabilizer Derived Oxide Nanodispersions
Authors: Divya Mitta , Sethuraman Sivaramakrishnan , Devabharathi Nehru , Mondal Sandeep Kumar , Dasgupta Subho
Published: June 2019

Oxide semiconductors are becoming an increasingly attractive choice for solution processed/printed transistors and circuits, as they possess numerous critical advantages over the other printable semiconductor technologies, such as abundance, low‐cost, environmental/thermal stability, nontoxicity, and most importantly, excellent electronic transport properties. However, on the downside, there are also major challenges, one of which is their high process temperatures, especially when they are processed from oxide precursors. In order to address this limitation, here, a general recipe for low temperature curable nanodispersions/nanoinks is proposed using aromatic surfactants that sublimates near room temperature. In this regard, stable nanoinks from In2O3 nanoparticles, with high particle loading, are developed using an inexpensive, nontoxic aromatic compound thymol as the stabilizer; while, thymol sublimates near room temperature (<40 °C), a quick heating at 100 °C is carried out to ensure its complete removal. The printed field‐effect transistors from thymol‐stabilized nanoinks show an on/off ratio >107, a maximum device mobility of 13.5 cm2 V−1 s−1, and transconductance values as high as 10 µS µm−1. It is believed that this general route to obtain low temperature curable electronic grade nanodispersions may find applications beyond the printed logic electronics demonstrated in the present study.
Tuning Ni/Al Ratio to Enhance Pseudocapacitive Charge Storage Properties of Nickel–Aluminum Layered Double Hydroxide
Authors: Li Gengnan , Zhang Xianghui , Qiu Dantong , Liu Zilin , Yang Chen , Cockreham Cody B. , Wang Baodong , Fu Liangjie , Zhang Jianghao , Sudduth Berlin , Guo Xiaofeng , Sun Hui , Huang Zhangyi , Qi Jianqi , Sun Junming , Ha Su , Wang Yong , Wu Di
Published: June 2019

Compared with batteries, the advantages of capacitive energy storage include high power, fast charging kinetics, and long cycling stability. Owing to their layered structure and tunable transition metal charge, layered double hydroxides (LDHs) have great potential to be applied as pseudocapacitor materials. Here, a systematic experimental study is reported on the impact of the Ni/Al ratio on the structure, morphology, ion transport kinetics, interlayer phenomena, and performance of NiAl‐LDH supercapacitor electrode materials, in which three NiAl‐LDH materials with Ni/Al ratios of 2, 3, and 4, are synthesized using a hydrothermal method. The increase of the Ni/Al ratio results in more open interlayer space resulting in faster ion diffusion kinetics. Although an increase in the Ni/Al ratio introduces more redox active sites, it leads to degradation in crystallinity and morphology, which has a significant negative impact on pseudocapacitance. Electrochemical tests suggest that at Ni/Al = 3, the NiAl‐LDH electrode exhibits optimum specific capacitance of 2128 F g−1 at 1 A g−1 with long cycle stability. This work highlights the complex interplay among compositional and structural factors on the kinetic and performance behaviors of NiAl‐LDH materials. Subtle compositional modification is an effective strategy to enhance the pseudocapacitive charge storage property of NiAl‐LDH pseduocapacitor materials.
Family effects on the digit ratio (2D:4D): The role of the interbirth interval
Authors: Králík Miroslav , Hupková Adela , Zeman Tomáš , Hložek Martin , Hlaváček Lukáš , Slováčková Marie , Čuta Martin , Urbanová Petra
Published: June 2019

Objectives

Family represents the closest social environment that immediately affects human ontogeny from an early prenatal period. This study aimed to assess sibship influences on the second‐to‐fourth digit length ratio (2D:4D ratio).

Methods

The source sample represented 329 children aged 6.5 to 15.8 years (Czech Republic), including a subsample of 75 sibling pairs. A combination of (a) between‐family design (cross‐sectional sample) and (b) within‐family design (pairs of siblings) was used to study the effect of family variables and interbirth interval (IBI) on the 2D:4D ratio.

Results

Birth order, number of siblings (except for younger sisters), and sex ratio in siblings were significantly related to the 2D:4D ratio on the right, left, or both hands. At the same time, the relationships were opposite in males and females for birth order, number of older brothers and number of children in the family––increasing values in these variables increased digit ratio in males but decreased digit ratio in females. Mean difference in 2D:4D ratio (DIFF) within pairs (older minus younger sibling) differed from zero only in the “older sister––younger brother” group, where DIFF did not depend on IBI. On the contrary, in remaining pair types the DIFF tended to change with IBI, the strongest in the “older brother––younger sister” pairs.

Conclusions

Family variables, especially number of older brothers, should be considered as important confounding factors in 2D:4D ratio studies. However, the effect of these variables might be modified by IBI.
Early lifecycle UV‐exposure calibrates adult vitamin D metabolism: Evidence for a developmentally originated vitamin D homeostat that may alter related adult phenotypes
Authors: Lucock Mark , Thota Rohith , Garg Manohar , Martin Charlotte , Jones Patrice , Furst John , Yates Zoe , Jablonski Nina G. , Chaplin George , Veysey Martin , Beckett Emma
Published: June 2019

Objectives

Within the Developmental Origins of Adult Disease (DOHaD) model, early life environmental exposures can confer a long‐term legacy on human health. This mechanism may be adaptive or maladaptive depending on lifestyle circumstances. This article examines the role of first trimester UV‐exposure on late‐life vitamin D levels, and potentially related adaptive and maladaptive phenotypes (height and osteoporosis respectively).

Methods

Six hundred and forty nine subjects were examined for vitamin D2and D3(HPLC) and height (stadiometer). Osteoporosis was assessed with an extensive medical history questionnaire.

Results

Solar irradiance over the first 90 days postconception correlated positively with late‐life vitamin D3(R2= .0140;P= .0082;β= .1075), but not vitamin D2levels. It also correlated positively with female adult height (R2= .170;P= .0103;β= .1291) and negatively with the occurrence of female osteoporosis (P= .0495). All data were adjusted for age and gender as appropriate (unadjusted data also provided). From a contemporary perspective, vitamin D levels varied significantly according to season of blood sampling as might be predicted (P= .0009).

Conclusions

Increased solar irradiance/UV exposure during the first trimester of pregnancy calibrates adult vitamin D metabolism, which is an important hormone in maintaining calcium balance. This may explain how very early lifecycle UV exposure can influence skeletal development (adult height) and modify risk for the skeletal degenerative disorder osteoporosis. The data demonstrate humans are tuned to the world (exposome) in ways we have not yet fully considered, and which are entrained at the earliest phase of the lifecycle.
Widespread aplasia cutis congenita in sibs with PLEC1 and ITGB4 variants
Authors: Kariminejad Ariana , Vahidnezhad Hassan , Ghaderi‐Sohi Siavash , Ghannadan Ali R. , Youssefian Leila , Parsimehr Elham , Faraji Zonooz Mehrshid , Kariminejad Mohammad H. , Uitto Jouni , Najmabadi Hossein , Hennekam Raoul C.
Published: June 2019

Aplasia cutis congenita (ACC) is a heterogeneous group of disorders characterized by localized or widespread absence of skin. ACC can occur isolated or as part of a syndrome. Here we report two consanguineous families, each with two affected offspring. Affected individuals showed widespread ACC while the skin in between had a normal appearance. Ears and nose of the four patients were underdeveloped, otherwise there were no unusual physical characteristics and no internal organ anomalies. “Whole” exome sequencing (WES) of the mother of Family 1 yielded a pathogenic heterozygote variant in ITGB4. The father and healthy offspring were heterozygous for the same variant. WES of the mother of Family 2 yielded a variant in PLEC1. The father and grandmother, who had a history of two offspring with fatal ACC, were heterozygous for the same variant. PLEC1 and ITGB4 have both been previously been reported in association with ACC. We compare findings in earlier reported individuals with variants in ITGB4 and PLEC1, and provide a short summary of other entities going along with ACC.
Biosynthetic Relationships and Total Syntheses of Naturally Occurring Benzo[c]Phenanthridine Alkaloids
Authors: Bisai Vishnumaya , Saina Shaheeda M. K. , Gupta Aditi , Bisai Alakesh
Published: June 2019

Benzo[c]phenanthridine alkaloids sharing a tetracyclic structural motif, are an important class of nitrogen‐containing small molecules and are used for the treatment of a number of diseases. This review presents a comprehensive survey of the occurrence, chemistry, biochemistry, and biological activity of benzophenanthridine alkaloids. Synthetic approaches to a number of benzo[c]phenanthridine are disclosed in this Minireview.
Improving Quantum Metrology via Purifying and Distilling Noisy Probe States
Authors: Zhao Jun‐Long , Kong Fan‐Zhen , Chu Wen‐Jing , Yang Ming , Cao Zhuo‐Liang
Published: June 2019

In quantum metrology, the precision of unknown parameter estimation is studied in the quantum regime, and the choice of the probe state plays an important role in determining the precision of the parameter to be estimated. The quality of quantum metrology will be reduced in the presence of quantum noise during the memory time of probe states after preparation. Meanwhile the noisy probe state can be manipulated by different protocols such as single‐qubit purification, entanglement purification, and entanglement distillation etc. In this paper, the effects of these manipulations on the usefulness, that is, quantum Fisher information (QFI), of the noisy probe state in quantum metrology are studied. The results show that joint operations in single‐qubit purification and entanglement purification processes play positive roles in enhancing the QFI of the probe states, and local measurements in entanglement purification and entanglement distillation processes play both positive and negative roles in enhancing the QFI of the probe states. In this sense, single‐qubit purification will always be helpful in parameter estimation by using single qubits as probe, and entanglement purification process maybe more suitable for improving the estimation precision when entangled‐state probe is adopted.
Stable Tetra‐ and Penta‐Anions in the Gas Phase
Authors: Fang Hong , Jena Puru
Published: June 2019

The quest for stable gas‐phase anions in highly negative charge states has been a great challenge. While multiply charged anions are stabilized in solids and liquids by compensating cations and solvation cells, respectively, stable anions containing less than a hundred atoms in the gas phase and capable of carrying charge beyond −3 is unknown. Here, we report the discovery of thermodynamically stable tetra‐ and penta‐anions, containing less than 50 and 80 atoms, respectively, in the gas phase. A universal model is developed that explains their stability in terms of the synergy between closed shell, high electron affinity, and size and predicts new highly‐charged anions by using the known charged clusters as building blocks. Synthesis of these species can open a new chapter in materials chemistry.
Selective Synthesis of Primary Anilines from NH3 and Cyclohexanones by Utilizing Preferential Adsorption of Styrene on the Pd Nanoparticle Surface
Authors: Koizumi Yu , Jin Xiongjie , Yatabe Takafumi , Miyazaki Ray , Hasegawa Jun‐ya , Nozaki Kyoko , Mizuno Noritaka , Yamaguchi Kazuya
Published: June 2019

Dehydrogenative aromatization is one of the attractive alternative methods for directly synthesizing primary anilines from NH3 and cyclohexanones. However, the selective synthesis of primary anilines is quite difficult because the desired primary aniline products and the cyclohexanone substrates readily undergo condensation affording the corresponding imines (i.e., N‐cyclohexylidene‐anilines), followed by hydrogenation to produce N‐cyclohexylanilines as the major products. In this study, primary anilines were selectively synthesized in the presence of supported Pd nanoparticle catalysts (e.g., Pd/HAP, HAP=hydroxyapatite, Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2) by utilizing competitive adsorption unique to heterogeneous catalysis; in other words, when styrene was used as a hydrogen acceptor, which preferentially adsorbs on the Pd nanoparticle surface in the presence of N‐cyclohexylidene‐anilines, various structurally diverse primary anilines were selectively synthesized from readily accessible NH3 and cyclohexanones. The Pd/HAP catalyst was reused several times though its catalytic performance gradually declined.
An integrated approach for cetacean knowledge and conservation in the central Mediterranean Sea using research and social media data sources
Authors: Pace Daniela Silvia , Giacomini Giancarlo , Campana Ilaria , Paraboschi Miriam , Pellegrino Giuliana , Silvestri Margherita , Alessi Jessica , Angeletti Dario , Cafaro Valentina , Pavan Gianni , Ardizzone Giandomenico , Arcangeli Antonella
Published: June 2019

Sources of data other than those derived from conventional research protocols may contribute valuable information to fill gaps in knowledge about cetacean occurrences and diversity in a given area and help address conservation issues.

The performance of a method to examine cetacean communities based on presence records systematically derived from shared photographs and videos posted by boaters and maritime operators on social media (e.g. YouTube and Facebook) combined with patchy distributed visual/acoustic data collected by researchers has been evaluated.

Records (N = 1,274) gathered over a 10‐year period (2008–2017) have been used to obtain insights into species' presence and habitat selection in a scattered study area of the central Mediterranean Sea (Italy). The effectiveness of the method, practical and theoretical advantages, limitations, and challenges of using data originated from social media for research and conservation purposes are discussed.

Seven out of the eight cetacean species regularly residing in the Mediterranean have been reported in the area, with different relative densities. Maximum entropy modelling techniques have been applied to the datasets derived from (a) social media, (b) research surveys, and (c) the combination of the two, using six fixed variables as proxies for cetacean presence. Distance from the coast and depth emerged as the main variables predicting encounters, with specificities related to the ecology of the species.

The approach was reliable enough to obtain broad‐scale, baseline information on cetacean communities in the region, on the basis of which initial conservation recommendations and future research programmes can be proposed.

With the increasing need for studying whale and dolphin population ecology coming from national/international directives, support from citizens to aid research may act as a practical, inexpensive solution to gathering extensive spatial–temporal data for regional‐scale monitoring and for the development of management priorities.
Hydrogen‐Bond‐Induced Chiral Axis Construction: Theoretical Study of Cinchonine–Thiourea‐Catalyzed Enantioselective Intramolecular Cycloaddition
Authors: Shan Chunhui , Zhang Tao , Xiong Qin , Yan Hailong , Bai Ruopeng , Lan Yu
Published: June 2019

Theoretical calculations were performed to investigate the mechanism and enantioselectivity of cinchonine–thiourea‐catalyzed intramolecular hetero‐Diels–Alder cycloaddition of ethynylphenol derivatives to afford axial chirality naphthalenylpyran products via a vinylidene ortho‐quinone methide (VQM) intermediate. The results show that this transformation occurs through a reaction pathway involving the deprotonation of the naphthol moiety by the quinuclidine base, intramolecular proton transfer in ammonium naphthalenolate, and [4+2] cycloaddition. It is found that the axial chirality of the VQM intermediate is generated by the protonation step, which affects the enantioselectivity of the reaction. The enantioselectivity for the generation of the VQM intermediate is controlled by steric repulsion with the cinchonine framework, which provides an R‐axial chirality VQM as the major intermediate. Moreover, the enantioselectivity for the axial chirality of the naphthopyran product is controlled by the cycloaddition step, in which an extra hydrogen bond between the naphthalenol and cinchonine moieties leads to a favorable configuration for the generation of the S‐axial chirality naphthopyran product. The calculated enantioselectivity and enantiomeric excesses coincide with experimental observations.
Li/Na Ion Intercalation Process into Sodium Titanosilicate as Anode Material
Authors: Liu Jingyuan , Liu Yao , Wang Yonggang , Wang Congxiao , Xia Yongyao
Published: June 2019

A natisite structured material, Na2TiSiO5, has been investigated as anode for lithium‐ and sodium‐ion batteries. The results show that Na2TiSiO5 can deliver a capacity of 260 mAh g−1 with good reversibility when used as anode in Li‐ion batteries. In contrast to the conversion reaction mechanism observed for its analogue Li2TiSiO5, a solid‐solution type intercalation mechanism is found for the lithiation/delithiation process of Na2TiSiO5. Lithium intercalation occurs through a three‐dimensional diffusion path after crossing an energy barrier around 1.0 eV. Sodium‐ions could only migrate through a one‐dimensional channel after overcoming a much higher energy barrier of 1.8 eV, which solely delivers a reversible capacity of 40 mAh g−1 for sodium‐ion storage.
The impact of variability and prechoice experience on taking safety measures: The case of security updates
Authors: Aharonov‐Majar Efrat , Rajivan Prashanth , Gonzalez Cleotilde , Erev Ido
Published: June 2019

The goal of this research is to clarify the conditions that trigger reluctance to take cost‐effective safety measures. We present three experiments. In two of the experiments, the participants were asked to operate a simulated system for 20 periods, each with 10 trials. They could “update the system” to eliminate the risk of a “security failure” that led to a loss of 100 points. The updating cost was either fixed (at 10 points) or variable (initially 10 points, and some probability of free—0 points—updates). The optimal strategy prescribed updating at the first opportunity. Another experiment focused on one‐shot decision under risk. The results highlight two factors that reduce the tendency to update and impair performance: cost variability and prechoice experience. Importantly, we show that the negative impact of cost variability is the product of two tendencies. First, experiencing periods with free updates slowed learning to select the optimal policy. Second, in many cases, the participants behaved as if they plan to update when the cost of updating is low but forget to do so. The results suggest that security can be enhanced by asking users to select a default updating policy before gaining experience and by replacing “free updates” with automatic updates. Information concerning the existence of automatic updates reduced manual updating, but this effect was eliminated by experience.
Simultaneous determination of piroxicam and norfloxacin in biological fluids by high‐performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection at zero‐order emission mode
Authors: Gamal Mohammed , Ali Hazim M. , Fraihat Safwan M. , Seaf Elnasr T.A.
Published: June 2019

A new highly sensitive high‐performance liquid chromatographic method with fluorescence detection (HPLC–FLD) in zero‐order emission mode was developed for the first time for the simultaneous determination of piroxicam (PRX) and norfloxacin (NRF) in biological fluids. The fluorescence detector wavelengths were set at 278 nm for excitation and zero‐order mode for emission. The zero‐order emission mode produced greater sensitivity for the measurement of both drugs than a fixed emission wavelength (446 nm). The new developed method was validated according to International Conference of Harmonization (ICH) guidelines. Linearity was found to be over concentration ranges 0.001–20 μg/ml and 0.00003–0.035 μg/ml for PRX and NRF, respectively. The limits of detection were 4.87 × 10−4 and 1.32 × 10−5 μg/ml for PRX and NRF, and the limits of quantitation were 1.47 × 10−3 and 4.01 × 10−5 μg/ml, respectively. The current fluorescence method was found to be more sensitive than most commonly used analytical methods and was successfully applied for simultaneous determination of PRX and NRF in biological fluids (serum and urine) with recoveries ranging from 91.67% to 100.36% for PRX and from 96.00% to 101.43% for NRF.
Oxidative post‐translational modifications in histones
Authors: García‐Giménez José Luis , Romá‐Mateo Carlos , Pallardó Federico V.
Published: June 2019

Epigenetic regulation is attracting much attention because it explains many of the effects that the external environment induces in organisms. Changes in the cellular redox status and even more specifically in its nuclear redox compartment is one of these examples. Redox changes can induce modulation of the epigenetic regulation in cells. Here we present a few cases where reactive oxygen or nitrogen species induces epigenetic marks in histones. Posttranslational modification of these proteins like histone nitrosylation, carbonylation, or glutathionylation together with other mechanisms not reviewed here are the cornerstones of redox‐related epigenetic regulation. We currently face a new field of research with potential important consequences for the treatment of many pathologies.
The effects of buffer condition on the fouling behavior of MVM virus filtration of an Fc‐fusion protein
Authors: Namila FNU , Zhang Da , Traylor Steven , Nguyen Tung , Singh Nripen , Wickramasinghe Ranil , Qian Xianghong
Published: June 2019

A combined pore blockage and cake filtration model was applied to the virus filtration of an Fc‐fusion protein using the three commercially available filters, F‐1, F‐2, and F‐3 in a range of buffer conditions including sodium‐phosphate and tris‐acetate buffers with and without 200 mM NaCl at pH 7.5. The fouling behaviors of the three filters for the feed solutions spiked with minute virus of mice were described well by this combined model for all the solution conditions. This suggests that fouling of the virus filters is dominated by the pore blockage mechanism during the initial stage of the filtration and transformed to the cake filtration mechanism during the later stage of the filtration. Both flux and transmembrane resistance can be described well by this model. The pore blockage rate and the rate of increase of protein layer resistance over blocked pores are found to be affected by membrane properties as well as the solution conditions resulting from the modulation of interactions between virus, protein, and membrane by the solution conditions.
Establishing the scalable manufacture of primary human T‐cells in an automated stirred‐tank bioreactor
Authors: Costariol Elena , Rotondi Marco , Amini Arman , Hewitt Christopher J. , Nienow Alvin W. , Heathman Thomas R.J. , Micheletti Martina , Rafiq Qasim A.
Published: June 2019

Advanced cell and gene therapies such as chimeric antigen receptor T‐cell immunotherapies (CAR‐T), present a novel therapeutic modality for the treatment of acute and chronic conditions including acute lymphoblastic leukemia and non‐Hodgkin lymphoma. However, the development of such immunotherapies requires the manufacture of large numbers of T‐cells, which remains a major translational and commercial bottleneck due to the manual, small‐scale, and often static culturing systems used for their production. Such systems are used because there is an unsubstantiated concern that primary T‐cells are shear sensitive, or prefer static conditions, and therefore do not grow as effectively in more scalable, agitated systems, such as stirred‐tank bioreactors, as compared with T‐flasks and culture bags. In this study, we demonstrate that not only T‐cells can be cultivated in an automated stirred‐tank bioreactor system (ambr® 250), but that their growth is consistently and significantly better than that in T‐flask static culture, with equivalent cell quality. Moreover, we demonstrate that at progressively higher agitation rates over the range studied here, and thereby, higher specific power inputs (P/M W kg−1), the higher the final viable T‐cell density; that is, a cell density of 4.65 ± 0.24 × 106 viable cells ml−1 obtained at the highest P/M of 74 × 10−4 W kg−1 in comparison with 0.91 ± 0.07 × 106 viable cells ml−1 at the lowest P/M of 3.1 × 10−4 W kg−1. We posit that this improvement is due to the inability at the lower agitation rates to effectively suspend the Dynabeads®, which are required to activate the T‐cells; and that contact between them is improved at the higher agitation rates. Importantly, from the data obtained, there is no indication that T‐cells prefer being grown under static conditions or are sensitive to fluid dynamic stresses within a stirred‐tank bioreactor system at the agitation speeds investigated. Indeed, the opposite has proven to be the case, whereby, the cells grow better under higher agitation speeds while maintaining their quality. This study is the first demonstration of primary T‐cell ex vivo manufacture activated by Dynabeads® in an automated stirred‐tank bioreactor system such as the ambr® 250 and the findings have the potential to be applied to multiple other cell candidates for advanced therapy applications.
Fascial nomenclature: Update on related consensus process
Authors: Schleip Robert , Hedley Gil , Yucesoy Can A.
Published: June 2019

The term fascia is increasingly used not only by anatomists but also by other professionals and authors in different health‐oriented fields. This goes along with an inconsistent usage of the term, in which many different tissues are included by different authors causing an increasing amount of confusion. The Fascia Research Society acted to address this issue by establishing a Fascia Nomenclature Committee (FNC) with the purpose of clarifying the terminology relating to fascia. This committee conducted an elaborate Delphi process to foster a structured consensus debate among different experts in the field. This process led to two distinct terminology recommendations from the FNC, defining the terms “a fascia” and “the fascial system.” This article reports on the process behind this proposed terminology as well as the implications for inclusion and exclusion of different tissue types to these definitions. Clin. Anat. 32:929–933, 2019. © 2019 The Authors. Clinical Anatomy published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American Association of Clinical Anatomists.
Duration of chemotherapy prior to chemoradiation affects survival outcomes for resected stage I‐II or unresected stage III pancreatic cancer
Authors: Ma Sung J. , Iovoli Austin J. , Hermann Gregory M. , Prezzano Kavitha M. , Singh Anurag K.
Published: June 2019

Background

For resected early stage pancreatic cancer, RTOG 9704 evaluated the outcome of 3 weeks of postoperative chemotherapy (C) followed by chemoradiation (CRT) and further C. For unresectable locally advanced pancreatic cancer, a recent literature review of prospective studies showed that the duration of induction C prior to CRT can impact survival. However, the ideal duration of C prior to CRT remains unclear for these patient cohorts. This National Cancer Database (NCDB) study was performed to compare the outcome of various durations of C prior to CRT.

Methods

The NCDB was queried for resected primary stage I‐II, cT1‐3N0‐1M0, and unresected stage III, cT4N0‐1M0 pancreatic adenocarcinoma treated with C + CRT (2004‐2015). Cohorts I‐II and III included stage I‐II and stage III cases, respectively. Patients were stratified by short (short C) and long duration (long C) of chemotherapy based on their median durations. Baseline patient, tumor, and treatment characteristics were examined. The primary endpoint was overall survival (OS). Kaplan‐Meier analysis, multivariable Cox proportional hazards method, and propensity score matching were used.

Results

Among 1577 patients, cohort I‐II had 839 patients and cohort III had 738 patients. The longer duration of chemotherapy prior to CRT showed improved OS in the multivariate analysis in both cohort I‐II (hazards ratio [HR] 0.72, P < 0.001) and cohort III (HR 0.83, P = 0.03). Using 1:1 propensity score matching, 610 patients for cohort I‐II and 542 patients for cohort III were matched. After matching, long C remained statistically significant for improved OS compared with short C in both cohort I‐II (median OS 26.1 vs 21.9 months; P = 0.003) and cohort III (median OS 16.7 vs 14.2; P = 0.02).

Conclusion

Our NCDB study using propensity score‐matched analysis showed a survival benefit for using the longer duration of chemotherapy compared to the shorter duration for both resected stage I‐II and unresected stage III pancreatic cancer.
The relationship between chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and non‐small cell lung cancer in the elderly
Authors: Wang Peng , Zhu Min , Zhang Dong , Guo Xue‐guang , Zhao Shu , Zhang Xue‐lin , Wang De‐long , Liu Chang‐ting
Published: June 2019

Objectives

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and NSCLC often coexist and have poor prognoses, but studies investigating the impact of COPD on NSCLC have reported inconsistent findings. The objective of this study was to compare survival between NSCLC patients with and without COPD.

Methods

Medical records were retrospectively collected from 301 elderly patients pathologically diagnosed with NSCLC from the Chinese PLA General Hospital. Ultimately, a total of 200 patients were enrolled in the analysis. The survival rates between the COPD‐NSCLC and non‐COPD NSCLC were assessed using log‐rank and Cox proportional hazard regression analyses.

Results

A total of 117 COPD‐NSCLC and 93 non‐COPD NSCLC patients were enrolled in the analysis. The median overall survival times were 108.5 months in the non‐COPD group and 45.0 months in the COPD group (HR: 2.05; 95% CI, 1.36‐2.97, P = 0.0004). After 118 patients underwent propensity score matching, the median overall survival times were 100.6 months in the non‐COPD group and 51.9 months in the COPD group (HR: 1.59; 95% CI, 1.096‐2.64, P = 0.0459). The multivariate analysis showed that presence of COPD (HR 1.619, P = 0.030), old age (HR 1.007, P < 00001), an advanced disease stage (stage Ⅲ HR 5.513, P < 0.0001; stage Ⅳ HR 11.743, P < 0.0001), the squamous cell carcinoma histological subtype (HR 3.106, P < 0.0001), the presence of a cough (HR 2.463, P = 0.001) a higher serum carcinoembryonic antigen level (HR 1.001, P = 0.023) and higher NRL (HR 2.615, P = 0.007) were independent factors that were significantly associated with poorer survival.

Conclusion

A diagnosis of COPD had significant poorer survival outcomes in NSCLC than that of patients without COPD in this elderly population.
“I'm a police officer not a social worker or mental health nurse”: Online discourses of exclusion and resistance regarding mental health‐related police work
Authors: Lane Rhiannon
Published: June 2019

Despite estimates suggesting that around 15% of UK police incidents involve people with a mental health concern, officers receive very little mental health training. The police have faced high‐profile criticisms over their handling of mental health‐related incidents, whereas the underfunding and fragmentation of UK mental health services has led to concerns that police officers are being forced to undertake a primary role in mental health care. At a time of austerity and widespread cuts to public services, it is important to explore how particular groups work to justify the parameters of their professional duties. This article therefore explores the discourses surrounding mental health problems on an online police discussion forum, highlighting two distinct ways in which mental health‐related work is represented as being incompatible with policing. First, mental health problems are delegitimised and conflated with “scrounging,” positioning individuals as undeserving of police time; second, mental health problems are reified and associated with violence and extreme behaviour, justifying the use of force by police officers and deflecting responsibility onto mental health services. Findings are consistent with previous research suggesting that mental health work is not perceived to be a valid part of the police role.
Sexual assault case closure rates lowest in 50 years
Authors: Sutton Halley
Published: June 2019

Despite the fact (or perhaps because of the fact) that more rape victims are coming forward with allegations against their attackers, rape cases are at the lowest clearance rate since at least the 1960s, according to a study conducted by The Associated Press.
Kinetic Study of Leuco‐Indigo Carmine Oxidation and Investigation of Taylor and Dean Flow Superposition in a Coiled Flow Inverter
Authors: Krieger Waldemar , Hörbelt Max , Schuster Simon , Hennekes Julian , Kockmann Norbert
Published: June 2019

In two‐phase capillary flow, Taylor and Dean vortices can enhance mass transfer according to recent studies. By utilizing a colorimetric method based on the consecutive oxidation of leuco‐indigo carmine it is possible to visualize the superposition of Taylor and Dean vortices in a gas‐liquid system. A kinetic study is performed in order to estimate the enhancement factor. Depending on the flow conditions, three different flow regimes are identified with different intensities of Taylor and Dean vortices affecting the oxygen distribution within the liquid phase. A dimensionless number is derived that describes this transition in flow regimes.
Impact of the Replacement of a Triphenylamine by a Diphenylmethylamine Unit on the Electrochemical Behavior of Pentaerythritol‐Based Push‐Pull Tetramers
Authors: Malacrida Claudia , Habibi Amir Hossein , Gámez‐Valenzuela Sergio , Lenko Illia , Marqués Pablo Simón , Labrunie Antoine , Grolleau Jérémie , López Navarrete Juan T. , Ruiz Delgado M. Carmen , Cabanetos Clément , Blanchard Philippe , Ludwigs Sabine
Published: June 2019

The synthesis of a tetra‐functionalized pentaerythritol core decorated with N‐methyl‐N,N‐diphenylamine‐based push‐pull chromophores and its electropolymerization to 3D push‐pull networks are described. The electrochemical and absorption behaviors of the tetramer are compared with the one of two reference linear push‐pull compounds, carrying triphenylamine (TPA) or methyldiphenylamine (MeDPA) donor groups, a thienyl linker and a dicyanovinyl acceptor group (DCV). We found that substituting the outer phenyl with a methyl group causes important differences in the radical cation stability, such that MeDPA chromophore generates stable dimers and TPA is reversibly oxidized. Interestingly, DFT calculations suggest that steric hindrance and electrostatic interactions dominate the radical cation reactivity.
Preferences for Performance versus Potential in Promotion Recommendations
Authors: Cadigan Françoise , Kraichy David , Uggerslev Krista , Martin Kasey , Fassina Neil
Published: June 2019

As high‐performing employees with high potential (or superstars) are rare in the workplace, practitioners often face a performance–potential trade‐off when deciding who to promote. We use regulatory focus theory as a framework to examine whether Canadian managers (n = 58) and human resource (HR) professionals (n = 121) show a preference for performance or potential when making near‐term promotion recommendations. We show that respondents generally had a preference for performance versus potential when making their recommendations, and HR professionals versus managers accorded greater weight to potential. We discuss the implications of the relative emphasis on performance versus potential in promotion recommendations and when this may contribute to organizational inefficiencies.
Deposition from waxy mixtures in a flow‐loop apparatus under turbulent conditions: Investigating the effect of suspended wax crystals in cold flow regime
Authors: Ehsani Sina , Haj‐Shafiei Samira , Mehrotra Anil K.
Published: June 2019

The effect of suspended wax crystals in wax‐solvent mixtures on the solid deposition process in the cold flow regime was investigated experimentally and analyzed with a steady‐state heat transfer model. A bench‐scale flow‐loop apparatus, incorporating a concentric‐cylinder heat exchanger, was used to measure solid deposition, in the cold flow and hot flow regimes, from wax‐solvent mixtures under turbulent flow conditions. The deposition experiments were performed with two wax‐solvent mixtures, at two flow rates, with two coolant temperatures, at 8 wax‐solvent mixture temperatures, and for several deposition times. The role of wax crystals on the deposition process was investigated by repeating some of the deposition experiments with a pre‐filtered wax‐solvent mixture. In all experiments, the deposit was formed rapidly such that a thermal steady‐state was attained within 30 min. The deposit mass increased with decreasing the mixture temperature in the hot flow regime, reached a maximum as the mixture temperature became equal to the WAT, and then decreased linearly to zero in the cold flow regime as the mixture temperature approached the coolant temperature. Also, the deposit mass decreased with an increase in the Reynolds number and the coolant temperature. The data and predictions confirmed the solid deposition to be a thermally‐driven process. The experimental deposit mass results in the cold flow regime, supported by model predictions, were identical for the unfiltered and filtered mixtures, which showed that the suspended wax crystals do not affect the deposit mass or thickness.
Development of a data‐driven fuzzy screening model for enhanced oil recovery methods using an adaptive weighting system
Authors: Tarybakhsh Mohammad Reza , Sadeghi Mohammad Taghi , Assareh Mehdi
Published: June 2019

Screening of enhanced oil recovery (EOR) methods is a main prerequisite for EOR planning and design. In this study, an integrated data‐driven screening model (DDSM) is developed to improve EOR screening using the combined capabilities of the fuzzy expert approach (FEA) and support vector regression (SVR) techniques. In this study, EOR field data from the past 40 years were reviewed to generate an updated and reliable EOR criteria table as a basis to construct a fuzzy screening model. The DDSM was evaluated to determine the quantitative screening and ranking of EOR methods using seven field datasets, including the fast forecasting of the nominated EOR methods. In order to improve screening performance, a fuzzy model was integrated using 4 SVR models to predict the adaptive weights of the screening parameter for decision making. The SVR models can predict the recovery factor (RF) of EOR methods including gas, chemical, steam, and combustion to calculate the adaptive effective weight of the screening parameters. The SVR models were trained with datasets generated from simulations of the EOR process. The absolute average error (AAE) of the SVR models from the simulation varied within the range of 0.078–0.095 for the prediction of the RF. The DDSM results were compatible to the data published in other literature. In addition, the developed model can provide comparable results to common screening software. The results showed improvements due to the adaptive weighting system on the EOR methods’ screening for the studied reservoirs relative to the fuzzy engine with constant weights. The presented integrated model can guide the screening process to select the efficient EOR method in practical applications.
Synergistically Directed Assembly of Aromatic Stacks Based Metal‐Organic Frameworks by Donor‐Acceptor and Coordination Interactions
Authors: Wang Xi , Zhang Ying , Chang Ze , Huang Hui , Liu Xiao‐Ting , Xu Jialiang , Bu Xian‐He
Published: June 2019

Summary of main observation and conclusion

A synergistically directed assembly approach to distinctive metal‐organic frameworks utilizing both donor‐acceptor (D‐A) interaction from aromatic systems and coordination interactions is presented. Based on such an approach, the coronene‐tpt (tpt = 2,4,6‐tri(4‐pyridyl)‐1,3,5‐triazine) stacks based coronene‐MOF‐1—4 have been successfully fabricated. Their structural discrepancies with coronene‐ absent control products, 1′—4′, illustrate clearly the significance of coronene‐tpt based D‐A interactions in these architectures. All these coronene‐MOFs contain varied coronene‐tpt stacks as organic secondary building blocks (SBUs), which are closely interrelated with the coordination based framework structures. Moreover, porous coronene‐MOF‐1 and ‐2 exhibit high physicochemical stability and significant light hydrocarbons storage and separation performances.
Immediate clinical outcomes of left bundle branch area pacing vs conventional right ventricular pacing
Authors: Zhang JunMeng , Wang Zefeng , Cheng Liting , Zu Linna , Liang Zhuo , Hang Fei , Wang Xinlu , Li Xiaoyan , Su Ruijuan , Du Jie , Wu Yongquan
Published: June 2019

Background

Left bundle branch area pacing (LBBaP) is a new physiological pacing strategy that produces comparable clinical effects to His bundle pacing (HBP).

Objective

The purpose of this study was to investigate the immediate clinical outcomes of LBBaP vs RVP.

Methods and Results

From April 2018 to September 2018, we included 44 patients under continuous pacemaker implantation. Patients were randomly divided into the LBBaP group and conventional RVP group. Compared to the RVP group, the LBBaP group displayed significantly increased operative (90.10 ± 19.68 minutes vs 61.57 ± 6.62 minutes, P < .001) and X‐ray exposure times (15.55 ± 5.62 minutes vs 4.67 ± 2.06 minutes, P < .001). The lead threshold of the LBBaP group was increased (0.68 ± 0.20 mV vs 0.51 ± 0.0 mV, P = .001), while the R‐wave amplitude and ventricular impedance did not significantly differ between the two groups. The conventional RVP procedure significantly widened the QRS complex (93.62 ± 8.28 ms vs 135.19 ± 12.21 ms, P = .001), whereas the LBBaP had no effect on QRS complex (130.13 ± 43.30 ms vs 112.63 ± 12.14 ms, P = .904). Furthermore, the LBBaP procedure significantly narrowed the QRS complex in patients with left bundle branch block (LBBB) (168.43 ± 38.870 ms vs 119.86 ± 6.69 ms, P = .019).

Conclusion

LBBaP is a new physiological, safe and effective pacing procedure with a high overall success rate. Compared to conventional RVP, LBBaP can correct LBBB, thereby improving cardiac electrical dyssynchrony.