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3D printing has revolutionised the design and manufacturing of high-temperature thin/thick-film sensors (TFSs). However, existing printable high-temperature materials face cost-performance trade-offs. This study proposes a silicate and RuO 2 composite for the 3D printing of TFSs. A silicate compound (SiO 2 –Al 2 O 3 –CaO, SAC) was used as a sintering aid to reduce the sintering temperature of RuO 2 , forming a silicate glass phase that enhanced film density and substrate adhesion. The SAC also minimised RuO 2 particle volatilisation at high temperatures, thus enhancing the stability of the SAC/RuO 2 composite. The SAC/RuO 2 TFSs demonstrated exceptional performance, with a positive temperature coefficient (502 ppm/°C) from room temperature to 800 °C, high linearity, and stability (resistance drift rate of 0.1 %/h at 800 °C), extending the application temperature of RuO 2 by nearly 200 °C from the previous application temperature of 600 °C. Therefore, the SAC/RuO2 composite offers a new low-cost and high-performance solution for using 3D printing technology in harsh environmental sensors such as turbine blades. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The microstructure and electrical conductivity of In 2 O 3 and indium tin oxide (ITO) films were characterized. • The high temperature stability of In 2 O 3 -ITO thermocouples is improved. • Small temperature drift rate holding at 1300 °C more than 7 h. The complex internal structure of the aero-engine and the high-temperature, high-pressure, and high-speed airflow make it difficult to measure the internal temperature. Indium tin oxide (ITO) and In 2 O 3 films have been studied for their application in high-temperature thermocouples and strain gauges. Due to their large Seebeck coefficient and high-temperature stability, ceramic thin-film thermocouples are expected to be used at high-temperature measure. In this paper, ITO-In 2 O 3 thermocouples were fabricated by magnetron sputtering. Besides, the electrical properties of the air-annealed and two-step nitrogen-annealed thermocouples were compared, including the repeatability of thermoelectric response after multiple thermal cycles and the drift rate during the high-temperature duration. The microstructure and electrical conductivity of both the as-deposited and post-annealed ceramic thin films were tested respectively. The result shows that the resitivity and Seebeck coefficient of the thin films annealed in nitrogen is reduced, but the stability at high temperature is greatly improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Growth temperature plays an important role in the lattice polarity of AlN on graphene/SiC. • Underlying mechanism of AlN buffer growth temperature on the lattice polarity of GaN is revealed by first-principles calculations. • Successfully realize N-polarity GaN on graphene/SiC by interfacial atomic manipulation. Growth of N-polarity GaN on a two-dimensional (2D) material is of significance for the development of high-performance nitride devices such as red light-emitting diodes. However, the realization of N-polarity GaN on a 2D material is a challenge. In this work, we successfully achieve N-polarity GaN on graphene/SiC substrates through interfacial atomic manipulation. Our results show that the growth conditions of the AlN buffer play an important role in the lattice polarity of nitride film grown on 2D graphene. A low growth temperature of AlN buffer leads to a metal-polarity nitride film, while a high growth temperature of it leads to a mix-polarity nitride film. The underlying mechanism is revealed by first-principles calculations. Under the guidance of the calculations results, the preflow of trimethylaluminum source is introduced prior to the high-temperature AlN buffer growth to manipulate the interfacial atoms between the AlN buffer and graphene/SiC. With this method, we successfully realize the fabrication of N-polarity GaN on graphene/SiC by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition. This work provides a new route for the development of high-performance N-polarity nitride devices on graphene/SiC substrates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar-driven wastewater purification technology is a promising candidate to solve the hazards of water contaminants. However, it is difficult for most of particulate photocatalysts to maintain durable photoactivity due to its micro/nano size. Herein, a synergistically electronic interacted membrane catalyst with large extending area and high pollutant capture capacity was processed based on a highly active CdS/TiO 2 heterojunction and ferroelectric polyvinylidene fluoride for achieving highly efficient Cr6+-to-Cr3+ (CTC) reduction (1.6×10−2 min−1) and synchronous decomposition of organic matters (methylene blue (1.2×10−2 min−1) and bisphenol A (0.6×10−2 min−1)) under simulated sunlight (SSL, 74.1 mW·cm−2) irradiation following a durably steady photoactivity even being recycled for 20 times, which effectively avoided the hazards of secondary pollution. Subsequently, a tailor-made panel wastewater purification system was first built based on this membrane catalyst to drive CTC reduction and synchronous organic matter degradation, and high-efficiency purification performance was presented on this panel system under multi-field drive of light-activation and piezoelectric polarization. This work provides an insight for photocatalytic wastewater purification through membrane catalyst assisted panel technology. [Display omitted] • A synergistically electronic interacted membrane catalyst was processed. • It possesses large extending area and high pollutant capture capacity. • Efficient Cr6+-to-Cr3+ reduction and synchronous organic matter decomposition were achieved. • A tailor-made panel wastewater purification system was first built based on this membrane. • The low photostability of particulate photocatalysts was effectively overcome by this protocol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identifying the cause of death has always been a major focus and challenge in forensic practice and research. Traditional techniques for determining the causes of death are time-consuming, labor-intensive, have high professional barriers, and are vulnerable to significant subjective bias. Additionally, most current studies on causes of death are limited to specific organs and single causes. To overcome these challenges, this study utilized simple and rapid fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) detection technology, integrating data from six organs—heart, liver, spleen, lung, kidney, and brain. The optimum model for identifying seven different causes of death was determined by evaluating the performance of models developed using the model efficiencies of single-organ (SO), single-organ model fusion (SOMF), multi-organ data fusion (MODF), and multi-organ data model fusion (MODMF) modeling methods. Considering factors such as operational costs, model performance, and model complexity, the MODF artificial neural network (ANN) model was found to be the most suitable choice for constructing a cause of death identification model, with a cross-validation mean accuracy of 0.960 and a test set accuracy of 0.952. The heart and kidney contributed more spectral features to the construction of the cause of death identification model compared to other organs. This study not only demonstrated that data fusion and model fusion are effective strategies for improving model performance but also provided a comprehensive data analysis framework and process for modeling with small sample multi-modal data (multiple organ data). In conclusion, by exploring various approaches, this study offers new solutions for identifying the cause of death. [Display omitted] • This study provides a comprehensive and replicable framework for data and model fusion of tiny multi-modal datasets. • Multiple machine learning strategies fused multi-organ FTIR data, improving cause-of-death identification accuracy. • Multi-strategy, multi-organ data and model fusion provide novel methods for cause-of-death identification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A novel organic–inorganic photocatalytic membrane was processed. • This photocatalytic membrane possesses synergistic electronic interaction. • This photocatalytic membrane possesses accelerated photoexciton dynamics. • Excellent photostability was maintained owing to the stable organic–inorganic matrix. • A panel reactor was constructed for Cr(VI)-to-Cr(III) reduction. Artificial conversion technology based on solar energy is one of most strategic artificial technologies for addressing environmental hazards and energy crisis. However, micro/nano-sized particulate catalysts mostly have the drawbacks of unstable microstructure and difficult recovery, which inevitably limits the practical application of photocatalysis technology. In order to overcome the defects of most inorganic particulate photocatalysts, a novel organic–inorganic photocatalytic membrane based on highly active Bi 4 Ti 3 O 12 /CdS composite and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) was processed for simulated sunlight (SSL)-driven Cr(VI)-to-Cr(III) (CTC) reduction and H 2 O-to-H 2 (HTH) conversion. Due to the maximum light harvesting capacity and synergistically electronic interaction of this synergistically interface networked organic–inorganic membrane, it possesses accelerated dynamics for separating/transferring photoexcitons and restraining photoexciton recombination, thereby outstanding CTC reduction rate (1.25 × 10-2 min−1) and HTH conversion rate (7.45 mmol∙m−2∙h−1) were achieved under SSL-irradiation, and highly stable photoactivity was maintained even being recycled for dozens of times owing to the convenient separation/recovery performance and stable organic–inorganic matrix. Subsequently, a panel reactor for wastewater purification was constructed to achieve 6.5 × 10-3 min−1 of CTC reduction rate under SSL-irradiation. This study provides a prospective insight for application of photocatalysis technology based on the membrane materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Single-cell sequencing reveals that natural killer cells are most responsive to and damaged by the moxifloxacin environment. • Moxifloxacin environment promotes elevated cytokine and chemokine expression and activation of their signaling pathways in natural killer cells. • Moxifloxacin induces apoptosis by reducing mitochondrial DNA and inhibiting mitochondrial respiratory chain complex function in natural killer cells. • Moxifloxacin environment can activate immediate early response gene expression and mediate early activation response of natural killer cells. As antibiotics become more prevalent, accuracy and safety are critical. Moxifloxacin (MXF) have been reported to have immunomodulatory effects on a variety of immune cells and even anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic effects, but the mechanism of action is not fully clear. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from experimental groups of healthy adults (n = 3) were treated with MXF (10ug/ml) in vitro for 24 h. Single-cell sequencing was performed to investigate differences in the response of each immune cell to MXF. Flow cytometry determined differential gene expression in subsets of most damaged NK cells. Pseudo-time analysis identified drivers that influence MXF-stimulated cell differentiation. Detection of mitochondrial DNA and its involvement in the mitochondrial respiratory chain pathway clarifies the origin of MXF-induced stress injury. Moxifloxacin-environmental NK cells are markedly reduced: a new subset of NK cells emerges, and immediate-early-response genes in this subset indicate the presence of an early activation response. The inhibitory receptor-dominant subset shows enhanced activation, leading to increased expression of cytokines and chemokines. The near-mature subset showed greater cytotoxicity and the most pronounced cellular damage. CD56bright cells responded by antagonizing the regulation of activation and inhibitory signals, demonstrating a strong cleavage capacity. The severe depletion of mitochondrial genes was focused on apoptosis induced by the mitochondrial respiratory chain complex. NK cells exhibit heightened sensitivity to the MXF environment. Different NK subsets upregulate the expression of cytokines and chemokines through different activation pathways. Concurrently, MXF induces impairment of the mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation system, culminating in apoptosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fast and accurate detection of Cryptococcus and precise differentiation of its subtypes is of great significance in protecting people from cryptococcal disease and preventing its spread in populations. However, traditional Cryptococcus identification and detection techniques still face significant challenges in achieving high analysis speed as well as high sensitivity. In this work, we report an electric microfluidic biochip. Compared to conventional methods that take several hours or even a day, this chip can detect Cryptococcus within 20 min, and achieve its maximum detection limit within 1 h, with the ability to differentiate between the Cryptococcus neoformans (NEO) and rare Cryptococcus gattii (GAT) efficiently, which accounts for nearly 100%. This device integrated two functional zones of an electroporation lysis (EL) zone for rapid cell lysis (<30 s) and an electrochemical detection (ED) zone for sensitive analysis of the released nucleic acids. The EL zone adopted a design of microelectrode arrays, which obtains a large electric field intensity at the constriction of the microchannel, addressing the safety concerns associated with high-voltage lysis. The device enables a limit of detection (LOD) of 60 pg/mL for NEO and 100 pg/mL for GAT through the modification of nanocomposites and specific probes. In terms of the detection time and sensitivity, the integrated microfluidic biochip demonstrates broad potential in Cryptococcus diagnosis and disease prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Precise quantification of low-dose ionizing radiation is of great significance in protecting people from damage caused by clinical radiotherapy or environmental radiation. Traditional techniques for detecting radiation, however, remain extreme challenges to achieve high sensitivity and speed in quantifying radiation dosage. In this work, we report a Cas13a-Microdroplet platform that enables sensitive detection of ultra-low doses of radiation (0.5 Gy vs. 1 Gy traditional) within 1 h. The micro-platform adopts an ideal, specific radiation-sensitive marker, m6A on NCOA4 gene (NCOA4-m6A) that was first reported in our recent work. Microfluidics of the platform generate uniform microdroplets that encapsulate a CRISPR/Cas13a detection system and NCOA4-m6A target from the whole RNA extraction, achieving 10-fold enhancement in sensitivity and significantly reduced limit of detection (LOD). Systematic mouse models and clinical patient samples demonstrated its superior sensitivity and LOD (0.5 Gy) than traditional qPCR, which show wide potentials in radiation tracking and damage protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Probing nuclear protein expression while correlating cellular behavior is crucial for deciphering underlying causes of cellular disorders, such as tumor metastasis. Despite efforts to access nuclear proteins by trafficking the double barriers of cell membrane and nuclear membrane, they mostly fall short of the capacity for analyzing various proteins in different cells. Herein, we introduce a Companion-Probe & Race (CPR) platform that enables interrogating nuclear proteins in living cells, while guiding and tracking cellular behaviors (e.g., migration) in real time. The Companion-Probe consists of two polypeptide complexes that were structured with nuclear localization signal (NLS) for entering nucleus, recognition polypeptide for targeting different sites of nuclear proteins, and fragments of green fluorescent protein (GFP) that can recover a whole fluorescent GFP once the two polypeptide complexes combine with a same target protein. The two polypeptide complexes were expressed by two plasmids (named "probe plasmids") that were uniformly and efficiently delivered into cells by nano-electroporation (NEP), a high-performance delivery method for cell focal-poration and accelerated intracellular delivery. To track cell migration, multiple radial microchannels were designed with micro-landmarks on the platform to serve as addressable runways for cells. The proof-of-concept of CPR platform was validated with clinical primary cells that indicated the positive-correlation between nuclear protein murine double minute 2 (MDM2) expression level and cell migration velocity. This platform shows great promises to interrogate nuclear proteins in live cells, and to decode their roles in determining cellular behaviors on a chip. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A two-step high-temperature growth method was adopted to grow N-polar GaN. • The influence of growth parameters on the properties of N-polar GaN was analyzed. • N-polar GaN with both smooth surface and high crystalline quality was achieved. Normally, nitrogen-polar (N-polar) GaN films with better crystalline quality tend to have poor surface morphology, whereas those with good surface morphology suffer from degraded crystalline quality. In this work, we use a two-step high-temperature (HT) growth method to grow N-polar GaN films on vicinal c-plane sapphire substrates by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition, which can effectively solve the irreconcilability between surface morphology and crystalline quality. The GaN film consists of two GaN layers (HT-GaN 1 and HT-GaN 2), which were grown at different growth parameters, respectively. The 300-nm-thick HT-GaN 1 layer was directly grown on the low-temperature GaN buffer layer under the higher V/III ratio and pressure at 1040 °C to reduce dislocation density. The 1.7-μm-thick HT-GaN 2 layer was grown under the lower V/III ratio and pressure to improve surface morphology. Besides, the growth temperature of HT-GaN 2 layer was ramped up to 1070 °C to suppress the yellow-band luminescence. Finally, high-quality N-polar GaN films with smooth surface morphology and high crystalline quality were obtained, for which the full-width at half-maximum values of (0002) and (10 1 ¯ 2) planes X-ray diffraction rocking curves are 131 and 390 arcsec, respectively, the root mean square roughness over an area of 20 × 20 μm2 is 1.88 nm, and the residual compressive stress is as low as 0.025 GPa. It is reasonably believed that this work provides an effective approach to preparing high-quality N-polar GaN films for the application of N-polar nitride devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pursuing flexible, matchable and miniaturized power supply with high capacitance is necessary for portable electronics as long-term period of energy source in wearable system. Here, a hierarchical Se/chitosan derived nitrogen and oxygen dual-doped porous carbon/Ti 3 C 2 T x (Se-NOCT) fiber is proposed via microfluidic spinning method prior to co-heating process for the fiber cathode of cable-shaped lithium‑selenium (LiSe) battery. Due to the interconnected structure, consecutive conductive frameworks and good synergistic effect, the fabricated Se-NOCT fibrous electrode shows excellent ions diffusion kinetics, fast electron migration rate and strong polyselenide adsorption ability proving by density functional theory (DFT) calculations. As a result, an admired specific capacitance (866 mAh g -1 at 0.1 A g -1 ), favorable rate performance (256 mAh g -1 at 2 A g -1 ) and long-term cycling property (226 mAh g -1 after 500 cycling) can be achieved for the Se-NOCT electrode. More importantly, after assembling to the fibrous LiSe battery, the energy storage device not only presents stable operation at bending to 180 o , 97.3 % capacitance retention after 100 times bending and impressive launderability, but also weave into the garment and support various electronics. Thus, customized flexible electrode provides a bright future for the progress of fiber shaped LiSe battery in smart wearable system., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest 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., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)