bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Expired Pharmaceutical Drugs as Tribopositive Material for Triboelectric Nanogenerator
Authors: Chougale Mahesh Y. , Saqib Qazi Muhammad , Khan Muhammad Umair , Shaukat Rayyan Ali , Kim Jungmin , Dubal Deepak , Bae Jinho 
Published: October 2021

AbstractThe disposal of expired pharmaceutical drugs is largely unattended, which leads to massive environmental pollution. Herein, a novel strategy is demonstrated to turn expired drugs into a novel tribopositive material in a triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG). To realize the proposed method, three types of expired tablets such as paracetamol, nimesulide, and guaiphenesin are employed as tribopositive materials in TENG devices. Owing to their high electron donating capability with hydroxyl and carbonyl functional groups, these drugs reveal strong positive triboelectric potential. The proposed TENG devices yield open circuit voltages ranging from 267 to 561 V, while the short circuit current varies from 28 to 53 µA under a pneumatic air cylinder of 10 Hz. Impressively, the drug‐based TENG can scavenge energy to light up to 169 commercial light‐emitting diodes (LEDs). This excellent performance makes these expired drugs a promising positive tribomaterial, providing a possible solution to recycle a huge amount of pharmaceutical waste. These materials and reuse strategies are expected to aid the development of alternative sustainable energy conversion technology.
Advanced Nanotheranostics of CRISPR/Cas for Viral Hepatitis and Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Kong Huimin , Ju Enguo , Yi Ke , Xu Weiguo , Lao Yeh‐Hsing , Cheng Du , Zhang Qi , Tao Yu , Li Mingqiang , Ding Jianxun 
Published: October 2021

AbstractLiver disease, particularly viral hepatitis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), is a global healthcare burden and leads to more than 2 million deaths per year worldwide. Despite some success in diagnosis and vaccine development, there are still unmet needs to improve diagnostics and therapeutics for viral hepatitis and HCC. The emerging clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat/associated proteins (CRISPR/Cas) technology may open up a unique avenue to tackle these two diseases at the genetic level in a precise manner. Especially, liver is a more accessible organ over others from the delivery point of view, and many advanced strategies applied for nanotheranostics can be adapted in CRISPR‐mediated diagnostics or liver gene editing. In this review, the focus is on these two aspects of viral hepatitis and HCC applications. An overview on CRISPR editor development and current progress in clinical trials is first given, followed by highlighting the recent advances integrating the merits of gene editing and nanotheranostics. The promising systems that are used in other applications but may hold potentials in liver gene editing are also discussed. This review concludes with the perspectives on rationally designing the next‐generation CRISPR approaches and improving the editing performance.
2D Material Nanofiltration Membranes: From Fundamental Understandings to Rational Design
Authors: Liu Xiaopeng , Zhang Ling , Cui Xinwei , Zhang Qian , Hu Wenjihao , Du Jiang , Zeng Hongbo , Xu Qun 
Published: October 2021

AbstractSince the discovery of 2D materials, 2D material nanofiltration (NF) membranes have attracted great attention and are being developed with a tremendously fast pace, due to their energy efficiency and cost effectiveness for water purification. The most attractive aspect for 2D material NF membranes is that, anomalous water and ion permeation phenomena have been constantly observed because of the presence of the severely confined nanocapillaries (<2 nm) in the membrane, leading to its great potential in achieving superior overall performance, e.g., high water flux, high rejection rates of ions, and high resistance to swelling. Hence, fundamental understandings of such water and ion transport behaviors are of great significance for the continuous development of 2D material NF membranes. In this work, the microscopic understandings developed up to date on 2D material NF membranes regarding the abnormal transport phenomena are reviewed, including ultrafast water and ion permeation rates with the magnitude several orders higher than that predicted by conventional diffusion behavior, ion dehydration, ionic Coulomb blockade, ion–ion correlations, etc. The state‐of‐the‐art structural designs for 2D material NF membranes are also reviewed. Discussion and future perspectives are provided highlighting the rational design of 2D material membrane structures in the future.
Sustainable and Inexpensive Polydimethylsiloxane Sponges for Daytime Radiative Cooling
Authors: Zhou Lyu , Rada Jacob , Zhang Huafan , Song Haomin , Mirniaharikandi Seyededriss , Ooi Boon S. , Gan Qiaoqiang 
Published: October 2021

AbstractRadiative cooling is an emerging cooling technology that can passively release heat to the environment. To obtain a subambient cooling effect during the daytime, chemically engineered structural materials are widely explored to simultaneously reject sunlight and preserve strong thermal emission. However, many previously reported fabrication processes involve hazardous chemicals, which can hinder a material's ability to be mass produced. In order to eliminate the hazardous chemicals used in the fabrication of previous works, this article reports a white polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) sponge fabricated by a sustainable process using microsugar templates. By substituting the chemicals for sugar, the manufacturing procedure produces zero toxic waste and can also be endlessly recycled via methods widely used in the sugar industry. The obtained porous PDMS exhibits strong visible scattering and thermal emission, resulting in an efficient temperature reduction of 4.6 °C and cooling power of 43 W m−2 under direct solar irradiation. In addition, due to the air‐filled voids within the PDMS sponge, its thermal conductivity remains low at 0.06 W (m K)−1. This unique combination of radiative cooling and thermal insulation properties can efficiently suppress the heat exchange with the solar‐heated rooftop or the environment, representing a promising future for new energy‐efficient building envelope material.
Nuclear AIM2‐Like Receptors Drive Genotoxic Tissue Injury by Inhibiting DNA Repair
Authors: Jiang Hui , Swacha Patrycja , Gekara Nelson O. 
Published: October 2021

AbstractRadiation is an essential preparative procedure for bone marrow (BM) transplantation and cancer treatment. The therapeutic efficacy of radiation and associated toxicity varies from patient to patient, making it difficult to prescribe an optimal patient‐specific irradiation dose. The molecular determinants of radiation response remain unclear. AIM2‐like receptors (ALRs) are key players in innate immunity and determine the course of infections, inflammatory diseases, senescence, and cancer. Here it is reported that mice lacking ALRs are resistant to irradiation‐induced BM injury. It is shown that nuclear ALRs are inhibitors of DNA repair, thereby accelerate genome destabilization, micronuclei generation, and cell death, and that this novel function is uncoupled from their role in innate immunity. Mechanistically, ALRs bind to and interfere with chromatin decompaction vital for DNA repair. The finding uncovers ALRs as targets for new interventions against genotoxic tissue injury and as possible biomarkers for predicting the outcome of radio/chemotherapy.
Acid‐Resistance and Self‐Repairing Supramolecular Nanoparticle Membranes via Hydrogen‐Bonding for Sustainable Molecules Separation
Authors: Han Wang , Yin Ming‐Jie , Zhang Wen‐Hai , Liu Zhi‐Jie , Wang Naixin , Yong Ken Tye , An Quan‐Fu 
Published: October 2021

AbstractFunctional membranes generally wear out when applying in harsh conditions such as a strong acidic environment. In this work, high acid‐resistance, long‐lasting, and low‐cost functional membranes are prepared from engineered hydrogen‐bonding and pH‐responsive supramolecular nanoparticle materials. As a proof of concept, the prepared membranes for dehydration of alcohols are utilized. The synthesized membranes have achieved a separation factor of 3000 when changing the feed solution pH from 7 to 1. No previous reports have demonstrated such unprecedentedly high‐record separation performance (pervaporation separation index is around 1.1 × 107 g m−2 h−1). More importantly, the engineered smart membrane possesses fast self‐repairing ability (48 h) that is inherited from the dynamic hydrogen bonds between the hydroxyl groups of polyacrylic acid and carbonyl groups of polyvinylpyrrolidone. To this end, the designed supramolecular materials offer the membrane community a new material type for preparing high acid resistance and long‐lasting membranes for harsh environmental cleaning applications.
All‐Around Universal and Photoelastic Self‐Healing Elastomer with High Toughness and Resilience
Authors: Tolvanen Jarkko , Nelo Mikko , Hannu Jari , Juuti Jari , Jantunen Heli 
Published: October 2021

AbstractUltimately soft electronics seek affordable and high mechanical performance universal self‐healing materials that can autonomously heal in harsh environments within short times scales. As of now, such features are not found in a single material. Herein, interpenetrated elastomer network with bimodal chain length distribution showing rapid autonomous healing in universal conditions (<7200 s) with high efficiency (up to 97.6 ± 4.8%) is reported. The bimodal elastomer displays strain‐induced photoelastic effect and reinforcement which is responsible for its remarkable mechanical robustness (≈5.5 MPa stress at break and toughness ≈30 MJ m−3). The entropy‐driven elasticity allows an unprecedented shape recovery efficiency (100%) even after fracturing and 100% resiliency up to its stretching limit (≈2000% strain). The elastomers can be mechanically conditioned leading to a state where they recover their shape extremely quickly after removal of stress (nearly order of magnitude faster than pristine elastomers). As a proof of concept, universal self‐healing mechanochromic strain sensor is developed capable of operating in various environmental conditions and of changing its photonic band gap under mechanical stress.
Biomaterial‐Based Solid‐Electrolyte Organic Electrochemical Transistors for Electronic and Neuromorphic Applications
Authors: Nguyen‐Dang Tung , Harrison Kelsey , Lill Alex , Dixon Alana , Lewis Erin , Vollbrecht Joachim , Hachisu Taku , Biswas Shantonu , Visell Yon , Nguyen Thuc‐Quyen 
Published: October 2021

AbstractA systematic study of biomaterial‐based solid‐state organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs) is presented in which biogels consisting of gelatin and glycerol, two food‐grade materials, are chosen as the model solid electrolyte. Such gels are fundamentally attractive for bioelectronics and wearable applications due to their superior and tunable electrical and mechanical properties, which allow one to fabricate solid‐state organic transistors with high ON/OFF ratio and transconductance, possible millisecond‐switching speed, and 6‐month stability in ambient air. Next, the authors show a good control of the state‐retention property of biogel OECTs, demonstrated herein by employing them as artificial synapses with various synaptic functions, such as frequency‐based short‐term plasticity. This study herein paves the way for the development of biomaterial‐based electronics by providing guiding principles for future works that employ biomaterials in OECTs.
The van der Waals Epitaxy of High‐Quality N‐Polar Gallium Nitride for High‐Response Ultraviolet Photodetectors with Polarization Electric Field Modulation
Authors: Chen Yang , Shi Zhiming , Zhang Shanli , Ben Jianwei , Jiang Ke , Zang Hang , Jia Yuping , Lü Wei , Li Dabing , Sun Xiaojuan 
Published: October 2021

AbstractHigh‐quality and polarity‐controlled III‐nitride is crucial for realizing high‐performance and new types of device designs with rich functionalities, but there are still many difficulties for obtaining N‐polar III‐nitrides till now. In this work, the van der Waals epitaxy of high‐quality N‐polar gallium nitride (GaN) is reported by innovatively inserting a thin MoS2 layer. Due to the remission of thermal and lattice mismatch by the week van der Waals force in 2D MoS2 insert layer, the N‐polar GaN exhibits high crystalline quality and reduced residual stress. The proposed atom deposition kinetics for the van der Waals epitaxy of the polarity‐controlled aluminium nitride nucleation layer and GaN epilayer on the MoS2 lighten the great potentiality for the application of similar 2D materials. The ultraviolet photodetector based on N‐polar GaN possesses over seven times’ response higher than that of the Ga‐polar one, which is both beneficial from the high crystalline quality and efficient polarization electric field control of the N‐polar GaN. Present work provides a new strategy for the polarity control of high‐quality III‐nitrides by the van der Waals epitaxy with a novel 2D insert layer, which would be also extended in other optoelectronic and electronic devices.
Reversible and Fast (De)fluorination of High‐Capacity Cu2O Cathode: One Step Toward Practically Applicable All‐Solid‐State Fluoride‐Ion Battery
Authors: Zhang Datong , Yamamoto Kentaro , Wang Yanchang , Gao Shenghan , Uchiyama Tomoki , Watanabe Toshiki , Takami Tsuyoshi , Matsunaga Toshiyuki , Nakanishi Koji , Miki Hidenori , Iba Hideki , Amezawa Koji , Maeda Kazuhiko , Kageyama Hiroshi , Uchimoto Yoshiharu 
Published: October 2021

AbstractAll‐solid‐state fluoride‐ion batteries (FIBs) are regarded as promising energy storage devices; however, currently proposed cathodes fail to meet the requirements for practical applications in terms of high energy density and high rate capability. Herein, the first use of stable and low‐cost cuprous oxide (Cu2O) as a cathode material for all‐solid‐state FIBs with reversible and fast (de)fluorination behavior is reported. A phase‐transition reaction mechanism involving Cu+/Cu2+ redox for charge compensation is confirmed, using the combination of electrochemical methods and X‐ray absorption spectroscopy. The first discharge capacity is approximately 220 mAh g−1, and fast capacity fading is observed in the first five cycles, which is ascribed to partial structural amorphization. Compared with those of simple metal/metal fluoride systems, the material shows a superior rate capability, with a first discharge capacity of 110 mAh g−1 at 1 C. The rate‐determining step and probable structural evolutions are investigated as well. It is believed that the comprehensive investigations of Cu2O as a cathode material described in this work can lead to an improved understanding of all‐solid‐state FIBs.
Near‐term problems in meeting world food demands at regional levels: A special issue overview
Authors: Nleya Thandiwe , Clay Sharon A. 
Published: October 2021

AbstractGrowing food, feed, and fiber in a manner sustainable for future generations is the starting point for improved food security. As the world population continues to grow, it is imperative to improve many aspects of agronomic production systems to better suit local conditions. This special issue of Agronomy Journal examines what agronomists see as today's or near future problems that are currently looming for different regions of the world. Authors from Africa, Asia, and South and North America were invited to write forum papers for this special issue. Some of the current agronomic practices and policies are unsustainable for diverse reasons. Workforce development, climate challenges, soil degradation, water limitations, and pest problems are discussed. Suggested solutions to these problems include integrated techniques, which need to be implemented in knowledgeable systems approaches, to sustain the environment and improve food security. It is hoped that this special issue serves as an outreach platform to the global community to improve communication and spark new collaborations.
Amphiphilic AIEgen‐polymer aggregates: Design, self‐assembly and biomedical applications
Authors: Cao Shoupeng , Shao Jingxin , Abdelmohsen Loai K. E. A. , van Hest Jan C. M. 
Published: October 2021

AbstractAggregation‐induced emission (AIE) is a phenomenon in which fluorescence is enhanced rather than quenched upon molecular assembly. AIE fluorogens (AIEgens) are flexible, conjugated systems that are limited in their dynamics when assembled, which improves their fluorescent properties. This intriguing feature has been incorporated in many different molecular assemblies and has been extended to nanoparticles composed of amphiphilic polymer building blocks. The integration of the fascinating AIE design principle with versatile polymer chemistry opens up new frontiers to approach and solve intrinsic obstacles of conventional fluorescent materials in nanoscience, including the aggregation‐caused quenching effect. Furthermore, this integration has drawn significant attention from the nanomedicine community, due to the additional advantages of nanoparticles comprising AIEgenic molecules, such as emission brightness and fluorescence stability. In this regard, a range of AIEgenic amphiphilic polymers have been developed, displaying enhanced emission in the self‐assembly/aggregated state. AIEgenic assemblies are regarded as attractive nanomaterials with inherent fluorescence, which display promising features in a biomedical context, for instance in biosensing, cell/tissue imaging and tracking, as well as (photo) therapeutics. In this review, we describe recent strategies for the design and synthesis of novel types of AIEgenic amphiphilic polymers via facile approaches including direct conjugation to natural/synthetic polymers, polymerization, post‐polymerization and supramolecular host−guest interactions. Their self‐assembly behavior and biomedical potential will be discussed.
Inconsistent annual compensation for floral herbivory by an iterocarpic thistle
Authors: West Natalie M. , Louda Svata M. 
Published: October 2021

AbstractPremisePlants experiencing steep reproductive losses from herbivores should favor strategies promoting tolerance or resistance to that herbivory. However, the degree to which such strategies succeed in improving plant fitness under natural conditions needs further evaluation, especially for iterocarpic species. We tested whether reproductive effort by the iterocarpic Cirsium undulatum Spreng. (Wavyleaf thistle) provided within‐season tolerance for floral herbivory through response to apical damage.MethodsWe imposed apical damage and manipulated floral herbivory on later‐flowering, non‐apical flowerheads for two seasons. We asked: (1) is there evidence of compensatory potential to tolerate apical flowerhead damage? If so, (2) does the amount of herbivore pressure on non‐apical flowerheads influence the magnitude of any compensatory response; and (3) is the response to apical damage sufficient to increase plant seed production under ambient floral herbivory over the flowering season?ResultsPlants showed compensatory potential for apical head loss; apical damage increased seed contributions from later, lower positioned flowerheads. Further, the intensity of subsequent herbivore pressure influenced compensation outcomes. Equitable seed production under both levels of ambient herbivory occurred only in the year in which plants were larger and insect pressure was lower. Finally, the response to apical damage was sufficient to compensate for apical seed loss, but it did not consistently increase overall annual seed production under ambient floral herbivory.ConclusionsAlthough this iterocarpic species can compensate for apical damage, tolerance for floral herbivory varied between years.
A greenhouse experiment partially supports inferences of ecogeographic isolation from niche models of Clarkia sister species
Authors: Goff Kaleb A. , Martinez Del Rio Cormac , Kay Kathleen M. 
Published: October 2021

AbstractPremiseEcogeographic isolation, or geographic isolation caused by ecological divergence, is thought to be of primary importance in speciation, yet is difficult to demonstrate and quantify. To determine whether distributions are limited by divergent adaptation or historical contingency, the gold standard is to reciprocally transplant species between their geographic ranges. Alternatively, ecogeographic isolation is inferred from species distribution models and niche divergence tests using widely available environmental and occurrence data.MethodsWe tested for ecogeographic isolation between two sister species of California annual wildflowers, Clarkia concinna and C. breweri, with a hybrid approach. We used niche models to predict water availability as the major axis of ecological divergence and then tested that with a greenhouse experiment. Specifically, we manipulated water availability in field soils for two populations of each species and predicted higher fitness in conditions representing home habitats to those representing the environment of each's sister species.ResultsWater availability and soil representing C. concinna generally increased both species' fitness. Thus, water and soil may indeed limit C. concinna from colonizing the range of C. breweri, but not vice versa. We suggest that the competitive environment and pollinator availability, which are not directly captured with either approach, may be key biotic factors correlated with climate that contribute to unexplained ecogeographic isolation for C. breweri.ConclusionsOurs is a valuable approach to assessing ecogeographic isolation, in that it balances feasibility with model validation, and our results have implications for species distribution modeling efforts geared toward predicting climate change responses.
An outbreak of work‐related asthma and silicosis at a US countertop manufacturing and fabrication facility
Authors: Tustin Aaron W. , Kundu‐Orwa Sylvia , Lodwick Jeffrey , Cannon Dawn L. , McCarthy Ronda B. 
Published: October 2021

AbstractBackgroundOutbreaks of severe silicosis have affected workers who fabricate artificial stone countertops. Work‐related asthma (WRA) has not been a prominent feature of those prior outbreaks.MethodsThis report describes an outbreak of WRA and silicosis at a facility that manufactures and fabricates chemical‐resistant countertops comprised of sand, epoxy resin, and phthalic anhydride (PA), a known respiratory sensitizer. The multi‐disciplinary investigation included clinical examinations of workers, an industrial hygiene survey with qualitative and quantitative exposure assessments, and a cross‐sectional questionnaire.ResultsEngineering controls and personal protective equipment were inadequate. Some workers were exposed to PA or silica above permissible exposure limits established by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Clinical and epidemiologic investigations identified 16 workers with confirmed or suspected WRA. Two years later, after OSHA began to enforce its new silica standards, 12 workers received medical surveillance for silicosis. Of these 12 workers, four (33.3%) were diagnosed with silicosis based on abnormal chest computed tomography examinations.ConclusionsArtificial stone countertop workers can develop asthma or silicosis. Risk of asthma may be highest in workers exposed to asthmagens such as PA and epoxy resins while manufacturing the artificial stone material.