Publications by authors named "McMeekin D"

Multijunction photovoltaics (PVs) are gaining prominence owing to their superior capability of achieving power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) beyond the radiative limit of single-junction cells, where improving narrow bandgap tin-lead perovskites is critical for thin-film devices. With a focus on understanding the chemistry of tin-lead perovskite precursor solutions, we herein find that Sn(II) species dominate interactions with precursors and additives and uncover the exclusive role of carboxylic acid in regulating solution colloidal properties and film crystallisation, and ammonium in improving film optoelectronic properties. Materials that combine these two function groups, amino acid salts, considerably improve the semiconducting quality and homogeneity of perovskite films, surpassing the effect of the individual functional groups when introduced as part of separate molecules.

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Achieving the long-term stability of perovskite solar cells is arguably the most important challenge required to enable widespread commercialization. Understanding the perovskite crystallization process and its direct impact on device stability is critical to achieving this goal. The commonly employed dimethyl-formamide/dimethyl-sulfoxide solvent preparation method results in a poor crystal quality and microstructure of the polycrystalline perovskite films.

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Objective: Route planning is key support, which can be provided by navigation tools for the blind and visually impaired (BVI) persons. No comprehensive analysis has been reported in the literature on this topic. The main objective of this study is to examine route planning approaches used by indoor navigation tools for BVI persons with respect to the route determination criteria, how user context is integrated, algorithms adopted, and the representation of the environment for route planning.

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Objective: To determine the feasibility of vaginal cuff brachytherapy (VCB) followed by 3 cycles of dose dense paclitaxel and carboplatin chemotherapy (ddTC) in enriched, high-intermediate risk (H-IR) patients with early stage endometrial cancer following hysterectomy.

Methods: A phase II trial of early stage endometrial cancer patients treated with VCB (2100 cGy) followed by three cycles of carboplatin (AUC 6) and dose dense paclitaxel (80 mg/m) weekly within 12-weeks of surgery was conducted. The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients completing both VCB and ddTC.

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Extensive transient absorption studies on hybrid organic-inorganic lead halide perovskites have elucidated many optical properties important for their device performance. Despite the enormous progress, the derivative shaped photoinduced absorption feature in transient spectra that is above the bandgap has many explanations, including the photoinduced Stark effect, where the bandgap is blue shifted due to a local electric field generated by charges. In this work, we employ broad band transient absorption and two-dimensional electronic spectroscopy (2DES) to examine the early transient events after photoexcitation of [CH(NH)]CsPbBr (FACsPbBr).

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Purpose: Autism is characterised by differences in social skills, limited communication abilities and repetitive behaviour, which often result in increased reliance on other people. Transportation is but one task that is commonly burdened on family members. Public transport is an inexpensive and widely available form of travel which facilitates independence.

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Purpose: This research explored the challenges of public transport use for individuals on the autism spectrum. It, subsequently, proposed a mobile application solution, coproduced by individuals on the autism spectrum, to facilitate public transport use.

Methods: We, first, conducted a review of the literature to highlight the challenges people on the autism spectrum face when utilizing public transport.

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Objectives: The WNT pathway is an important oncologic driver of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). The first-in-class recombinant fusion protein ipafricept (IPA) blocks Wnt signaling through binding of Wnt ligands. This phase Ib trial was designed to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and recommended phase 2 dose (RPh2) for IPA in combination with taxane and platinum therapy (C/P).

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Purpose: The primary objective was to determine if vaginal cuff brachytherapy and chemotherapy (VCB/C) increases recurrence-free survival (RFS) compared with pelvic radiation therapy (RT) in high-intermediate and high-risk early-stage endometrial carcinoma.

Patients And Methods: A randomized phase III trial was performed in eligible patients with endometrial cancer. Eligible patients had International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (2009) stage I endometrioid histology with Gynecologic Oncology Group protocol 33-based high-intermediate-risk criteria, stage II disease, or stage I to II serous or clear cell tumors.

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Article Synopsis
  • The commercialization of thin-film solar cells using organic lead perovskites is hindered by interface loss in current devices.
  • A new interface architecture combines efficient hole-transporting materials that are both reliable and cost-effective, improving performance without sacrificing stability.
  • Ta-WO-doped multilayers have been shown to create better electrical contacts, achieving up to 21.2% efficiency and over 1000 hours of light stability in specific perovskite solar cell designs.
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The meteoric rise of the field of perovskite solar cells has been fueled by the ease with which a wide range of high-quality materials can be fabricated via simple solution processing methods. However, to date, little effort has been devoted to understanding the precursor solutions, and the role of additives such as hydrohalic acids upon film crystallization and final optoelectronic quality. Here, a direct link between the colloids concentration present in the [HC(NH ) ] Cs Pb(Br I ) precursor solution and the nucleation and growth stages of the thin film formation is established.

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Background: Recent data suggest that the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may be associated with reductions in endometrial cancer risk, yet very few have examined whether their use is related to prognosis among endometrial cancer patients.

Methods: Study subjects comprised 4374 participants of the NRG Oncology/Gynecology Oncology Group 210 Study with endometrial carcinoma who completed a presurgical questionnaire that assessed history of regular prediagnostic NSAID use and endometrial cancer risk factors. Recurrences, vital status, and causes of death were obtained from medical records and cancer registries.

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Background: Participation by a critical care nurse in an unsuccessful resuscitation can create a unique heightened level of psychological stress referred to as postcode stress, activation of coping behaviors, and symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Objectives: To explore the relationships among postcode stress, coping behaviors, and PTSD symptom severity in critical care nurses after experiencing unsuccessful cardiopulmonary resuscitations and to see whether institutional support attenuates these repeated psychological traumas.

Methods: A national sample of 490 critical care nurses was recruited from the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses' eNewsline and social media.

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Metal halide perovskite thin films can be crystallized via a broad range of solution-based routes. However, the quality of the final films is strongly dependent upon small changes in solution composition and processing parameters. Here, this study demonstrates that a fractional substitution of PbCl with PbI in the 3CH NH I:PbCl mixed-halide starting solution has a profound influence upon the ensuing thin-film crystallization.

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Vision-impaired people access documents using screen readers. Electronic documents may contain non-textual components, non-linear components, and multidimensional components, such as mathematical expressions and graphs. These components create a number of accessibility issues for those who use screen readers as assistive technology.

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Air-stable doping of the n-type fullerene layer in an n-i-p planar heterojunction perovskite device is capable of enhancing device efficiency and improving device stability. Employing a (HC(NH ) ) Cs Pb(I Br ) perovskite as the photoactive layer, glass-glass laminated devices are reported, which sustain 80% of their "post burn-in" efficiency over 3400 h under full sun illumination in ambient conditions.

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We demonstrate four- and two-terminal perovskite-perovskite tandem solar cells with ideally matched band gaps. We develop an infrared-absorbing 1.2-electron volt band-gap perovskite, FACsSnPbI, that can deliver 14.

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Objectives: Surgery is a cornerstone for patients with gynecologic malignancies. Surgical site infections (SSI) remain a source of post-operative morbidity. Consequences range from escalated costs, delay in adjuvant therapy, and increased morbidity.

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Introduction: Obesity is a known generator of chronic inflammation but has an uncertain role in ovarian carcinogenesis and survival. Pro-inflammatory cytokines have previously been associated with poor outcomes. Given the established links, we sought to determine whether obesity and pro-inflammatory cytokines affect platinum sensitivity.

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Purpose: The clinicopathologic significance of mismatch repair (MMR) defects in endometrioid endometrial cancer (EEC) has not been definitively established. We undertook tumor typing to classify MMR defects to determine if MMR status is prognostic or predictive.

Methods: Primary EECs from NRG/GOG0210 patients were assessed for microsatellite instability (MSI), MLH1 methylation, and MMR protein expression.

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Objective: Women with primary platinum resistant (PPR) high grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) are known to have a poor prognosis. Less is known regarding outcomes in patients with acquired platinum resistance (APR). The goal of this study was to evaluate survival in both PPR and APR patients.

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Objective: In an effort to better incorporate precision medicine into clinical practice, we initiated a pilot project to screen, discuss, and genetically characterize patients with metastatic or recurrent gynecologic malignancies for whom no curative standard of care exists.

Methods: In 7/2014, we initiated a multi-disciplinary Precision Medicine Board (PMB) whose purpose was to apply molecular profiling to select and prioritize early phase clinical trial enrollment for high-risk gynecologic malignancies. Additional objectives were to record outcomes and enable scientific discussions of mutations which may foster local translational research.

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Background: Notch signalling regulates stem cell development and survival and is deregulated in multiple malignancies. LY900009 is a small molecule inhibitor of Notch signalling via selective inhibition of the γ-secretase protein. We report the first-in-human phase I trial of LY900009.

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Metal halide perovskite photovoltaic cells could potentially boost the efficiency of commercial silicon photovoltaic modules from ∼20 toward 30% when used in tandem architectures. An optimum perovskite cell optical band gap of ~1.75 electron volts (eV) can be achieved by varying halide composition, but to date, such materials have had poor photostability and thermal stability.

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Background: Stage is a critical determinant of treatment among endometrial carcinoma patients; understanding patterns of tumor spread may suggest approaches to improve staging. Specifically, the importance of exfoliation of endometrial carcinoma cells through the fallopian tubes into the peritoneum is ill defined. We assessed the hypothesis that tubal ligation (TL), which should impede transtubal passage of cells, is associated with lower endometrial carcinoma stage at presentation and, consequently, lower mortality.

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