Design of Biopolymer-Coated Gold Nanorods as Biorelevant Photothermal Agents.

Gold nanorods (AuNRs) are emerging metallic nanoparticles utilized to generate heat for photothermal therapy (PTT) in cancer. The tunable plasmonic properties of AuNRs make them a remarkable candidate for hyperthermia. However, the cytotoxicity of AuNRs limits its biological applicability due to the existence of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) on the surface as a common surfactant. In this study, AuNRs are synthesized by seed-mediated growth and then the optical properties are optimized by altering AgNO3 concentration. Afterward, CTAB is replaced with biopolymers which are BSA:Dextran and BSA:Guar Gum conjugates resulting in enhanced cellular viability, enabling to use of them as biologically relevant photothermal agents. The biocompatibility of AuNRs is improved to utilize them at high concentrations for laser studies, in which similar heat generation success of CTAB- and biopolymer-coated AuNRs are shown for potential PTT applications. CTAB and biopolymer-coated AuNRs in concentrations of 0.5 and 1 mg mL-1 are irradiated under NIR light at 808 nm laser at 0.5, 0.75, and 1 W cm-2 for 300 s. The biopolymer-coated gold nanorods with different coatings preserve photothermal properties while reducing the cytotoxicity effects of CTAB and thus they are promising photothermal agents for potential PTT.

Sensory over-responsivity and atypical neural responses to socially relevant stimuli in autism.

Although aversive responses to sensory stimuli are common in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), it remains unknown whether the social relevance of aversive sensory inputs affects their processing. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to investigate neural responses to mildly aversive nonsocial and social sensory stimuli as well as how sensory over-responsivity (SOR) severity relates to these responses. Participants included 21 ASD and 25 typically-developing (TD) youth, aged 8.6-18.0 years. Results showed that TD youth exhibited significant neural discrimination of socially relevant versus irrelevant aversive sensory stimuli, particularly in the amygdala and orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), regions that are crucial for sensory and social processing. In contrast, ASD youth showed reduced neural discrimination of social versus nonsocial stimuli in the amygdala and OFC, as well as overall greater neural responses to nonsocial compared with social stimuli. Moreover, higher SOR in ASD was associated with heightened responses in sensory-motor regions to socially-relevant stimuli. These findings further our understanding of the relationship between sensory and social processing in ASD, suggesting limited attention to the social relevance compared with aversiveness level of sensory input in ASD versus TD youth, particularly in ASD youth with higher SOR.

Reward positivity moderates the association between pubertal status and social anxiety symptoms in nine-to-12-year-old youths.

The transition to adolescence is characterized by rapid development of puberty, reward processing, and internalizing psychopathology (i.e., depression and anxiety). More advanced pubertal status and altered reward processing are both known to be associated with elevated internalizing symptoms. However, it was unclear to what extent pubertal status and reward processing interacted with each other in predicting internalizing psychopathology. We examined how the puberty-psychopathology association was moderated by the reward processing indexed by ERPs, including the reward positivity (RewP) and the late positive potential (LPP). A-hundred-and-fifteen nine-to-12-year-old typically developing youths (66 girls; Mean age/SD =10.98/1.18 years) reported their pubertal status and symptoms of depression and social anxiety and completed an EEG Doors task that assessed monetary reward feedback processing. A principal component analysis of the ERP data identified a RewP, an anterior LPP, and a posterior LPP, elicited by the win and loss feedback of the task. The puberty-social anxiety relationship was moderated by the RewP, an identified neural marker of reward sensitivity. Specifically, more advanced puberty was associated with heightened social anxiety symptoms in the presence of a larger, but not smaller, RewP. We did not observe any moderating effect of the LPPs. Our study provided novel evidence that a hypersensitivity toward the reward stimuli (indexed by an enlarged RewP) further exacerbated the risks associated with more advanced pubertal status for social anxiety.

p-Type Schottky Contacts for Graphene Adjustable-Barrier Phototransistors.

The graphene adjustable-barriers phototransistor is an attractive novel device for potential high speed and high responsivity dual-band photodetection. In this device, graphene is embedded between the semiconductors silicon and germanium. Both n-type and p-type Schottky contacts between graphene and the semiconductors are required for this device. While n-type Schottky contacts are widely investigated, reports about p-type Schottky contacts between graphene and the two involved semiconductors are scarce. In this study, we demonstrate a p-type Schottky contact between graphene and p-germanium. A clear rectification with on-off ratios of close to 103 (±5 V) and a distinct photoresponse at telecommunication wavelengths in the infrared are achieved. Further, p-type silicon is transferred to or deposited on graphene, and we also observe rectification and photoresponse in the visible range for some of these p-type Schottky junctions. These results are an important step toward the realization of functional graphene adjustable-barrier phototransistors.

Optimizing P3HT/PCBM-Based Organic Photodetector Performance: Insights from SCAPS 1D Simulation Studies.

Organic electronics have great potential due to their flexible structure, high performance, and their ability to build effective and low-cost photodetectors. We investigated the parameters of the P3HT and PCBM layers for device performance and optimization. SCAPS-1D simulations were employed to optimize the thicknesses of the P3HT and PCBM layers, investigate the effects of shallow doping in the P3HT layer, and assess the influence of the back contact electrode's work function on device performance. Furthermore, this study explored the impact of interface defect layer density on the characteristics of the device. Through systematic analyses, the optimal parameters for enhancing device responsivity were identified. The findings indicate that a P3HT layer thickness of 1200 nm, a PCBM layer thickness of 20 nm, and a back contact electrode with a work function of 4.9 eV achieve the highest responsivity. Notably, at a bias of -0.5 V, the responsivity exceeds 0.4 A/W within the wavelength range of 450 nm to 630 nm. These optimized parameters underscore the significant potential of the developed device as an organic photodetector, particularly for visible light detection.

Ti3C2Tx MXene-Decorated 3D-Printed Ceramic Scaffolds for Enhancing Osteogenesis by Spatiotemporally Orchestrating Inflammatory and Bone Repair Responses.

Inflammatory responses play a central role in coordinating biomaterial-mediated tissue regeneration. However, precise modulation of dynamic variations in microenvironmental inflammation post-implantation remains challenging. In this study, the traditional ß-tricalcium phosphate-based scaffold is remodeled via ultrathin MXene-Ti3C2 decoration and Zn2+/Sr2+ ion-substitution, endowing the scaffold with excellent reactive oxygen species-scavenging ability, near-infrared responsivity, and enhanced mechanical properties. The induction of mild hyperthermia around the implant via periodic near-infrared irradiation facilitates spatiotemporal regulation of inflammatory cytokines secreted by a spectrum of macrophage phenotypes. The process initially amplifies the pro-inflammatory response, then accelerates M1-to-M2 macrophage polarization transition, yielding a satisfactory pattern of osteo-immunomodulation during the natural bone healing process. Later, sustained release of Zn2+/Sr2+ ions with gradual degradation of the 3D scaffold maintains the favorable reparative M2-dominated immunological microenvironment that supports new bone mineralization. Precise temporal immunoregulation of the bone healing process by the intelligent 3D scaffold enhances bone regeneration in a rat cranial defect model. This strategy paves the way for the application of ß-tricalcium phosphate-based materials to guide the dynamic inflammatory and bone tissue responses toward a favorable outcome, making clinical treatment more predictable and durable. The findings also demonstrate that near-infrared irradiation-derived mild hyperthermia is a promising method of immunomodulation.

Area measure of skin conductance in the Concealed Information Test.

Skin conductance (SC) is one of the indices commonly used in the autonomic Concealed Information Test (CIT), but SC amplitude is sometimes difficult to quantify. This study investigated the applicability of SC area to the CIT as an unambiguous measure of SC. Secondary analyses of an existing dataset indicated that SC area could be used to classify examinees according to their knowledge status, although the equivalence of its performance with the SC amplitude was inconclusive. Classification performance was best when the SC signal was converted to the difference from question onset and summed over 10 s after question onset. SC area produced relatively consistent evaluations of differential responses based on the amplitude for inter-item comparisons. In addition, the classification performance of SC area exceeded the chance level even for participants who showed few measurable amplitudes (low-responsive participants). A possible implication is that a tonic increase in SC occurred in response to the relevant question even in low-responsive participants, who are traditionally excluded from analysis. The use of SC area might contribute to more impartial data evaluation and broader application of the CIT. These results indicate that SC area can be used as an alternative measure of SC in the CIT.

Callous-unemotional traits and pre-ejection period in response to reward.

Callous-unemotional (CU) traits have important utility in distinguishing individuals exhibiting more severe and persistent antisocial behavior, and our understanding of reward processing and CU traits contributes to behavioral modification. However, research on CU traits often investigated reward alongside punishment and examined solely on average reward reactivity, neglecting the reward response pattern over time such as habituation. This study assessed individuals' pre-ejection period (PEP), a sympathetic nervous system cardiac-linked biomarker with specificity to reward, during a simple reward task to investigate the association between CU traits and both average reward reactivity and reward response pattern over time (captured as responding trajectory). A heterogeneous sample of 126 adult males was recruited from a major metropolitan area in the US. Participants reported their CU traits using the Inventory of Callous-Unemotional Traits and completed a simple reward task while impedance cardiography and electrocardiogram were recorded to derive PEP. The results revealed no significant association between average PEP reward reactivity and CU traits. However, CU traits predicted both linear and quadratic slopes of the PEP reactivity trajectory: individuals with higher CU traits had slower habituation initially, followed by a rapid habituation in later blocks. Findings highlight the importance of modeling the trajectory of PEP reward response when studying CU traits. We discussed the implications of individuals with high CU traits having the responding pattern of slower initial habituation followed by rapid habituation to reward and the possible mechanisms.

Design and simulation of a high performance Ag3CuS2 jalpaite-based photodetector.

This work provides a comprehensive investigation by using simulations and performance analysis of a high performance and narrowband Ag3CuS2 photodetector (PD) that operates in the near-infrared (NIR) region and is built using WS2 and BaSi2 semiconductors. Across its operational wavelength range, a comprehensive assessment of the device's electrical and optical properties such as photocurrent, open-circuit voltage, quantum efficiency, responsivity and detectivity is methodically carried out. Furthermore, a thorough investigation has been conducted into the impact of many parameters, including width, carrier density and defects of various layers. Also, the intricate interactions between WS2/Ag3CuS2 and Ag3CuS2/BaSi2 interface properties of the photodetector are explored. The Ag3CuS2-based PD remarkably produces the best outcomes with an open-circuit voltage of 0.74 V, current of 43.79 mA/cm2, responsivity of 0.79 AW-1 and detectivity of 4.73 × 1014 Jones and over 90 % QE in the NIR range for the Ag3CuS2 PD. The results showcase this jalpaite material as a promising one in the field of PD.

Highly Responsive and Self-Powered Photodetector Based on PtSe2/MoS2 Heterostructure.

In recent years, 2D materials and their heterostructures have started to offer an ideal platform for high-performance photodetection devices. In this work, a highly responsive, self-powered photodetector based on PtSe2/MoS2 van der Waals heterostructure is demonstrated. The device achieves a noteworthy wide band spectral response from visible (405 nm) range to the near infrared region (980 nm). The remarkable photoresponsivity and external quantum efficiency up to 4.52 A/W, and 1880% are achieved, respectively, at 405 nm illumination with fast response time of 20 ms. In addition, the photodetector exhibits a decent photoresponsivity of 33.4 mA/W at zero bias, revealing the photodetector works well in the self-driven mode. Our work suggests that a PtSe2/MoS2 heterostructure could be a potential candidate for the high-performance photodetection applications.

State and trait predictors of cognitive responses to acute stress and uncertainty.

Stress occurs when conditions burden or exceed an individual's adaptive resources. Military personnel are often tasked with maintaining peak performance under such stressful conditions. Importantly, the effects of stress are nuanced and may vary as a function of individual traits and states. Recent interdisciplinary research has sought to model and identify such relationships. In two previously reported efforts, Soldiers first completed a comprehensive battery of trait assessments across four general domains thought to be predictive of performance: cognitive, health, physical, and social-emotional, and then completed the Decision-Making under Uncertainty and Stress (DeMUS) virtual reality task that probed spatial cognition, memory, and decision-making under stress and variable uncertainty. The present analysis explores whether cognitive, health, physical, and social-emotional trait assessments, as well as physiological state measures, predict or modulate DeMUS performance outcomes under stress. Multiple regression analyses examined the effect of each trait predictor and stress responsiveness on quantitative task performance outcomes. Results revealed that one measure of state stress reactivity, salivary cortisol, predicted lower recognition memory sensitivity. Further, trait measures of healthy eating, agility, flexibility, cognitive updating, and positive emotion predicted enhanced spatial orienting and decision-making performance and confidence. Together, the results suggest that select individual states and traits may predict cognition under stress. Future research should expand to ecologically relevant military stressors during training and operations.

Are minimally verbal autistic children's modality and form of communication associated with parent responsivity?

Prior work examined how minimally verbal (MV) children with autism used their gestural communication during social interactions. However, interactions are exchanges between social partners. Examining parent-child social interactions is critically important given the influence of parent responsivity on children's communicative development. Specifically, parent responses that are semantically contingent to the child's communication plays an important role in further shaping children's language learning. This study examines whether MV autistic children's (N = 47; 48-95 months; 10 females) modality and form of communication are associated with parent responsivity during an in-home parent-child interaction (PCI). The PCI was collected using natural language sampling methods and coded for child modality and form of communication and parent responses. Findings from Kruskal-Wallis H tests revealed that there was no significant difference in parent semantically contingent responses based on child communication modality (spoken language, gesture, gesture-speech combinations, and AAC) and form of communication (precise vs. imprecise). Findings highlight the importance of examining multiple modalities and forms of communication in MV children with autism to obtain a more comprehensive understanding of their communication abilities; and underscore the inclusion of interactionist models of communication to examine children's input on parent responses in further shaping language learning experiences.

Impact of "intensive parenting attitude" on children's social competence via maternal parenting behavior.

"Intensive parenting" is a tendency to invest parents' time, money, and energy in their child. This also includes some gender bias concerning a mother being the best person to primarily raise her children. Some psychology scholars have pointed out that this attitude causes much stress, anxiety, depression, and a sense of guilt among mothers. However, its effects on children have yet to be revealed using an extensive survey, and this indicates the need to investigate any possible impact of an intensive parenting attitude on children. The aim of this study was to elucidate a link between a maternal intensive parenting attitude and their children's social competence through maternal parenting behavior. This was based on collecting data from 675 Japanese women who were mothers of preschoolers using the Japanese version of the Intensive Parenting Attitude Questionnaire, the Positive and Negative Parenting Scale, and the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire. The results showed that the "Essentialism," "Fulfillment," and "Child-centered" components of intensive parenting attitude influenced the "involvement and monitoring" and "positive responsivity" of parenting behavior. Furthermore, these two parenting behaviors affected children's prosocial behavior and hyperactivity/inattention. These findings suggest that an intensive parenting attitude has some impact on children as well as mothers, both positively and negatively, pointing to a serious effect on society.

Progress in Advanced Infrared Optoelectronic Sensors.

Infrared optoelectronic sensors have attracted considerable research interest over the past few decades due to their wide-ranging applications in military, healthcare, environmental monitoring, industrial inspection, and human-computer interaction systems. A comprehensive understanding of infrared optoelectronic sensors is of great importance for achieving their future optimization. This paper comprehensively reviews the recent advancements in infrared optoelectronic sensors. Firstly, their working mechanisms are elucidated. Then, the key metrics for evaluating an infrared optoelectronic sensor are introduced. Subsequently, an overview of promising materials and nanostructures for high-performance infrared optoelectronic sensors, along with the performances of state-of-the-art devices, is presented. Finally, the challenges facing infrared optoelectronic sensors are posed, and some perspectives for the optimization of infrared optoelectronic sensors are discussed, thereby paving the way for the development of future infrared optoelectronic sensors.

Humanity's evolved nest and its relation to cardiac vagal regulation in the first years of life.

BACKGROUND: The Evolved Developmental Niche (EDN) is a millions-year-old developmental system that matches the maturational schedule of the offspring, optimizing health. Every animal has a developmental niche. AIMS: Humanity has fallen away from providing its EDN. Does it matter? STUDY DESIGN: Several components of humanity's EDN were reviewed (breastfeeding, positive touch, allomothers, responsive care, free play) in relation to cardiac vagal nerve regulation, a signal of healthy development. Focal subjects were young children. OUTCOME MEASURES: A review of research on the selected EDN components in relation to vagal nerve function was performed. Data were available for all but the allomother component, which is typically not measured by western researchers, although allomothers provide EDN components alongside parents. RESULTS: Apart from the lack of research on allomother effects, all these EDN components have been shown to influence cardiac vagal regulation in young children. CONCLUSIONS: Converging evidence suggests that providing the EDN in early life may not only support aspects of a child's primal health system, but bolster capacities for social health and wellness, the cornerstone of a positive life trajectory.

High responsivity photodetector based on MEH-PPV/CsPbBr3heterojunction.

Perovskite quantum dots (QDs) and organic materials have great research potential in the field of optoelectronic devices. In this paper, MEH-PPV/CsPbBr3heterojunction photodetectors (PDs) are prepared by spin coating method based on the good photoelectric properties of CsPbBr3perovskite QDs and MEH-PPV. The MEH-PPV/CsPbBr3heterojunction improves the energy level arrangement, and CsPbBr3QDs can passivate the surface defects of MEH-PPV films to achieve effective charge separation and transfer, thus inhibiting the dark current and improving the photoelectric performance of the device. Under 532 nm laser irradiation, the responsivity (R) of MEH-PPV/CsPbBr3heterojunction PD is 11.98 A W-1, the specific detectivity (D*) is 6.98 × 1011Jones, and the response time is 15/16 ms. This work provides experience for the study of perovskite QDs and organic materials heterojunction optoelectronic devices.

A parylene/graphene UV photodetector with ultrahigh responsivity and long term stability.

Long term stability, high responsivity, and fast response speed are essential for the commercialization of graphene photodetectors (GPDs). In this work, a parylene/graphene UV photodetector with long term stability, ultrahigh responsivity and fast response speed, is demonstrated. Parylene as a stable physical and chemical insulating layer reduces the environmental sensitivity of graphene, and enhances the performances of GPDs. In addition, utilizing bilayer electrodes reduces the buckling and damage of graphene after transferring. The parylene/graphene UV photodetector exhibits an ultrahigh responsivity of 5.82 × 105AW-1under 325 nm light irradiation at 1 V bias. Additionally, it shows a fast response speed with a rise time of 80µs and a fall time of 17µs, and a long term stability at 405 nm wavelength which is absent in the device without parylene. The parylene/graphene UV photodetector possesses superior performances. This paves the way for the commercial application of the high-performance graphene hybrid photodetectors, and provides a practical method for maintaining the long term stability of two dimensional (2D) materials.

Photodetectors Based on ZrS3/MoS2 Heterostructures.

High-performance photodetectors with the detection capability of linearly polarized light have broad applications in both military and civilian fields. Quasi-one-dimensional ZrS3 as an emerging anisotropic two-dimensional material has come under the spotlight owing to its intriguing properties. However, the performance of the ZrS3 photodetector is seriously restricted by its low responsivity. Herein, a novel high-performance photodetector based on the van der Waals ZrS3/MoS2 heterostructure is proposed. Attributed to the charge trapping-assisted photogating effect, interlayer carrier transitions, and fast spatial separation of the photogenerated electron-hole pairs, the device displays superior photoresponse characteristics ranging from the ultraviolet to the visible spectrum in terms of high responsivity up to 212 A/W, an extraordinary external quantum efficiency of 8.5 × 104%, and a prompt rise/decay time of 0.19/0.38 ms. In addition, owing to the profound birefringence and dichroism effects in ZrS3 together with strong light-matter interactions in the heterostructure, profound linear-polarization sensitivity is demonstrated with a dichroic ratio of about 2.8. Overall, this photodetector not only is integrated with the excellent properties of ZrS3 and monolayer MoS2 but also further enhances the advantages through interlayer couplings, which demonstrate the strong potential of the ZrS3-based devices for high-performance, ultrafast, and polarization-sensitive photodetection.

Bridging clinical radiotherapy and space radiation therapeutics through reactive oxygen species (ROS)-triggered delivery.

This review explores the convergence of clinical radiotherapy and space radiation therapeutics, focusing on ionizing radiation (IR)-generated reactive oxygen species (ROS). IR, with high-energy particles, induces precise cellular damage, particularly in cancer treatments. The paper discusses parallels between clinical and space IR, highlighting unique characteristics of high-charge and energy particles in space and potential health risks for astronauts. Emphasizing the parallel occurrence of ROS generation in both clinical and space contexts, the review identifies ROS as a crucial factor with dual roles in cellular responses and potential disease initiation. The analysis covers ROS generation mechanisms, variations, and similarities in terrestrial and extraterrestrial environments leading to innovative ROS-responsive delivery systems adaptable for both clinical and space applications. The paper concludes by discussing applications of personalized ROS-triggered therapeutic approaches and discussing the challenges and prospects of implementing these strategies in clinical radiotherapy and extraterrestrial missions. Overall, it underscores the potential of ROS-targeted delivery for advancing therapeutic strategies in terrestrial clinical settings and space exploration, contributing to human health improvement on Earth and beyond.

Nitrogen-doped carbon dots as fluorescent probes for sensitive and selective determination of Fe3.

At present, the contamination of water resources by heavy metal ions has posed a significant threat to human survival. Therefore, it is particularly critical to develop low-cost, easy-to-use, and highly efficient heavy metal detection technologies. In this work, a fast and cost-effective fluorescent probe for nitrogen-doped carbon dots (N-CDs) was prepared using one-step hydrothermal method with citric acid (CA) as carbon source, and melamine as nitrogen source. The structural and optical characterizations of the resulting N-CDs were investigated in details. The results showed that the quantum yield of the prepared fluorescent probe was as high as 45 %, and an average fluorescence lifetime was about 7.80 ns. N-CDs have excellent water solubility and dispersibility, with an average size of 2.58 nm. N-CDs exhibited excellent specific responsiveness to Fe3+ and can be used as an effective method for detecting Fe3+ at low-concentrations (the concentrations of N-CDs as low as 0.24 µg/mL) using fluorescent probes. The linear response of the fluorescent probe N-CDs to Fe3+ was formed in the concentration range of 20-80 µM, and the detection limit was 3.18 µM. In addition, in the actual water samples analysis, the recovery rate reached 97.05-100.58 %. The prepared of N-CDs provide available Fe3+ fluorescent probes in the environment.