Double-Sided Bonding Process Enables X-ray Flat Panel Detectors.

Metal halide perovskites have demonstrated superior sensitivity, lower detection limits, stability, and exceptional photoelectric properties in comparison to existing commercially available X-ray detector materials, showing their potential for shaping the next generation of X-ray detectors. Nevertheless, significant challenges persist in the seamless integration of these materials into pixelated array sensors for large-area X-ray direct detection imaging. In this article, we propose a strategy for fabricating large-scale array devices using a double-sided bonding process. The approach involves depositing a wet film on the surface of a thin-film transistor substrate to establish a robust bond between the substrate and δ-CsPbI3 wafer via van der Waals force, thereby facilitating area-array imaging. Additionally, the freestanding polycrystalline δ-CsPbI3 wafer demonstrated a competitive ultralow detection limit of 3.46 nGyair s-1 under 50 kVP X-ray irradiation, and the δ-CsPbI3 wafer still maintains a stable signal output (signal current drift is 3.5 × 10-5 pA cm-1 s-1 V-1) under the accumulated radiation dose of 234.9 mGyair. This strategy provides a novel perspective for the industrial production of large-area X-ray flat panel detectors utilizing perovskites and their derivatives.

Heat acclimation with probiotics-based ORS supplementation alleviates heat stroke-induced multiple organ dysfunction via improving intestinal thermotolerance and modulating gut microbiota in rats.

Heat stroke (HS) is a critical condition with extremely high mortality. Heat acclimation (HA) is widely recognized as the best measure to prevent and protect against HS. Preventive administration of oral rehydration salts III (ORSIII) and probiotics have been reported to sustain intestinal function in cases of HS. This study established a rat model of HA that was treated with probiotics-based ORS (ORSP) during consecutive 21-day HA training. The results showed that HA with ORSP could attenuate HS-induced hyperthermia by regulating thermoregulatory response. We also found that HA with ORSP could significantly alleviate HS-induced multiple organ injuries. The expression levels of a series of heat-shock proteins (HSPs), including HSP90, HSP70, HSP60, and HSP40, were significantly up-regulated from the HA training. The increases in intestinal fatty acid binding protein (I-FABP) and D-Lactate typically seen during HS were decreased through HA. The representative TJ proteins including ZO-1, E-cadherin, and JAM-1 were found to be significantly down-regulated by HS, but sustained following HA. The ultrastructure of TJ was examined by TEM, which confirmed its protective effect on the intestinal barrier protection following HA. We also demonstrated that HA raised the intestinal levels of beneficial bacteria Lactobacillus and lowered those of the harmful bacteria Streptococcus through 16S rRNA gene sequencing. These findings suggest that HA with ORSP was proven to improve intestinal thermotolerance and the levels of protective gut microbiota against HS.

Covalent Bond Torsion-Enabled Unique Crystal-Phase Transformation of an Organic Semiconductor for Multicolor Light-Emitting Transistors.

High-mobility and color-tunable highly emissive organic semiconductors (OSCs) are highly promising for various optoelectronic device applications and novel structure-property relationship investigations. However, such OSCs have never been reported because of the great trade-off between mobility, emission color, and emission efficiency. Here, we report a novel strategy of molecular conformation-induced unique crystalline polymorphism to realize the high mobility and color-tunable high emission in a novel OSC, 2,7-di(anthracen-2-yl) naphthalene (2,7-DAN). Interestingly, 2,7-DAN has unique crystalline polymorphism, which has an almost identical packing motif but slightly different molecular conformation enabled by the small bond rotation angle variation between anthracene and naphthalene units. More remarkably, the subtle covalent bond rotation angle change leads to a big change in color emission (from blue to green) but does not significantly modify the mobility and emission efficiency. The carrier mobility of 2,7-DAN crystals can reach up to a reliable 17 cm2 V-1 s-1, which is rare for the reported high-mobility OSCs. Based on the unique phenomenon, high-performance light-emitting transistors with blue to green emission are simultaneously demonstrated in an OSC crystal. These results open a new way for designing emerging multifunctional organic semiconductors toward next-generation advanced molecular (atomic)-scale optoelectronics devices.

Pollen identification of three notorious illicit drug plants and its potential applications in forensic practice.

Opium poppy, coca and cannabis are raw materials for three notorious illicit drugs. For a long time, drug lords have been growing and smuggling these drugs in a variety of ways and channels and are continually finding new ways of trafficking their wares, which has led to the increasing difficulty of global drug enforcement. In the present paper, we propose an innovative pollen identification system for these important drug plants, which provides a tool for screening and detection of the drugs to aid in drug enforcement. By utilizing the characteristics of these fine particles, their abundant production, and high resistance to decay, we believe this tool could be applied in the following scenarios: detecting and dynamically monitoring drug cultivation activities; determining whether a suspect has been to fields of drug plants and determining whether the site has ever been planted with a drug plant and/or was involved in drug production. In the future, combined with microscope automatic image acquisition technology and intelligent image recognition technology, this pollen identification system is expected to be used to screen three notorious illicit drug plants, thus enhancing the efficiency of drug related crime investigations.

Application of Monte Carlo simulation to optimise the dosage regimen of meropenem in patients with augmented renal clearance for Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection.

Objective: To optimise the dosing regimen of meropenem for treating Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) infections in critically ill patients with augmented renal clearance (ARC) using pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) principles and Monte Carlo simulation (MCS). Methods: This research involves an MCS based on PK data from patients with ARC and a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) distribution of PA. This study simplifies the methods section, focusing on the critical aspects of simulation and target values for effective treatment. Results: The study highlights key findings and emphasises that tailored dosing based on bacterial MIC values is essential for patients with ARC. It also notes that empirical treatment in patients with ARC should consider the MIC distribution, with 2 g every (q) 6 h administered to achieve the PK/PD target, while 3 g q 6 h is effective in inhibiting resistance. Conclusion: Tailored dosing based on bacterial MIC values is crucial for patients with ARC. Prolonged infusion time alone does not enhance efficacy. Empirical treatment in patients with ARC should consider MIC distribution; a dosage of 2 g q 6 h achieves the PK/PD target, while 3 g q 6 h (≥12 g daily) inhibits resistance.

Molecular fingerprint and machine learning enhance high-performance MOFs for mustard gas removal.

Chemical warfare agents (CWAs), epitomized by the notoriously used mustard gas (HD), represent a class of exceptionally toxic chemicals whose airborne removal is paramount for battlefield safety. This study integrates high-throughput computational screening (HTCS) with advanced machine learning (ML) techniques to investigate the efficacy of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) in adsorbing and capturing trace amounts of HD present in the air. Our approach commenced with a comprehensive univariate analysis, scrutinizing the impact of six distinct descriptors on the adsorption efficiency of MOFs. This analysis elucidated a pronounced correlation between MOF density and the Henry coefficient in the effective capture of HD. Then, four ML algorithms were employed to train and predict the performance of MOFs. The Random Forest (RF) algorithm demonstrates strong model learning and good generalization, achieving the best prediction result of 98.3%. In a novel exploratory stride, we incorporated a 166-bit MACCS molecular fingerprinting (MF) to identify critical functional groups within adsorbents. From the top 100 MOFs analyzed, 22 optimal functional groups were identified. Leveraging these insights, we designed three innovative substructures, grounded in these key functional groups, to enhance HD adsorption efficiency. In this work, the combination of MF and ML could provide a new direction for efficient screening of MOFs for the capture of HD in the air. The outcomes of this study offer substantial potential to revolutionize the domain of CWA capture. This represents a significant stride toward developing practical solutions that enhance both environmental protection and battlefield security.

Highly Sensitive Fluorescent Sensing for Nitrobenzene of CdII Complexes Based on Three Isomers and a Bis-Imidazole Ligand.

Detection of nitro pollutants is an important topic in environmental protection. A total of 3 Cd (II) complexes (1-3) based on 3 soft organic isomers, n-(3,5-dicarboxylato benzyloxy) benzoic acid (n = 2, 3 or 4-H3DBB), and a linear N-donor ligand, 3-bis(imidazole-l-ylmethyl) benzene (3-bibz), have been synthesized hydrothermally. Structural diversity of Complexes 1-3 displays the architectural 2D or 3D change: Complex 1 exhibits a 2D network featuring tri-nuclear metal units, Complex 2 is a 3D framework based on similar tri-nuclear metal units, and Complex 3 shows a 3D network with binuclear units. Fluorescent sensing properties exhibited in all these complexes have been discovered to detect nitrobenzene (NB) selectively and sensitively. In particular, Complex 3 possesses high sensitivity for NB with the lowest detection limit of 1.15 × 10-10 M. The results of the theoretical calculation verified the fluorescence detection mechanism of NB by these Cd-based complexes. Therefore, these Cd-based complexes might be used as excellent luminescent sensors for NB.

Effect of CeO2, TiO2 and SiO2 nanoparticles on the growth and quality of model medicinal plant Salvia miltiorrhiza by acting on soil microenvironment.

In this study, a six-month pot experiment was conducted to explore the effects of nanoparticles (NPs), including CeO2, TiO2 and SiO2 NPs at 200 and 800 mg/kg, on the growth and quality of model medicinal plant Salvia miltiorrhiza. A control group was implemented without the application of NPs. Results showed that NPs had no significant effect on root biomass. Treatment with 200 mg/kg of SiO2 NPs significantly increased the total tanshinone content by 44.07 %, while 200 mg/kg of CeO2 NPs were conducive to a 22.34 % increase in salvianolic acid B content. Exposure to CeO2 NPs induced a substantial rise in the MDA content in leaves (176.25 % and 329.15 % under low and high concentration exposure, respectively), resulting in pronounced oxidative stress. However, TiO2 and SiO2 NPs did not evoke a robust response from the antioxidant system. Besides, high doses of CeO2 NP-amended soil led to reduced nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium contents. Furthermore, the NP amendment disturbed the carbon and nitrogen metabolism in the plant rhizosphere and reshaped the rhizosphere microbial community structure. The application of CeO2 and TiO2 NPs promoted the accumulation of metabolites with antioxidant functions, such as D-altrose, trehalose, arachidonic acid and ergosterol. NPs displayed a notable suppressive effect on pathogenic fungi (Fusarium and Gibberella) in the rhizosphere, while enriching beneficial taxa with disease resistance, heavy metal antagonism and plant growth promotion ability (Lysobacter, Streptomycetaceae, Bacillaceae and Hannaella). Correlation analysis indicated the involvement of rhizosphere microorganisms in plant adaptation to NP amendments. NPs regulate plant growth and quality by altering soil properties, rhizosphere microbial community structure, and influencing plant and rhizosphere microbe metabolism. These findings were beneficial to deepening the understanding of the mechanism by which NPs affect medicinal plants.

Rainstorm-induced flood risk assessment in developed urban area using a data-driven approach with watershed units.

Rainstorm flooding in developed urban areas has become a global focus. This study proposes a data-driven approach to urban rainstorm flood risk assessment. In contrast to the existing research, this study focuses on terrain watersheds as an assessment unit. Using Changsha as the study area, an inventory of 238 historical rainstorm flood locations was produced using automatic web crawling and literature data mining. Subsequently, an assessment model was developed based on a Bayesian algorithm and 16 influencing factors, and its accuracy was verified using a receiver operating characteristic curve. Because underground infrastructure is prone to backflow at its entrances and exits during rainstorms, the developed model was used to assess the backflow risk of two typical underground structures subjected to three rainstorm return periods: 5 (scenario 1), 10 (scenario 2), and 100 years (scenario 3). The conclusions are as follows: (1) The proposed method has a prediction accuracy of 88 % for flood risk. The most influential factors were H11 (proportion of impervious surface), H4 (mean elevation), and H1 (rainfall), contributing 52 %, 14.3 %, and 11.9 %, respectively. (2) Watersheds are classified into "Very Low," "Low," "High," and "Very High" based on the degree of flooding impact, accounting for 83.6 %, 11.9 %, 3.9 %, and 0.7 %, respectively. Watersheds classified as "Very High" are mainly distributed in the central region. (3) A total of 48 subway stations (7.9 % of the total) and 148 underground parking lots (6.5 % of the total) in the study area are located in "Very High" risk areas. (4) Compared to that in scenario 1, the proportion of underground entrances and exits with a "Very high" protection level in scenario 3 increased by approximately 10 %. In conclusion, this framework can assist urban planners in understanding the risks of urban flooding and mitigating potential flooding impacts.

Celastrol reduces lung inflammation induced by multiwalled carbon nanotubes in mice via NF-κb-signaling pathway.

Multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) have numerous applications in the field of carbon nanomaterials. However, the associated toxicity concerns have increased significantly because of their widespread use. The inhalation of MWCNTs can lead to nanoparticle deposition in the lung tissue, causing inflammation and health risks. In this study, celastrol, a natural plant medicine with potent anti-inflammatory properties, effectively reduced the number of inflammatory cells, including white blood cells, neutrophils, and lymphocytes, and levels of inflammatory cytokines, such as IL-1ß, IL-6, and TNF-α, in mice lungs exposed to MWCNTs. Moreover, celastrol inhibited the activation of the NF-κB-signaling pathway. This study confirmed these findings by demonstrating comparable reductions in inflammation upon exposure to MWCNTs in mice with the deletion of NF-κB (P50-/-). These results indicate the utility of celastrol as a promising pharmacological agent for preventing MWCNT-induced lung tissue inflammation.

28-day repeated-dose toxicity of orally administered Jinmao Jiedu granule in Sprague-Dawley rats.

Jinmao Jiedu granule is a Chinese medicine preparation consisting of Actinidia valvata Dunn, Salvia chinensis Benth, Iphigenia indica Kunth, and chicken gizzard. For many years, it has been employed in adjuvant therapy for cancer, especially liver cancer. However, the potential toxicity of the granule has not been reported. The present study aimed to assess the repeated-dose toxicity of orally administered Jinmao Jiedu granules for Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. SD rats were orally administered Jinmao Jiedu granules at doses of 2.85, 5.70, and 11.40 g/kg in a 28-day subchronic toxicity study. No adverse clinical signs associated with treatment were noted throughout the experiment. There were no treatment-related toxicity alterations in body weight, hematology, clinical biochemistry, urinalysis, necropsy, and histopathology in rats compared with the control group. The No Observed Adverse Effect Level (NOAEL) of the Jinmao Jiedu granule was higher than 11.40 g/kg/day in rats.

Radiative trigger thresholds of foliar photoprotective pigment regulation for global vegetation.

Adjustments in foliar photoprotective pigments are crucial for plant adaptation to harsh environments, serving as indicators of environmental stress. However, understanding when and where these adjustments occur across diverse biomes remains unclear due to challenges in large-scale observation. Here, we propose a novel approach to assess dynamics in photoprotective pigments at the canopy level using a new index derived from space-borne optical sensors. This approach generates a global map depicting the daily mean shortwave radiation threshold at which adjustments typically occur under prevailing climatic conditions. The global average of this threshold is 262 ± 50 W m⁻2, with lower values at high latitudes and peaks near 40° in both hemispheres. Temperature exerts a stronger influence on this latitudinal pattern than humidity. Future projections suggest a decrease in this threshold over northern high latitudes, implying exacerbated vulnerability under identical radiation levels due to negative warming responses. Based on this threshold, a high-stress zone around 60°N is identified and is predicted to shift southward in the future. These findings bridge critical gaps in photoprotection research and offer a new perspective on understanding the biogeochemical cycles of global ecosystems. This framework can also enhance our ability to predict the fate of diverse ecosystems under future climate.

FusPB-ESM2: Fusion model of ProtBERT and ESM-2 for cell-penetrating peptide prediction.

Cell-penetrating peptides have attracted much attention for their ability to break through cell membrane barriers, which can improve drug bioavailability, reduce side effects, and promote the development of gene therapy. Traditional wet-lab prediction methods are time-consuming and costly, and computational methods provide a short-time and low-cost alternative. Still, the accuracy and reliability need to be further improved. To solve this problem, this study proposes a feature fusion-based prediction model, where the protein pre-trained language models ProtBERT and ESM-2 are used as feature extractors, and the extracted features from both are fused to obtain a more comprehensive and effective feature representation, which is then predicted by linear mapping. Validated by many experiments on public datasets, the method has an AUC value as high as 0.983 and shows high accuracy and reliability in cell-penetrating peptide prediction.

CXCL8 Knockout: A Key to Resisting Pasteurella multocida Toxin-Induced Cytotoxicity.

Pasteurella multocida, a zoonotic pathogen that produces a 146-kDa modular toxin (PMT), causes progressive atrophic rhinitis with severe turbinate bone degradation in pigs. However, its mechanism of cytotoxicity remains unclear. In this study, we expressed PMT, purified it in a prokaryotic expression system, and found that it killed PK15 cells. The host factor CXCL8 was significantly upregulated among the differentially expressed genes in a transcriptome sequencing analysis and qPCR verification. We constructed a CXCL8-knockout cell line with a CRISPR/Cas9 system and found that CXCL8 knockout significantly increased resistance to PMT-induced cell apoptosis. CXCL8 knockout impaired the cleavage efficiency of apoptosis-related proteins, including Caspase3, Caspase8, and PARP1, as demonstrated with Western blot. In conclusion, these findings establish that CXCL8 facilitates PMT-induced PK15 cell death, which involves apoptotic pathways; this observation documents that CXCL8 plays a key role in PMT-induced PK15 cell death.

A review regarding the article 'Effectiveness of mechanical circulatory support devices in reversing pulmonary hypertension among heart transplant candidates: A systematic review.'

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) with high pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) is a very often diagnosed contraindication for orthotopic heart transplantation (OHT). It is a direct consequence of left ventricle failure characterized by high diastolic pressure obstructing the collection of blood from the pulmonary vessels. The occurrence of this situation grows with the increasing time of waiting for OHT, and with the progression of heart failure. Mechanical circulatory support (MCS) devices, particularly left ventricular assist devices (LVADs), have emerged as pivotal interventions for patients with fixed PH, offering a potential bridge to transplantation. The pathophysiological impact of PH in heart transplant candidates is profound, as it is associated with increased perioperative risk and heightened mortality post-transplantation. The selection of heart transplant candidates thus mandates a careful evaluation of PH, with an emphasis on distinguishing between reversible and fixed forms of the condition. Reversible PH can often be managed with medical therapies; however, fixed PH presents a more daunting challenge, necessitating more aggressive interventions like MCS. Patients are supported with LVADs until evidence of pulmonary afterload reversal is evident and then can be considered for heart transplantation. However, in those who are non-responders or have complications while being supported, their option for transplant is revoked. Despite these advancements, the heterogeneity of MCS devices and their mechanisms of action necessitates a nuanced understanding of their efficacy.

Maternal or post-weaning dietary fructo-oligosaccharide supplementation reduces stillbirth rate of sows and diarrhea of weaned piglets.

Fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) are well-known prebiotics that have the potential to improve sow reproductive performance and increase piglet growth. However, previous studies were observed in sole FOS-supplemented diets of sows or weaned piglets and did not consider the sow-to-piglet transfer effect on the performance and diarrhea rate of weaned piglets. This study explores the effects of dietary FOS supplementation on the reproductive performance of sows, and the effects of FOS supplementation at different stages on the growth performance and diarrhea rate of weaned piglets. A split-plot experimental design was used with sow diet effect in the whole plot and differing piglet diet effect in the subplot. Fifty-two multiparous sows (223.24 ± 14.77 kg) were randomly divided into 2 groups (0 or 0.2% FOS). The experiment lasted from day 85 of gestation to day 21 of lactation. Reproductive performance, glucose tolerance, placental angiogenesis, and intestinal flora of sows were assessed. At weaning, 192 weaned piglets were grouped in 2 × 2 factorial designs, with the main effects of FOS supplemental level of sow diet (0 and 0.2%), and FOS supplemental level of weaned piglet diet (0 and 0.2%), respectively. The growth performance and diarrhea rate of the weaned piglets were analyzed during a 28-d experiment. Maternal dietary supplementation of FOS was shown to reduce the stillbirth and invalid piglet rates (P < 0.05), improve the insulin sensitivity (P < 0.05) and fecal scores (P < 0.05) of sows, increase the abundance of Akkermansia muciniphila (P = 0.016), decrease the abundance of Escherichia coli (P = 0.035), and increase the isovalerate content in feces (P = 0.086). Meanwhile, the placental angiogenesis marker CD31 expression was increased in sows fed FOS diet (P < 0.05). Moreover, maternal and post-weaning dietary FOS supplementation reduced the diarrhea rate of weaned piglets (P < 0.05) and increased the content of short-chain fatty acids in feces (P < 0.05). Furthermore, only post-weaning dietary FOS supplementation could improve nutrient digestibility of weaned piglets (P < 0.05). Collectively, FOS supplementation in sows can reduce stillbirth rate, perinatal constipation, and insulin resistance, as well as improve placental vascularization barrier. Additionally, maternal and post-weaning dietary FOS supplementation reduced the diarrhea rate of weaned piglets, but only FOS supplementation in piglets alone at weaning stage could improve their nutrient digestibility.

A review regarding the article 'Local versus General Anaesthesia for Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI): A systematic review, meta-analysis, and trial sequential analysis of randomised and propensity-score matched studies'.

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is a promising treatment strategy for high-risk surgical patients, and trials investigating its effectiveness in intermediate- and lower-risk patients are underway. Data are inconsistent regarding the superiority of using local anesthesia with conscious sedation alone versus general anesthesia (GA) as the anesthesia management of choice for elderly frail patients. Historically, TAVI procedure is performed under GA with transesophageal echocardiography. This approach gives operators stable hemodynamic control of the patient and helps decrease the risk of many of the operation's documented complications, including paravalvular leak and valve malpositioning. However, some studies have criticized the dependence of GA on mechanical ventilation and an increased need for catecholamine and/or vasopressor agents. Alternatively, to further capitalize on the minimally invasive nature of TAVI, some authors have advocated for the use of local anesthesia (LA) and/or conscious sedation approach, which would decrease procedure time, length of hospital stay, and minimize the need for postoperative inotropes. Ultimately and at present, the choice of anesthesia is based on the personal experience and preference of the Heart Team involved in the TAVI procedure, which will dictate the best possible management plan for each patient. Many patients currently undergoing TAVI are elderly and have multiple comorbidities, making their care complex. Anesthetic care is shifting from GA to sedation and regional block, but life-threatening complications are still relatively common and safety during planning and conduct of these procedures by the heart team, with the anesthesiologist at the center, is paramount.

Dissection of Common Rust Resistance in Tropical Maize Multiparent Population through GWAS and Linkage Studies.

Common rust (CR), caused by Puccina sorghi, is a major foliar disease in maize that leads to quality deterioration and yield losses. To dissect the genetic architecture of CR resistance in maize, this study utilized the susceptible temperate inbred line Ye107 as the male parent crossed with three resistant tropical maize inbred lines (CML312, D39, and Y32) to generate 627 F7 recombinant inbred lines (RILs), with the aim of identifying maize disease-resistant loci and candidate genes for common rust. Phenotypic data showed good segregation between resistance and susceptibility, with varying degrees of resistance observed across different subpopulations. Significant genotype effects and genotype × environment interactions were observed, with heritability ranging from 85.7% to 92.2%. Linkage and genome-wide association analyses across the three environments identified 20 QTLs and 62 significant SNPs. Among these, seven major QTLs explained 66% of the phenotypic variance. Comparison with six SNPs repeatedly identified across different environments revealed overlap between qRUST3-3 and Snp-203,116,453, and Snp-204,202,469. Haplotype analysis indicated two different haplotypes for CR resistance for both the SNPs. Based on LD decay plots, three co-located candidate genes, Zm00001d043536, Zm00001d043566, and Zm00001d043569, were identified within 20 kb upstream and downstream of these two SNPs. Zm00001d043536 regulates hormone regulation, Zm00001d043566 controls stomatal opening and closure, related to trichome, and Zm00001d043569 is associated with plant disease immune responses. Additionally, we performed candidate gene screening for five additional SNPs that were repeatedly detected across different environments, resulting in the identification of five candidate genes. These findings contribute to the development of genetic resources for common rust resistance in maize breeding programs.

Lateral Heterostructure Formed by Highly Thermally Conductive Fluorinated Graphene for Efficient Device Thermal Management.

The continued miniaturization of chips demands highly thermally conductive materials and effective thermal management strategies. Particularly, the high-field transport of the devices built with 2D materials is limited by self-heating. Here a systematic control of heat flow in single-side fluorinated graphene (FG) with varying degrees of fluorination is reported, revealing a superior room-temperature thermal conductivity as high as 128 W m-1 K-1. Monolayer graphene/FG lateral heterostructures with seamless junctions are approached for device fabrication. Efficient in-plane heat removal paths from graphene channel to side FG are created, contributing significant reduction of the channel peak temperature and improvement in the current-carrying capability and power density. Molecular dynamics simulations indicate that the interfacial thermal conductance of the heterostructure is facilitated by the high degree of overlap in the phonon vibrational spectra. The findings offer novel design insights for efficient heat dissipation in micro- and nanoelectronic devices.

Design and Implementation of C-Band Large-Power Planar Butler Matrix in SRS.

In satellite remote sensing (SRS), there is a demand for large-power microwave components. A Butler matrix is essential to a transmitting antenna array in SRS. This article illustrates the electrical and mechanical design, simulation, and test results of a large-power planar beamforming network for SRS at C-band. It is a 4 × 4 Butler matrix based on square coaxial lines. Short-ended stubs are used in the Butler matrix to broaden its bandwidth by 10%, support inner conductors, and enhance heat transfer in vacuum environments. The simulation results are consistent with the measured results. The reflection coefficient is less than -18 dB, and the isolation is more than 23 dB from 3.8 GHz to 4.2 GHz. The insertion losses are less than 0.6 dB, and the phase errors are better than ±6°. The measured peak microwave power of the proposed Butler matrix is 9 kW. Its size is 440 × 400 × 40 mm3. The proposed Butler matrix beamforming network can be applied to SRS systems.