A unit-cell model for thermal regulation of degradation of organics in solid waste.

It is a well appreciated fact that temperature is one of the key factors influencing the degradation of organics. Heat exchangers are a viable option that can be used to adjust the temperature in solid waste to an extent most suitable for waste degradation. This paper focuses on an experimental and theoretical investigation of the feasibility of using a water-circulating heat exchanger for thermal regulation of waste degradation. A cylindrical bioreactor with a central pipe connected to a water circulation system is devised and instrumented. The changes in temperature and gas production were monitored during the degradation of the organic component of the waste. Test results with and without thermal regulation are analyzed and compared. In addition, an analytical model is proposed to simulate the symmetrical heat transport behavior subjected to heat exchange. Heat generation due to the degradation of organics is taken into account. There was a good correlation between the analytical model prediction and the experimental data obtained from the laboratory test and field monitoring.

GaN Nano Air Channel Diodes: Enabling High Rectification Ratio and Neutron Robust Radiation Operation.

Nano air channel transistors (NACTs) provide numerous advantages over traditional silicon devices, including faster switching speeds, higher operating frequencies, and enhanced radiation hardness attributable to the ballistic transport of electrons. In the development of field-emission-based integrated circuits, low-power consumption rectifying nano air channel diodes (NACDs) play a crucial role. However, achieving rectification characteristics in NACDs is challenging due to their structural and material symmetry. This paper proposes a vertical GaN NACD with a consistent nano air channel fabricated using IC-compatible processes. The GaN NACD exhibits an exceptionally low turn-on voltage of 0.3 V while delivering a high output current of 5.02 mA at 3 V. Notably, it demonstrates a high rectification ratio of up to 2.2 × 105, attributing to significant work function disparities within the GaN-Au structure, coupled with the reduction of Au surface roughness to minimize reverse current. Furthermore, the junction-free structure and superior material properties of GaN enable the NACD to be suitable for use in radiation-rich environments. With its potential as a fundamental component of ultrafast and ultrahigh-frequency integrated circuits, this intriguing and cost-effective rectifying diode is anticipated to garner widespread interest within the electronics community.

Additive-Induced Synergies of Ion Migration Inhibition and Defect Passivation toward Sensitive Perovskite X-ray Detectors.

Two-dimensional (2D) Ruddlesden-Popper (RP) metal halide perovskites have emerged as a promising material for X-ray detection. However, defects and ion migration generated nonradiative recombination and high dark current could cause severe performance degradation, which hinders their application. Herein, rubrene was added to the precursor solution of BA2MA3Pb4I13 to modulate the performance of the 2D RP perovskite X-ray detectors. The cation-π interaction between rubrene and perovskite could passivate the defects and inhibit the ion migration, resulting in improved performance and stability. The detectors made with rubrene exhibited a sensitivity of 354.30 µC·Gyair-1 cm-2 and a detection limit of 112.85 nGyair s-1. This work highlights the synergistic effect of rubrene in defect passivation and ion migration inhibition, providing a facile approach toward sensitive perovskite X-ray detectors.

Fast Response GaN Nanoscale Air Channel Diodes with Highly Stable 10 mA Output Current toward Wafer-Scale Fabrication.

Nanoscale air channel transistors (NACTs) have received significant attention due to their remarkable high-frequency performance and high switching speed, which is enabled by the ballistic transport of electrons in sub-100 nm air channels. Despite these advantages, NACTs are still limited by low currents and instability compared to solid-state devices. GaN, with its low electron affinity, strong thermal and chemical stability, and high breakdown electric field, presents an appealing candidate as a field emission material. Here, a vertical GaN nanoscale air channel diode (NACD) with a 50 nm air channel is reported, fabricated by low-cost IC-compatible manufacturing technologies on a 2-inch sapphire wafer. The device boasts a record field emission current of 11 mA at 10 V in the air and exhibits outstanding stability during cyclic, long-term, and pulsed voltage testing. Additionally, it displays fast switching characteristics and good repeatability with a response time of fewer than 10 ns. Moreover, the temperature-dependent performance of the device can guide the design of GaN NACTs for applications in extreme conditions. The research holds great promise for large current NACTs and will speed up their practical implementation.

Influence of framing on medical decision making.

Numerous studies have demonstrated the robustness of the framing effect in a variety of contexts, especially in medical decision making. Unfortunately, research is still inconsistent as to how so many variables impact framing effects in medical decision making. Additionally, much attention should be paid to the framing effect not only in hypothetical scenarios but also in clinical experience.

Expertise accounts for inversion effect: new behavioral evidence.

A contextual priming paradigm was used to investigate the influence of processing of configural/featural information and activation of expertise upon inversion effect. 32 participants were divided into Faces group (Faces priming vs. English letters priming) and Chinese characters group (Chinese characters priming vs. English letters priming). Pair matching tasks were performed in the processing of configural and featural information respectively. Participants were primed with either Face/Chinese characters or Combination of English letters, and then tested on ambiguous, undefined, but identical stimuli that could be interpreted as either faces/Chinese characters or combination of English letters in terms of different contextual priming. The presence of inversion effect in Faces and Chinese characters priming (only in the processing of configural information) and the absence of such effect in the English letters priming demonstrated that inversion effect should be attributed not only to the processing of configural information but also to the specific top-down priming mechanism. However, inversion effect of Chinese characters priming was distinct from that induced in the faces priming, and such effect of inversion in Chinese characters couldn't be explained by the recruitment of face-specific mechanisms, which justified the explanation of inversion effect by expertise.