bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Dryland Farmer’s Knowledge towards Climate Change and Constraints in Adoption of Climate Resilient Practices
Authors: Niranjan D. Alagu , Bose Dipak Kumar 
Published: May 2020

Aims: To understand the dryland famer’s knowledge towards climate change, its causes and its impacts. And to find the constraints associate in adoption of climate resilient practices in the region.
Study Design: For the present descriptive study, cross-sectional survey design was used.
Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted in Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences, Allahabad during the year 2018.
Methodology: Climate change study in dryland region is very relevant; so a study was conducted at Sivakasi (a highly industrialized taluk) of Tamil Nadu which falls under dryland region. The data collection was done using structured interview schedule with 120 farmers. Method of data collection is face to face interview.
Results: The study revealed that the level of knowledge towards climate change is medium and it is influenced by various factors like education, mass media exposure, extension contacts, innovativeness, risk orientation, scientific orientation and social participation positively. The major constraints in the adoption of climate resilient practices are high cost, lack of awareness and lack of adequate infrastructure. Some of the suggestions expressed by the farmers to improve adoption for the open ended questions are categorized as, improving advisory, strengthening infrastructure and extending policy support.
Conclusion: The results of the research would help the extension workers to understand dryland farmer’s needs for effective programme implementation.
Effect of Pregnancy on Thermoregulation, Blood Constituents, Serum Bio-chemicals and Cortisol Level in (Oryctolagus cuniculus) Rabbit Model
Authors: Sukar Khalid Abbas Owish , Abdelatif Abdulla Mohamed , Alfaki Altiab Mohamed 
Published: May 2020

Aims: This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of pregnancy on the physiological responses in rabbit model in early, mid and late gestation periods.
Materials and Methods: The experiment was performed according to the complete randomized design. Fourteen (14) pregnant and non pregnant rabbits, 7 in each group, were used in this study. Pregnancy was ascertained by vaginal swabs taken after copulation by mature fertile male rabbits. Blood and serum constituents' responses were investigated at days 0, 7, 14, 21 and 28 of gestation.
Results: The obtained results revealed significant (P 0.05) increase in respiration rate (RR) in mid-gestation and in heart rate (HR) at late gestation. The packed cell volume (PVC), erythrocyte count, haemoglobin concentration (Hb) and total leukocyte count (TLC) were significantly (P 0.05) reduced in mid and late gestation. The serum levels of total protein decreased and cholesterol increased significantly (P 0.05) in early, mid and late gestation. The plasma osmolality decreased significantly (P 0.05) at mid gestation. Cortisol level increased significantly (P 0.05) during mid and late gestation.
Conclusions: The study concluded that the pregnancy altered HR, hematological, serum parameters and cortisol level in pregnant rabbit model.
The usefulness of the ICF framework in goal setting for students with autism spectrum disorder
Authors: Rämä Irene , Kontu Elina , Pirttimaa Raija 
Published: May 2020

AbstractAn Individualized Education Plan (IEP) is a multi-disciplinary, team-developed plan that is required for a child receiving special education services. IEPs are tools for setting objectives that are responsive to students with special needs. The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) is a hierarchical classification for human functioning and disability developed by the World Health Organization (WHO). The ICF classification can be used as a structural and conceptual instrument in goal setting. In this study the educational IEP objectives of five Finnish students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are examined within the ICF framework. The focus is in the goals concerning the development of communication and social behavior because the main criteria for ASD comprise disabilities and challenges in communication and social behavior. The aim of the study was to assess the usefulness of the ICF coding system with regard to educational goals and objectives of students with ASD. The core content of the goals was extracted to linking units, which were coded into categories of the ICF classification. The results revealed that only few of possible ICF categories were used, the goals linked to communication technologies were heavily stressed, and the relation between the goals and general curriculum was vague. As a conclusion it is suggested that teachers and multi-disciplinary teams might benefit from standardizing their mutual conceptual framework with the help of the ICF when setting goals or objectives for students with disabilities.
Effects of POWER Strategy Instruction for Students Supported by Assistive Technology
Authors: Jozwik Sara , Karlan George Peterson , Kaczorowski Tara 
Published: May 2020

AbstractThis study investigated students' use of assistive technology (AT) tools within the context of Plan, Organize, Write, Edit, Revise (POWER) strategy instruction for writing explanations. Instruction took place in a fifth-grade classroom that included four students with learning, attention, or emotional disabilities and 19 peers without disabilities. The purpose of this study was to evaluate instructional effects and method of transcription used in composing science-related explanations. To examine effects of POWER instruction on writing quality and accuracy, researchers used a multiple baseline design across participants. Method of transcription was evaluated through a concurrent time series design. After POWER strategy instruction, participants' explanations earned quality and accuracy scores that were greater than their respective baseline scores. Scores on AT-transcribed responses exceeded those earned on handwritten explanations, with larger effects on accuracy than on quality. Implications are discussed in relation to POWER strategy instruction for students with disabilities who require transcription support.
Open‐Shell Donor–Acceptor Conjugated Polymers with High Electrical Conductivity
Authors: Huang Lifeng , Eedugurala Naresh , Benasco Anthony , Zhang Song , Mayer Kevin S. , Adams Daniel J. , Fowler Benjamin , Lockart Molly M. , Saghayezhian Mohammad , Tahir Hamas , King Eric R. , Morgan Sarah , Bowman Michael K. , Gu Xiaodan , Azoulay Jason D. 
Published: May 2020

AbstractConductive polymers largely derive their electronic functionality from chemical doping, processes by which redox and charge‐transfer reactions form mobile carriers. While decades of research have demonstrated fundamentally new technologies that merge the unique functionality of these materials with the chemical versatility of macromolecules, doping and the resultant material properties are not ideal for many applications. Here, it is demonstrated that open‐shell conjugated polymers comprised of alternating cyclopentadithiophene and thiadiazoloquinoxaline units can achieve high electrical conductivities in their native “undoped” form. Spectroscopic, electrochemical, electron paramagnetic resonance, and magnetic susceptibility measurements demonstrate that this donor–acceptor architecture promotes very narrow bandgaps, strong electronic correlations, high‐spin ground states, and long‐range π‐delocalization. A comparative study of structural variants and processing methodologies demonstrates that the conductivity can be tuned up to 8.18 S cm−1. This exceeds other neutral narrow bandgap conjugated polymers, many doped polymers, radical conductors, and is comparable to commercial grades of poly(styrene‐sulfonate)‐doped poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene). X‐ray and morphological studies trace the high conductivity to rigid backbone conformations emanating from strong π‐interactions and long‐range ordered structures formed through self‐organization that lead to a network of delocalized open‐shell sites in electronic communication. The results offer a new platform for the transport of charge in molecular systems.
Enhanced Electrochemical CO2 Reduction of Cu@CuxO Nanoparticles Decorated on 3D Vertical Graphene with Intrinsic sp3‐type Defect
Authors: Ma Zhipeng , Tsounis Constantine , Kumar Priyank V. , Han Zhaojun , Wong Roong Jien , Toe Cui Ying , Zhou Shujie , Bedford Nicholas M. , Thomsen Lars , Ng Yun Hau , Amal Rose 
Published: May 2020

AbstractDefective 3D vertical graphene (VG) with a relatively large surface area, high defect density, and increased surface electrons is synthesized via a scalable plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition method, together with a postsynthesis Ar‐plasma treatment (VG‐Ar). Subsequently, Cu@CuxO nanoparticles are deposited onto VG‐Ar (Cu/VG‐Ar) through a galvanostatic pulsed electrodeposition method. These Cu@CuxO nanocatalyst systems exhibit a superior electrochemical CO2 reduction performance when compared to Cu‐based catalysts supported on commercial graphene paper or pristine VG without postsynthesis Ar‐plasma treatment. The Cu/VG‐Ar achieves the highest CO2 reduction Faradaic efficiency of 60.6% (83.5% of which are attributed to liquid products, i.e., formate, ethanol, and n‐propanol) with a 5.6 mA cm−2 partial current density at −1.2 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE). The improved CO2 reduction performance of Cu/VG‐Ar originates from the well‐dispersed Cu@CuxO nanoparticles deposited on the defective VG‐Ar. The intrinsic carbon defects on VG‐Ar can suppress the hydrogen evolution reaction as well as tune the interaction between VG and Cu@CuxO, thus impeding the excessive oxidation of Cu2O species deposited on VG‐Ar. The defective VG‐Ar and stabilized Cu@CuxO enhances CO2 adsorption and promotes electron transfer to the adsorbed CO2 and intermediates on the catalyst surface, thus improving the overall CO2 reduction performance.
Nanocarrier‐Mediated Cytosolic Delivery of Biopharmaceuticals
Authors: He Wei , Xing Xuyang , Wang Xiaoling , Wu Debra , Wu Wei , Guo Junling , Mitragotri Samir 
Published: May 2020

AbstractBiopharmaceuticals have emerged to play a vital role in disease treatment and have shown promise in the rapidly expanding pharmaceutical market due to their high specificity and potency. However, the delivery of these biologics is hindered by various physiological barriers, owing primarily to the poor cell membrane permeability, low stability, and increased size of biologic agents. Since many biological drugs are intended to function by interacting with intracellular targets, their delivery to intracellular targets is of high relevance. In this review, the authors summarize and discuss the use of nanocarriers for intracellular delivery of biopharmaceuticals via endosomal escape and, especially, the routes of direct cytosolic delivery by means including the caveolae‐mediated pathway, contact release, intermembrane transfer, membrane fusion, direct translocation, and membrane disruption. Strategies with high potential for translation are highlighted. Finally, the authors conclude with the clinical translation of promising carriers and future perspectives.
Polymer Hydrogels to Guide Organotypic and Organoid Cultures
Authors: Magno Valentina , Meinhardt Andrea , Werner Carsten 
Published: May 2020

AbstractHuman organotypic and organoid cultures provide increasingly life‐like models of tissue/organ development and disease, enable more realistic drug screening, and may ultimately pave the way for new therapies. A broad variety of extracellular matrix‐based or inspired materials is instrumental in these approaches. In this review article, the foundations of the related materials design are summarized with an emphasis on the advantages and limitations of decellularized and reconstituted biopolymeric matrices as well as biohybrid and fully synthetic polymer hydrogel systems applied to enable specific organotypic and organoid cultures. Recent progress in the fabrication of defined hydrogel systems offering thoroughly tunable biochemical and biophysical properties is highlighted. Potentialities of hydrogel‐based approaches to address the persisting challenges of organoid technologies, namely scalability, connectivity/integration, reproducibility, parallelization, and in situ monitoring are discussed.
Unraveling Doping Capability of Conjugated Polymers for Strategic Manipulation of Electric Dipole Layer toward Efficient Charge Collection in Perovskite Solar Cells
Authors: Park Jaehong , Yoon Sang Eun , Lee Jongmin , Whang Dong Ryeol , Lee Sang Yeon , Shin So Jeong , Han Ji Min , Seo Hyungtak , Park Hui Joon , Kim Jong H. , Kim Bong‐Gi 
Published: May 2020

AbstractDeveloping electrical organic conductors is challenging because of the difficulties involved in generating free charge carriers through chemical doping. To devise a novel doping platform, the doping capabilities of four designed conjugated polymers (CPs) are quantitatively characterized using an AC Hall‐effect device. The resulting carrier density is related to the degree of electronic coupling between the CP repeating unit and 2,3,5,6‐tetrafluoro‐7,7,8,8‐tetracyanoquinodimethane (F4‐TCNQ), and doped PIDF‐BT provides an outstanding electrical conductivity, exceeding 210 S cm−1, mainly due to the doping‐assisted facile carrier generation and relatively fast carrier mobility. In addition, it is noted that a slight increment in the electron‐withdrawing ability of the repeating unit in each CP diminishes electronic coupling with F4‐TCNQ, and severely deteriorates the doping efficiency including the alteration of operating doping mechanism for the CPs. Furthermore, when PIDF‐BT with high doping capability is applied to the hole transporting layer, with F4‐TCNQ as the interfacial doping layer at the interface with perovskite, the power conversion efficiency of the perovskite solar cell improves significantly, from 17.4% to over 20%, owing to the ameliorated charge‐collection efficiency. X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Kelvin probe analyses verify that the improved solar cell performance originates from the increase in the built‐in potential because of the generation of electric dipole layer.
3D Carbon Nanotube Network Bridged Hetero‐Structured Ni‐Fe‐S Nanocubes toward High‐Performance Lithium, Sodium, and Potassium Storage
Authors: Zhang Shipeng , Wang Gang , Wang Beibei , Wang Jiamei , Bai Jintao , Wang Hui 
Published: May 2020

AbstractLithium‐ion, sodium‐ion, and potassium‐ion batteries have captured tremendous attention in power supplies for various electric vehicles and portable electronic devices. However, their practical applications are severely limited by factors such as poor rate capability, fast capacity decay, sluggish charge storage dynamics, and low reversibility. Herein, hetero‐structured bimetallic sulfide (NiS/FeS) encapsulated in N‐doped porous carbon cubes interconnected with CNTs (Ni‐Fe‐S‐CNT) are prepared through a convenient co‐precipitation and post‐heat treatment sulfurization technique of the corresponding Prussian‐blue analogue nanocage precursor. This special 3D hierarchical structure can offer a stable interconnect and conductive network and shorten the diffusion path of ions, thereby greatly enhancing the mobility efficiency of alkali (Li, Na, K) ions in electrode materials. The Ni‐Fe‐S‐CNT nanocomposite maintains a charge capacity of 1535 mAh g−1 at 0.2 A g−1 for lithium ion batteries, 431 mAh g−1 at 0.1 A g−1 for sodium ion batteries, and 181 mAh g−1 at 0.1 A g−1 for potassium‐ion batteries, respectively. The high performance is mainly attributed to the 3D hierarchically high‐conductivity network architecture, in which the hetero‐structured FeS/NiS nanocubes provide fast Li+/Na+/K+ insertion/extraction and reduced ion diffusion paths, and the distinctive 3D networks maintain the electrical contact and guarantee the structural integrity.
Oriented Crystallization of Mixed‐Cation Tin Halides for Highly Efficient and Stable Lead‐Free Perovskite Solar Cells
Authors: Yu Bin‐Bin , Liao Min , Zhu Yudong , Zhang Xusheng , Du Zheng , Jin Zhixin , Liu Di , Wang Yiyu , Gatti Teresa , Ageev Oleg , He Zhubing 
Published: May 2020

AbstractAs the most promising lead‐free branch, tin halide perovskites suffer from the severe oxidation from Sn2+ to Sn4+, which results in the unsatisfactory conversion efficiency far from what they deserve. In this work, by facile incorporation of methylammonium bromide in composition engineering, formamidinium and methylammonium mixed cations tin halide perovskite films with ultrahighly oriented crystallization are synthesized with the preferential facet of (001), and that oxidation is suppressed with obviously declined trap density. MA+ ions are responsible for that impressive orientation while Br‐ ions account for their bandgap modulation. Depending on high quality of the optimal MA0.25FA0.75SnI2.75Br0.25 perovskite films, their device conversion efficiency surges to 9.31% in contrast to 5.02% of the control formamidinium tin triiodide perovskite (FASnI3) device, along with almost eliminated hysteresis. That also results in the outstanding device stability, maintaining above 80% of the initial efficiency after 300 h of light soaking while the control FASnI3 device fails within 120 h. This paper definitely paves a facile and effective way to develop high‐efficiency tin halide perovskites solar cells, optoelectronic devices, and beyond.
Biodegradableβ‐Cyclodextrin Conjugated Gelatin Methacryloyl Microneedle for Delivery of Water‐Insoluble Drug
Authors: Zhou Xingwu , Luo Zhimin , Baidya Avijit , Kim Han‐jun , Wang Canran , Jiang Xing , Qu Moyuan , Zhu Jixiang , Ren Li , Vajhadin Fereshteh , Tebon Peyton , Zhang Niyuan , Xue Yumeng , Feng Yudi , Xue Chengbin , Chen Yi , Lee KangJu , Lee Junmin , Zhang Shiming , Xu Chun , Ashammakhi Nureddin , Ahadian Samad , Dokmeci Mehmet Remzi , Gu Zhen , Sun Wujin , Khademhosseini Ali 
Published: May 2020

AbstractTransdermal delivery of water‐insoluble drugs via hydrogel‐based microneedle (MN) arrays is crucial for improving their therapeutic efficacies. However, direct loading of water‐insoluble drug into hydrophilic matrices remains challenging. Here, a biodegradable MN array patch that is fabricated from naturally derived polymer conjugates of gelatin methacryloyl andβ‐cyclodextrin (GelMA‐β‐CD) is reported. When curcumin, an unstable and water‐insoluble anticancer drug, is loaded as a model drug, its stability and solubility are improved due to the formation of an inclusion complex. The polymer‐drug complex GelMA‐β‐CD/CUR can be formulated into MN arrays with sufficient mechanical strength for skin penetration and tunable drug release profile. Anticancer efficacy of released curcumin is observed in three‐dimensional B16F10 melanoma models. The GelMA‐β‐CD/CUR MN exhibits relatively higher therapeutic efficacy through more localized and deeper penetrated manner compared with a control nontransdermal patch. In vivo studies also verify biocompatibility and degradability of the GelMA‐β‐CD MN arrays patch.
An Ir/Ni(OH)2 Heterostructured Electrocatalyst for the Oxygen Evolution Reaction: Breaking the Scaling Relation, Stabilizing Iridium(V), and Beyond
Authors: Zhao Guoqiang , Li Peng , Cheng Ningyan , Dou Shi Xue , Sun Wenping 
Published: May 2020

AbstractDeveloping efficient electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is highly challenging for hydrogen production from water splitting, due to the high energy barrier for OO bond formation and the restriction of the scaling relation between the multiple reaction intermediates. In order to simultaneously address these concerns, an Ir/Ni(OH)2 heterostructure with abundant heterointerfaces is deliberately designed as an efficient electrocatalyst system, with Ir nanoparticles (NPs) homogeneously confined on the Ni(OH)2 nanosheets. The strong electronic interaction and chemical bonding across the interface between the Ir and Ni(OH)2 can effectively stabilize the metastable electrophilic Ir(V) species, which is vital to boost the formation of OO bonds. Meanwhile, the adsorption of the multiple intermediates is synergistically optimized at the heterointerface, which breaks the restrictive scaling relation and substantially accelerates the OER kinetics. In addition, the severe agglomeration of Ir species is greatly mitigated by the confinement effect, ensuring the structural integrity of the catalyst and the constant exposure of active sites. Owing to its well‐defined multifunctional interfaces, the Ir/Ni(OH)2 heterostructure exhibits exceptional OER activity and durability in alkaline media. The present results highlight the significance of heterostructure interface engineering toward the rational design and development of advanced electrocatalysts for the OER and beyond.
Sustainable Fuel Production from Ambient Moisture via Ferroelectrically Driven MoS2 Nanosheets
Authors: Yang Lin , Loh Leyi , Nandakumar Dilip Krishna , Lu Wanheng , Gao Mengqi , Wee Xue Le Charlotte , Zeng Kaiyang , Bosman Michel , Tan Swee Ching 
Published: May 2020

AbstractUnlike traditional water splitting in an aqueous medium, direct decomposition of atmospheric water is a promising way to simultaneously dehumidify the living space and generate power. Here, a tailored superhygroscopic hydrogel, a catalyst, and a solar cell are integrated into a humidity digester that can break down ambient moisture into hydrogen and oxygen, creating an efficient electrochemical cell. The function of the hydrogel is to harvest moisture from ambient humidity and transfer the collected water to the catalyst. Barium titanate and vertical 2D MoS2 nanosheets are integrated as the catalyst: the negatively polarized cathode can enhance the electron transport and attract H+ to the MoS2 surface for water reduction, while water oxidation takes place at the positively polarized anode. By employing this mechanism, it is possible to maintain the relative humidity in a medium‐sized room at <60% without any additional energy input, and a stable current of 12.5 mA cm−2 is generated by the humidity digester when exposed to ambient light.
The Design of Hydrophilic Nanochannel‐Macrostripe Fog Collector: Enabling Wicking‐Assisted Vertical Liquid Delivery for the Enhancement in Fog Collection Efficiency
Authors: Lee Jonggyu , So Jinyoung , Bae Won‐Gyu , Won Yoonjin 
Published: May 2020

AbstractThe design of water collectors that capture atmospheric fogs has been challenging due to the reliability issue. In particular, the small openings of collecting surfaces are often clogged by large‐size droplets. The additional hydraulic resistances added to the collecting surfaces prevent the fog pathways and further lower the overall performance coefficients by decreasing the shade coefficient of the collectors. The clogging issues can be addressed by modulating the fog harvesters' surface chemistry and surface structures to deliver water droplets efficiently and to prevent re‐entrainment of droplets to the openings. Herein, the novel design of fog collectors that consist of both nanochannels and macrostripes is demonstrated. The combination of those two structures provides the anisotropic wettability and thereby directional spreading in the longitudinal direction to the nanochannels. The directional liquid spreading facilitates continuous liquid transport through the formation of a thin liquid film. As a result, the fog collector successfully enhances the fog harvesting performance by 50% compared to conventional mesh‐like fog collectors.