Browse Articles

Effect of air temperature in indoor transition spaces on the thermal response of occupant during summer

An optically transparent rectifying metasurface for 2.4/5.8 GHz dual-band RF energy harvesting

In this paper, an optically transparent rectifying metasurface system (RMS) is designed and validated for simultaneously harvesting radio frequency (RF) energy while enabling the efficient transmission of visible light. The RMS comprises an optically transparent metasurface absorber (OTMA) based on indium tin oxide materials and a voltage-doubling rectifier circuit. The proposed RMS features several advantages, including polarization insensitivity, wide incidence angle coverage, low profile, and the ability to operate at low incident power densities. Utilizing a stacked structure, the RMS and the solar cell can provide a more hybrid output power to accommodate more application scenarios. To validate its performance, a prototype 3 × 3 OTMA array was designed, fabricated, and measured. Results demonstrate that the fabricated RMS achieves RF to DC efficiencies of 19.64% at 2.4 GHz and 7.92% at 5.8 GHz, with an impressive 80% optical transparency. Furthermore, solar energy harvesting tests show that the measured maximum power point for the RF/solar hybrid energy harvesting is 13.11% higher than that of a single solar panel under a light intensity of 257 lux.

Traffic classification in SDN-based IoT network using two-level fused network with self-adaptive manta ray foraging

Formation of high-quality SiO2/<i>β</i>-Ga2O3(001) MOS structures: The role of post-deposition annealing

We investigated the effect of post-deposition annealing on the electrical characteristics of SiO2/β-Ga2O3(001) MOS structures. While oxygen annealing effectively improves the interface properties, it induces acceptor defects in Ga2O3, leading to a decrease in net donor density. With the combination of oxygen and nitrogen annealing, carrier compensation was suppressed, and a low interface state density of about 1 × 1011 cm−2 eV−1 was obtained near the conduction band edge of Ga2O3. High immunity against positive gate bias stress was also confirmed.

Effect of DLPFC rTMS on anhedonia and alpha asymmetry in depressed patients

Fragmented charged domain wall below the tetragonal-orthorhombic phase transition in BaTiO3

Ferroelectric charged domain walls are known for their high electrical conductivity, making them promising candidates for modern electronics. A remarkably high conductivity and nominal charge density has been found in the head-to-head ferroelastic domain wall of tetragonal barium titanate. Conductivity of this domain wall decreases by several orders of magnitude when the temperature drops down below about 5 °C when the tetragonal phase transforms to the orthorhombic one. We explored the evolution of these ferroelectric charged domain walls in BaTiO3 crystals, while they undergo this phase transition by in situ optical microscopy. Our results reveal that, below the phase transition, the domains adjacent to charge domain walls become twinned, and the head-to-head charged domain wall transforms into a superdomain wall, which is broken into alternating micrometer-scale segments with and without the excess bound charge. Since the macroscopic conductive channel along such fragmented superdomain wall is disrupted, these observations explain the observed loss of the domain wall conductivity below the phase transition.

SMYD3 drives cell cycle and epithelial-mesenchymal transition pathways through dual gene transcriptional repression and activation in HPV-negative head and neck cancer

AbstractHuman papillomavirus (HPV)-negative head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the sixth most common cancer type in the world and is associated with an overall poor prognosis. The protein methyltransferase SET and MYND domain-containing 3 (SMYD3), which trimethylates H3K4, activates gene transcription and enhances several oncogenic pathways, including epithelial-mesenchymal transition and cell cycle related pathways, in various cancer types. It was also recently shown that SMYD3 is overexpressed in HPV-negative HNSCC, and represses the expression of type I IFN response genes, contributing to resistance to anti-PD-1 checkpoint blockade in this disease. In this study, we show that SMYD3 depletion using siRNA interference or CRISPR decreases cellular proliferation and clonal capacity, induces cell cycle arrest and decreases the invasive potential of HPV-negative HNSCC cell lines. Accordingly, xenografts of SMYD3 knockout tumors derived from a human HPV-negative HNSCC cell line grew significantly slower compared to control tumors in mice. Genome-wide mapping for SMYD3 and H3K4me3 in HPV-negative HNSCC cells using cleavage under targets and release using nuclease (CUT&amp;RUN) assays identified direct downstream gene targets regulated by SMYD3, including cell cycle- and EMT-promoting genes. This study provides insights into the epigenetic role of SMYD3 as an oncogene in HPV-negative HNSCC and supports SMYD3 as a rational therapeutic target in HPV-negative HNSCC.

High-performance mid-infrared plasmonic bispectral routers by inverse design

In modern imaging systems, the application of multispectral imaging technologies is pervasive, furnishing an enhanced spectrum of information. Multispectral methods typically employ arrays of filters to selectively exclude light from undesired spectral bands, thus facilitating the capture of discrete narrowband data. However, the inherent multi-channel filtering process limits their energy utilization efficiency, a constraint that is magnified by the current trend of miniaturization in imaging devices. In this work, we have developed a pixel-level, metal-based, mid-infrared router by employing an inverse design method. This design achieved peak spectral efficiencies of 58.61% and 67.35% within the operational bands of 3.5–4.2 and 4.4–5 μm, respectively, and an average energy utilization efficiency across the entire operational range of 3.5–5 μm was elevated to 72%, which is 1.44 times higher than that of conventional filter-based systems. The designed routers were realized by standard nanofabrication processes that transfer the designed patterns into a gold film on a ZnS substrate. The spectral measurements show that the fabricated routers have a routing performance close to the simulation results.

Polycystic ovary syndrome negatively affects sexual function and lower urinary tract symptoms in syrian women: a case-control study

Abstract Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most prevalent endocrine disorder in women of reproductive age worldwide, and its related features like obesity, mental health issues and hyperandrogenism may contribute to inadequately investigated health problems such as sexual dysfunction (SD) and lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). Therefore, this study examined the impact of PCOS on sexual function (SF) and lower urinary tract in Syrian women by recruiting a total of 178 women of reproductive age, of whom 88 were diagnosed with PCOS according to the Rotterdam criteria and 90 without PCOS were considered as the control group. Female sexual function index (FSFI) and Bristol Female Lower Urinary Tract Symptom Questionnaire (BFLUTS) were used to assess SF and LUTS respectively. PCOS group had higher SD prevalence compared to control group (65.9% vs 48.9%, p  = 0.016), and BMI showed an inverse correlation with the total FSFI score in PCOS group ( p  = 0.027, r = -0.235). Furthermore, PCOS group exhibited significantly lower scores in orgasm and satisfaction subdomains. Additionally, PCOS patients had significantly higher total BFLUTS score compared to control group (median 8 vs 5, p  = 0.025). Thus, PCOS may be related to SD and LUTS, highlighting the importance of evaluating SF and urinary symptoms in PCOS patients.

A dual-biomimetic surface with leaf-skeleton-based hierarchical structures for efficient atmospheric water harvesting

Atmospheric water harvesting (AWH) has been extensively researched as a sustainable solution to current freshwater scarcity. Various bioinspired AWH surfaces have been developed to enhance water-harvesting performance, yet challenges remain in optimizing their structures. In this work, we report a dual-biomimetic AWH surface that combines beetle-inspired heterogeneous wettability with leaf-skeleton-based hierarchical microstructures on a rigid substrate. An authentic leaf skeleton innovatively serves as the mask during photolithography complemented by O2-plasma treatment, enabling precise design of superhydrophilic SiO2 structures with a hierarchy of vein orders forming reticulate meshes on a hydrophobic Si substrate. This design facilitates enhanced water collection through intricate reticulate meshes and directional droplet transport along the abundant multi-order veins. Such AWH surface shows a water-harvesting efficiency of 172 mg cm−2 h−1, increasing up to 62% and 58% over the pristine SiO2/Si wafer and Si wafer, respectively. Additionally, the role of structure orientation in the open-surface droplet transport is explored while the AWH surface is vertically placed during the water-harvesting process. This work highlights the potential of using meticulous natural designs, like leaf skeletons, to improve AWH surfaces, with broad applications in compact devices, such as on-chip evaporative cooling and planar microfluidics manipulation.

Assessment of the potential and application of Be12O12 nanocage for removal of ciprofloxacin from water employing density functional theory

Rb 2 Ti 2 O 5 : A layered ionic conductor at the sub-micrometer scale

Over the past few years, ionic conductors have gained a lot of attention because of the possibility of implementing them in various applications such as supercapacitors, batteries or fuel cells, and resistive memories. Especially, layered two-dimensional (2D) crystals, such as h-BN, graphene oxide, and MoSe2, have been shown to provide unique properties originating from the specific 2D confinement of moving ions. Two important parameters are the ion conductivity and the chemical stability over a wide range of operating conditions. In this vein, Rb2Ti2O5 (RTO) has recently been found displaying remarkable properties such as superionic conduction and equivalent colossal dielectric constant. Here, an approach to the study of the electrical properties of the layered RTO 100-nm scale is presented. Characterizations by means of micro-Raman spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy measurements of mechanically exfoliated RTO micro-flakes via the so-called adhesive-tape technique are reported. Finally, the results of electrical measurements performed on an exfoliated RTO micro-flake are presented and are found to be consistent with the results obtained on macroscopic bulk crystals.

Soil fluoride enrichment process and the possible adaptation prevention principle in coal-burning fluorosis area in Southwest China

AbstractCoal-burning fluorosis prevails in southwest China and other provinces. Although clay used as binder of briquettes was proven to cause coal-burning fluorosis, its enrichment processes remain unknown. The soils and rocks on typical geological units were sampled and simulation experiments were performed to detect the forming process of high-fluoride clay. The surface and mineral soils, farmland soils and rocks have fluoride levels of 157.9–1076.76, 334.58–1419.28, 227.52–1303.11 and 46.05–964.11 mg/kg respectively. Fluoride levels of surface soils, mineral horizon soils and farmland soils are significantly positively correlated, while those between soils and rocks are not significantly correlated. The soils overlying carbonates have substantially higher fluoride levels than those overlying non-carbonates although the carbonates have extremely lower fluoride levels. The fluoride levels in acid insoluble substances are significantly positively correlated with soil fluoride levels. The acid insoluble substances in carbonates have obviously higher fluoride levels than those in non-carbonates. High Ca(Mg) levels in carbonates restrict fluorine leaching into the water and facilitate fluorine deposition in soils. Fluoride enriches in soils with numerous Ca(Mg)CO3 leaching during carbonate weathering, which is a new insight into the cause of high-fluoride clay. An exposure pathway of fluoride is forwarded. The best prevention principle and policy are proposed.

Single resonant cavity enhances the second harmonic generation of layered ferroelectric NbOCl2

Second harmonic generation (SHG) is a common nonlinear optical process with wide applications. Recent studies have found that the van der Waals crystal material NbOCl2 has a high efficiency in SHG, and this material does not undergo any change in electronic structure or weakening of excitonic effect during stacking, making it a scalable SHG crystal. Here, we designed and fabricated a single resonant Fabry–Pérot (FP) microcavity to enhance the SHG of NbOCl2 by amplifying the local electric field of the excitation light. The cavity was fabricated by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition, and the deposition process was optimized to avoid the damage of the NbOCl2 sample. Our measurements confirmed that the SHG of the NbOCl2 sample can be amplified more than 30 times on the distributed Bragg reflector (half of the FP cavity), and more than 200 times inside the FP cavity. This method provides ideas for efficiently enhancing harmonics and directions for on-chip integrated photonic devices.

Timing of pre-retrieval warnings matters in reducing memory errors in a repeated testing misinformation study

A 614 MW/cm2 AlGaN-channel Schottky barrier diode with high breakdown voltage and high temperature sensitivity

In this work, a high-performance AlGaN-channel Schottky barrier diode with high breakdown voltage of 2.23 kV defined at anode leakage current of 1 μA and high power figure-of-merit of 614 MW/cm2 is demonstrated. Anode voltage (VA) with a clear linear relationship as a function of temperature from 300 to 525 K shows great potential for temperature sensors, and maximum temperature sensitivity of 2.0 mV/K at anode current density (IA) of 6.28 × 10−8 A is obtained, satisfying the low power consumption requirement. Meanwhile, the corresponding temperature sensitivity of ln(–I) vs temperature at a fixed VA of –15 V is 5.0 mA/K, and the suppressed temperature sensitivity at reverse bias is attributed to the energy-band modulated Schottky barrier height of AlGaN-channel M/S interface, which is vital for high-temperature and high-power applications.

Estrogen sulfotransferase SULT1E1 expression correlates with progression and prognosis of lung adenocarcinoma

Advanced thermal boundary resistance measurement techniques for thick-film diamond heterostructures

With the miniaturization of electronic devices, thermal management has become a critical challenge, especially for high-power systems where efficient heat dissipation is essential. Polycrystalline diamond films, renowned for their exceptional thermal conductivity, offer a promising solution. However, the thermal boundary resistance (TBR) at the diamond/substrate interface remains a significant bottleneck, severely impacting heat dissipation efficiency. This study presents a measurement approach tailored for quantifying TBR in thick-film diamond heterostructures, focusing on diamond-on-silicon (Diamond-on-Si) systems with a silicon nitride barrier layer. Compared to conventional methods, such as transient thermoreflectance techniques, which often exhibit limited sensitivity for thick layers, this approach demonstrates greater reliability and applicability. The findings establish a foundation for advancing strategies to reduce TBR and improve the thermal management performance of diamond films in high-power electronic applications.

Mortality causes and health spending by gender and health conditions in octogenarians, nonagenarians and centenarians in Colombia

Ghost imaging through complex scattering media with random light disturbance

Imaging in a complex environment is recognized to be challenging in various applications. Imaging with single-pixel detection, e.g., ghost imaging (GI), emerges as a solution in recent years. Here, we report a unified GI framework based on untrained neural networks (UNNs) to eliminate the effect of complex environments and realize high-resolution object reconstruction. Two UNNs are designed to respectively estimate the corrected realizations and a series of dynamic scaling factors from the collected realizations. A GI-formation-based physical model is incorporated into the network to ensure the validity of the corrected realizations and enable object reconstruction. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method is effective and robust for high-resolution and high-contrast object reconstruction in complex environments, i.e., dynamic scattering media with high-randomness light disturbance. In addition, the proposed method is validated at low sampling ratios to alleviate data acquisition burden. With the advantages in the integration, adaptability, and efficiency, the proposed method provides a promising solution for GI in complex environments.