bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Utility of Alpha-Methyl Acyl-CoA Racemase Marker in Prostatic Adenocarcinomas
Authors: Gudeli Vahini , Pallivilla Uma Rani , Chilkuri Swathi , Reddi Harshini , Raavi Krishna , Thota Asha
Published: June 2022

Introduction: Prostatic adenocarcinoma is the second leading cause of cancer related death in men in the western world and its incidence is increasing in Asian countries. Hence, it is of diagnostic challenge for pathologists to report in tissue biopsies especially in small focus of suspicious glands in radical prostatectomies and needle biopsies. Aim: To evaluate the role of Alpha-Methyl Acyl CoA Racemase (AMACR) immunohistochemical marker in diagnosing prostatic adenocarcinomas and in benign conditions of prostate. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of 26 cases of prostatic adenocarcinomas, two cases of High Grade Prostatic Intraepithelial Neoplasias (HGPIN), 139 cases of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) and two cases of atypical adenomatous diagnosed on routine Haemotoxylin and Eosin (H&E) stained sections during a period of four years from January 2016 to December 2019 at ASRAM Medical College, Eluru. Immunohistochemistry with AMACR marker was done in all cases. Membranous staining pattern was accepted for prostatic adenocarcinomas. Semiquantitative scoring method was employed and tissue sections were examined at high power magnification (X400) by Olympus light microscope to evaluate AMACR expression. Results: Out of the 26 cases of prostatic adenocarcinomas in the study, majority were Grade group IV according to Gleason scoring system. Majority of the prostatic carcinomas showed strong and diffuse AMACR positivity. All BPH and Atypical Adenomatous Hyperplasia (AAH) were negative to AMACR immunohistochemical marker. Conclusion: The AMACR was found to be important diagnostic immune marker in prostatic adenocarcinomas especially in problematic situations where quantity and quality of tissue is limited.
Evaluation of Antibacterial Activity of Exogenous Glutathione and its Synergism with Meropenem against Clinical Isolates of Acinetobacter baumannii
Authors: Moganaprea K , Elumalai Arthi
Published: June 2022

Introduction: Acinetobacter baumannii (A. baumannii) is the major nosocomial pathogen especially associated with ventilator associated pneumonia. It often poses significant challenge in treatment as it is resistant to almost all classes of antibiotics. Glutathione (GSH), a tripeptide antioxidant has been demonstrated with antibacterial activity in various bacteria. Aim: To detect the antibacterial activity of exogenous GSH against clinical isolates of A. baumannii and its synergism with meropenem. Materials and Methods: This prospective cross- sectional study was conducted at Department of Microbiology, Pondicherry Institute of Medical sciences, Puducherry, India. Sixty clinical isolates of A. baumannii from various clinical specimens between August to September 2018 were included in the study. The antibacterial activity of GSH at concentrations 10-20 mmol/L and meropenem were determined by broth dilution method. To determine the synergism, onto Muller Hinton Agar (MHA) with GSH (at Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC)), Epsilometer (E) strips containing meropenem were placed over the lawn cultures. Fractional Inhibitory Concentration (FIC) of the isolates was also determined to demonstrate synergism of GSH with meropenem. The results were analysed by percentages and proportions. Results: Levels of MIC ranged from 16-18 mmol/L of exogenous GSH and >32 μg/mL for meropenem. The MIC of meropenem in the presence of GSH for all the isolates were <0.25 μg and the FIC <0.5, suggesting GSH synergistically interacts with meropenem. Conclusion: The GSH showed antibacterial activity against Acinetobacter baumannii and also acted synergistically with meropenem to reduce its MIC. Hence this study demonstrates the potential therapeutic utility of exogenous GSH against A. baumannii.
Prevalence and Trends of Transfusion Transmissible Infections in Blood Donors in a Tertiary Care Centre- An Institutional 4-year Retrospective Study
Authors: Dhote Shweta Wasudeo , Srivastava Abhiniti Rahul , Singh Iqbal
Published: June 2022

Introduction: In today’s time, safe transfusion begins with the screening and confirmation of availability of healthy donors. An important criterion to make safe blood available for one and for all is to try and prevent Transfusion Transmitted Infections (TTIs); and once if a donor is identified to be reactive for any one of the TTIs, then to notify and counsel them. Aim: To study the seroprevalence and trends of TTIs in blood donors at MGM Medical College and Hospital, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study was done in the Department of Immunohaematology and Blood Transfusion (IHBT) at MGM Medical College and Hospital, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India for period of four years from January 2017 to December 2020 (48 months). Screening for anti-Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)-1/2, anti-Hepatitis C Virus (HCV), and Hepatitis B surface Antigen (HBsAg), Venereal Disease Research Laboratory (VDRL) for syphilis, and slide test for malaria were done. Data was collected from various registers within the blood centre. It was entered in MS Excel spreadsheets and calculation was done for calculating the prevalence. R-square value was used to determine the trend of TTIs. Results: A total of 19,864 donors were analysed for prevalence of TTIs from 2017 to 2020. Of these 99.16% were voluntary donors and 0.84% were replacement donors. Prevalence of TTI in total donors was 1.11%. Prevalence of hepatitis B was highest (0.84%) followed by syphilis (0.11%), HIV (0.07%) and HCV (0.09%) and malaria (0%). Prevalence was more in male replacement donors. Conclusion: The prevalence of TTI in total donors was 1.11%. The number of total blood donations has been on the rise. Cases of HCV were steadily declining, but HIV, HBsAg, and syphilis showed a non linear trend. Strict adherence to the donor selection rules is needed to supply quality and safe blood to the patient.
Impact Assessment of Child Trafficking on Human Development Index in Nigeria
Authors: Emekoma C. C.
Published: June 2022

Taking children out of their protective environment and preying on their vulnerability for the purpose of exploitation seems to have become a norm in Nigeria. The Objectives of the study were to examine the level of awareness of child trafficking on Human Development Index in Rivers State, ascertain the root causes of child trafficking and to identify who are the actors and Players in Nigerian Trafficking Industry. Data was relied on both primary and secondary sources and the study adopted a field survey approach for data collection. The findings revealed that there is little prospect of the menace of the trafficking of children being eliminated from Nigeria in the nearest future unless the specters of illiteracy and poverty, unemployment and equally all the other push and pull factors are adequately addressed. Also revealed by the study is the fact that the absence of specific legislation which criminalized the trafficking of women in Nigeria prior to 2003 has a direct a direct bearing on the prevalence of cases of the trafficking of children in the study area. From the correlation analysis conducted, the study concluded that a positive and linear relationship exist between unemployment and child abuse by 3rd Party, while the least correlation coefficient of .048 exist between Poverty/Over population and illegal operation of motherless babies’ home. The conclusion is therefore, that our respondents agree that each of the five (5) factors is distinct from the others and is likely to Triggers Child Trafficking in the study area.
Neuropsychiatric Syndrome in Choroideremia- A Rare Case Report
Authors: Misal Pooja , Nimitha K. J. , Chutia Porimita , Singh Bhupendra
Published: June 2022

Biomarkers of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), and other neurodegenerative disorders are most exploring areas of clinical research in Geriatric Psychiatry. Presently neuroimaging, blood and CSF biomarkers are expensive and invasive to perform and are considered impractical for research purpose. The retinal presents a readily accessible tissue for monitoring the brain and could potentially be used in combination with or as a substitute for current AD and other neurodegenerative disease biomarkers. Data on retinal involvement in AD and neurodegenerative diseases have been controversial and inconsistent. So, we are reporting a case of Choroideremia with neuropsychiatric presentations and complications.
A Meta-analysis of the Effect of Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors on Pain in Fibromyalgia
Authors: Albunayyan Ruoa Faisal
Published: June 2022

Background: Fibromyalgia is a clinical condition that causes wide spread severe pain, sleep problems, fatigue, and often emotional and mental distress. Patients with fibromyalgia may be more sensitive to pain than others.

Aim: This study aims to screen and evaluate the efficacy and safety of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) in the management of pain in patients with fibromyalgia.

Methods: This systematic review and meta-analysis gathered all studies related to selective serotonin inhibitors in the treatment of pain in fibromyalgia, using the databases of PubMed, the Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar. All articles using a visual analog scale (VAS) were included in the review. All duplicates and non-eligible or unavailable full-text studies were excluded. The primary outcome was defined as pain reduction by VAS score. Secondary outcomes were the assessment of the occurrence of adverse effects at any time in the study or premature withdrawal.

Results: The five studies included in the meta-analysis for pain management have moderate heterogeneity. This is shown by the test of heterogeneity with a p-value greater than 0.05 and I2 value less than 50%. If the I2 value is more than 50% and the p-value is significant, this results in differing study results. The result of this meta-analysis shows that the SSRI group had a statistically significant reduction in pain (Z = 2.37, p = 0.02).

Conclusion: Based on the results of the meta-analysis, SSRIs may be considered for pain management for a short-term duration, preferably in female patients aged over 45 years old, in the absence of other health problems except for fibromyalgia. However, close monitoring of the potential withdrawal effects is necessary.
DESIGUALDADE GLOBAL E DESENVOLVIMENTO
Authors: Goulart Menezes Roberto , Sousa Kraychete Elsa
Published: June 2022

Introdução do dossiê.
SOBRE AS RELAÇÕES ENTRE ATIVISTAS JOVENS E PARTIDOS POLÍTICOS: CONSIDERAÇÕES A PARTIR DE UM ESTUDO DOS FEMINISMOS NEGROS
Authors: Abdalla Julia de Souza
Published: June 2022

Este trabalho se insere em um debate contemporâneo sobre a participação política, tendo como foco a relação estabelecida entre ativistas de diferentes gerações e partidos políticos. Metodologicamente, vale-se de dados recolhidos em uma pesquisa de campo com ativistas feministas negras no interior do estado de São Paulo entre 2016 e 2018, dando destaque: 1) às relações e percepções de diferentes gerações ativistas acerca dos partidos; 2) as estratégias de inserção e disputa desses espaços aplicadas por essas ativistas.
ANTIFEMINISMO, CONSERVADORISMO E PARTICIPAÇÃO POLÍTICA DA MULHER NO BRASIL
Authors: Oliveira Pinto Brena
Published: June 2022

O presente artigo tem como objetivo debater a participação das mulheres na política no Brasil, a partir das suas experiências eleitorais e considerando as diversas vivências das mulheres na dinâmica política. Dois fenômenos estão no centro dessa análise: o antifeminismo e o conservadorismo. Para isso, se considera o desenvolvimento do feminismo e do movimento de mulheres no Brasil e a participação política das mulheres como uma conquista deste movimento, contudo, vivenciada de formas diferenciadas, levando em consideração as suas trajetórias de vida e suas experiências ideológicas e de que forma isso se repercute no crescente número de mulheres eleitas, representando um projeto conservador. Palavras-chave: Mulher, política, feminismo, antifeminismo
Analysis of the Patient-Physician Relationship, Race, and Pain Control and Physical Function Among Adults With Chronic Low Back Pain
Authors: Licciardone John C. , Ganta Sweta , Goehring Leah , Wallace Kendall , Pu Ryan
Published: June 2022

Importance

Racial and ethnic disparities in pain outcomes are widely reported in the United States. However, the impact of the patient-physician relationship on such outcomes remains unclear.

Objective

To determine whether the patient-physician relationship mediates the association of race with pain outcomes.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This cross-sectional study uses data from the Pain Registry for Epidemiological, Clinical, and Interventional Studies and Innovation, collected from April 2016 to December 2021. All registry enrollees who identified as Black or White with chronic low back pain who had a regular physician who provided pain care were included. Data were analyzed during December 2021.

Exposures

Participant-reported aspects of their patient-physician relationship, including physician communication, physician empathy, and satisfaction with physician encounters.

Main Outcomes and Measures

The primary outcomes included low back pain intensity, measured with a numerical rating scale and physical function, measured with the Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire. Mediator variables were derived from the Communication Behavior Questionnaire, Consultation and Relational Empathy measure, and Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire.

Results

Among 1177 participants, the mean (SD) age was 53.5 (13.1) years, and there were 876 (74.4%) women. A total of 217 participants (18.4%) were Black, and 960 participants (81.6%) were White. The only difference between Black and White participants in the patient-physician relationship involved effective and open physician communication, which favored Black participants (mean communication score, 72.1 [95% CI, 68.8-75.4] vs 67.9 [95% CI, 66.2-69.6]; P = .03). Black participants, compared with White participants reported worse outcomes for pain intensity (mean pain score, 7.1 [95% CI, 6.8-7.3] vs 5.8 [95% CI, 5.7-6.0]; P < .001) and back-related disability (mean disability score, 15.8 [95% CI, 15.1-16.6] vs 14.1 [95% CI, 13.8-14.5]; P < .001). In mediation analyses that controlled for potential confounders using disease risk scores, virtually none of the associations of race with each outcome was mediated by the individual or combined factors of physician communication, physician empathy, and patient satisfaction. Similarly, no mediation was observed in sensitivity analyses that included only participants with both chronic low back pain and the same treating physician for more than 5 years.

Conclusions and Relevance

These findings suggest that factors other than the patient-physician relationship were important to pain disparities experienced by Black participants. Additional research on systemic factors, such as access to high-quality medical care, may be helpful in identifying more promising approaches to mitigating racial pain disparities.
Inclusion and Reporting of Transgender and Nonbinary Persons in Clinical Trials and Tumor Registries—The Time Is Now
Authors: Cortina Chandler S.
Published: June 2022

This Viewpoint advocates for the inclusion of transgender and nonbinary persons in clinical trials and tumor registries.
Effect of Virtual Reality on Pain Management and Opioid Use Among Hospitalized Patients After Head and Neck Surgery
Authors: Pandrangi Vivek C. , Shah Suparna N. , Bruening Jennifer D. , Wax Mark K. , Clayburgh Daniel , Andersen Peter E. , Li Ryan J.
Published: June 2022

Importance

Optimal postoperative pain management is challenging. Virtual reality (VR) provides immersive, 3-dimensional experiences that may improve pain control and reduce reliance on pharmacologic pain management.

Objective

To evaluate use of VR on postoperative pain management after head and neck surgery.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This prospective, pilot randomized clinical trial was conducted at Oregon Health & Science University from July 2020 to October 2021 and included patients hospitalized after major head and neck surgery.

Interventions

Similar 15-minute interactive gaming experiences (Angry Birds) using an Oculus Quest VR headset (VR intervention) or a handheld smartphone device (control).

Main Outcomes and Measures

The primary outcome was postintervention pain reduction. Pain scores were obtained preintervention, immediately after intervention, and then hourly for 4 hours. Secondary outcomes included changes in opioid use, measured as milligram morphine equivalents (MMEs), and patient experiences with their intervention using 5-point Likert scales.

Results

Of the 30 patients randomized for inclusion, the final population included 14 patients in the VR cohort and 15 patients in the control cohort; the majority of patients were male (26 of 29 [90%]), and the mean (SD) age was 58.3 (13.8) years. After outlier removal, there were clinically meaningful reductions in postintervention pain among patients in the VR group immediately after intervention (mean difference, −1.42; 95% CI, −2.15 to −0.70; d = 1.50), at 1 hour (mean difference, −0.86; 95% CI, −1.90 to 0.14; d = 0.67), 2 hours (mean difference, −1.07; 95% CI, −2.30 to 0.14; d = 0.69), and 3 hours (mean difference, −1.36; 95% CI, −2.80 to 0.13; d = 0.71) compared with patients in the control group. Patients in the VR group also demonstrated reductions in 4-hour postintervention opioid use compared with 4-hour preintervention opioid use (mean difference, −9.10 MME; 95% CI, −15.00 to −1.27 MME; d = 0.90) and 8-hour postintervention opioid use compared with 8-hour preintervention opioid use (mean difference, −14.00 MME; 95% CI, −25.60 to −2.40 MME; d = 0.94). There were no meaningful differences in subjective patient experiences with their respective interventions.

Conclusions and Relevance

In this randomized clinical trial, VR reduced pain scores and opioid use compared with a control intervention. Virtual reality may be a useful adjunct for postoperative pain management after head and neck surgery.

Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04464304
A Multimodal Prediction Model for Diagnosing Pulmonary Hypertension in Systemic Sclerosis
Authors: Lui Justin K. , Gillmeyer Kari R. , Sangani Ruchika A. , Smyth Robert J. , Gopal Deepa M. , Trojanowski Marcin A. , Bujor Andreea M. , Soylemez Wiener Renda , LaValley Michael P. , Klings Elizabeth S.
Published: June 2022

Objective

Diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension (PH) in systemic sclerosis (SSc) requires an invasive right heart catheterization (RHC), often based on an elevated estimated pulmonary artery systolic pressure on screening echocardiography. However, because of the poor specificity of echocardiography, a greater number of patients undergo RHC than necessary, exposing patients to potentially avoidable complication risks. The development of improved prediction models for PH in SSc may inform decision‐making for RHC in these patients.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective study of 130 patients with SSc; 66 (50.8%) were diagnosed with PH by RHC. We used data from pulmonary function testing, electrocardiography, echocardiography, and computed tomography to identify and compare the performance characteristics of 3 models predicting the presence of PH: 1) random forest, 2) classification and regression tree, and 3) logistic regression. For each model, we generated receiver operating curves and calculated sensitivity and specificity. We internally validated models using a train‐test split of the data.

Results

The random forest model performed best with an area under the curve of 0.92 (95% confidence interval [95% CI] 0.83–1.00), sensitivity of 0.95 (95% CI 0.75–1.00), and specificity of 0.80 (95% CI 0.56–0.94). The 2 most important variables in our random forest model were pulmonary artery diameter on chest computed tomography and diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide on pulmonary function testing.

Conclusions

In patients with SSc, a random forest model can aid in the detection of PH with high sensitivity and specificity and may allow for better patient selection for RHC, thereby minimizing patient risk.
Full and Hollow Metal–Ceramic Beads Based on Tantalum and Alumina Produced by Alginate Gelation
Authors: Storti Enrico , Neumann Marc , Zienert Tilo , Hubálková Jana , Aneziris Christos G.
Published: June 2022

Metal–ceramic composite beads containing different amounts of tantalum and alumina, particularly 100 vol% tantalum and 60–40 vol% tantalum/alumina, are produced by the alginate gelation process. Sodium alginate is used as gelling agent in the metal–ceramic suspension, while a calcium chloride solution is prepared to trigger the consolidation process. As in the previous study, different nozzles are used in order to obtain beads of three different sizes. The largest beads result to be hollow, and hence require a freeze‐drying step in order to prevent their collapse. After debinding in air, the composite beads are sintered at 1600 °C under inert atmosphere. Samples in green and sintered state are analyzed by digital light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Investigations by mercury intrusion porosimetry reveal that composite beads feature smaller pores compared to pure tantalum beads, as well as lower open porosity. The fracture strength is evaluated on single beads. Despite the high metallic content, both composite and pure tantalum beads show a brittle behavior. X‐ray powder diffraction (XRD) analyses reveal the presence of , , and alongside pure Ta in the samples prepared from pure tantalum. The impurities are due to reactions with Na, C, and Ca from the used additives.
Single‐Atom‐Regulated Heterostructure of Binary Nanosheets to Enable Dendrite‐Free and Kinetics‐Enhanced Li–S Batteries
Authors: Zhou Chao , Li Ming , Hu Nantao , Yang Jianhua , Li Hong , Yan Jiawei , Lei Puyi , Zhuang Yunpeng , Guo Shouwu
Published: June 2022

Heterostructures show potential as electrodes/functionalized separators for lithium‐sulfur (Li‐S) batteries owing to their remarkable electroactive and structural stability. Yet, the heterostructures with unique structures as well as the regulation of heterointerface electronic structure are still challenging for high‐performance Li–S batteries. Herein, Pt single‐atoms (SAs)‐regulated heterostructures of In2S3/Ti3C2 binary nanosheets (Pt SAs/In2S3/Ti3C2) are facilely constructed via an ultrasound‐assisted photochemical reduction strategy for dendrite‐free and kinetics‐enhanced Li–S batteries. The as‐designed heterostructures of Pt SAs/In2S3/Ti3C2 on separator can stabilize the Li plating/striping on Li anodes even at a high current density of 5 mA cm−2. In addition, Pt SAs/In2S3/Ti3C2 heterostructure can suppress the polysulfide shuttling and exhibit excellent redox electrocatalytic properties for lithium polysulfides decomposition. The batteries with heterostructure‐modified separators show a high initial discharge capacity of 1068.4 mAh g−1 at 0.5 C, excellent rate performances (719.6 mAh g−1 at 5C), and a remarkable cycling ability. Even with a high sulfur loading of 6.4 mg cm−2, the pouch cell can deliver an areal capacity of 5.54 mAh cm−2 at 0.2 C. This work not only provides a new route for preparing SA‐catalysts, but also sheds new lights into engineering electronic structures of heterointerfaces for developing high‐performance Li–S batteries.
Enhancement of Lymphangiogenesis by Human Mesenchymal Stem Cell Sheet
Authors: Jia Wenkai , He Weilue , Wang Guifang , Goldman Jeremy , Zhao Feng
Published: June 2022

Preparation of human mesenchymal stem cell (hMSC) suspension for lymphedema treatment relies on conventional enzymatic digestion methods, which severely disrupts cell–cell and cell–extracellular matrix (ECM) connections, and drastically impairs cell retention and engraftment after transplantation. The objective of the present study is to evaluate the ability of hMSC‐secreted ECM to augment lymphangiogenesis by using an in vitro coculturing model of hMSC sheets with lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs) and an in vivo mouse tail lymphedema model. Results demonstrate that the hMSC‐secreted ECM augments the formation of lymphatic capillary‐like structure by a factor of 1.2–3.6 relative to the hMSC control group, by serving as a prolymphangiogenic growth factor reservoir and facilitating cell regenerative activities. hMSC‐derived ECM enhances MMP‐2 mediated matrix remodeling, increases the synthesis of collagen IV and laminin, and promotes lymphatic microvessel‐like structure formation. The injection of rat MSC sheet fragments into a mouse tail lymphedema model confirms the benefits of the hMSC‐derived ECM by stimulating lymphangiogenesis and wound closure.
Biofabrication of Multiplexed Electrochemical Immunosensors for Simultaneous Detection of Clinical Biomarkers in Complex Fluids
Authors: Timilsina Sanjay S. , Ramasamy Mohanraj , Durr Nolan , Ahmad Rushdy , Jolly Pawan , Ingber Donald E.
Published: June 2022

Simultaneous detection of multiple disease biomarkers in unprocessed whole blood is considered the gold standard for accurate clinical diagnosis. Here, this study reports the development of a 4‐plex electrochemical (EC) immunosensor with on‐chip negative control capable of detecting a range of biomarkers in small volumes (15 µL) of complex biological fluids, including serum, plasma, and whole blood. A framework for fabricating and optimizing multiplexed sandwich immunoassays is presented that is enabled by use of EC sensor chips coated with an ultra‐selective, antifouling, and nanocomposite coating. Cyclic voltammetry evaluation of sensor performance is carried out by monitoring the local precipitation of an electroactive product generated by horseradish peroxidase linked to a secondary antibody. EC immunosensors demonstrate high sensitivity and specificity without background signal with a limit of detection in single‐digit picogram per milliliter in multiple complex biological fluids. These multiplexed immunosensors enable the simultaneous detection of four different biomarkers in plasma and whole blood with excellent sensitivity and selectivity. This rapid and cost‐effective biosensor platform can be further adapted for use with different high affinity probes for any biomarker, and thereby create for a new class of highly sensitive and specific multiplexed diagnostics.
Ultrahigh Kinetic Inductance Superconducting Materials from Spinodal Decomposition
Authors: Gao Ran , Ku Hsiang‐Sheng , Deng Hao , Yu Wenlong , Xia Tian , Wu Feng , Song Zhijun , Wang Minghua , Miao Xiaohe , Zhang Chao , Lin Yue , Shi Yaoyun , Zhao Hui‐Hai , Deng Chunqing
Published: June 2022

Disordered superconducting nitrides with kinetic inductance have long been considered to be leading material candidates for high‐inductance quantum‐circuit applications. Despite continuing efforts toward reducing material dimensions to increase the kinetic inductance and the corresponding circuit impedance, achieving further improvements without compromising material quality has become a fundamental challenge. To this end, a method to drastically increase the kinetic inductance of superconducting materials via spinodal decomposition while maintaining a low microwave loss is proposed. Epitaxial Ti0.48Al0.52N is used as a model system and the utilization of spinodal decomposition to trigger the insulator‐to‐superconductor transition with a drastically enhanced material disorder is demonstrated. The measured kinetic inductance increases by two to three orders of magnitude compared with the best disordered superconducting nitrides reported to date. This work paves the way for substantially enhancing and deterministically controlling the inductance for advanced superconducting quantum circuits.
Rhombohedral Pd–Sb Nanoplates with Pd‐Terminated Surface: An Efficient Bifunctional Fuel‐Cell Catalyst
Authors: Zhang Ying , Liu Xiaozhi , Liu Tianyang , Ma Xianyin , Feng Yonggang , Xu Bingyan , Cai Wenbin , Li Yafei , Su Dong , Shao Qi , Huang Xiaoqing
Published: June 2022

Developing high‐performance electrocatalysts for the ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR) and the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is essential for the commercialization of direct ethanol fuel cells, but it is still formidably challenging. In this work, a novel Pd–Sb hexagonal nanoplate for boosting both cathodic and anodic fuel cell reactions is prepared. Detailed characterizations reveal that the nanoplates have ordered rhombohedral phase of Pd8Sb3 (denoted as Pd8Sb3 HPs). The Pd8Sb3 HPs exhibit much enhanced activity toward the oxidation of various alcohols. Particularly, Pd8Sb3 HPs/C displays superior specific and mass activities of 29.3 mA cm−2 and 4.5 A mgPd−1 toward the EOR, which are 7.0 and 11.3 times higher than those of commercial Pd/C, and 9.8 and 3.8 times higher than those of commercial Pt/C, respectively, representing one of the best EOR catalysts reported to date. In situ electrochemical attenuated total reflectance surface‐enhanced infrared absorption spectroscopy (ATR‐SEIRAS) measurements reveal that Pd8Sb3 HPs/C can effectively promote the C2 pathway of the EOR. As revealed by density functional theory calculations, the high EOR activity of the Pd8Sb3 HPs can be ascribed to the reduced energy barrier of ethanol dehydrogenation. Additionally, Pd8Sb3 HPs/C also shows superior performance in the ORR. This work advances the controllable synthesis of the Pd–Sb nanostructure, giving huge impetus for the design of high‐efficiency electrocatalysts for energy conversion and beyond.
Single‐Atom Iron Anchored Tubular g‐C3N4 Catalysts for Ultrafast Fenton‐Like Reaction: Roles of High‐Valency Iron‐Oxo Species and Organic Radicals
Authors: Chen Fei , Liu Lian‐Lian , Wu Jing‐Hang , Rui Xian‐Hong , Chen Jie‐Jie , Yu Yan
Published: June 2022

Single‐atom catalysts have emerged as an efficient oxidant activator for eliminating organic pollutants in Fenton‐like systems. However, the complex preparation, single active site, lack of understanding of the fundamental mechanism, and harsh pH conditions currently limit their practical applications. In this work, single‐atom iron anchored nitrogen‐rich g‐C3N4 nanotubes (FeCNs) are designed and synthesized by a facile approach, and eco‐friendly peracetic acid (PAA) is selected as the oxidant for Fenton‐like reactions. The constructed heterogenous system achieves an enhanced degradation of various organic contaminants over a wide pH range of 3.0–9.0, exhibiting an ultrahigh and stable catalytic activity, outperforming equivalent quantities of pristine g‐C3N4 by 75 times. The 18O isotope‐labeling technique, probe method, and theoretical calculations demonstrate that the efficient catalytic activity relies on the high‐valency iron‐oxo species coupled with organic radicals generated by PAA. An increase in electron transport from the contaminant to the formed “metastable PAA/FeCN catalyst surface complex” is detected. A double driving mechanism for the tubular g‐C3N4 regulated by a single Fe site and PAA activation is proposed. This work opens an avenue for developing novel catalysts with the coexistence of multiple active units and providing opportunities for significantly improving catalytic efficiency.
Low‐Frequency Phonon Modes in Layered Silver‐Bismuth Double Perovskites: Symmetry, Polarity, and Relation to Phase Transitions
Authors: Martín‐García Beatriz , Spirito Davide , Lin Miao‐Ling , Leng Yu‐Chen , Artyukhin Sergey , Tan Ping‐Heng , Krahne Roman
Published: June 2022

Metal‐halide perovskites (PSKs) are emergent materials for a large range of applications, and the layered double PSK architectures vastly enrich the opportunities to design their composition, structural properties, and optoelectronic behavior. The stability, crystal phase, and electronic bandgap depend strongly on the bonds and distortions of the octahedra lattice that are at the origin of the vibrational spectrum of these materials. This work investigates the structural dynamics of flakes of exfoliated layered Ag‐Bi bromide double PSKs by angle‐dependent polarized Raman spectroscopy and density functional theory modeling. The well‐defined orientation of the inorganic octahedra lattice with respect to the light polarization allows to correlate the angle‐dependent intensity of the Raman signal to the directionality and symmetry of the phonon modes. Low‐frequency vibrations are revealed for which a detailed microscopic and group theory assignment of the Raman modes is provided. The temperature‐dependent measurements across the phase transitions show marked changes in the phonon frequencies, reveal soft modes, and help to distinguish first from second‐order transitions as well as to determine their transition temperature. This provides highly valuable insights to improve the properties of this class of Pb‐free PSKs for applications in energy harvesting and optoelectronics.
Ultrasensitive Detection of Biomarkers in a Color‐Switchable Microcavity‐Reactor Laser
Authors: Li Ran , Song Zongpeng , Zhu Haiou , Zhang Fanglin , Chen Lingling , Ning Cun‐Zheng , Ruan Shuangchen
Published: June 2022

Early detection and diagnosis are vitally important in reducing the mortality rate of fatal diseases but require highly sensitive detection of biomarkers. Presently, detection methods with the highest sensitivity require in vitro processing, while in vivo compatible fluorescence detections require a much higher concentration of biomarkers or limit of detection (LOD). In this paper, a fundamentally new strategy for ultrasensitive detection based on color‐switchable lasing with a cavity‐enhanced reduction of LOD is demonstrated, down to 1.4 × 10−16 mg ml−1 for a quantitative detection, lower than both the fluorescence method and plasmonic enhanced method. For a qualitative or a yes/no type of detection, the LOD is as low as 10–17 mg ml−1. The approach in this work is based on a dye‐embedded, in vivo compatible, polystyrene‐sphere cavity, penetrable by biomarkers. A polystyrene sphere serves the dual roles of a laser cavity and an in vivo bio‐reactor, in which dye molecules react with a biomarker, reporting biomarker information through lasing signals. The cavity‐enhanced emission and lasing with only a single biomarker molecule per cavity allow improved visual distinguishability via color changes. Furthermore, when combined with a narrow‐band filter, the color‐switchable lasers act as an “on‐off” logic signal and can be integrated into multiplexing detection assay biochips.
Transparent, High‐Charge Capacity Metal Mesh Electrode for Reversible Metal Electrodeposition Dynamic Windows with Dark‐State Transmission <0.1%
Authors: Yeang Andrew L. , Hernandez Tyler S. , Strand Michael T. , Slotcavage Daniel J. , Abraham Eldho , Smalyukh Ivan I. , Barile Christopher J. , McGehee Michael D.
Published: June 2022

Dynamic windows allow user control over light and heat flow to save energy and maximize comfort. Reversible metal electrodeposition (RME) dynamic windows can uniquely tint to a color‐neutral privacy state (0.1% visible light transmission). The design parameters of transparent metal mesh counter electrodes for high‐contrast RME dynamic windows: high transparency, charge capacity and surface area with low haze, sheet resistance and cost are discussed, concluding that woven metal meshes meet these design parameters. Electroplated current is measured on an indium tin oxide electrode and two meshes with different wire spacings, showing the meshes’ cylindrical geometry enable them to draw more current per square area. The mesh material composition is analyzed to ensure cycling durability in a CuBi electrolyte by developing a transparent mesh with an inert core (stainless steel, SS), a thin Au coating, and a high charge‐capacity (1.5 C cm−2) CuBi outer coating. The study demonstrates that the films maintain a consistent Cu:Bi ratio and optical properties after 250 privacy cycles or 1500 cycles to 10% transmission, showing that the Cu and Bi coating is effective in keeping the films from becoming Cu rich with cycling. Finally, a 100 cm2 device with excellent uniformity and color neutrality is demonstrated.
Intrinsically‐Stretchable, Efficient Organic Solar Cells Achieved by High‐Molecular‐Weight, Electro‐Active Polymer Acceptor Additives
Authors: Lee Jin‐Woo , Kim Geon‐U , Kim Dong Jun , Jeon Yeonjee , Li Sheng , Kim Taek‐Soo , Lee Jung‐Yong , Kim Bumjoon J.
Published: June 2022

Organic solar cells (OSCs) are promising wearable/stretchable power sources, but the development of high‐performance intrinsically stretchable OSCs (IS‐OSCs) has rarely been reported. Herein, IS‐OSCs exhibiting high power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) (>12%) and excellent stretchability are developed by constructing efficient and mechanically robust active layers via the addition of a high‐molecular weight polymer acceptor (PA) to polymer donor:small‐molecule acceptor blends. PA addition significantly enhances the stretchability and PCEs of the blends as the long PA chains function as molecular bridges between different domains, effectively dissipating mechanical stresses and improving charge transport. The IS‐OSCs with 20 wt% PA content exhibit a high PCE of 11.7% and excellent stretchability, retaining 84% of the initial PCE after 100 cycles of repetitive stretching/releasing at a 15% strain. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, the device represents the best IS‐OSC performance reported to date in terms of PCE and stretchability, demonstrating the great potential of IS‐OSCs as an efficient and wearable power generator.
Price ranges from fed cattle negotiated cash sales
Authors: Boyer Christopher N. , Martinez Charles C. , Maples Joshua G. , Benavidez Justin
Published: June 2022

Recent wide spreads between boxed beef cutout values and fed cattle prices have reignited beef cattle producers' long‐held concerns about price discovery. The recent concerns have led to policy proposals meant to increase negotiated trade volumes in the cash market. We determine how volume, day of the week, sex, grade, weight range, and other factors impact price ranges in the negotiated cash market. We find many factors, in addition to sales volume, can impact price ranges. The analysis provides insight into current policy proposals, and we discuss the need for more detailed data for precise answers to current policy questions.
The order flow cost of index rolling in commodity futures markets
Authors: Irwin Scott H. , Sanders Dwight R. , Yan Lei
Published: June 2022

Commodity index rolling is treated as a natural experiment and an event study of order flow costs in a wide array of futures markets is conducted. The spread between nearby and deferred futures prices decreases significantly in the early and growth phases of financialization (1991–2011), with the spreads reversing back after rolling is completed. Spread impacts disappear in the post‐financialization period (2012–2019). We argue that a dramatic increase in the supply of liquidity brought on by the transition to electronic trading in commodity futures markets is primarily responsible for the decline of roll order flow costs.
Emphysematous gastritis associated with ileus due to fecal impaction
Authors: Takada Ryuji , Nagasawa Hiroki , Yanagawa Youichi
Published: June 2022

Background

Gastric emphysema and emphysematous gastritis (EG) are rare diseases involving air being introduced into the stomach wall. Emphysematous gastritis is an infectious disease with a high fatality rate.

Case presentation

An 83‐year‐old woman had recovered from septic shock, however, an antibiotic‐refractory inflammatory response remained. She was diagnosed with pseudogout and administered a non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drug. However, abdominal pain, prominent abdominal distension, and strawberry milk‐like gastric juice were recognized. Computed tomography showed ileus due to fecal impaction and GE. The results of culture of the gastric juice were positive (Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Enterococcus faecalis). Disimpaction, fasting management, and antibacterial treatments resulted in the recovery of her symptoms.

Conclusion

This is the first case in which ileus associated with fecal impaction caused EG. The present case highlights the importance of promoting regular bowel movements.
Working Zinc–Air Batteries at 80 °C
Authors: Zhao Chang‐Xin , Yu Legeng , Liu Jia‐Ning , Wang Juan , Yao Nan , Li Xi‐Yao , Chen Xiang , Li Bo‐Quan , Zhang Qiang
Published: June 2022

Aqueous zinc–air batteries possess inherent safety and are especially commendable facing high‐temperature working conditions. However, their working feasibility at high temperatures has seldom been investigated. Herein, the working feasibility of high‐temperature zinc–air batteries is systemically investigated. The effects of temperature on air cathode, zinc anode, and aqueous electrolyte are decoupled to identify the favorable and unfavorable factors. Specifically, parasitic hydrogen evolution reaction strengthens at high temperatures and leads to declined anode Faraday efficiency, which is identified as the main bottleneck. Moreover, zinc–air batteries demonstrate cycling feasibility at 80 °C. This work reveals the potential of zinc–air batteries to satisfy energy storage at high temperatures and guides further development of advanced batteries towards harsh working conditions.
Solid‐state synthesis of BaCe0.16Y0.04Fe0.8O3‐δ cathode for protonic ceramic fuel cells
Authors: Shi Huangang , Hu Ying , Feng Zixuan , Qu Jifa , Yu Yang , Zhang Dongping , Tan Wenyi
Published: June 2022

Protonic ceramic fuel cells (PCFCs) are energy conversion devices based on proton conducting oxide electrolytes, which efficiently convert the chemical energy of fuel into electrical energy during operation. Since the conduction of protons has a lower activation energy than the conduction of oxygen ions, PCFCs can work at medium to low temperatures. In order to obtain better output performance at medium to low temperatures, the cathode of PCFCs needs to have better activity, and the triple (H+/O2−/e−) conducting oxide is a very good choice. In this study, the triple conducting BaCe0.16Y0.04Fe0.8O3‐δ (BCYF) cathode material was synthesized by the traditional solid‐state reaction method, and the structure and morphology of the cathode material during the synthesis process were investigated. The results show that the powder synthesized by the solid‐state reaction method has a particle size comparable with that of the wet chemical method, and the as‐fabricated electrode exhibits a polarization resistance of 0.91 Ω cm2 at 700°C on the Ba Zr0.1Ce0.7Y0.1Yb0.1O3‐δ (BZCYYb) electrolyte of 0.91 Ω cm2 at 700°C. A fuel cell, using Ni‐BZCYYb anode, BZCYYb electrolyte, and BCYF cathode, achieves a maximum power density of 213 mW cm−2 at 600°C.
Study of hydrogen sulfide effect on acrylonitrile butadiene rubber/hydrogenated acrylonitrile butadiene rubber for sealing application in oil and gas industry
Authors: Yun Jushik , Zolfaghari Alireza , Sane Saurabh
Published: June 2022

Acrylonitrile Butadiene Rubber (NBR) and Hydrogenated Acrylonitrile Butadiene Rubber (HNBR) have been widely used in many sealing applications for downhole operation. To build practical operation limits for NBR and HNBR packer elements, it is required to fill the gap between laboratory‐scale tests and field operation experience on how packer elements behave in such conditions. This study encompassed the experimental work on NBR and HNBR packer elements exposed to various sour conditions comparable to field operation. The elastomer specimens, such as NBR, showed less resistant to H2S in the controlled laboratory tests (e.g., at 121°C and 52.5 MPa with 5% of H2S) compared with an uncontrolled environment inside oil and gas well (e.g., at 134°C and 47 MPa with 3.5% of H2S). The behavior could be explained by different exposure conditions like exposure geometry, stress, temperature, pressure, and H2S concentrations. This is potentially the first‐ever comprehensive study in the oil and gas industry, which shows that the operation limit of NBR and HNBR packer elements can be extended to a higher H2S concentration.
MolNet: A Chemically Intuitive Graph Neural Network for Prediction of Molecular Properties
Authors: Kim Yeji , Jeong Yoonho , Kim Jihoo , Lee Eok Kyun , Kim Won June , Choi Insung S.
Published: June 2022

Most graph neural networks (GNNs) in deep‐learning chemistry collect and update atom and molecule features from the fed atom (and, in some cases, bond) features, basically based on the two‐dimensional (2D) graph representation of 3D molecules. However, the 2D‐based models do not faithfully represent 3D molecules and their physicochemical properties, exemplified by the overlooked field effect that is a “through‐space” effect, not a “through‐bond” effect. We propose a GNN model, denoted as MolNet, which accommodates the 3D non‐bond information in a molecule, via a noncovalent adjacency matrix, and also bond‐strength information from a weighted bond matrix. Comparative studies show that MolNet outperforms various baseline GNN models and gives a state‐of‐the‐art performance in the classification task of BACE dataset and regression task of ESOL dataset. This work suggests a future direction for the construction of deep‐learning models that are chemically intuitive and compatible with the existing chemistry concepts and tools.
The risk of major structural birth defects associated with seasonal influenza vaccination during pregnancy: A population‐based cohort study
Authors: Sarna Mohinder , Pereira Gavin F. , Foo Damien , Baynam Gareth S. , Regan Annette K.
Published: June 2022

Introduction

Seasonal inactivated influenza vaccine (IIV) is routinely recommended during pregnancy to protect both mothers and infants from complications following influenza infection. While previous studies have evaluated the risk of major structural birth defects in infants associated with prenatal administration of monovalent pandemic IIV, fewer studies have evaluated the risk associated with prenatal seasonal IIV.

Methods

We conducted a population‐based cohort study of 125,866 singleton births between 2012 and 2016 in Western Australia. Birth registrations were linked to the state's registers for congenital anomalies and a state prenatal vaccination database. We estimated prevalence ratios (PR) of any major structural birth defect and defects by organ system. Vaccinated pregnancies were defined as those with a record of IIV in the first trimester. Inverse probability treatment weighting factored for baseline probability for vaccination. A Bonferroni correction was applied to account for multiple comparisons.

Results

About 3.9% of births had a major structural birth defect. Seasonal IIV exposure during the first trimester was not associated with diagnosis of any major structural birth defect diagnosed within 1 month of birth (PR 0.98, 95% CI: 0.77, 1.28) or within 6 years of life (PR 1.02, 95% CI: 0.78, 1.35). We identified no increased risk in specific birth defects associated with seasonal IIV.

Conclusion

Based on registry data for up to 6 years of follow‐up, results suggest there is no association between maternal influenza vaccination and risk of major structural birth defects. These results support the safety of seasonal IIV administration during pregnancy.