Junctionless Negative-Differential-Resistance Device Using 2D Van-Der-Waals Layered Materials for Ternary Parallel Computing.

Negative-differential-resistance (NDR) devices offer a promising pathway for developing future computing technologies characterized by exceptionally low energy consumption, especially multivalued logic computing. Nevertheless, conventional approaches aimed at attaining the NDR phenomenon involve intricate junction configurations and/or external doping processes in the channel region, impeding the progress of NDR devices to the circuit and system levels. Here, an NDR device is presented that incorporates a channel without junctions. The NDR phenomenon is achieved by introducing a metal-insulator-semiconductor capacitor to a portion of the channel area. This approach establishes partial potential barrier and well that effectively restrict the movement of hole and electron carriers within specific voltage ranges. Consequently, this facilitates the implementation of both a ternary inverter and a ternary static-random-access-memory, which are essential components in the development of multivalued logic computing technology.

Column Row Convolutional Neural Network: Reducing Parameters for Efficient Image Processing.

Recent advancements in deep learning have achieved significant progress by increasing the number of parameters in a given model. However, this comes at the cost of computing resources, prompting researchers to explore model compression techniques that reduce the number of parameters while maintaining or even improving performance. Convolutional neural networks (CNN) have been recognized as more efficient and effective than fully connected (FC) networks. We propose a column row convolutional neural network (CRCNN) in this letter that applies 1D convolution to image data, significantly reducing the number of learning parameters and operational steps. The CRCNN uses column and row local receptive fields to perform data abstraction, concatenating each direction's feature before connecting it to an FC layer. Experimental results demonstrate that the CRCNN maintains comparable accuracy while reducing the number of parameters and compared to prior work. Moreover, the CRCNN is employed for one-class anomaly detection, demonstrating its feasibility for various applications.

Educational Outcomes and Perception Changes in Medical Students After Visiting a Blood Donation Center.

Educating primary care physicians about blood donation and transfusion is critical. The Division of Hematology and Oncology at Soonchunhyang University Seoul Hospital in Korea introduced an on-site educational program termed the Blood Donation Center Visiting Program in the clerkship education for final-year medical students. We evaluated the educational outcomes and changes in perception among medical students after the Blood Donation Center Visiting Program based on a survey. The program was implemented from 2021 to 2023. As part of the program, students visited a blood donation center each week, one group at a time. They gained practical knowledge about the blood donation process, and some students actively participated in blood donation. After the program, 287 students were eligible for an online survey of the program, of whom 203 participated in the survey. Among the 203 students, 126 (62.1%) donated blood during their visit to the blood donation center as part of the program, and 88.7% of the students reported an increase (from 71.4% to 90.1%) in their knowledge and willingness to donate blood. The on-site educational Blood Donation Center Visiting Program appears to have generated positive changes in perceptions among students and enhanced their knowledge about blood donation.

Molecular Dipoles as a Surface Flattening and Interface Stabilizing Agent for Lithium-Metal Batteries.

Reaching the border of the capable energy limit in existing battery technology has turned research attention away from the rebirth of unstable Li-metal anode chemistry in order to achieve exceptional performance. Strict regulation of the dendritic Li surface reaction, which results in a short circuit and safety issues, should be achieved to realize Li-metal batteries. Herein, this study reports a surface-flattening and interface product stabilizing agent employing methyl pyrrolidone (MP) molecular dipoles in the electrolyte for cyclable Li-metal batteries. The excellent stability of the Li-metal electrode over 600 cycles at a high current density of 5 mA cm-2 has been demonstrated using an optimal concentration of the MP additive. This study has identified the flattening surface reconstruction and crystal rearrangement behavior along the stable (110) plane assisted by the MP molecular dipoles. The stabilization of the Li-metal anodes using molecular dipole agents has helped develop next-generation energy storage devices using Li-metal anodes, such as Li-air, Li-S, and semi-solid-state batteries.

A Reflection on Sustainable Anode Materials for Electrochemical Chloride Oxidation.

Chloride oxidation is a key industrial electrochemical process in chlorine-based chemical production and water treatment. Over the past few decades, dimensionally stable anodes (DSAs) consisting of RuO2 - and IrO2 -based mixed-metal oxides have been successfully commercialized in the electrochemical chloride oxidation industry. For a sustainable supply of anode materials, considerable efforts both from the scientific and industrial aspects for developing earth-abundant-metal-based electrocatalysts have been made. This review first describes the history of commercial DSA fabrication and strategies to improve their efficiency and stability. Important features related to the electrocatalytic performance for chloride oxidation and reaction mechanism are then summarized. From the perspective of sustainability, recent progress in the design and fabrication of noble-metal-free anode materials, as well as methods for evaluating the industrialization of novel electrocatalysts, are highlighted. Finally, future directions for developing highly efficient and stable electrocatalysts for industrial chloride oxidation are proposed.

Microcapsule-Type Self-Healing Protective Coating That Can Maintain Its Healed State upon Crack Expansion.

The purpose of this study was to develop a microcapsule-type self-healing coating system that could self-heal cracks and then maintain the healed state even upon crack expansion. Mixtures consisting of a photoinitiator and two methacrylate components, bismethacryloxypropyl-terminated polydimethylsiloxane (BMT-PDMS) and monomethacryloxypropyl-terminated PDMS (MMT-PDMS), were transformed into viscoelastic semi-solids through photoreaction. The viscoelasticity of the reacted mixtures could be controlled by varying the mass ratio of the two methacrylates. Through a stretchability test, the optimal composition mixture was chosen as a healing agent. Microcapsules loaded with the healing agent were prepared and dispersed in a commercial undercoating to obtain a self-healing coating formulation. The formulation was applied onto mortar specimens, and then cracks were generated in the coating by using a universal testing machine (UTM). Cracks with around a 150-µm mean width were generated and were allowed to self-heal under UV light. Then, the cracks were expanded up to 650 µm in width. By conducting a water sorptivity test at each expanded crack width, the self-healing efficiency and capability of maintaining the healed state were evaluated. The B-M-1.5-1-based coating showed a healing efficiency of 90% at a 150-µm crack width and maintained its healing efficiency (about 80%) up to a 350-µm crack width. This self-healing coating system is promising for the protection of structural materials that can undergo crack formation and expansion.

Effect of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery program on hospital stay and 90-day readmission after pancreaticoduodenectomy: a single, tertiary center experience in Korea.

PURPOSE: Despite increasing number of reports on Enhanced Recovery After Surgery program (ERAS) and readmission after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) from Western countries, there are very few reports on this topic from Asian countries. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of ERAS on hospital stay and readmission and to identify reasons and risk factors for readmission after PD. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study included 670 patients who underwent open PD from January 2003 to December 2017. The patients were classified into ERAS (n = 352) and non-ERAS (n = 318) groups. Patients' characteristics, perioperative outcomes, and readmission rates were compared. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in the postoperative complication rates between the groups. The mean postoperative hospital stay was significantly shorter in the ERAS group (24.5 vs. 18.0 days, P < 0.001), but the 90-day readmission rate was similar in the 2 groups (9.1% vs. 8.5%, P = 0.785). Complications associated with pancreatic fistula (42.4%) were the most common cause for readmission. In the multivariate analysis, diabetes mellitus (odds ratio [OR], 1.84; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.05-3.24; P = 0.034), preoperative non-jaundice (OR, 0.45; 95% CI, 0.25-0.82; P = 0.009) and severe postoperative complications (OR, 4.12; 95% CI, 2.34-7.26; P < 0.001) were identified as risk factors for readmission. CONCLUSION: The results confirmed that the ERAS program for PD was beneficial in reducing postoperative stay without increasing readmission risks. To decrease readmission rates, prudent discharge planning and medical support should be considered in patients who experience severe complications.

Generation and manipulation of isotropic droplets in nematic medium using switchable dielectrophoresis.

Dielectrophoresis (DEP) in a medium with anisotropic dielectric susceptibility is very different from typical DEP in an isotropic medium: The direction of particle actuation can be switched depending on the direction of the susceptibility tensor of the medium. However, the understanding of switchable DEP (SDEP) in an anisotropic medium is still in its infant stage. Here, we investigate SDEP using heat-generated isotropic droplets in a nematic liquid crystal (LC) medium. We demonstrate that the location of the generation of isotropic droplets can be partially controlled by controlling the temperature gradient within the LC cell using dielectric loss. The SDEP actuation of isotropic droplets is also highly dependent on the location of the isotropic droplets. Using this method, we fabricated different array patterns of isotropic and nematic phase separations under different applied signals.

A self-assembled nanoparticle cluster array fabricated using nematic-isotropic phase separation on a functionalized surface.

The manipulation of a large number of nanoparticles (NPs) is an interesting but challenging task. Here, we demonstrate a new method to fabricate an NP cluster array, in which the shape and size of each NP cluster can be controlled. The method involves the use of the solubility contrast of NPs in the isotropic and nematic liquid crystal (LC) media, and the isotropic-preference difference depending on the types of the surfaces. The former mechanism is used to trap NPs within the isotropic domain, the size of which is simply manipulated by adjusting temperature. The latter mechanism is used to control the location of isotropic pockets in the continuous nematic phase. By controlling the volume and location of the isotropic pocket, one can simply create various types of NP cluster arrays. This method does not involve the use of any external field, and may be applicable to other types of NPs, including ferroelectric or ferromagnetic materials, thereby expanding its applicability.

Switchable dielectrophoresis of defect-free droplets in an anisotropic liquid crystal medium.

Dielectrophoresis (DEP) is widely used in nanoscience and biology to control small particles but its applicability is significantly limited by its one-way impetus characteristics along the square field gradient (∇E2) direction, that is, DEP force, FDEP ∼ ∇E2. Here, switchable DEP (SDEP) using the anisotropic property of a nematic medium is demonstrated; FDEP does not need to be parallel to ∇E2 but is arbitrarily changeable depending on the permittivity tensor orientation of the medium. To effectively demonstrate the SDEP phenomenon, isotropic droplets with infinitesimal surface anchoring in a nematic medium are introduced, in which topological defects of the nematic medium around dispersed objects are effectively eliminated. The experimental behaviours are well explained by theoretical and simulation results. To emphasize the applicability of SDEP, switchable arrays of isotropic droplets and an isotropic pocket carrier system containing micro-particles are demonstrated. The results reveal a new dimension of DEP and provide a novel approach for manipulating nano- or micro-materials in colloids.

Draft genome sequence of Kocuria rhizophila P7-4.

We report the draft genome sequence of Kocuria rhizophila P7-4, which was isolated from the intestine of Siganus doliatus caught in the Pacific Ocean. The 2.83-Mb genome sequence consists of 75 large contigs (>100 bp in size) and contains 2,462 predicted protein-coding genes.

Genome sequence of Acinetobacter sp. strain P8-3-8, isolated from Fistularia commersonii in Vietnam.

Acinetobacter sp. strain P8-3-8 is an aerobic, Gram-negative marine bacterium isolated from the intestine of the bluespotted cornetfish (Fistularia commersonii). Here, we present the draft genome sequence of Acinetobacter sp. P8-3-8 (3,905,565 bp, with a G+C content of 37.6%) containing 3,621 putative coding sequences. The genome data reveal a high density of genes encoding transcriptional regulators involved in anaerobic respiration.

Sequence and expression analysis of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1 from flounder (Paralichthys olivaceous).

Extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERKs) are a subgroup of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) that function as important intermediates in signal transduction pathways initiated by several types of cell surface receptors. We cloned a transcript of ERK1 from a cDNA library of flounder leukocytes stimulated with bacterial lipopolysaccharide and hemagglutinin lectin. Flounder ERK1 consists of 1502 nucleotides and encodes a polypeptide of 393 amino acids. Flounder ERK1 showed 90 and 89% amino acid sequence identity to ERK1 of carp and zebrafish, respectively, and over 85% to that of mammals. Multiple bands were detected by Southern blot analysis of flounder genomic DNA after digestion with various restriction enzymes, implying the presence of additional MAPK genes in flounder. Real-time PCR revealed the ubiquitous expression of flounder MAPK in all tissues with high levels of transcription in brain, gill, and fin, but not in muscle or skin. Flounder MAPK was successfully expressed in mammalian COS1 cells and phosphorylated myelin basic protein (MBP) substrate when the cells were stimulated with PMA or EGF, indicating that flounder MAPK is functional in animal cells.