Browse Articles

Activation of Wnt/β-catenin in neural progenitor cells regulates blood–brain barrier development and promotes neuroinflammation

Soliton solutions of the (2 + 1)-dimensional Jaulent-Miodek evolution equation via effective analytical techniques

The role of CLDN11 in promotion of granulosa cell proliferation in polycystic ovary syndrome via activation of the PI3K-AKT signalling pathway

Retraction Note: hERG1 channels modulate integrin signaling to trigger angiogenesis and tumor progression in colorectal cancer

Pilot-scale phosphorus recovery from mobile toilet wastewater in Bangkok, Thailand

An integrated approach to predict genetic risk for Mosquito-Borne diseases in the local Population of Tehsil Haripur, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

Risk of second primary malignancies among survivors of cutaneous melanoma: A nationwide population-based study in the Republic of Korea

Discovery of two novel Flavobacterium species with potential for complex polysaccharide degradation

Greater residential greenness is associated with reduced epigenetic aging in adults

Abstract Potential pathways linking urban green spaces to improved health include relaxation, stress alleviation, and improved immune system functioning. Epigenetic age acceleration (EAA) is a composite biomarker of biological aging based on DNA methylation measurements; it is predictive of morbidity and mortality. This cross-sectional study of 116 adult residents of a metropolitan area in central North Carolina investigated associations between exposure to residential green spaces and EAA using four previously developed epigenetic age formulas. DNA methylation tests of white blood cells were conducted using Illumina MethylationEPIC v1.0 assays. EAA values were calculated as residuals from the linear regression model of epigenetic age on chronological age. Residential greenness was characterized using tree cover, total vegetated land cover, and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) data. An interquartile range (IQR) increase in distance-to-residence weighted average greenness within 500 m of residence was consistently associated with a reduced EAA adjusted for sociodemographic covariates, smoking status, white blood cell fractions, and the two-dimensional spline function of geographic coordinates. The reduction in the EAA estimates for the four EAA measures ranged from − 1.0 to − 1.6 years for tree cover, from − 1.2 to − 1.5 years for vegetated land cover, and from − 0.9 to − 1.3 years for the NDVI; 11 of the 12 associations were statistically significant (p < 0.05). This study produced new evidence linking reduced epigenetic aging to greater greenness near residences.

A novel arc detection and identification method in pantograph-catenary system based on deep learning

Correction for Toubdji et al., Exploring a unique class of flavoenzymes: Identification and biochemical characterization of ribosomal RNA dihydrouridine synthase

Waste marble sludge and calcined clay brick powders in conventional cement farina production for cleaner built environment

Author Correction: Locomotor performance parameters as predictors of high-performing male soccer teams. A multiple-season study on professional soccer

Decreased nitric oxide production is a novel therapeutic target for salt-induced nocturnal polyuria in aging

Sensitive hydrogen detection using off-axis integrated cavity output spectroscopy at 2.1 <i>μ</i>m

Reliable hydrogen (H2) detection is essential for advancing hydrogen energy applications. In this study, we report a sensitive H2 detection method using off-axis integrated cavity output spectroscopy. A distributed-feedback laser with fiber output was used to target the H2 absorption transition near 2122 nm. The optical cavity was constructed using two spherical mirrors, each with a reflectivity of 99.985%, providing an effective absorption path length of 2500 m. The Galatry line shape function was selected to accurately fit the narrow absorption feature of H2. Furthermore, we achieved a 1.74-fold improvement in the signal-to-noise ratio by applying radio frequency white noise perturbations. The system's performance was demonstrated by measuring H2 mixtures across a broad concentration range from 1040 ppm to 20.24%. Finally, the Allan–Werle deviation analysis revealed a detection limit of 53 ppm H2 at an average time of 400 s.

Self-catalyzed vapor–liquid–solid growth of GaS nanobelt for nano-optoelectronic applications

GaS, with the largest bandgap of group III–VI van der Waals semiconductors, is a potential building block of optoelectronic applications. In addition, one-dimensional structures, such as nanobelts, are preferable for integration into future nano-optoelectronic devices. Here, we demonstrated self-catalyzed vapor–liquid–solid (VLS) growth of a GaS nanobelt by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition. Ga-rich growth conditions caused Ga particles to be generated in the initial growth step. The nanobelt grew from a Ga particle, which acted as a catalyst. The fabricated nanobelt photodetector showed a high ON/OFF ratio and the dark current was under the detection limit. Moreover, compared with an exfoliated GaS flake photodetector, it had one order of magnitude higher responsivity. These outstanding photoresponse properties indicate that self-catalyzed VLS growth of GaS nanobelts is a promising bottom-up integration approach for nano-optoelectronic applications.

Twisted metamaterials for mechanical optical switch

The emergence of twisted metamaterials opens up an avenue for research in metamaterials. However, the current emphasis primarily lies in mechanics, rendering it intriguing to explore the application of compression-torsion coupling effect in optics. This present study introduces a thin-walled circular tube (TWCT) structure, characterized by a pronounced twisting angle of up to 59.5°, achieved only through a single-layer TWCT configuration. We demonstrate a significant compression-torsion coupling phenomenon, surpassing the findings of previous research endeavors. TWCT's deformation mechanism is harnessed in optical imaging through the integration of experimental, theoretical, and finite element approaches. The information stored in TWCT can be gradually projected through optical imaging when the elastic strain stimulates TWCT. These findings presented herein introduces a straightforward and valid approach to employ TWCT as a reliable mechanical switch for optical imaging, thereby showcasing its potential in the fields of cryptographic techniques, information storage, and transmission via optical imaging.

Improved light absorption enables highly efficient carbon dots luminescent solar concentrator

Carbon dots (CDs) offer several advantages, including non-toxicity, facile synthesis, high fluorescence efficiency, and large Stokes shift, rendering them up-and-coming candidates for luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs). However, the inherently weak light absorption of CDs significantly hinders LSC performance. Here, by modifying the space-confined vacuum heating method, we synthesized high quantum yield CDs with increased size and improved absorption cross section (up to 2.7 times greater than the smaller counterparts), which was elucidated by the size-dominated non-resonant absorption mechanism. The enhanced absorptivity at reduced concentration was demonstrated to mitigate aggregation-induced quenching effectively. Furthermore, we designed a multi-film coating structure to block and recycle the transmitted harmful ultraviolet and short-wavelength blue light through optical interference, thereby fully exploiting this ‘useless’ waveband. By optimizing both the CD absorption cross section and the blue light recycling, the fabricated 80 × 80 × 2.5 mm3 LSC device achieved a record-high external optical efficiency of 9.6%, while still maintaining 71% average visible transmittance. This work proves the substantial potential of enhancing the efficiency of CD-based LSC devices from the perspective of light absorption.

Programmable surface-charge-modulated wettability for controllable droplet manipulation

Droplet manipulation on open surfaces plays a key role in numerous applications. The enhancement in controllability, flexibility, and simplicity of droplet manipulation is sustainably demanded and developed. Herein, we create a unique droplet manipulation method by modulating wettability based on surface charges. With contactless charge deposition on tilting dielectric surfaces with the corona discharge generated by needle-plate electrodes, droplet sliding can be actuated in real time. Droplets show wettability enhancement after eliminating charge deposition, in which contact angle decreases reach up to ∼20°. The presented surface-charge-modulated wettability results in fast-speed (∼14 mm/s) and high-volume-range (10–80 μL) droplet manipulation. Experiments and theoretical analysis reveal the underlying mechanism of droplet actuation is surface charge gradients, which induce asymmetric electrostatic forces. Controlling charge distributions on dielectric surfaces with plate-electrode patterns, programmable, and reconfigurable droplet sliding along complex pathways can be achieved. Moreover, a droplet sliding value for controlling stepwise chemical reactions is demonstrated by moving plate electrodes.

Transport properties of h-BN lateral devices

One of the well-established and significant applications of hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) is in solid-state neutron detectors, which necessitate the development of quasi-bulk h-BN crystals. To advance the material and device development of h-BN, it is essential to characterize its bulk electrical transport properties. However, this task is challenging due to h-BN's ultrawide bandgap (UWBG) of approximately 6.1 eV, which results in an extremely high electrical resistivity, typically exceeding 1012 Ω⋅cm. On the other hand, the mobility-lifetime (μτ) product, a key figure of merit for determining the overall device performance, is more readily accessible through the characterization of the I-V characteristics under illumination. In this study, we investigate the in-plane μτ products of lateral devices fabricated from freestanding quasi-bulk h-BN wafers synthesized by hydride vapor phase epitaxy. Our results reveal an unexpected decrease in the in-plane μτ product as the device width decreases. Utilizing a simple two-region carrier transport model, where the central region of the device represents the bulk h-BN material free from metal contacts and the two edge regions are influenced by metal contacts, we demonstrate that the μτ product in the edge areas covered by metal contacts decreases by nearly two orders of magnitude compared to the bulk value. We attribute this significant reduction in μτ product to the layered crystalline structure of h-BN, which permits metal atoms to infiltrate into the interlayer spacings. As a result, the measured μτ product is significantly lower than the true bulk value. These findings provide valuable insights into the design and fabrication of high-performance h-BN devices, which typically leverage its exceptional in-plane transport properties.