bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Bacteriological Quality Assessment of Well and Stream Water Sources from Ikwerre, Emohua and Etche Local Government Areas of Rivers State
Authors: Okwelle A. A. , Asikong B. E. , Lennox J. A. 
Published: December 2021

Background: Majority of the human population in semi-urban and urban areas in Nigeria are heavily reliant on well and stream water as the main source of water supply for drinking and domestic use due to the inadequate provision of potable pipe borne water. These groundwater sources can easily be fecally contaminated and thus, increase the incidence and outbreaks of preventable waterborne diseases. This study was carried out to determine the bacteriological quality of some well and stream waters sources in Ikwerre, Emohua and Etche Local Government Areas of Rivers State.
Methodology: Twenty-four sampling sites with 8 from each Local Government Area were randomly selected for this study. A total of 48 samples, 2 from each of the sites were collected aseptically for 12 months. Samples were analysed using membrane filtration technique for total heterotrophic bacterial count and total coliform count. The well and stream water samples were also cultured for E. coli, Salmonella, and Vibrio sp.
Results: The results show that Emohua Local Government Area had the highest total heterotrophic bacterial count of 5.2 x 103 cfu/ml. This was followed by Ikwerre LGA with total bacterial count of 4.3 x 102 cfu/ml, while Etche LGA had 3.1 x 102 cfu/ml. The total coliform count ranged from 25 cfu/100ml to 50 cfu/100ml for the three LGA’s, whereas the faecal coliform count was between 12 cfu/100ml and 20 cfu/100ml. The total coliform, E. coli, Salmonella and Vibrio counts from the three local government areas occurred above the WHO stipulated zero count in 100ml of water.
Conclusion: The results from this study showed contamination of all the wells studied with faecal coliforms thus, indicating the presence of other enteric pathogens and a potential source for waterborne disease outbreaks. Well water in Ikwerre, Emohua and Etche Local Government Areas of Rivers State are not safe for drinking without additional treatment like disinfection or boiling. Periodic testing and constant monitoring of these water sources should also be done to meet up with the World Health Organization Standards in the provision of safe, clean drinking water.
Extending Absorption of Cs2AgBiBr6 to Near‐Infrared Region (≈1350 nm) with Intermediate Band
Authors: Liu Ganghong , Zhang Zehao , Wu Cuncun , Zhang Yuqing , Li Xiangdong , Yu Wenjin , Yao Guangjie , Liu Shiming , Shi Jun‐jie , Liu Kaihui , Chen Zhijian , Xiao Lixin , Qu Bo 
Published: December 2021

AbstractThe toxicity of lead‐based halide perovskites hampers broad application in optoelectronics. Lead‐free perovskite Cs2AgBiBr6 is considered a promising candidate, owing to the long carrier lifetime and great stability. However, the relatively large bandgap of 1.98 eV limits its absorption in the visible region. Herein, Fe2+ is chosen as the dopant to alloy into Cs2AgBiBr6 single crystals, and results in an absorption range broadening to ≈1350 nm, which is the longest near‐infrared (NIR) response recorded among lead‐free perovskites. About 1% of Fe ions are alloyed into the Cs2AgBiBr6 lattice to cause lattice shrink age. Instead of narrowing the bandgap, Fe doping would introduce a new intermediate band inside the pristine bandgap of Cs2AgBiBr6 to strongly absorb NIR light, as confirmed by third harmonic generation results. Moreover, considerable photogenerated carriers are produced in Fe doped Cs2AgBiBr6 crystals with NIR irradiation. This work has provided a new way to extend the optical response of lead‐free perovskites for NIR photodetectors and intermediate band photovoltaics.
Advanced Materials for SARS‐CoV‐2 Vaccines
Authors: Mabrouk Moustafa T. , Huang Wei‐Chiao , Martinez‐Sobrido Luis , Lovell Jonathan F. 
Published: December 2021

AbstractThe ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic, caused by severe acute respiratory coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2), has killed untold millions worldwide and has hurtled vaccines into the spotlight as a go‐to approach to mitigate it. Advances in virology, genomics, structural biology, and vaccine technologies have enabled a rapid and unprecedented rollout of COVID‐19 vaccines, although much of the developing world remains unvaccinated. Several new vaccine platforms have been developed or deployed against SARS‐CoV‐2, with most targeting the large viral Spike immunogen. Those that safely induce strong and durable antibody responses at low dosages are advantageous, as well are those that can be rapidly produced at a large scale. Virtually all COVID‐19 vaccines and adjuvants possess nanoscale or microscale dimensions and represent diverse and unique biomaterials. Viral vector vaccine platforms, lipid nanoparticle mRNA vaccines and multimeric display technologies for subunit vaccines have received much attention. Nanoscale vaccine adjuvants have also been used in combination with other vaccines. To deal with the ongoing pandemic, and to be ready for potential future ones, advanced vaccine technologies will continue to be developed in the near future. Herein, the recent use of advanced materials used for developing COVID‐19 vaccines is summarized.
Controlling the Emission Zone by Additives for Improved Light‐Emitting Electrochemical Cells
Authors: Ràfols‐Ribé Joan , Zhang Xiaoying , Larsen Christian , Lundberg Petter , Lindh E. Mattias , Mai Cuc Thu , Mindemark Jonas , Gracia‐Espino Eduardo , Edman Ludvig 
Published: December 2021

AbstractThe position of the emission zone (EZ) in the active material of a light‐emitting electrochemical cell (LEC) has a profound influence on its performance because of microcavity effects and doping‐ and electrode‐induced quenching. Previous attempts of EZ control have focused on the two principal constituents in the active material—the organic semiconductor (OSC) and the mobile ions—but this study demonstrates that it is possible to effectively control the EZ position through the inclusion of an appropriate additive into the active material. More specifically, it is shown that a mere modification of the end group on an added neutral compound, which also functions as an ion transporter, results in a shifted EZ from close to the anode to the center of the active material, which translates into a 60% improvement of the power efficiency. This particular finding is rationalized by a lowering of the effective electron mobility of the OSC through specific additive: OSC interactions, but the more important generic conclusion is that it is possible to control the EZ position, and thereby the LEC performance, by the straightforward inclusion of an easily tuned additive in the active material.
Tailoring Hyperbranched Poly(β‐amino ester) as a Robust and Universal Platform for Cytosolic Protein Delivery
Authors: Liu Xun , Zhao Ziyin , Wu Fan , Chen Yongbing , Yin Lichen 
Published: December 2021

AbstractCytosolic protein delivery is a prerequisite for protein‐based biotechnologies and therapeutics on intracellular targets. Polymers that can complex with proteins to form nano‐assemblies represent one of the most important categories of materials, because of the ease of nano‐fabrication, high protein loading efficiency, no need for purification, and maintenance of protein bioactivity. Stable protein encapsulation and efficient intracellular liberation are two critical yet opposite processes toward cytosolic delivery, and polymers that can resolve these two conflicting challenges are still lacking. Herein, hyperbranched poly(β‐amino ester) (HPAE) with backbone‐embedded phenylboronic acid (PBA) is developed to synchronize these two processes, wherein PBA enhanced protein encapsulation via nitrogen–boronate (N–B) coordination while triggered polymer degradation and protein release upon oxidation by H2O2 in cancer cells. Upon optimization of the branching degree, charge density, and PBA distribution, the best‐performing A2‐B3‐C2‐S2‐P2 is identified, which mediates robust delivery of various native proteins/peptides with distinct molecular weights (1.6–430 kDa) and isoelectric points (4.1–10.3) into cancer cells, including enzymes, toxins, antibodies, and CRISPR‐Cas9 ribonucleoproteins (RNPs). Moreover, A2‐B3‐C2‐S2‐P2 mediates effective cytosolic delivery of saporin both in vitro and in vivo to provoke remarkable anti‐tumor efficacy. Such a potent and universal platform holds transformative potentials for protein pharmaceuticals.
Highly Stable Graphene‐Based Flexible Hybrid Transparent Conductive Electrodes for Organic Solar Cells
Authors: Wang Pengchang , Jian Maoliang , Zhang Chi , Wu Majiaqi , Ling Xiao , Zhang Jianhua , Wei Bin , Yang Lianqiao 
Published: December 2021

AbstractFlexible transparent conductive electrodes (TCEs) are an essential part of flexible electronic and energy devices. As a promising alternative to ITO (In2O3:Sn), silver nanowire has poor environmental stability and adhesion, which limits its development. Herein, transition metal carbides and carbonitrides called MXene are inserted between silver nanowires and graphene grown by chemical vapor deposition to improve the conductivity, adhesion, roughness, and stability of the electrode. Nanosheets fill the voids of the network and connect the nanowires with graphene to provide more conductive channels. In addition, due to the solvent evaporation effect and thermal effect in the preparation process, the nanowire junctions are welded together. Based on the unique structure, the proposed composite TCE shows low sheet resistance (18.1 Ω sq−1) and high optical transmittance (88.1% at 550 nm). Furthermore, compared to the reference samples, the composite TCEs demonstrate stable electrical performances under different environmental conditions, including thermal environment, exposures to air for 80 days, and bending for 2000 cycles. Finally, flexible organic solar cells (OSCs) are prepared using the composite TCEs, which show comparable efficiency to that of ITO‐based OSCs. Therefore, the flexible transparent electrodes are expected to be applied in solar cells, organic light‐emitting diodes, and a broader range.
Recent Advances in the Marriage of Catalyst Nanoparticles and Mesoporous Supports
Authors: Zhang Wei , Zhu Kerun , Ren Wenxuan , He Haili , Liang Haichen , Zhai Yunpu , Li Wei 
Published: December 2021

AbstractThe marriage of catalyst nanoparticles and mesoporous supports brings exciting new opportunities in the field of catalysis, which provides the ability to create advanced nanoporous catalysts for a wide range of catalytic processes. It has been found that not only the features of mesoporous supports, such as, surface areas, mesostructures, and pore sizes, are critical for the catalytic performances, but also the unique properties of catalyst nanoparticles, including dispersion, particle size, and loading amount, play critical roles in determining catalytic performance. Those aspects have been discussed partly in previous reviews, but a comprehensive overview on the basic design principles and synthetic methods for the marriage of catalyst nanoparticles and mesoporous supports is still lacking. In this review, the recent progresses in the fabrication of advanced catalysts by incorporation of catalyst nanoparticles into mesoporous supports are summarized. First, the synthetic strategies for the controllable synthesis are reviewed. At the same time, the corresponding chemical‐/physically properties of the resultant supported mesoporous catalysts are highlighted. After that, the catalytic performances of the resultant mesoporous catalysts in the thermal catalysis, photocatalysis, and electrocatalysis are discussed. Moreover, the research challenges and perspectives in this field are assessed.
Largely Improved Breakdown Strength and Discharge Efficiency of Layer‐Structured Nanocomposites by Filling with a Small Loading Fraction of 2D Zirconium Phosphate Nanosheets
Authors: Liang Liang , Shi Zhicheng , Tan Xueling , Sun Shengbiao , Chen Ming , Dastan Davoud , Dong Bohua , Cao Lixin 
Published: December 2021

AbstractDielectric film capacitors have aroused considerable attention on account of the fast development of pulsed power systems. However, enhanced energy density is always acquired at the cost of deteriorated charge/discharge efficiency. Herein, well balanced energy density and efficiency are achieved in a series of reasonably designed bilayer composites consisting of a ferroelectric layer and a paraelectric layer at the meantime. It is interesting to find that, when merely 1.6 wt% Zr(HPO4)2 nanosheets are introduced into the ferroelectric layer, a substantially improved energy density of 11.22 J cm−3, which is about 165% that of the bilayer composite without Zr(HPO4)2 nanosheets, is achieved at 650 kV mm−1. Meanwhile, a high charge/discharge efficiency of 89.8% and a low loss tangent of 0.024@10 kHz which is much lower than the pristine ferroelectric polymer layer (0.058@10 kHz) is maintained. Furthermore, finite element simulation reveals that the electric breakdown paths will develop along the macroscopical‐interfaces between adjoining layers and the microcosmic‐interfaces between the Zr(HPO4)2 nanosheets and polymer matrix, which can effectively increase the length of breakdown paths and contribute to improved breakdown strength. This work demonstrates that the Zr(HPO4)2 nanosheets can be promising fillers for other high‐performance dielectric composites.
Direction Controllable Nano‐Patterning of Titanium by Ultrafast Laser for Surface Coloring and Optical Encryption
Authors: Qiao Ming , Yan Jianfeng , Jiang Lan 
Published: December 2021

AbstractMetasurfaces constructed from subwavelength nanostructures provide a route for surface coloring and optical encryption. Because of the high transmittance and refractive index, titanium dioxide (TiO2) is a candidate for visible metasurfaces, and its nano‐processing is essential for TiO2 metasurfaces. Herein, a direction‐controllable ultrafast laser nano‐patterning approach is reported for writing TiO2 nanostructures on titanium. The writing direction is controlled by adjusting the polarization of incident laser. Due to the localization of pulse energy inside the formed nanostructures, diverse planar patterns with feature sizes smaller than the diffraction limit are written. A strip‐shaped nanostructure with the width of 344 nm, parallel nanostructures with the center‐to‐center distance down to 370 nm, and a “THU” pattern with the height of 790 nm are achieved. Grating TiO2 nanostructures with various periods are fabricated for surface coloring and printing. Based on the anisotropic optical behaviors of grating‐type nanostructures, encrypting information by orthogonal scans is demonstrated as an optical encryption strategy. This nano‐patterning approach opens a route for the fabrication of TiO2 metasurfaces, and provides a new method for surface coloring and optical encryption.
Hierarchically Multivalent Peptide–Nanoparticle Architectures: A Systematic Approach to Engineer Surface Adhesion
Authors: Jeong Woo‐jin , Bu Jiyoon , Jafari Roya , Rehak Pavel , Kubiatowicz Luke J. , Drelich Adam J. , Owen Randall H. , Nair Ashita , Rawding Piper A. , Poellmann Michael J. , Hopkins Caroline M. , Král Petr , Hong Seungpyo 
Published: December 2021

AbstractThe multivalent binding effect has been the subject of extensive studies to modulate adhesion behaviors of various biological and engineered systems. However, precise control over the strong avidity‐based binding remains a significant challenge. Here, a set of engineering strategies are developed and tested to systematically enhance the multivalent binding of peptides in a stepwise manner. Poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) dendrimers are employed to increase local peptide densities on a substrate, resulting in hierarchically multivalent architectures (HMAs) that display multivalent dendrimer–peptide conjugates (DPCs) with various configurations. To control binding behaviors, effects of the three major components of the HMAs are investigated: i) poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) linkers as spacers between conjugated peptides; ii) multiple peptides on the DPCs; and iii) various surface arrangements of HMAs (i.e., a mixture of DPCs each containing different peptides vs DPCs cofunctionalized with multiple peptides). The optimized HMA configuration enables significantly enhanced target cell binding with high selectivity compared to the control surfaces directly conjugated with peptides. The engineering approaches presented herein can be applied individually or in combination, providing guidelines for the effective utilization of biomolecular multivalent interactions using DPC‐based HMAs.
A Survey of Chinese Pig Farms and Human Healthcare Isolates Reveals Separate Human and Animal Methicillin‐Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Populations
Authors: Zou Geng , Matuszewska Marta , Jia Ming , Zhou Jianwei , Ba Xiaoliang , Duan Juan , Zhang Caishi , Zhao Jian , Tao Meng , Fan Jingyan , Zhang Xiangming , Jin Wenping , Cui Tianpen , Zeng Xianyu , Jia Min , Qian Xiaojuan , Huang Chao , Zhuo Wenxiao , Yao Zhiming , Zhang Lijun , Li Shaowen , Li Lu , Huang Qi , Wu Bin , Chen Huanchun , Tucker Alexander W. , Grant Andrew J. , Holmes Mark A. , Zhou Rui 
Published: December 2021

AbstractThere has been increasing concern that the overuse of antibiotics in livestock farming is contributing to the burden of antimicrobial resistance in people. Farmed animals in Europe and North America, particularly pigs, provide a reservoir for livestock‐associated methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (LA‐MRSA ST398 lineage) found in people. This study is designed to investigate the contribution of MRSA from Chinese pig farms to human infection. A collection of 483 MRSA are isolated from 55 farms and 4 hospitals in central China, a high pig farming density area. CC9 MRSA accounts for 97.2% of all farm isolates, but is not present in hospital isolates. ST398 isolates are found on farms and hospitals, but none of them formed part of the “LA‐MRSA ST398 lineage” present in Europe and North America. The hospital ST398 MRSA isolate form a clade that is clearly separate from the farm ST398 isolates. Despite the presence of high levels of MRSA found on Chinese pig farms, the authors find no evidence of them spilling over to the human population. Nevertheless, the ST398 MRSA obtained from hospitals appear to be part of a widely distributed lineage in China. The new animal‐adapted ST398 lineage that has emerged in China is of concern.
Coupling Water‐Proof Li Anodes with LiOH‐Based Cathodes Enables Highly Rechargeable Lithium–Air Batteries Operating in Ambient Air
Authors: Lei Jiang , Gao Zongyan , Tang Linbin , Zhong Li , Li Junjian , Zhang Yue , Liu Tao 
Published: December 2021

AbstractRealizing an energy‐dense, highly rechargeable nonaqueous lithium–oxygen battery in ambient air remains a big challenge because the active materials of the typical high‐capacity cathode (Li2O2) and anode (Li metal) are unstable in air. Herein, a novel lithium–oxygen full cell coupling a lithium anode protected by a composite layer of polyethylene oxide (PEO)/lithium aluminum titanium phosphate (LATP)/wax to a LiOH‐based cathode is constructed. The protected lithium is stable in air and water, and permits reversible, dendrite‐free lithium stripping/plating in a wet nonaqueous electrolyte under ambient air. The LiOH‐based full cell reaction is immune to moisture (up to 99% humidity) in air and exhibits a much better resistance to CO2 contamination than Li2O2, resulting in a more consistent electrochemistry in the long term. The current approach of coupling a protected lithium anode with a LiOH‐based cathode holds promise for developing a long‐life, high‐energy lithium–air battery capable of operating in the ambient atmosphere.
Nanorepairers Rescue Inflammation‐Induced Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Mesenchymal Stem Cells
Authors: Zhai Qiming , Chen Xin , Fei Dongdong , Guo Xiaoyan , He Xiaoning , Zhao Wanmin , Shi Songtao , Gooding John Justin , Jin Fang , Jin Yan , Li Bei 
Published: December 2021

AbstractMitochondrial dysfunction in tissue‐specific mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) plays a critical role in cell fate and the morbidity of chronic inflammation‐associated bone diseases, such as periodontitis and osteoarthritis. However, there is still no effective method to cure chronic inflammation‐associated bone diseases by physiologically restoring the function of mitochondria and MSCs. Herein, it is first found that chronic inflammation leads to excess Ca2+ transfer from the endoplasmic reticulum to mitochondria, which causes mitochondrial calcium overload and further damage to mitochondria. Furthermore, damaged mitochondria continuously accumulate in MSCs due to the inhibition of mitophagy by activating the Wnt/β‐catenin pathway under chronic inflammatory conditions, impairing the differentiation of MSCs. Based on the mechanistic discovery, intracellular microenvironment (esterase and low pH)‐responsive nanoparticles are fabricated to capture Ca2+ around mitochondria in MSCs to regulate MSC mitochondrial calcium flux against mitochondrial dysfunction. Furthermore, the same nanoparticles are able to deliver siRNA to MSCs to inhibit the Wnt/β‐catenin pathway and regulate mitophagy of the originally dysfunctional mitochondria. These precision‐engineered nanoparticles, referred to as “nanorepairers,” physiologically restore the function of mitochondria and MSCs, resulting in effective therapy for periodontitis and osteoarthritis. The concept can potentially be expanded to the treatment of other diseases via mitochondrial quality control intervention.
High Performance Sodium Ion Anodes Based on Sn4P3 Encapsulated within Amphiphilic Graphene Tubes
Authors: Tan Xinyi , Mo Runwei , Xu Jinhui , Li Xinru , Yin Qingyang , Shen Li , Lu Yunfeng 
Published: December 2021

AbstractHigh‐performance sodium‐ion anode composites are synthesized through confined growth Sn4P3 nanoparticles within amphiphilic graphene tubes, which provide mechanical robustness, the ability to confine Sn4P3 particles with their highly conductive frameworks, and the capability to accommodate the volume change of the particles during cycling. This unique structure endows a sodium‐ion anode with high reversible capacity (821 mA h g−1), excellent rate capability (326 mA h g−1 at 20 A g−1), and cycling stability (>90% reversible capacity retention after 500 cycles). This strategy can be extended to other conversion‐ and alloying‐type materials that experience dramatic volume change during charging and discharging.