bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The ubiquitous microtubule-associated protein 4 (MAP4) controls organelle distribution by regulating the activity of the kinesin motor
Authors: Nabti Ibtissem , Reddy Babu J. N. , Rezgui Rachid , Wang Wenqi , Gross Steven P. , Shubeita George T.
Published: October 2022

Regulation of organelle transport by molecular motors along the cytoskeletal microtubules is central to maintaining cellular functions. Here, we show that the ubiquitous tau-related microtubule-associated protein 4 (MAP4) can bias the bidirectional transport of organelles toward the microtubule minus-ends. This is concurrent with MAP4 phosphorylation, mediated by the kinase GSK3β. We demonstrate that MAP4 achieves this bias by tethering the cargo to the microtubules, allowing it to impair the force generation of the plus-end motor kinesin-1. Consistent with this mechanism, MAP4 physically interacts with dynein and dynactin and, when phosphorylated, associates with the cargo–motor complex through its projection domain. Its phosphorylation coincides with the perinuclear accumulation of organelles, a phenotype that is rescued by abolishing the cargo–microtubule MAP4 tether or by the pharmacological inhibition of dynein, confirming the ability of kinesin to inch along, albeit inefficiently, in the presence of phosphorylated MAP4. These findings have broad biological significance because of the ubiquity of MAP4 and the involvement of GSK3β in multiple diseases, more specifically in cancer, where the MAP4-dependent redistribution of organelles may be prevalent in cancer cells, as we demonstrate here for mitochondria in lung carcinoma epithelial cells.
Gaussian curvature–driven direction of cell fate toward osteogenesis with triply periodic minimal surface scaffolds
Authors: Yang Yuhe , Xu Tianpeng , Bei Ho-Pan , Zhang Lei , Tang Chak-Yin , Zhang Ming , Xu Chenjie , Bian Liming , Yeung Kelvin Wai-Kwok , Fuh Jerry Ying Hsi , Zhao Xin
Published: October 2022

Leaf photosynthesis, coral mineralization, and trabecular bone growth depend on triply periodic minimal surfaces (TPMSs) with hyperboloidal structure on every surface point with varying Gaussian curvatures. However, translation of this structure into tissue-engineered bone grafts is challenging. This article reports the design and fabrication of high-resolution three-dimensional TPMS scaffolds embodying biomimicking hyperboloidal topography with different Gaussian curvatures, composed of body inherent β-tricalcium phosphate, by stereolithography-based three-dimensional printing and sintering. The TPMS bone scaffolds show high porosity and interconnectivity. Notably, compared with conventional scaffolds, they can reduce stress concentration, leading to increased mechanical strength. They are also found to support the attachment, proliferation, osteogenic differentiation, and angiogenic paracrine function of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs). Through transcriptomic analysis, we theorize that the hyperboloid structure induces cytoskeleton reorganization of hMSCs, expressing elongated morphology on the convex direction and strengthening the cytoskeletal contraction. The clinical therapeutic efficacy of the TPMS scaffolds assessed by rabbit femur defect and mouse subcutaneous implantation models demonstrate that the TPMS scaffolds augment new bone formation and neovascularization. In comparison with conventional scaffolds, our TPMS scaffolds successfully guide the cell fate toward osteogenesis through cell-level directional curvatures and demonstrate drastic yet quantifiable improvements in bone regeneration.
Coherent enhancement of optical remission in diffusive media
Authors: Bender Nicholas , Goetschy Arthur , Hsu Chia Wei , Yilmaz Hasan , Palacios Pablo Jara , Yamilov Alexey , Cao Hui
Published: October 2022

Remitted waves are used for sensing and imaging in diverse diffusive media from the Earth’s crust to the human brain. Separating the source and detector increases the penetration depth of light, but the signal strength decreases rapidly, leading to a poor signal-to-noise ratio. Here, we show, experimentally and numerically, that wavefront shaping a laser beam incident on a diffusive sample enables an enhancement of remission by an order of magnitude at depths of up to 10 transport mean free paths. We develop a theoretical model which predicts the maximal remission enhancement. Our analysis reveals a significant improvement in the sensitivity of remitted waves to local changes of absorption deep inside diffusive media. This work illustrates the potential of coherent wavefront control for noninvasive diffuse wave imaging applications, such as diffuse optical tomography and functional near-infrared spectroscopy.
Caspase-8 and FADD prevent spontaneous ZBP1 expression and necroptosis
Authors: Rodriguez Diego A. , Quarato Giovanni , Liedmann Swantje , Tummers Bart , Zhang Ting , Guy Cliff , Crawford Jeremy Chase , Palacios Gustavo , Pelletier Stephane , Kalkavan Halime , Shaw Jeremy J. P. , Fitzgerald Patrick , Chen Mark J. , Balachandran Siddharth , Green Douglas R.
Published: October 2022

The absence of Caspase-8 or its adapter, Fas-associated death domain (FADD), results in activation of receptor interacting protein kinase-3 (RIPK3)- and mixed-lineage kinase-like (MLKL)–dependent necroptosis in vivo. Here, we show that spontaneous activation of RIPK3, phosphorylation of MLKL, and necroptosis in Caspase-8– or FADD-deficient cells was dependent on the nucleic acid sensor, Z-DNA binding protein-1 (ZBP1). We genetically engineered a mouse model by a single insertion of FLAG tag onto the N terminus of endogenous MLKL (

Mlkl
FLAG/FLAG

), creating an inactive form of MLKL that permits monitoring of phosphorylated MLKL without activating necroptotic cell death.

Casp8
−/−
Mlkl
FLAG/FLAG

mice were viable and displayed phosphorylated MLKL in a variety of tissues, together with dramatically increased expression of ZBP1 compared to

Casp8
+/+

mice. Studies in vitro revealed an increased expression of ZBP1 in cells lacking FADD or Caspase-8, which was suppressed by reconstitution of Caspase-8 or FADD. Ablation of ZBP1 in

Casp8
−/−
Mlkl
FLAG/FLAG

mice suppressed spontaneous MLKL phosphorylation in vivo. ZBP1 expression and downstream activation of RIPK3 and MLKL in cells lacking Caspase-8 or FADD relied on a positive feedback mechanism requiring the nucleic acid sensors cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS), stimulator of interferon genes (STING), and TBK1 signaling pathways. Our study identifies a molecular mechanism whereby Caspase-8 and FADD suppress spontaneous necroptotic cell death.
Scaling and spontaneous symmetry restoring of topological defect dynamics in liquid crystal
Authors: Zushi Yohei , Takeuchi Kazumasa A.
Published: October 2022

Topological defects—locations of local mismatch of order—are a universal concept playing important roles in diverse systems studied in physics and beyond, including the universe, various condensed matter systems, and recently, even life phenomena. Among these, liquid crystal has been a platform for studying topological defects via visualization, yet it has been a challenge to resolve three-dimensional structures of dynamically evolving singular topological defects. Here, we report a direct confocal observation of nematic liquid crystalline defect lines, called disclinations, relaxing from an electrically driven turbulent state. We focus in particular on reconnections, characteristic of such line defects. We find a scaling law for in-plane reconnection events, by which the distance between reconnecting disclinations decreases by the square root of time to the reconnection. Moreover, we show that apparently asymmetric dynamics of reconnecting disclinations is actually symmetric in a comoving frame, in marked contrast to the two-dimensional counterpart whose asymmetry is established. We argue, with experimental supports, that this is because of energetically favorable symmetric twist configurations that disclinations take spontaneously, thanks to the topology that allows for rotation of the winding axis. Our work illustrates a general mechanism of such spontaneous symmetry restoring that may apply beyond liquid crystal, which can take place if topologically distinct asymmetric defects in lower dimensions become homeomorphic in higher dimensions and if the symmetric intermediate is energetically favorable.
Crystal structure and biochemical analysis suggest that YjoB ATPase is a putative substrate-specific molecular chaperone
Authors: Kwon Eunju , Dahal Pawan , Kim Dong Young
Published: October 2022

AAA+ ATPases are ubiquitous proteins associated with most cellular processes, including DNA unwinding and protein unfolding. Their functional and structural properties are typically determined by domains and motifs added to the conserved ATPases domain. Currently, the molecular function and structure of many ATPases remain elusive. Here, we report the crystal structure and biochemical analyses of YjoB, a
Bacillus subtilis
AAA+ protein. The crystal structure revealed that the YjoB hexamer forms a bucket hat-shaped structure with a porous chamber. Biochemical analyses showed that YjoB prevents the aggregation of vegetative catalase KatA and gluconeogenesis-specific glyceraldehyde-3 phosphate dehydrogenase GapB but not citrate synthase, a conventional substrate. Structural and biochemical analyses further showed that the internal chamber of YjoB is necessary for inhibition of substrate aggregation. Our results suggest that YjoB, conserved in the class Bacilli, is a potential molecular chaperone acting in the starvation/stationary phases of
B. subtilis
growth.
Carbonate-superstructured solid fuel cells with hydrocarbon fuels
Authors: Su Hanrui , Zhang Wei , Hu Yun Hang
Published: October 2022

A basic requirement for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) is the sintering of electrolyte into a dense impermeable membrane to prevent the mixing of fuel and oxygen for a sufficiently high open-circuit voltage (OCV). However, herein, we demonstrate a different type of fuel cell, a carbonate-superstructured solid fuel cell (CSSFC), in which in situ generation of superstructured carbonate in the porous samarium-doped ceria layer creates a unique electrolyte with ultrahigh ionic conductivity of 0.17 S⋅cm
−1
at 550 °C. The CSSFC achieves unprecedented high OCVs (1.051 V at 500 °C and 1.041 V at 550 °C) with methane fuel. Furthermore, the CSSFC exhibits a high peak power density of 215 mW⋅cm
−2
with dry methane fuel at 550 °C, which is higher than all reported values of electrolyte-supported SOFCs. This provides a different approach for the development of efficient solid fuel cells.
Replication stalling activates SSB for recruitment of DNA damage tolerance factors
Authors: Thrall Elizabeth S. , Piatt Sadie C. , Chang Seungwoo , Loparo Joseph J.
Published: October 2022

Translesion synthesis (TLS) polymerases bypass DNA lesions that block replicative polymerases, allowing cells to tolerate DNA damage encountered during replication. It is well known that most bacterial TLS polymerases must interact with the sliding-clamp processivity factor to carry out TLS, but recent work in
Escherichia coli
has revealed that single-stranded DNA-binding protein (SSB) plays a key role in enriching the TLS polymerase Pol IV at stalled replication forks in the presence of DNA damage. It remains unclear how this interaction with SSB enriches Pol IV in a stalling-dependent manner given that SSB is always present at the replication fork. In this study, we use single-molecule imaging in live
E. coli
cells to investigate this SSB-dependent enrichment of Pol IV. We find that Pol IV is enriched through its interaction with SSB in response to a range of different replication stresses and that changes in SSB dynamics at stalled forks may explain this conditional Pol IV enrichment. Finally, we show that other SSB-interacting proteins are likewise selectively enriched in response to replication perturbations, suggesting that this mechanism is likely a general one for enrichment of repair factors near stalled replication forks.
Interkingdom assemblages in human saliva display group-level surface mobility and disease-promoting emergent functions
Authors: Ren Zhi , Jeckel Hannah , Simon-Soro Aurea , Xiang Zhenting , Liu Yuan , Cavalcanti Indira M. , Xiao Jin , Tin Nyi-Nyi , Hara Anderson , Drescher Knut , Koo Hyun
Published: October 2022

Fungi and bacteria often engage in complex interactions, such as the formation of multicellular biofilms within the human body. Knowledge about how interkingdom biofilms initiate and coalesce into higher-level communities and which functions the different species carry out during biofilm formation remain limited. We found native-state assemblages of
Candida albicans
(fungi) and
Streptococcus mutans
(bacteria) with highly structured arrangement in saliva from diseased patients with childhood tooth decay. Further analyses revealed that bacterial clusters are attached within a network of fungal yeasts, hyphae, and exopolysaccharides, which bind to surfaces as a preassembled cell group. The interkingdom assemblages exhibit emergent functions, including enhanced surface colonization and growth rate, stronger tolerance to antimicrobials, and improved shear resistance, compared to either species alone. Notably, we discovered that the interkingdom assemblages display a unique form of migratory spatial mobility that enables fast spreading of biofilms across surfaces and causes enhanced, more extensive tooth decay. Using mutants, selective inactivation of species, and selective matrix removal, we demonstrate that the enhanced stress resistance and surface mobility arise from the exopolymeric matrix and require the presence of both species in the assemblage. The mobility is directed by fungal filamentation as hyphae extend and contact the surface, lifting the assemblage with a “forward-leaping motion.” Bacterial cell clusters can “hitchhike” on this mobile unit while continuously growing, to spread across the surface three-dimensionally and merge with other assemblages, promoting community expansion. Together, our results reveal an interkingdom assemblage in human saliva that behaves like a supraorganism, with disease-causing emergent functionalities that cannot be achieved without coassembly.
Conservation at the uterine–placental interface
Authors: Scott Regan L. , Vu Ha T. H. , Jain Ashish , Iqbal Khursheed , Tuteja Geetu , Soares Michael J.
Published: October 2022

The hemochorial placentation site is characterized by a dynamic interplay between trophoblast cells and maternal cells. These cells cooperate to establish an interface required for nutrient delivery to promote fetal growth. In the human, trophoblast cells penetrate deep into the uterus. This is not a consistent feature of hemochorial placentation and has hindered the establishment of suitable animal models. The rat represents an intriguing model for investigating hemochorial placentation with deep trophoblast cell invasion. In this study, we used single-cell RNA sequencing to characterize the transcriptome of the invasive trophoblast cell lineage, as well as other cell populations within the rat uterine–placental interface during early (gestation day [gd] 15.5) and late (gd 19.5) stages of intrauterine trophoblast cell invasion. We identified a robust set of transcripts that define invasive trophoblast cells, as well as transcripts that distinguished endothelial, smooth muscle, natural killer, and macrophage cells. Invasive trophoblast, immune, and endothelial cell populations exhibited distinct spatial relationships within the uterine–placental interface. Furthermore, the maturation stage of invasive trophoblast cell development could be determined by assessing gestation stage–dependent changes in transcript expression. Finally, and most importantly, expression of a prominent subset of rat invasive trophoblast cell transcripts is conserved in the invasive extravillous trophoblast cell lineage of the human placenta. These findings provide foundational data to identify and interrogate key conserved regulatory mechanisms essential for the development and function of an important compartment within the hemochorial placentation site that is essential for a healthy pregnancy.
Structural and inhibitor sensitivity analysis of influenza B–like viral neuraminidases derived from Asiatic toad and spiny eel
Authors: Li Linghui , Chai Yan , Peng Weiyu , Li Delin , Sun Litao , Gao George Fu , Qi Jianxun , Xiao Haixia , Liu William Jun , von Itzstein Mark , Gao Feng
Published: October 2022

Influenza virus neuraminidase (NA) is an important target for antiviral development because it plays a crucial role in releasing newly assembled viruses. Two unique influenza-like virus genomes were recently reported in the Wuhan Asiatic toad and Wuhan spiny eel. Their NA genes appear to be highly divergent from all known influenza NAs, raising key questions as to whether the Asiatic toad influenza-like virus NA (tNA) and spiny eel NA (eNA) have canonical NA activities and structures and whether they show sensitivity to NA inhibitors (NAIs). Here, we found that both tNA and eNA have neuraminidase activities. A detailed structural analysis revealed that tNA and eNA present similar overall structures to currently known NAs, with a conserved calcium binding site. Inhibition assays indicated that tNA is resistant to NAIs, while eNA is still sensitive to NAIs. E119 is conserved in canonical NAs. The P119E substitution in tNA can restore sensitivity to NAIs, and, in contrast, the E119P substitution in eNA decreased its sensitivity to NAIs. The structures of NA–inhibitor complexes further provide a detailed insight into NA–inhibitor interactions at the atomic level. Moreover, tNA and eNA have unique N-glycosylation sites compared with canonical NAs. Collectively, the structural features, NA activities, and sensitivities to NAIs suggest that fish- and amphibian-derived influenza-like viruses may circulate in these vertebrates. More attention should be paid to these influenza-like viruses because their NA molecules may play roles in the emergence of NAI resistance.
The conductance and organization of the TMC1-containing mechanotransducer channel complex in auditory hair cells
Authors: Fettiplace Robert , Furness David N. , Beurg Maryline
Published: October 2022

Transmembrane channel-like protein 1 (TMC1) is thought to form the ion-conducting pore of the mechanoelectrical transducer (MET) channel in auditory hair cells. Using single-channel analysis and ionic permeability measurements, we characterized six missense mutations in the purported pore region of mouse TMC1. All mutations reduced the Ca
2+
permeability of the MET channel, triggering hair cell apoptosis and deafness. In addition,
Tmc1
p.E520Q and
Tmc1
p.D528N reduced channel conductance, whereas
Tmc1
p.W554L and
Tmc1
p.D569N lowered channel expression without affecting the conductance.
Tmc1
p.M412K and
Tmc1
p.T416K reduced only the Ca
2+
permeability. The consequences of these mutations endorse TMC1 as the pore of the MET channel. The accessory subunits, LHFPL5 and TMIE, are thought to be involved in targeting TMC1 to the tips of the stereocilia. We found sufficient expression of TMC1 in outer hair cells of
Lhfpl5
and
Tmie
knockout mice to determine the properties of the channels, which could still be gated by hair bundle displacement. Single-channel conductance was unaffected in
Lhfpl5
−/−
but was reduced in

Tmie
−/−

, implying TMIE very likely contributes to the pore. Both the working range and half-saturation point of the residual MET current in
Lhfpl5
−/−
were substantially increased, suggesting that LHFPL5 is part of the mechanical coupling between the tip-link and the MET channel. Based on counts of numbers of stereocilia per bundle, we estimate that each PCDH15 and LHFPL5 monomer may contact two channels irrespective of location.
Synergetic collision and space separation in microfluidic chip for efficient affinity-discriminated molecular selection
Authors: Wang Junxia , Li Liang , Zhang Yingkun , Zhao Kaifeng , Chen Xiaofeng , Shen Haicong , Chen Yuanqiang , Song Jia , Ma Yuqiang , Yang Chaoyong , Ding Hongming , Zhu Zhi
Published: October 2022

Efficient molecular selection is a prerequisite for generating molecular tools used in diagnosis, pathology, vaccinology, and therapeutics. Selection efficiency is thermodynamically highly dependent on the dissociation equilibrium that can be reached in a single round. Extreme shifting of equilibrium towards dissociation favors the retention of high-affinity ligands over those with lower affinity, thus improving the selection efficiency. We propose to synergize dual effects by deterministic lateral-displacement microfluidics, including the collision-based force effect and the two-dimensional (2D) separation-based concentration effect, to greatly shift the equilibrium. Compared with previous approaches, this system can remove more low- or moderate-affinity ligands and maintain most high-affinity ligands, thereby improving affinity discrimination in selection. This strategy is demonstrated on phage display in both experiment and simulation, and two peptides against tumor markers ephrin type-A receptor 2 (EphA2) and CD71 were obtained with high affinity and specificity within a single round of selection, which offers a promising direction for discovery of robust binding ligands for a wide range of biomedical applications.
Sociocultural determinants of global mask-wearing behavior
Authors: Yang Luojun , Constantino Sara M. , Grenfell Bryan T. , Weber Elke U. , Levin Simon A. , Vasconcelos Vítor V.
Published: October 2022

Behavioral responses influence the trajectories of epidemics. During the COVID-19 pandemic, nonpharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) reduced pathogen transmission and mortality worldwide. However, despite the global pandemic threat, there was substantial cross-country variation in the adoption of protective behaviors that is not explained by disease prevalence alone. In particular, many countries show a pattern of slow initial mask adoption followed by sharp transitions to high acceptance rates. These patterns are characteristic of behaviors that depend on social norms or peer influence. We develop a game-theoretic model of mask wearing where the utility of wearing a mask depends on the perceived risk of infection, social norms, and mandates from formal institutions. In this model, increasing pathogen transmission or policy stringency can trigger social tipping points in collective mask wearing. We show that complex social dynamics can emerge from simple individual interactions and that sociocultural variables and local policies are important for recovering cross-country variation in the speed and breadth of mask adoption. These results have implications for public health policy and data collection.
Visualizing language learning environments beyond the classroom in study abroad
Authors: Kashiwa Mayumi
Published: October 2022

Employing an ecological framework, this study explores learners’ visual representation of their language learning
practices and environments beyond the classroom in an Australian context. Specifically, this study’s aim is to better understand
the features of individual language learning environments, the role of self-reflection, and the affordances involved in the
construction of these environments. One hundred and seventy international students enrolled in English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas
Students (ELICOS) in Sydney drew mind maps on “Activities to improve my English in Australia.” The mind maps were analyzed
thematically using NVivo 11 software and subsequent themes were developed. Findings showed individual differences in features of
language learning environments, learners’ perceptions of their affordances, and insight into the degree of learner agency as seen
from the visualization. This article closes by discussing the implications for using such visual materials in second language pedagogy in order
to understand student language learning beyond the classroom.
WDR91 specifies the endosomal retrieval subdomain for retromer-dependent recycling
Authors: Liu Nan , Liu Kai , Yang Chonglin
Published: October 2022

Retromer-dependent endosomal recycling of membrane receptors requires Rab7, sorting nexin (SNX)-retromer, and factors that regulate endosomal actin organization. It is not fully understood how these factors cooperate to form endosomal subdomains for cargo retrieval and recycling. Here, we report that WDR91, a Rab7 effector, is the key factor that specifies the endosomal retrieval subdomain. Loss of WDR91 causes defective recycling of both intracellular and cell surface receptors. WDR91 interacts with SNXs through their PX domain, and with VPS35, thus promoting their interaction with Rab7. WDR91 also interacts with the WASH subunit FAM21. In WDR91-deficient cells, Rab7, SNX-retromer, and FAM21 fail to localize to endosomal subdomains, and endosomal actin organization is impaired. Re-expression of WDR91 enables Rab7, SNX-retromer, and FAM21 to concentrate at WDR91-specific endosomal subdomains, where retromer-mediated membrane tubulation and release occur. Thus, WDR91 coordinates Rab7 with SNX-retromer and WASH to establish the endosomal retrieval subdomains required for retromer-mediated endosomal recycling.
Large gauge transformations, local coordinates and cosmological observables
Authors: Mitsou Ermis , Yoo Jaiyul
Published: October 2022

In recent years new types of coordinate transformations have appeared in cosmology on top of the standard gauge transformations, such as the dilatations and special conformal transformations, or the ones leading to (conformal) Fermi coordinates. Some of these can remove effects that are invariant under the standard gauge transformations and also affect asymptotic boundary conditions, thus introducing a non-trivial ambiguity in our cosmological modeling. In this short note we point out that this ambiguity is irrelevant for the quantities we use to compare our model with observations—the cosmological observable relations—as they are invariant under all of these transformations. Importantly, this invariance holds only if one takes into account all the relativistic contributions to an observable, which is not the case in the literature in general. We finally also show that the practically-relevant property of conformal Fermi coordinates (a Friedmann-Lemaître-Robertson-Walker (FLRW) metric up to second order in distance) can be achieved through a globally-defined standard gauge transformation.
Pure shape dynamics: general framework
Authors: Koslowski Tim , Naranjo Pedro , Vassallo Antonio
Published: October 2022

We put forward a general framework for describing relational physical theories, which we call pure shape dynamics (PSD). Elaborating on the original insights brought about by the shape dynamics programme, PSD’s novel take on relationalism is its insistence on describing any dynamical system by means of the intrinsic geometry of its associated curve in the suitable relational configuration space of the theory, namely shape space, whereby the corresponding equation of state of the curve expresses the ratio of change of one of its geometric degrees of freedom with respect to another one. The mathematical structure underlying the equation of state is a local section over a natural generalisation of the unit tangent bundle, which we call shape phase space.
Linear dependence of dislocation pattern size on the imprint width and scratch width on (0001) GaN
Authors: Ishikawa Yukari , Sugawara Yoshihiro , Yao Yongzhao , Takeda Hidetoshi , Aida Hideo , Tadatomo Kazuyuki
Published: October 2022

With the aim of developing a method of estimating the thickness of an affected layer on a wide-bandgap semiconductor wafer caused by scratching, we investigated the dependence of dislocation pattern size on the width of the imprint (or scratch) induced by the Berkovich indentation (or scratching) using a Berkovich indenter. We found that the penetration depth and width of the dislocation pattern induced on (0001) GaN by indentation are approx. 0.9 times and 30 times that of the imprint width and the imprint depth, respectively. Based on the linearity between the imprint width and the square root of load (SqL), the constant hardness is confirmed to be 0.1 mN or more. In comparison to laterally expanding dislocation generation, inclined dislocation generation has a lower threshold load. The cause of this threshold discrepancy is discussed based on the imperfection of the indenter tip. The scratch width linearly increased with the SqL in the range of 0.5–7 mN. The width and depth of the dislocation pattern induced by the scratch are approx. 11–13 and 0.75–1 times the scratch width, respectively. The width of the dislocation pattern of the [1

1
ˉ

00] scratch is larger than that of the [11

2
ˉ

0] scratch, however, the penetration depth of the dislocation pattern of [1

1
ˉ

00] is smaller than that of [11

2
ˉ

0]. These findings indicate that estimating the affected layer thickness induced by mechanical polishing or grinding is possible only by finding the widest scratch on a wafer.
High-performance bifunctional oxygen electrocatalysts for zinc-air batteries over nitrogen-doped carbon encapsulating CoNi nanoparticles
Authors: Liu Hengqi , Hua Daxing , Wang Ran , Liu Zhiguo , Li Jiajie , Wang Xianjie , Song Bo
Published: October 2022

The nitrogen doped carbon (NC) encapsulating metal particles (metal/NC) are promising low-cost bifunctional oxygen electrocatalysts for rechargeable Zn-air batteries. However, the states of the art catalytic performance are still significantly restricted by the limited content of active sites for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Herein, a series of NC encapsulating CoNi samples as a bifunctional catalyst for both ORR and OER were synthesized via a simple pyrolysis method. Large surface area and high content M–N
x
active sites promote the ORR activity and accelerate the surface reconstruction layer for high OER performance. The NC encapsulating CoNi with optimized Co/Ni ratio (2:1) shows high ORR activity with a half-wave of potential (0.85 V) and a low overpotential of 309 mV for OER. Rechargeable Zn-air battery assembled by an air cathode with the NC encapsulating CoNi exhibits a power density of 143 mW cm−2 and good cyclability over 100 h at 10 mA cm−2. This mechanism work provides a feasible strategy for developing high activity and low cost bifunctional oxygen electrocatalysts.
Absolute distance measurements for in-situ interferometer characterisation using range-resolved interferometry
Authors: Shmagun Vitalii , Gerhardt Uwe , Fröhlich Thomas , Manske Eberhard , Kissinger Thomas
Published: October 2022

Range-resolved interferometry (RRI) allows the simultaneous demodulation of multiple interferometric signal sources and provides a tomographic view of all constituent interferometers that may be present in a setup. Through comparison with a reference distance of known length, absolute distance measurements can be performed. RRI is tailored to the use of laser frequency modulation through injection-current modulation of regular, monolithic laser diodes that are both cost-effective and highly coherent and therefore this approach promises broad applicability. In this paper, two methods for absolute distance measurement, one based on the direct evaluation of the signal peak positions and one based on the phase demodulation of an additional lock-in modulation signal, are experimentally demonstrated. Using an external verification displacement interferometer, both techniques are shown to achieve in-situ absolute distance measurements with systematic errors below

±
0.1
%

over a 50 mm travel range. The aim of this paper is to establish the general suitability of RRI for absolute distance measurements and in-situ tomographic interferometer characterisation for precision engineering. In future, this approach could be used to diagnose interferometric setups for parasitic signal contributions, multiple reflections or to determine the dead path length for accurate environmental compensation, either for use during initial setup of, or for continuous operation alongside, a regular displacement measuring interferometer.
Correlation-based algorithms for accurate PIV measurement near the slip boundary
Authors: Cao Yufan , Wang Xiangyu , Yuan Huijing , Duan Huiling , Sun Zhili , Li Hongyuan , Lv Pengyu
Published: October 2022

Accurate particle image velocimetry (PIV) measurement near the wall is of great significance in many fields. However, it is challenging for conventional PIV algorithms to deal with the near-wall flow, especially under the slip boundary condition. In general, the conventional window correlation method cannot accurately calculate the flow velocity at any location that is less than half the size of the interrogation window away from the boundary. For steady or periodic flow, the single-pixel ensemble correlation method can estimate the velocity very near the wall, but numerous image pairs are required, which comes at a great computational cost. In this paper, a new method based on window deformation is proposed to estimate the velocity profile of near-wall flows. Furthermore, a multi-pixel ensemble correlation method is proposed based on the single-pixel method, which improves accuracy and significantly reduces the computational cost relative to the single-pixel method. Both methods are validated by synthetic particle images and experiments. The present work extends the PIV methodology for accurately measuring near-wall flows, especially under the slip boundary condition, which will benefit research on the boundary layer, drag reduction, microfluidics, etc.
Ambipolar steep-slope nanotransistors with Janus MoSSe/graphene heterostructures
Authors: Zhang Xinjiang , Huang Anping , Xiao Zhisong , Wang Mei , Zhang Jing , Chu Paul K.
Published: October 2022

The transfer characteristics and switching mechanism of the steep-slope transistor composed of the graphene/Janus MoSSe heterostructure are investigated by quantum transport calculation. The Schottky barrier height at the Gr/SMoSe interface and tunneling width between the channel and drain can be tuned by the gate voltage, so that the device exhibits ambipolar switching with two minima in the subthreshold swing slope. 34 and 29 mV decade−1 subthreshold swings can be achieved and the on/off ratios are over 106 and 108 for the different switching mechanisms. The device provides a solution and guidance for the future design of low-power, high-performance devices.
Spray coated micropatterning of metal halide perovskite for anticounterfeiting fluorescent tags
Authors: Hossain Modasser , Santra Pralay K
Published: October 2022

Metal halide perovskites possess exciting optoelectronic properties and are being used for various applications, including fluorescent anticounterfeiting security tags. The existing anticounterfeitings based on perovskites have a reversible transition that does not allow to know whether the information is tampered or compromised. In this work, we developed fluorescent anticounterfeiting security tags using micropatterned metal halide perovskite nanocrystals. The micro features were created by spray coating of stabilized methylammonium lead tribromide (MAPbBr3) nanocrystals (NCs) in polystyrene (PS) solution, which has a proper wettability to various rigid and flexible substrates. The PS provides additional optical and structural stability to the MAPbBr3 NCs against polar solvents. By combining stable and unstable MAPbBr3 nanocrystals, we created a double-layer fluorescent anticounterfeiting security tag, and the information is hidden under both ambient light and UV illumination. An irreversible decryption is possible after treating the security tags with particular solvents, thus tampering of the security tag is easily detectable.
Microelectronic current-sourcing device based on band-to-band tunneling current
Authors: Sul Onejae , Lee Yeonghun , Kim Sangduk , Kwon Minjin , Sun Hyeonjeong , Bang Jiyoung , Ju Hyungbeen , Choi Eunsuk , Lee Seung-Beck
Published: October 2022

A new stable current-sourcing transistor is developed using the band-to-band tunneling phenomenon. A heterojunction between thin film WS2 and heavily hole-doped bulk silicon converts a section of the WS2 contacting the silicon into a hole-doped WS2 inside the WS2 channel, and band-to-band tunneling occurs between the electron-doped and hole-doped WS2. The output current is regulated by the tunneling barrier thickness. The thickness depends on the gate bias for device switching, but is less sensitive to the source bias, enabling stable output currents. The minimum line sensitivity is 2.6%, and the temperature coefficient is 1.4 × 103 ppm °C−1. The device can be operated as a current sourcing device with an ultralow output current and power consumption.
Effect of sodium thiazolinyl dithiopropane sulphonate (SH110) addition on electroplating nanotwinned copper films and their filling performance of fine-pitch redistributed layer (RDL)
Authors: Huang Jing , Gao Li-Yin , Peng Zhen-Jia , Li Zhe , Liu Zhi-Quan , Sun Rong
Published: October 2022

Nanotwinned copper is a potential microelectronic interconnection material due to its superior strength and conductivity, however, its filling ability is urgently needed to improve before its application in the field of advanced packaging. The effect of additive (sodium thiazolinyl dithiopropane sulphonate, SH110) addition on the surface roughness, microstructure, mechanical properties and filling capacity of nanotwinned copper films was investigated. The surface roughness and grain size were firstly reduced then increased with the increasing concentrations of SH110, reaching the minimum value at 10 ppm. It was noticed that copper films with 10 ppm SH110 also possessed superior tensile strength and elongation, which were measured as 481 MPa and 3.68% on average of 12μm thick samples by dynamic thermo-mechanical analyzer. Further, their uniformity and flatness of redistributed layers (RDLs) were controlled as 2% and 1.9%, which were significantly improved compared to the samples without SH110 (7.6% and 4.7%). As demonstrated by linear sweep voltammetry analysis and galvanostatic measurement, the SH110 could cooperate well with gelatin and serve as a combination of accelerator and leveler, resulting in the improvement of filling capacity for nanotwinned copper RDLs.
Greatly increased electrical conductivity of PBTTT-C14 thin film via controllable single precursor vapor phase infiltration
Authors: Mu Xueyang , Wang Weike , Sun Chongcai , Zhao Dan , Ma Chuang , Zhu Jiankang , Knez Mato
Published: October 2022

Doping is an important strategy for effectively regulating the charge carrier concentration of semiconducting materials. In this study, the electronic properties of organic–inorganic hybrid semiconducting polymers, synthesized via in situ controlled vapor phase infiltration (VPI) of poly[2,5-bis(3-tetradecylthiophen-2-yl)thieno[3,2-b]thiophene] (PBTTT-C14) with the metal precursors molybdenum pentachloride (MoCl5) and titanium tetrachloride (TiCl4), were altered and characterized. The conductivities of the infiltration-doped PBTTT-C14 thin films were enhanced by up to 9 and 4 orders of magnitude, respectively. The significantly improved electrical properties may result from interactions between metal atoms in the metal precursors and sulfur of the thiophene rings, thus forming new chemical bonds. Importantly, VPI doping has little influence on the structure of the PBTTT-C14 thin films. Even if various dopant molecules infiltrate the polymer matrix, the interlayer spacing of the films will inevitably expand, but it has negligible effects on the overall morphology and structure of the film. Also, Lewis acid-doped PBTTT-C14 thin films exhibited excellent environmental stability. Therefore, the VPI-based doping process has great potential for use in processing high-quality conductive polymer films.
Investigation on the surface morphologies of reduced graphene oxide coating on the interfacial characteristics and electro-catalytic capacity of enzymatic glucose sensors
Authors: Zhou Fan , Wang Jiyuan , Tang Yimei , Liu Shu , Du Yanrui , Jing Weixuan , Li Yan , Hai Lixin , Li Wenqiang , Gao Feng
Published: October 2022

In this study, reduced graphene oxide (rGO) were subject to ultrasonic treatment to acquire varied morphologies, and the enzymatic glucose sensors were constructed by coating the rGO onto indium tin oxide electrodes and physically linking glucose oxidase to the rGO coatings. The effects of the surface morphologies of the rGO coatings on the interfacial characteristics and the electro-catalytic capacity of the enzymatic glucose sensors were systematically investigated. It turns out that, the rGO coating with a rough surface is more hydrophilic, and exhibits uniform glucose oxidase adsorption and higher electron migration rate at the solid/liquid interface between the analytical liquid and the working electrode. As a result, the corresponding glucose sensor shows excellent electro-catalytic capacity towards glucose with a broader linear range of 0–10.0 mM, a higher sensitivity of 38.9 μA·mM−1·cm−2, and a lower detection limit of 0.1 μM (signal-to-noise ratio of 3). Additionally, the as-prepared glucose sensor exhibits excellent accuracy for detecting actual blood samples as well as superior resistance to interference from other substances (such as L-phenylalanine, urea, ascorbic acid, uric acid, NaCl, and KCl). These results establish the theoretical and experimental foundation for the application of rGO coating in the field of biosensors.
Molecular dynamics study on the effect of electric current on electrically-assisted scratching for crystal copper
Authors: Yu Li , Qiu-Yang Zheng , Zhen-Yu Zhou , Cong Ding , Sen-Bin Ye , Zhong-Yu Piao
Published: October 2022

Investigation of the effect of electric current on the plastic deformation mechanism of metals during the electrically-assisted machining process is significant in further improving surface properties. In this paper, the molecular dynamics (MD) method is adopted to simulate the electrically-assisted scratching process of crystal copper, obtaining and analyzing the surface morphology, potential energy change, von Mises stress distribution, and crystal defect structure evolution. The MD simulation results show that the electric current effectively expands the dislocation slip range, resulting in a larger plastic deformation zone. Meanwhile, the combined action of the electron wind forces and Joule heating causes more dislocations to proliferate and increases the dislocation density limit, enhancing the plastic deformation ability of the single-crystal copper. Furthermore, the electric current strengthens the dislocation-grain boundary interactions and reduces the hindering effect of the grain boundaries on dislocations, promoting more dislocations to cross the grain boundaries. This work will be helpful for guiding the optimization of surface strengthening techniques to get better surface properties of metals.
On single-photon and classical interference
Authors: Barnett Stephen M
Published: October 2022

It has often been remarked that single-photon interference experiments, however complicated, seem to behave very much in the same way as those performed in the classical regime, using the field generated by a laser. This observation has the status of being ‘well-known to those who know it’, but perhaps mysterious to others. We discuss the reasons underlying the similarity and also some of the limitations of this simple idea.
Natural Inflation with non minimal coupling to gravity in R
2 gravity under the Palatini formalism
Authors: AlHallak M. , Chamoun N. , Eldaher M.S.
Published: October 2022

Natural Inflation with non-minimal coupling (NMC) to gravity, embodied by a Lagrangian term ξϕ
2
R, is investigated in the context of an extended gravity of the form R + αR
2. The treatment is performed in the Palatini formalism. We discuss various limits of the model “α ≫ 1” and “α ≪ 1” in light of two scenarios of inflation: a “Slow roll” and a “Constant roll” scenario. By analyzing the observational consequences of the model, our results show a significant improvement regarding compatibility between the theoretical results of this model and the observational constraints from Planck 2018 and BICEP/Keck 2018, as exemplified by the tensor-to-scalar ratio and spectral index. Furthermore, a broader range for the parameter space of natural inflation is now compatible with the confidence contours of Planck & BICEP/Keck results.
The joint effects of the contributions of both the NMC to gravity and the αR
2 make a significant improvement: αR
2 gravity influences scalar-tensor ratio values, whereas NMC to gravity has a more significant impact on the spectral index values. Contributions from both terms allow more previously excluded intervals to be included being compatible now with observational data. These conclusions about the roles of NMC to gravity and, particularly, the extended gravity remain mainly valid with a periodic NMC similar in form to the natural inflation potential.
Optical depth to reionization from perturbative 21 cm clustering
Authors: Sailer Noah , Chen Shi-Fan , White Martin
Published: October 2022

The optical depthτis the least well determined parameter in the standard model of cosmology, and one whose precise value is important for both understanding reionization and for inferring fundamental physics from cosmological measurements. We forecast how well future epoch of reionization experiments could constraintτusing a symmetries-based bias expansion that highlights the special role played by anisotropies in the power spectrum on large scales. Given a parametric model for the ionization evolution inspired by the physical behavior of more detailed reionization simulations, we find that future 21 cm experiments could place tight constraints on the timing and duration of reionization and hence constraints onτthat are competitive with proposed, space-based CMB missions provided they can measurek≈ 0.1hMpc-1with a clean foreground wedge across redshifts spanning the most active periods of reionization, corresponding to ionization fractions 0.2 ≲x≲ 0.8. Significantly improving upon existing CMB-based measurements with next-generation 21 cm surveys would require substantially longer observations (∼ 5 years) than standard 𝒪(1000 hour) integration times. Precise measurements of smaller scales will not improve constraints onτuntil a better understanding of the astrophysics of reionization is achieved. In the presence of noise and foregrounds even future 21 cm experiments will struggle to constrainτif the ionization evolution deviates significantly from simple parametric forms.
Regularization of energy-dependent pointlike interactions in 1D quantum mechanics
Authors: Granet Etienne
Published: October 2022

We construct a family of Hermitian potentials in 1D quantum mechanics that converges in the zero-range limit to a
δ
interaction with an energy-dependent coupling. It does not belong to the standard four-parameter family of pointlike interactions in 1D, obtained by requiring hermiticity. But we show that although our Hamiltonian is Hermitian for the standard inner product when the range of the potential is finite, the eigenstates become orthogonal for a different inner product in the zero-range limit. This inner product attributes a finite probability (and not probability density) for the particle to be exactly located at the position of the potential. Such pointlike interactions can then be used to construct potentials with a finite support with an energy-dependent coupling.