bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Oncologic Outcome in Advanced Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma After Refusal of Recommended Adjuvant Therapy
Authors: Mrosk Friedrich , Doll Christian , Scheer Julia , Neumann Felix , Hofmann Elena , Kreutzer Kilian , Voss Jan , Rubarth Kerstin , Beck Marcus , Heiland Max , Koerdt Steffen
Published: October 2023

Importance

Clinicians may be confronted with patients refusing recommended adjuvant therapy (AT) after the primary resection of an advanced oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). However, for this tumor entity, data are lacking regarding the oncological outcomes and associated factors after refusal of AT.

Objective

To evaluate the difference in survival and disease recurrence for patients with and without recommended AT after resection of advanced OSCC.

Design, Setting, and Participants

In this single-center retrospective matched cohort study, patients with advanced OSCC who refused recommended AT between January 2010 and December 2021 were matched 1:1 according to Union for International Cancer Control tumor staging with patients who completed AT.

Exposures

Patients with advanced OSCC who refused or completed recommended AT between 2010 and 2021.

Main Outcomes and Measures

The primary outcome of this study was the comparison of overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) between the 2 study groups.

Results

A total of 82 patients (mean [SD] age at time of surgery, 68.0 [11.3] years; 38 [46.3%] female, 44 [53.7%] male) with and without AT (41 per study group) were included in the analysis. Patients refusing AT developed more frequent disease recurrence than patients who completed AT (61.0% vs 26.8%; difference, 34.2%; odds ratio, 4.26; 95% CI, 1.68-10.84). In addition, patients who refused AT presented with lower 2-year OS (72.7% vs 88.6%; difference, 15.9%; 95% CI, 8.6%-40.6%) and much lower 2-year RFS (39.1% vs 74.2%; difference, 35.1%; 95% CI, 0.2%-70.5%). In the patient cohort who rejected AT, a worse OS was associated with female sex (48.6% vs 90.5%; difference, 41.9%; 95% CI, 0.6%-84.4%), pT1-2 category (57.1% vs 92.3%; difference, 35.2%; 95% CI, 3.3%-73.6%), and pN1 or higher category (61.2% vs 82.6%; difference, 21.4%; 95% CI, 14.1%-56.8%). Lower RFS was associated with female sex (37.9% vs 90.9%; difference, 53.0%; 95% CI, 8.0%-97.9%), advanced T category (pT3-4, 35.3% vs 80.0%; difference, 44.7%; 95% CI, 6.4%-95.3%), lymph node yield of 20 or greater (31.4% vs 80.6%; difference, 49.2%; 95% CI, 4.9%-93.4%), and lymph node ratio of less than 4.6% (36.6% vs 84.4%; difference, 47.8%; 95% CI, 1.8%-93.1%).

Conclusions and Relevance

In this cohort study of patients with advanced OSCC, refusal of AT was associated with worse oncological outcomes. The prevalence of disease recurrence during follow-up was 34% higher in patients who refused AT than in patients who completed AT. The results from this study may assist clinicians in guiding patients who are considering refusal of or withdrawal from AT.
Risk of Carcinoma in Pleomorphic Adenomas of the Parotid
Authors: Levyn Helena , Subramanian Tejas , Eagan Alana , Katabi Nora , Lin Oscar , Badillo NatalieDeana Dizon , Martinez German , Scholfield Daniel W. , Wong Richard J. , Shah Jatin P. , Givi Babak , Morris Luc G. T. , Ganly Ian , Patel Snehal G.
Published: October 2023

Importance

Surgery is the mainstay of treatment for pleomorphic adenomas (PAs) of the parotid to prevent further growth and potential future malignant transformation. While historical case series have reported transformation rates as high as 10%, there is a lack of contemporary methodologically sound data.

Objective

To examine the rate of carcinoma ex pleomorphic adenoma (CXPA) detection in untreated PAs and investigate factors associated with malignant neoplasm.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This cohort study reviewed all cases of primary PAs managed at a quaternary referral center between December 1990 and January 2015. Patients whose clinical presentation was compatible with a primary benign PA and whose history indicated tumor duration of over 1 year were included. Data were analyzed from January to April 2023.

Exposure

Untreated PA.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Rate of CXPA detection among untreated PAs and association of tumor duration with rates of CXPA detection. Pathology slides of patients who underwent surgery were reviewed by a single expert pathologist for the presence of CXPA. Univariable logistic regression was performed to evaluate possible factors associated with CXPA.

Results

A total of 260 patients (median age, 47 years [IQR, 38-60 years]; 174 [66.9%] female) had a median tumor duration of 3.2 years (range, 1-30 years; mean [SD], 5.7 [5.5] years). Patients were divided into 4 groups by tumor duration: 1 to 4 years (158 [60.7%]), 5 to 9 years (47 [18.1%]), 10 to 14 years (27 [10.4%]), and 15 to 30 years (28 [10.8%]). In 156 of 170 patients who underwent preoperative fine-needle aspiration (91.8%), a benign tumor was diagnosed; 5 of these patients (3.2%; 95% CI, 1.4%-7.3%) were later diagnosed with CXPA on pathology after eventual excision, and the rate of high grade CXPA was 1.3%. None of the patients had permanent facial nerve paralysis. Tumor size at presentation (odds ratio [OR], 1.66; 95% CI, 1.22-2.24) and incremental (per year) increase in age (OR, 1.04; 95% CI, 1.01-1.08) were found to be associated with CXPA, whereas tumor duration was not (OR, 1.00; 95% CI, 1.00-1.01).

Conclusions and Relevance

In this study, the rate of malignant neoplasm detection among initially untreated PA was 3.2%. The results suggest that tumor size and older age are associated with the development of CXPA, while tumor duration is not. Observation of PA for longer periods was not associated with serious permanent complications.
Historical determinants of street connectivity in Japanese cities: Relationship between Japanese castle town formation, war damage, and space syntax integration value
Authors: Watanabe Reo , Hanibuchi Tomoya , Yamamoto Ryoko , Nakaya Tomoki
Published: October 2023

Are street networks today dependent on history? This question is significant when considering the determinants of street connectivity and the potential for intervention toward walkable street networks. This study investigates the associations of two historical events—castle town origination and war damage during World War II (WWII)—with the street connectivity of 803 Japanese cities. We used the space syntax theory to measure street connectivity and conducted multiple linear regression analyses to determine the aforementioned associations. The results showed that street connectivity today tends to be low in cities that originated from castle towns and high in cities that suffered heavy damage during WWII. This may be due to complicated street networks that were constructed intentionally in castle towns to defend their territory from invasion. The remaining irregular layouts may have directly and indirectly influenced today's street networks. Furthermore, in the cities that suffered heavy war damage, the “postwar reconstruction city plan” was enforced to reconstruct affected areas, which may have improved street connectivity. These findings highlight the significance of historical events in the consideration of street connectivity determinants and the development of interventions to enhance them.
Unsupervised deep learning registration model for multimodal brain images
Authors: Abbasi Samaneh , Mehdizadeh Alireza , Boveiri Hamid Reza , Mosleh Shirazi Mohammad Amin , Javidan Reza , Khayami Raouf , Tavakoli Meysam
Published: October 2023

Multimodal image registration is a key for many clinical image‐guided interventions. However, it is a challenging task because of complicated and unknown relationships between different modalities. Currently, deep supervised learning is the state‐of‐theart method at which the registration is conducted in end‐to‐end manner and one‐shot. Therefore, a huge ground‐truth data is required to improve the results of deep neural networks for registration. Moreover, supervised methods may yield models that bias towards annotated structures. Here, to deal with above challenges, an alternative approach is using unsupervised learning models. In this study, we have designed a novel deep unsupervised Convolutional Neural Network (CNN)‐based model based on computer tomography/magnetic resonance (CT/MR) co‐registration of brain images in an affine manner. For this purpose, we created a dataset consisting of 1100 pairs of CT/MR slices from the brain of 110 neuropsychic patients with/without tumor. At the next step, 12 landmarks were selected by a well‐experienced radiologist and annotated on each slice resulting in the computation of series of metrics evaluation, target registration error (TRE), Dice similarity, Hausdorff, and Jaccard coefficients. The proposed method could register the multimodal images with TRE 9.89, Dice similarity 0.79, Hausdorff 7.15, and Jaccard 0.75 that are appreciable for clinical applications. Moreover, the approach registered the images in an acceptable time 203 ms and can be appreciable for clinical usage due to the short registration time and high accuracy. Here, the results illustrated that our proposed method achieved competitive performance against other related approaches from both reasonable computation time and the metrics evaluation.
Non‐contrast based approach for liver function quantification using Bayesian‐based intravoxel incoherent motion diffusion weighted imaging: A pilot study
Authors: Phonlakrai Monchai , Ramadan Saadallah , Simpson John , Skehan Kate , Goodwin Jonathan , Trada Yuvnik , Martin Jarad , Sridharan Swetha , Gan Lay Theng , Siddique Sabbir Hossain , Greer Peter
Published: October 2023

Purpose

Liver cirrhosis disrupts liver function and tissue perfusion, detectable by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Assessing liver function at the voxel level with 13‐b value intravoxel incoherent motion diffusion‐weighted imaging (IVIM‐DWI) could aid in radiation therapy liver‐sparing treatment for patients with early impairment. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of IVIM‐DWI for liver function assessment and correlate it with other multiparametric (mp) MRI methods at the voxel level.

Method

This study investigates the variability of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) derived from 13‐b value IVIM‐DWI and B1‐corrected dual flip angle (DFA) T1 mapping. Experiments were conducted in‐vitro with QIBA and NIST phantoms and in 10 healthy volunteers for IVIM‐DWI. Additionally, 12 patients underwent an mp‐MRI examination. The imaging protocol included a 13‐b value IVIM‐DWI sequence for generating IVIM parametric maps. B1‐corrected DFA T1 pulse sequence was used for generating T1 maps, and Gadoxatate low temporal resolution dynamic contrast‐enhanced (LTR‐DCE) MRI was used for generating the Hepatic extraction fraction (HEF) map. The Mann‐Whitney U test was employed to compare IVIM‐DWI parameters (Pure Diffusion, Dslow; Pseudo diffusion, Dfast; and Perfusion Fraction, Fp) between the healthy volunteer and patient groups. Furthermore, in the patient group, statistical correlations were assessed at a voxel level between LTR‐DCE MRI‐derived HEF, T1 post‐Gadoxetate administration, ΔT1%, and various IVIM parameters using Pearson correlation.

Results

For‐vitro measurements, the maximum coefficient of variation of the ADC and T1 parameters was 12.4% and 16.1%, respectively. The results also showed that Fp and Dfast were able to distinguish between healthy liver function and mild liver function impairment at the global level, with p = 0.002 for Fp and p < 0.001 for Dfast. Within the patient group, these parameters also exhibited a moderate correlation with HEF at the voxel level.

Conclusion

Overall, the study highlighted the potential of Dfast and Fp for detecting liver function impairment at both global and pixel levels.
Detection of prions in the urine of patients affected by sporadic Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease
Authors: Pritzkow Sandra , Ramirez Frank , Lyon Adam , Schulz Paul E. , Appleby Brian , Moda Fabio , Ramirez Santiago , Notari Silvio , Gambetti Pierluigi , Soto Claudio
Published: October 2023

Objective

Currently, it is unknown whether infectious prions are present in peripheral tissues and biological fluids of patients affected by sporadic Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease (sCJD), the most common prion disorder in humans. This represents a potential risk for inter‐individual prion infection. The main goal of this study was to evaluate the presence of prions in urine of patients suffering from the major subtypes of sCJD.

Methods

Urine samples from sCJD patients spanning the six major subtypes were tested. As controls, we used urine samples from people affected by other neurological or neurodegenerative diseases as well as healthy controls. These samples were analyzed blinded. The presence of prions was detected by a modified version of the PMCA technology, specifically optimized for high sensitive detection of sCJD prions.

Results

The PMCA assay was first optimized to detect low quantities of prions in diluted brain homogenates from patients affected by all subtypes of sCJD spiked into healthy urine. Twenty‐nine of the 81 patients affected by sCJD analyzed in this study were positive by PMCA testing, whereas none of the 160 controls showed any signal. These results indicate a 36% sensitivity and 100% specificity. The subtypes with the highest positivity rate were VV1 and VV2, which combined account for about 15–20% of all sCJD cases, and no detection was observed in MV1 and MM2.

Interpretation

Our findings indicate that potentially infectious prions are secreted in urine of some sCJD patients, suggesting a possible risk for inter‐individual transmission. Prion detection in urine might be used as a noninvasive preliminary screening test to detect sCJD.
Comparison of two corticosteroid regimens on brain volumetrics in patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy
Authors: Geuens Sam , Van Dessel Jeroen , Govaarts Rosanne , Ikelaar Nadine A. , Meijer Onno C. , Kan Hermien E. , Niks Erik H. , Goemans Nathalie , Lemiere Jurgen , Doorenweerd Nathalie , De Waele Liesbeth
Published: October 2023

Objective

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a neuromuscular disorder in which many patients also have neurobehavioral problems. Corticosteroids, the primary pharmacological treatment for DMD, have been shown to affect brain morphology in other conditions, but data in DMD are lacking. This study aimed to investigate the impact of two corticosteroid regimens on brain volumetrics in DMD using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Methods

In a cross‐sectional, two‐center study, T1‐weighted MRI scans were obtained from three age‐matched groups (9–18 years): DMD patients treated daily with deflazacort (DMDd, n = 20, scan site: Leuven), DMD patients treated intermittently with prednisone (DMDi, n = 20, scan site: Leiden), and healthy controls (n = 40, both scan sites). FSL was used to perform voxel‐based morphometry analyses and to calculate intracranial, total brain, gray matter, white matter, and cerebrospinal fluid volumes. A MANCOVA was employed to compare global volumetrics between groups, with site as covariate.

Results

Both patient groups displayed regional differences in gray matter volumes compared to the control group. The DMDd group showed a wider extent of brain regions affected and a greater difference overall. This was substantiated by the global volume quantification: the DMDd group, but not the DMDi group, showed significant differences in gray matter, white matter, and cerebrospinal fluid volumes compared to the control group, after correction for intracranial volume.

Interpretation

Volumetric differences in the brain are considered part of the DMD phenotype. This study suggests an additional impact of corticosteroid treatment showing a contrast between pronounced alterations seen in patients receiving daily corticosteroid treatment and more subtle differences in those treated intermittently.
Fixed‐time fuzzy adaptive robust H∞ control for nonstrict‐feedback nonlinear systems with input saturation and output constraints
Authors: Toodeshki Mojtaba Hosseini , Yao Qijia
Published: October 2023

This paper focuses on the design of fixed‐time fuzzy adaptive robust control of nonlinear systems in a nonstrict‐feedback form that includes output constraints, input saturation, and external disturbance. Fuzzy systems have been utilized to deal with uncertainties and non‐linearity in the system dynamic model. By introducing novel control and adaptive rules, there is no need to approximate the input saturation function with the hyperbolic tangent function. A Barrier Lyapunov Function (BLF) ensures that systems outputs do not violate the defined constraints. By combining the backstepping and BLF method, asymptotic convergence of tracking error signal to zero in fixed‐time is proved. At the same time, index is also met in dealing with the disturbance effects. Finally, the simulation results of the proposed control method in two examples confirm its effectiveness.
Robust state and sensor fault estimation for switched nonlinear systems based on asynchronous switched fuzzy observers
Authors: Tabbi Ibtissam , Jabri Dalel , Chekakta Issam , Belkhiat Djamel E. C.
Published: October 2023

This article aims to address state and sensor fault estimation issue for a class of continuous‐time nonlinear switched systems, modelled as Takagi‐Sugeno (T‐S) models with nonlinear consequent parts and subject to norm bounded disturbances. This modelling approach helps to prevent Unmeasured Premise Variables (UPVs) problem. The primary contribution of this study consists of proposing robust asynchronous switched observers to simultaneously estimate state and sensor faults under state‐dependent switching. Based on a candidate multiple Lyapunov function, the design of the proposed observer is formulated in terms of Linear Matrix Inequalities (LMIs) conditions. These conditions are dwell‐time‐independent and less conservative compared with similar previous studies, thanks to some usual relaxation techniques and the incremental quadratic constraints applied on unmeasured nonlinear consequent parts. Another contribution consists to perform the estimation of the attraction domain of the estimation error using an optimization procedure. In order to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed design approach, two simulation examples are considered. The first one concerns the conservatism reduction brought by our proposal compared with previous studies, while the second one is dedicated to show through an illustrative example the performance of the proposed switched T‐S observers under mismatching switching laws.
Dissipative fault detection for time‐delay nonlinear Markov jump systems with measurement outliers under stochastic communication protocol
Authors: Wu Zhihui , Ma Siteng , Feng Lichao , Chen Dongyan , Hu Tiantian
Published: October 2023

This article investigates the dissipative fault detection (FD) problem for time‐delay nonlinear Markov jump systems with measurement outliers in the case of partially unknown transition probabilities. The stochastic communication protocol is utilized to save network bandwidth, where the scheduling model is described via a Markov chain. An outlier‐resistant FD filter is constructed with the help of adaptive saturation function technology. The sufficient conditions are derived to ensure that the FD system satisfies the stochastic stability and stochastic strict dissipativity. In addition, an FD filter without saturation constraint is also designed to compare with the outlier‐resistant FD filter, which verifies that the outlier‐resistant FD filter weakens the influence of measurement outliers effectively. Finally, two examples are provided to demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of the designed FD scheme.
Strategies for Making High‐Performance Artificial Spider Silk Fibers
Authors: Schmuck Benjamin , Greco Gabriele , Pessatti Tomas Bohn , Sonavane Sumalata , Langwallner Viktoria , Arndt Tina , Rising Anna
Published: October 2023

Artificial spider silk is an attractive material for many technical applications since it is a biobased fiber that can be produced under ambient conditions but still outcompetes synthetic fibers (e.g., Kevlar) in terms of toughness. Industrial use of this material requires bulk‐scale production of recombinant spider silk proteins in heterologous host and replication of the pristine fiber's mechanical properties. High molecular weight spider silk proteins can be spun into fibers with impressive mechanical properties, but the production levels are too low to allow commercialization of the material. Small spider silk proteins, on the other hand, can be produced at yields that are compatible with industrial use, but the mechanical properties of such fibers need to be improved. Here, the literature on wet‐spinning of artificial spider silk fibers is summarized and analyzed with a focus on mechanical performance. Furthermore, several strategies for how to improve the properties of such fibers, including optimized protein composition, smarter spinning setups, innovative protein engineering, chemical and physical crosslinking as well as the incorporation of nanomaterials in composite fibers, are outlined and discussed.
Formulation and Evaluation of PVA/Gelatin/Carrageenan Inks for 3D Printing and Development of Tissue‐Engineered Heart Valves
Authors: Jafari Arman , Vahid Niknezhad Seyyed , Kaviani Maryam , Saleh Wael , Wong Nicholas , Van Vliet Patrick Piet , Moraes Christopher , Ajji Abdellah , Kadem Lyes , Azarpira Negar , Andelfinger Gregor , Savoji Houman
Published: October 2023

Congenital and acquired valvular heart diseases (VHDs) are significant causes of mortality worldwide. With valve replacement being the primary solution for VHD, current options display shortcomings, including calcification, thrombogenicity, and hemodynamic alteration, leading to repetitive surgeries. Tissue engineering, however, has shown great potential for fabricating heart valves (HVs) with fewer complications. Here, a series of inks are developed, combining poly(vinyl alcohol), gelatin, and carrageenan for 3D printing of tissue‐engineered heart valves (TEHVs). The inks/hydrogels are investigated to characterize their physico‐chemical, morphological, mechanical, and rheological characteristics. In vitro and in vivo biocompatibility, immune response, hemolysis, and thrombogenicity of the inks/hydrogels are also evaluated. Moreover, in vitro hydrodynamics of the TEHVs under physiological conditions are reported. Inks demonstrate mechanical characteristics comparable to native leaflets. Subcutaneous implantation reveals that the hydrogels do not induce chronic inflammation and can undergo remodeling. In vitro hemocompatibility assessments of the hydrogels show minimal hemolysis with low thrombogenicity. Different sizes and types of HVs are successfully printed with high fidelity in the air. In vitro hydrodynamic assessment confirms that the TEHVs can withstand aortic conditions. Altogether, the 3D‐printed TEHVs can be a promising alternative for valve replacement to solve the problems associated with the current options.
A Spatially Selective Electroactive‐Actuating Adhesive Electronics for Multi‐Object Manipulation and Adaptive Haptic Interaction
Authors: Hwang Gui Won , Jeon Seung Hwan , Song Jin Ho , Kim Da Wan , Lee Jihyun , Kim Jae‐Ik , Jo Gwanghyun , Park Sungjun , Kim Hye Jin , Kim Min‐Seok , Yang Tae‐Heon , Pang Changhyun
Published: October 2023

Some organisms often use adhesive setae to manipulate objects or communicate critical signals for survival through subtle surface‐transmitted vibrations, along with locomotion and long‐term adherence. Inspired by this phenomenon, the spatially selective vibration‐transmitting electronics of a multi‐pixelated electroactive‐actuating adhesive patch coupled with small adhesive architectures are presented. Here, diving beetle‐like small dense hairs possessing concave cavities are introduced to obtain high adaptability on various non‐flat surfaces in dry or wet conditions. Based on the versatile vibration‐transmitting platform, the ensuing lightweight, spatially‐selective, switchable‐adhesive device is demonstrated to effectively manipulate multiple objects simultaneously, thus overcoming the limitations of existing monotonous transportation devices. In addition, the electronics can be applied to the stretchable skin‐conforming haptic interface with high breathability and repeatable attachment capability, capable of recognizing complex outward textures of virtual objects. This skin‐adaptive haptic electronics can amplify the tiny vibrotactile feedback from the diverse surface textures of virtual creatures due to its possession of bioinspired architectures at the human–machine interface. Here, the stably encapsulated device is integrated with machine learning‐based comprehension for reproducible expression. Therefore, this technology offers promise in virtual reality and augmented reality applications.
Axially Encoded Mechano‐Metafiber Electronics by Local Strain Engineering
Authors: Ma Jingyu , Huo Xiaodan , Yin Jun , Cai Shengying , Pang Kai , Liu Yingjun , Gao Chao , Xu Zhen
Published: October 2023

Multimaterial integration, such as soft elastic and stiff components, exhibits rich deformation and functional behaviors to meet complex needs. Integrating multimaterials in the level of individual fiber is poised to maximize the functional design capacity of smart wearable electronic textiles, but remains unfulfilled. Here, this work continuously integrates stiff and soft elastic components into single fiber to fabricate encoded mechano‐metafiber by programmable microfluidic sequence spinning (MSS). The sequences with programmable modulus feature the controllable localization of strain along metafiber length. The mechano‐metafibers feature two essential nonlinear deformation modes, which are local strain amplification and retardation. This work extends the sequence‐encoded metafiber into fiber networks to exhibit greatly enhanced strain amplification and retardation capability in cascades. Local strain engineering enables the design of highly sensitive strain sensors, stretchable fiber devices to protect brittle components and the fabrication of high‐voltage supercapacitors as well as axial electroluminescent arrays. The approach allows the scalably design of multimaterial metafibers with programmable localized mechanical properties for woven metamaterials, smart textiles, and wearable electronics.
The Secret of Nanoarrays toward Efficient Electrochemical Water Splitting: A Vision of Self‐Dynamic Electrolyte
Authors: He Song , Wang Ke , Li Boxin , Du Hongfang , Du Zhuzhu , Wang Tingfeng , Li Siyu , Ai Wei , Huang Wei
Published: October 2023

Nanoarray electrocatalysts with unique advantage of facilitating gas bubble detachment have garnered significant interest in gas evolution reactions (GERs). Existing research is largely based on a static hypothesis, assuming that buoyancy is the only driving force for the release of bubbles during GERs. However, this hypothesis overlooks the effect of the self‐dynamic electrolyte flow, which is induced by the release of mature bubbles and helps destabilize and release the smaller, immature bubbles nearby. Herein, the enhancing effect of self‐dynamic electrolyte flow on nanoarray structures is examined. Phase‐field simulations demonstrate that the flow field of electrode with arrayed surface focuses shear force directly onto the gas bubble for efficient detachment, due to the flow could pass through voids and channels to bypass the shielding effect. The flow field therefore has a more substantial impact on the arrayed surface than the nanoscale smooth surface in terms of reducing the critical bubble size. To validate this, superaerophobic ferrous‐nickel sulfide nanoarrays are fabricated and employed for water splitting, which display improved efficiency for GERs. This study contributes to understanding the influence of self‐dynamic electrolyte on GERs and emphasizes that it should be considered when designing and evaluating nanoarray electrocatalysts.
iCVD Polymer Thin Film Bio‐Interface‐Performance for Fibroblasts, Cancer‐Cells, and Viruses Connected to Their Functional Groups and In Silico Studies
Authors: Hartig Torge , Mohamed Asmaa T. , Fattah Nasra F. Abdel , Gülses Aydin , Tjardts Tim , Kangah Esther Afiba , Chan Kwing Pak Gabriel , Veziroglu Salih , Acil Yahya , Aktas Oral Cenk , Wiltfang Jörg , Loutfy Samah A , Strunskus Thomas , Faupel Franz , Amin Amal , Schröder Stefan
Published: October 2023

Thin polymer coatings are used to improve the interface between biological species and functional materials. Their interaction is significantly influenced by the functional groups and roughness of the polymer film and prediction of the interaction is thus of great interest. However, for conventional polymer films, this cannot be examined independently because of the interplay of defects, residual solvent molecules, roughness, and functional groups. Solvent‐free polymer films prepared by initiated chemical vapor deposition (iCVD) exhibit conformal, defect‐free characteristics and enable precise tailoring of the functional groups. This facilitates to isolate the contribution of functional groups on the bio‐interface performance. Consequently, in silico studies can enable a prediction of ligand interaction in anti‐viral activity for SARS‐CoV‐2 based on defined polymer and key protein structures. Furthermore, the cell viability of human fibroblasts can be traced back to the functional groups of the repeating units. For human liver cancer cell culture, it turns out that more sophisticated models are needed. The insilico‐iCVD approach can enable precise tailoring of complex polymer films optimized for the respective interfaces. In addition, this first big scan of the bio‐interface performance of iCVD films enables a solid starting point in areas like anticancer, antiviral, and biocompatibility for future studies.
(SO3CF3)−: A Non‐π‐Conjugated Motif for Nonlinear Optical Crystals Transparent into the Deep‐Ultraviolet Region
Authors: Xu Bohui , Gong Pifu , Liu Fan , Zhang Xingyu , Huo Hao , Lin Zheshuai
Published: October 2023

The search for new ultraviolet (UV) or deep‐UV nonlinear optical (NLO) crystals would greatly prompt the development of laser science and technology. As the NLO performance of these crystals is mainly determined by the anionic groups, herein the (SO3CF3)− group is highlighted as a promising non‐π‐conjugated NLO‐active motif with excellent deep‐ultraviolet (DUV) transmission and good NLO properties. First‐principles studies reveal that this group possesses the largest HUMO‐LOMO gap among the (SO4)2−‐based units, as well as a relatively large NLO response. The further experiments demonstrate that the CsSO3CF3 compound containing the (SO3CF3)− motif exhibits th UV cutoff edge below 200 nm and an NLO effect ≈0.8× KH2PO4, confirming the potentials of this new motif for UV and DUV NLO applications.
Photochemically Engineered Large‐Area Arsenic Sulfide Micro‐Gratings for Hybrid Diffractive–Refractive Infrared Platforms
Authors: Kang Myungkoo , Triplett Brandon M. , Shalaginov Mikhail Y. , Deckoff-Jones Skylar , Blanco Cesar , Truman Mia , Shirshneva-Vashchenko Elena , Cook Justin , Du Qingyang , Karnik Tushar S. , Popescu Cosmin-Constantin , Zachariou Anna , Zhang Yifei , Schwarz Casey M. , An Sensong , Fowler Clayton , Zhang Hualiang , Divliansky Ivan , Glebov Leonid B. , Richardson Martin C. , Agarwal Anuradha M. , Rivero-Baleine Clara , Hu Juejun , Gu Tian , Richardson Kathleen A.
Published: October 2023

Patterns composed of micron‐sized surface structures can abruptly change the properties of an optical wave front, including its phase, amplitude, polarization, and dispersion. Optical components featuring surface micro‐gratings not only possess optical functionalities that can rival or exceed those of traditional bulky components but can also significantly improve the compactness of optical systems. Herein, the design and fabrication process of As2S3 glass‐based micro‐gratings as well as their resulting optical functionality in the infrared regime are reported. The novel two‐step photochemical process consists of spatially controlled direct laser writing and subsequent selective solution etching. The process yields surface micro‐gratings that possess arbitrarily tunable geometries and design patterns on large‐area flat and curved optical surfaces or substrates, offering a potential new avenue for developing aberration‐corrected infrared‐imaging systems.
How Can the PtPd‐Based High‐Entropy Alloy Triumphs Conventional Twc Catalyst During the NO Reduction? A Density Functional Theory Study
Authors: Wangphon Chanthip , Saelee Tinnakorn , Rittiruam Meena , Khajondetchairit Patcharaporn , Praserthdam Supareak , Ektarawong Annop , Alling Björn , Praserthdam Piyasan
Published: October 2023

Density functional theory is used to compare the catalytic performance of PtPdRhFeCo(100) high entropy alloy (HEA) three‐way catalyst (TWC) to the conventional Pt(100) in the NO reduction step during NH3 production that supplies to passive NH3‐SCR. Stronger adsorption of NO on the HEA(100) surface is beneficial to capture NO. During adsorption, the catalyst surface acts as an electron donor while the adsorbate is the acceptor on both HEA(100) and Pt(100) systems. Herein, the reaction mechanism of NO reduction can be classified into two steps: 1) NO activation and 2) product formation. During NO activation, direct NO dissociation is the preferable pathway on both HEA(100) and Pt(100) surfaces with the same Ea, whereas HNO and NOH pathways on HEA(100) are suppressed. For NH3, N2, and N2O production on HEA(100) is found to be more difficult than on Pt(100). However, the thermodynamic driving force of all reactions on HEA(100) is more spontaneous than on Pt(100). Also, the rate‐determining step on HEA(100) is found to be NH3 formation different from the Pt(100), while difficult H diffusion on HEA(100) is the key factor that reduces NH3 production.
Engineering Carrier Dynamics in Halide Perovskites by Dynamical Lattice Distortion
Authors: Zhao Bai‐Qing , Li Yulu , Chen Xuan‐Yan , Han Yaoyao , Wei Su‐Huai , Wu Kaifeng , Zhang Xie
Published: October 2023

The electronic structure of halide perovskites is central to their carrier dynamics, enabling the excellent optoelectronic performance. However, the experimentally resolved transient absorption spectra exhibit large discrepancies from the commonly computed electronic structure by density functional theory. Using pseudocubic CsPbI3 as a prototype example, here, it is unveiled with both ab initio molecular dynamics simulations and transmission electron microscopy that there exists pronounced dynamical lattice distortion in the form of disordered instantaneous octahedral tilting. Rigorous first‐principles calculations reveal that the lattice distortion substantially alters the electronic band structure through renormalizing the band dispersions and the interband transition energies. Most notably, the electron and hole effective masses increase by 65% and 88%, respectively; the transition energy between the two highest valence bands decreases by about one half, agreeing remarkably well with supercontinuum transient‐absorption measurements. This study further demonstrates how the resulting electronic structure modulates various aspects of the carrier dynamics such as carrier transport, hot‐carrier relaxation, Auger recombination, and carrier multiplication in halide perovskites. The insights provide a pathway to engineer carrier transport and relaxation via lattice distortion, enabling the promise to achieve ultrahigh‐efficiency photovoltaic devices.
Formation of Giant Unilamellar Vesicles Assisted by Fluorinated Nanoparticles
Authors: Waeterschoot Jorik , Gosselé Willemien , Alizadeh Zeinabad Hojjat , Lammertyn Jeroen , Koos Erin , Casadevall i Solvas Xavier
Published: October 2023

In the quest to produce artificial cells, one key challenge that remains to be solved is the recreation of a complex cellular membrane. Among the existing models, giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) are particularly interesting due to their intrinsic compartmentalisation ability and their resemblance in size and shape to eukaryotic cells. Many techniques have been developed to produce GUVs all having inherent advantages and disadvantages. Here, the authors show that fluorinated silica nanoparticles (FNPs) used to form Pickering emulsions in a fluorinated oil can destabilise lipid nanosystems to template the formation of GUVs. This technique enables GUV production across a broad spectrum of buffer conditions, while preventing the leakage of the encapsulated components into the oil phase. Furthermore, a simple centrifugation process is sufficient for the release of the emulsion‐trapped GUVs, bypassing the need to use emulsion‐destabilising chemicals. With fluorescent FNPs and transmission electron microscopy, the authors confirm that FNPs are efficiently removed, producing contaminant‐free GUVs. Further experiments assessing the lateral diffusion of lipids and unilamellarity of the GUVs demonstrate that they are comparable to GUVs produced via electroformation. Finally, the ability of incorporating transmembrane proteins is demonstrated, highlighting the potential of this method for the production of GUVs for artificial cell applications.
Oxygen Defect Engineering Promotes Synergy Between Adsorbate Evolution and Single Lattice Oxygen Mechanisms of OER in Transition Metal‐Based (oxy)Hydroxide
Authors: Wang Yu‐Han , Li Lei , Shi Jinghui , Xie Meng‐Yuan , Nie Jianhang , Huang Gui‐Fang , Li Bo , Hu Wangyu , Pan Anlian , Huang Wei‐Qing
Published: October 2023

The oxygen evolution reaction (OER) activity of transition metal (TM)‐based (oxy)hydroxide is dominated by the number and nature of surface active sites, which are generally considered to be TM atoms occupying less than half of surface sites, with most being inactive oxygen atoms. Herein, based on an in situ competing growth strategy of bimetallic ions and OH− ions, a facile one‐step method is proposed to modulate oxygen defects in NiFe‐layered double hydroxide (NiFe‐LDH)/FeOOH heterostructure, which may trigger the single lattice oxygen mechanism (sLOM). Interestingly, by only varying the addition of H2O2, one can simultaneously regulate the concentration of oxygen defects, the valence of metal sites, and the ratio of components. The proper oxygen defects promote synergy between the adsorbate evolution mechanism (AEM, metal redox chemistry) and sLOM (oxygen redox chemistry) of OER in NiFe‐based (oxy)hydroxide, practically maximizing the use of surface TM and oxygen atoms as active sites. Consequently, the optimal NiFe‐LDH/FeOOH heterostructure outperforms the reported non‐noble OER catalysts in electrocatalytic activity, with an overpotential of 177 mV to deliver a current density of 20 mA cm−2 and high stability. The novel strategy exemplifies a facile and versatile approach to designing highly active TM‐LDH‐based OER electrocatalysts for energy and environmental applications.
Ag‐Co3O4‐CoOOH‐Nanowires Tandem Catalyst for Efficient Electrocatalytic Conversion of Nitrate to Ammonia at Low Overpotential via Triple Reactions
Authors: Wu Shilu , Jiang Yingyang , Luo Wenjie , Xu Peng , Huang Longlong , Du Yiwen , Wang Hui , Zhou Xuemei , Ge Yongjie , Qian Jinjie , Nie Huagui , Yang Zhi
Published: October 2023

The electrocatalytic conversion of nitrate (NO3‾) to NH3 (NO3RR) offers a promising alternative to the Haber–Bosch process. However, the overall kinetic rate of NO3RR is plagued by the complex proton‐assisted multiple‐electron transfer process. Herein, Ag/Co3O4/CoOOH nanowires (i‐Ag/Co3O4 NWs) tandem catalyst is designed to optimize the kinetic rate of intermediate reaction for NO3RR simultaneously. The authors proved that NO3‾ ions are reduced to NO2‾ preferentially on Ag phases and then NO2‾ to NO on Co3O4 phases. The CoOOH phases catalyze NO reduction to NH3 via NH2OH intermediate. This unique catalyst efficiently converts NO3‾ to NH3 through a triple reaction with a high Faradaic efficiency (FE) of 94.3% and a high NH3 yield rate of 253.7 μmol h−1 cm−2 in 1 M KOH and 0.1 M KNO3 solution at ‒0.25 V versus RHE. The kinetic studies demonstrate that converting NH2OH into NH3 is the rate‐determining step (RDS) with an energy barrier of 0.151 eV over i‐Ag/Co3O4 NWs. Further applying i‐Ag/Co3O4 NWs as the cathode material, a novel Zn‐nitrate battery exhibits a power density of 2.56 mW cm−2 and an FE of 91.4% for NH3 production.
Functional PDMS Elastomers: Bulk Composites, Surface Engineering, and Precision Fabrication
Authors: Li Shaopeng , Zhang Jiaqi , He Jian , Liu Weiping , Wang YuHuang , Huang Zhongjie , Pang Huan , Chen Yiwang
Published: October 2023

Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)—the simplest and most common silicone compound—exemplifies the central characteristics of its class and has attracted tremendous research attention. The development of PDMS‐based materials is a vivid reflection of the modern industry. In recent years, PDMS has stood out as the material of choice for various emerging technologies. The rapid improvement in bulk modification strategies and multifunctional surfaces has enabled a whole new generation of PDMS‐based materials and devices, facilitating, and even transforming enormous applications, including flexible electronics, superwetting surfaces, soft actuators, wearable and implantable sensors, biomedicals, and autonomous robotics. This paper reviews the latest advances in the field of PDMS‐based functional materials, with a focus on the added functionality and their use as programmable materials for smart devices. Recent breakthroughs regarding instant crosslinking and additive manufacturing are featured, and exciting opportunities for future research are highlighted. This review provides a quick entrance to this rapidly evolving field and will help guide the rational design of next‐generation soft materials and devices.
Attenuating Water Activity Through Impeded Proton Transfer Resulting from Hydrogen Bond Enhancement Effect for Fast and Ultra‐Stable Zn Metal Anode
Authors: Meng Qi , Bai Qixian , Zhao Ruyi , Cao Penghui , Zhang Guilin , Wang Jiong , Su Fanyun , Zhou Xiangyang , Yang Juan , Tang Jingjing
Published: October 2023

The high activity of water molecules induces notorious side reactions that seriously impair the stability of the Zn metal anode. Inspired by the mechanism of proton transfer in an aqueous solution, ectoine (ET) with a kosmotropic effect is first introduced into the typical aqueous electrolyte of aqueous zinc‐ion batteries (ZIBs). The hydrogen bond enhancement brought by the ET additive increases the energy barrier for the reconfiguration of hydrogen bonds, thereby impeding the hopping transport of protons based on the Grotthuss mechanism. The inhibited hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) by impeded proton transfer is strongly proved by in situ electrochemical gas chromatography (EC‐GC). The distinctive hydrogen bond enhancement effect of ET results in remarkably improved Zn anode stability while maintaining fast reaction kinetics. Consequently, the Zn//Zn symmetric cell delivers an ultra‐long cycle life of 5700 h 1 mA cm−2/1 mAh cm−2 and 2000 h at 5 mA cm−2/5 mAh cm−2 with lower voltage hysteresis, extending a cycling life by >27 and 24 times without sacrificing reaction kinetics.
Impact of folate biofortified food supplement on rural women's health and willingness‐to‐pay: A study based on a connected randomized controlled trial—Becker–DeGroot–Marschak experiment in China
Authors: Liao Fen , Li Yan , Qing Ping , Feng Jie , Wang Anxu , Li Jian , Huo Junsheng , Wang Linjie , Chen Tong , Sun Jing , Mao Hongmei
Published: October 2023

We examined whether folate‐fortified maize (FFM) improves the health of rural women of childbearing age and whether the health intervention is associated with the consumer willingness‐to‐pay (WTP) for FFM. First, a randomized single‐blind FFM intervention trial was conducted in rural childbearing‐aged women. Participants (n = 55) consumed one stalk of either FFM (treatment group) or ordinary maize (control group) daily. This dietary intervention lasted for 2 months, during which we assessed the participants' serum folate levels at baseline, mid stage (after 1 month), and final stage (after 2 months) to evaluate the health effect of FFM. We found that the serum folate level in the treatment group (13.31 ng/mL) was 3.40 ng/mL higher than that in the control group (9.91 ng/mL) in the final stage of the study. These findings suggest that regular dietary FFM intake significantly increased serum folate levels in rural Chinese women. Second, we further expanded our study by involving 181 local rural women with similar demographic characteristics to participate in a Becker–DeGroot–Marschak (BDM) bidding experiment to measure their WTPs for FFM. Results showed that local consumers were willing to pay 2.82 Chinese Yuan (CNY) per stalk of FFM, approximately 1.21 CNY higher than the price of ordinary maize. And women who participated in and completed the intervention trial had a higher preference for FFM during the evaluation. We provide evidence on the health improvement effect of biofortified foods and shed light on the associated consumer valuation and policy implementation.
Agreement between bioimpedance analysis and ultrasound scanning in body composition assessment
Authors: Bondareva Elvira A. , Parfenteva Olga I. , Troshina Ekaterina A. , Ershova Ekaterina V. , Mazurina Natalya V. , Komshilova Kseniya A. , Kulemin Nikolay A. , Ahmetov Ildus I.
Published: October 2023

Objectives

This study aimed at evaluating the agreement between bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) using ABC‐02 Medas and A‐mode ultrasound (AUS) using BodyMetrix™ BX2000 for fat mass (FM), fat free mass (FFM), and body fat percentage (%BF) in females.

Methods

The cross‐sectional, single‐center, observational study was performed in 206 female subjects aged 18–67 years. The examination program included measurements of body height and weight along with waist, hip circumferences, and body composition analysis. The measurements were performed by ultrasound scanner and bioimpedance analyzer.

Results

We found that 20.9% of women were obese based on BMI (≥30 kg/m2), which was significantly lower when using a criterion based on body fat percentage (%BF ≥ 30%) measured with US (53.4%, p = .0056) or BIA (54.8%, p = .0051). At the group level, both methods were found interchangeable and showed practically negligible differences (0.1% for %BF, 0.5 kg for FM, and 0.4 kg for FFM). Agreement analysis conducted in the whole sample revealed a low level of agreement in estimating %BF (CCC = 0.72 0.77 0.82) and FFM (CCC = 0.81 0.84 0.86), and medium level of agreement in estimating FM (CCC = 0.91 0.93 0.94). The level of agreement in estimating %BF and FFM was improved to the medium level with the use of newly generated prediction equations.

Conclusion

Thus, the proposed equations can be used for conversion of body composition results obtained by AUS into the BIA data.