Browse Articles

Research on a high-reliability-guided hierarchical dynamic optimal scheduling method for photovoltaic systems

Dual‐Site Substitution With Single Te Atoms in MoS ₂ Boosting Hydrogen Evolution

ABSTRACT Heteroatom substitution is a promising strategy to enhance hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) activity of MoS 2 , yet synergistically activating both its basal plane and edge sites remains challenging. Herein, we report a dual‐site substitution of both Mo and S with tellurium in the MoS 2 lattice (Te‐MoS 2 ), which achieves a superior large‐current‐density HER performance in acidic electrolyte, surpassing all previously reported single‐element‐doped MoS 2 with nonmetal or non‐precious metal. The Te‐MoS 2 catalyst requires an overpotential of only 364 mV to achieve an industrial‐level current density of 1000 mA·cm −2 , significantly lower than 506 mV required by commercial 20 wt% Pt/C, and maintains this performance stably for 200 h without decay. Comprehensive analyses reveal that the simultaneous substitution of Mo and S with Te atoms activates neighboring S atoms and also promotes the formation of smaller, edge‐rich MoS 2 nanosheets, thereby generating abundant basal plane and edge S active sites with optimized hydrogen adsorption energy.

Deep-depleted P+– <i>v</i> –N+ HgCdTe focal plane arrays for high-operating-temperature LWIR detection

Achieving the simultaneous optimization of quantum efficiency (QE) and dark current remains a formidable challenge for high-operating-temperature (HOT) long-wavelength infrared (LWIR) detectors. Conventional approaches to suppress Auger recombination typically aim to achieve full depletion of the absorber. However, the depletion width in practical HgCdTe devices is limited by residual background doping, often requiring absorber thinning to realize full depletion, which reduces the available absorption volume and hence quantum efficiency. In this work, we demonstrate a deep-depleted P+–v–N+ HgCdTe architecture that effectively alleviates this trade-off at the focal plane array (FPA) level. By integrating Silvaco technology computer-aided design modeling with high-precision molecular beam epitaxy, we realized a 128 × 128 FPA with a 15 μm pitch, a practical absorber thickness of ∼4.85 μm, and ultra-low v-type doping. The device exhibits a high QE of 61.48% at 77 K, together with a dark-current density approximately 85% below the empirical Rule 07 benchmark at 130 K. Arrhenius analysis over 80–130 K reveals a sub-bandgap activation energy of ∼109.5 meV, markedly lower than the Rule 07-derived value (∼154.6 meV), confirming effective suppression of intrinsic Auger recombination. In addition, the FPA maintains excellent operability (&amp;gt;99.3%) and a stable noise equivalent temperature difference (NETD &amp;lt; 20 mK) at elevated temperatures. These results demonstrate a practical route toward high-performance HOT LWIR imaging by approaching the low-dark-current regime of fully depleted devices in an array-level implementation.

Investigating the impact of irradiation on various ringFET-based SRAM circuits using 3D TCAD

Reversible Structural Transformation Between a Hopf Link and a Solomon Link

ABSTRACT By utilizing the chemical reactivity of Ag(I) ions under mild conditions, we successfully demonstrated the reversible topological transformation between a Hopf link and a Solomon link. A macrocycle and a Hopf link were synthesized through the template‐free self‐assembly of a semirigid ligand through the adjustment of the length of the binuclear building blocks. The introduction of Ag(I) ions facilitated the topological transformation of the macrocycle and the Hopf link into Solomon link assemblies. In contrast, the Solomon links reverted to the macrocycle and the Hopf link when Ag(I) ions were reduced under sunlight irradiation or when Ag(I) ions were reacted with chloride ions, which was accompanied by a conformational change in the semirigid ligand. In addition, the diverse coordination geometry of the Ag(I) ion led to the metal‐ion‐templated assembly of the bipyridyl chelating ligand with the binuclear Cp*Rh acceptor B3 , resulting in two assemblies: A Solomon link and a Hopf link, with the Solomon link eventually transforming into the Hopf link over time. This work not only highlights the construction of a Solomon link using Ag(I) ions as templates, but also presents, for the first time, a process of topological transformation between a Hopf link and a Solomon link.

Hole trapping and emission behavior near the valence band edge at an AlSiO/ <i>p</i> -type GaN interface revealed by repeated temperature-dependent <i>C</i> – <i>V</i> measurements

Bias instability associated with traps near the valence band edge at gate dielectric/p-type GaN interfaces poses a serious reliability concern for GaN metal–oxide–semiconductor field-effect transistors although origins of hole traps are still unclear. This study demonstrates an isolation of trap components with interface states and near-interface traps (NITs) at an AlSiO/p-type GaN interface by analyzing the hole emission process as a function of temperature and sweep time. The gate dielectric was a 40 nm-thick AlSiO film deposited by plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition at 250 °C and annealed at 400 °C in nitrogen gas. The capacitance–voltage (C–V) characteristics exhibited a significant plateau and no hole accumulation in the valence band of GaN, indicating a high density of interface traps at approximately 0.8 eV above the valence band maximum of GaN. After the first reverse C–V sweep, the subsequent forward sweep showed a large negative shift (hysteresis) that largely persisted in the following reverse sweeps. At elevated temperatures and with slower sweep rates, the shift was partially reduced (recovered); however, a residual shift remained. An Arrhenius analysis of the recovered component yielded an activation energy of approximately 0.8 eV, which was consistent with the Fermi-level pinning position, suggesting that the thermally recovered component is governed by hole emission from interface states. In contrast, the persistent residual shift suggested a negligibly emitting component, i.e., NITs. We, thus, isolated the contribution of interface states from NITs in the hole emission process.

Biosynthesis of ecofriendly antibacterial nanoparticles with healing effects in a murine diabetic skin infection model

Abstract Diabetes mellitus is a global concern with complications including recurrent skin infections and poor wound healing. The involvement of multidrug-resistant bacteria (MDR) in skin infections renders them challenging. Nanoparticles such as silver, zinc oxide, and chitosan-based nanoparticles offer a promise for combating the growing threat of MDR bacteria by employing unique mechanisms that bypass recognized antibiotic resistance pathways. Therefore, this study reports the eco-friendly synthesis of silver (AgNPs), zinc oxide (ZnONPs), and chitosan-tripolyphosphate nanoparticles (Cs-TPP-NPs) using green tea extract (GTE) and gamma irradiation. AgNPs exhibited the highest antibacterial and antibiofilm efficacy among the tested preparations, as reflected by their lowest minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) values against four bacterial strains associated with diabetic foot ulcers, including Pseudomonas aeruginosa , Escherichia coli , methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), and Streptococcus pyogenes . The killing activity of AgNPs was fast acting against all tested bacteria with &gt; 10 log 10 CFU/mL reduction in 2–6 h. The AgNPs-GTE loaded Cs-TPP-NPs combination was assessed for possible mechanisms of action, which revealed its ability to inhibit biofilm formation and compromise bacterial membrane integrity in MRSA and E. coli , leading to increased permeability, intracellular ion leakage, and nucleic acid release. Notable morphological damage to bacterial cells was confirmed by transmission electron microscope (TEM).  In vivo, the prepared combination hydrogel promoted healing of skin lesions in a CD1  mouse model of diabetic skin infection lesion within six days, demonstrating strong antibacterial activity with a 4 Log 10 unit reduction in bacterial load compared with the untreated group, and significant decrease in inflammatory marker NF-kB, restoring it to healthy uninfected control levels. Histopathological evaluation of treated tissues showed full epidermal regeneration, enhanced fibroblast proliferation, increased angiogenesis, and the presence of well-organized mature collagen fibers in the dermis, compared to untreated controls. In conclusion, synthesized AgNPs-GTE loaded Cs-TPP-NPs combination offered an effective therapeutic approach for enhancing diabetic skin infection healing.

Operando Imaging Reveals Active Wrinkled Regions for Hydrogen Evolution in MoS ₂ Electrocatalysts

ABSTRACT Under operando conditions, how local structural distortion influences electrocatalysis in non‐metallic materials remains poorly understood, largely because charge‐transfer processes and subsequent chemical steps are strongly coupled and difficult to disentangle experimentally. Here, by using operando atomic force microscopy–scanning electrochemical microscopy (AFM‐SECM), we directly identify wrinkled regions in monolayer molybdenum disulfide (MoS 2 ) as highly active domains for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Combined local AFM‐SECM and scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) imaging further reveal that the enhanced activity is primarily localized at wrinkle edges, where folded edge structures are formed, providing spatially resolved evidence of a local structure–activity relationship. Interestingly, operando electron‐transfer (ET) imaging reveals only limited enhancement of charge‐transfer kinetics in these regions, indicating that the increased HER activity more likely arises from the promotion of subsequent chemical steps rather than from improved electron transfer. These findings provide mechanistic insight into the role of folded edge structures within wrinkled regions in non‐metallic electrocatalysis and offer guidance for the rational design of high‐performance electrocatalytic materials.

Phase transition control in multiple types of topological semimetals by tilt term

In this Letter, we studied the phase transitions between multiple types of various topological semimetals caused by the tilt term and the breaking of emergent inversion-like symmetry and antiunitary particle–hole symmetry. Through calculations and symmetry analysis, we found that, for both the Dirac point and the Weyl point, the transitions between types I, II, and III occurred only when the particle–hole symmetry was broken in this model. Furthermore, when the two types of symmetry breaking coexist in the system, a hybrid Weyl semimetal appears. Finally, we achieved the transformation between type II and type III nodal ring semimetal by regulating the tilt term. This work systematically studied the transformations of multiple types of topological phases in topological semimetal materials and provided theoretical guidance for the prediction and experimental discovery of novel topological materials.

Cowpea production systems and determinants of adopting improved cultivars by farmers across western highlands and Sudano Sahelian zones of Cameroon

Engineering Nanoemulsions to Maximize NIR‐II Fluorescence and Preserve Photothermal Performance of a Novel Boron Difluoride Formazanate Dye

ABSTRACT Boron difluoride formazanate (BDF) dyes possess intrinsic NIR‐I absorption and NIR‐II photoluminescence. However, their hydrophobic nature often leads to fluorescence quenching in polar aqueous environment, limiting their performance in biological applications. Here, we report a newly synthesized BDF dye ( 3 ) formulated as an oil‐in‐water nanoemulsion ( BDF‐NE ) that overcomes this challenge by providing a nonpolar oil core microenvironment that closely matches the favorable conditions required to preserve the bright emission of 3 . Molecular solubilization of 3 within a glyceryl trioctanoate core, stabilized by a phospholipid/PEG‐lipid shell, maintains strong NIR absorption and a high molar extinction coefficient while simultaneously maximizing NIR‐II emission intensity. BDF‐NE achieves a photothermal conversion efficiency of 66.8%, generates strong photoacoustic (PA) contrast at 780 nm, and exhibits bright NIR‐II fluorescence extending beyond 1250 nm with an absolute quantum yield of 2.9%, enabling high‐resolution vascular imaging and real‐time tracking of tumor accumulation in vivo. In subcutaneous tumor‐bearing mice, dual‐modal NIR‐II/PA imaging‐guided photothermal therapy achieves complete ablation of tumors in a subset of mice and significantly prolongs recurrence‐free survival without detectable systemic toxicity. This nanoemulsion‐based strategy unlocks the full dual‐modal theranostic potential inherent to BDF dyes and offers a generalizable strategy for translating hydrophobic NIR fluorophores into high‐performance theranostic agents.

Shear-thinning rheology reverses wall-induced motion of low-Reynolds-number propellers

We experimentally investigate how shear-thinning rheology modifies the near-wall motion of low-Reynolds-number propellers. Using a magnetic actuation platform, we examine two representative systems: a rotating spherical roller and a helical propeller near a solid boundary. In a Newtonian fluid, the spherical roller exhibits forward wall-induced translation, while the helical propeller displays forward propulsion accompanied by lateral drift. In shear-thinning fluids, however, increasing the actuation frequency qualitatively alters these behaviors. For the spherical roller, the direction of wall-induced translation reverses beyond a critical frequency, producing backward motion. For the helical propeller, shear-thinning rheology reverses the lateral drift while simultaneously enhancing forward propulsion. These results provide direct experimental evidence that shear rate-dependent viscosity can fundamentally modify boundary-mediated propulsion at low Reynolds number, with implications for the design and control of microrobots operating in complex biological fluids.

Study synergistic effect of Ti addition on microstructure and electrochemical performance of cost-effective Co-free AlCrFeNi high-entropy alloy with dual-phase architecture

Photocatalytic Transfer Hydrogenation Using Plastic Hydrolysates as Hydrogen Donor

ABSTRACT The synthesis of aromatic amines requires harsh conditions or the use of fossil‐derived hydrogen (H 2 ). Here, we address this limitation by demonstrating photocatalytic transfer hydrogenation (PTH) of nitroarenes into anilines employing plastic hydrolysates as electron and proton (hydrogen) donors under ambient temperature and pressure. PTH is achieved using a cobalt‐promoted molybdenum sulfide ( Co MoS 2 ) electrocatalyst integrated with a carbon nitride (CN x ) semiconductor photocatalyst in acidic aqueous solution. Co MoS 2 reduces nitroarenes to anilines at –0.7 V versus RHE with a Faradaic yield of 70% and superior activity to platinum. The Co MoS 2 ‐CN x photocatalyst produces anilines under simulated solar light (AM 1.5 G, 25°C), achieving 83%–99% yield from 24 nitroarenes using 4‐methylbenzyl alcohol as a model hydrogen donor. Acid hydrolysis of condensation polymers provides a source of alcoholic monomers in aqueous solution that can be used as a sustainable hydrogen donor for PTH in &gt;80% yield using AM 1.5G or LED (405 nm, 33 mW cm −2 ) irradiation. A technoeconomic analysis (TEA) at pilot scale producing 1 t aniline day − 1 using polyethylene terephthalate (PET) reveals a cut in cradle‐to‐gate emissions by ∼77% using PTH with Co MoS 2 ‐CN x compared to conventional Pd/C hydrogenation with H 2 from steam methane reforming (SMR‐H 2 ) and a revenue‐generating levelized cost of aniline (LCOA) when co‐produced with terephthalic, acetic, and formic acids.

Thermal transport in n-type B-S co-doped and p-type B-doped diamond: A machine-learning potential study

Achieving reliable n-type doping in diamond is a long-standing challenge for high-power electronics. In this work, we systematically investigate the electronic structure and thermal transport properties of B and B–X (X = N, P, O, S, F, Cl) co-doped diamond using first-principles calculations and a high-precision machine-learning potential (MLP) trained via DeepMD-kit. Our results identify B–S co-doping as a superior n-type strategy, exhibiting a reduced formation energy and n-type conductivity. Crucially, by overcoming the accuracy limitations of empirical potentials in describing acoustic phonon velocities, our MLP rigorously quantifies the thermal conductivity of the co-doped system. Although the heavy mass and strain field of sulfur dopants introduce additional phonon scattering, B-S co-doped diamond retains a substantial thermal conductivity. The results reveal the microscopic interplay between dopant-induced electronic activation and phonon scattering, validating B-S co-doping as a viable route for thermally robust n-type diamond electronics. This work provides a reference for the design of n-type diamond with good thermal conductivity based on machine-learning potentials.

Decoding regional keratinization in human oral mucosa through high-resolution spatial transcriptomics

Supramolecular Assembly of Proteoliposomes Containing Photosensitizers Regulating Energy Synthesis

ABSTRACT We report that a biomimetic energy metabolism system can be constructed by integrating adenosine triphosphate (ATP) synthase and photosensitizer, and chlorin e6 (Ce6), into the hydrophobic region of the lipid bilayer in proteoliposomes through controllable supramolecular assembly. It is found that under light illumination, the existence of Ce6 obviously inhibits the ATP synthesis. The biochemical and spectroscopic analyses reveal that the generated heat and mechanical perturbation originated from photoexcited Ce6 may disrupt the phospholipid bilayer membrane, leading to the collapse of the proton gradient. These effects collectively destabilize the system and suppress ATP production. Additional cellular experiments provided evidence for the intervention of Ce6 on the amount of ATP in cells. This finding suggests that a photosensitizer can interfere with the energy synthesis of the system by disrupting the proton gradient to reduce the rotation of ATP synthase. Such a design and the mechanistic investigation may provide a possible foresight that photosensitizers are not only used in a photodynamic therapy system, but can also be considered for regulating diseases related to energy metabolism.

Cubic Gd2O3 heteroepitaxial thin film fabricated via pulsed laser deposition: Structure and deep-UV photodetector

Aiming at the current research gaps in Gd2O3 single-crystal films and detection below 250 nm of UV light for Gd2O3-based photodetectors (PDs), this study employed pulsed laser deposition under a laser frequency of 6 Hz to successfully a grow cubic (c-) Gd2O3(222) epitaxial film on a GaN(0001) substrate. The epitaxial film had a wide optical bandgap (5.4 eV), a large electronic bandgap (5.16 eV), and a c-Gd2O3⟨011¯⟩ ǁ GaN [21¯1¯0] in-plane epitaxial relationship with the substrate. The PD fabricated based on the film presented excellent response characteristics to UV light below 250 nm, with a rejection ratio (R202 nm/R300 nm) up to 102. Under 222 nm deep-UV light, the PD exhibited excellent detection performance with a high photoresponsivity of 0.801 A/W under 5 V, and a fast response speed (rise time: 0.27 s; fall time: 0.28 s). This work provides a feasible approach for fabricating high-performance Gd2O3 epitaxial film PDs, laying a foundation for their applications in solar-blind deep-UV sensing systems.

Activation of circulating γδ T cells in pediatric IgA vasculitis nephritis links the IL-17 A+ subset to renal risk

Abstract Renal involvement is a key determinant of prognosis in IgA vasculitis (IgAV), yet its underlying immunologic mechanisms remain incompletely elucidated. The role of γδ T cells and their subsets requires clarification. The study enrolled 88 children between September 1, 2023, and September 1, 2025, categorized into three groups: IgAV with nephritis (IgAVN, n  = 39), IgAV without nephritis (IgAVwoN, n  = 36), and healthy controls (HC, n  = 13). Flow cytometry was used to assess the percentage of peripheral blood γδ T cells, their surface phenotype (CD69, NKG2D, TLR4), and intracellular cytokines (IL-17 A, IL-10, TNF-α). Multivariable logistic regression identified independent risk factors, receiver operating characteristic curve analysis evaluated diagnostic performance, and correlation with 24-hour proteinuria was assessed. Patients with IgAVN exhibited a significantly increased frequency of total γδ T cells and an expanded CD69⁺ activated subset. TLR4 expression on γδ T cells was upregulated in IgAV patients compared to HC group, but did not differ significantly between the IgAVN and IgAVwoN groups. The IL-17 A producing γδ T cell subset was identified as an independent risk factor for IgAVN (OR = 1.202, 95% CI 1.014–1.424, P  = 0.034). Its frequency positively correlated with 24-hour proteinuria levels ( r  = 0.575, P  &lt; 0.01). This parameter demonstrated high specificity (97.22%) and moderate diagnostic accuracy (AUC = 0.673) for distinguishing IgAVN. IL-17 A⁺ γδ T cells were an independent risk factor for IgAVN and correlated with renal injury severity. While Th17 cells are the main IL-17 source, γδ T cells may represent an additional source. Further investigation is needed.

Aldehyde–Olefin Couplings by Photoinduced Reduction of Electron‐Deficient Olefins with Hantzsch Ester Anions

ABSTRACT Reductive couplings between aldehydes and olefins, both of which are low‐cost chemical feedstocks, provide facile access to valuable alcohol products. Recent advances in photocatalytic and electrochemical methods have provided efficient strategies to achieve reductive aldehyde–olefin couplings through nucleophilic ketyl or olefin radical anion intermediates. However, the strongly reducing conditions required for radical formation result in limitations in substrate generality, especially for reactions of unactivated aliphatic aldehydes with electron‐deficient olefins. In this scenario, olefin dimerization or hydrogenation outcompetes aldehyde coupling due to the preferential formation and diminished nucleophilicity of olefin radical anion intermediates. Herein, we report a simple, photocatalyst‐free protocol that overcomes this limitation by using visible light‐activated Hantzsch ester as a photoreductant under mildly basic conditions. Key to the success of the transformation was the use of water as a protic additive, which enabled nucleophilic addition of the olefin radical anions to aldehydes. Mechanistic experiments support olefin radical anions as the key intermediates and offer insight into the important role of water in the transformation.