bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Transparent Soft Actuators/Sensors and Camouflage Skins for Imperceptible Soft Robotics
Authors: Won Phillip , Kim Kyun Kyu , Kim Hyeonseok , Park Jung Jae , Ha Inho , Shin Jaeho , Jung Jinwook , Cho Hyunmin , Kwon Jinhyeong , Lee Habeom , Ko Seung Hwan 
Published: October 2020

AbstractThe advent of soft robotics has led to great advancements in robots, wearables, and even manufacturing processes by employing entirely soft‐bodied systems that interact safely with any random surfaces while providing great mechanical compliance. Moreover, recent developments in soft robotics involve advances in transparent soft actuators and sensors that have made it possible to construct robots that can function in a visually and mechanically unobstructed manner, assisting the operations of robots and creating more applications in various fields. In this aspect, imperceptible soft robotics that mainly consist of optically transparent imperceptible hardware components is expected to constitute a new research focus in the forthcoming era of soft robotics. Here, the recent progress regarding extended imperceptible soft robotics is provided, including imperceptible transparent soft robotics (transparent soft actuators/sensors) and imperceptible nontransparent camouflage skins. Their principles, materials selections, and working mechanisms are discussed so that key challenges and perspectives in imperceptible soft robotic systems can be explored.
Photonic Fractal Metamaterials: A Metal–Semiconductor Platform with Enhanced Volatile‐Compound Sensing Performance
Authors: Fusco Zelio , Rahmani Mohsen , Tran‐Phu Thanh , Ricci Chiara , Kiy Alexander , Kluth Patrick , Della Gaspera Enrico , Motta Nunzio , Neshev Dragomir , Tricoli Antonio 
Published: October 2020

AbstractAdvance of photonics media is restrained by the lack of structuring techniques for the 3D fabrication of active materials with long‐range periodicity. A methodology is reported for the engineering of tunable resonant photonic media with thickness exceeding the plasmonic near‐field enhancement region by more than two orders of magnitude. The media architecture consists of a stochastically ordered distribution of plasmonic nanocrystals in a fractal scaffold of high‐index semiconductors. This plasmonic‐semiconductor fractal media supports the propagation of surface plasmons with drastically enhanced intensity over multiple length scales, overcoming the 2D limitations of established metasurface technologies. The fractal media are used for the fabrication of plasmonic optical gas sensors, achieving a limit of detection of 0.01 vol% at room temperature and sensitivity up to 1.9 nm vol%−1, demonstrating almost a fivefold increase with respect to an optimized planar geometry. Beneficially to their implementation, the self‐assembly mechanism of this fractal architecture allows fabrication of micrometer‐thick media over surfaces of several square centimeters in a few seconds. The designable optical features and intrinsic scalability of these photonic fractal metamaterials provide ample opportunities for applications, bridging across transformation optics, sensing, and light harvesting.
Color‐Tunable, Excitation‐Dependent, and Time‐Dependent Afterglows from Pure Organic Amorphous Polymers
Authors: Dou Xueyu , Zhu Tianwen , Wang Zhengshuo , Sun Wei , Lai Yueying , Sui Kunyan , Tan Yeqiang , Zhang Yongming , Yuan Wang Zhang 
Published: October 2020

AbstractAchieving persistent room‐temperature phosphorescence (p‐RTP), particularly those of tunable full‐colors, from pure organic amorphous polymers is attractive but challenging. Particularly, those with tunable multicolor p‐RTP in response to excitation wavelength and time are highly important but both fundamentally and technically underexplored. Here, a facile and general strategy toward color‐tunable p‐RTP from blue to orange‐red based on amidation grafting of luminophores onto sodium alginate (SA) chains, resulting in amorphous polymers with distinct p‐RTP and even impressively excitation‐dependent and time‐dependent afterglows is reported. p‐RTP is associated with the unique semi‐rigidified SA chains, effective hydrogen bonding network, and oxygen barrier properties of SA, whereas excitation‐dependent and time‐dependent afterglows should stem from the formation of diversified p‐RTP emissive species with comparable but different lifetimes. These results outline a rational strategy toward amorphous smart luminophores with colorful, excitation‐dependent, and time‐dependent p‐RTP, excellent solution processability, and film‐forming ability for versatile applications.
The Importance of Quantifying the Composition of the Amorphous Intermixed Phase in Organic Solar Cells
Authors: Marina Sara , Kaufmann Noëmi Petrina , Karki Akchheta , Gutiérrez‐Meza Elizabeth , Gutiérrez‐Fernández Edgar , Vollbrecht Joachim , Solano Eduardo , Walker Barnaby , Bannock James H. , de Mello John , Silva Carlos , Nguyen Thuc‐Quyen , Cangialosi Daniele , Stingelin Natalie , Martín Jaime 
Published: October 2020

AbstractThe relation of phase morphology and solid‐state microstructure with organic photovoltaic (OPV) device performance has intensely been investigated over the last twenty years. While it has been established that a combination of donor:acceptor intermixing and presence of relatively phase‐pure donor and acceptor domains is needed to get an optimum compromise between charge generation and charge transport/charge extraction, a quantitative picture of how much intermixing is needed is still lacking. This is mainly due to the difficulty in quantitatively analyzing the intermixed phase, which generally is amorphous. Here, fast scanning calorimetry, which allows measurement of device‐relevant thin films (<200 nm thickness), is exploited to deduce the precise composition of the intermixed phase in bulk‐heterojunction structures. The power of fast scanning calorimetry is illustrated by considering two polymer:fullerene model systems. Somewhat surprisingly, it is found that a relatively small fraction (<15 wt%) of an acceptor in the intermixed amorphous phase leads to efficient charge generation. In contrast, charge transport can only be sustained in blends with a significant amount of the acceptor in the intermixed phase (in this case: ≈58 wt%). This example shows that fast scanning calorimetry is an important tool for establishing a complete compositional characterization of organic bulk heterojunctions. Hence, it will be critical in advancing quantitative morphology–function models that allow for the rational design of these devices, and in delivering insights in, for example, solar cell degradation mechanisms via phase separation, especially for more complex high‐performing systems such as nonfullerene acceptor:polymer bulk heterojunctions.
Subdiffraction Limited Photonic Funneling of Light
Authors: Li Kun , Simmons Evan , Briggs Andrew , Nordin Leland , Xu Jiaming , Podolskiy Viktor , Wasserman Daniel 
Published: October 2020

AbstractEfficient optical coupling between nano‐ and macroscale areas is strongly suppressed by the diffraction limit. This work presents a possible solution to this fundamental problem via the experimental fabrication, characterization, and comprehensive theoretical analysis of structures referred to as “photonic funnels.” The funnels represent a novel composite material platform that combines hyperbolic dielectric response with geometry‐assisted optical confinement. Experimentally, funneling of mid‐infrared light through openings with diameters as small as 1/25th of the free space wavelength (λ0) is demonstrated. By analyzing the optical response of the funnels, as fabricated, both confinement of mid‐infrared radiation to the λ0/25 areas and efficient outcoupling of light from deep subwavelength areas are confirmed.
Phase‐Changing Microcapsules Incorporated with Black Phosphorus for Efficient Solar Energy Storage
Authors: Huang Hao , Shi Tongyu , He Rui , Wang Jiahong , Chu Paul K. , Yu Xue‐Feng 
Published: October 2020

AbstractA new solar energy storage system is designed and synthesized based on phase‐changing microcapsules incorporated with black phosphorus sheets (BPs). BPs are 2D materials with broad light absorption and high photothermal performance, which are synthesized and covalently modified with poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) to produce the PMMA‐modified BPs (mBPs). With the aid of PMMA, the mBPs and phase‐changing materials (PCM, eicosane) are encapsulated together to form microcapsules. The microencapsulated eicosane and mBPs (mBPs‐MPCM) composites exhibit a high latent heat of over 180 kJ kg−1, good thermal reliability, as well as excellent photothermal characteristics inherited from BPs. Owing to the direct contact in the integrated mBPs‐MPCM composites, the thermal energy generated by mBPs is transferred to eicosane immediately giving rise to three times higher efficiency in solar energy storage compared to microcapsules with mBPs on the surface. The mBPs‐MPCM composites have great potential in solar energy storage applications and the concept of integrating photothermal materials and PCMs as the core provides insights into the design of high‐efficiency solar energy storage materials.
3D Architectures for Batteries and Electrodes
Authors: Long Jeffrey W. , Dunn Bruce , Rolison Debra R. , White Henry S. 
Published: October 2020

AbstractThe previous decade has witnessed the emergence of 3D architectures in battery electrodes, in fully functioning batteries and in the computational modeling supporting these activities. In this paper, the most important strides made in achieving these accomplishments are identified: developing design concepts for wiring 3D electrodes, understanding the inherently non‐uniform current and voltage distributions in non‐planar geometries, and demonstrating the fabrication of spatially complex 3D structures in miniaturized systems. 3D batteries represent one of the most promising approaches for creating miniaturized power sources for Internet of Things‐based applications and future efforts towards integrating modeling, 3D electrode design, and enhanced fabrication are expected to lead to rapid advancement in the development of this technology.
Probing Lithium Metals in Batteries by Advanced Characterization and Analysis Tools
Authors: Park Hyeokjun , Tamwattana Orapa , Kim Jihyeon , Buakeaw Sunisa , Hongtong Rattiya , Kim Byunghoon , Khomein Piyachai , Liu Gao , Meethong Nonglak , Kang Kisuk 
Published: October 2020

AbstractLithium metal batteries (LMBs) are one of the most promising next‐generation batteries in achieving the high energy density because of their low reduction potential and large theoretical capacity. However, since the birth of the first rechargeable lithium batteries, the uncontrolled lithium growth and the accompanying side‐reactions have seriously hampered the development of LMBs. Decades of research efforts have extensively studied the mechanisms governing these issues; however, the practical adoption of lithium metal in batteries is still yet to come. Recent advancements of the characterization tools offer unprecedentedly detailed views of the behavior of lithium metals in the electrochemical cells, which have been considered challenging due to the intrinsic instability of lithium metal. This new capability elucidates the stripping and deposition nature of lithium metal more closely, thus revealing what had been overlooked or remained unseen. Herein, recent advances in characterization and analysis tools for studies of LMBs are summarized, and what new findings and insights have been obtained in the understanding of LMBs are discussed. It is believed that this report will aid in addressing the opportunities and remaining challenges in the research of lithium metal by giving a comprehensive perspective on the current advanced suits of characterization tools, therefore expediting the development of practical LMBs.
Milk Income over Feed Cost Margin, Margin Protection Program, and Farm Finances for a Sample of Wisconsin Dairies in 2000–2017
Authors: Skevas Theodoros , Thompson Wyatt , Brown Scott , Cabrera Victor E. 
Published: October 2020

AbstractThe relationship between farm‐level milk income over feed cost (IOFC) margin and national margin, profit risk, and terminal stress risk are investigated using data on Wisconsin dairy farms over the period 2000–2017. Results show that farm‐specific IOFC margins were not highly correlated with the national margin, higher farm IOFC margin increased profit level and volatility but decreased downside risk, and farm terminal stress appears unaffected by either the margin or the related payments. These findings suggest that, for sample farms, a policy that targets IOFC margin might reduce downside risk of net farm income.
Real Options and Reduction of Basic Risk of Index‐Based Climate Agricultural Insurance
Authors: Le Fur Eric , Outreville J. François 
Published: October 2020

AbstractThis article is a discussion of the concept of index‐based agricultural insurance and the possible role of real options to reduce the basic risk. Indeed, to address the consequences of variability of weather within climate, experiments based on indexed agricultural insurance have been implemented in recent years. However, this locally defined insurance scheme has a weak point called the basic risk, i.e., the difference between the reality of climatic shocks and the payment of compensation. Real options allow this gap to be filled by offering alternatives to farmers. This article is the first to discuss the use of real options in the basic risk management of index‐based climate agricultural insurance. The implications for farmers in developing countries, insurers, and local and institutional organizations and communities are important: better management of operating conditions, optimized financial management, and consideration of real climatic conditions.
Why does strength training improve endurance performance?
Authors: Best Andrew W. 
Published: October 2020

AbstractObjectiveThe specificity of training principle holds that adaptations to exercise training closely match capacity to the specific demands of the stimulus. Improvements in endurance sport performance gained through strength training are a notable exception to this principle. While the proximate mechanisms for how strength training produces muscular adaptations beneficial to endurance sports are increasingly well understood, the ultimate causes of this phenomenon remain unexplored.MethodsUsing a holistic approach tying together exercise physiology and evolution, I argue that we can reconcile the apparent “endurance training specificity paradox.”Results and ConclusionsCompeting selective pressures, inherited mammalian biology, and millennia of living in energy‐scarce environments constrained our evolution as endurance athletes, but also imparted high muscular plasticity which can be exploited to improve endurance performance beyond what was useful in our evolutionary past.
Tandem Mn–I Exchange and Homocoupling Processes Mediated by a Synergistically Operative Lithium Manganate
Authors: Uzelac Marina , Mastropierro Pasquale , de Tullio Marco , Borilovic Ivana , Tarrés Màrius , Kennedy Alan R. , Aromí Guillem , Hevia Eva 
Published: October 2020

AbstractPairing lithium and manganese(II) to form lithium manganate [Li2Mn(CH2SiMe3)4] enables the efficient direct Mn–I exchange of aryliodides, affording transient (aryl)lithium manganate intermediates which in turn undergo spontaneous C−C homocoupling at room temperature to furnish symmetrical (bis)aryls in good yields under mild reaction conditions. The combination of EPR with X‐ray crystallographic studies has revealed the mixed Li/Mn constitution of the organometallic intermediates involved in these reactions, including the homocoupling step which had previously been thought to occur via a single‐metal Mn aryl species. These studies show Li and Mn working together in a synergistic manner to facilitate both the Mn–I exchange and the C−C bond‐forming steps. Both steps are carefully synchronized, with the concomitant generation of the alkyliodide ICH2SiMe3 during the Mn–I exchange being essential to the aryl homocoupling process, wherein it serves as an in situ generated oxidant.
Flow Electrolyzer Mass Spectrometry with a Gas‐Diffusion Electrode Design
Authors: Hasa Bjorn , Jouny Matthew , Ko Byung Hee , Xu Bingjun , Jiao Feng 
Published: October 2020

AbstractOperando mass spectrometry is a powerful technique to probe reaction intermediates near the surface of catalyst in electrochemical systems. For electrochemical reactions involving gas reactants, conventional operando mass spectrometry struggles in detecting reaction intermediates because the batch‐type electrochemical reactor can only handle a very limited current density due to the low solubility of gas reactant(s). Herein, we developed a new technique, namely flow electrolyzer mass spectrometry (FEMS), by incorporating a gas‐diffusion electrode design, which enables the detection of reactive volatile or gaseous species at high operating current densities (>100 mA cm−2). We investigated the electrochemical carbon monoxide reduction reaction (eCORR) on polycrystalline copper and elucidated the oxygen incorporation mechanism in the acetaldehyde formation. Combining FEMS and isotopic labelling, we showed that the oxygen in the as‐formed acetaldehyde intermediate originates from the reactant CO, while ethanol and n‐propanol contained mainly solvent oxygen. The observation provides direct experimental evidence of an isotopic scrambling mechanism.
The Nature of Chalcogen‐Bonding‐Type Tellurium–Nitrogen Interactions: A First Experimental Structure from the Gas Phase
Authors: Glodde Timo , Vishnevskiy Yury V. , Zimmermann Lars , Stammler Hans‐Georg , Neumann Beate , Mitzel Norbert W. 
Published: October 2020

Abstract(C6F5)Te(CH2)3NMe2 (1), a perfluorophenyltellurium derivative capable of forming intramolecular N⋅⋅⋅Te interactions, was prepared and characterized. The donor‐free reference substance (C6F5)TeMe (2) and the unsupported adduct (C6F5)(Me)Te⋅NMe2Et (2 b) were studied in parallel. Molecular structures of 1, 2 and 2 b were determined by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction and for 1 and 2 by gas‐phase electron diffraction. The structure of 1 shows N⋅⋅⋅Te distances of 2.639(1) Å (solid) and 2.92(3) Å (gas). Ab initio plus NBO and QTAIM calculations show significant charge transfer effects within the N⋅⋅⋅Te interactions and indicate σ‐hole interactions.
Relation between activation energy and induction in rubber sulfur vulcanization: An experimental study
Authors: Milani Gabriele , Milani Federico 
Published: October 2020

AbstractThe article presents the possibility to use the so‐called frequency factors in order to select the optimal temperature to mix rubber blend recipes before vulcanization without inducing premature crosslinking. As secondary result of the research, it provides a very simple approach to evaluate induction assuming a first order kinetic approach. It has been frequently observed that the activation energy in a first order rubber vulcanization scheme appears to be function of the particular activators used and that activation energy links to the so‐called waiting time (and induction) by means of the frequency factor through an exponential relationship. A total of 212 rheometer curves are experimentally obtained and suitably postprocessed, consisting of pure natural rubber (NR), polybutadiene (PB), and 50–50 or 70%–30% NR‐PR blends in presence of different concentrations of sulfur and accelerants (diphenyl guanidine [DPG] and N‐t‐butylbenzothiazole‐sulfenamide [TBBS]). Data reduction is carried out to have an insight into the most suitable temperature to utilize in the different cases in order to: (a) Obtain the best mixed blends without risking premature vulcanization and (b) design the induction phase without over vulcanize the blend and/or delaying curing because the time required is too long. Waiting time and induction are evaluated by means of a well‐established exponential law requiring the knowledge of the activation energy (assuming for the sake of simplicity that crosslinking occurs following a first order reaction kinetic law) and a constant called “frequency factor”. Frequency factor, considering all reactions monomolecular for the sake of simplicity, is assumed of the order of magnitude of 10−13–10−14 s. All experimental data carried out are critically compared and a wide explanation of the expected induction times and most suitable temperatures to use in the mixing phase is provided in the different cases considered. The article provides a meaningful insight into the importance of the link existing among activation energy, vulcanization recipe (with particular regard to concentration of accelerants, blend between two rubbers with very different activation energies and interaction between two accelerants) and mixing temperature to adopt before curing.
Corporate governance and sustainability in water utilities. The effects of decorporatisation in the city of Naples, Italy
Authors: Agovino Massimiliano , Cerciello Massimiliano , Garofalo Antonio , Landriani Loris , Lepore Luigi 
Published: October 2020

AbstractThe recent economic literature has largely investigated sustainability in the provision of public utilities, highlighting the role of governance models in the determination of economic results. Little attention however has been devoted to the social and environmental dimensions of sustainability. In Italy, a long‐lasting debate on governance structures in the water sector has been fuelled by scholars and policymakers for more than 30 years, whereas the first (and unique) experiment involving the return of full public management in water provision is taking place in the city of Naples. The present work analyses this peculiar case study, aiming to assess the effects of a major governance shift that occurred in the early 2010s—that is, decorporatisation—in terms of economic, social and environmental sustainability. We resort to a bundle of qualitative and quantitative techniques to address the research question and our exploratory results suggest that decorporatisation was overall beneficial: Although little changed in terms of economic sustainability, the social and environmental dimensions benefitted from the shift in governance.
LncRNA NUTM2A‐AS1 positively modulates TET1 and HIF‐1A to enhance gastric cancer tumorigenesis and drug resistance by sponging miR‐376a
Authors: Wang Ji , Yu Ziyang , Wang Jun , Shen Yidan , Qiu Junlan , Zhuang Zhixiang 
Published: October 2020

AbstractLong noncoding RNA NUTM2A‐AS1 has been shown to be dysregulated in non‐small cell lung carcinoma. To date, it is unclear whether NUTM2A‐AS1 plays a role in gastric cancer progression. The purpose of this study is to elucidate the molecular mechanism of the role of NUTM2A‐AS1 in gastric cancer. mRNA and protein levels were measured by RT‐qPCR and western blot methods. Invasion ability was examined by transwell assay. Cell viability was determined by MTT assay. Dual‐luciferase assay, RNA pull down, and RNA immunoprecipitation were used to confirm direct binding of between miR‐376a and NUTM2A‐AS1 or TET1. Xenografting tumor assay and TCGA analysis showed the contributory role of NUTM2A‐AS1 in vivo and human clinical setting. Our results suggested that NUTM2A‐AS1 promoted cell viability, invasion, and drug resistance of gastric cancer cells, which was largely rescued by miR‐376a. More interestingly, TET1 and HIF‐1A were negatively regulated by miR‐376a. TET1 could interact with HIF‐1A to modulate PD‐L1. Finally, we revealed that PD‐L1 was key to NUTM2A‐AS1‐ and miR‐376a‐mediated tumorigenesis and drug resistance. In summary, our conclusions facilitate us understand the underlying mechanism and develop novel treatment strategy for gastric cancer.