Support Material Research Articles

Thermal Conduction Suppresses Cracks in PDMS Wrinkling by Plasma Oxidation.

We report a facile approach to suppress intrinsic crack formation during wrinkling of plasma-oxidized polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) films, removing a major hindrance in the practical use of these ubiquitous, functional surface patterns. A combination of high heat transfer coefficient (HTC) of the film substrate and low PDMS thickness is shown to consistently yield crack-free wrinkling of glassy skin and PDMS bilayers. Employing optical and atomic force microscopy, light scattering, thermal measurements, and heat transport and stress calculations, we demonstrate that our findings hold for a range of glass, plastic, metal, and layered support materials and plasma processing conditions. Subsuming the PDMS contribution to thermal conduction, an overall HTC threshold of ∼800 W/(m2 K), for typical plasma exposures, for crack-free wrinkling is obtained. While suppressing cracks, this simple approach retains the functionality of the glassy skin of plasma-oxidized PDMS.

Family as a Source of Stress and Well-Being: Implications for Seniors

People usually prefer to have a family and want children to offer and receive emotional and material support when needed. Sometimes, family members disappoint their loved ones, altering their equilibrium.

The Religious Leaders’ Perspectives on Corona Survey: Methods and Key Results

Religious leaders are highly influential actors in many societies across the globe. In the singular global crisis brought upon by the COVID-19 pandemic, their perspective on the pandemic itself but also the post-pandemic future is of high relevance. Against this background, we conducted the Religious Leaders’ Perspectives on Corona Survey, a comprehensive survey of 1200 religious leaders globally, in 2020/2021. Its aim was to investigate the role of religious communities and religious leaders during the COVID-19 pandemic. This article provides an in-depth outline and discussion of the survey methodology and the resultant dataset, thereby paving the way for future research using the survey data. Moreover, the first set of key results is highlighted. It emerges that the COVID-19 pandemic was not primarily a health crisis. Rather, in terms of its consequences, COVID-19 had the characteristics of a primarily economic crisis in the Global South and a primarily psychosocial crisis in the Global North. Moreover, the pandemic has had a fundamental impact on religious practice across the globe. This impact, however, seems to be highly unequal between the Global South and North. Religious communities are shown to have had an important role as civil society actors in the pandemic, providing both psychosocial and material support. Regarding the post-pandemic world, religious leaders envision a more equitable society and emphasize the need for environmental sustainability.

Supplemental Material for Traumatic Stress, Social Support, Resilience, and Posttraumatic Growth: Comparison of LBGT+ and Heterosexual Individuals in a Developing Country

Supplemental Material for Traumatic Stress, Social Support, Resilience, and Posttraumatic Growth: Comparison of LBGT+ and Heterosexual Individuals in a Developing Country

Semantic Extensions of the Body Part Mkono in Kiswahili

Abstract In the course of everyday conversations, and in social media contributions online, the body part mkono [hand] in Kiswahili occurs in many idiomatic guises. Mkono is used to convey figurative meanings through metonymy, metaphor, personification and idiom. Expressions containing mkono perform various functions including the display of unity, provision of material or financial support, expressing reasons as the basis for concluding an argument, and for accepting something. Mkono is highly personified and its use occurs in religion, politics, and informal daily interactions.

From risk factors to disease situations: A socio-spatial analysis of COVID-19 experiences in Lima, Peru

The goal of this qualitative research study, part of an interdisciplinary project, was to understand the overlapping geographical distribution of COVID-19 and tuberculosis burden in Lima. Using an ethnographic approach, we applied the concept of disease situations to explore how inhabitants’ social and spatial situatedness affected their capacity to respond to the pandemic. Our results show that for some populations in Lima, the risk to develop COVID-19 did not emerge suddenly; it could be traced back to situations of living under subsistence models, relying on unstable sources of income, facing food insecurity, depending on certain mechanisms of social protection, residing in precarious living environments and lacking access to quality health care. These populations did not only have less resources to adjust to changes in daily life induced by the pandemic; they were also forced to constantly weigh the risk of COVID-19 against other pressing needs and potentially face increased risks when control measures were actually followed. Pre-existing social networks played fundamental roles as sources of emotional and material support. The lens of disease situations can help to identify and explain spatial and social configurations that enhance vulnerability, as well as resilience mechanisms that are in place to deal with crises. This perspective could inform the design of contextualised prevention and response strategies around health risks in cities as diverse as Lima, whilst building on existing resources at local levels.

Hierarchical sodium titanate supported PdO for high-performance eye-readable hydrogen-leakage detection

PdO pigment is considered as a promising material for eye-readable hydrogen detection. However, the aggregation of the support material will encapsulate PdO nanoparticles and thus significantly weaken the sensing performance. To solve this problem, sodium titanate microscale hierarchical sphere (NTO MHS) is selected as a new support. Thanks to the aggregation-resistant morphology, NTO MHS ensures thoroughly exposure of PdO and facilitates its complete reduction in H2. Therefore, even with a lower PdO loading amount than previous reports, PdO-decorated NTO (PdO-NTO) demonstrates an overall better performance, with a dramatic color difference of 55 and 44 in 4% and 0.3% H2, respectively. The enormous color change at such a low concentration promises PdO-NTO as an outstanding eye-readable hydrogen-leakage warning label. Moreover, we show that the used sensing material can be collected and reactivated repeatedly, further reducing the overall cost. This work highlights the importance of support material designing for PdO-based hydrogen sensors.

Effect of support on the catalytic performance of Au-Co3O4 catalysts: An operando DRIFTS-MS study of the propane total oxidation

This study investigates the effect of different supports on the catalytic performance of Au-Co3O4 nanoparticles in the total oxidation of propane, aiming to understand the interaction between the supported gold and cobalt oxide particles and the role of the support in enhancing the catalytic activity. Catalysts were prepared via the sequential deposition–precipitation with urea method, with TiO2 and Al2O3 as supports. We found that the AuCo3O4/TiO2 system exhibited higher catalytic activity and lower activation energy, compared to AuCo3O4/Al2O3. The enhanced performance of the AuCo3O4/TiO2 catalyst was attributed to the high mobility of surface oxygen species and the presence of oxygen vacancies. Operando DRIFTS-MS was used to characterize the intermediate species formed during the reaction. This technique revealed the presence of different intermediate species on the catalyst surfaces, with TiO2-supported catalysts showing enolate and carbonate adsorbed species at lower temperatures, enhancing the propane oxidation efficiency. In contrast, Al2O3-supported catalysts predominantly formed acetate adsorbed species at higher temperatures, indicating a less efficient oxidation process. The results demonstrated that the choice of support significantly affects the catalytic performance of Au-Co3O4 nanoparticles, with TiO2 providing superior oxyphility due to its reducibility and ability to promote the formation of active oxygen species. The study highlights the importance of the support material in the design of effective catalysts for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) oxidation.

Incorporation of Bimetallic Nanoparticles in Zeolitic Imidazolate Framework‐67 (ZIF‐67) for Use as a Catalyst for Ethanol Oxidation

AbstractRecently, direct ethanol fuel cells (DEFCs) have been attaining a crucial role in energy resources and transportable devices. Many of the researchers in DEFCs has begin to engage considerable focus due to their high electrocatalytic activity, enormous stability, portability, and inexpensive. In this study, we present an anchoring of bimetallic Pd‐Cu nanoparticles supported ZIF‐67 catalyst (Pd‐Cu@ZIF‐67) for high‐performance electro‐oxidation of ethanol for direct alcohol fuel cells (DAFCs) applications. Structural, morphological, and elemental composition of the proposed catalyst were examined by using UV–vis spectroscopy, XRD, FE‐SEM, and EDX. Further, the electrochemical properties of Pd‐Cu@ZIF‐67 catalyst for ethanol oxidation in basic media were explored by using various electrochemical techniques. According to the results, the suggested catalyst showed maximum ECSA (128.7 m2g−1), higher current density (894.06 mA cm−2), durability (750s), and improved long‐term stability (230 cycles) than the other controlled catalysts towards ethanol oxidation reaction. This enhanced of the Pd‐Cu@ZIF‐67 catalyst is to the synergistic effects of Pd‐Cu nanoparticles and outstanding support material (ZIF‐67). These findings highly suggest the Pd‐Cu@ZIF‐67 catalyst as an anodic potential material in fuel cell applications.

Green and facile production of phase change composites supporting by carbonized rattan for thermal management

Thermal energy management and storage are pivotal to promote economic expansion and industrial production, and the advancement of eco-friendly and convenient phase change material (PCM) production is imperative to confront the pressing issues surrounding energy sustainability. The exploration of rattan with naturally hierarchical pore structure encompassing slits, pits, vessels and sieve tubes, as a support material for the encapsulation of PCM has been investigated. Rattan stems (RS) with abundant macropores are eminently suited for the absorption of PCM. Moreover, carbonized rattan (CR), derived through the pyrolysis of RS, possesses a high proportion of micropores and mesopores, effectively preventing PCM leakage. The CR/paraffin phase change composite material (CPPM) attained a melting enthalpy of 113.50J/g, a crystallization enthalpy of 112.50J/g, and an encapsulation efficiency of 60.88%. The leakage test revealed that CPPM maintained its structural integrity and demonstrated leak-proof performance. Photothermal conversion and energy storage experiments indicated that CPPM efficiently mitigated temperature fluctuations and exhibited substantial energy storage potential. Therefore, this research establishes CR as an optimal PCM multi-functional support, rendering it apt for practical applications in thermal energy management systems.

Investigating the Dynamic Behavior and Tensile Properties of Coal Gangue Shotcrete Under Impact Loading Conditions SHPB Device

Shotcrete is the primary support material for coal mine tunnel linings and is often subjected to dynamic loads such as blasting and impact. To promote the resource utilization of coal gangue (CG), this study incorporated it into shotcrete and investigated the dynamic mechanical properties of coal gangue shotcrete (CGSC) at different coal gangue aggregate (CGA) replacement ratios. Impact tensile splitting tests were conducted using a split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) device, and the specimen failure process was recorded with a high-speed camera. The results showed that the dynamic tensile splitting strength (DSTS) and energy absorption of CGSC exhibit a significant strain rate effect, with the strain rate sensitivity of DSTS decreasing as the CGA replacement ratio increases. As the strain rate increases, the elastic limit stress of the specimens rises, and the failure mode tends to become more fragmented. Based on energy theory, this paper establishes a dynamic tensile splitting strength model for CGSC, providing theoretical support for its application in engineering.

Measuring Patient Well-Being During Whole-Person Clinical Care: Lessons From the Veterans Health Administration Well-Beings Signs Implementation Pilot.

Measuring patient well-being during clinical care may enhance patient-centered communication and treatment planning. The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) piloted the use of the Well-Being Signs (WBS), a self-report measure of psychosocial well-being, in clinical care. To understand early WBS implementation and health care team member experiences with its use before developing detailed support materials and finalizing the measure. We conducted a mixed-methods evaluation of the WBS implementation pilot at 4 VHA facilities, including surveys of (n=4) Whole Health (WH) leaders/clinical leads, and semi-structured interviews with (n=11) clinical leads and team members. Survey data were characterized using descriptive statistics; interview data were analyzed using rapid qualitative analysis. Facilities supported WBS implementation by disseminating information to clinical team members, primarily during staff meetings (3/4 facilities), individual discussions (3/4), and email (3/4); only half provided training sessions. In interviews, some care team members expressed the need for more training on using the WBS in clinical care. Some interviewees also provided suggestions for changes to the draft measure, including response option format and question look-back period. Although there have been growing calls for attention to patient well-being in clinical care, our results suggest barriers to the implementation of well-being measures in this context. Findings were used to inform the development of enhanced training materials and make modifications to enhance the acceptability of the WBS to providers. Other identified barriers will need to be addressed in future implementation efforts, including bolstering leadership support and easing the added time and burden of administration.

Applicability Verification of New Prefabricated Support Materials in Soft Soil Areas

Applicability Verification of New Prefabricated Support Materials in Soft Soil Areas

Feasibility and Effectivity of an Amine-Grafted Alumina Adsorbent for Direct Air Capture.

Direct air capture (DAC) has been identified as a necessary negative emission technology (NET) to solve global warming. DAC methods have been divided into two major types: solvent absorption and sorbent adsorption. Aqueous amine absorption is the major method in postcombustion carbon capture, not in DAC because contactors blow large volumes of air over the solvent, which results in high evaporation of solvents. Solid amine adsorption has been one of the primary methods of DAC due to its low volatility of amine. Therefore, the development of DAC adsorbents is the key to improve CO2 capture efficiency. Nowadays, the research on adsorbents mainly focuses on amine impregnation and grafting. The grafting adsorbents generally have better stability than impregnation adsorbents. Silica is the most common support material for amine-grafted adsorbents. Nonetheless, silica has some defects, such as poor hydrothermal stability, which limits its employment. Alumina is a promising support material with excellent hydrothermal stability, but studies on amine-grafted alumina are still scarce. Herein, a method of 3-[2-(2-aminoethylamino)ethylamino] propyltrimethoxysilane (TRI) grafting onto γ-alumina is presented. The results of this paper suggest that alumina is a potential support material for amine grafting. The CO2 adsorption capacity of the adsorbent is 0.39 mmol g-1 at 400 ppm and 25 °C. The amine-grafted alumina has excellent thermal stability than the amine-impregnation silica adsorbent. Besides, the adsorbent exhibits stable performance during cycles, with the working capacity maintained at 83% of that of the first cycle after 60 cycles. Water adsorption capacity and selectivity indicate that TRI-Al2O3 has good selectivity at high relative humidity. These findings make amine-grafted alumina a promising DAC adsorbent.

Cellulose Nanofiber-Supported Electrochemical Percolation of Capacitive Nanomaterials with 0D, 1D, and 2D Structures.

Cellulose nanofiber (CNF) represents a promising support material to strengthen the mechanical property of free-standing supercapacitor electrodes comprised of conducting nanomaterials. Although efforts have been focused on improving the performance of the CNF-supported electrode, the percolation of capacitive nanomaterials within the insulating CNF matrix, and its correlation with the nanomaterial's dimensionality are still underexplored. In this work, membrane supercapacitor electrodes are fabricated by incorporating CNF with 0D, 1D, and 2D capacitive nanocarbons respectively to study the impact of their dimensionality. It is found that the percolation pathway of the nanocarbons is dependent on their dimensionality. By introducing a new definition termed as electrochemical percolation threshold, the threshold weight percentages to realize effective electrochemical percolation are determined to be 60.0, 14.3, and 66.7% for 0D, 1D, and 2D nanocarbons, respectively. Increasing the weight percentage beyond the threshold typically results in improved electrochemical percolation but reduced mechanical strength, and both trends are dependent on the nanocarbon's dimensionality. The results provide guidance to design efficient and robust CNF-supported supercapacitor electrodes by controlling the dimensionality and density of the active material. The insights regarding the electrochemical percolation threshold can be applied to other energy-storage nanomaterials to advance the development of insulator-supported supercapacitors.

Innovative application of flaxseeds nanopowder as supportive material with multiwalled carbon nanotubes for anode nanomodification in microbial fuel cell for boosting the energy recovery

In this experimental investigation, a novel application of flaxseeds nanopowder as a supportive material to MWCNTs for anode coating in dual-chamber MFC is investigated. Herein, four identically designed tubular enclosed dual-chamber MFCs are structured and run continually for 90 days. Actual hospital wastewater (HWW) is selected to fuel the MFCs. All MFCs are occupied with cylindrical graphite anode electrodes (GF), but at different coating conditions. Uncoated GF in MFC1, GF coated by pristine MWCNTs in MFC2, Functionalized MWCNTs (acid activated- MWCNTs) in MFC3, and functionalized MWCNTs mixed with flaxseeds nanopowder (functionalized MWCNTs/FNP) in MFC4. Efficiency of the MFCs is predestined based on the organic content (COD) removal from HWW and power output as well. The efficiencies of COD elimination are 79.86 %, 81.65 %, and 82.56 %, obtained in MFC1 and MFC2, MFC3, respectively, confirming that the efficiency values are relatively comparable in the three MFCs, whereby, higher efficiency up to 91.60 % is observed in MFC4. On the other hand, maximum power outputs of 454.71, 648.02, 807.41, and 1072.65 mW/m3 are observed MFC1, MFC2, MFC3, and MFC4, respectively indicating the potential of flaxseeds nanopowder to support the functionalized MWCNTs for COD elimination efficiency and maximizing power output.

Articular cartilage regeneration with a microgel as a support biomaterial. A rabbit knee model

Articular cartilage has limited regenerative capacity, so focal lesions generate mechanical stress in the joint that induces an aggravation of the damage, which ultimately leads to osteoarthritis. We recently suggested the use of microgels at the site of the cartilage defect, as a support material, to generate a biomechanical environment where pluripotent cells differentiate towards the hyaline cartilage phenotype. Here we propose a chondral regeneration strategy based on subchondral bone injury, and filling the defect site with an agglomerate of two types of microspheres, some rigid made of a biodegradable polyester (40 μm mean diameter), and others with a gel consistency made of platelet-rich plasma obtained from circulating blood (70–110 μm diameter). A 3-mm diameter defect was made in the articular cartilage of the knee joint in rabbits, exposing the subchondral bone, in which incisions were made to produce bleeding. Microgels were implanted filling the defect, which was covered with a synthetic membrane of the same polyester. Three months later, cartilage regeneration was analyzed according to the International Cartilage Repair Society (ICRS) guidelines. The newly formed tissue showed histological characteristics of hyaline cartilage, being significantly closer to native cartilage than when only the membrane was implanted, mainly in parameters such as tissue (70.0 ± 20.9) and cell morphologies (100.0 ± 0.0), and surface architecture (90.0 ± 22.4) and assessment (70.0 ± 11.2), with native tissue having a value of 100. Polyester microspheres and membrane were not bioreabsorbed during the three months, but rather moved towards the subchondral bone, leaving space for the organization of the newly formed tissue.

Pre-Service Teachers’ Perceptions and Utilisation of ChatGPT in Higher Institutions using UTAUT Theory: Evidence from an Emerging Economy

ChatGPT is a valuable tool for students, aiding in linguistic support, idea clarification, and quick material retrieval. However, issues like data security, privacy, and reliance on technology remain concerns. This study explored Nigerian pre-service teachers' perceptions and use of ChatGPT as it gains traction in education. Using a descriptive research method, data were collected via questionnaires from 450 pre-service teachers at two Nigerian colleges, selected through purposive sampling. Findings showed mixed feelings towards ChatGPT, with accessibility, response quality, and individual preferences as key factors shaping perception. Many pre-service teachers used ChatGPT as a supplementary study tool, though its reputation as a time-saver does not significantly influence their usage decisions. This study provided valuable insights for Nigerian educators and policymakers, underscoring the importance of personalised strategies to optimise ChatGPT’s benefits while addressing limitations. Enhancing digital literacy and providing support services are essential steps in bridging the digital divide and fostering effective technology integration in education.

Development of a Clinically Relevant Preclinical Animal Model to Mimic Suburethral Implantation of Support Materials for Stress Urinary Incontinence.

Following the severe complications widely reported in some women following polypropylene suburethral mesh implantation for the treatment of stress urinary incontinence, it has become clear that careful preclinical study in an appropriate animal model is essential. The preclinical model described here allows the postoperative clinical and histochemical assessment of material implanted in the sheep vagina and represents a model that allows prediction of the potential vaginal tissue responses to suburethral mesh implantation before implantation into humans. To develop and evaluate a relevant preclinical animal model to mimic suburethral implantation of support materials for stress urinary incontinence. Fourteen parous ewes of 30-40 kg were used. Under general anesthetic, animals were placed in the lithotomy position. A 12-French Foley catheter was inserted. The ventral vaginal wall was longitudinally incised. The space between the vaginal wall and the urethra was developed, with lateral retropubic dissection. Either a standard transvaginal polypropylene tape (seven animals) or a fascia mimetic microfibre spun polyurethane tape (seven animals) were inserted using an introducer either via a suprapubic (seven animals) or a transvaginal approach (seven animals) into the suburethral and retropubic space. The incisions were closed, and the catheter was removed. A betadine vaginal pack was placed and removed after 24 h. Postoperatively, the animals were observed carefully for pain and complications and allowed access to water and food under continuous veterinary supervision adhering to USA-approved protocols. On the second postoperative day, all the animals passed urine freely and had regular bowel motions. No procedure related complications were observed. This is the first large animal model which has been designed for suburethral implantation. and which can be effectively used for the preoperative evaluation of novel materials designed for suburethral implantation. We believe that this technique in this large animal model accurately reproduces the surgical technique used to treat stress urinary incontinence in women. It provides a new and effective in vivo model for the objective evaluation of new materials to treat female stress incontinence.

Infrastructures of Repair

Abstract The future of public humanities will be determined by the infrastructural investments that support its continued development. These include, in the context of the United States, increased federal funding for the National Endowment for the Humanities; a serious re-engagement in the material support of new humanities scholarly production by private foundations; and a focused effort by humanities organizations to cultivate philanthropic donors. This manifesto argues that the humanities are the rightful inheritance of every person, regardless of background or position. If we are to take seriously both the resource needs of humanities research—which demand that funds be allocated for highly trained scholars to read, interpret, authenticate, preserve, and circulate primary source material—and the idea that no one has a higher claim than anyone else to these sources and processes and the insights they yield—which demands that individuals outside of the academy explicitly experience them selves as equal participants in the humanities—then our approach to both research infrastructure and public engagement must radically shift to emphasize repair. Repair, here, is the interpersonal, intellectual, strategic, repetitious, time-intensive work of ensuring that every individual can claim this rightful cultural inheritance. It is the work of creating the conditions for encounters between individuals and the vastness of history, culture, and difference. The future of public humanities must be in the creation of replicable models for these encounters, in the knowledge that in every instance, the work of the humanities is and must be unreproducible.