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Ferroelectric catalysts are known for altering surface catalytic activities by changing the direction of their electric polarizations. This study demonstrates polarization-switchable electrochemistry using layered bismuth oxyselenide (L-Bi2O2Se) bifunctional microreactors through ferroelectric modulation. A selective-area ionic liquid gating is developed with precise control over the spatial distribution of the dipole orientation of L-Bi2O2Se. On-chip microreactors with upward polarization favor the oxygen evolution reaction, whereas those with downward polarization prefer the hydrogen evolution reaction. The microscopic origin behind polarization-switchable electrochemistry primarily stems from enhanced surface adsorption and reduced energy barriers for reactions, as examined by nanoscale scanning electrochemical cell microscopy. Integrating a pair of L-Bi2O2Se microreactors consisting of upward or downward polarizations demonstrates overall water splitting in a full-cell configuration based on a bifunctional catalyst. The ability to modulate surface polarizations on a single catalyst via ferroelectric polarization switching offers a pathway for designing catalysts for water splitting.

Transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) are at the forefront of nanophotonics because of their exceptional optical characteristics. The 2D architecture of TMDCs facilitates efficient light absorption and emission, holding tantalizing potential for next-generation nanophotonic and quantum devices. Yet, the atomic thinness limits their interaction volume with light, affecting light-matter interaction and quantum efficiency. The light coupling in the 2D layered TMDCs can be enhanced by integration with photonic structure, and the metasurfaces supporting bound states in the continuum (BICs) offer strong confinement of optical fields, ideal for coupling with 2D TMDCs. Here, we demonstrate enhanced light-matter coupling by integrating TMDC monolayers, including WSe2and MoS2, with a finite-area membrane metasurface, leading to amplified and high-quality-factor (Q-factor) spontaneous emission from quasi-BIC-coupled TMDC monolayers. The high-Q-factor emission extends over an area with a scale of a few micrometers while maintaining the high-Qfactor across the emission area. Notably, the suspended finite-area membrane metasurface, which is freestanding in air rather than positioned atop a substrate, minimizes radiation loss while enhancing light-matter interaction in the TMDC monolayer. Furthermore, the predominantly in-plane dipole orientation of excitons within TMDC monolayers results in distinctive enhancement behaviors for emission, contingent on the excitation power, when coupled with quasi-BIC modes exhibiting TE and TM resonances. This work introduces a nanophotonic platform for robust coupling of membrane metasurfaces with 2D materials, offering possibilities for developing 2D material-based nanophotonic and quantum devices.

Manipulating electronic polarizations such as ferroelectric or spin polarizations has recently emerged as an effective strategy for enhancing the efficiency of photocatalytic reactions. This study demonstrates the control of electronic polarizations modulated by ferroelectric and magnetic approaches within a two-dimensional (2D) layered crystal of copper indium thiophosphate (CuInP2S6) to boost the photocatalytic reduction of CO2. We investigate the substantial influence of ferroelectric polarization on the photocatalytic CO2reduction efficiency, utilizing the ferroelectric-paraelectric phase transition and polarization alignment through electrical poling. Additionally, we explore enhancing the CO2reduction efficiency by harnessing spin electrons through the synergistic introduction of sulfur vacancies and applying a magnetic field. Several advanced characterization techniques, including piezoresponse force microscopy, ultrafast pump–probe spectroscopy, in situX-ray absorption spectroscopy, and in situdiffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transformed spectroscopy, are performed to unveil the underlying mechanism of the enhanced photocatalytic CO2reduction. These findings pave the way for manipulating electronic polarizations regulated through ferroelectric or magnetic modulations in 2D layered materials to advance the efficiency of photocatalytic CO2reduction.

ABSTRACTIn this paper, an automatic direct digital design approach for compensators is presented to achieve a lookup table proportional – integral – derivative controller. Additionally, a correlation-based stability margin monitor with adaptive sliding window smoothing is proposed to increase the identifiable range for bandwidth detection. The proposed automatic compensator design approach meets the expected phase margin and crossover frequency and considers limit-cycle oscillation conditions throughout the design process. The digital controller with the direct digital design was implemented on a field programmable gate array to validate the approach and alternative design capabilities. Experimental results show that the direct digital design yields a higher crossover frequency than digital redesign. The best transient response performance can be obtained if a proper integral gain is designed. The digital controller with ASWS was fabricated using the TSMC 1P6M 0.18-μm standard CMOS process. Further experimental results show that the proposed ASWS provides a significantly more accurate identified frequency response by using narrow windows at low frequencies and expansive windows at high frequencies.

The drive to enhance enzyme performance in industrial applications frequently clashes with the practical limitations of exhaustive experimental screening, underscoring the urgency for more refined and strategic methodologies in enzyme engineering. In this study, xylanase Xyl-1 was used as the model, coupling evolutionary insights with energy functions to obtain theoretical potential mutants, which were subsequently validated experimentally. We observed that mutations in the nonloop region primarily aimed at enhancing stability and also encountered selective pressure for activity. Notably, mutations in this region simultaneously boosted the Xyl-1 stability and activity, achieving a 65% success rate. Using a greedy strategy, mutant M4 was developed, achieving a 12 °C higher melting temperature and doubled activity. By integration of spectroscopy, crystallography, and quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics molecular dynamics, the mechanism behind the enhanced thermal stability of M4 was elucidated. It was determined that the activity differences between M4 and the wild type were primarily driven by dynamic factors influenced by distal mutations. In conclusion, the study emphasizes the pivotal role of evolution-based approaches in augmenting the stability and activity of the enzymes. It sheds light on the unique adaptive mechanisms employed by various structural regions of proteins and expands our understanding of the intricate relationship between distant mutations and enzyme dynamics.

Mixed components of formamidinium(FA) and cesium (Cs)-based perovskite solar cells are the most hopeful for commercialization owing to their excellent operational and phase stabilities, especially for devices with inverted structure. The nonradiative recombination of carriers can be effectively suppressed through interface optimization, therefore, the performance of devices can be improved. Notably, the buried interface emerges as critical aspects such as charge transport, charge recombination kinetics, and morphology of perovskite films. This study focuses on a straightforward yet effective approach to overcome buried interface challenges between organic polymers (poly(-triarylamine) (PTAA) and FACs-based perovskite films. The PTAA substrate is pretreated with a Lewis base known as 2-butynoic acid (BA) with a C═O functional group. First, it can be an interfacial buffering layer, harmonizing stress mismatch between the perovskite and PTAA layers, consequently optimizing crystallization and improving perovskite film quality. Second, Pb2+defect can be passivated at the buried interface of the perovskite film through binding with the C═O group of the BA molecule. This dual-function strategy leads to a substantial enhancement in both photoelectric conversion efficiency (PCE) and stability of devices. Finally, the PCE of the device-modified buried interface with BA reaches an impressive 23.33%. Furthermore, unencapsulated devices with BA treatment maintain approximately 94% of their initial efficiency after aging at maximum power point tracking for 1000 h.

Since December 2019, COVID-19 has occurred unexpectedly and emerged as a health problem worldwide. Despite the rapidly increasing number of cases in subsequent weeks, the clinical characteristics of pediatric cases are rarely described. A cross-sectional multicenter study was carried out in 10 hospitals across Hubei province. A total of 25 confirmed pediatric cases of COVID-19 were collected. The demographic data, epidemiological history, underlying diseases, clinical manifestations, laboratory and radiological data, treatments, and outcomes were analyzed. Of 25 hospitalized patients with COVID-19, the boy to girl ratio was 1.27:1. The median age was 3 years. COVID-19 cases in children aged <3 years, 3.6 years, and ≥6-years patients were 10 (40%), 6 (24%), and 9 (36%), respectively. The most common symptoms at onset of illness were fever (13 [52%]), and dry cough (11 [44%]). Chest CT images showed essential normal in 8 cases (33.3%), unilateral involvement of lungs in 5 cases (20.8%), and bilateral involvement in 11 cases (45.8%). Clinical diagnoses included upper respiratory tract infection (n=8), mild pneumonia (n=15), and critical cases (n=2). Two critical cases (8%) were given invasive mechanical ventilation, corticosteroids, and immunoglobulin. The symptoms in 24 (96%) of 25 patients were alleviated and one patient had been discharged. It was concluded that children were susceptible to COVID-19 like adults, while the clinical presentations and outcomes were more favorable in children. However, children less than 3 years old accounted for majority cases and critical cases lied in this age group, which demanded extra attentions during home caring and hospitalization treatment.

Alkanes, ideal raw materials for industrial chemical production, typically exhibit limited reactivity due to their robust and weakly polarized C–H bonds. The challenge lies in selectively activating these C–H bonds under mild conditions. To address this challenge, various C–H activation mechanisms have been developed. Yet, classifying these mechanisms depends on the overall stoichiometry, which can be ambiguous and sometimes problematic. In this study, we utilized density functional theory calculations combined with intrinsic bond orbital (IBO) analysis to examine electron flow in the four primary alkane C–H activation mechanisms: oxidative addition, σ-bond metathesis, 1,2-addition, and electrophilic activation. Methane was selected as the representative alkane molecule to undergo C–H heterolytic cleavage in these reactions. Across all mechanisms studied, we find that the CH3moiety in methane consistently uses an electron pair from the cleaved C–H bond to form a σ-bond with the metal. Yet, the electron pair that accepts the proton differs with each mechanism: in oxidative addition, it is derived from the d-orbitals; in σ-bond metathesis, it resulted from the metal–ligand σ-bonds; in 1,2-addition, it arose from the π-orbital of the metal–ligand multiple bonds; and in electrophilic activation, it came from the lone pairs on ligands. This detailed analysis not only provides a clear visual understanding of these reactions but also showcases the ability of the IBO method to differentiate between mechanisms. The electron flow discerned from IBO analysis is further corroborated by results from absolutely localized molecular orbital energy decomposition analysis, which also helps to quantify the two predominant interactions in each process. Our findings offer profound insights into the electron dynamics at play in alkane C–H activation, enhancing our understanding of these critical reactions.

The prevalence and incidence of Crohn's disease (CD) in Asia is rising, and it is important to know the risk factors of mortality. In our study, CD patients diagnosed and treated in the Chang Gung Memorial Hospital Linkou branch were enrolled from January 1989 to October 2019. The collected data included age, sex, disease duration, location and behavior of the disease, biochemical parameters at admission, medication history, surgical history, and comorbidities. The mean age at diagnosis was 35.7 ± 16.1 years old and the male‐to‐female ratio was 2.4. The penetrating type of CD was the most common (41.3%) of disease behavior. The ileocolonic area is the most common location of disease involvement (79%). 7.7% of patients had low serum albumin levels (<3 g/dL). 16.8% of patients had hemoglobin levels less than 10 g/dL. Of the patients included, 4 died during the follow‐up period. Low serum albumin levels at admission (p= .0307) are an independent predictor for mortality. In conclusion, it is important in perioperative care, especially for CD patients with hypoalbuminemia.

This study addresses a significant gap by investigating the environmental impacts of Germany’s pioneering energy transition (“Energiewende”) over 1973–2022. Motivated by the need to inform global low-carbon policymaking through empirical evidence, it leverages robust econometric techniques to evaluate the ecological outcomes of this national strategy spanning five decades. By utilizing the Load Capacity Factor (LCF) metric encompassing both resource demand and ecosystem replenishment capacity dynamics, the analysis offers a nuanced assessment of income-energy-environment interlinkages during this transition. It examines the impacts of nuclear, fossil fuel and renewable energy consumption on Germany's LCF amidst the Energiewende’s structural changes. While the U-shaped income-ecology relationship posited under the Load Capacity Curve (LCC) hypothesis is invalidated over the period. However, renewables exhibit positive environmental effects, increasing Germany’s LCF 0.03% and validating their role for sustainable transitions. In contrast, fossil fuels substantially reduce LCF, underscoring the need for restrictions. Nuclear’s negligible impact suggests its gradual phase-out is feasible. Thus, evidence strongly advocates expanding renewables and limiting fossil fuel use to progress Germany’s decarbonization objectives. Although contextual factors constrain generalizability, insights from the complex transitions underway in industrial economies like Germany remain vital for global policymaking. As nations craft balanced strategies to align economic, energy and environmental priorities, this timely analysis illuminates viable pathways.

• Provide a microstructure design strategy for biodegradable Mg alloys. • Micro-galvanic corrosion between large and small grains has been confirmed. • JDBM tubes with fine equiaxed grains show the lowest corrosion rates of 0.17 mm/year. • JDBM tubes with bimodal microstructures exhibit the best strength-ductility balance. Biodegradable magnesium (Mg) alloys have received much attention due to their biocompatibility and biodegradation. In this study, to uncover the effects of grain morphologies, including grain size and distribution on mechanical and corrosion properties, biodegradable Mg-2.1Nd-0.2Zn-0.5Zr (wt.%) (denoted as JDBM) alloy mini-tubes for stent application with three typical microstructures were achieved successfully by adjusting drawing parameters. Samples with the bimodal structure exhibit the highest strength-ductility balance attributed to the combined effects of fine grains and coarse grains, but show the fastest corrosion rate of about 1.00 ± 0.136 mm/year mainly due to the formation of micro galvanic couples between coarse and fined grains. Samples with fine equiaxed grains show the lowest corrosion rate of about 0.17 ± 0.059 mm/year, as well as uniform corrosion mode and mechanical properties of yield strength (YS) 256 ± 5.7 MPa, ultimate tensile strength (UTS) 266 ± 3.8 MPa, and elongation to failure (EL) 13.5% ± 1.8%, attributed to the high-density grain boundaries. Samples with coarse equiaxed grains exhibit medium corrosion resistance and mechanical properties of about 175 ± 4.8 MPa, 221 ± 4.0 MPa, and 21.53% ± 4.1%. Considering the mechanical and in vitro corrosion properties, biodegradable JDBM alloy implants are recommended to be composed of fine equiaxed grains, which can be used as microstructural targets for fabrication and processing. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, 20-day-old soybean plants were watered with 100 mL of 100 mM NaCl solution and sprayed with silica nanoparticles (SiO2NPs) or potassium silicate every 3 days over 15 days, with a final dosage of 12 mg of SiO2per plant. We assessed the alterations in the plant’s growth and physiological traits, and the responses of bacterial microbiome within the leaf endosphere, rhizosphere, and root endosphere. The result showed that the type of silicon did not significantly impact most of the plant parameters. However, the bacterial communities within the leaf and root endospheres had a stronger response to SiO2NPs treatment, showing enrichment of 24 and 13 microbial taxa, respectively, compared with the silicate treatment, which led to the enrichment of 9 and 8 taxonomic taxa, respectively. The rhizosphere bacterial communities were less sensitive to SiO2NPs, enriching only 2 microbial clades, compared to the 8 clades enriched by silicate treatment. Furthermore, SiO2NPs treatment enriched beneficial genera, such as Pseudomonas, Bacillus, and Variovoraxin the leaf and root endosphere, likely enhancing plant growth and salinity stress resistance. These findings highlight the potential of SiO2NPs for foliar application in sustainable farming by enhancing plant-microbe interactions to improve salinity tolerance.

IMPORTANCE: Sulfamethoxazole (SMX) and cotrimoxazole (CTX), a fixed-dose combination of SMX and trimethoprim in a 5:1 ratio, are antibacterial sulfonamides commonly used for treating various diseases. A substantial prevalence of severe cutaneous adverse reactions (SCARs) following the administration of these drugs has been reported. However, the association between human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genotypes and SMX/CTX-induced SCARs has remained unclear. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between HLA genotypes and SMX/CTX-induced SCARs. DATA SOURCES: A comprehensive search was conducted in CENTRAL (Cochrane Library), MEDLINE, and Embase from inception to January 17, 2023. STUDY SELECTION: Case-control studies that recruited patients who had experienced SCARs following SMX or CTX were included, and HLA alleles were analyzed. DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS: Two independent authors extracted data on study characteristics and outcome data. The Meta-analysis of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (MOOSE) reporting guideline and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) reporting guidelines were followed. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale for case-control studies was used to assess study quality. Odds ratios (ORs) were calculated using a random-effects model for meta-analysis. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: The prespecified outcome was the OR comparing SMX/CTX-induced SCARs with healthy or SMX/CTX-tolerant controls based on different HLA alleles. RESULTS: Six studies involving 322 patients with SCAR were included, including 236 patients with Stevens-Johnson syndrome/toxic epidermal necrolysis, 86 with drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms, 8448 healthy controls, and 229 tolerant controls. Significant associations were found in HLA-A*11:01 (OR, 2.10; 95% CI, 1.11-4.00), HLA-B*13:01 (OR, 5.96; 95% CI, 1.58-22.56), HLA-B*15:02 (OR, 2.23; 95% CI, 1.20-4.14), HLA-B*38:02 (OR, 3.47; 95% CI, 1.42-8.48), and HLA-C*08:01 (OR, 2.63; 95% CI, 1.07-6.44) compared with tolerant controls. In the Stevens-Johnson syndrome/toxic epidermal necrolysis subgroup, significant associations were found in HLA-B*15:02 (OR, 3.01; 95% CI, 1.56-5.80) and HLA-B*38:02 (OR, 5.13; 95% CI, 1.96-13.47). In the drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms subgroup, significant associations were found in HLA-A*68:01 (OR, 12.86; 95% CI, 1.09-151.34), HLA-B*13:01 (OR, 23.09; 95% CI, 3.31-161.00), HLA-B*39:01 (OR, 4.56; 95% CI, 1.31-15.82). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: The results of this systematic review and meta-analysis suggest that multiple HLA alleles (HLA-A*11:01, HLA-B*13:01, HLA-B*15:02, HLA-B*38:02, and HLA-C*0801) are associated with SMX/CTX-induced SCARs.

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of anti‐pandemic measures, including wearing a face mask and receiving vaccinations, on interpersonal distance (IPD) during the normalization stage of the COVID‐19 pandemic. Virtual reality (VR) technology was used to simulate the experimental environment and a confederate in different conditions. Thirty‐one participants were asked to approach the virtual confederate, who could exhibit three vaccination states and two mask‐wearing conditions, actively and passively in both indoor and outdoor environments. ANOVA results showed that the participants kept a smaller IPD from the confederate wearing a face mask (IPD = 125.6 cm) than from the one without a face mask (IPD = 154.2 cm). The effects of vaccination states were significant, with the largest distance for an unvaccinated confederate (IPD = 182.3 cm) and the smallest distance for the confederate who had received a booster vaccine (IPD = 111.5 cm). Significant effects of environment were also found, with the participants maintaining a larger IPD in an outdoor environment (IPD = 143.4 cm) than in an indoor room (IPD = 136.4 cm). Additionally, the IPD collected when the participants were passively approached (IPD = 149.6 cm) was significantly larger than that obtained when they actively approached the confederate (IPD = 130.3 cm). Moreover, when the participants faced a confederate who had received a booster vaccine and wore a mask, the IPD was not significantly different from that collected before the COVID‐19 pandemic in both the active and passive patterns. These findings help us to better understand the nature of IPD and human behaviors during the normalization stage of the pandemic and provide scientific suggestions for policymakers to develop pandemic‐prevention measures.

Bright, scalable, and deterministic single-photon emission (SPE) is essential for quantum optics, nanophotonics, and optical information systems. Recently, SPE from hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) has attracted intense interest because it is optically active and stable at room temperature. Here, we demonstrate a tunable quantum emitter array in h-BN at room temperature by integrating a wafer-scale plasmonic array. The transient voltage electrophoretic deposition (EPD) reaction is developed to effectively enhance the filling of single-crystal nanometals in the designed patterns without aggregation, which ensures the fabricated array for tunable performances of these single-photon emitters. An enhancement of ∼500% of the SPE intensity of the h-BN emitter array is observed with a radiative quantum efficiency of up to 20% and a saturated count rate of more than 4.5 × 106counts/s. These results suggest the integrated h-BN-plasmonic array as a promising platform for scalable and controllable SPE photonics at room temperature.

The design, synthesis, and fabrication of functional nanomaterials with specific properties remain a long-standing goal for many scientific fields. The self-assembly of sequence-defined biomimetic synthetic polymers presents a fundamental strategy to explore the chemical space beyond biological systems to create advanced nanomaterials. Moreover, subsequent chemical modification of existing nanostructures is a unique approach for accessing increasingly complex nanostructures and introducing functionalities. Of these modifications, covalent conjugation chemistries, such as the click reactions, have been the cornerstone for chemists and materials scientists. Herein, we highlight some recent advances that have successfully employed click chemistries for the postmodification of assembled one-dimensional (1D) and two-dimensional (2D) nanostructures to achieve applications in molecular recognition, mineralization, and optoelectronics. Specifically, biomimetic nanomaterials assembled from sequence-defined macromolecules such as peptides and peptoids are described.

AbstractThe malarial parasite Plasmodium falciparumpredominantly causes severe malaria and deaths worldwide. Moreover, resistance developed by P. falciparumto frontline drugs in recent years has markedly increased malaria-related deaths in South Asian Countries. Ribulose 5-phosphate and NADPH synthesized by Pentose Phosphate Pathway (PPP) act as a direct precursor for nucleotide synthesis and P. falciparumsurvival during oxidative challenges in the intra-erythrocytic growth phase . In the present study, we have elucidated the structure and functional characteristics of 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6PGD) in P. falciparumand have identified potent hits against 6PGD by pharmacophore-based virtual screening with ZINC and ChemBridge databases. Molecular docking and Molecular dynamics simulation, binding free energies (MMGBSA & MMPBSA), and Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations were integratively employed to validate and prioritize the most potential hits. The 6PGD structure was found to have an open and closed conformation during MD simulation. The apoform of 6PGD was found to be in closed conformation, while a open conformation attributed to facilitating binding of cofactor. It was also inferred from the conformational analysis that the small domain of 6PGD has a high influence in altering the conformation that may aid in open/closed conformation of 6PGD. The top three hits identified using pharmacophore hypotheses were ChemBridge_11084819, ChemBridge_80178394, and ChemBridge_17912340. Though all three hits scored a high glide score, MMGBSA, and favorable ADMET properties, ChemBridge_11084819 and ChemBrdige_17912340 showed higher stability and binding free energy. Moreover, these hits also featured stable H-bond interactions with the active loop of 6PGD with binding free energy comparable to substrate-bound complex. Therefore, the ChemBridge_11084819 and ChemBridge_17912340 moieties demonstrate to have high therapeutic potential against 6PGD in P. falciparum.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma

Constitutional trisomy 21 (T21) is a state of aneuploidy associated with high incidence of childhood acute myeloid leukemia (AML). T21-associated AML is preceded by transient abnormal myelopoiesis (TAM), which is triggered by truncating mutations in GATA1generating a short GATA1isoform (GATA1s). T21-associated AML emerges due to secondary mutations in hematopoietic clones bearing GATA1s. Since aneuploidy generally impairs cellular fitness, the paradoxically elevated risk of myeloid malignancy in T21 is not fully understood. We hypothesized that individuals with T21 bear inherent genome instability in hematopoietic lineages that promotes leukemogenic mutations driving the genesis of TAM and AML. We found that individuals with T21 show increased chromosomal copy number variations (CNVs) compared to euploid individuals, suggesting that genome instability could be underlying predisposition to TAM and AML. Acquisition of GATA1senforces myeloid skewing and maintenance of the hematopoietic progenitor state independently of T21; however, GATA1sin T21 hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs) further augments genome instability. Increased dosage of the chromosome 21 (chr21) gene DYRK1Aimpairs homology-directed DNA repair as a mechanism of elevated mutagenesis. These results posit a model wherein inherent genome instability in T21 drives myeloid malignancy in concert with GATA1smutations.

The plasma membrane is enriched for receptors and signaling proteins that are accessible from the extracellular space for pharmacological intervention. Here we conducted a series of CRISPR screens using human cell surface proteome and integrin family libraries in multiple cancer models. Our results identified ITGAV (integrin αV) and its heterodimer partner ITGB5 (integrin β5) as the essential integrin α/β pair for cancer cell expansion. High-density CRISPR gene tiling further pinpointed the integral pocket within the β-propeller domain of ITGAV for integrin αVβ5 dimerization. Combined with in silico compound docking, we developed a CRISPR-Tiling-Instructed Computer-Aided (CRISPR-TICA) pipeline for drug discovery and identified Cpd_AV2 as a lead inhibitor targeting the β-propeller central pocket of ITGAV. Cpd_AV2 treatment led to rapid uncoupling of integrin αVβ5 and cellular apoptosis, providing a unique class of therapeutic action that eliminates the integrin signaling via heterodimer dissociation. We also foresee the CRISPR-TICA approach to be an accessible method for future drug discovery studies.

AbstractThis study used rice husk ash (RHA) and magnesium oxide (MgO) to improve the engineering properties and volumetric stability of alkali-activated slag-based cementitious material. Experimental results found that when the amount of slag substituted by RHA increased from 0% to 20%, the initial setting time was extended from 15 to 20 min, and the final setting time was shortened from 35 to 30 min for the paste without MgO. The optimal substitution amount of RHA was 10%, which had the maximum compressive strengths at ages of 28 and 56 days to achieve 104.44 and 102.43 MPa for the paste without MgO, respectively. The drying shrinkage of paste without MgO increased with both the increase of RHA from 0% to 20% and ages from 3 to 56 days. With RHA, the drying shrinkage substantially decreased with the substitutions of MgO from 0% to 2.0% and almost remained steady after ages of 7 or 14 days. The optimal amount of RHA to replace slag was less than 10% and the optimal content of MgO was less than 1%, which can effectively improve the volumetric stability and reduce the heat of hydration of paste.

Cobalt polypyridyl complexes stand out as efficient catalysts for electrochemical proton reduction, but investigations into their operating mechanisms, with broad-reaching implications in catalyst design, have been limited. Herein, we investigate the catalytic activity of a cobalt(II) polypyridyl complex bearing a pendant pyridyl base with a series of organic acids spanning 20 pKaunits in acetonitrile. Structural analysis, as well as electrochemical studies, reveals that the Co(III) hydride intermediate is formed through reduction of the Co(II) catalyst followed by direct metal protonation in the initial EC step despite the presence of the pendant base, which is commonly thought of as a more kinetically accessible protonation site. Protonation of the pendant base occurs after the Co(III) hydride intermediate is further reduced in the overall ECEC pathway. Additionally, when the acid used is sufficiently strong, the Co(II) catalyst can be protonated, and the Co(III) hydride can react directly with acid to release H2. With thorough mechanistic understanding, the appropriate electroanalytical methods were identified to extract rate constants for the elementary steps over a range of conditions. Thermodynamic square schemes relating catalytic intermediates proposed in the three electrocatalytic HER mechanisms were constructed. These findings reveal a full description of the HER electrocatalysis mediated by this molecular system and provide insights into strategies to improve synthetic fuel-forming catalysts operative through metal hydride intermediates.

A reconfigurable cognitive computation matrix (RCCM) in static random access memory (SRAM) suitable for sensor edge applications is proposed in this article. The proposed RCCM can take multiple analog currents or digital integers as the input vector and perform vector-matrix multiplication with a weight integer matrix. The RCCM can carry out 1-quadrant, 2-quadrant, or 4-quadrant multiplications in the analog domain. Therefore, the digital integers for the inputs or weights stored in the SRAM can be either signed or unsigned, providing extensive usage flexibilities. Furthermore, three commonly used activation functions (AFs), the rectified linear unit (ReLU), radial basis function (RBF), and logistic function are available, converting multiply–accumulation outputs to single-ended currents as the computation results. The resultant output currents can be adopted as the input currents of other RCCMs to facilitate multiple-layer network implementation. A concept-proving prototype chip, including a $16 \times 16$ RCCM with 4-bit input and weight resolutions, is designed and fabricated in a 0.18- $\mu {\mathrm{ m}}$ CMOS process. The computation accuracy that is deteriorated by process variation can be significantly improved by adopting 48 mismatch parameters after calibration. A handwritten digit recognition database, MNIST, is employed to evaluate the chip performance, achieving an average efficiency of 3.355 TOPS/W.

In Taiwan, lung cancers occur predominantly in never-smokers, of whom nearly 60% have stage IV disease at diagnosis. We aimed to assess the efficacy of low-dose CT (LDCT) screening among never-smokers, who had other risk factors for lung cancer.

Two-dimensional (2D) materials have attracted intense interest due to their potential for applications in fields ranging from chemical sensing to catalysis, energy storage, and biomedicine. Recently, peptoids, a class of biomimetic sequence-defined polymers, have been found to self-assemble into 2D crystalline sheets that exhibit unusual properties, such as high chemical stability and the ability to self-repair. The structure of a peptoid is close to that of a peptide except that the side chains are appended to the amide nitrogen rather than the α carbon. In this study, we investigated the effect of peptoid sequence on the mechanism and kinetics of 2D assembly on mica surfaces using in situAFM and time-resolved X-ray scattering. We explored three distinct peptoid sequences that are amphiphilic in nature with hydrophobic and hydrophilic blocks and are known to self-assemble into 2D sheets. The results show that their assembly on mica starts with deposition of aggregates that spread to establish 2D islands, which then grow by attachment of peptoids, either monomers or unresolvable small oligomers, following well-known laws of crystal step advancement. Extraction of the solubility and kinetic coefficient from the dependence of the growth rate on peptoid concentration reveals striking differences between the sequences. The sequence with the slowest growth rate in bulk and with the highest solubility shows almost no detachment; i.e., once a growth unit attaches to the island edge, there is almost no probability of detaching. Furthermore, a peptoid sequence with a hydrophobic tail conjugated to the final carboxyl residue in the hydrophilic block has enhanced hydrophobic interactions and exhibits rapid assembly both in the bulk and on mica. These assembly outcomes suggest that, while the π–π interactions between adjacent hydrophobic blocks play a major role in peptoid assembly, sequence details, particularly the location of charged groups, as well as interaction with the underlying substrate can significantly alter the thermodynamic stability and assembly kinetics.

A dual nickel- and iridium-photocatalyzed radical cascade bicyclization reaction for the synthesis of highly complex molecular structures in an atom- and step-economic manner has been described. A series of radical precursors are utilized for the divergent synthesis of diversely substituted fluorenes and indenoazepinones bearing quaternary carbons by using cascade cyclization reactions of 1,5-enynes. This reaction is characterized by its mild conditions, broad substrate scope, excellent selectivity, and satisfactory yield including facile scale-up synthesis.

Introduction: Eight-week glecaprevir/pibrentasvir (GLE/PIB) is indicated for treatment-naïve (TN) patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC), with or without compensated cirrhosis. Given that the Taiwanese government is committed to eliminating hepatitis C virus (HCV) by 2025, this study aimed to measure real-world evidence for TN patients using 8-week GLE/PIB in the Taiwan HCV Registry (TACR). Methods: The data of patients with CHC treated with 8-week GLE/PIB were retrieved from TACR, a nationwide registry program organized by the Taiwan Association for the Study of the Liver (TASL). Treatment efficacy, defined as a sustained virologic response at posttreatment week 12 (SVR12), was assessed in the modified intention-to-treat (mITT) population, which excluded patients who were lost to follow-up or lacked SVR12 data. The safety profile of the ITT population was assessed. Results: A total of 7246 (6897 without cirrhosis; 349 with cirrhosis) patients received at least one dose of GLE/PIB (ITT), 7204 of whom had SVR12 data available (mITT). The overall SVR12 rate was 98.9% (7122/7204) among all patients, 98.9% (6780/6856) and 98.3% (342/348) among patients without and with cirrhosis, respectively. For the selected subgroups, which included patients with genotype 3 infection, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, people who injected drugs, and those with human immunodeficiency virus coinfection, the SVR12 rates were 95.1% (272/286), 98.9% (1084/1096), 99.0% (1171/1183), 97.4% (566/581), and 96.1% (248/258), respectively. Overall, 14.1% (1021/7246) of the patients experienced adverse events (AEs). Twenty-two patients (0.3%) experienced serious AEs, and 15 events (0.2%) resulted in permanent drug discontinuation. Only one event was considered treatment drug related. Conclusion: Eight-week GLE/PIB therapy was effective and well tolerated in all TN patients, regardless of cirrhosis status.

The aim of this paper is to investigate the continuity of solution mappings for parametric set optimization problems with upper and lower set less order relations by scalarization methods. First, we recall some linear and nonlinear scalarization properties used to characterize the set order relations. Subsequently, we introduce new monotonicity concepts of the set-valued mapping by linear and nonlinear scalarization methods. Finally, we obtain the semicontinuity and closedness of solution mappings for parametric set optimization problems (both convex and nonconvex cases) under the monotonicity assumption and other suitable conditions. The results achieved do not impose the continuity of the set-valued objective mapping, which are obviously different from the related ones in the literature.

The In this letter, we propose a high-speed photoconductive detector with micro-sized plasmonic grating electrodes that support coupled plasmonic modes. The photoconductive InGaAs:Be layer was grown on InP substrate at 250°C, on which the electrode parameters were optimized and fabricated. Both theoretical and experimental results demonstrate that the plasmonic effect was successfully excited by the micro-grating, and the responsivity was increased by 12 times as compared with the detectors without grating. An optical heterodyne system measurement showed a 3-dB bandwidth of at least 50 GHz. Furthermore, the structural error tolerances of the proposed device were studied, revealing significant improvement in fabrication stability.

In this study, the structural characters, antioxidant activities and bile acid-binding ability of sea buckthorn polysaccharides (HRPs) obtained by the commonly used hot water (HRP-W), pressurized hot water (HRP-H), ultrasonic (HRP-U), acid (HRP-C) and alkali (HRP-A) assisted extraction methods were investigated. The results demonstrated that extraction methods had significant effects on extraction yield, monosaccharide composition, molecular weight, particle size, triple-helical structure, and surface morphology of HRPs except for the major linkage bands. Thermogravimetric analysis showed that HRP-U with filamentous reticular microstructure exhibited better thermal stability. The HRP-A with the lowest molecular weight and highest arabinose content possessed the best antioxidant activities. Moreover, the rheological analysis indicated that HRPs with higher galacturonic acid content and molecular weight showed higher viscosity and stronger crosslinking network (HRP-C, HRP-W and HRP-U), which exhibited stronger bile acid binding capacity. The present findings provide scientific evidence in the preparation technology of sea buckthorn polysaccharides with good antioxidant and bile acid binding capacity which are related to the structure affected by the extraction methods.

The nine different membrane-anchored adenylyl cyclase isoforms (AC1–9) in mammals are stimulated by the heterotrimeric G protein, Gαs, but their response to Gβγ regulation is isoform specific. In the present study, we report cryo-electron microscope structures of ligand-free AC5 in complex with Gβγ and a dimeric form of AC5 that could be involved in its regulation. Gβγ binds to a coiled-coil domain that links the AC transmembrane region to its catalytic core as well as to a region (C1b) that is known to be a hub for isoform-specific regulation. We confirmed the Gβγ interaction with both purified proteins and cell-based assays. Gain-of-function mutations in AC5 associated with human familial dyskinesia are located at the interface of AC5 with Gβγ and show reduced conditional activation by Gβγ, emphasizing the importance of the observed interaction for motor function in humans. We propose a molecular mechanism wherein Gβγ either prevents dimerization of AC5 or allosterically modulates the coiled-coil domain, and hence the catalytic core. As our mechanistic understanding of how individual AC isoforms are uniquely regulated is limited, studies such as this may provide new avenues for isoform-specific drug development.

Immunosuppression by the tumor microenvironment is a pivotal factor contributing to tumor progression and immunotherapy resistance. Priming the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) has emerged as a promising strategy for improving the efficacy of cancer immunotherapy. In this study we investigated the effects of noninvasive radiofrequency radiation (RFR) exposure on tumor progression and TIME phenotype, as well as the antitumor potential of PD-1 blockage in a model of pulmonary metastatic melanoma (PMM). Mouse model of PMM was established by tail vein injection of B16F10 cells. From day 3 after injection, the mice were exposed to RFR at an average specific absorption rate of 9.7 W/kg for 1 h per day for 14 days. After RFR exposure, lung tissues were harvested and RNAs were extracted for transcriptome sequencing;PMM-infiltrating immune cells were isolated for single-cell RNA-seq analysis. We showed that RFR exposure significantly impeded PMM progression accompanied by remodeled TIME of PMM via altering the proportion and transcription profile of tumor-infiltrating immune cells. RFR exposure increased the activation and cytotoxicity signatures of tumor-infiltrating CD8+T cells, particularly in the early activation subset with upregulated genes associated with T cell cytotoxicity. The PD-1 checkpoint pathway was upregulated by RFR exposure in CD8+T cells. RFR exposure also augmented NK cell subsets with increased cytotoxic characteristics in PMM. RFR exposure enhanced the effector function of tumor-infiltrating CD8+T cells and NK cells, evidenced by increased expression of cytotoxic molecules. RFR-induced inhibition of PMM growth was mediated by RFR-activated CD8+T cells and NK cells. We conclude that noninvasive RFR exposure induces antitumor remodeling of the TIME, leading to inhibition of tumor progression, which provides a promising novel strategy for TIME priming and potential combination with cancer immunotherapy.

Parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) play a significant role in determining their children’s service choices. Recent studies have identified both explicit and implicit factors that influence their service decisions. However, in these studies, recruitment efforts did not particularly target culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) minority parents. Hence, the purpose of this systematic review was to assess factors related to service choices among CALD minority parents of children with ASD. Guided by the PRISMA protocol, the present study reviewed 31 studies on factors associated with CALD minority parents’ service selection, and 20 factors were identified. This study provides valuable insights into the service choices and obstacles encountered by CALD minority parents who have children diagnosed with ASD. By comprehending these challenges, future researchers might strive toward mitigating discrepancies in the availability of resources and assistance for children with ASD and their families from various backgrounds.

The conversion of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate to phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-triphosphate by phosphoinositide 3-kinase γ (PI3Kγ) is critical for neutrophil chemotaxis and cancer metastasis. PI3Kγ is activated by Gβγ heterodimers released from G protein-coupled receptors responding to extracellular signals. Here we determined cryo-electron microscopy structures of Sus scrofaPI3Kγ–human Gβγ complexes in the presence of substrates/analogs, revealing two Gβγ binding sites: one on the p110γ helical domain and another on the p101 C-terminal domain. Comparison with PI3Kγ alone reveals conformational changes in the kinase domain upon Gβγ binding that are similar to Ras·GTP-induced changes. Assays of variants perturbing the Gβγ binding sites and interdomain contacts altered by Gβγ binding suggest that Gβγ recruits the enzyme to membranes and allosterically regulates activity via both sites. Studies of zebrafish neutrophil migration align with these findings, paving the way for in-depth investigation of Gβγ-mediated activation mechanisms in this enzyme family and drug development for PI3Kγ.

Volume rendering in real time is limited by the difficulty of creating views for occluded features of interest. This paper presents a novel approach to volume visualization based on a nonlinear distortion model, in which an exploded view of occluded volumetric features is presented in a focus$$+$$ + context manner. In the proposed system, focus is created using size-based region-growing segmentation. The focus and context can be rendered using various effects to create an intuitive view for the user. In an interactive setting, the proposed technique provides easy visual access to features of interest within a given volume for exploration as well as presentation.

Semiconductor fabrication is regarded as one of the most complicated production processes with a high-mixed and uncertain production context, and it suffers from tool failures. Prognostics can predict the time when a process tool cannot perform its intended function. Therefore, preventive maintenance can be planned in time with the minimum impact on the production lines. Because most of the tool faults cannot be owed to the failure of a single component, it is challenging to model the system directly through mechanism analysis. Therefore, the development of failure prognostics in semiconductor manufacturing is somewhat impeded. Data-driven approaches are appropriate in this case, especially when the domain knowledge of the system under study is not comprehensive enough. This article attempts to propose a novel data-driven prognostic method integrated with the auto-associative regression and the Gaussian process to address the issue. This proposed method can extract the failure factors, establish the prognostic model and present the reliability of the model. On the basis of the built prognostic model, the failure tendency is predicted and the maintenance schedule can be determined. The validity and feasibility of the proposed method are demonstrated through a numerical example and a practical semiconductor manufacturing process, respectively. The proposed prognostic scheme can guide the frequency plan of preventive maintenance in the fabrication process and improve the productivity in semiconductor manufacturing.

Continuous monitoring of heart rate (HR) and respiratory rate (RR) plays a pivotal role in evaluating cardiopulmonary coordination. Wearable technologies have empowered long-term monitoring of cardiopulmonary parameters across a spectrum of activities, including physical exercise, mental states, dietary habits, and the effects of pharmaceutical interventions. This study presents a wearable pocket-sized cardiopulmonary sensor based on biomedical eddy current sensing technology. The novel sensor utilizes the magnetic coupling between ac coil-produced magnetic fields and cardiopulmonary eddy current-induced counteracting magnetic fields to measure resonant frequency variation in response to synchronized cardiac and lung activities without skin contact. The proposed pocket-sized sensor is characterized by its compact form with a diameter of 4.53 cm and supporting wireless data transmission. Importantly, the influence of resonant frequencies on cardiopulmonary signals was investigated through capacitor adjustments, resulting in personalized optimization of measurement conditions. In practical applications, the effect of wide fabric thicknesses on measurement performance was assessed, demonstrating identifiable signals for allowing the determination of HR and RR. In real-life scenarios, HR and RR were measured during both resting and physical exercise conditions, effectively showcasing the potential of a single compact sensor to capture essential cardiorespiratory coordination (CRC) indicators. These findings provide strong validation for the novel sensor’s promising potential in the realm of wearable, long-term, all-in-one cardiopulmonary healthcare.

Prodigiosin (PG) is a naturally occurring polypyrrole red pigment produced by numerous microorganisms including some Serratiaand Streptomycesstrains. PG has exhibited promising anticancer activity; however, the molecular mechanisms of action of PG on malignant cells remain ambiguous. Transforming growth factor-β(TGF-β) is a multifunctional cytokine that governs a wide array of cellular processes in development and tissue homeostasis. Malfunctions of TGF-βsignaling are associated with numerous human cancers. Emerging evidence underscores the significance of internalized TGF-βreceptors and their intracellular trafficking in initiating signaling cascades. In this study, we identified PG as a potent inhibitor of the TGF-βpathway. PG blocked TGF-βsignaling by targeting multiple sites of this pathway, including facilitating the sequestering of TGF-βreceptors in the cytoplasm by impeding the recycling of type II TGF-βreceptors to the cell surface. Additionally, PG prompts a reduction in the abundance of receptors on the cell surface through the disruption of the receptor glycosylation. In human Caucasian lung carcinoma cells and human hepatocellular cancer cell line cells, nanomolar concentrations of PG substantially diminish TGF-β-triggered phosphorylation of Smad2 protein. This attenuation is further reflected in the suppression of downstream target gene expression, including those encoding fibronectin, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1, and N-cadherin.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTProdigiosin (PG) emerges from this study as a potent TGF-β pathway inhibitor, disrupting receptor trafficking and glycosylation and reducing TGF-β signaling and downstream gene expression. These findings not only shed light on PG’s potential therapeutic role but also present a captivating avenue towards future anti-TGF-β strategies.

Low-inertia power grids could suffer from large frequency excursions under even small power disturbances. When a voltage source converter-based high voltage direct current (VSC-HVDC) system is used to integrate a low-inertia grid into a main grid, an ancillary frequency support service can be provided to the low-inertia grid by the VSC-HVDC system. This paper proposes a perturbation observer-based fast frequency support controller (POFFS) of VSC-HVDC systems to improve the frequency stability of low-inertia power grids. According to the feedback linearization and the high gain observer technique, the perturbation observer of the inverter station is designed to estimate the comprehensive impact of multiple perturbations, including the power disturbances in low-inertia grids, the uncertainty of grid inertia, and unknown nonlinear dynamics. The estimate of the perturbations are further compensated by the feedback control loop to achieve robust frequency regulation. Compared with the conventional frequency controller, the proposed POFFS can provide better frequency support to low-inertia power grids, without requiring an accurate system model and parameters. Two test systems are used to verify the effectiveness of the proposed POFFS.

Satellite and terrestrial network (TN) convergence is an important trend to offer truly ubiquitous worldwide coverage in the B5G/6G era. Based on the recently published 3GPP Rel-17 Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN) specifications, the industry is actively driving commercialization and enabling satellite connection over the cellular phone. However, the spectrum shortage problem will become more severe after satellite services broadly penetrate consumer markets. Spectrum sharing between satellite and cellular networks is a promising solution to mitigate the spectrum shortage problem. However, it will inevitably result in severe interference across two systems if not properly managed. We propose a novel interference mitigation technique that jointly considers the satellite network with earth-fixed beamforming capability and the cellular network. The proposed Interference-aware radio resource group sharing mechanism combined with sub-optimal TN and NTN grouping algorithm optimizes the overall system capacity. It also ensures the signal quality over each link operates at an acceptable level. The mechanism demonstrates the feasibility of NTN-TN spectrum sharing and outperforms the baselines with 94% to 138% capacity utility, which is contributed by enhanced 72% TN available bandwidth and 45% to 133% NTN throughput.

The O-linked-β-N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) glycosylation (O-GlcNAcylation) is a critical post-translational modification that couples the external stimuli to intracellular signal transduction networks. However, the critical protein targets of O-GlcNAcylation in oxidative stress-induced apoptosis remain to be elucidated. Here, we show that treatment with H2O2inhibited O-GlcNAcylation, impaired cell viability, increased the cleaved caspase 3 and accelerated apoptosis of neuroblastoma N2a cells. The O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT) inhibitor OSMI-1 or the O-GlcNAcase (OGA) inhibitor Thiamet-G enhanced or inhibited H2O2-induced apoptosis, respectively. The total and phosphorylated protein levels, as well as the promoter activities of signal transducer and activator of transcription factor 3 (STAT3) and Forkhead box protein O 1 (FOXO1) were suppressed by OSMI-1. In contrast, overexpressing OGT or treating with Thiamet-G increased the total protein levels of STAT3 and FOXO1. Overexpression of STAT3 or FOXO1 abolished OSMI-1-induced apoptosis. Whereas the anti-apoptotic effect of OGT and Thiamet-G in H2O2-treated cells was abolished by either downregulating the expression or activity of endogenous STAT3 or FOXO1. These results suggest that STAT3 or FOXO1 are the potential targets of O-GlcNAcylation involved in the H2O2-induced apoptosis of N2a cells.

Un nourrisson de sexe feminin, ne par cesarienne sans complication a 39 semaines de gestation, a ete amene en consultation externe 1 semaine apres la naissance avec une grande tache [...]

Purpose: This study aims to investigate tourists’ impressions of the smart destinations model from the socio-technical systems and the technology–organization–environment (TOE) perspectives. Specifically, it aims to explore how information source credibility and cloud infrastructure influence tourists’ use of intelligent technology. Design/methodology/approach: This measurement development is based on prior literature; after being evaluated for face and content validity, the authors used random sampling to collect data and conducted a field survey of tourists through Taoyuan Airport and using the airport MRT between December 2022 and March 2023. After confirming that tourists knew the destination information and had experience using travel-related mobile applications to plan their itinerary, the authors further invited tourists to participate in the survey, and 512 valid questionnaires were analyzed by the structural equation modeling approach. Findings: The finding pointed out that source credibility and intelligent technology were innovative technologies that benefitted tourists, as were mobile travel planning apps, which created a relational context based on interests and activities from the socio-technical and TOE perspectives. Originality/value: Technological innovation is closely related to the development of smart cities; tourists who used travel itineraries successfully understood travel-related actions and significantly had more positive affective images of the city.

The rapid development of information and communication technologies has facilitated machining condition monitoring toward a data-driven paradigm, of which the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) serves as the fundamental basis to acquire data from physical equipment with sensing technologies as well as to learn the relationship between the system condition and the collected condition monitoring data. However, most data-driven methods suffer from using a single-domain space, ignoring the importance of the learned features, and failing to incorporate the handcrafted features assisted by domain knowledge. To solve these limitations, a novel deep learning approach is proposed for machining condition monitoring in the IIoT environment, which consists of three phases, including: 1) the unsupervised parallel feature extraction; 2) adaptive feature importance weighting; and 3) hybrid feature fusion. First, separate sparse autoencoders are utilized to conduct the unsupervised parallel feature extraction, which enables to learn abstract feature representation from multiple domain spaces simultaneously. Then, an attention module is designed for the adaptive feature importance weighting, which can assign higher weights to those critical features accordingly. Moreover, a hybrid feature fusion is deployed to complement the automatic feature learning and further yield better model performance by fusing the handcrafted features assisted by domain knowledge. Finally, a real-life case study and extensive experiments have been conducted to show the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed approach.

Ag-alloy wire is of particular interest in high-power integrated circuits (ICs) due to its superior physical properties, but studies on creep failure in Ag-alloy wire are extremely sparse. This article investigated the creep behavior of the widely used Ag-4Pd bonding wire at tensile stress levels of 20–80 MPa at constant temperature and in the temperature range of 300 °C–400 °C at constant tensile stress. The steady-state creep flow behavior was analyzed through fitting the Arrhenius power-law creep equation, and the rate-dependent process of creep deformation was found to be dislocation climb-controlled. The activation energy of creep in Ag-4Pd bonding wire is 133.86 kJ/mol within this temperature range, suggesting that fast diffusion paths could be involved. Results of the cross-sectional analysis of the brittle fractured wire correlate with the kinetic analysis from a phenomenological point of view, indicating diffusion paths through grain boundaries.

This study has demonstrated how oxygen plasma etching carves surface structures for thin films of polystyrene-block-poly(methyl methacrylate)/homopolystyrene blends. By tuning the weight-fraction ratio, blend films form perforations and cylinders on the SiOx/Si substrate. Since perforations exist only on the free surface and substrate interface, short exposure to oxygen plasma to quickly etch the PMMA component produces distorted hexagonal arrays of nanodots on the free surface. The interior of the blend films forms polygrain micro-structures composed of parallel cylinders with an in-plane random orientation. Oxygen plasma etching imposed on the fractured surfaces results in five morphologies: (i) distorted hexagonal arrays of nanoholes, (ii) layer-by-layer stacks, (iii) zigzag-like arrays, (iv) intertwined rectangular arrays of nanodots and nanoholes, and (v) intertwined parallelogram arrays of nanodots and nanoholes. The morphologies suggest synergic effects of grain orientations, stresses, spatial confinement, local segregation of chains, and etching kinetics on the terraced films with oxygen plasma etching.

The detoxification of lethal organophosphate (OP) residues in the environment is crucial to prevent human exposure and protect modern society. Despite serving as excellent catalysts for OP degradation, natural enzymes require costly preparation and readily deactivate upon exposure to environmental conditions. Herein, we designed and prepared a series of phosphotriesterase mimics based on stable, self-assembled peptoid membranes to overcome these limitations of the enzymes and effectively catalyze the hydrolysis of dimethyl p-nitrophenyl phosphate (DMNP)─a nerve agent simulant. By covalently attaching metal-binding ligands to peptoid N-termini, we attained enzyme mimetics in the form of surface-functionalized crystalline nanomembranes. These nanomembranes display a precisely controlled arrangement of coordinated metal ions, which resemble the active sites found in phosphotriesterases to promote DMNP hydrolysis. Moreover, using these highly programmable peptoid nanomembranes allows for tuning the local chemical environment of the coordinated metal ion to achieve enhanced hydrolysis activity. Among the crystalline membranes that are active for DMNP degradation, those assembled from peptoids containing bis-quinoline ligands with an adjacent phenyl side chain showed the highest hydrolytic activity with a 219-fold rate acceleration over the background, demonstrating the important role of the hydrophobic environment in proximity to the active sites. Furthermore, these membranes exhibited remarkable stability and were able to retain their catalytic activity after heating to 60 °C and after multiple uses. This work provides insights into the principal features to construct a new class of biomimetic materials with high catalytic efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and reusability applied in nerve agent detoxification.

To reduce defect parts per million (DPPM) on IC products, IDDQ testing can be exploited for identifying the outliers which are potentially defective but not detected by sign-off functional and parametric tests. Conventional IDDQ testing paradigms depending on a simple statistical $6\sigma $ rule or engineers’ experience are usually too conservative to effectively identify nontrivial outliers, especially, when spatial correlations are of great concern/influence. In article, an improved convolutional neural network (CNN)-based method can be proposed for IDDQ outlier identification. In the proposed method, the mean and the standard deviation on the IDDQ value inside a die under test (DUT) can be predicted by employing a stochastic regression model. According to the predicted mean and standard deviation, we derive an expected IDDQ interval and identify the DUT as an outlier if its actual measured IDDQ value is beyond the expected interval. From the observation of the experimental results, the improved data preprocessing and the improved CNN-based stochastic regression can be contained to enhance the prediction accuracy of the expected IDDQ intervals. In the improved method, the spatial correlations of the neighboring dice inside a window can be considered by training a CNN-based stochastic regression model with a large volume of industrial data on 28 and 65 nm products. The trained model is highly accurate prediction in the $R^{2}$ (0.973) and RMSE (0.626 mA) of the expected IDDQ values on 28 nm product and the $R^{2}$ (0.942) and RMSE (2.155 uA) of the expected IDDQ values on 65 nm product. Furthermore, the experimental results show that the trained model can capture the potential defective dice by identifying efficient IDDQ outliers.