Browse Articles

Engineering stable conductive filament formation in MoS2 resistive random access memory via process-controlled metal incorporation into defects for enhanced electrochemical metallization switching

The fabrication and optimization of molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) resistive random access memory (RRAM) are investigated to achieve stable and reliable resistive switching. To control the inherently random filament formation, RRAM devices were fabricated in conjunction with systematic process control, followed by a comprehensive performance evaluation. In our work, the deposition rate of the top electrode during e-beam evaporation was tuned to fabricate MoS2 RRAM devices. This approach enabled control over the degree of metal incorporation into defects, leading to stable filament formation. As a result, the optimized devices exhibited excellent performance, including a large memory window of 104, low operating voltage variability, stable retention for 2000 s, and reliable endurance over 104 switching cycles. Furthermore, temperature-dependent resistance measurements and conduction mechanism analysis confirmed stable filament formation consistent with the electrochemical metallization mechanism. These results demonstrate that precise process control facilitates stable filament formation, which in turn ensures reliable device performance.

Spatio-temporal multi-fault and severity aware diagnosis in WSN via GNN transformers

Dehydration promotes intracellular lipid synthesis and accumulation

A high-performance room-temperature hydrogen sensor based on Pd nanoparticle-decorated β-Ga2O3 prepared by mist-CVD

Hydrogen is a promising clean energy carrier, but its high flammability demands reliable sensing at room temperature with low power consumption. Here, we demonstrate a room-temperature hydrogen sensor based on Pd-decorated β-Ga2O3 thin films grown by mist chemical vapor deposition (mist-CVD), a non-vacuum thin-film deposition technique. The device delivers a large sensing response of ∼1300 toward 1% H2 with detectable responses down to 10 ppm. Owing to the wide bandgap of β-Ga2O3, the sensor exhibits an intrinsically low baseline current at the pA level, allowing hydrogen-induced carrier modulation triggered by Pd surface reactions to be clearly resolved. The device further shows excellent selectivity to H2 over common interfering gases, robust operation up to 85% relative humidity, and stable performance over 98 days without encapsulation. A spillover-assisted charge-modulation mechanism, involving Pd-catalyzed hydrogen dissociation and activation of oxygen-vacancy-related donor states in β-Ga2O3, is proposed to account for the strong room-temperature response. These results highlight Pd/β-Ga2O3 sensing platforms fabricated by mist-CVD as promising candidates for low-power and durable hydrogen detection.

Real-time qPCR evaluation of amino acids buffered sodium hypochlorite gel as an adjunct to non-surgical periodontal treatment: a randomized clinical trial

Regional heterogeneity in phenotypic and genetic associations between bone and brain in humans

A viscoelastic oxyhalide catholyte for 4.5 V all-solid-state batteries under low stack pressures

Deployment of all-solid-state lithium batteries is hindered by high stack pressure (>200 MPa) and interfacial chemo-mechanical instability. Herein, we propose a moderate-temperature (180 °C) sintering strategy based on a viscoelastic oxyhalide catholyte LiAlCl2.5O0.75 (LACO) to construct the composite cathode capable of operating under low stack pressure (10 MPa) and a cutoff voltage of 4.5 V. Benefiting from the polymer-like thermoplasticity and viscoelasticity, the LACO exhibits an ionic conductivity of 1.52 mS cm−1 at 30 °C without external pressure and enables conformal and homogeneous contact throughout the composite cathode. Moreover, the thermally driven co-sintering process triggers the gradient cross-diffusion of Al and Cl from LACO into the subsurface of the single-crystal LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 (NCM811). The localized elemental co-doping significantly mitigates Li+/Ni2+ antisite defects and the H2−H3 phase transition. Simultaneously, it constructs a robust in situ passivation shield on the cathode surface, suppressing the continuous oxidative degradation pathways of the electrolyte at 4.5 V. With enhanced mechanical and electrochemical stability, the NCM811/LACO composite cathodes achieve 800 cycles at 4.3 V and 275 cycles at 4.5 V with 80% capacity retention under a low stack pressure of 10 MPa.

Development of a portable online nondestructive detection device for apple watercore based on visible/near-infrared spectroscopy

EU-ETS emergency reserve price curbs coal use and shields consumers during natural gas price shocks

Abstract Recurring surges in natural gas prices strain climate policy by raising electricity prices, inducing gas-to-coal switching, prompting discretionary interventions, and fueling pressure to weaken decarbonization. We develop an empirical framework that quantifies how gas price spikes compromise climate policy and provides a toolkit to assess emissions trading system responses based on environmental effectiveness and their capacity to limit high electricity prices. Exploiting the gas price shock following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, we estimate the impacts of gas prices on coal generation, CO 2 emissions, and electricity prices across 13 EU countries using hourly electricity market data. We find that the EU’s gas price cap has limited effectiveness and instead propose a resilient rule-based emergency mechanism within the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS). A modest auction reserve price, automatically triggered when gas prices exceed historical benchmarks, can protect consumers while preserving decarbonization incentives and limiting the need for ad hoc interventions.

Precise control of launch velocity vector for cold atomic cloud based on moving optical molasses

We propose a method for precise control of the launch velocity vector of a cold atomic cloud. By independently adjusting the relative detuning of three pairs of orthogonal counter-propagating laser beams in moving optical molasses, this method achieves accurate regulation of three-dimensional velocity components, thereby realizing precise calibration of atomic launch direction. It can significantly reduce the complexity of mechanical adjustments and mitigate residual errors caused by mechanical tuning, with the advantages of simplicity and easy implementation. Experimental verification on an 87Rb atomic fountain clock shows that the spatial distribution of the cold atomic cloud is obtained via horizontal velocity scanning, and the tilt deviation of the fountain clock is evaluated and corrected. Ultimately, the angles between the cold atom launch direction, the central axis of the fountain clock, and the vertical direction are all less than 0.1 mrad. Time-of-flight signal analysis indicates that under 3% laser power fluctuation, the long-term instability (5000 s) of the velocity reaches 62 μm/s. This method holds significant application value for atomic fountains, atomic gravimeters, atomic gyroscopes, and other cold atomic precision instruments based on moving molasses.

Stratification caused by sand extraction pits in coastal seas

Abstract As demand for marine sand increases across the globe, large-scale seabed excavation in shallow shelf seas raises concerns about its impact on local hydrodynamics and ecosystem functioning. In the Netherlands maritime area of the North Sea, deep sandpits excavated for coastal protection, beach nourishment, and infrastructure projects may reduce tidal mixing and promote thermal stratification, with implications for e.g. oxygen dynamics and biological productivity. This study evaluates how anthropogenic seabed deepening influences stratification onset, focusing on the role of sandpit geometry, including excavation depth and horizontal extent. We combine the energy-based Simpson–Hunter stratification model with a nested hydrodynamic modeling framework, employing GETM for large-scale circulation and Delft3D for high-resolution simulations using 16 sandpit scenarios. We introduce the concept of a critical sandpit depth, defined as the threshold depth beyond which thermal stratification may emerge in summer due to local deepening and associated reductions in tidal current speed. Results from the numerical model confirm that stratification tends to emerge when excavation depth exceeds the local critical threshold derived from the Simpson–Hunter criterion, with deeper and wider pits more likely to trigger stable vertical temperature gradients. In narrower pits, however, stratification is suppressed, likely due to insufficient water residence time relative to the local tidal excursion length. These findings provide a predictive tool for assessing the hydrographic consequences of sand extraction, supporting environmental planning under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). The approach is broadly applicable to other shelf systems for areas with limited salinity gradients, offering operational guidance for identifying excavation limits that prevent stratification and maintaining good environmental status (GES) in marine waters.

Large-scale investigation for antimicrobial activity reveals newly-identified defensive species across the healthy skin microbiome

Abstract The skin microbiome forms a protective barrier to pathogens, including through the production of antimicrobial metabolites. Here, we present EPIC HHS , a large and taxonomically diverse skin microbiome culture collection of 968 strains from eight body sites. EPIC HHS captures >95% of cumulative species-level abundance across 268 skin metagenomes. It includes isolates present at <0.1% relative abundance and the cultured representatives for eight species not previously isolated, markedly expanding current skin microbiome resources. A contact-independent screen assaying ~14,000 pairwise interactions against 22 pathogens revealed widespread antagonism with striking enrichment for antifungal activity. Finally, functional genomic analysis, including 287 EPIC HHS isolate genomes, demonstrated a diverse landscape of skin-associated biosynthetic gene clusters that are mostly uncharacterized. Together EPIC HHS , its functional and genomic characterization, establishes the skin microbiome as a reservoir for specialized metabolism and provides a platform for microbiome-based antimicrobial discovery.

A conductive epitaxial underlayer for voltage control in magnetic garnet heterostructures

Magnetic iron garnets hold great interest for magnonic, spintronic, and magnetooptical devices, but utilizing voltage-driven phenomena in insulating garnets has been prevented by the lack of a conductive epitaxial garnet underlayer. Beyond providing sufficient electrical conduction, the underlayer should exhibit low saturation magnetization to minimize magnetic interaction with the magnetic layers of the heterostructure, while maintaining high crystalline quality to enable epitaxial growth. Here, defect engineering via site-selective doping is employed to enhance the electrical conductivity of Y3Fe5O12 (YIG) while suppressing its magnetization. Epitaxial Fe-deficient Ca-doped YIG (Y2.7Ca0.3Fe4.7O12-δ, CaYIG) films, where Ca2+ substitutes Y3+ in the dodecahedral sites, exhibit electrical resistivities of 5.8 × 103 Ω cm and above and show saturation magnetization of 145 kA/m comparable to that of YIG, with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy or an in-plane easy axis depending on the substrate. Substitution of Al3+ into tetrahedral Fe3+ sites in Ca0.3Y2.7Fe3.5Al1O12-δ (CaAlYIG) reduces the saturation magnetization to below 25 kA/m and increases the resistivity to 1.65 × 104 Ω cm or higher. The functionality of CaAlYIG was demonstrated in a heterostructure of Bi1.2Y1.8Fe5O12 (BiYIG)/CaAlYIG/Gd3Sc2Ga3O12, where the CaAlYIG layer enables a voltage to be applied through the thickness of the BiYIG layer.

Detoxification of lead (pb²⁺) from simulated and real apple juice using chitosan/bacterial cellulose/MIL-100(Fe) aerogel microbeads

Resolving thyroid lineage cell trajectories merging into a dual endocrine gland in mammals

Abstract The thyroid has a remarkable evolution, transforming from an exocrine constituent of the chordate endostyle to an endocrine gland in basal vertebrates. In mammals, a second endocrine cell type of presumed neural crest origin appears, although recent lineage tracing has firmly established thyroid C-cells are also endoderm-derived. Here, we characterize the global gene expression in both embryonic thyroid lineages at single-cell level and identify lineage-specific transcription factors and their network regulation of target genes implicated in thyroid development into a dual endocrine organ. Merging of the pharyngeal pouch-derived ultimobranchial bodies with the midline thyroid primordium is an ordered process featuring basement membrane dynamics and epithelial-mesenchymal plasticity required for precursor cells to disseminate and properly integrate, thus forming the typical histoarchitecture of thyroid follicles and parafollicular C-cells. Synchronous lineage growth of compound follicles is recapitulated in mixed-type thyroid carcinoma in which only the neuroendocrine tumor cells escape the follicle basement membrane boundaries and become invasive adopting a C-cell precursor-like migratory phenotype.

Ferromagnetic insulating ground states in oxygen deficient La0.8Sr0.2CoO3 <b> − <i>δ</i> </b> films induced by ionic liquid gating

Ferromagnetic (FM) insulators are regarded as promising candidates for next-generation electronic and spintronic devices due to their low power consumption and high processing efficiency. However, achieving FM insulators with high Curie temperatures (Tc) remains a challenge. Here, we report high-Tc FM insulating La0.8Sr0.2CoO3 (LSCO) thin films with oxygen deficiencies, in which the concentration of oxygen vacancy (Vo) is modulated through ionic liquid gating (ILG). An abrupt metal–insulator transition has been observed in LSCO films even at low Vo concentration, which can be attributed to the disorder-dominant electric transport behavior. At high Vo concentrations, the transition from original Co–O octahedral (Oh) to tetrahedral (Td) symmetry opens a bandgap with well-defined band edges, stabilizing the insulating state. These findings provide important insights into the manipulation and design of robust FM insulating ground states in complex oxides via topotactic ILG regulation, offering a viable pathway toward advanced spintronics applications.

Thioflavin-T derivatives with controlled AIE and ACQ properties as potential one-photon and two-photon amyloid markers

Author Correction: Climate resilience of European wine regions

Thermal stability and phase transformation of conductive α-(AlxGa1−x)2O3/Ga2O3 heterostructure on sapphire substrates

Thermal stability and phase transformation of conductive α-(Al0.16Ga0.84)2O3/Ga2O3 heterostructure on sapphire substrates were investigated via in situ high temperature x-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The conductive α-(Al0.16Ga0.84)2O3/Ga2O3 heterostructure with fluorine (F) doping was grown by mist-chemical vapor deposition on sapphire substrates, achieving a Hall mobility of 28 cm2/(V s). The heterostructure exhibited thermal stability up to ∼550–575 °C before transforming to β-(AlxGa1−x)2O3/Ga2O3. The transformed β-Ga2O3 is mainly polycrystalline rather than a high-quality epitaxial phase. Reciprocal space mapping results reveal that the edge dislocation density remains consistently higher than the screw dislocation density throughout the heating process, indicating that the crystalline imperfection in α-Ga2O3 is dominated by in-plane mosaicity. After the phase transformation from the α phase to the β phase, catastrophic damage to the film and upheaval of the surface were observed by SEM and AFM.

Short term synbiotic supplementation improves hepatic and metabolic outcomes in children with metabolic dysfunction associated steatotic liver disease

Abstract Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is an increasingly recognized chronic liver disorder in children and adolescents, particularly among those with obesity and insulin resistance. Given the emerging role of the gut–liver axis in disease pathogenesis, this study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of synbiotic supplementation in improving biochemical and ultrasonographic outcomes in pediatric MASLD. This double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial was conducted over 8 weeks. A total of 60 participants aged 10–18 years with MASLD were randomly assigned to receive either synbiotics ( n  = 30) or placebo ( n  = 30). The synbiotic formulation contained a combination of nine probiotic strains with a prebiotic component, whereas the placebo consisted of prebiotic-only capsules (fructooligosaccharide with sucrose). The primary outcomes were predefined as changes in liver enzyme activities (alanine aminotransferase [ALT] and aspartate aminotransferase [AST]) and hepatic steatosis grade assessed by ultrasonography, while secondary outcomes included body mass index (BMI) and lipid profile parameters. Between-group differences were analyzed using appropriate statistical models adjusting for baseline values. After 8 weeks, the synbiotics group showed statistically significant reductions in BMI (− 0.70 ± 0.16 kg/m 2 ), triglycerides (− 10.50 ± 3.10 mg/dL), total cholesterol (− 10.50 ± 2.90 mg/dL), and LDL-cholesterol (− 5.46 ± 1.85 mg/dL) compared with the placebo group (all p  &lt; 0.001). Liver enzyme activities decreased significantly in the synbiotics group (ALT − 20.36 ± 7.18 U/L; AST − 16.76 ± 10.67 U/L), with greater reductions than in the placebo group ( p  &lt; 0.001 for between-group comparisons). Furthermore, improvement in hepatic steatosis grade was observed in 73.3% of participants in the synbiotics group compared to 23.3% in the placebo group ( p  &lt; 0.001). Synbiotic supplementation over an 8-week period was associated with significant improvements in liver enzyme activities, lipid profile, BMI, and ultrasonographic steatosis grade in children with MASLD. While these findings suggest a beneficial role for synbiotics as an adjunctive strategy, the relatively short intervention period and lack of control for lifestyle factors warrant cautious interpretation. Further studies with longer follow-up, detailed lifestyle assessment, and mechanistic investigations are needed to confirm these results and clarify the underlying pathways. Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials code : IRCT20220314054279N1.