Optimizing the Structure and Optical Properties of Lanthanum Aluminate Perovskite through Nb5+ Doping.

This work involves the introduction of niobium oxide into lanthanum aluminate (LaAlO3) via a conventional solid-state reaction technique to yield LaAlO3:Nb (LaNbxAl1-xO3+δ) samples with Nb5+ doping levels ranging from 0.00 to 0.25 mol%. This study presents a comprehensive investigation of the effects of niobium doping on the phase evolution, defect control, and reflectance of LaNbxAl1-xO3+δ powder. Powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis confirms the perovskite structure in all powders, and XRD and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) reveal successful doping of Nb5+ into LaNbxAl1-xO3+δ. The surface morphology was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and the results show that increasing the doping concentration of niobium leads to fewer microstructural defects. Oxygen vacancy defects in different compositions are analyzed at 300 K, and as the doping level increases, a clear trend of defect reduction is observed. Notably, LaNbxAl1-xO3+δ with 0.15 mol% Nb5+ exhibits excellent reflectance properties, with a maximum infrared reflectance of 99.7%. This study shows that LaNbxAl1-xO3+δ powder materials have wide application potential in the field of high reflectivity coating materials due to their extremely low microstructural defects and oxygen vacancy defects.

Thematic Analysis of Alzheimer's Medication Management Discussion in a Non-Moderated Online Forum.

BACKGROUND: Managing medications for Alzheimer's disease and related dementias is challenging for caregivers. Information about caregivers' strategies to manage these challenges is needed to inform intervention development. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to understand caregivers' medication management experiences by analyzing online community discussions. METHODS: Posts were extracted from the ALZConnected® Forum using keywords "medication" and "drug" via web scraping. The researchers applied thematic analysis. RESULTS: Four major themes emerged: (1) role transition of medication management responsibilities, (2) caregivers' uncertainty about medication purpose and values, (3) conflicts between the care recipients and caregivers, and (4) difficulty accessing and affording medications. CONCLUSIONS: The experiences shared on a non-moderated, unstructured online forum indicate that medication management is challenging and overwhelming for caregivers of people living with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. Since this is a progressive disease with various stages and changing needs, caregivers' strategies vary and are often limited by available resources and support. Health care providers should offer training and support for caregivers to navigate the transfer of medication management responsibilities and changing care needs as the disease progresses.

In Situ Study and Improvement of the Temperature Increase and Isothermal Retention Stages in the Polyacrylonitrile (PAN) Fiber Pre-Oxidation Process.

The pre-oxidation process of Polyacrylonitrile (PAN) fibers is a complex procedure involving multiple stages of temperature increase and isothermal temperature retention. However, the impact of the temperature increase stage on PAN fiber has often been overlooked. To address this, samples were collected before and after the temperature increase and isothermal retention stages, treating them as separate influencing factors. Therefore, the pre-oxidation process can be divided into four distinct stages: (1) A temperature increase stage before the cyclization reactions: the PAN fiber's small-size crystals melt, and the crystal orientation changes under fixed tension, leading to shrinkage and increased orientation of the micropore. (2) An isothermal retention stage before the cyclization reactions: The crystal structure maintains well, resulting in minimal micropore evolution. The PAN fiber's crystal orientation and micropore orientation increased under fixed tension. (3) A temperature increase stage after the cyclization reactions: The PAN fiber's crystal melts again, reducing the average chord length and relative volume of the micropore. However, the PAN fiber can recrystallize under fixed tension. (4) An isothermal retention stage after the cyclization reactions: Significant crystal melting of the PAN fiber occurs, but the highly oriented crystals are maintained well. The average chord length and relative volume of the micropore increase. Recommendations for improving the pre-oxidation process are made according to these stages.

Associations Among Family Caregivers' Perceptions of Loneliness, Choice, and Purpose: a Comparative Analysis Between Non-Hispanic Black Caregivers and Non-Hispanic White Caregivers in a Population-Based Sample.

BACKGROUND: Loneliness is a frequent experience among family members engaging in caregiving responsibilities and may vary across racial and ethnic groups. This study aimed to examine (a) the difference in loneliness between non-Hispanic Black and non-Hispanic White caregivers, (b) the associations between loneliness and perceptions of choice and purpose in caregiving, and (c) whether those associations with loneliness differ by caregivers' race. METHOD: Descriptive statistics and ordinal logistic regression were conducted in a population-based sample of 1000 caregivers (Black caregivers, n = 199; White caregivers, n = 801) from the 2020 Caregiving in the U.S. STUDY: The survey design was properly addressed. Key variables included loneliness (level of feeling alone about being a caregiver), choice (whether or not reporting a choice in taking on the caregiver responsibility), sense of purpose (level of purpose/meaning in life from caregiving), and race (Black/White). Models adjusted for caregiving characteristics (e.g., hour of caregiving) and sociodemographic characteristics (e.g., age and education). RESULTS: Black caregivers had lower odds of reporting a higher level vs. a lower level of loneliness than White caregivers (aOR = 0.67, 95%CI = 0.47, 0.96). Reporting having no choice was associated with higher odds of a higher level of loneliness (aOR, 0.77, 95%CI = 0.67, 0.88). Higher sense of purpose scores were associated with lower odds of a higher level of loneliness (aOR = 0.81, 95%CI = 0.71, 0.93). No significant moderation effects of race were found. CONCLUSION: Black caregivers reported lower loneliness scores than White caregivers. Reporting no choice and lower sense of purpose were associated with higher loneliness in both racial groups.

The impact of marital status on tumor aggressiveness, treatment, and screening among black and white men diagnosed with prostate cancer.

PURPOSE: To examine the association of marital status with prostate cancer outcomes in a racially-diverse cohort. METHODS: The study population consisted of men (1010 Black; 1070 White) with incident prostate cancer from the baseline North Carolina-Louisiana Prostate Cancer (PCaP) cohort. Marital status at time of diagnosis and screening history were determined by self-report. The binary measure of marital status was defined as married (including living as married) vs. not married (never married, divorced/separated, or widowed). High-aggressive tumors were defined using a composite measure of PSA, Gleason Score, and stage. Definitive treatment was defined as receipt of radical prostatectomy or radiation. Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine the association of marital status with (1) high-aggressive tumors, (2) receipt of definitive treatment, and (3) screening history among Black and White men with prostate cancer. RESULTS: Black men were less likely to be married than White men (68.1% vs. 83.6%). Not being married (vs. married) was associated with increased odds of high-aggressive tumors in the overall study population (adjusted Odds Ratio (aOR): 1.56; 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 1.20-2.02) and both Black and White men in race-stratified analyses. Unmarried men were less likely to receive definitive treatment in the overall study population (aOR: 0.68; 95% CI: 0.54-0.85). In race-stratified analyses, unmarried Black men were less likely to receive definitive treatment. Both unmarried Black and White men were less likely to have a history of prostate cancer screening than married men. CONCLUSION: Lower rates of marriage among Black men might signal decreased support for treatment decision-making, symptom management, and caregiver support which could potentially contribute to prostate cancer disparities.

Improving the properties of polylactic acid/polypropylene carbonate blends through cardanol-induced compatibility enhancement.

Cardanol (CD) is used as a reactive compatibilizer, and blended with polylactic acid (PLA) and polypropylene carbonate (PPC) resin (70/30(w/w)) to obtain a series of PLA/PPC/CD blends. The systematic study was conducted on the thermal properties, optical properties, rheological properties, mechanical properties, and microscopic morphology of the blend, by varying amounts of CD added to the blends. A detailed explanation and comprehensive analysis of the reaction mechanism between CD and PLA/PPC have been made. The study found that CD acts as a "bridge" between the PLA and PPC, forming the structure of a block copolymer (PLA-b-CD-b-PPC), and the copolymer can greatly improve the compatibility of PLA and PPC. When the amount of CD reaches 8 wt%, only one Tg is observed in the blend, simultaneously, PLA/PPC has already transitioned from a partially compatible system to a completely compatible system. At the same time, the addition of CD does not have any negative impact on the thermal stability of the PLA/PPC blend under processing temperature conditions, and the thermal stability of the PLA/PPC/CD blends can even be improved under extreme conditions. In addition, the addition of CD allows the PLA/PPC/CD blends to maintain a high light transmittance while reducing the opacity of the blend (the light transmittance remains above 92 %, and the opacity is reduced from 37 % to about 24 %), demonstrating excellent optical properties. Moreover, the elongation at break and impact strength of the PLA/PPC/CD blend both show a trend of first increasing and then decreasing with the increase of CD amount. When the CD amount varies within the range of 6- 8 wt%, the blends undergoes a brittle-ductile transition, and its toughness is greatly improved while the rigidity can also meet practical needs. When the amount of CD in the system increases to 12 wt%, the toughness of the blend reaches its peak, and its elongation at break and impact strength reach 513.24 % and 9211.5 J/m2 respectively (increased to 2442.84 % and 270.73 % of the PLA/PPC blend). Concurrently, the fracture surface of the blend exhibits large-scale plastic flow in the direction of the applied force, with marked shear yield phenomena, showing obvious characteristics of tough fracture.

High-performance and functional fully bio-based polylactic acid/polypropylene carbonate blends by in situ multistep reaction-induced interfacial control.

Using a solvent-free radical grafting technique, glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) and maleic anhydride (MAH) were used as functionalized graft monomers, styrene (St) as a copolymer monomer, and grafted onto polylactic acid (PLA). A series of PLA-g-(GMA/MAH-co-St) graft copolymers were prepared by adjusting the GMA/MAH ratio. Subsequently, the prepared graft copolymers were used as a compatibilizer with PLA and polypropylene carbonate (PPC) for melt blending to prepare PLA/PPC/PLA-g-(GMA/MAH-co-St) blends. The effects of changes in the GMA/MAH ratio in the graft copolymer on the thermodynamics, rheology, optics, degradation performance, mechanical properties, and microstructure of the blend were studied. The results found that GMA, MAH, and St were successfully grafted onto PLA, and the PLA-g-(GMA/MAH-co-St) graft copolymer obtained from the reaction had a good toughening effect on the PLA/PPC blend system, which significantly improved the mechanical properties of the PLA/PPC/PLA-g-(GMA/MAH-co-St) blend without reducing its degradation performance, resulting in a biodegradable blend material with excellent comprehensive performance. In the PLA-g-(GMA/MAH-co-St) grafting reaction system, when GMA/MAH = 1.5/1.5 (w/w), the grafting degree of the graft copolymer increased most significantly, from 0.83 phr to 1.51 phr. This composition of graft copolymer can effectively improve the compatibility between PLA and PPC. The resulting PLA/PPC blend can maintain good melt flow properties (MFR of 14.51 g/10 min), high transparency, and low haze (light transmittance of 91.56 %, haze of 20.5 %), while significantly improving its thermal stability (T95%, Tmax, and Et increased by 12.87 °C, 20.33 °C, and 32.00 kJ/mol, respectively). Moreover, when introducing PLA-g-(GMA/MAH-co-St) (GMA/MAH = 1.5/1.5 (wt/wt)) graft copolymer into the system, the toughness of the PLA/PPC/PLA-g-(GMA/MAH-co-St) blend system is optimal, with the notch impact strength and fracture elongation increasing to 184.6 % and 535.4 % of the PLA/PPC blend, respectively, at which point the fracture surface of the impact sample shows a wrinkled fracture feature indicative of toughness.

Investigation of Crystallization, Morphology, and Mechanical Properties of Polypropylene/Polypropylene-Polyethylene Block Copolymer Blends.

Polyethylene (PE)-based elastomers are the ideal choice for enhancing the compatibility of polypropylene/polyethylene (PP/PE) blends and improving the mechanical properties of PP-based materials. However, the issue of blend systems lies in the interplay between the crystallization processes. Therefore, we investigated the crystallization behavior during the cooling process of a new generation of PP/PE block copolymers (PP-b-PE) and random polypropylene (PPR, a copolymer of propylene and a small amount of ethylene or an alpha-olefin) blends using in-situ X-ray diffraction/scattering and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) techniques. We also conducted mechanical performance tests on PPR/PP-b-PE blends at room temperature and low temperature (-5 °C). The results indicate that during the cooling process, the PP phase of PP-b-PE will follow the PPR to crystallize in advance and form a eutectic mixture, thereby enhancing the compatibility of PP/PE. Moreover, the PPR/PP-b-PE blend will form stable ß-(300) crystals with excellent mechanical properties. Due to the improved compatibility of PP/PE with PP-b-PE, PE crystals are dispersed within PP crystals, providing bonding that improves the toughness of PPR under the low stiffness failure conditions of PPR/PP-b-PE blends, thereby enhancing their impact performance at low and room temperatures. This research has great significance for both recycling waste plastics and enhancing the low-temperature toughness of PPR.

Multifunctional Regulation of SnO2 Nanocrystals by Snail Mucus for Preparation of Rigid or Flexible Perovskite Solar Cells in Air.

Tin oxide (SnO2) is widely used as an inorganic electron transport layer (ETL) for rigid and flexible perovskite solar cells (PSCs). In this work, an extract of snail shell, the sodium salt of polyaspartic acid (S-PASP), a water-soluble polypeptide polymer, has been used to multifunctionally regulate SnO2 nanograins. S-PASP has a strong chelating and dispersing effect; thus, chemically adsorbed SnO2 can inhibit agglomeration. The S-PASP:SnO2 ETL also improved the extraction and transferability of carriers, reducing body defects and interfacial charge. Moreover, the S-PASP:SnO2 ETL promotes the vertical growth of the perovskite crystals due to its bottom-up morphology, wettability, and strain release, which is conducive to improving the photoelectric performance of the device. The optimized rigid device prepared under open-air conditions obtained a PCE of 20.92%. In addition, due to the stress compensation of the S-PASP long chain, which prevented the cracking and displacement of the ETL, the optimal PCE of the flexible device was 17.96%, and the initial efficiency was maintained at 82.8% after 100 bends. This work introduces a molecular doping mechanism for organic-inorganic hybrid electronics.

Illness uncertainty and quality of life in patients with advanced cancer and their family caregivers: An actor-partner interdependence model analysis.

OBJECTIVE: The relationship between illness uncertainty and quality of life (QOL) has been examined for either the patient or caregiver, but not among the patient-caregiver dyads. This study examined relationships between illness uncertainty and QOL among patients with advanced cancer and family caregivers. METHODS: We conducted a secondary analysis of data from a randomized clinical trial that examined the effects of a dyadic-based intervention on psychological outcomes for patients with advanced cancer and family caregivers (N = 484 dyads). Illness uncertainty and QOL were measured using the shorten version of the Mishel Uncertainty in Illness Scale for Adult and the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy, respectively. The actor-partner interdependence model was used to examine whether an individual's uncertainty (either a patient's or caregiver's) was associated with their own QOL (i.e., an actor effect) and/or their partner's QOL (i.e., a partner effect). RESULTS: Significant actor effects included a negative association between patients' uncertainty and their own QOL (b = -0.422; p < 0.001) and a negative association between caregivers' uncertainty and their own QOL (b = -0.408; p < 0.001). In terms of partner effects, patients' uncertainty was negatively associated with caregivers' QOL (b = -0.095; p < 0.01). No partner effect was found for caregivers, suggesting that caregivers' uncertainty was not related to patients' QOL. CONCLUSIONS: Study findings support targeted interventions offered to both patients and their family caregivers to manage their illness uncertainty and improve their QOL.

Air-processed MAPbI3 perovskite solar cells achieve 20.87% efficiency and excellent bending resistance enabled via a polymer dual-passivation strategy.

In recent years, air-processed MAPbI3 perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have attracted widespread interest from researchers worldwide because of their simple and low-cost fabrication process. Nonetheless, the ambient conditions usually bring about many adverse effects, such as imperfect crystallization and numerous defects in perovskite films, which seriously impact both the photoelectric performance and stability of the device. Therefore, in this work, a polymer dual-passivation strategy was employed by introducing ammonium polyphosphate (APP) as an additive to the green anti-solvent to accurately modify the perovskite layer. APP, which has abundant phosphate and ammonium groups, could simultaneously fill the I/Pb vacancies by Lewis acid-base reactions to restrain defect formation and improve the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of the ultimate device. On the other hand, the long molecular chains of the polymer with a certain flexural ability were easily congregated at the grain boundaries of the perovskite grains, thus enhancing the bending resistance. Consequently, high-quality perovskite films with a dense morphology and large grain size were obtained. Because of the reduced defect density and suppressed non-radiative recombination, the optimal PSC attained a champion PCE of 20.87% with negligible hysteresis. Furthermore, the non-encapsulated APP-modified flexible device also exhibited excellent bending resistance. Only 20% of its normalized PCE was lost after 150 bending cycles at room temperature. This simple, green, low-cost, and reliable strategy for preparing high-efficiency PSCs with good stability can facilitate its commercialization.

Improvement of properties of polylactic acid/polypropylene carbonate blends using epoxy soybean oil as an efficient compatibilizer.

Epoxidized soybean oil (ESO) was used as a compatibilizer and blended with polylactic acid (PLA) and polypropylene carbonate (PPC) resin to prepare a series of PLA/PPC/ESO blends with varying compositions. The influence of the variation in the amount of ESO added to the blend system on the thermal properties, optical properties, rheological properties, mechanical properties, and microscopic morphology of the blends was studied. The research indicates that ESO can react with PLA and PPC to form a chemical bond interface, which improves the compatibility of PLA and PPC to a certain extent. With the increase in the amount of ESO added to the blend (1- 5 phr), the complete decomposition temperature, storage modulus, loss modulus, complex viscosity, notched impact strength, and elongation at break of the blend all show a trend of continuous increase. At the same time, the melt flow rate, light transmittance, and tensile strength of the blend do not show significant fluctuations. When the amount of ESO in the system is 5 phr, compared with the PLA/PPC blend, the notched impact strength and elongation at break of the PLA/PPC/ESO blend increase from 4270.3 J/m2, 43.89 % to 8560.4 J/m2, 211.28 %, respectively, and its tensile strength and transmittance still remain around 63 MPa, 92 %. This improves the toughness of the blend while maintaining its rigidity, demonstrating excellent mechanical and optical properties. At this time, the microscopic morphology of the fracture surface of the impact sample also shows obvious characteristics of tough fracture. However, when the amount of ESO added to the blend is excessive (6 phr), the compatibility of the blending system decreases, which will degrade the performance of the blending material and ultimately destroy the phase morphology of the blend and reduce its mechanical properties.

Symptom Experiences Among Individuals With Prostate Cancer and Their Partners: Influence of Sociodemographic and Cancer Characteristics.

OBJECTIVES: To determine if subgroups of individuals with prostate cancer and their partners could be identified based on their distinct symptom profiles and to identify and characterize subgroups based on sociodemographic and cancer characteristics. SAMPLE & SETTING: 263 individuals with prostate cancer and 263 partners recruited from three academic cancer centers in the Midwest. METHODS & VARIABLES: Latent class analysis was applied to divide individuals into subgroups based on symptom prevalence. Multinomial logistic regression models were used to estimate the prevalence of each symptom, predict subgroup membership, and adjust for direct or indirect effects of covariates on the symptoms. RESULTS: Three distinct subgroups (low, moderate, and high symptoms) were identified among individuals with prostate cancer and partners, respectively. Education and household income of individuals with prostate cancer were associated with different symptom burdens. Partners' household income differentiated among the subgroups. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING: Understanding the influence of sociodemographic and cancer characteristics can inform risk stratification and tailored symptom management interventions.

Effect of Octene Block Copolymer (OBC) and High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) on Crystalline Morphology, Structure and Mechanical Properties of Octene Random Copolymer.

Blending octene random copolymer (ORC) with other polymers is a promising approach to improving ORC mechanical properties, such as tensile strength and elongation. In this study, octene block copolymer (OBC) with lower density than ORC and high-density polyethylene (HDPE) were used to blend with ORC. The effect of both OBC and HDPE on ORC was analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). For ORC/OBC blends, a small amount of OBC can improve the crystallization ability of ORC. Meanwhile, for ORC/HDPE blends, the crystallization ability of ORC was significantly suppressed, attributed to good compatibility between ORC and HDPE as indicated by the homogeneous morphology and the disappearance of the α transition peak of ORC in ORC/HDPE blends. Therefore, the tensile strength and elongation of ORC/HDPE blends are significantly higher than those of ORC/OBC blends. For ORC/OBC/HDPE ternary blends, we found that when ORC:OBC:HDPE are at a ratio of 70:15:15, cocrystallization is achieved. Although HDPE improves the compatibility of ORC and OBC, the three-phase structure of the ternary blends can be observed through SAXS when HDPE and OBC exceed 30 wt%. Blending HDPE and OBC (≤30 wt%) could improve the mechanical property of ORC.

The Effect of Functionalized SEBS on the Properties of PP/SEBS Blends.

Styrene (St) was used as comonomer and glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) as grafting monomer to prepare SEBS-g-(GMA-co-St) graft copolymers via melt grafting. Then, the graft copolymers were employed as a compatibilizer for melt blending polypropylene (PP) and hydrogenated styrene-butadiene-styrene (SEBS) triblock copolymers. The effects of the amount of GMA in the graft copolymers on thermal properties, rheology, crystallization, optical and mechanical properties, and microstructure of the blends were investigated. The results show that GMA and St were successfully grafted onto SEBS. The GMA amount in the graft copolymer significantly influenced the comprehensive properties of PP/SEBS/SEBS-g-(GMA-co-St) blends. The epoxy groups of GMA reacted with PP and SEBS, forming interfacial chemical bonds, thereby enhancing the compatibility between PP and SEBS to varying extents. After introducing SEBS-g-(GMA-co-St) into PP/SEBS blends, crystallinity decreased, crystal size increased while transmittance remained above 91% with rising GMA amount in the graft copolymers, indicating excellent optical properties. Notched impact strength and elongation at break of the blends showed a trend of first increasing and then decreasing with increased amounts of GMA in the graft copolymers. When the amount of GMA in the graft copolymers was 3 wt%, the blends exhibited optimal toughness with notched impact strength and elongation at break of 30,165.82 J/m2 and 1445.40%, respectively. This was attributed to the tightest dispersion interface adhesion and maximum matrix plastic deformation, consistent with the mechanical performance results.

Ursolic acid ameliorates obesity of mice fed with high-fat diet via alteration of gut microbiota and amino acid metabolism.

Obesity has been regarded as one of the major health problems worldwide. Studies demonstrated that ursolic acid (UA) can significantly ameliorate the progress of obesity. However, whether the effect of UA on obesity depends on the regulation of gut microbiota and metabolism is uncertain. To investigate the regulatory role of UA in obese mice from the perspective of intestinal microbiome and metabolomics analyses, an obese mice model was established with a high-fat diet, and the effect of UA on obesity was evaluated. The alterations of gut microbiota and metabolism related to obesity were evaluated by bioinformatic analysis. The results of the gut microbiota analysis showed that UA intervention could shift the Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes ratio at the phylum level and increase in the genera of Lactobacillus, Bacteroides, and Akkermansia. Additionally, metabolomics analysis showed that the beneficial influence of UA on obesity partly depended on amino acid metabolism. The current study demonstrated the roles of UA in the anti-obesity process, which depends in part on alterations in the gut microbiota and metabolism. Therefore, our findings highlight the potential therapeutic effect of UA on the improvement of diet-induced obesity in humans.

Reduction-Active Antisolvent: A Universal and Innovative Strategy of Further Ameliorating Additive Optimization for High Efficiency Perovskite Solar Cells.

To further ameliorate current additive engineering of perovskites for viable applications, the inherent limitations should be overcome; these include weakened coordination of the dopants to the [PbI6]4- octahedra during crystallization and ubiquity of ineffective bonding sites. Herein, we introduce a facile strategy for synthesizing a reduction-active antisolvent. Washing with reduction-active PEDOT:PSS-blended antisolvent substantially enhances the intrinsic polarity of the Lewis acid (Pb2+) in [PbI6]4- octahedra, which causes significant strengthening of the coordinate bonding between additives and perovskite. Thus, coordination of the additive to the perovskite becomes much stable. Additionally, the enhanced coordination ability of Pb2+ can enhance the effective bonding sites and further enhance the efficacy of additive optimization to the perovskite. Here, we demonstrate five different additives as dopant bases and repeatedly verify the universality of this approach. The photovoltaic performance and stability of doped-MAPbI3 devices are further improved, revealing the advanced potential of additive engineering.

An eHealth symptom and complication management program for cancer patients with newly created ostomies and their caregivers (Alliance): a pilot feasibility randomized trial.

BACKGROUND: Cancer patients with newly created ostomies face complications that reduce quality of life (QOL) and increase morbidity and mortality. This proof-of-concept study examined the feasibility, usability, acceptability, and initial efficacy of an eHealth program titled the "Patient Reported Outcomes-Informed Symptom Management System" (PRISMS) during post-ostomy creation care transition. METHODS: We conducted a 2-arm pilot randomized controlled trial among 23 patients who received surgical treatment with curative intent for bladder and colorectal cancer and their caregivers. After assessing QOL, general symptoms, and caregiver burden at baseline, participants were randomly assigned to PRISMS (n = 16 dyads) or usual care (UC) (n = 7 dyads). After a 60-day intervention period, participants completed a follow-up survey and post-exit interview. We used descriptive statistics and t-tests to analyze the data. RESULTS: We achieved an 86.21% recruitment rate and a 73.91% retention rate. Among the PRISMS participants who used the system and biometric devices (n = 14, 87.50%), 46.43% used the devices for ≥ 50 days during the study period. Participants reported PRISMS as useful and acceptable. Compared to their UC counterparts, PRISMS patient social well-being scores decreased over time and had an increased trend of physical and emotional well-being; PRISMS caregivers experienced a greater decrease in caregiver burden. CONCLUSIONS: PRISMS recruitment and retention rates were comparable to existing family-based intervention studies. PRISMS is a useful and acceptable multilevel intervention with the potential to improve the health outcomes of cancer patients needing ostomy care and their caregivers during post-surgery care transition. A sufficiently powered RCT is needed to test its effects. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrial.gov ID: NCT04492007. Registration date: 30/07/2020.

Silicon/nickel oxide core/shell nanospheres as a hole transport layer for high efficiency and light-stable perovskite solar cells.

Metal halide perovskite solar cells (PSCs) possess huge potential due to their high power conversion efficiency. However, instability is still a key factor limiting their applications. Therefore, we have found a feasible strategy to improve the light stability of PSCs. Specifically, a core-shell material with a silicon nanosphere core and a nickel oxide nanosheet shell serves as the hole transport layer in our PSCs. Due to the selective absorption of ultraviolet light by the silicon nanoparticles, the ultraviolet light content of the natural light that reaches the perovskite layer is reduced. Compared with a control device (without Si), the PSCs with the silicon/nickel oxide hole transport layer possessed a higher current density of 22.09 mA cm-2 and a higher power conversion efficiency of 18.54%, with both values increased by 2.7% and 6.1%, respectively. More importantly, the PSCs based on a silicon/nickel oxide hole transport layer maintains 85% of its initial power conversion efficiency value after 700 hours of natural light exposure. These results indicate that the silicon/nickel oxide hole transport layer is an important functional component of the PSCs, which improves the photovoltaic performance and reduces ultraviolet light-induced photodegradation, thereby improving the device stability.

Evaluating the Knowledge Change Before and After Continuing Cancer Education in Malawian Nurses.

Malawi has a high cancer incidence and mortality. Efforts to train and educate oncology nurses have been identified as an area of need. This study evaluates the educational needs of oncology nurses in Malawi and the effects of a virtual cancer education program on improving the knowledge of cancer epidemiology, treatment, and nursing care of common cancers among oncology nurses in Malawi. The educational programs consisted of four sessions at one-month intervals focused on Cancer Screening, Survivorship, Radiation Therapy, and Complementary and Alternative Therapies. A pretest-posttest design was used. Overall, there was an increase in knowledge at each session: cancer screening (47% vs 95%), survivorship (22% vs 100%), radiation therapy (66% vs 100%), and complementary and alternative therapies (63% vs 88%). Using virtual continuing education sessions is an effective tool to enhance the knowledge of oncology nurses in Malawi. These education sessions can serve as an example of how other Schools of Nursing and cancer centers in high-resource countries can collaborate with hospitals and Schools of Nursing in low- and middle-resource countries to support the advancement of oncology nursing knowledge, and ultimately, oncologic care.