bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Compartmentalisation of Rho regulators directs cell invagination during tissue morphogenesis
Authors: Simões Sérgio , Denholm Barry , Azevedo Dulce , Sotillos Sol , Martin Paul , Skaer Helen , Hombría James Castelli-Gair , Jacinto António
Published: October 2006

During development, small RhoGTPases control the precise cell shape changes and movements that underlie morphogenesis. Their activity must be tightly regulated in time and space, but little is known about how Rho regulators(RhoGEFs and RhoGAPs) perform this function in the embryo. Taking advantage of a new probe that allows the visualisation of small RhoGTPase activity in Drosophila, we present evidence that Rho1 is apically activated and essential for epithelial cell invagination, a common morphogenetic movement during embryogenesis. In the posterior spiracles of the fly embryo, this asymmetric activation is achieved by at least two mechanisms: the apical enrichment of Rho1; and the opposing distribution of Rho activators and inhibitors to distinct compartments of the cell membrane. At least two Rho1 activators, RhoGEF2 and RhoGEF64C are localised apically, whereas the Rho inhibitor RhoGAP Cv-c localises at the basolateral membrane. Furthermore, the mRNA of RhoGEF64C is also apically enriched, depending on signals present within its open reading frame, suggesting that apical transport of RhoGEF mRNA followed by local translation is a mechanism to spatially restrict Rho1 activity during epithelial cell invagination.
Regulation of stroke pattern and swim speed across a range of current velocities: diving by common eiders wintering in polynyas in the Canadian Arctic
Authors: Heath Joel P. , Gilchrist H. Grant , Ydenberg Ronald C.
Published: October 2006

Swim speed during diving has important energetic consequences. Not only do costs increase as drag rises non-linearly with increasing speed, but speed also affects travel time to foraging patches and therefore time and energy budgets over the entire dive cycle. However, diving behaviour has rarely been considered in relation to current velocity. Strong tidal currents around the Belcher Islands, Nunavut, Canada, produce polynyas, persistent areas of open water in the sea ice which are important habitats for wildlife wintering in Hudson Bay. Some populations of common eiders Somateria mollissima sedentaria remain in polynyas through the winter where they dive to forage on benthic invertebrates. Strong tidal currents keep polynyas from freezing, but current velocity can exceed 1.5 m s–1 and could influence time and energy costs of diving and foraging. Polynyas therefore provide naturally occurring flume tanks allowing investigation of diving strategies of free ranging birds in relation to current velocity. We used a custom designed sub-sea ice camera to non-invasively investigate over 150 dives to a depth of 11.3 m by a population of approximately 100 common eiders at Ulutsatuq polynya during February and March of 2002 and 2003. Current speed during recorded dives ranged from 0 to 1 m s–1. As currents increased, vertical descent speed of eiders decreased, while descent duration and the number of wing strokes and foot strokes during descent to the bottom increased. However, nearly simultaneous strokes of wings and feet, and swim speed relative to the moving water, were maintained within a narrow range(2.28±0.23 Hz; 1.25±0.14 m s–1, respectively). This close regulation of swim speed over a range in current speed of 1.0 m s–1 might correspond to efficient muscle contraction rates,and probably reduces work rates by avoiding rapidly increasing drag at greater speeds; however, it also increases travel time to benthic foraging patches. Despite regulation of average swim speed, high instantaneous speeds during oscillatory stroking can increase dive costs due to drag. While most diving birds have been considered either foot or wing propelled, eider ducks used both wing and foot propulsion during descent. Our observations indicate that the power phase of foot strokes coincides with the transition between upstroke and downstroke of the wings, when drag is greatest. Coordinated timing between foot and wing propulsion could therefore serve to maintain a steadier speed during descent and decrease the costs of diving. Despite tight regulation of stroke and swim speed patterns, descent duration and total number of foot and wing strokes during descent increase non-linearly with increasing current velocity, suggesting an increase in energetic costs of diving.
A new permanent tracheostomy tube – speech valve system
Authors: Saul Årke , Bergströum Bjöurn
Published: October 2006

A permanent tracheostoma is often necessary in patients with respiratory diseases such as severe bronchial asthma or chronic bronchitis in order to reduce dead space. Another group of patients who require a permanent tracheostoma are those with laryngeal stenoses or bilateral vocal cord pareses whose general condition makes them unsuitable candidates for more advanced surgical procedures. This has usually been achieved by a conventional tracheostomy tube which, however, carries many problems; the ability to cough is greatly reduced when a sufficient intra‐abdominal pressure cannot be acquired, speech is impaired, the tube has to be changed regularly, it must be fixed by bands around the neck, etc. These problems can be significantly reduced by using a short, straight tube placed in the stoma and kept securely in position by an outer flange and four flaps on the tracheal side. To this tube is attached a special two‐way valve adjustable for either inspiration and expiration or for inspiration only in which case it also serves as a speech valve. Up to now this construction has been used in 16 patients with excellent results, one patient has had this device continuously since 1970 without any complications.
Otolaryngologica prevarica: Munchausen's syndrome update and report of a case
Authors: Pender Daniel J. , Pender Vivian Blotnick
Published: October 2006

“ldquo;olorful lying is a central feature of Munchausen's, a syndrome well characterized despite an imperfect understanding of its psychiatric aspects. Reported otolaryngologic presentations are infrequent. A classic case is described in detail. A new name, “Otolaryngologica Prevarica,” is proposed to maintain awareness of the entity in the specialty. The psychodynamics and the relation to sadomasochism, hysteria and malingering are discussed.
Student Approaches to Learning in Fashion Design: a phenomenographic study
Authors: Bailey Sue
Published: October 2006

This article describes a study exploring the range of variation in the way twenty-one students studying in four UK universities approach learning through the design project. It draws on the theoretical framework and phenomenographic methodology from Marton and Saljo's (1976) seminal
study into students' approaches to learning with texts. Features of the deep/surface variation of approach found in this and many subsequent studies are described in terms that do not map easily onto practice in art and design. An aim of the study was therefore to define features of approaches
that might be more recognizable to the discipline. Initial findings suggest that learning in the context of the fashion design project evinces four approaches, two of which share features with those described for deep and surface approaches in the literature. The additional variation is found
where there is an intention to develop the design process either through rehearsal and repetition or through experimentation. Further research is required to explore the identified approaches, and to discover whether other art and design students show a similar range of variation in approach.
We dive & reappear in new places: Emerson, Proust, and the nature of memory
Authors: Murphy Michael
Published: October 2006

Tracing a line in Proustian criticism initiated by Edmund Wilson's essay on Proust in Axle's Castle, this essay looks at the shift in Proust's writing from symbolism to realism, romanticism to modernism. Key to this reading of In Search of Lost Time is a reconsideration of the influence
of Ralph Waldo Emerson, in particular Nature which was itself a by-product of Emerson's visit to Paris in the mid-1830s. Examining the role played by Emerson in the development of Proust's earliest works Pleasures and Regrets and the abandoned novel Jean Santeuil this essay continues by noting
certain correspondences between Proust's treatment of the theme of memory and the Emersonian idea of transition.
The secret country: prohibited desire and social change in Jayne Anne Phillips' Bess
Authors: Robertson Sarah
Published: October 2006

This essay considers the historical and social contexts of incest in Jayne Anne Phillips' short story Bess. The tension between endogamy and exogamy shapes Phillips' narrative; a narrative that moves between memory and the unspoken. The sibling relationship at the centre of the story
reflects the effects of increased industrialization in Appalachia in the early decades of the twentieth century.
Carved from the rock experiences of our daily lives: Reality and Star Trek's Multiple Histories
Authors: Geraghty Lincoln
Published: October 2006

This paper looks at Star Trek's multiple versions of history, and specifically at how the series has created its own sense of history to help legitimate its fictional narrative. It examines how fans have related and interacted with the text and used it to fulfil their own creative desires
and needs and how they have helped shape its reputation as America's televised social conscience. Star Trek is often quoted as a way of expressing one's dream. This paper highlights how the fans have contributed to that dream, inspired by the utopian idealism manifested through Star Trek's
ideological mediation of future history. The paper will consider how its enduring popularity results from the fact that it takes only a handful of plot narratives as its basis. One of these narratives is the way the referential, retrospective, socially-aware portrayal of historical events
interfaces with its own fictional history. Star Trek's representation of a reality through its fictitious future has not only been entrenched as a possible outcome for society; it has become as David Gerrold puts it, a representation of a future we would like to make real. The paper concludes
that fan activity and Star Trek's own fictional history combine together to form an expanding alternative reality - one which is distinctly American in outlook - for its devoted fanbase. Ironically, this alternate world that most fans long to be a part of exists because of their own attempts
to live within the boundaries of Star Trek. Their activities legitimize the fictional reality portrayed on screen whilst at the same time it is being perpetuated and revitalized. However, as a result of this union between fan and Star Trek there is a divisive difference between what fans believe
is part of the fictional universe surrounding the series and what the creators and producers of the show see as authorized within the confines of the episodes aired on screen.
Subverted representation in La Nuit sacrée and its Arabic translation
Authors: Faiq Said
Published: October 2006

This article is a reading of Tahar Ben Jelloun's La Nuit sacrée and its Arabic translation. Its main argument is that, despite its success in France, La Nuit sacrée remains essentially a subverted representation of Moroccan, and by extension Maghrebi, Arab
and Islamic, realities. Contrary to what Ben Jelloun's apologists try to make of it, this text cannot be said to represent resistance of any kind to oppression both internal and external. Far from it, the text renders its writer a useful tool at the service of those who still maintain the
degradation and subversion of all their Others. Likewise, its Arabic translation employs calculated discursive choices that make it alien in Arabic. After all, it is not a translation in the conventional sense of the term since its French source text is itself an instance of translation.
'Roi de ses douleurs': Malek Haddad, that style and that war
Authors: Poole Sarah
Published: October 2006

This paper has two complementary aims. The first is to examine the charges levelled at the way in which the francophone Algerian Malek Haddad wrote and to bring both 'that style', and those criticisms, into perspective, given both the undeniable influences on the writer and his own
idiosyncratic views on 'le propre du conteur'. The second is to set Je t'offrirai une gazelle in a wider context of war literature and to show why its tangential approach to the Franco-Algerian conflict is arguably comparable not only to Mohammed Dib's Qui se souvient de la mer
but also to, for example, Kurt Vonnegut's universally applauded indictment of the bombing of Dresden, Slaughterhouse Five. This illustrates that Haddad's novel is in fact one of the more honest of artistic reactions, and one of the more eloquent, to 'his' war, and indeed to the fact of war
itself.
Le Cameroun et la transitions à la démocratie: Entre raisons constituées et pratiques instauratrices de sens
Authors: Onana Janvier
Published: October 2006

Starting from a discussion of the modalities commonly used in narrating and plotting the political changes arisen during the first half of the last decade in Cameroon, the paper explores two of the most recurrent tendencies in the researches: on the one hand, the idea of the non-property
of the cameroonian case in the light of an objectivistic definition of the notion of 'transition to democracy'; on the other, the idea of a 'passive democratization', which make use, in a short-sighted way, of the classical hypothesis of the critical threshold of governability. The paper,
by this comparative bias examines some of the problems on which the analysis of democratic processes ordinarily stumble, and signals along the discussion, the interesting character of an interpretation of the changes in terms of a causality of the probable, showing a closer attention to the
importance of structural uncertainty in the conjunctures involved.
Book Reviews
Authors: Robinson Richard , Mott Brian , Gorman Michael , Amodia Jos , Sullivan John , Longhurst Alex
Published: October 2006

Antnio Costa Pinto, The Blue Shirts: Portuguese Fascists and the New State. Boulder, CO: Social Science Monographs, distributed by Columbia University Press, New York, 2000, pp. xv + 271. ISBN 0-88033-982-9.

Manuela Cook, Portuguese, a complete course in understanding,
speaking and writing. London: Hodder & Stoughton, 2001, pp. vi+330, ISBN 0-340-78932-8 (book), 0-340-78933-6 (book-cassette pack), 0-340-80250-2 (book-CD pack).

Monica Threlfall (ed.), Consensus Politics in Spain: Insider Perspectives, Bristol UK and Portland USA: Intellect,
2000, pp. viii + 88, ISBN 1-84150-034-8.

Nigel Townson, The Crisis of Democracy in Spain. Centrist Politics under the Second Republic, Brighton and Portland: Sussex Academic Press, 2000, pp. x + 444, ISBN 1-898723-19-2.

Santiago de Pablo, Ludger Mees and Jos A. Rodrguez, El
Pndulo Patritico. Historia del Partido Nacionalista Vasco, I: 18951936. Barcelona: Critica, 1999, pp 398, ISBN 84-8432 008.

William Chislett, Spain at a Glance 2001. Madrid: Banco Santander Central Hispano, 2001, pp. 257.
Defending Basque Taxation Devolution in the European Union: The Price of European Integration
Authors: Bourne Angela K
Published: October 2006

This article examines the impact of European integration on Basque politics by analysing the causes, development and implications of a dispute between European Union (EU) and Basque authorities over the permissible scope of Basque taxation prerogatives. It examines three dimensions
of the EU's impact on Basque politics: the impact of European integration on Basque legal-constitutional powers; its impact on new opportunities for Basque authorities to form influential strategic alliances with EU authorities; and the effect of the EU on territorial relations within Spain.
It concludes by arguing that, in this episode, European integration has not been kind to the Basque Country. The EU's market competition imperative provided a justification for the emasculation of historically and politically significant Basque taxation competencies and there were more obstacles
than opportunities for forming influential strategic alliances with EU authorities. Indeed, the main lesson drawn from the case is that despite significant political tensions there are much stronger foundations for strategic cooperation between Basque and Spanish authorities.
Household and Family in the Iberian Peninsula
Authors: Rowland Robert
Published: October 2006

This paper examines the impact, in Portugal and Spain, of the studies on comparative household structure undertaken by the Cambridge Group for the History of Population and Social Structure and its collaborators. It concludes that the underlying assumptions of the Cambridge typology, which took the English case as an implicit standard for comparison, proved inappropriate in an Iberian context and acted, indirectly, as a stimulus for the development of alternative aproaches.
Community Emergency Care Use by Veterans in an Era of Expanding Choice
Authors: Vashi Anita A. , Urech Tracy , Wu Siqi , Tran Linda D.
Published: March 2024

Importance

Recently passed legislation aimed at improving access to care has considerably expanded options for veterans to receive emergency care in community, or non–Veterans Affairs (VA) settings. However, national trends in community emergency department (ED) use by veterans are unknown.

Objective

To examine national, temporal trends in the frequencies and types of ED visits provided in community settings and explore the association between facilities’ purchase of community care with facility and regional characteristics.

Design, Setting, and Participants

Retrospective, observational cross-sectional study of ED visits over fiscal years (FY) 2016 to 2022. VA and community ED encounter data were obtained from the VA Corporate Data Warehouse and the Office of Integrated Veteran Care. Participants were veterans receiving ED care at VA facilities or paid for by the VA in the community. Data were analyzed from June to September 2023.

Main Outcomes and Measures

The primary outcome measures included community ED visit volume, disposition, and payments over time. Also, the most common and costly ED visits were assessed. Negative binomial regression analysis examined associations between facility and regional characteristics and the rate of ED visits purchased in community settings relative to all ED visits.

Results

There were 19 787 056 ED visits, predominantly at VA facilities (14 532 261 visits [73.4%]), made by 3 972 503 unique veterans from FY 2016 to 2022. The majority of ED users were male (3 576 120 individuals [90.0%]), and the median (IQR) age was 63 (48-73) years. The proportion of community ED visits increased in absolute terms from 18% in FY 2016 to 37% in FY 2022. Total community ED payments, adjusted to 2021 dollars, were $1.18 billion in FY 2016 and over $6.14 billion in FY 2022. The most common reasons for ED visits in the community were for nonspecific chest pain (305 082 visits [6%]), abdominal pain (174 836 visits [3%]), and septicemia (149 968 visits [3%]). The average proportion of ED visits purchased by a VA facility increased from 14% in FY 2016 to 32% by FY 2022. In multivariable analyses, facilities with greater ED volume and low-complexity facilities had higher expected rates of community emergency care than lower volume and high-complexity facilities, respectively.

Conclusions and Relevance

As veterans increasingly use community EDs for acute, unscheduled needs, attention to factors associated with veterans’ use of acute care services in different settings are important to identify access barriers and to ensure veterans’ health care needs are met.
Incidence of Nonkeratinocyte Skin Cancer After Breast Cancer Radiation Therapy
Authors: Rezaei Shawheen J. , Eid Edward , Tang Jean Y. , Kurian Allison W. , Kwong Bernice Y. , Linos Eleni
Published: March 2024

Importance

Previous studies have suggested that radiation therapy may contribute to an increased risk of subsequent nonkeratinocyte (ie, not squamous and basal cell) skin cancers.

Objective

To test the hypothesis that radiation therapy for breast cancer increases the risk of subsequent nonkeratinocyte skin cancers, particularly when these cancers are localized to the skin of the breast or trunk.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This population-based cohort study used longitudinal data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program for January 1, 2000, to December 31, 2019. The SEER database includes population-based cohort data from 17 registries. Patients with newly diagnosed breast cancer were identified and were evaluated for subsequent nonkeratinocyte skin cancer development. Data analysis was performed from January to August 2023.

Exposures

Radiation therapy, chemotherapy, or surgery for breast cancer.

Main Outcomes and Measures

The primary outcomes were standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) for subsequent nonkeratinocyte skin cancer development from 2000 to 2019 based on treatment type (radiation therapy, chemotherapy, or surgery), skin cancer site on the body, and skin cancer subtype.

Results

Among the 875 880 patients with newly diagnosed breast cancer included in this study, 99.3% were women, 51.6% were aged older than 60 years, and 50.3% received radiation therapy. A total of 11.2% patients identified as Hispanic, 10.1% identified as non-Hispanic Black, and 69.5% identified as non-Hispanic White. From 2000 to 2019, there were 3839 patients with nonkeratinocyte skin cancer, including melanoma (3419 [89.1%]), Merkel cell carcinoma (121 [3.2%]), hemangiosarcoma (104 [2.7%]), and 32 other nonkeratinocyte skin cancers (195 [5.1%]), documented to occur after breast cancer treatment. The risk of nonkeratinocyte skin cancer diagnosis after breast cancer treatment with radiation was 57% higher (SIR, 1.57 [95% CI, 1.45-1.7]) than that of the general population when considering the most relevant site: the skin of the breast or trunk. When risk at this site was stratified by skin cancer subtype, the SIRs for melanoma and hemangiosarcoma were both statistically significant at 1.37 (95% CI, 1.25-1.49) and 27.11 (95% CI, 21.6-33.61), respectively. Receipt of radiation therapy was associated with a greater risk of nonkeratinocyte skin cancer compared with chemotherapy and surgical interventions.

Conclusions and Relevance

In this study of patients with breast cancer, an increased risk of melanoma and hemangiosarcoma after breast cancer treatment with radiation therapy was observed. Although occurrences of nonkeratinocyte skin cancers are rare, physicians should be aware of this elevated risk to help inform follow-up care.
Development of a digital star‐shot analysis system for comparing radiation and imaging isocenters of proton treatment machine
Authors: Han Ji Hye , Jo Kwanghyun
Published: March 2024

Purpose

To directly compare the radiation and imaging isocenters of a proton treatment machine, we developed and evaluated a real‐time radiation isocenter verification system.

Methods

The system consists of a plastic scintillator (PI‐200, Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation, Tokyo, Japan), an acrylic phantom, a steel ball on the detachable plate, Raspberry Pi 4 (Raspberry Pi Foundation, London, UK) with camera module, and analysis software implemented through a Python‐based graphical user interface (GUI). After kV imaging alignment of the steel ball, the imaging isocenter defined as the position of the steel ball was extracted from the optical image. The proton star‐shot was obtained by optical camera because the scintillator converted proton beam into visible light. Then the software computed both the minimum circle radius and the radiation isocenter position from the star‐shot. And the deviation between the imaging isocenter and radiation isocenter was calculated. We compared our results with measurements obtained by Gafchromic EBT3 film (Ashland, NJ, USA).

Results

The minimum circle radii were averaged 0.29 and 0.41 mm while the position deviations from the radiation isocenter to the laser marker were averaged 0.99 and 1.07 mm, for our system and EBT3 film, respectively. Furthermore, the average position difference between the radiation isocenter and imaging isocenter was 0.27 mm for our system. Our system reduced analysis time by 10 min.

Conclusions

Our system provided automated star‐shot analysis with sufficient accuracy, and it is cost‐effective alternative to conventional film‐based method for radiation isocenter verification.
Observer‐based hybrid triggered control design for cluster synchronization of nonlinear complex dynamical networks
Authors: Devi N. Birundha , Sakthivel R. , Vijayakumar M. , Mohammadzadeh A.
Published: March 2024

The issues of cluster synchronization and state estimation for a class of nonlinear complex dynamical networks are concurrently focused in this study. In precise, led by the design of complex dynamical networks, a proportional integral‐based observer is implemented for achieving robustness, by the virtue of which the states of examined networks are estimated. Thereupon, a proportional integral observer‐based hybrid triggered control scheme is proposed, wherein, the switch‐over between time‐ and event‐ triggered scheme is governed through a Bernoulli distributed random variable. Further, with the application of mixed and passivity performance technique, the external disturbances for the addressed complex dynamical networks are reduced. Based on the Lyapunov stability theory, the requisite sufficient conditions in respect of linear matrix inequalities are provided which ensures the discussed complex dynamical network's synchronization phenomenon. In a further, the presented criteria are exploited for the attainment of required controller, proportional and integral gain matrices. In conclusion, the applicability of proposed results and efficacy of the undertaken strategy are evidently proven with the illustration of two numerical examples with Chua's circuit and Goodwin oscillator model.
Coalitions lifted barriers to MOUD through CADCA‐Indivior initiative
Authors: Enos Gary
Published: March 2024

A pair of anti‐drug coalitions in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, took a step beyond their core work in primary prevention to advance the provision of medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) in their community. Their efforts came about as part of a coalition training partnership jointly sponsored by Community Anti‐Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA) and pharmaceutical company Indivior, maker and distributor of brand‐name Suboxone products for OUD.
Attorney argues against SAMHSA overdose toolkit
Authors: Knopf Alison
Published: March 2024

In the February 26 issue, ADAW wrote about the “toolkit” on overdose prevention and rescue from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) that calls for giving one dose (4 mg) of naloxone initially followed by a second dose two or three minutes later. The toolkit references studies that show increased doses of naloxone are not necessary in the fentanyl era. This is despite a study published in January from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration which found that 35% of overdose victims would die from that two‐to‐three‐minute wait for the second dose.
Homo‐type α‐In2Se3/PdSe2 Ferroelectric van der Waals Heterojunction Photodetectors with High‐performance and Broadband
Authors: Mu Yanqi , Yang Jia , Xie Guancai , Wang Zhenxing , Guo Beidou , Gong Jian Ru
Published: March 2024

Two‐dimensional (2D) materials have attracted extensive attention in the field of photodetection thanks to their unique physical properties. Among them, the PdSe2 nanoflake shows great potential. However, the performance of the PdSe2‐based photodetector with a hetero‐type heterojunction remains poor due to the severe tunneling‐assisted interfacial recombination of photogenerated electron‐hole pairs in the thin bilateral‐depletion heterojunctions. In this work, a novel photodetector with a α‐In2Se3/PdSe2 homo‐type heterojunction for both high‐performance and broadband detection from visible to short‐wave infrared is constructed. The high‐performance of the photoresponsivity of 4.64 × 103 A·W−1, the external quantum efficiency of 1.08 × 106%, and the specific detectivity of 1.55 × 1014 Jones at 532 nm is the result of the homo‐type unilateral‐depletion junction which can promote the effective separation of photogenerated electron‐hole pairs compared to the hetero‐type. Also, adjusting the α‐In2Se3 ferroelectric polarization state further optimizes the unilateral depletion region. In addition, the photodetector can work in a self‐powered mode. This study suggests that the PdSe2‐based homo‐type device has great application potential in the field of 2D optoelectronics.
A Cellulose Salt Gel with Mechanical Transformation and Thermal Control
Authors: Liu Yifan , Zhou Jiazuo , Li Yudong , Sun Xiaohan , Wang Ziyao , Yang Haiyue , Wang Chengyu
Published: March 2024

Gels as compelling soft material shows its promising versatility in actuators, soft electronics, and biomedical sensors. However, most gel materials are too rigid to cope with long‐term changing scenarios and specific needs. Inspired by the switchable behavior of bio‐behavior of muscle, the study reports a thermodynamically controllable and stiffness‐transformative cellulose‐salt gel by simple thermal mixing of hydrous salt, cellulose nanofiber, and polyacrylamide. The achieved cellulosic gel with dynamic microstructure presents an amazing stiffness switchability between crystalline state and melted states of 32.38 to 0.02 MPa, as well as the regulable light transmittance between 41.59% and 93.43%. In addition, this cellulose‐salt gel has excellent thermal controllable behavior. That is, by controlling the crystallization process, the cellulose‐salt gel displays the start‐stop releasing‐energy behaviors on demand. Enabled by these outstanding properties, the study further demonstrates the promising application of cellulose‐salt gel in controllable soft‐rigid coupling thermoelectric device, showing the broader implications for wearable electronics aiming at on‐demand work.
Impact of HfO2 Dielectric Layer Placement in Hf0.5Zr0.5O2‐Based Ferroelectric Tunnel Junctions for Neuromorphic Applications
Authors: Kim Juri , Park Yongjin , Lee Jungwoo , Lim Eunjin , Lee Jung‐Kyu , Kim Sungjun
Published: March 2024

The use of Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 (HZO) films within hafnia‐based ferroelectric tunnel junctions (FTJ) presents a promising avenue for next‐generation non‐volatile memory devices. HZO exhibits excellent ferroelectric properties, ultra‐thinness, low power consumption, nondestructive readout, and compatibility with silicon devices. In this study, Mo/HZO/n+ Si devices are investigated, incorporating a 1 nm HfO2 dielectric layer at the top and bottom of the HZO ferroelectric layer. Comparing the FTJ device configurations, it is observed that the metal‐ferroelectric‐dielectric‐semiconductor (MFIS) outperforms the metal‐dielectric‐ferroelectric‐semiconductor (MIFS) in terms of ferroelectricity, displaying a high 2Pr value of ≈69 µC cm−2. Additionally, MFIS exhibits lower leakage current, higher tunneling electro‐resistance ratio, and a thin dead layer during short pulse switching, as confirmed through DC double sweeping of I−V characteristics. The modified half‐bias scheme demonstrates a maximum array size of 191 for MFIS, showcasing its superior performance over MIFS. Synaptic characteristics, including potentiation, depression, paired‐pulse facilitation, spike‐rate‐dependent plasticity, and excitatory postsynaptic current, are measured using MFIS, highlighting its outstanding ferroelectric properties. As a physical reservoir, the FTJ device implements 16 states of 4 bits in reservoir computing. Finally, pattern recognition using a deep learning neural network achieves high accuracy with using the Modified National Institute of Standards and Technology dataset.
Image Processing Using High‐Index Dielectric Metasurfaces Based on Fano Resonance
Authors: Nassiri Mohammad , Yazdi Mohammad
Published: March 2024

This paper presents the design and analysis of high‐index dielectric metasurfaces based on Fano resonance for image processing applications. With the aim of optical edge detection, two different metasurface structures are proposed to create first‐ and second‐order derivative operators. The metasurfaces designed for second‐order derivative is a square lattice structure consisting of silicon cylinders surrounded by a silicon dioxide layer. Moreover, another metasurface with a square lattice structure composed of three different silicon cylinders embedded in a silicon dioxide layer is proposed to perform first‐order derivation. To achieve the best performance of the proposed metasurfaces in edge detection, the physical dimensions of the proposed structures are optimized by conducting parametric studies to reach the maximum available numerical aperture . Consequently, the second‐order derivative metasurface attains a numerical aperture with a magnitude , while the first‐order derivative metasurface achieves a numerical aperture of . Finally, the applicability of the proposed structures in optical edge detection is verified in the analog domain. The proposed metasurfaces provide high spatial resolution, high efficiency, and low dependence on the horizon angle, which pave the way for high‐quality image processing applications.
Ultra‐Confined Phonon Polaritons and Strongly Coupled Microcavity Exciton Polaritons in Monolayer MoSi2N4 and WSi2N4
Authors: Zhang Juan , Xia Yujie , Peng Lei , Zhang Yiming , Li Ben , Shu Le , Cen Yan , Zhuang Jun , Zhu Heyuan , Zhan Peng , Zhang Hao
Published: March 2024

The 2D semiconductors are an ideal platform for exploration of bosonic fluids composed of coupled photons and collective excitations of atoms or excitons, primarily due to large excitonic binding energies and strong light‐matter interaction. Based on first‐principles calculations, it is demonstrated that the phonon polaritons formed by two infrared‐active phonon modes in monolayer MoSi2N4 and WSi2N4 possess ultra‐high confinement factors of around ≈105 and 103, surpassing those of conventional polaritonic thin‐film materials by two orders of magnitude. It is observed that the first bright exciton possesses a substantial binding energies of 750 and 740 meV in these two monolayers, with the radiative recombination lifetimes as long as 25 and 188 ns, and the Rabi splitting of the formed cavity‐exciton polaritons reaching 373 and 321 meV, respectively. The effective masses of the cavity exciton polaritons are approximately 10−5me, providing the potential for high‐temperature quantum condensation. The ultra‐confined and ultra‐low‐loss phonon polaritons, as well as strongly‐coupled cavity exciton polaritons with ultra‐small polaritonic effective masses in these two monolayers, offering the flexible control of light at the nanoscale, probably leading to practical applications in nanophotonics, meta‐optics, and quantum materials.
Strengthening Multi‐Factor Authentication Through Physically Unclonable Functions in PVDF‐HFP‐Phase‐Dependent a‐IGZO Thin‐Film Transistors
Authors: Han Youngmin , Lee Subin , Lee Eun Kwang , Yoo Hocheon , Jang Byung Chul
Published: March 2024

For enhanced security in hardware‐based security devices, it is essential to extract various independent characteristics from a single device to generate multiple keys based on specific values. Additionally, the secure destruction of authentication information is crucial for the integrity of the data. Doped amorphous indium gallium zinc oxide (a‐IGZO) thin‐film transistors (TFTs) using poly(vinylidene fluoride‐co‐hexafluoropropylene) (PVDF‐HFP) induce a dipole doping effect through a phase‐transition process, creating physically unclonable function (PUF) devices for secure user information protection. The PUF security key, generated at VGS = 20 V in a 20 × 10 grid, demonstrates uniformity of 42% and inter‐Hamming distance (inter‐HD) of 49.79% in the β‐phase of PVDF‐HFP. However, in the γ‐phase, the uniformity drops to 22.5%, and inter‐HD decreases to 35.74%, indicating potential security key destruction during the phase transition. To enhance security, a multi‐factor authentication (MFA) system is integrated, utilizing five security keys extracted from various TFT parameters. The security keys from turn‐on voltage (VON), VGS = 20 V, VGS = 30 V, mobility, and threshold voltage (Vth) exhibit near‐ideal uniformities and inter‐HDs, with the highest values of 58% and 51.68%, respectively. The dual security system, combining phase transition and MFA, establishes a robust protection mechanism for privacy‐sensitive user information.
Realizing High Thermoelectric Performance in GeTe‐Based Supersaturated Solid Solutions
Authors: Liu Xusheng , Wang Wu , Wang Yan , Li Peng , Tang Qiqi , Jia Baohai , Huang Zhenlong , Lin Yuan , Jiang Binbin , He Jiaqing
Published: March 2024

As a highly promising thermoelectric material in the mid‐temperature region, pristine GeTe shows deteriorated thermoelectric properties due to the low Seebeck coefficient and the intrinsic high thermal conductivity. Herein, it is discovered that the introduction of strongly correlated d, f electrons by alloying rare‐earth atoms at Ge sites will increase the band effective mass and promote band convergency, which can largely improve the electric transport property. Moreover, the heavy atoms (Pb, Bi) doping induces optical phonon softening and the avoided crossing between acoustic and optical phonon branches, decelerating both optical and acoustic phonon velocities. The modulated composition wave from the fluctuated multi‐component distribution introduces a complicated hierarchical structure including point defects and nanoprecipitates, which provides all‐scale scattering sources for heat‐carrying phonons and results in low lattice thermal conductivity. Consequently, a high zT of 2.4 at 800 K can be obtained in the Ge0.86Pb0.09Bi0.03Ce0.005Te sample due to the combination of strong correlation for d, f electrons and the full‐spectrum scattering for phonons. This work provides an effective strategy to increase the thermoelectric performance of IV–VI compounds by combining the modulated band structure and the softening phonon dispersion.
Stabilizing Multi‐Electron NASICON‐Na1.5V0.5Nb1.5(PO4)3 Anode via Structural Modulation for Long‐Life Sodium‐Ion Batteries
Authors: Patra Biplab , Hegde Rashmi , Natarajan Anirudh , Deb Debolina , Sachdeva Dorothy , Ravishankar Narayanan , Kumar Keshav , Gautam Gopalakrishnan Sai , Senguttuvan Premkumar
Published: March 2024

Multi‐electron NAtrium SuperIonic CONductor (NASICON)‐Nb2(PO4)3 (N0NbP) is an attractive Na‐ion battery anode, owing to its low intercalation voltage (1.4 V vs Na+/Na0) and high capacity (≈150 mAh g−1). However, it suffers from poor capacity retention due to structural degradation. To overcome this issue, extra Na+ ions are introduced at the Na(1) sites, via V3+ substitution, which can act as stabilizing agents to hold lantern units together during cycling, producing NASICON‐Na1.5V0.5Nb1.5(PO4)3 (N1.5VNbP). The N1.5VNbP anode exhibits reversible capacities of ≈140 mAh g−1 at 1.4 V versus Na+/Na0 through Nb5+/Nb4+/Nb3+ and V3+/V2+ redox activities. The extra Na+ ions in the framework forms a complete solid‐solution during Na (de)intercalation and enhances sodium diffusivity, in agreement with first‐principles calculations. Further, N1.5VNbP demonstrates extraordinary cycling (89% capacity retention at 5C after 500 cycles) and rate performances (105 mAh g−1 at 5C). Upon pairing the N1.5VNbP anode with the NASICON‐Na3V2(PO4)3 cathode, the full Na‐ion cell delivers a remarkable energy density of 98 Wh kg−1 (based on the mass of anode and cathode) and retains 80% of its capacity at 5C rate over 1000 cycles. The study opens new possibilities for enhancing the electrochemical performance of NASICON anodes via chemical and structural modulations.
Dual‐Interface Modification for Inverted Methylammonium‐Free Perovskite Solar Cells of 25.35% Efficiency with Balanced Crystallization
Authors: Zheng Yiting , Tian Congcong , Wu Xueyun , Sun Anxin , Zhuang Rongshan , Tang Chen , Liu Yuan , Li Zihao , Ouyang Beilin , Du Jiajun , Li Ziyi , Wu Xiling , Chen Jinling , Cai Jinyu , Chen Chun‐Chao
Published: March 2024

In a methylammonium‐free (MA‐free) composition, the uncontrollable crystallization process between Cs and formamidine (FA) currently hinders its efficiency enhancement, especially in inverted perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Here, a dual‐interface modification of perovskite films is proposed by simultaneously introducing additives and surface passivators. In particular, (aminomethyl)phosphonic acid (AMP) is introduced into the precursor solution to balance crystallization by inducing the preferential crystallization of FA through the specific formation of strong hydrogen bonds with FA. In addition, AMP spontaneously sinks and anchors to the buried interface to fill the voids of the self‐assembled monolayer (SAM) via the covalent bonds formed by ─PO3H2 and FTO. Subsequently, by the sequential modification of perovskite surface with 2‐(3‐fluorophenyl)ethylamine iodide (mF‐PEAI) and piperazine diiodide (PDI), a uniform surface potential is achieved and recombination losses at the interface are minimized. Notably, the dual‐interface‐modified inverted MA‐free PSCs achieve a state‐of‐the‐art power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 25.35% (certified: 24.87%) with a satisfactory Voc of 1.17 V based on the bandgap of 1.52 eV. Importantly, the unencapsulated devices maintain 92.8% and 91.7% of the initial efficiency after 1000 h of maximum power output (MPP) tracking and >800 h of heating at 85 °C, respectively, confirming excellent operational and thermal stability.
Over‐ and Hyper‐Lithiated Oxides as Sacrificial Cathodes for Lithium‐Ion Batteries
Authors: Lee Wontae , Byeon Yun Seong , Lee Seongeun , Kong Sungho , Park Min‐Sik , Yoon Won‐Sub
Published: March 2024

By incorporating sacrificial lithium (Li) sources during electrode fabrication, researchers aim to address the challenge of initial capacity loss due to the formation of a solid electrolyte interphase layer during the early cycles of lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs). This research contributes to the augmentation of Li+ inventory within the electrode to compensate for the irreversible loss of Li+, thereby enhancing the reversibility and cycling performance of LIBs. There are various types of pre‐lithiation additives; however, this perspective specifically discusses over‐ and hyper‐lithiated oxide materials. Within these oxides, research directions are characterized by contrasting approaches aimed at either enhancing the reversibility or inducing the irreversibility of these materials. Intriguingly, both opposing approaches align with the common objective of increasing the energy density of LIBs by providing surplus Li+ to compensate for irreversible Li+ consumption. From this perspective, a concise overview of diverse pre‐lithiation methodologies is provided and the reaction mechanisms associated with over‐ and hyper‐lithiated oxides as sacrificial cathode additives for pre‐lithiation are investigated. Subsequently, strategies to modulate the electrochemical properties of these oxides for practical use in sacrificial cathodes are briefly explored. Following this, discussions are carried out and perspectives on research that adopts the aforementioned contrasting directions are presented.
Effects of health claims on demand structure and market power: The case of the yogurt market in Japan
Authors: Kim Daum , Takahashi Kohya , Maeda Koshi
Published: March 2024

This study aims to clarify the effects of health claims on consumer purchasing behavior and market power, using the Japanese yogurt market as a case study. For the analysis, the Berry, Levinsohn, and Pakes model was applied for estimations using product‐level purchasing data. The main analysis results are as follows. First, consumers prefer brands with lower prices, higher protein, lower fat, lower carbohydrates, and foods for specified health uses (FOSHU). Second, from the value of own‐price elasticity of market shares, the higher the price of a brand, the more sensitively consumers respond to price. From the value of the cross‐price elasticity of market shares, strong competition exists among FOSHU brands, and the price of R‐1 drink types tends to significantly impact the market shares of brands other than FOSHU brands. Third, the market power of each brand tends to be higher for lower‐priced brands and lower for higher‐priced brands. In terms of market power by manufacturer, Meiji has the highest both the weighted average and median values. However, both the weighted average and median values of Danone Japan are relatively lower than those of other manufacturers. Fourth, in terms of each brand's market power, brands with low prices and FOSHU labeling have high market power. These findings suggest that the acquisition of FOSHU brands in the Japanese yogurt market does not lead to a decline in market power (increase in price) and has positive effects for manufacturers, such as an increased market share.
Advances of Structural Design and Biomedical Applications of Tobacco Mosaic Virus Coat Protein
Authors: Zhang Jialun , He Haobo , Zeng Fanmeng , Du Mingming , Huang Dehua , Chen Guangcun , Wang Qiangbin
Published: March 2024

Recognized as the primary RNA virus to be categorized and extensively studied, the tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) is foundational to advancements in virology, molecular biology, and biomaterials. Over the past few decades, the deep comprehension of the TMV coat protein (TMVcp) molecular structure and assembly principles has stimulated a surge in research on TMVcp structural design using genetic engineering and chemical modification techniques. The unique characteristics of TMVcp, including its nanoscale orderly structure, ease of modification, and considerable drug loading capacity, have enabled significant progress in its biomedical applications. This review summarizes the advanced strategies deployed for TMVcp design and multidimensional assembly and underscores the prototypical applications of TMVcp‐based biomaterials in bioimaging, drug delivery, tissue engineering, and biosensing. Ultimately, the future prospects of TMVcp research in structural design and biomedical applications are explored, which encompass artificial intelligence‐guided structural and functional design, the development of stimulus‐responsive biomaterials, and potential clinical translation.
An n‐Type Conjugated Polymer with Low Crystallinity for High‐Performance Organic Thermoelectrics
Authors: Gao Yuexin , Ke Yunzhe , Wang Tianzuo , Shi Yibo , Wang Cheng , Ding Shuaishuai , Wang Yupu , Deng Yunfeng , Hu Wenping , Geng Yanhou
Published: March 2024

Conjugated polymers (CPs) with low crystallinity are promising candidates for application in organic thermoelectrics (OTEs), particularly in flexible devices, because the disordered structures of these CPs can effectively accommodate dopants and ensure robust resistance to bending. However, n‐doped CPs usually exhibit poor thermoelectric performance, which hinders the development of high‐performance thermoelectric generators. Herein, we report an n‐type CP (ThDPP‐CNBTz) comprising two acceptor units: a thiophene‐flanked diketopyrrolopyrrole and a cyano‐functionalized benzothiadiazole. ThDPP‐CNBTz shows a low LUMO energy level of below −4.20 eV and features low crystallinity, enabling high doping efficiency. Moreover, the dual‐acceptor design enhances polaron delocalization, resulting in good thermoelectric performance. After n‐doping, ThDPP‐CNBTz exhibits an average electrical conductivity (σ) of 50.6 S cm−1 and a maximum power factor (PF) of 126.8 μW m−1 K−2, which is among the highest values reported for solution‐processed n‐type CPs to date. Additionally, a solution‐processed flexible OTE device based on doped ThDPP‐CNBTz exhibits a maximum PF of 70 μW m−1 K−2; the flexible device also shows remarkable resistance to bending strain, with only a marginal change in σ after 600 bending cycles. The findings presented in this work will advance the development of n‐type CPs for OTE devices, and flexible devices in particular.