bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Does reciprocal peer observation promote the transfer of learning to teaching practice?
Authors: Flores Marta , Sala‐Bars Íngrid , Ortiz Maite , Duran David 
Published: June 2024

AbstractThis paper investigates whether Reciprocal Peer Observation is an effective practice for promoting Teacher Professional Development. It focuses on analysing the Improvement Goals transfer processes stemming from teachers' own educational approach, which teachers identify during Reciprocal Peer Observation. A total of 230 teachers, paired together, conducted a second classroom observation, focused on a specific Improvement Goals to assess the extent of their transfer. The findings indicate that Improvement Goals transfer to classroom practice occurs predominantly. The study analyses predictive and facilitating factors that contribute to this process. The results reveal that collaborative culture and collective agency are predictive factors for transfer. Similarly, personal factors arising from reflection and awareness of one's own practices, alongside the support of the partner, could promote the identified processes of improvement. In conclusion, Reciprocal Peer Observation can be regarded as a highly effective practice for identifying Improvement Goals and transferring them to the classroom, benefiting Teacher Professional Development.
Novel herbicide flusulfinam: absolute configuration, enantioseparation, enantioselective bioactivity, toxicity and degradation in paddy soils
Authors: Liu Shiling , Li Xiaoli , Zhu Junqi , Liang Liying , Zhang Heng , Liao Ying , Li Jiaheng , Lian Lei , Tan Huihua , Zhao Feng 
Published: June 2024

AbstractBACKGROUNDFlusulfinam, a novel chiral herbicide, effectively controls Echinochloa crusgalli and Digitaria sanguinalis in paddy fields, indicating significant potential for practical agricultural applications. However, limited information is available on flusulfinam from a chiral perspective. A comprehensive evaluation of the enantiomeric levels of flusulfinam was performed.RESULTSTwo enantiomers, R‐(+)‐ and S‐(−)‐flusulfinam, were separately eluted using a Chiralcel OX‐RH column. The bioactivity of R‐flusulfinam against the two was 1.4–3.1 fold that of Rac‐flusulfinam against two weed species. R‐flusulfinam toxicity to Danio rerio larvae and Selenastrum capricornutumwere was 0.8‐ and 3.0‐fold higher than Rac‐flusulfinam, respectively. Degradation experiments were conducted using soil samples from four Chinese provinces. The findings indicated that S‐flusulfinam (half‐life T1/2 = 40.8 days) exhibits preferential degradation than R‐flusulfinam (T1/2 = 46.2–57.8 days) in the soils of three provinces. Under anaerobic conditions, soil from Anhui exhibited preferential degradation of R‐flusulfinam (T1/2 = 46.2 days) over S‐flusulfinam (T1/2 = 63 days). Furthermore, two hydrolysis products of flusulfinam (M299 and M100) are proposed for the first time.CONCLUSIONThe enantioselective bioactivity, toxicity and degradation of flusulfinam were investigated. Our findings indicate that R‐flusulfinam is an extremely effective and low‐toxicity enantiomer for the tested species. The soil degradation test indicated that the degradation of flusulfinam was accelerated by higher organic matter content and lower soil pH. Furthermore, microbial communities may play a crucial role in driving the enantioselective degradation processes. This study lays the groundwork for the systematic evaluation of flusulfinam from an enantiomeric perspective. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.
Strain‐Induced Selective Active Gas Sensor Based on Fe‐Loaded Black Phosphorus
Authors: Huang Zongyu , Chen Xi , Luo Chaobo , Zhang Shenrui , Cui Yongxiang , Guo Gencai , Zhong Jianxin , Qi Xiang 
Published: June 2024

The possibility of Fe loaded on BP (Fe@BP) as an efficient gas sensor for the detection of toxic gases such as NO2, NO, and CO is studied by the first‐principles calculation, and it is proposed that Fe@BP is an excellent gas‐sensitive material. The adsorption behaviors of gases on Fe@BP were analyzed in terms of adsorption configurations and electronic properties. It is found that all gases adsorbed on Fe@BP exhibit significantly enhanced interactions, and the adsorption intensity is much larger than that of molecules adsorbed on the surface of pure BP. Fe@BP has high selectivity for toxic and ambient gas molecules. In addition, the adsorption strength of NO2 and NO molecules on Fe@BP increases after compression strain is applied (within −3%), while the adsorption strength of CO decreases gradually. After the tensile strain is applied, the adsorption intensity of NO2 and NO is decreased, but that of CO is increased gradually. It is speculated that the strain causes changes in the electronic structure, which affects the adsorption behavior. The adsorption of NO has a stronger strain sensitivity. For these reasons, Fe@BP with high adsorption strength and strain selection is the ideal gas‐sensitive material.
A Study on the Possible Link of Brucellosis to Increased Stillbirths in the Maltese Islands from 1919 to 1954
Authors: Tripp Lianne , Sawchuk Larry A. , Samarakoon Mahinda 
Published: June 2024

ABSTRACTBackgroundHuman brucellosis, otherwise known as undulant fever, is one of the most widespread zoonotic diseases in the world. Even though 9%–15% of stillbirths are known to be caused by infectious diseases, the study of the link between human Brucella melitensis and the termination of births in humans is a topic that has received little attention. This study examines if there was an association between infection of undulant fever, an endemic zoonotic disease in the Maltese Islands from 1919 until 1954, and reproductive loss through stillbirths.MethodsA univariate descriptive analysis was used to show the temporal trend of undulant fever time, as well as the age and sex distribution. Time series analysis was used to assess the relationship between time (months) and undulant fever cases with stillbirth proportions.ResultsOn the island of Gozo, the majority of undulant fever cases for both males and females occurred in their reproductive period between 15 and 45 years of age. Based on regression analysis, undulant fever had a statistically significant effect on the stillbirth rate for males (t = 2.8986, p = 0.0039). The effect of undulant fever on stillbirths was not significant for females (p = 0.9103).ConclusionThis paper highlights the importance of undulant fever as having implications for the health burden in pregnant women and potential fetal loss through stillbirths in the contemporary context.
Bayesian estimation of the mean time between failures of subsystems with different causes using interval‐censored system maintenance data
Authors: Han David , Brownlow James D. , Thompson Jesse , Brooks Ralph G. 
Published: June 2024

AbstractEnsuring an acceptable level of reliability stands as a primary imperative for any mission‐focused operation since it serves as a critical determinant of success. Inadequate reliability can lead to severe repercussions, including substantial expenses for repairs and replacements, missed opportunities, service disruptions, and in the worst cases, safety violations and human casualties. Within national defense organizations such as the USAF, the precise assessment and maintenance of system reliability play a pivotal role in ensuring the success of mission‐critical operations. In this research, our primary objective is to model the reliability of repairable subsystems within the framework of competing and complementary risks. Subsequently, we construct the overall reliability of the entire repairable system, utilizing day‐to‐day group‐censored maintenance data from two identical aircraft systems. Assuming that the lifetimes of subsystems follow non‐identical exponential distributions, it is theoretically justified that the system reliability can be modeled by homogeneous Poisson processes even though the number of subsystems of any particular type is unknown and the temporal order of multiple subsystem failures within a given time interval is uncertain due to interval censoring. Using the proposed model, we formulate the likelihood function for the mean time between failures of subsystems with different causes, and subsequently establish an inferential procedure for the model parameters. Given a considerable number of parameters to estimate, we explore the efficacy of a Bayesian approach, treating the contractor‐supplied estimates as the hyperparameters of prior distributions. This approach mitigates potential model uncertainty as well as the practical limitation of a frequentist‐based approach. It also facilitates continuous updates of the estimates as new maintenance data become available. Finally, the entire inferential procedures were implemented in Microsoft Excel so that it is easy for any reliability practitioner to use without the need to learn sophisticated programming languages. Thus, this research supports an ongoing, real‐time assessment of the overall mission reliability and helps early detection of any subsystem whose reliability is below the threshold level.
Design and movement mechanism analysis of a multiple degree of freedom bionic crocodile robot based on the characteristic of “death roll”
Authors: Liu Chujun , Wang Jingwei , Liu Zhongyang , Zhao Zejia , Zhang Guoqing 
Published: June 2024

AbstractThis paper introduces a multi‐degree of freedom bionic crocodile robot designed to tackle the challenge of cleaning pollutants and debris from the surfaces of narrow, shallow rivers. The robot mimics the “death roll” motion of crocodiles which is a technique used for object disintegration. First, the design incorporated a swinging tail mechanism using a multi‐section oscillating guide‐bar mechanism. By analyzing three‐, four‐, and five‐section tail structures, the four‐section tail was identified as the most effective structure, offering optimal strength and swing amplitude. Each section of the tail can reach maximum swing angles of 8.05°, 20.95°, 35.09°, and 43.84°, respectively, under a single motor's drive. Next, the robotic legs were designed with a double parallelogram mechanism, facilitating both crawling and retracting movements. In addition, the mouth employed a double‐rocker mechanism for efficient closure and locking, achieving an average torque of 5.69 N m with a motor torque of 3.92 N m. Moreover, the robotic body was designed with upper and lower segment structures and waterproofing function was also considered. Besides, the kinematic mechanism and mechanical properties of the bionic crocodile structure were analyzed from the perspectives of modeling and field tests. The results demonstrated an exceptional kinematic performance of the bionic crocodile robot, effectively replicating the authentic movement characteristics of a crocodile.
Spontaneous Fusion of Core‐Shell Nanocapsules with Oil Cores and Oppositely Charged Polysaccharide Shells
Authors: Odrobińska‐Baliś Joanna , Gumieniczek–Chłopek Elżbieta , Uchacz Tomasz , Banachowicz Piotr , Medaj Aneta , Zapotoczny Szczepan 
Published: June 2024

AbstractPolymer nanocapsules with hydrophobic cores are promising candidates for nanoreactors to carry out (bio)chemical reactions mimicking the performance of natural cellular systems. Their architecture allows reagents to be encapsulated in the cores enabling reactions to proceed in confined environments in a controlled, and efficient manner. Polysaccharide‐shell oil‐core nanocapsules are proposed here as facile mergeable nanoreactors. Spontaneous fusion of oppositely charged polysaccharide capsules is demonstrated for the first time. Such capsules are formed and easily loaded with reagents by nanoemulsification of an aqueous solution of hydrophobically modified polysaccharides (chitosan, hyaluronate) and oleic acid with dissolved desired hydrophobic compounds. Efficient fusion of the formed nanocapsules dispersed in an aqueous medium at optimized conditions (pH, ionic strength) is followed using fluorescence microscopy by labeling both their cores and shells with fluorescent dyes. As a proof of concept, a model fluorogenic synthesis is also realized by fusing the capsules containing separated reagents and the catalyst. The nanocapsules and fusion process developed here establish a platform for realization of versatile reactions in a confined environment including model studies on biologically relevant processes taking place in natural systems.
Amorphous P‐CoOX Promotes the Formation of Hypervalent Ni Species in NiFe LDHs by Amorphous/Crystalline Interfaces for Excellent Catalytic Performance of Oxygen Evolution Reaction
Authors: Xu Hui‐Min , Huang Chen‐Jin , Zhu Hong‐Rui , Zhang Zhi‐Jie , Shuai Ting‐Yu , Zhan Qi‐Ni , Fominski Vyacheslav Yu , Li Gao‐Ren 
Published: June 2024

AbstractWater electrolysis has become an attractive hydrogen production method. Oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is a bottleneck of water splitting as its four‐electron transfer procedure presents sluggish reaction kinetics. Designing composite catalysts with high performance for efficient OER still remains a huge challenge. Here, the P‐doped cobalt oxide/NiFe layered double hydroxides (P‐CoOX/NiFe LDHs) composite catalysts with amorphous/crystalline interfaces are successfully prepared for OER by hydrothermal‐electrodeposition combined method. The results of electrochemical characterizations, operando Raman spectra, and DFT theoretical calculations have demonstrated the electrons in the P‐CoOX/NiFe LDHs heterointerfaces are easily transferred from Ni2+ to Co3+ because that the amorphous configuration of P‐CoOX can well induce Ni‐O‐Co orbital coupling. The electron transfer of Ni2+ to the surrounding Fe3+ and Co3+ will lead to the unoccupied eg orbitals of Ni3+ that can promote water dissociation and accelerate *OOH migration to improve OER catalytic performance. The optimized P‐CoOX/NiFe LDHs exhibit superior catalytic performance for OER with a very low overpotential of 265 mV at 300 mA cm−2 and excellent long‐term stability of 500 h with almost no attenuation at 100 mA cm−2. This work will provide a new method to design high‐performance NiFe LDHs‐based catalysts for OER.
Extended Plateau Capacity of Hard Carbon Anode for High Energy Lithium‐Ion Batteries
Authors: Ji Xiaohao , Wei Yunhong , Yang Haizhao , Lu Zhiyu , Jin Song , Jin Hongchang , Kong Xianghua , Ji Hengxing 
Published: June 2024

AbstractHard carbon materials have shown promising potential for sodium‐ion storage due to accommodating larger sodium ions. However, as for lithium‐ion storage, the challenge lies in tuning the high lithiation plateau capacities, which impacts the overall energy density. Here, hard carbon microspheres (HCM) are prepared by tailoring the cross‐linked polysaccharide, establishing a comprehensive methodology to obtain high‐performance lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs) with long plateau capacities. The “adsorption–intercalation mechanism” for lithium storage is revealed combining in situ Raman characterization and ex situ nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The optimized HCM possesses reduced defect content, enriched graphitic microcrystalline, and low specific surface area, which is beneficial for fast lithium storage. Therefore, HCM demonstrates a high reversible capacity of 537 mAh g−1 with a significant low‐voltage plateau capacity ratio of 55%, high initial Coulombic efficiency, and outstanding rate performance (152 mAh g−1 at 10 A g−1). Moreover, the full cell (HCM||LiCoO2) delivers outstanding fast‐charging capability (4 min charge to 80% at 10 C) and impressive energy density of 393 Wh kg−1. Additionally, 80% reversible capacity can be delivered under −40 °C with competitive cycling stability. This work provides in‐depth insights into the rational design of hard carbon structures with extended low‐voltage plateau capacity for high energy LIBs.
Self‐Sustaining Triboelectric Nanosensors for Real‐Time Urine Analysis in Smart Toilets
Authors: Mondal Indrajit , Mansour Elias , Zheng Youbin , Gupta Ritu , Haick Hossam 
Published: June 2024

AbstractHealthcare has undergone a revolutionary shift with the advent of smart technologies, and smart toilets (STs) are among the innovative inventions offering non‐invasive continuous health monitoring. The present technical challenges toward this development include limited sensitivity of integrated sensors, poor stability, slow response and the requirement external energy supply alongside manual sample collection. In this article, triboelectric nanosensor array (TENSA) is introduced featuring electrodes crafted from laser‐induced 3D graphene with functional polymers like polystyrene, polyimide, and polycaprolactone for real‐time urine analysis while generating 50 volts output via urine droplet‐based triboelectrification. Though modulating interfacial double‐layer capacitance, these sensors exhibit exceptional sensitivity and selectivity in detecting a broad spectrum of urinary biomarkers, including ions, glucose, and urea with a classification precision of 95% and concentration identification accuracy of up to 0.97 (R2), supported by artificial neural networks. Upon exposure to urine samples containing elevated levels of Na+, K+, and NH4+, a notable decrease (ranging from 32% to 68%) is observed in output voltages. Conversely, urea induces an increase up to 13%. Experimental validation confirms the stability, robustness, reliability, and reproducibility of TENSA, representing a significant advancement in healthcare technology, offering the potential for improved disease management and prevention strategies.
Thermally Stable Oxide‐Capsulated Metal Nanoparticles Structure for Strong Metal‐Support Interaction via Ultrafast Laser Plasmonic Nanowelding
Authors: Ji Junde , Lin Luchan , Hu Yifan , Xu Jiayi , Li Zhuguo 
Published: June 2024

AbstractStrong metal‐support interaction (SMSI) has drawn much attention in heterogeneous catalysts due to its stable and excellent catalytic efficiency. However, construction of high‐performance oxide‐capsulated metal nanostructures meets great challenge in materials thermodynamic compatibility. In this work, dynamically controlled formation of oxide‐capsulated metal nanoparticles (NPs) structures is demonstrated by ultrafast laser plasmonic nanowelding. Under the strong localized electromagnetic field interaction, metal (Au) NPs are dragged by an optical force toward oxide NPs (TiO2). Intense energy is simultaneously injected into this heterojunction area, where TiO2 is precisely ablated. With the embedding of metal into oxide, optical force on Au gradually turned from attractive to repulsive due to the varied metal‐dielectric environment. Meanwhile, local ablated oxides are redeposited on Au NP. Upon the whole coverage of metal NP, the implantation behavior of metal NP is stopped, resulting in a controlled metal‐oxide eccentric structure with capsulated oxide layer thickness ≈0.72–1.30 nm. These oxide‐capsulated metal NPs structures can preserve their configurations even after thermal annealing in air at 600 °C for 10 min. This ultrafast laser plasmonic nanowelding can also extend to oxide‐capsulated metal nanostructure fabrication with broad materials combinations (e.g., Au/ZnO, Au/MgO, etc.), which shows great potential in designing/constructing nanoscale high‐performance catalysts.
Size‐Dependent Oxygen Vacancy of Iron Oxide Nanoparticles
Authors: Zuo Xudong , Wang Xinyu , Si Guangxiang , Zhang Dongmei , Yu Xiaogang , Guo Zhanhang , Gu Ning 
Published: June 2024

AbstractPrior research has highlighted the reduction of iron oxide nanoparticle (IONPs) sizes to the “ultra‐small” dimension as a pivotal approach in developing T1‐MRI contrast agents, and the enhancement in T1 contrast performance with the reducing size is usually attributed to the increased specific surface area and weakened magnetization. Nonetheless, as the size decreases, the variation in surface defects, particularly oxygen vacancy (VO) defects, significantly impacts the T1 imaging efficacy. In this study, the VO on IONPs is meticulously investigated through XPS, Raman, and EPR spectroscopy. As the nanoparticle size decreased, the VO concentration rose initially but subsequently declined, with the peak concentration observed in the size of 8.27 nm. Further insights gained from synchrotron XAS analysis and DFT calculations indicate that both surface tension and phase transition in IONPs contribute to alterations in the Fe─O bond length, thereby influencing the VO formation energy across varying nanoparticle sizes. The MRI tests reveal that the VO in IONPs serve as pivotal sites for the attachment of water molecules to iron ions, and IONPs with fewer VO exhibited a deterioration in T1‐MRI contrast effects. This research may provide a deeper understanding of the relationship between T1 contrast performance and the size of IONPs.
The Japanese Esophageal Society classification for prediction of superficial esophageal squamous cell neoplasia invasion depth: Validation in a Western population
Authors: Beaufort I. (Ilse) N. , Zuithoff N. (Nicolaas) A. P. , Brosens L. (Lodewijk) A. A. , Furukawa K. (Kazuhiro) , Goto O. (Osamu) , Koch A. (Arjun) D. , Meeberg M. (Maartje) van de , Nagengast W. (Wouter) B. , Pouw R. (Roos) E. , Rueb K. (Kuna) , Saleh C. (Caroline) , Schoon E. (Erik) J. , Seewald S. (Stefan) , Yamamoto S. (Shunsuke) , Jansen M. (Marnix) , Weusten B. (Bas) L. A. M. 
Published: June 2024

AbstractBackgroundThe Japan Esophageal Society proposed the JES microvessel classification to assess eligibility of early esophageal squamous cell neoplasia (ESCN) for endoscopic resection based on intrapapillary capillary loop assessment. We aimed to assess its diagnostic reproducibility and accuracy in Western ESCN patients.MethodsIntrapapillary capillary loops on endoscopic images of Western ESCN lesions (n = 113) collected between 2010 and 2022 were assessed by nine endoscopists, including three Japanese expert endoscopists, three Western expert endoscopists, and three residents‐in‐training, and graded according to the JES microvessel classification where microvessel type A corresponds with normality or low‐grade intraepithelial neoplasia, and microvessel types B1, B2, and B3 correspond with high‐grade intraepithelial neoplasia or invasion into the lamina propria, muscularis mucosae or superficial submucosa, and deep submucosa, respectively. Outcomes included overall accuracy in predicting ESCN invasion depth and interobserver agreement.ResultsGood interobserver agreement was observed among expert endoscopists (Krippendorf's alpha 0.64, 95% CI 0.57–0.70), while agreement was moderate among residents‐in‐training (Krippendorf's alpha 0.58, 95% CI 0.52–0.72). Overall accuracy of the JES microvessel classification was 53% (95% CI 42–63), 52% (95% CI 41–62), and 44% (95% CI 34–55) for Japanese endoscopists, Western endoscopists, and residents‐in‐training, respectively. Sensitivity and specificity for vessel type A, B1, B2, and B3 across assessors were 0%–50% and 89%–100%, 55%–64% and 66%–77%, 42%–71% and 60%–76%, and 10%–24% and 92%–97%, respectively. Negative predictive value ranged between 80% and 85% for B3 vessels.ConclusionOverall accuracy of the JES microvessel classification in Western ESCN patients is low, though absence of B3 vessels as assessed by experienced endoscopists may predict superficial ESCN amenable to endoscopic resection.Trial registry: www.trialregister.nl; NL8897 (6‐9‐2020)