Integration of Ultrathin Hafnium Oxide with a Clean van der Waals Interface for Two-Dimensional Sandwich Heterostructure Electronics.

Integrating high-κ dielectrics with a small equivalent oxide thickness (EOT) with two-dimensional (2D) semiconductors for low-power consumption van der Waals (vdW) heterostructure electronics remains challenging in meeting both interface quality and dielectric property requirements. Here, we demonstrate the integration of ultrathin amorphous HfOx sandwiched within vdW heterostructures by the selective thermal oxidation of HfSe2 precursors. The self-cleaning process ensures a high-quality interface with a low interface state density of 1011-1012 cm-2 eV-1. The synthesized HfOx displays excellent dielectric properties with an EOT of ∼1.5 nm, i.e., a high κ of ∼16, an ultralow leakage current of 10-6 A/cm2, and an impressively high breakdown field of 9.5 MV/cm. This facilitates low-power consumption vdW heterostructure MoS2 transistors, demonstrating steep switching with a low subthreshold swing of 61 mV/decade. This one-step integration of high-κ dielectrics into vdW sandwich heterostructures holds immense potential for developing low-power consumption 2D electronics while meeting comprehensive dielectric requirements.

Incidence of HER2-targeted antibody-drug conjugates-related cardiac events: a meta-analysis.

Background: Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-targeted antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) has emerged as a hotspot for research and brought breakthroughs in the treatment of breast cancer and other solid tumors. While the occurrence of cardiac events (CEs) has yet not been systematically reported. Methods: The prospective clinical trials of marketed HER2-targeted ADCs were systematically searched in PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and ClinicalTrials.gov from inception to May 2023. Two investigators independently extracted data with priority given to ClinicalTrials.gov, followed by peer-reviewed articles. Stata 15.0 software was used to perform the meta-analysis. The effect statistics were estimated as pooled incidence with 95% confidence intervals (CI). The primary objectives were to assess the incidence of all-grade and ≥3 /serious grades CEs related to HER2-targeted ADC. Our study strictly adhered to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines and has been registered on PROSPERO (NO. CRD42023440448). Results: After conducting a comprehensive literature search, initially 7000 relevant studies were identified, and eventually a total of 47 trials involving 10594 patients were included for analysis. The pooled incidence of all-grade and ≥3/serious grades CEs respectively were 4.7% [95% CI, 3.7-5.8%] and 0.6% (95% CI, 0.5-0.8%). The pooled incidence of CEs leading to dosage discontinuation was 0.8% (95% CI, 0.4-1.3%). Subgroup analysis revealed a significantly higher incidence of all-grade CEs in T-DXd treatment compared to T-DM1 treatment (7.7% versus 3.6%; p=0.017), as well as in phase I/II trials compared to phase III trials (6.9% versus 3.2%; p=0.002) and combination therapy compared to monotherapy (7.6% versus 3.9%; p=0.013). The electrocardiogram QT corrected interval prolonged was identified as the CE with the highest pooled incidence, occurring at a rate of 5.9% (95% CI, 3.3-8.5%). Conclusions: The incidence of CEs associated with HER2-targeted ADC is relatively low. However, it is crucial to enhance surveillance measures, particularly for T-DXd treatment and combination therapy.

Correction: Association between low-sodium salt intervention and long-term blood pressure changes is modified by ENaC genetic variation: a gene-diet interaction analysis in a randomized controlled trial.

Correction for 'Association between low-sodium salt intervention and long-term blood pressure changes is modified by ENaC genetic variation: a gene-diet interaction analysis in a randomized controlled trial' by Hao Sun et al., Food Funct., 2023, 14, 9782-9791, https://doi.org/10.1039/D3FO02393A.

Entropy engineering of La-based perovskite for simultaneous photocatalytic CO2 reduction and biomass oxidation.

Herein, the high-entropy perovskite, i.e. La(FeCoNiCrMn)O3, was prepared for simultaneous CO2 reduction and biomass upgrading. Based on the synergistic effect between the elements in the high-entropy material, an excellent CO evolution rate of 131.8 µmol g-1 h-1 and a xylonic acid yield of 63.9% were gained.

Association between low-sodium salt intervention and long-term blood pressure changes is modified by ENaC genetic variation: a gene-diet interaction analysis in a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Hypertension is closely associated with excessive sodium intake, and low-sodium salt has been shown to lower blood pressure. However, whether low-sodium salt interacts with genetic variation related to salt sensitivity of blood pressure is unclear. Methods: A total of 259 hypertensive patients who completed the previous 3 years of a low-sodium salt vs. normal salt intervention were included in our study. Genetic risk scores (GRSs) of systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) were respectively built for each participant. A general linear regression model and a generalized mixed model were applied to identify the interaction effects between low-sodium salt intervention and ENaC genetic variation on SBP/DBP changes and trajectories over 3 years. Findings: during the 3-year intervention, both SBP and DBP levels showed a significant decline in the low-sodium salt intervention group than those in the normal salt intervention group over 3 years (Psalt intervention group = 0.001 for SBP and Psalt intervention group = 0.006 for DBP). Furthermore, a gene-diet interaction was found for the SBP change trajectory over 3 years (PSBP-GRS×salt intervention group = 0.011); specifically, significant SBP reductions were found between salt intervention groups in the high SBP-GRS group (-18.77 vs. -9.58 mmHg, Psalt intervention group = 0.001), but not in the low SBP-GRS group (-15.71 vs. -14.62 mmHg, Psalt intervention group = 0.791). No interaction effect between low-sodium salt intervention and genetic variation of ENaC was found for changes in DBP. Conclusions: Higher ENaC genetic variation is associated with a greater reduction in SBP in response to a low-sodium salt intervention. Hypertensive patients with higher ENaC genetic variation may experience a greater benefit in SBP reductions by consuming low-sodium salt. (Trial registration: chiCTR-TRC-09000538, https://www.chictr.org.cn).

The Impact of Different Cooking Methods on the Flavor Profile of Fermented Chinese Spicy Cabbage.

Chinese spicy cabbage (CSC) is a common traditional fermented vegetable mainly made of Chinese cabbage. In addition to eating raw, boiling and stir-frying are the most common cooking methods for CSC. To identify the impacts of boiling or stir-frying on the quality of CSC, the physicochemical properties, flavor compounds, and sensory properties of CSC were analyzed. A total of 47 volatile flavor compounds (VFCs) were detected by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Sulfide was determined as the main flavor compound of CSC, mainly contributed by cabbage, garlic, and onion odors. The content of sulfide decreased significantly after cooking. Nonanal, geranyl acetate, and linalool were newly generated after boiling with odor activity value (OAV) > 1, and contributed fatty, sweet, fruity, and floral odors to BL-CSC. 1-Octen-3-one, 1-octen-3-ol, octanal, nonanal, and (E)-2-nonenal were newly generated after stir-frying with OAV > 1, and contributed mushroom, fatty, and green odors to SF-CSC. Diallyl trisulfide, nonanal, (E)-ß-ionone, ß-sesquiphellandrene, and (E)-2-decenal were considered as the potential key aroma compounds (KACs) to distinguish the CSCs after different heat treatment. After cooking, the total titratable acidity of CSC increased and the sensory properties changed significantly. This study provides valuable information and guidance on the sensory and flavor changes of thermal processing fermented vegetables.

Nirmatrelvir plus ritonavir remains effective in vaccinated patients at risk of progression with COVID-19: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: The efficacy of nirmatrelvir plus ritonavir (NMV-r) for vaccinated COVID-19 patients at high risk of progression is not adequately recognised. To address this gap, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of current literature. Methods: We searched PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane Library, and medRxiv for articles published up to 8 January 2023 on NMV-r in outpatients. At least two researchers screened articles, extracted data, and assessed the quality of selected studies. We evaluated the results via risk ratios (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) and tested for heterogeneity using I2 statistics. Results: We included seven observational cohort studies comprising 224 238 vaccinated patients. According to our meta-analysis, NMV-r reduced 47% incidence of all-cause death or hospitalisation within 30 days for vaccinated patients (RR = 0.53; 95% CI = 0.40-0.70; I2 = 81%). After excluding the most influential result by sensitivity analysis, NMV-r still reduced risk of all-cause death or hospitalisation by 38% (RR = 0.62; 95% CI = 0.56-0.69; I2 = 0%). In our secondary outcome, NMV-r also showed its benefits in reducing all-cause death in vaccinated patients (RR = 0.40; 95% CI = 0.19-0.85; I2 = 23%). Conclusions: We found positive evidence for the use of NMV-r for vaccinated patients at high-risk of progression with mild to moderate COVID-19. However, large-scale RCTs are needed to confirm these findings. Registration: PROSPERO CRD42023391349.

Comparison of ALA-PDT and CO2 laser treatment of low-grade vaginal intraepithelial neoplasia with high-risk HPV infection: A non-randomized controlled pilot study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of 5-aminolevulinic acid-mediated photodynamic therapy (ALA-PDT) and CO2 laser therapy of low-grade vaginal intraepithelial neoplasia (VAIN1) combined with high-risk human papillomavirus (hr-HPV) infection. METHODS: A total of 163 patients with VAIN1 and hr-HPV infection were divided into PDT Group (n = 83) and CO2 laser Group (n = 80). The PDT Group received six times of ALA-PDT treatments and the CO2 laser Group received once CO2 laser treatment. HPV types, cytology, colposcopy, and pathological examinations were carried out before and after treatment. The differences in HPV clearance rate, VAIN1 regression rate, and adverse reactions between the two groups were analyzed during 6-month follow-up. RESULTS: The overall HPV clearance rate of the PDT Group was significantly higher than that of the CO2 laser Group (65.06% vs 38.75%, P = 0.0008) although similar result was obtained for 16/18-related HPV infection patients (54.55% vs 43.48%, P = 0.4578). The VAIN1 regression rate of the PDT Group was significantly higher than that of the CO2 laser Group (95.18% vs 83.75%, P = 0.0170). In patients ≥ 50 years old, ALA-PDT showed better HPV clearance rate and VAIN1 regression rate than CO2 laser therapy (P < 0.05). The adverse reactions in the PDT Group were significantly lower than that in the CO2 laser Group (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The efficacy of ALA-PDT appears better than CO2 laser for VAIN1 patients. However, the long-term effect of ALA-PDT for VAIN1 still needs to be explored. As a non-invasive treatment, ALA-PDT is a highly effective therapeutic procedure for VAIN1 with hr-HPV infection.

Ghrelin promotes cardiomyocyte differentiation of adipose tissue­derived mesenchymal stem cells by DDX17­mediated regulation of the SFRP4/Wnt/ß­catenin axis.

Adipose tissue­derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADMSCs) differentiate into cardiomyocytes and may be an ideal cell source for myocardial regenerative medicine. Ghrelin is a gastric­secreted peptide hormone involved in the multilineage differentiation of MSCs. To the best of our knowledge, however, the role and potential downstream regulatory mechanism of ghrelin in cardiomyocyte differentiation of ADMSCs is still unknown. The mRNA and protein levels were measured by reverse transcription­quantitative PCR and western blotting. Immunofluorescence staining was used to show the expression and cellular localization of cardiomyocyte markers and ß­catenin. RNA sequencing was used to explore the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) that regulated by ghrelin. The present study found that ghrelin promoted cardiomyocyte differentiation of ADMSCs in a concentration­dependent manner, as shown by increased levels of cardiomyocyte markers GATA binding protein 4, α­myosin heavy chain (α­MHC), ISL LIM homeobox 1, NK2 homeobox 5 and troponin T2, cardiac type. Ghrelin increased ß­catenin accumulation in nucleus and decreased the protein expression of secreted frizzled­related protein 4 (SFRP4), an inhibitor of Wnt signaling. RNA sequencing was used to determine the DEGs regulated by ghrelin. Functional enrichment showed that DEGs were more enriched in cardiomyocyte differentiation­associated terms and Wnt pathways. Dead­box helicase 17 (DDX17), an upregulated DEG, showed enhanced mRNA and protein expression levels following ghrelin addition. Overexpression of DDX17 promoted protein expression of cardiac­specific markers and ß­catenin and enhanced the fluorescence intensity of α­MHC and ß­catenin. DDX17 upregulation inhibited protein expression of SFRP4. Rescue assay confirmed that the addition of SFRP4 partially reversed ghrelin­enhanced protein levels of cardiac­specific markers and the fluorescence intensity of α­MHC. In conclusion, ghrelin promoted cardiomyocyte differentiation of ADMSCs by DDX17­mediated regulation of the SFRP4/Wnt/ß­catenin axis.

Serum levels of IL-6/IL-10/GLDH may be early recognition markers of anti-tuberculosis drugs (ATB) -induced liver injury.

To explore the potential value of serum glutamate dehydrogenase (GLDH) combined with inflammatory cytokines as diagnostic biomarkers for anti-tuberculosis drug -induced liver injury (ATB-DILI). We collected the residual serum from the patients who met the criteria after liver function tests. We have examined these parameters including GLDH which were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and cytokines which were determined by cytokine combination detection kit. Multivariate logistics stepwise forward regression was applied to establish regression models. A total of 138 tuberculosis patients were included in the diagnostic markers study of ATB-DILI, including normal liver function group (n = 108) and ATB-DILI group(n = 30). Serum GLDH, IL-6 and IL-10 levels were significantly increased in the ATB-DILI group. Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) curve showed that the area under curve (AUC) of serum GLDH, IL-6 and IL-10 for the diagnosis of ATB-DILI were 0.870, 0.714 and 0.811, respectively. In logistic regression modeling, the AUC of GLDH combined with IL-10 as an ATB-DILI marker is 0.912. Serum IL-6、IL-10 and GLDH levels began to rise preceded the increase in ALT by 7 days, with significant differences in IL-6 compared with 7 days. Serum GLDH, IL-6 and IL-10 levels were correlated with the severity of liver injury. In conclusion, we found that GLDH, IL-6 and IL-10 alone as diagnostic markers of ATB-DILI had good diagnostic efficacy. Logistic regression model established by GLDH and IL-10 had better diagnostic efficacy and IL-6 may be an early predictor of liver injury in the setting of ATB poisoning.

Predictive model for growth of Pseudomonas spp. on fresh duck breast as a function of temperature.

This study was performed to develop a predictive growth model of Pseudomonas spp. to ensure the safety of fresh duck breast. Sterile fresh duck breasts were inoculated with Pseudomonas spp. and stored at 4°C, 10°C, 15°C, 20°C, 25°C, and 30°C to measure the microbial change. The Baranyi primary model was used to simulate the growth changes of Pseudomonas spp. at different temperatures. The square root type model and hyperbolic function as secondary models were used to model the effect of temperature on the maximum specific growth rate and lag phase duration. The results showed that the primary models fitted the growth data well (all R2 > 0.900 and RMSE were close to 0). In validation study of secondary model, R2 were 0.987 and 0.925, RMSE were 0.017 and 1.825, respectively, indicating that the parameters of primary models were accurately predicted by secondary models. The validation experiments at tested temperatures proved that the changes of Pseudomonas spp. could be predicted accurately by the developed models combining primary and secondary models both at constant and variable temperatures. The model could be applied to predict the growth of Pseudomonas spp. in logistics for avoiding microbial spoilage on fresh duck breast.

Effect of Levilactobacillus brevis as a starter on the flavor quality of radish paocai.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of Levilactobacillus brevis on the fermentation kinetics and flavor quality of radish paocai. Compared with spontaneous fermentation (SF), the radish paocai of inoculated fermentation (IF) using Levilactobacillus brevis PL6-1 as a starter could rapidly utilize sugar to produce acid, thus accelerating the fermentation process. The texture including hardness, chewiness, and springiness of the IF were all higher than that of the SF, and the IF paocai showed higher L value in color. L. brevis PL6-1 as a starter could increase the final levels of metabolites of mannitol (5.43 mg/g), lactic acid (543.44 mg/100 g) and acetic acid (87.79 mg/100 g). Fifteen volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were identified as key aroma-active compounds in radish paocai and 8 differential VOCs were considered as the potential markers. L. brevis PL6-1 could improve the levels of 1,8-cineole, 1-hexanol, hexanoic acid, 2-methoxy-4-vinylphenol, and eugenol, giving the radish paocai floral, sweet, and sour aroma, and reduce the unpleasant odor of garlic, onion, and pungent, contributed by erucin, diallyl disulfide, and allyl trisulfide. Sensory evaluation results showed that the appearance, taste, texture, and overall acceptability of IF paocai were all better than the SF group. Therefore, L. brevis PL6-1 could be a potential starter to improve the flavor and sensory quality for radish paocai fermentation.

A prediction model for the impact of environmental and genetic factors on cardiovascular events: development in a salt substitutes population.

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) has evolved into a serious public health issue that demands the use of suitable methods to estimate the risk of the disease. As a result, in a sample of individuals who completed a 3-year low-sodium salt or conventional salt intervention in a hypertensive environment, we constructed a 13-year cardiovascular (CV) event risk prediction model with a 10-year follow-up. METHODS: A Cox proportional hazards model was used to build a prediction model based on data from 306 participants who matched the inclusion criteria. Both the discriminating power and the calibration of the prediction models were assessed. The discriminative power of the prediction model was measured using the area under the curve (AUC). Brier scores and calibration plots were used to assess the prediction model's calibration. The model was internally validated using the tenfold cross-validation method. The nomogram served as a tool for visualising the model. RESULTS: Among the 306 total individuals, there were 100 cases and 206 control. In the model, there were six predictors including age, smoking, LDL-C (low-density lipoprotein cholesterol), baseline SBP (systolic blood pressure), CVD (cardiovascular history), and CNV (genomic copy number variation) nsv483076. The fitted model has an AUC of 0.788, showing strong model discrimination, and a Brier score of 0.166, indicating that it was well-calibrated. According to the results of internal validation, the prediction model utilised in this study had a good level of repeatability. According to the model integrating the interaction of CNVs and baseline blood pressure, the effect of baseline SBP on CV events may be greater when nsv483076 was normal double copies than when nsv483076 was copy number variation. CONCLUSIONS: The efficacy of risk prediction models for CV events that include environmental and genetic components is excellent, and they may be utilised as risk assessment tools for CV events in specific groups to offer a foundation for tailored intervention strategies.

Strain in Copper/Ceria Heterostructure Promotes Electrosynthesis of Multicarbon Products.

Elastic strains in metallic catalysts induce enhanced selectivity for carbon dioxide reduction (CO2R) toward valuable multicarbon (C2+) products. However, under working conditions, the structure of catalysts inevitably undergoes reconstruction, hardly retaining the initial strain. Herein, we present a metal/metal oxide synthetic strategy to introduce and maintain the tensile strain in a copper/ceria heterostructure, enabled by the presence of a thin interface layer of Cu2O/CeO2. The tensile strain in the copper domain and deficient electron environment around interfacial Cu sites resulted in strengthened adsorption of carbonaceous intermediates and promoted *CO dimerization. The strain effect in the copper/ceria heterostructure leads to an improved C2+ selectivity with a maximum Faradaic efficiency of 76.4% and a half-cell power conversion efficiency of 49.1%. The fundamental insights gained from this system can facilitate the rational design of heterostructure catalysts for CO2R.

Two Birds with One Stone: Prelithiated Two-Dimensional Nanohybrids as High-Performance Anode Materials for Lithium-Ion Batteries.

As an inexpensive and naturally abundant two-dimensional (2D) material, molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) exhibits a high Li-ion storage capacity along with a low volume expansion upon lithiation, rendering it an alternative anode material for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). However, the challenge of using MoS2-based anodes is their intrinsically low electrical conductivity and unsatisfied cycle stability. To address the above issues, we have exploited a wet chemical technique and integrated MoS2 with highly conductive titanium carbide (Ti3C2) MXene to form a 2D nanohybrid. The binary hybrids were then subjected to an n-butyllithium (n-Buli) treatment to induce both MoS2 deep phase transition and MXene surface functionality modulation simultaneously. We observed a substantial increase in 1T-phase MoS2 content and a clear suppression of -F-containing functional groups in MXene due to the prelithiation process enabled by the n-Buli treatment. Such an approach not only increases the overall network conductivity but also improves Li-ion diffusion kinetics. As a result, the MoS2/Ti3C2 composite with n-Buli treatment delivered a high Li-ion storage capacity (540 mA h g-1 at 100 mA g-1), outstanding cycle stability (up to 300 cycles), and excellent rate capability. This work provides an effective strategy for the structure-property engineering of 2D materials and sheds light on the rational design of high-performance LIBs using 2D-based anode materials.

Effects of Adipose Plasma Transfusion Compared with Normal Plasma Transfusion on Adverse Transfusion Reactions, Important Functional Indicators, and Clinical Safety in Patients with Parenteral Nutrition: Based on a Retrospective Cohort Study.

Objective: Based on a retrospective cohort study, the study aims to investigate the effects of adipose plasma transfusion compared with normal plasma transfusion on adverse transfusion reactions, important functional indicators, and clinical safety in patients with parenteral nutrition (PN). Methods: One hundred and twenty inpatients who needed PN and plasma transfusion in Xianning Central Hospital from September 1, 2021, to March 31, 2022, were enrolled as the actual application verification cases. All the patients in the group noticed the informed consent form, and the normal plasma transfusion was set as the control group (n = 40), and the fat plasma transfusion was set as the study group. Mild adipose plasma transfusion was adopted in study group ① and moderate adipose plasma transfusion was used in study group ②, 40 cases in each group. The blood routine tests, blood lipids, blood coagulation, liver function tests, and the incidence of adverse reactions of blood transfusion were compared. Results: The comparison results of platelet count, red blood cell count, hemoglobin, and hematocrit among the three groups are as follows: study group ②> study group ①> control group (P < 0.05).The levels of blood lipids in the three groups, triglyceride, total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein, and low density lipoprotein were compared in group ②>group ①>control group (P < 0.05).The liver function tests indexes of the three groups were compared: ALT, AST, LDH: study ②study ①>control group. Regarding the incidence of adverse transfusion reactions, the incidence of adverse transfusion reactions in the study group was lower than in the control group (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Compared with normal plasma transfusion, the inpatients who need PN and plasma transfusion can effectively use the scrapped mild and moderate fatty plasma and reduce the plasma scrap rate. In the meantime, it has little effect on the function of the important indexes of the patients, and the incidence of adverse reactions of blood transfusion is low and the safety is high. Infusion of adipose plasma can also improve the effective individual and rational utilization of blood products. Trial registration: This trial is registered with chiCTR220005918.

Mechanism of In-Plane and Out-of-Plane Tribovoltaic Direct-Current Transport with a Metal/Oxide/Metal Dynamic Heterojunction.

Interfacial layer engineering has been demonstrated as an effective strategy for boosting power output in semiconductor-based dynamic direct-current (DC) generators, although the underlying mechanism of power enhancement remains obscure. Here, such ambiguity has been elucidated by comparing fundamental tribovoltaic DC output characteristics of prototypical metal-oxide-metal heterojunctions prepared by atomic-layer deposition (ALD) with a vertical (out-of-plane carrier transport through the interfacial layer) and a horizontal (in-plane carrier transport along the interfacial layer) configuration such that the influences from nonequilibrium electronic excitation and interfacial capacitive amplification can be individually tuned and investigated. It is found in the case of Al/TiO2/Ti vertical configurations that the open-circuit voltage (VOC) increases linearly from -0.03 to -0.52 V as the thickness of titanium oxide (tTiO2) increases from 0 to 200 nm with a linear amplification coefficient of -2.31 mV nm-1, which is validated by a parallel-capacitor theoretical model with tribovoltaic electronic excitation. In contrast, the VOC output with the horizontal configuration is ∼55 mV, where the potential difference is merely associated with the accumulation of surface charges and the subsequent charge rearrangement in the depletion region. Meanwhile, it is measured that the short-circuit current density (JSC) shows an initial increasing trend when tTiO2 increases, reaches its peak value at 0.21 A m-2 at tTiO2 = 20 nm, and then decreases as tTiO2 increases further. From current-voltage (I-V) characterization, it is proposed that such DC output variation with an optimal interfacial layer thickness stems from the competition of amplified voltage and increased resistance with increasing interfacial layer thickness, with the main charge transport mechanism switching from quantum tunneling to thermionic emission/trap-assisted transport. In contrast, tribovoltaic excitation is proven to be significantly weaker when a wide band-gap insulator (Al2O3) is involved. The elucidation of the fundamental mechanism of power enhancement by the interfacial layer in this work is of great significance in providing instructional direction for the development and optimization of high-performance DC nanogenerators.

Screening of gamma-aminobutyric acid-producing lactic acid bacteria and the characteristic of glutamate decarboxylase from Levilactobacillus brevis F109-MD3 isolated from kimchi.

AIMS: This study aimed to screen the γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-producing lactic acid bacteria (LAB) from kimchi, and investigate the glutamate decarboxylase (GAD) activity of the highest GABA-producing strain. METHODS AND RESULTS: Seven strains of LAB were screened from kimchi with GABA-producing activity. Strain Levilactobacillus brevis F109-MD3 showed the highest GABA-producing ability. It produced GABA at a concentration of 520 mmol l-1 with a 97.4% GABA conversion rate in MRS broth containing 10% monosodium glutamate for 72 h. The addition of pyridoxal 5'-phosphate had no significant effect on the GAD activity of L. brevis F109-MD3. The optimal pH range of GAD was 3.0-5.0 and the optimal temperature was 65°C. The D value of GAD at 50, 60 and 70°C was 7143, 971 and 124 min respectively and Z value was 11.36°C. CONCLUSIONS: Seven strains isolated from kimchi, especially F109-MD3, showed high GABA-production ability even in the high concentrations of MSG at 7.5% and 10%. The GAD activity showed an effective broad pH range and higher optimal temperature. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: These seven strains could be potentially useful for food-grade GABA production and the development of healthy foods.

Mechanism, Material, Design, and Implementation Principle of Two-Dimensional Material Photodetectors.

Two-dimensional (2D) materials may play an important role in future photodetectors due to their natural atom-thin body thickness, unique quantum confinement, and excellent electronic and photoelectric properties. Semimetallic graphene, semiconductor black phosphorus, and transition metal dichalcogenides possess flexible and adjustable bandgaps, which correspond to a wide interaction spectrum ranging from ultraviolet to terahertz. Nevertheless, their absorbance is relatively low, and it is difficult for a single material to cover a wide spectrum. Therefore, the combination of phototransistors based on 2D hybrid structures with other material platforms, such as quantum dots, organic materials, or plasma nanostructures, exhibit ultra-sensitive and broadband optical detection capabilities that cannot be ascribed to the individual constituents of the assembly. This article provides a comprehensive and systematic review of the recent research progress of 2D material photodetectors. First, the fundamental detection mechanism and key metrics of the 2D material photodetectors are introduced. Then, the latest developments in 2D material photodetectors are reviewed based on the strategies of photocurrent enhancement. Finally, a design and implementation principle for high-performance 2D material photodetectors is provided, together with the current challenges and future outlooks.

Numerical simulation of realistic top coal caving intervals under different top coal thicknesses in longwall top coal caving working face.

In the process of longwall top coal caving, the selection of the top coal caving interval along the advancing direction of the working face has an important effect on the top coal recovery. To explore a realistic top coal caving interval of the longwall top coal caving working face, longwall top coal caving panel 8202 in the Tongxin Coal Mine is used as an example, and 30 numerical simulation models are established by using Continuum-based Distinct Element Method simulation software to study the top coal recovery with 4.0 m, 8.0 m, 12.0 m, 16.0 m, 20.0 m and 24.0 m top coal thicknesses and 0.8 m, 1.0 m, 1.2 m, 1.6 m and 2.4 m top coal caving intervals. The results show that with an increase in the top coal caving interval, the single top coal caving amount increases. The top coal recovery is the highest with a 0.8 m top coal caving interval when the thickness of the top coal is 4.0 m, and it is the highest with a 1.2 m top coal caving interval when the coal seam thickness is greater than 4.0 m. These results provide a reference for the selection of a realistic top coal caving interval in thick coal seam caving mining.