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Elastic polymer-based conductive composites (EPCCs) are of great potential in the field of flexible sensors due to the advantages of designable functionality and thermal and chemical stability. As one of the popular choices for sensor electrodes and sensitive materials, considerable progress in EPCCs used in sensors has been made in recent years. In this review, we introduce the types and the conductive mechanisms of EPCCs. Furthermore, the recent advances in the application of EPCCs to sensors are also summarized. This review will provide guidance for the design and optimization of EPCCs and offer more possibilities for the development and application of flexible sensors.
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Metabolic abnormalities are an important feature of tumours. The glutamine-arginine-proline axis is an important node of cancer metabolism and plays a major role in amino acid metabolism. This axis also acts as a scaffold for the synthesis of other nonessential amino acids and essential metabolites. In this paper, we briefly review (1) the glutamine addiction exhibited by tumour cells with accelerated glutamine transport and metabolism; (2) the methods regulating extracellular glutamine entry, intracellular glutamine synthesis and the fate of intracellular glutamine; (3) the glutamine, proline and arginine metabolic pathways and their interaction; and (4) the research progress in tumour therapy targeting the glutamine-arginine-proline metabolic system, with a focus on summarising the therapeutic research progress of strategies targeting of one of the key enzymes of this metabolic system, P5CS (ALDH18A1). This review provides a new basis for treatments targeting the metabolic characteristics of tumours.
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Arginine , Glutamine , Neoplasms , Proline , Humans , Glutamine/metabolism , Neoplasms/metabolism , Neoplasms/drug therapy , Neoplasms/pathology , Proline/metabolism , Proline/chemistry , Arginine/metabolism , Antineoplastic Agents/pharmacology , Antineoplastic Agents/chemistry , Antineoplastic Agents/chemical synthesis , Molecular Structure , AnimalsABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Gynecological diseases ranked second among new cases of noncommunicable diseases in women of reproductive age in 1990 and 2019 globally. The aim of this study was to estimate the disease burden of gynecological diseases and describe their trends in women of all ages from 1990 to 2019. METHODS: Using data from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries and Risk Factors Study (GBD 2019), authors examined the incidence, disability-adjusted life years, and deaths from gynecological diseases by age in 204 countries and territories worldwide from 1990 to 2019. Analyses were conducted in 2022. RESULTS: Globally, the age-standardized incidence rate and age-standardized disability-adjusted life year rate (ASDR) of gynecological diseases decreased by -0.176% and -0.245%, respectively from 1990 to 2019. Low socioeconomic development index countries had the highest age-standardized incidence rate and ASDR in 2019. The age-specific incidence rate of gynecological diseases in women aged 15-29 years increased from 1990 to 2019, and the 20-24-year age group increased the greatest by 0.21%. Polycystic ovary syndrome and other types of benign disorders contributed to the major increase. CONCLUSIONS: Although the disease burden of gynecological diseases decreased slightly between 1990 and 2019 globally, it remained highest in low socioeconomic development index countries. The disease burden in 20-24-year age group exhibited the fastest growth, with polycystic ovary syndrome and other types of benign disorders playing a significant role. Urgent and effective measures should be taken to target different age groups, types of gynecological disease, and regions with high disease burdens.
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In order to evaluate the effect of aging and particle size on the adsorption of heavy metals by microplastics, the adsorption behavior of Cu(â ¡) by three different particle sizes of polystyrene (PS; 1, 50, and 100 µm) under UV irradiation was systematically studied. The results demonstrated that UV aging significantly changed the surface morphology and physicochemical properties of PS, and 1 µm PS had the strongest aging degree. The adsorption kinetics of PS on Cu(â ¡) conformed to the pseudo-second-order kinetic model, and the Freundlich model was more suitable for the experimental data of isothermal adsorption of Cu(â ¡) by PS. These results indicated that the adsorption of Cu(â ¡) by PS occurred on the non-uniform surface of PS, and the adsorption behavior was multilayer adsorption. Parameter "n" of the Freundlich model was less than 1, indicating that the adsorption behavior of PS on Cu(â ¡) was a higher intensity physical adsorption behavior. The order of theoretical maximum adsorption capacity of different particle sizes PS for Cu(â ¡) was as follows:1 µm > 50 µm > 100 µm, indicating that the size of PS was an important influence factor for the adsorption capacity of PS to pollutants. For the same particle size PS, aging enhanced its adsorption capacity for Cu(â ¡). The results on the adsorption of Cu(â ¡) by PS under different environmental conditions indicated that the adsorption capacity of PS for Cu (II) increased with the increase in pH, whereas an increase in salinity had the opposite effect. Surface complexation and electrical adsorption were the main mechanisms of adsorption of Cu(â ¡) by PS. This study provides an important scientific basis for understanding the adsorption behavior of microplastics to heavy metals in the environment.
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Accurately characterizing friction behaviors at water-solid interfaces remains a challenge because of the dynamic nature of water molecules and temporal variations in solid surface charges. By using a density-functional-theory (DFT) based machine learning (ML) technique and long-time ML-parametrized molecular dynamics simulations, we have systematically investigated water-induced charge polarization and redistribution on graphene, as well as its impact on friction at water-graphene interfaces. Heterogeneous charge polarization and distribution are observed for water-covered graphene accompanied by the formation of electric double layers (EDLs). The introduction of defects into graphene significantly enhances the heterogeneity in charge polarization and distribution. Compared to pristine graphene, defected graphene exhibits reduced friction at water-graphene interfaces due to stronger charge heterogeneity, resulting in lower surface charge density and the inverse relationship between slip length and surface charge density for EDLs. Our results highlight the pivotal roles of defects and charge heterogeneity in reducing friction at water-graphene interfaces.
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BACKGROUND: The lack of specific symptoms of gastric cancer (GC) causes great challenges in its early diagnosis. Thus it is essential to identify the risk factors for early diagnosis and treatment of GC and to improve the survival rates. AIM: To assist physicians in identifying changes in the output of publications and research hotspots related to risk factors for GC, constructing a list of key risk factors, and providing a reference for early identification of patients at high risk for GC. METHODS: Research articles on risk factors for GC were searched in the Web of Science core collection, and relevant information was extracted after screening. The literature was analyzed using Microsoft Excel 2019, CiteSpace V, and VOSviewer 1.6.18. RESULTS: A total of 2514 papers from 72 countries and 2507 research institutions were retrieved. China (n = 1061), National Cancer Center (n = 138), and Shoichiro Tsugane (n = 36) were the most productive country, institution, or author, respectively. The research hotspots in the study of risk factors for GC are summarized in four areas, namely: Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection, single nucleotide polymorphism, bio-diagnostic markers, and GC risk prediction models. CONCLUSION: In this study, we found that H. pylori infection is the most significant risk factor for GC; single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) is the most dominant genetic factor for GC; bio-diagnostic markers are the most promising diagnostic modality for GC. GC risk prediction models are the latest current research hotspot. We conclude that the most important risk factors for the development of GC are H. pylori infection, SNP, smoking, diet, and alcohol.
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Background and aims: The transient receptor potential ankyrin 1 (TRPA1) channel has become a focus in pain research. However, there are no bibliometric studies that systematically analyze the existing research in this area. This study aimed to provide a systematic review of the existing literature on TRPA1 using a bibliometric analysis. Methods: Published literature in the field of TRPA1 was collected from the Web of Science Core Collection database. Quantitative and qualitative analyses of publications, countries, institutions, authors, journals, and other entries were conducted using Excel, VOSview, and Citespace software to provide insight into global research hotspots and trends in the TRPA1 field. Results: This study included 1189 scientific products published in 398 journals from 52 countries. The United States of America (n = 367) had the most publications, ahead of Japan (n = 212) and China (n = 199). The University of Florence (n = 55) was the most productive institution and Pierangelo Geppetti (n = 46) was the most productive author. PLoS One (n = 40) published the most articles on TRPA1. Pain, cold, inflammation, covalent modification, hyperalgesia, and oxidative stress were the most common keywords used in the studies. Conclusion: This study provides the first bibliometric analysis of TRPA1 publications. The physiological functions of TRPA1, TRPA1, and neuropathic pain, TRPA1 as a therapeutic target, and agonists of TRPA1 are trending in TRPA1 research. Neuropathic pain, apoptosis, and sensitization could be focus areas of future research. This study provides important insight in the field of TRPA1 research.
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Solid-state nanopores have been extensively explored as single-molecule sensors, bearing the potential for the sequencing of DNA. Although they offer advantages in terms of high mechanical robustness, tunable geometry, and compatibility with existing semiconductor fabrication techniques in comparison with their biological counterparts, efforts to sequence DNA with these nanopores have been hampered by insufficient spatial resolution and high noise in the measured ionic current signal. Here we show that these limitations can be overcome by the use of solid-state nanopores featuring a thin, narrow constriction as the sensing region, inspired by biological protein nanopores that have achieved notable success in DNA sequencing. Our extensive molecular dynamics simulations show that these bio-inspired nanopores can provide high spatial resolution equivalent to 2D material nanopores and, meanwhile, significantly inhibit noise levels. A theoretical model is also provided to assess the performance of the bio-inspired nanopore, which could guide its design and optimization.
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Molecular Dynamics Simulation , Nanopores , DNA/chemistry , Sequence Analysis, DNA/methodsABSTRACT
Bladder cancer (BCa) is the predominant malignancy of the urinary system. Herein, a comprehensive urine proteomic feature was initially established for the noninvasive diagnosis and recurrence monitoring of bladder cancer. 279 cases (63 primary BCa, 87 nontumor controls (NT), 73 relapsed BCa (BCR), and 56 nonrelapsed BCa (BCNR)) were collected to screen urinary protein biomarkers. 4761 and 3668 proteins were qualified and quantified by DDA and sequential window acquisition of all theoretical mass spectra (SWATH-MS) analysis in two discovery sets, respectively. Upregulated proteins were validated by multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) in two independent combined sets. Using the multi-support vector machine-recursive feature elimination (mSVM-RFE) algorithm, a model comprising 13 proteins exhibited good performance between BCa and NT with an AUC of 0.821 (95% CI: 0.675-0.967), 90.9% sensitivity (95% CI: 72.7-100%), and 73.3% specificity (95% CI: 53.3-93.3%) in the diagnosis test set. Meanwhile, an 11-marker classifier significantly distinguished BCR from BCNR with 75.0% sensitivity (95% CI: 50.0-100%), 81.8% specificity (95% CI: 54.5-100%), and an AUC of 0.784 (95% CI: 0.609-0.959) in the test cohort for relapse surveillance. Notably, six proteins (SPR, AK1, CD2AP, ADGRF1, GMPS, and C8A) of 24 markers were newly reported. This paper reveals novel urinary protein biomarkers for BCa and offers new theoretical insights into the pathogenesis of bladder cancer (data identifier PXD044896).
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Biomarkers, Tumor , Neoplasm Recurrence, Local , Proteome , Proteomics , Urinary Bladder Neoplasms , Urinary Bladder Neoplasms/urine , Urinary Bladder Neoplasms/diagnosis , Humans , Biomarkers, Tumor/urine , Male , Female , Proteome/analysis , Neoplasm Recurrence, Local/urine , Neoplasm Recurrence, Local/diagnosis , Middle Aged , Aged , Proteomics/methods , Support Vector Machine , Sensitivity and Specificity , AlgorithmsABSTRACT
The role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) is critical in the emergence and progression of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), affecting cell survival, proliferation, angiogenesis, and metastasis. Further investigations are needed to elucidate these effects' precise pathways and devise therapeutic approaches targeting ROS. Moreover, the expression pattern and clinical significance of the ROS-related genes in LUAD remain elusive. Through comprehensive analysis incorporating 1494 LUAD cases from The Cancer Genome Atlas, six Gene Expression Omnibus series, and a Chinese LUAD cohort, we identified a ROS-related signature with substantial predictive value in various LUAD patient cohorts. The ROS-related signature has demonstrated a significant negative relationship with antitumor immunity and dendritic cell maturation and activation. Moreover, The ROS-related signature showed predictive value on immunotherapy outcomes across multiple types of solid tumors, including LUAD. These findings reinforce the ROS-related signature as a predictive tool for LUAD and provide new insights into its link with antitumor immunity and immunotherapy efficacy. These results have implications for refining clinical assessments and tailoring immunotherapeutic strategies for patients with LUAD.
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The Hazelett continuous casting and rolling process represents a leading-edge production method for cold-rolled aluminum sheet and strip billets in the world. Its solidification microstructure significantly influences the quality of billets produced for cold rolling of aluminum sheets and strips. In this study, employing the CAFE (Cellular Automaton-Finite Element) method, we developed a coupled computational model to simulate the solidification microstructure in the Hazelett continuous casting process. We investigated the impact of nucleation parameters, casting temperature, and continuous casting speed on the microstructural evolution of the continuous casting billet. Through integrated metallographic analyses, we aimed to elucidate the controlling mechanisms underlying the Hazelett continuous casting process and its resultant microstructure. The results demonstrate that the equiaxed rate of grains increases with an increase in nucleation density, and the grain size decreases under constant cooling strength. With other nucleation parameters held constant, the grain size decreases as undercooling increases, and the columnar crystal zone expands. The nucleation density of the Hazelett continuous casting aluminum alloy has been determined to range between 1011 m-3 and 1013 m-3, and the undercooling ranges between 1 °C and 2.5 °C. The solidified grain structure can be controlled between 35 µm and 72 µm. The grain size of the continuous casting billet increases with an increase in pouring temperature and decreases as the casting speed increases. Elevating the pouring temperature positively impacts the fraction of high-angle grain boundaries and promotes the dendritic to equiaxed grain transition. Moreover, there exists potential for further optimization of continuous casting process parameters.
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BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Tumour necrosis factor (TNF) is a pleiotropic inflammatory cytokine that not only directly induces inflammatory gene expression but also triggers apoptotic and necroptotic cell death, which leads to tissue damage and indirectly exacerbates inflammation. Thus, identification of inhibitors for TNF-induced cell death has broad therapeutic relevance for TNF-related inflammatory diseases. In the present study, we isolated and identified a marine fungus-derived sesquiterpenoid, 9α,14-dihydroxy-6ß-p-nitrobenzoylcinnamolide (named as Cpd-8), that inhibits TNF receptor superfamily-induced cell death by preventing the formation of cytosolic death complex II. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH: Marine sponge-associated fungi were cultured and the secondary metabolites were extracted to yield pure compounds. Cell viability was measured by ATP-Glo cell viability assay. The effects of Cpd-8 on TNF signalling pathway were investigated by western blotting, immunoprecipitation, and immunofluorescence assays. A mouse model of acute liver injury (ALI) was employed to explore the protection effect of Cpd-8, in vivo. KEY RESULTS: Cpd-8 selectively inhibits TNF receptor superfamily-induced apoptosis and necroptosis. Cpd-8 prevents the formation of cytosolic death complex II and subsequent RIPK1-RIPK3 necrosome, while it has no effect on TNF receptor I (TNFR1) internalization and the formation of complex I in TNF signalling pathway. In vivo, Cpd-8 protects mice against TNF-α/D-GalN-induced ALI. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS: A marine fungus-derived sesquiterpenoid, Cpd-8, inhibits TNF receptor superfamily-induced cell death, both in vitro and in vivo. This study not only provides a useful research tool to investigate the regulatory mechanisms of TNF-induced cell death but also identifies a promising lead compound for future drug development.
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Cell Death , Sesquiterpenes , Animals , Mice , Sesquiterpenes/pharmacology , Sesquiterpenes/isolation & purification , Sesquiterpenes/chemistry , Humans , Cell Death/drug effects , Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/metabolism , Mice, Inbred C57BL , Male , Porifera/chemistry , Apoptosis/drug effects , Cell Survival/drug effectsABSTRACT
To investigate the efficacy and safety of drug-eluting bead-transarterial chemoembolization (DEB-TACE) combined with systemic chemotherapy in HR+/Her2- locally advanced breast cancer (LABC) patients. A controlled study was conducted on LABC patients treated at Jianyang People's Hospital and the First Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu Medical College from December 2020 to June 2022. The patients were randomly divided into the experimental group and the control group. The experimental group received DEB-TACE combined with the TAC regimen (175 mg/m2 paclitaxel-loaded albumin, 50 mg/m2 Doxorubicin, and 500 mg/m2 cyclophosphamide), while the control group received the TAC regimen intravenously. The therapeutic efficacy was evaluated using the mRECIST criteria. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 22.0 software, and baseline characteristics, overall response rate (ORR), pathological complete response (PCR), adverse reactions, and complications were compared between the two groups using paired t-test and chi-square test. A total of 60 patients were included, with 30 patients in the experimental group (50%) and 30 patients in the control group (50%). After the first treatment, the ORR was 90% in the experimental group and 60% in the control group (P < 0.05). The overall ORR was 100% in the experimental group and 83% in the control group (P < 0.05). PCR was achieved in 14 patients (47%) in the experimental group and 4 patients (13%) in the control group. The main adverse reactions in the experimental group were skin blistering, pigmentation, and pain. There was no statistically significant difference in vomiting and grade II or above bone marrow suppression between the two groups. No grade III or above adverse events occurred in either group. The comparison of tumor shrinkage between the two groups was P = 0.051, and axillary lymph node shrinkage was P < 0.05. The use of drug-eluting beads in combination with neoadjuvant chemotherapy is a feasible and safe treatment option for locally advanced breast cancer patients.
Subject(s)
Breast Neoplasms , Carcinoma, Hepatocellular , Chemoembolization, Therapeutic , Liver Neoplasms , Female , Humans , Breast Neoplasms/drug therapy , Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/pathology , Doxorubicin , Liver Neoplasms/pathology , Treatment Outcome , ChinaABSTRACT
Introduction: Post-transcriptional RNA modifications are crucial regulators of tumor development and progression. In many biological processes, N1-methyladenosine (m1A) plays a key role. However, little is known about the links between chemical modifications of messenger RNAs (mRNAs) and long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) and their function in bladder cancer (BLCA). Methods: Methylated RNA immunoprecipitation sequencing and RNA sequencing were performed to profile mRNA and lncRNA m1A methylation and expression in BLCA cells, with or without stable knockdown of the m1A methyltransferase tRNA methyltransferase 61A (TRMT61A). Results: The analysis of differentially methylated gene sites identified 16,941 peaks, 6,698 mRNAs, and 10,243 lncRNAs in the two groups. Gene ontology enrichment and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analyses of the differentially methylated and expressed transcripts showed that m1A-regulated transcripts were mainly related to protein binding and signaling pathways in cancer. In addition, the differentially genes were identified that were also differentially m1A-modified and identified 14 mRNAs and 19 lncRNAs. Next, these mRNAs and lncRNAs were used to construct a lncRNA-microRNA-mRNA competing endogenous RNA network, which included 118 miRNAs, 15 lncRNAs, and 8 mRNAs. Finally, the m1A-modified transcripts, SCN2B and ENST00000536140, which are highly expressed in BLCA tissues, were associated with decreased overall patient survival. Discussion: This study revealed substantially different amounts and distributions of m1A in BLCA after TRMT61A knockdown and predicted cellular functions in which m1A may be involved, providing evidence that implicates m1A mRNA and lncRNA epitranscriptomic regulation in BLCA tumorigenesis and progression.
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BACKGROUND: To describe the changes in the level of sleep quality during pregnancy among pregnant women in Urumqi; also to construct a structural equation model of the factors influencing the sleep quality of pregnant women, to analyze the path relationship between the influencing factors, and to take reasonable interventions to prevent and reduce the occurrence of sleep disorders among pregnant women. METHODS: 986 pregnant women who gave birth in Urumqi Maternal and Child Health Hospital and Urumqi Youai Hospital between August 2021 and May 2023 were selected. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), and Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale (EPDS) were used to assess the sleep, anxiety, and depression of pregnant women, Building a structural equation model based on AMOS 23.0 Tools. RESULTS: The results of structural equation modeling showed that: basic characteristics, obstetrical characteristics, tocolysis, lifestyle, psychological had a direct effect on the PSQI, with path coefficients of 0.243, 0.106, 0.140, 0.174, 0.658, the corresponding T-values for each path are 4.585, 2.677, 2.578, 2.297, and 9.036. The indirect effect of basic characteristics, obstetric characteristics and lifestyle on PSQI was 0.123, 0.020, 0.027. CONCLUSIONS: The high incidence of sleep disorders in pregnant women and their close association with psychological symptoms in pregnant women should focus on screening and counseling regarding psychological disorders in pregnant women, thus improving the quality of sleep in pregnant women.
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Pregnancy Complications , Sleep Wake Disorders , Child , Pregnancy , Female , Humans , Sleep Quality , Pregnancy Complications/epidemiology , Pregnant Women/psychology , Sleep , Sleep Wake Disorders/epidemiologyABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the association between the triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index in early pregnancy and the development of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in the second trimester. The primary objectives were to evaluate the predictive potential of the TyG index for GDM, determine the optimal threshold value of the TyG index for GDM assessment, and compare the predictive performance of the TyG index alone versus its combination with maternal age and pre-pregnancy body mass index on GDM. Moreover, the study explored the association between the TyG index in early pregnancy and the risk of other pregnancy-related complications (PRCs), such as placental abruption and gestational hypertension. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This prospective cohort study recruited 1,624 pregnant women who underwent early pregnancy antenatal counseling and comprehensive assessments with continuous monitoring until delivery. To calculate the TyG index, health indicators, including maternal triglycerides and fasting plasma glucose, were measured in early pregnancy (< 14 weeks of gestation). The predictive power of the TyG index for evaluating GDM in Chinese pregnant women was determined using multifactorial logistic regression to derive the odds ratios and 95% confidence interval (CI). Subgroup analyses were conducted, and the efficacy of the TyG index in predicting PRCs was assessed via receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis and restricted cubic spline, with the optimal cutoff value calculated. RESULTS: Logistic regression analyses revealed a 2.10-fold increase in the GDM risk for every 1-unit increase in the TyG index, after adjusting for covariates. The highest GDM risk was observed in the group with the highest TyG index compared with the lowest quintile group (odds ratios: 3.25; 95% CI: 2.23-4.75). Subgroup analyses indicated that exceeding the recommended range of gestational weight gain and an increased GDM risk were significantly associated (P = 0.001). Regarding predictive performance, the TyG index exhibited the highest area under the curve (AUC) value in the ROC curve for GDM (AUC: 0.641, 95% CI: 0.61-0.671). The optimal cutoff value was 8.890, with both sensitivity and specificity of 0.617.The combination of the TyG index, maternal age, and pre-pregnancy body mass index proved to be a superior predictor of GDM than the TyG index alone (AUC: 0.672 vs. 0.641, P < 0.01). After adjusting for multiple factors, the analyses indicated that the TyG index was associated with an increased risk of gestational hypertension. However, no significant association was noted between the TyG index and the risk of preeclampsia, placental abruption, intrauterine distress, or premature rupture of membranes. CONCLUSION: The TyG index can effectively identify the occurrence of GDM in the second trimester, aligning with previous research. Incorporating the TyG index into routine clinical assessments of maternal health holds significant practical implications. Early identification of high-risk groups enables healthcare providers to implement timely interventions, such as increased monitoring frequency for high-risk pregnant women and personalized nutritional counseling and health education. These measures can help prevent or alleviate potential maternal and infant complications, thereby enhancing the overall health outcomes for both mothers and babies.
Subject(s)
Abruptio Placentae , Diabetes, Gestational , Hypertension, Pregnancy-Induced , Pregnancy , Female , Humans , Triglycerides , Glucose , Prospective Studies , Placenta , Blood Glucose , Body Mass IndexABSTRACT
Charge exchange and transfer between water and low-dimensional materials are critical for water-related nanogenerators to harvest electricity from water. By first-principles calculations and molecular dynamics simulations, the interface interaction and charge transfer between ion-containing or pure water and two-dimensional (2D) van der Waals monolayers including transition metal dichalcogenides, hexagonal boron nitride, and graphene have been systematically investigated. Applying uniaxial tensile strain or the introduction of defects on 2D monolayers could significantly enhance the interface interaction and charge transfer from 2D monolayers to water molecules, as the tensile strain or defect weakens the bonds of 2D monolayers and changes the hydrogen bond networks in the interfacial water layer. In contrast, the presence of ions in water suppresses the charge transfer from 2D monolayers to water molecules and reduces interfacial adhesion because of the formation of hydrated ions and stronger charge exchange between ions and water molecules. These results reveal the role of strain, defect, and ion in dominating the charge exchange and transfer between water and 2D monolayers.
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Using non-noble metal atoms as catalysts is attractive for decreasing the cost of the CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR). By screening first-row transition metals and noble metals through extensive first-principles calculations, non-noble Sc and Ti single atoms binding on vacancy-defected transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) monolayers exhibit better catalytic performance and selectivity for electrochemical CO2RR than noble metal single atoms. The overpotentials of Sc and Ti atoms for the CO2RR can be reduced lower than 0.09 V after applying suitable biaxial tensile strains on vacancy-defected TMDs, which are approximately 1 order of magnitude lower than that of most reported metal atom catalysts. The vacancy defects of TMDs and charge transfer to metal atoms induced by tensile strain play a key role in improving the catalytic activity of non-noble metal single atoms. These results highlight a possible way to design new single atom catalysts for electrochemical CO2RR by utilizing the combination of non-noble metal atoms, defected TMDs, and strain engineering.
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In this work, a solar-blind UV metal-semiconductor Schottky photodiode array is constructed by using metalorganic chemical vapor deposition grown ε-Ga2O3 thin film, possessing high-performance and self-powered characteristics, toward dual-mode (self-powered and biased modes) binary light communication. For the array unit, the responsivity, specific detectivity, and external quantum efficiency are 30.8â A/W/6.3 × 10-2â A/W, 1.51 × 104%/30.9%, 1.28 × 1014/5.4 × 1012 Jones for biased (-10â V)/self-powered operation. The rise and decay time are 0.19 and 7.96â ms at biased modes, respectively, suggesting an ability to trace fast light signal. As an array, the deviation of photocurrent is only 4.3%, highlighting the importance of accurate information communication. Through certain definition of "1/0" binary digital information, the "NY" and "IC" characters are communicated to illustrate the self-powered and biased modes by right of ASCII codes, based on the prepared ε-Ga2O3 solar-blind UV Schottky photodiode array. This work made dual-mode binary deep-UV light communication come true and may well guide the development of UV optoelectronics.