One-step Procedure Research Articles

Engineering Stable and Affordable Meta-Aluminate Intercalated Mafic Hydrotalcite for Superior Bromate Remediation

In this study, one type of layered double hydroxide (LDH), the meta-aluminate intercalated mafic-modified hydrotalcite (LDH-2), was engineered through an unprecedentedly facile, affordable one-step procedure. In the interest of meticulous perception regarding our superior strategy, the conventional two-step synthesis method—the fabrication of optimal mafic-modified hydrotalcite through the coprecipitation and roasting process followed by a second aging step (LDH-1)—was also synthesized. After scrutinization of as-derived nanostructures, the adsorption capacity of both structures for bromate remediation was elaborated. When the effect of experimental variation was optimized and the impact of various ions was investigated, the more astounding performance of LDH-2 (0.97 mg/g) was detected when compared with conventional LDH-1 (0.90 mg/g). Therefore, the novel approach for the engineering of meta-aluminate intercalated mafic hydrotalcite not only introduces facile and practical procedures, but also furnishes a much more efficient adsorption system. In the matter of structure durability, the as-synthesized LDH-2 presented exceptional resistance, maintaining activity after five consecutive cycling runs. This investigation sheds light on the facile and affordable synthesis of the LDH construction.

The design and straightforward synthesis of multifunctional DNA microgels for the improved targeted delivery of antitumor drugs

Multifunctional drug delivery platforms represent ideal approaches to reliably targeting pharmacological agents of interest to the complex tumor microenvironment (TME), yet the complicated synthesis processes, high costs, and toxicities associated with these agents have hindered their clinical application to date. In this study, the properties of the TME are leveraged to develop a multifunctional pNAB/AS DNA microgel that is able to actively target tumors. This microgel is generated by a straightforward one-step free radical precipitation polymerization procedure, exhibiting extremely high drug encapsulation efficiency (∼90%), and is responsive to three environmental stimuli including temperature, reduction, and an acidic pH while showing minimal drug leakage under physiological conditions. Through a synergistic combination of appropriate size and aptamer recognition, this microgel is able to reliably facilitate intratumoral drug accumulation and nuclear drug delivery. Critically, pNAB/AS-Dox treatment is associated with specific antitumor activity in vitro and in vivo while retaining a good biosafety profile and causing lower levels of off-target toxicity as compared to free drug treatment. Together, these findings emphasize the potential value of this multifunctional pNAB/AS DNA microgel as a platform amenable to targeted drug delivery to the TME, providing a foundation for further efforts to readily develop multifunctional drug delivery systems.

Straightforward Enzymatic Methacrylation of Poly(Glycerol Adipate) for Potential Applications as UV Curing Systems.

Enzymatic one-pot synthesis procedures in a one-step and two-step monomers addition were developed to obtain poly(glycerol adipate) macromers with methacrylate end-functional groups under the presence of 1 and 3 wt% of Candida antarctica lipase B (CALB). Glycerol, divinyl adipate, and vinyl methacrylate were enzymatically reacted (vinyl methacrylate was either present from the beginning in the monomers solution or slowly dropped after 6 h of reaction) in tetrahydrofuran (THF) at 40 °C over 48 h. Macromers with a methacrylate end groups fraction of ≈52% in a simple one-pot one-step procedure were obtained with molecular weights (Mn) of ≈7500-7900 g/mol. The obtained products under the one-pot one-step and two steps synthesis procedures carried out using 1 and 3 wt% of a CALB enzymatic catalyst were profusely characterized by NMR (1H and 13C), MALDI-TOF MS, and SEC. The methacrylate functional macromers obtained with the different procedures and 1 wt% of CALB were combined with an Irgacure® 369 initiator to undergo homopolymerization under UV irradiation for 10 and 30 min, in order to test their potential to obtain amorphous networks within minutes with similar properties to those typically obtained by complex acrylation/methacrylation procedures, which need multiple purification steps and harsh reagents such as acyl chlorides. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that it has been demonstrated that the obtention of methacrylate-functional predominantly linear macromers based on poly(glycerol adipate) is able to be UV crosslinked in a simple one-step procedure.

Electron structure and defect co-modulation to boost zinc storage performance of urchin-like VS4-based microspheres as advanced cathodes for aqueous Zn-ion batteries

Recently, aqueous zinc ion batteries (AZIBs) have been widely favored for their intrinsic safety, low cost and environmental friendliness; however, the vast volume expansion, poor electrical conductivity and low-density zinc insertion and extraction channels of the cathodes cannot meet the requirements of practical application for AZIBs. Herein, urchin-like Co-doped VS4 microspheres (Co-VS4-δ-x) with the co-regulation of electron structure and defect have been developed and synthesized by a one-step solvothermal procedure as an advanced cathode material for AZIBs. The introduction of active multivalent Co ions achieves the interfacial charge rearrangement of Co-VS4-δ-x electrode and the widening of the layer spacing to reduce the transfer resistance and interfacial attraction of Zn2+ between the layers. Moreover, the formation of sulfur defects shortens the Zn2+ transport distance and enhances the electrical conductivity and electrochemical kinetics of Co-VS4-δ-x material. In addition, the urchin-like micromorphology of the material dramatically increases the contact area between electrolyte and electrode material and the active sites of electrochemical reaction. Based on the above advantages, the zinc storage performance of Co-VS4-δ-x has been greatly enhanced, delivering the specific capacities of 306.4 mAh g−1 and 270.7 mAh g−1 at 0.5A g−1 and 5A g−1, respectively, and exhibiting excellent cycling stability with the capacity retention of 87.0% after 3000 cycles at 5 A g−1. This investigation proposes an effective strategy to develop high-performance vanadium-based cathodes for AZIBs by charge rearrangement, defect modulation and morphology optimization.

Development of ternary nanocomposite based on ferrocenyl-modified graphene quantum dots for high-performance energy storage applications

Graphene quantum dots were synthesized in a simple one-step procedure using citric acid as starting material. 4-Ferrocenylbutanol as a battery-type electrode material was further used to modify the surface of graphene quantum dots based on hydrogen bonding and π-π interactions. Finally, the nanocomposites with different compositions were synthesized using different amounts of CNT and Fe3O4. Their electrochemical performance shows the properties of the final nanocomposite for practical application in supercapacitors. The final nanocomposite exhibits ideal battery-type capacity, including high capacity of 258 mAh g−1 at 2.5 A g−1, excellent cycle life (89.2 %), and high energy and power density of 75 Wh kg−1 and 6000 W kg−1 (in two electrode system), respectively. The results show superior electrochemical performance and improved ion transfer rate between the electrode/electrolyte surface. The superiority of the final nanocomposite indicates its special properties for potential applications in energy storage devices.

Physicochemical properties of in situ microwave-assisted germanium oxide modified nitrogen-doped carbon dots

Preparation of carbon dots (CDs) and nitrogen-doped carbon dots (NCDs) with germanium oxide (GeO2/GeO) using a facile one-step microwave-assisted synthesis procedure is presented. Iso-ascorbic acid, urea and Ge-132 were used as carbon, nitrogen and germanium sources, respectively. Studies have shown that the CDs, NCDs and GeO2/GeO nanoparticles individually have excellent qualities for bio-imaging applications including photoluminescence, biocompatibility, good stability and low toxicity. While CDs have been thoroughly explored in literature, CDs with germanium oxide on their surface are an avenue that has scarce information. Hence the synthesis and physicochemical characterizations of CDs- /NCDs- GeO2/GeO composites were studied using different microscopic and spectroscopic techniques to explore their compatibility for bio-imaging applications. In the presence of Ge, the approximate particle sizes of both the CDs and NCDs increased from 2.5 nm to 5.8 nm and the spherical or quasi-spherical shape was maintained. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy survey spectrum showed that the surface of Iso-N-Ge-CDs contained nitrogen and germanium, indicating the successful synthesis of nitrogen-doped carbon dots (NCDs) with germanium oxide (GeO2/GeO). Photoluminescence emissions of longer wavelengths suitable for cell imaging were observed for Iso-N-Ge-CDs (350 nm) and Iso-Ge-CDs (430 nm) and the Iso-N-Ge-CDs are able to fluoresce under the red and blue wavelengths. The Ge-NCDs demonstrated excitation-dependent emission wavelength behaviour, pH sensitivity and Fe3+ sensitivity which may be used as a probe for Fe3+ metal ions and intracellular pH measurements.

Synthesis of N-aroyl-2-arylindoles using solid calcium carbide as an alkyne source instead of gaseous acetylene

An efficient method for the synthesis of N-aroyl-2-arylindoles by reactions of 2 mol of various N-(2-iodoaryl)arylamides with 1 mol of calcium carbide through one-step procedure is described. This protocol has the salient features of the use of an inexpensive, abundant and easy-to-handle solid calcium carbide instead of flammable and explosive gaseous acetylene as an original alkyne source. In addition, wide scope of substrates, satisfactory yield, and simple workup procedures are also advantages of this method.

Variable selection for joint models of multivariate skew-normal longitudinal and survival data.

Many joint models of multivariate skew-normal longitudinal and survival data have been presented to accommodate for the non-normality of longitudinal outcomes in recent years. But existing work did not consider variable selection. This article investigates simultaneous parameter estimation and variable selection in joint modeling of longitudinal and survival data. The penalized splines technique is used to estimate unknown log baseline hazard function, the rectangle integral method is adopted to approximate conditional survival function. Monte Carlo expectation-maximization algorithm is developed to estimate model parameters. Based on local linear approximations to conditional expectation of likelihood function and penalty function, a one-step sparse estimation procedure is proposed to circumvent the computationally challenge in optimizing the penalized conditional expectation of likelihood function, which is utilized to select significant covariates and trajectory functions, and identify the departure from normality of longitudinal data. The conditional expectation of likelihood function-based Bayesian information criterion is developed to select the optimal tuning parameter. Simulation studies and a real example from the clinical trial are used to illustrate the proposed methodologies.

A One-Step Physiological Status Assessment Method Fusing Subject-Variant Information

The individual physiological difference has been recognized as one of the major problems while assessing subjects using multiple physiological data modeling and fusion techniques. To address this issue, we propose a one-step tensor-based modeling procedure to fuse the subject-variant information and multi-channel physiological data. Specifically, we consider the information similarity of the information matrixes from the tensor decomposition while introducing the subject-variant information, and form a tensor-based optimization problem to achieve the goal of physiological status assessment. To well solve this problem, a tailored alternating direction method of multipliers (ADMM) embedded block coordinate descent (BCD) algorithm has been proposed. Four real-case datasets from different scenarios have been employed to validate our proposed approach, and the performance indicates the superiority compared to several existing methods. <i>Note to Practitioners</i>&#x2014;The proposed method aims to assess the physiological status by fusing multi-channel physiological data and subject-variant information. To better implement this method, three things are noteworthy. First, the dataset used in the proposed method should contain aligned multi-channel physiological data and subject-variant data, that is, the multi-channel physiological data and the subject-variant data should be correspondingly related. Second, the size of physiological data segments should be moderate due to the limited number of physiological data channels. Third, the initial value of the rank of CANDECOMP/PARAFAC (CP) tensor decomposition, <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\textbf{\textit{k}}$</tex-math> </inline-formula>, should be carefully chosen with the contextual knowledge. The value of <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\textbf{\textit{k}}$</tex-math> </inline-formula> is suggested not higher than the number of channels.

Low-Temperature Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Treatment in the Polymer and Textile Industry

Plasma treatment is a popular technique for modifying the surface properties of a wide range of materials (plastics, glass, metals, and wood) prior to gluing, bonding, and painting. Physical and chemical properties are altered to improve or confer specific characteristics of materials in an environmentally friendly manner. Low-temperature atmospheric pressure plasma (LTAPP) is an innovative technology offering surface modification of heat-sensitive materials using an easy one-step procedure. LTAPP treatment is routinely employed for the surface modification of polymer-based materials to enhance their adhesion, printability, and surface sterility. This article demonstrates that LTAPP plasma treatment also opens up new opportunities for the textile industry. It has a positive effect on fabric wettability, liquid repellency, dyeability, UV protection factor, shrink resistance, flame retardancy, and so on. This article describes selected applications of LTAPP in polymer science and the textile industry, highlighting current research trends in material science.

One step polishing to compare the mean surface roughness of nanohybrid and microhybrid composite resins

Objectives: This study's goal was to compare the mean surface roughness of nano hybrid and micro hybrid composites using a one-step polishing method. This comparison was made based on the idea that a material with reduced surface roughness will exhibit superior perishability, aesthetics, surface &amp; optical properties, which means less wear, less staining, low plaque, and low caries rate. Methodology: This comparative study was carried out in April 2023 at the Ayub Medical College in Abbottabad, Pakistan, with a sample size of 100 (50 in each group), determined by the WHO calculator. Using a mechanical stainless steel template, 120 composite resin specimens mounted on acrylic blocks with dimensions of 2 mm x 3 mm x 3 mm were created. Results: 100 samples, separated into two groups, were used in this study. According to descriptive statistics, mean surface roughness and standard deviations for Nano hybrid composite in Group A were recorded as 0.076+0.025 and for Micro hybrid composite in Group B, they were 0.001+0.036. Conclusion: After polishing with a one-step procedure, there is a noticeable difference between the surface roughness of nano hybrid and micro hybrid composite resins, indicating that the former has higher polish ability than the latter.

Lithium ion conductivity, crystallization tendency, and microstructural evolution of LiZrxTi2-x(PO4)3 NASICON glass-ceramics (x = 0 - 0.4)

In this research, NASICON type (LiZrXTi2-X(PO4)3) glass-ceramics were fabricated (x = 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4). Lithium-ion conductivity along with the crystallization tendency and microstructural features were examined in this regard. Parent glasses obtained through melt quenching were converted to the glass-ceramic specimens after one-step heat treatment procedure. The resultant glass-ceramics were deeply explored by means of different techniques including scanning electron microscope, differential thermal analysis, X-ray diffractometry, and ionic conductivity measurements. According to the obtained results, presence of Zr4+ ions in the glass network and its gradual increase caused the enhanced crystallization temperature as well as declined crystallinity and microstructure coarsening. In all studied glass-ceramics, LiT2(PO4)3 solid solution was the dominant crystalline phase and Zr4+ ions partly substituted in the structure of this crystalline phase. Moreover, presence of Zr4+ ions in the glass composition resulted in diminished lithium-ion conductivity of corresponded glass-ceramics at ambient temperature. Consequently, total conductivity of specimen with the highest level of ZrO2 (x = 0.4) was measured to be 0.78 x 10-5 Scm-1, being considerably less than ionic conductivity of the base (x = 0) glass-ceramic (3.04 x 10-5 Scm-1). It seems that less crystallinity of ZrO2 containing glass-ceramics decreases required connectivity between the lithium-ion free paths and is responsible for the diminished ionic conductivity of these specimens.

Role of energy transfer in a nanoinitiator complex for upconversion-driven polymerization

Upconversion nanoparticle (UCNP)-driven polymerization attracts great attention due to the ability of near-infrared light to penetrate deeper into biological media and synthetic materials than ultraviolet or visible light. Despite significant progress, the limitation of near-infrared light-triggered polymerization is associated with a key element of the photocurable composition, a UCNP/photoinitiator complex or a nanoinitiator. To determine the impact of resonance energy transfer from UCNPs to photoinitiator (PI) and its effect on polymerization, we developed two different photocurable compositions consisting of the polyethylene glycol diacrylate (PEG-DA), ultraviolet- and blue-emitting NaYF4: Yb3+, Tm3+ UCNPs with hydrophobic surface combined with water-soluble or insoluble PI. We found that transfer energy in these nanoinitiators proceeds differently: in UCNP/water-soluble PI (lithium phenyl-2,4,6-trimethylbenzoylphosphinate or LAP), it occurs through the photon-mediated transfer while in UCNP/water-insoluble PI (2-benzyl-2-(dimethylamino)-4′-morpholinobutyrophenone or Irgacure 369), it takes place via the non-radiative resonant energy transfer. The impact of these processes in homolytic decomposition of initiator is extremely important in terms of the precisely controlled fabrication of polymer structures. PEG-DA facilitates the affinity between hydrophilic and hydrophobic components of the photocurable composition, which provides UCNP-driven cross-linking of biopolymers such as methacrylated hyaluronic acid and gelatin. 3D structures were prototyped to demonstrate the one-step rapid procedure of nanoinitiator preparation and emphasize the control of the energy transfer in UCNP/PI complexes for further development of UCNP-driven polymerization.

Observer-based control of polynomial fuzzy fractional-order systems

In this study, the Lyapunov technique is used to analyze the observer-based control problem for polynomial fuzzy fractional order (PFFO) models. The case of polynomial matrices with unmeasurable states is considered to increase the applicability of the PFFO models in the design problem. In this regard, we offer two design procedures. First, the design conditions are presented in a one-step procedure. In this design, the non-convex conditions are transformed in a set of sum of squares (SOS) by introducing a new symbolic variable except the state vector [Formula: see text] and its estimated [Formula: see text]. The obtained SOS conditions are presented involve three independent symbolic variables which increase both computing complexity and conservatism. To get around this shortcoming, a second design method is developed. By using the suggested method, SOS conditions requiring just two separate symbolic variables may be obtained. The architecture is shown in two stages; however, the observer and controller gains are computed in a single stage in order to further minimize conservatism. In order to demonstrate the utility of the suggested theoretical analysis, a simulated example is then provided.

Tuberous Breast: A Wide Spectrum of Features of the Same Disorder-13-Year Experience-Based Classification and Reconstructive Algorithm.

A multitude of variants of tuberous breast exist, and a reconstructive algorithm could help in assessment of all features that affect the breast and planning the most appropriate surgical correction strategy. Although several efficient techniques have been described in the literature, the authors propose their experience to help standardize a diagnostic and therapeutic approach. The aim of this article is to assess the pathologic hallmarks of each type of tuberous breast and to propose a one-step reconstructive algorithm tailored to the patient characteristics based on the use of three different adipo-glandular flaps. From September of 2006 to December of 2019, 118 patients were treated for tuberous breast in a one-step procedure using tailored local flaps according to the preoperatively assessed clinical variant. Minimum follow-up was 12 months. All the procedures were performed under local anesthesia. A total of 220 tuberous breasts (98 hypoplastic and 122 normoplastic) were treated. Mean patient age was 20.2 years. Mean follow-up was 36.5 months. Six minor complications (capsular contracture and nipple-areola complex hypesthesia) but no major complications were reported. In 9% of cases, minor secondary procedures, including lipofilling, scar revisions, and breast implant substitution, were performed. The proposed algorithm, including a comprehensive classification, preoperative planning, and surgical approach derived from the authors' experience, presents a tailored surgical approach for each type of tuberous breast. Therapeutic, IV.

An ultrafast carrier dynamics system from oxygen vacancies modified SnO2 QDs and Zn2SnO4 heterojunction for deeply photocatalytic oxidation of NO

Deeply photocatalytic oxidation of NO-to-NO3– holds great promise for alleviating NOx pollution. The major challenge of NO photo-oxidation is the highly in-situ generated NO2 concentration, and the formation of unstable nitrate species causes desorption to release NO2. In this study, SnO2 quantum dots and oxygen vacancies co-modified Zn2SnO4 (ZSO-SnO2-OVs) were prepared by a one-step hydrothermal procedure, the NO photo-oxidation was investigated by a combination of solid experimental and theoretical support. Impressively, spectroscopic measurements indicate that fast carrier dynamics can be achieved due to the electron transfer efficiency of ZSO-SnO2-OVs reaching 99.99%, far outperforming the counterpart and previously reported photocatalysts. During NO oxidation, molecular NO/O2 and H2O are efficiently adsorbed/activated around OVs and SnO2 QDs, respectively. In-situ infrared measurements and calculated electron localized function disclose two main findings: (1) richly electrons enable NO promptly form NO– instead of toxic NO2 or NO+; (2) the generation of stable and undecomposed bidentate NO3– rather than bridging or monodentate one benefits the deep oxidation of NO via shifting reaction sites from O terminals for original ZSO to Sn ones for ZSO-SnO2-OVs. The synergistic action of SnO2 QDs and OVs positively contributes to the NO oxidation performance enhancement (60.6%, 0.1 g of sample) and high selectivity of NO to NO3– (99.2%). Results from this study advance the mechanistic understanding of NO photo-oxidation and its selectivity to NO3– over photocatalysts.

Remarkably Enhanced Luminol/H2O2 Chemiluminescence with Excellent Peroxidase-like Activity of FeCoNi-based Metal-Organic Xerogels for the Sensitive Detection of Dopamine.

Metal-organic gels (MOGs) are a category of metal-organic smart soft materials with large specific surface areas, loose porous structures, and open metal active sites. In this work, trimetallic Fe(III)Co(II)Ni(II)-based MOGs (FeCoNi-MOGs) were synthesized at room temperature via a simple and mild one-step procedure. Fe3+, Co2+, and Ni2+ were the three central metal ions in it, while 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylic acid (H3BTC) served as the ligand. The solvent enclosed in it was then removed by freeze-drying to get the corresponding metal-organic xerogels (MOXs). The as-prepared FeCoNi-MOXs have excellent peroxidase-like activity and can significantly enhance luminol/H2O2 chemiluminescence (CL) by more than 3000 times, which is very effective compared with other reported MOXs. Based on the inhibitory effect of dopamine on the CL of the FeCoNi-MOXs/luminol/H2O2 system, a simple, rapid, sensitive, and selective CL method for dopamine detection was established with a linear range of 5-1000 nM and a limit of detection of 2.9 nM (LOD, S/N = 3). Furthermore, it has been effectively used for the quantitative measurement of dopamine in dopamine injections and human serum samples, with a recovery rate of 99.5-109.1%. This research brings up prospects for the application of MOXs with peroxidase-like activity in CL.

Development and validation of an LC-MS/MS method by one-step precipitation for cinacalcet in human plasma

A sensitive, convenient, rapid and economic liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method was developed to determine cinacalcet concentration in human plasma. A stable isotope cinacalcet (cinacalcet-D3) was selected as internal standard and the analytes were extracted from plasma samples by a one-step precipitation procedure. Chromatography separation was conducted on an Eclipse Plus C18 column by gradient elution with mobile phase of methanol-water-ammonium formate system at a constant flow rate of 0.6 mL/min. Mass spectrometric detection was conducted by multiple reaction monitoring using positive electrospray ionization. Cinacalcet concentrations in human plasma were determined over the concentration range of 0.1–50 ng/mL. The accuracies of lower limit of quantification (LLOQ) and quality control samples were all within the range of 85–115%, and the inter- and intra-batch precisions (CV%) were all within 15%. The average extraction recovery rates were 95.67–102.88%, and the quantification was not interfered by the matrix components. The validated method was successfully applied to determined cinacalcet concentrations in human plasma from secondary hyperparathyroidism patients.

5-year Outcomes of One-Step Autologous Minced Cartilage Procedure for the Treatment of Knee Joint Chondral- and Osteochondral Lesions

5-year Outcomes of One-Step Autologous Minced Cartilage Procedure for the Treatment of Knee Joint Chondral- and Osteochondral Lesions

Assembly of Supramolecular Nanoplatelets with Tailorable Geometrical Shapes and Dimensions.

The craving for controllable assembly of geometrical nanostructures from artificial building motifs, which is routinely achieved in naturally occurring systems, has been a perpetual and outstanding challenge in the field of chemistry and materials science. In particular, the assembly of nanostructures with different geometries and controllable dimensions is crucial for their functionalities and is usually achieved with distinct assembling subunits via convoluted assembly strategies. Herein, we report that with the same building subunits of α-cyclodextrin (α-CD)/block copolymer inclusion complex (IC), geometrical nanoplatelets with hexagonal, square, and circular shapes could be produced by simply controlling the solvent conditions via one-step assembly procedure, driven by the crystallization of IC. Interestingly, these nanoplatelets with different shapes shared the same crystalline lattice and could therefore be interconverted to each other by merely tuning the solvent compositions. Moreover, the dimensions of these platelets could be decently controlled by tuning the overall concentrations.