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As the trajectory of transistor scaling defined by Moore's law encounters challenges, the paradigm of ever-evolving integrated circuit technology shifts to explore unconventional materials and architectures to sustain progress. Two-dimensional (2D) semiconductors, characterized by their atomic-scale thickness and exceptional electronic properties, have emerged as a beacon of promise in this quest for the continued advancement of field-effect transistor (FET) technology. The energy-efficient complementary circuit integration necessitates strategic engineering of both n-channel and p-channel 2D FETs to achieve symmetrical high performance. This intricate process mandates the realization of demanding device characteristics, including low contact resistance, precisely controlled doping schemes, high mobility, and seamless incorporation of high- κ dielectrics. Furthermore, the uniform growth of wafer-scale 2D film is imperative to mitigate defect density, minimize device-to-device variation, and establish pristine interfaces within the integrated circuits. This review examines the latest breakthroughs with a focus on the preparation of 2D channel materials and device engineering in advanced FET structures. It also extensively summarizes critical aspects such as the scalability and compatibility of 2D FET devices with existing manufacturing technologies, elucidating the synergistic relationships crucial for realizing efficient and high-performance 2D FETs. These findings extend to potential integrated circuit applications in diverse functionalities.

Onosma hispidum. L ( O. hispidum ) belongs to the family Boregineacea . A preliminary study and its medicinal use suggested its role in the management of hyperlipidemia. The present study aimed to assess the effect of methanolic root extract of O. hispidum in hyperlipidemia and associated vascular dysfunction. Oral administration of O. hispidum crude extract (Oh. Cr) to tyloxopol and high fat diet-induced hyperlipidemic Sprague-Dawley rats for 10 and 28 days significantly reduced total triglycerides and cholesterol ( p  < 0.001), compared to hyperlipidemic rats. Oh. Cr 250 mg/kg orally treated rats significantly ( p  < 0.001) reduced both the total body weight and atherogenic index in tylaxopol and HFD rats. In HMG-CoA assay, the inhibition of the enzyme was significant in Oh.Cr (250 mg/kg) treated group. Histopathological studies indicated that the group treated with Oh.Cr 250 mg/kg/day showed regular morphology of aortic intima, media and adventitia, and improved the endothelial damage. To investigate the vascular dysfunction, isolated rat aorta rings from all groups were pre-contracted with 1 µM phenylephrine (PE), and the effect of acetylcholine (Ach) was monitored. In the aorta isolated from Oh.Cr (50 mg/kg) treated group, Ach completely relaxed the PE-induced contraction with EC 50 value of 0.05 µg/mL 0.015 (0.01-0.2) compared to the hyperlipidemic control group (<30% relaxation). In atorvastatin (10 mg/kg) treated rat aorta, Ach showed 50% relaxation. The Oh.Cr extract also reduced (105.92 ± 1.14 to 66.63 ± 0.85 mmHg) mean arterial pressure in hyperlipidemic hypertensive rats. These findings suggest that extract of O. hispidum is an effective remedy for hypercholesterolemia, and hypertriglyceridemia, which acts through inhibition of HMG-CoA and improving vascular dysfunction., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2023 Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of King Saud University.)

Probiotics are considered effective microbial dietary supplements that provide beneficial effects to consumers, usually by restoring or improving gut microflora. Goat milk is one of the rich sources of probiotics as well as nutrients. Therefore, the primary aim of this research was to isolate and evaluate the potential of novel indigenous probiotic strains present in goat milk. Six different raw goat milk samples were collected from different areas of Multan, Pakistan. For bacterial characterization, samples were cultured and isolated on MRS agar plates for different morphological and biochemical tests. The probiotic potential of the six isolates, all of which were gram positive (G1, G2, G3, G4, G5, and G6) and five of which were catalase negative (all except G1), were assessed via a milk coagulation assay and antimicrobial activity, pH tolerance, phenol tolerance, and sodium chloride (NaCl) tolerance tests, which revealed that all the isolates coagulated in milk and showed protease and lipase activity, except G3. All six isolates showed tolerance against 0.2% phenol and 2-4% NaCl and were able to survive in both alkaline and acidic conditions. Only five isolates showed antimicrobial activity against indicator strain Aspergillus niger strain STA9, validating their probiotic nature. The most potent bile-tolerant and bacteriocin-producing isolate, G1, also showed γ-hemolytic activity and resistance to penicillin but showed susceptibility to other antibiotics. The lactic acid-producing (0.60% titratable acidity) G1 isolate was identified as a novel strain of Mammaliicoccus sciuri based on 16S rDNA sequencing. The above findings suggest that the potent M. sciuri GMN01 strain can serve as a potential probiotic strain. A potent probiotic strain isolated from raw goat milk could be utilized as a dietary supplement, and goat milk could become an alternative to other sources of milk, particularly cow milk. However, safety aspects of this strain require further investigation because the present safety tests are insufficient to conclude that the GMN01 isolate is safe., (©2022 BMFH Press.)

Facing the increasingly serious problem of environmental pollution and energy waste, the thermoelectric generator has been attracting more and more attention owing to its advantages including low cost, no pollution, and good stability. The family of thermoelectric material is constantly extended with enhanced performance. Note that nanostructuring can enhance thermoelectric performance. However, the most recent excellent material with effective thermoelectric transformation reported from bulk materials has definite benefits to the practical application compared to nanomaterials. In this work, a nanostructure integrated macroscale thermoelectric chip, that is an alloyed band gap gradient macroscale chip (1.0 cm × 2.0 cm) composed of CdSSe nanowires, has been proven as an excellent thermoelectric generator for the first time. A high Seebeck coefficient of -152.4 μV/K and the average output voltage of 10.8 mV are obtained after optimizing the electrode patterns and distance between electrodes. More interestingly, upon illumination by white light from a xenon lamp, a photo-thermoelectric output voltage is greatly elevated to 45 mV due to the high concentration of photogenerated carriers. The CdSSe thermoelectric chip also shows good repeatability and high stability with a relative error of <6%. No study on the thermoelectric performance of such an alloyed band gap gradient macroscale chip is mentioned before. The results illustrate a bright avenue to realize a type of light-modulated macroscale thermoelectric chips by nanostructure, allowing such kinds of CdSSe chips to be used to generate electric energy in the near future.

Micro/nano optoelectronic devices are widely studied as basic building blocks for on-chip integrated microsystem and multichannel logic units with excellent optoelectronic properties that are especially important part for interconnection route construction. Here, based on anisotropic waveguides, an optical switch with an on/off ratio of 2.14 is built up in a 2D CdS branched nanowire array. Because the branches are obliquely distributed at the same side of the trunk in a highly ordered form, the guided photoluminescence (PL) intensity from the trunk into the branch tightly relates to its angle. Based on the different intensity of the guided PL emitted from the end of each branch, the position of the incident spot in the backbone area can be identified accurately, making a feasible construction of an on-chip position-sensitive detector to realize an all-optical information process.

Molybdenum dioxide (MoO 2 ) a kind of semi-metal material shows many unique properties, such as high melting point, good thermal stability, large surface area-to-volume ratio, high-density surface unsaturated atoms, and excellent conductivity. There is a strong connection between structural type and optoelectronic properties of 2D nanosheet. Herein, the rectangular and hexagonal types of thin and thick MoO 2 2D nanosheets were successfully prepared from MoO 3 powder using two-zone chemical vapor deposition (CVD) with changing the experimental parameters, and these fabricated nanosheets displayed different colors under bright-field microscope, possess margins and smooth surface. The thickness of the blue hexagonal and rectangular MoO 2 nanosheets are ~ 25 nm and ~ 30 nm, respectively, while typical thickness of orange-colored nanosheet is around ~ 100 nm. Comparative analysis and investigations were carried out, and mix-crystal phases were indentified in thick MoO 2 as main matrix through Raman spectroscopy. For the first time, the emission bands obtained in thick MoO 2 nanosheets via a Cathodoluminescence (CL) system exhibiting special properties of semi-metallic and semi-conductors; however, no CL emission detected in case of thin nanosheets. The electrical properties of thin MoO 2 nanosheets with different morphologies were compared, and both of them demonstrated varying metallic properties. The resistance of thin rectangular nanosheet was ~ 25 Ω at ± 0.05 V while 64 Ω at ± 0.05 V was reported for hexagonal nanosheet, and observed lesser resistance by rectangular nanosheet than hexagonal nanosheet.

Objective: To determine the influence of bariatric surgery on remission of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in obese patients along with improvements in other obesity-associated comorbidities., Study Design: Observational study., Place and Duration of Study: Doncaster and Bassetlaw NHS Trust, UK, from August 2010 to August 2018., Methodology: All the cases of bariatric surgery in obese patients with T2DM who had completed 2 years of follow up were included in the study. Remission of T2DM was defined as glycated hemoglobin (HbA1C) <48 mmol/mol (<6.5%) or fasting blood sugar of <7.0 mmol/L, not on hypoglycemic agents 2 years after having bariatric surgery. Student's t-test was used to see any difference in baseline HbA1C, BMI, percentage of weight loss, and duration of diabetes between remitters and non-remitters., Results: Two years follow-up data after bariatric surgery for remission of T2DM or otherwise was available for (n=121) patients. Majority (70.2%, n=85) were females and (29.8%, n=36) were males. Mean age was 48.21 ±9.77 years. Eightythree (68.6%) patients achieved remission of T2DM at 2 years and 31.4% (n=38) did not. Remission of other comorbidities was 33.3% (n=53 out of 159) for hypertension (HTN), 50.8% (n=60 out of 118) for dyslipidemia, 67.2% (n=43 out of 64) for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), 52.1% (n=37 out of 71) for gastro esophageal reflux disease (GERD), 25.7% (n=18 out of 70) for asthma, and 23.3% (n=24 out of 103) for depression., Conclusion: Bariatric surgery effectively achieves remission of T2DM and other obesity associated comorbidities.

Lithium (Li), as the lightest metal and the most important powerful material in battery fabrication, is widely used in many fields. The fast detection of Li is necessary for industrial application. The slow-speed detection methods, including atomic absorption spectroscopy and inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy with high accuracy and low limit of detection, are hard to utilize in in situ industrial control due to complex prepreparation of samples. Here, through the analysis of the typical spectrum line at Li I 670.79 nm, Li ions in water were detected quantitatively in 1 min, including sample preparation by laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) with filter paper as the adsorption substrate. The calibration curve by polynomial function fitting is used to predict the Li + concentration. The limit of detection (LOD) as low as 18.4 ppb is obtained, which is much lower than the results ever reported by using filter paper. The related factor R 2 reaches 99%, and the prediction error is lower than 2%, proving the fast and online monitor for Li + by LIBS is feasible. Furthermore, by comparison with the results with filter paper enrichment, the Li + detection from water directly shows higher LOD to 10.5 ppm. Moreover, the plasma images, by gate-controlled intensified charge-coupled device, illustrate a different morphology and evolution between that on water surface and filter paper surface through visual observation. This study provides experimental and theoretical experience in a fast way for the quantitative detection of the lightest metal ion (Li + ) in liquid.

Improvement in detection accuracy is an important and hot topic for laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS). Discharged-pulse assisted (DPA) plasma has been investigated as an effective way to enhance analytical capabilities and accuracy of LIBS. Most of reported DPA experiments have been performed using high voltage and power to comprehend spectrum enhancement. For safety concerns and maneuverability of LIBS equipment; low power and small current discharge are viable for industrial application. In this paper, the enhanced spectra with many extra peaks and higher line intensities were also detected, realized by a low-power discharge assisted LIBS (Max. 2.8 kV and ~1 mA), which are much lower than reported in literature ~MW discharge. The number of atomic peaks of the sample increases, on the other hand, and gradual peaks become stronger with the increase of discharged HV from 1 kV to 1.5 kV, 1.75 kV, 2 kV, 2.5 kV and 2.8 kV. The discharge current increases from 0.2 mA to 1.5 mA, which is almost threshold discharge voltage. After processing, the original spectra, including the peak shift and peak correction by statistics and physics, resulted in achievement of better line stability in terms of relative standard deviation (RSD) of ash, carbon, and volatile coal samples with root mean square error prediction (RMSEP) of 0.4864, 0.3682, 0.3374 and the linear regression coefficient R 2 = 0.99, 0.99,0.98, respectively. The result proposes a promising method to improve detection accuracy of LIBS with simple setup, high safety and low-cost.

The inevitable problems in laser induced breakdown spectroscopy are matrix effect and statistical fluctuation of the spectral signal, which can be partly avoided by utilizing a proper confined unit. The dependences of spectral signal enhancement on relative permittivity were studied by varying materials to confine the plasma, which include polytetrafluoroethylene(PTFE), nylon/dacron, silicagel, and nitrile-butadiene rubber (NBR) with the relative permittivity 2.2, ~3.3, 3.6, 8~13, 15~22. We found that higher relative permittivity rings induce stronger enhancement ability, which restricts the energy dissipation of plasma better and due to the reflected electromagnetic wave from the wall of different materials, the electromagnetic field of plasma can be well confined and makes the distribution of plasma more orderly. The spectral intensities of the characteristic lines Si I 243.5 nm and Si I 263.1 nm increased approximately 2 times with relative permittivity values from 2.2 to ~20. The size dependent enhancement of PTFE was further checked and the maximum gain was realized by using a confinement ring with a diameter size of 5 mm and a height of 3 mm (D5mmH3mm), and the rings with D2mmH1mm and D3mmH2mm also show higher enhancement factor. In view of peak shift, peak lost and accidental peaks in the obtained spectra were properly treated in data progressing; the spectral fluctuation decreased drastically for various materials with different relative permittivities as confined units, which means the core of plasma is stabilized, attributing to the confinement effect. Furthermore, the quantitative analysis in coal shows wonderful results-the prediction fitting coefficient R 2 reaches 0.98 for ash and 0.99 for both volatile and carbon.

Context: Poor oral health is increasing dramatically among old people especially those living in rural and remote areas. Various factors such as low education background, low income, poor living conditions, unhealthy lifestyle, inadequate oral hygiene and tobacco use lead to poor oral health among older people which in turn lead to risks to their general health. The older people especially from rural areas are apprehensive about seeing a dentist and do not visit them regularly. This may lead to various problems which may have a detrimental influence on their quality of life., Aim: To know the problems faced by complete denture wearers in rural areas in Jammu district., Materials and Methods: Fifty patients from rural area Bishna, initially treated with a complete denture in the maxilla or mandibles were examined. The data were collected with the help of a questionnaire., Results: The results revealed that majority of respondents were in the age - group of 65-70 y. Majority of respondents complained of "difficulty chewing", "sore spots", "painful and swollen gums". Majority of respondents had difficulty in speech, it was difficult for them to interact and communicate with their dentures on. Most of the respondents had lost confidence and had low self esteem. Clinical observations revealed that the commonest condition associated with denture wearing was Oral Stomatitis/ Burning mouth Syndrome, Superimposed infection and Angular cheilitis., Conclusion: Older people should Communicate and visit dentists, regularly, so that the dentists can adjust the treatment and pace according to their needs. Behavioural therapy techniques can make dental visits relatively anxiety and pain-free.

Unlabelled: We set out to assess the efficacy of radiofrequency-induced intradiscal nucleoplasty in reducing pain in symptomatic patients with MRI-defined lumbar disc herniation and their satisfaction with the procedure. We compared the patients' pain intensity and severity of disability scores before and after undergoing the procedure in a retrospective questionnaire. These patients reported statistically significant reduction of pain intensity and disability level after the procedure. We conclude that radiofrequencyinduced intradiscal nucleoplasty is an acceptable alternative minimally invasive procedure in relieving the symptoms of patients with lumbar disc herniation., Key Words: Radiofrequency-induced intradiscal nucleoplasty, coblation therapy, percutaneous lumbar disc decompression, intervertebral disc herniation, low back pain.

Abstract: We report a case of a human bite that was initially inadequately treated and progressed to chronic osteomyelitis, finally resulting in digital amputation. Human bites are seemingly innocuous, but if neglected, may lead to subsequent infection and morbidity. Persistence of symptoms should alert the practitioner to the possibility of infection extending to the soft tissue or bone. Bacteriological studies commonly yield mixed aerobic and anaerobic flora. Early debridement and antibiotic treatment may prevent development of severe soft tissue or bone infection., Key Words: human bite, osteomyelitis, amputation.

Abstract: A 47-year-old gentleman, with underlying seborrhoeic dermatitis that was treated with steroid therapy, and hepatitis B, presented with pain in his right hip. He was diagnosed with stage 2 osteonecrosis of the right hip (Ficat and Arlet classification). Core decompression and bone grafting was performed but recovery was complicated by a surgical site infection. Wound debridement, removal of bone graft and clearance of the bone tunnel were carried out. The patient was allowed to bear weight after surgery. Twelve days later, he developed right hip pain and radiographs showed fractured femur neck; the patient then underwent a two-stage total hip replacement (THR)., Key Words: Osteonecrosis, avascular necrosis, hip, core decompression, total hip replacement.

Introduction: Cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) represents a spectrum of pathologies with progressive compression of the spinal cord. The clinical signs and symptoms play a key role in diagnosis. The characteristic hand myelopathy signs are of significant clinical importance. The aim of this descriptive study was to report a relatively easy to elicit new hand myelopathy sign. The basis for this is finger and wrist flexor disinhibition, which is used for the spinal specificity of cord compression at or above the C5/6 level., Methods: The new clinical test was conducted in 68 patients with a mean age of 62 (range 54-68) years. The patients were divided into two groups according to their level of stenosis. Group 1 (n is 58) patients had stenosis at or above the C5/6 level, while Group 2 (n is 10) patients had stenosis at or below the C6/7 level. All these patients were clinically evaluated and their level of stenosis was confirmed using magnetic resonance imaging., Results: The Wazir sign was observed and well reproducible in 54 (93%) patients (Group 1); the myelopathy signs of three patients were positive (Hoffman's sign, finger escape and ten-second test). In Group 2, the Wazir sign was not reproducible, but the myelopathy signs were also positive in three patients., Conclusion: The Wazir hand myelopathy sign was found to be consistently present in our patients, in addition to the other hand myelopathy signs.

Two cases of dislocation of total knee arthroplasty presented to us within the same week. The first patient is a 71-year-old woman who underwent bilateral primary total knee arthroplasty. The left knee dislocated three weeks after the surgery. Due to failure of conservative measures, she underwent revision total knee arthroplasty. The other patient is a 72-year-old woman presenting ten years after primary total knee arthroplasty, with a traumatic dislocation of the knee joint. She was treated as an outpatient with closed manipulative reduction.

Purpose: To evaluate the short-term clinical and functional outcomes of total hip arthroplasty performed for physiologically active elderly patients with Garden type-3 or -4 femoral neck fracture., Methods: Records of 47 consecutive patients (40 female, 7 male) with type-3 or -4 femoral neck fracture (Garden classification) who underwent cemented total hip arthroplasty at our hospital during January 1999 to December 2002 were reviewed. Radiological and clinical (Harris functional hip score and Oxford hip score) assessments of 38 patients were measured with a mean follow-up period of 21 months (range, 4-48 months)., Results: The mean age of the 47 patients was 75 years (range, 62-89 years). Records of 9 patients were excluded because of death, lost to follow-up, and development of deep infection that necessitated implant removal and excision arthroplasty. The mean Harris hip score of the 38 patients was 83 (range, 59-97), whereas the mean Oxford hip score was 25.2 (range, 14-33). Pain in the hips was absent in 30 patients, 6 had slight pain occasionally, and 2 patients had mild-to-moderate hip discomfort. No signs of aseptic loosening or change in implant position were noted on radiographic assessment. Two cases of dislocation were reduced by closed reduction. Two patients had deep wound infection and were treated with debridement, implant removal, and conversion to girdle stone., Conclusion: This short-term study showed that total hip arthroplasty for femoral neck fracture had good postoperative results in functional hip and pain scores. More attention should be paid to coexisting medical illness (e.g. diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and ischaemic heart disease) and prevention of infection.

This is a case report of an extremely rare condition of atlanto-axial subluxation secondary to gouty arthritis, which mimicked rheumatoid arthritis at presentation. Gouty arthritis involving the spine is a rare condition. We highlight a case of gouty arthritis involving the atlanto-axial joint resulting in joint instability, subluxation, and neurological deficit. A 66-year-old obese woman who had a polyarticular disease for the previous 3 years presented with neck pain and progressive neurology. A 2-stage procedure was performed: posterior decompression and occipitocervical fusion followed by further anterior trans-oral decompression. However, after an initial neurological improvement, she succumbed to aspirational pneumonia and septicaemia. Atlanto-axial subluxation caused by gouty arthritis can present in the same way as rheumatoid arthritis. Therefore, the possibility of this as a differential diagnosis should be kept in mind.