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Total-ionizing dose effects on the resistive switching properties of HfO 2 /Al 2 O 3 bipolar resistive-random-access-memory devices under 60Co γ irradiation were investigated in this study. Insignificant impact was found for 60Co γ irradiation with a dose of 200 krad (Si) but the impact became significant for higher irradiation intensity of 1 Mrad (Si). The experiment results indicated that it is possible for device high resistance off-state or low resistance on-state to change after a total ionizing dose step stress threshold being surpassed. Moreover, it was found that the 60Co γ irradiation of 1 Mrad (Si) caused degradation of device high-resistance state, low-resistance state, set/reset voltages, and endurance characteristics, due to the simultaneous induce of oxygen vacancies and displacement damage. Unlabelled Image [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Astaxanthin is a red lipophilic carotenoid that is often undetectable in human plasma due to the limited supply in typical Western diets. Despite its presence at lower than detectable concentrations, previous clinical feeding studies have reported that astaxanthin exhibits potent antioxidant properties.Objective: We examined astaxanthin accumulation and its effects on gut microbiota, inflammation, and whole-body metabolic homeostasis in wild-type C57BL/6 J (WT) and β-carotene oxygenase 2 (BCO2) knockout (KO) mice.Methods: Six-wk-old male and female BCO2 KO and WT mice were provided with either nonpurified AIN93M (e.g., control diet) or the control diet supplemented with 0.04% astaxanthin (wt/wt) ad libitum for 8 wk. Whole-body energy expenditure was measured by indirect calorimetry. Feces were collected from individual mice for short-chain fatty acid assessment. Hepatic astaxanthin concentrations and liver metabolic markers, cecal gut microbiota profiling, inflammation markers in colonic lamina propria, and plasma samples were assessed. Data were analyzed by 3-way ANOVA followed by Tukey's post hoc analysis.Results: BCO2 KO but not WT mice fed astaxanthin had ∼10-fold more of this compound in liver than controls (P < 0.05). In terms of the microbiota composition, deletion of BCO2 was associated with a significantly increased abundance of Mucispirillum schaedleri in mice regardless of gender. In addition to more liver astaxanthin in male KO compared with WT mice fed astaxanthin, the abundance of gut Akkermansia muciniphila was 385% greater, plasma glucagon-like peptide 1 was 27% greater, plasma glucagon and IL-1β were 53% and 30% lower, respectively, and colon NOD-, LRR- and pyrin domain-containing protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome activation was 23% lower (all P < 0.05) in male KO mice than the WT mice.Conclusions: Astaxanthin affects the gut microbiota composition in both genders, but the association with reductions in local and systemic inflammation, oxidative stress, and improvement of metabolic homeostasis only occurs in male mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In application scenarios such as astronautics, high-altitude aircraft, medical radiography, high-energy physics, and nuclear power plants, the irradiation resistance of electronic components is one of the basic requirements for their reliability. HfO 2 -based ferroelectric films have the advantages of high CMOS process compatibility, good miniaturizability, low operating voltage, and excellent irradiation resistance, which are the core materials for the new generation of irradiation resistance ferroelectric memories. In this paper, two kinds of metal-electrode ferroelectric capacitors, W/Hf 0.5 Zr 0.5 O 2 /W (WW) and Pt/Hf 0.5 Zr 0.5 O 2 /Pt (PP), have been prepared, and three gradient γ-irradiation experiments have been carried out on the two kinds of ferroelectric capacitors. The effect of metal electrodes on the irradiation resistance of Hf 0.5 Zr 0.5 O 2 ferroelectric thin films was carefully investigated by comparing and analyzing the statistical laws of polarization change and rectangularity change before and after irradiation of a large number of devices. The experimental results show that the WW devices have better irradiation resistance than PP devices, and we further explain the irradiation resistance mechanism by first-principle calculations and finite element analysis to verify the credibility of the experimental results. Finally, we conducted a comparative test of the fatigue and wake-up characteristics of the WW devices before and after irradiation, and the results show that the prepared W/Hf 0.5 Zr 0.5 O 2 /W devices can withstand very high total γ-dose radiation, reaching up to 13.86 Mrad(Si), and they are very suitable for the application of irradiation resistant electronics. [Display omitted] • The Hf 0.5 Zr 0.5 O 2 (HZO) thin films with outstanding ferroelectric properties were prepared. • The HZO ferroelectric thin films exhibited extremely high radiation tolerance (reaching up to 13.86 Mrad(Si)). • The effect of different metal electrodes on the irradiation resistance of HZO ferroelectric thin films was analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The lead-free multiferroic nano-multilayers composite thin films were fabricated on basis of ferroelectric (FE) Bi 3.15 Nd 0.85 Ti 3 O 12 (BNT) and ferromagnetic (FM) La 0.7 Ca 0.3 MnO 3 (LCMO) parents with 8 nm/6 nm periodicity, respectively. The crystal structure, switching of polarization, magnetization and temperature dependence of magnetoelectric coupling (ME) effect for the multiferroic BNT/LCMO composite thin films were investigated in detail, respectively. Ferroelectric behavior along with an enhanced remnant polarization (2 P r) of 42 μC/cm2, saturated magnetization around 151 emu/cm3, the enhanced piezoelectric coefficient d 33 of 263 pm/V and the enhanced magnetoelectric effect voltage coefficient of 72.1 mV/cm*Oe were obtained. The results show that the lead-free multiferroic films exhibit both good ferroelectric, dielectric and magnetic properties, as well as the enhanced ME effects, indicating that the coupling effects of electric and magnetic field exist in the fabricated Bi 3.15 Nd 0.85 Ti 3 O 12 /La 0.7 Ca 0.3 MnO 3 (BNT/LCMO) nano-multilayer thin films, and the strong ME effect originating from the magnetic-mechanical-electric interaction and interface coupling were demonstrated. These results can be particularly important for developing nano-composite multiferroic devices. Highlights • The lead-free BNT/LCMO nano-multilayers with 8/6 nm periodicity were fabricated. • The good ferroelectric properties and magnetic characteristics have been achieved. • The ME effects and mechanisms for the BNT/LCMO nano-multilayers were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• High speed THz linear polarization conversion is realized by electrical modulation. • THz polarization beam splitter for 1–4 THz is designed via simulation and experiment. • A coding and decoding prototype system of spintronic THz polarization is built. Terahertz (THz) wave as an important electromagnetic wave has been increasingly applied in wireless communication and imaging sensing technology. It has been an increasingly practical application. Ultra-high data rates in communication technology push toward a broadband, controllable polarization, and multiple transmission channels signal sources. Here, we propose a programmable polarization spintronics terahertz source (PP-STS), in which contains a controllable polarization spintronic THz emitter and a microcontroller unit. The PP-STS not only can generate THz waves with wide frequency bandwidth, but also has the function of switching the orthogonal linear polarization state of the generated THz waves flexibly. By coding the microcontroller unit, the designed PP-SPS can directly program the orthogonal linear polarization states as a series of information to transmit. To achieve the interconversions between digital codes and the THz polarization information, an optimum matching THz polarization beam splitter (THz-PBS) is also designed via simulations and experiments. The THz-PBS, as a decoder, can accurately split the transverse electric (TE) and transverse magnetic (TM) modes into two THz detectors. At last, a coding and decoding prototype system of spintronic THz polarization is built by integrating the PP-STS, the THz-PBS and two THz detectors. The send and receive information with high speed and accuracy are verified in this prototype system as well. We believe that our work takes THz applications for multiplexing communications one step further and sheds light on commercializing the PP-STS with exciting manufacturing lines for efficient and economical THz polarization technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the lead-free and BiFeO 3 doping Na 0.5 Bi 0.5 TiO 3 -BaTiO 3 thin films [(0.94- x )Na 0.5 Bi 0.5 TiO 3 -0.06BaTiO 3 - x BiFeO 3 (NBT-6BT- x BFO), x  = 0.00, 0.01, 0.03, 0.05 and 0.07] were deposited on Pt/Ti/SiO 2 /Si substrates by a sol-gel method. The enhanced ferroelectric properties and high energy-storage density have been achieved at 5% BiFeO 3 substitution. Moreover, the 5% BiFeO 3 doping Na 0.5 Bi 0.5 TiO 3 -BaTiO 3 (0.89NBT-0.06BT-0.05BFO) thin-films exhibited a high dischargeable energy density ( W recovered ) of 42.9 J/cm 3 with a corresponding energy-storage efficiency ( η ) of 65.7% under an electric field of 1720 kV/cm, and the high temperature stabilities with regard to their energy-storage properties over temperatures ranging from room temperature to 260 °C were demonstrated, and the charging and discharging characteristics demonstrate the faster microsecond discharge and large dielectric strength of the thin film capacitor. The results indicated that the 0.89NBT-0.06BT-0.05BFO thin-films might be promising environmentally friendly lead-free materials for energy-storage capacitor application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flexible multiferroic heterostructures of ferromagnetic Co 40 Fe 40 B 20 /ferroelectric copolymer poly-vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene [CoFeB/P(VDF-TrFE)] were fabricated by DC sputtering. The structure, ferroelectric behaviours along with remnant polarization (2 P r ) of 2.4 μC/cm 2 at room temperature, saturated magnetizations around 900 emu/cm 3 were measured in the novel composites. Moreover, the direct electric field control of magnetic properties and the mechanisms of magnetoelectric (ME) coupling in the flexible CoFeB/P(VDF-TrFE) heterostructures were investigated, and the strong strain-mediated ME effect originating from voltage-induced piezo-strain was demonstrated. These results show the good prospects in application of flexible spintronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The amorphous Co 40 Fe 40 B 20 (CoFeB) films (5–200 nm in thickness) were grown on flexible polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrates using the DC magnetron-sputtering method. The thickness dependence of structural and magnetic properties of flexible CoFeB thin films was investigated in detail. The in-plane uniaxial magnetic anisotropy induced by strain as a function of thickness was obtained in flexible CoFeB thin films, and a critical thickness of ~150 nm for in-plane magnetic anisotropy was observed. Moreover, the domains and the uniaxial anisotropy as a function of angular direction of applied magnetic field were characterized. The results show potential for designing CoFeB-based flexible spintronic devices in which the physical parameters could be tailored by controlling the thickness of the thin film. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we report a synthetic route for cobalt sulfides nanoparticles embedded in porous carbon fibers (Co 9 S 8 @C) by carbonizing polydopamine (PDA)-coated metal coordination polymers (MCPs) and subsequent sulfidation process. This material serves as an anode for lithium-ion batteries, which exhibits high capacity and good rate capability. At a rate of 0.1C, a high reversible capacity of 1565 mA h g −1 is being obtained. In addition, the battery maintains a stable reversible capacities of 606 mA h g −1 for 300 cycles at 1C. The improvement of lithium-storage performance is mainly attributed to the smart design of carbon-wrapped mesoporous Co 9 S 8 fibers, which not only prevents aggregation and volume change of the Co 9 S 8 particles, but also enables good conductivity, and thus enhances electrochemical stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The magnetoelectric (ME) Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3–La0.65Sr0.35MnO3 (PZT–LSMO) composite thin films were grown on single crystalline SrTiO3 substrates by the pulse laser deposition (PLD) method with different growth sequences of PZT and LSMO yielding the following layered structures: PZT/LSMO/substrate (PL) and LSMO/PZT/substrate (LP). The experimental results show that these composite films exhibit both good ferroelectric and magnetic properties, as well as magnetoelectric effects at room temperature. The layer sequences have an obvious influence on the magnetoelectric coupling behavior of these double-layered thin films. The maximum values of ME voltage coefficient for the PL thin film is larger than the LP structure, which may be caused by the substrate clamping and interface bonding of PZT and LSMO. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Two-dimensional (2D) memristive materials are of primary interest for resistive memory electronics. Herein, we report a high performance volatile dynamic-random-access memory (DRAM) based on 2D triphenylamine polymer. The 2D polymer was prepared via a solid-liquid interface limited polymerization method, with the merits of large-area, structure stability, and controllable film thicknesses. Utilizing the layered polymer as memristive medium in diode, the device shows a typical volatile DRAM performance. Impressively, the memory has an ultrahigh on/off current ratio up to 107, as well as outstanding thermal stability approaching at 300 °C. Both current ratio and thermal stability are higher than most previous polymer DRAM memories. Our work provides an effective strategy to construct scalable and stable 2D polymers toward high performance memory. A high performance dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) based on two-dimensional (2D) triphenylamine-based polymer is reported. The device shows typical volatile memory function, with an ultrahigh on/off current ratio up to 107, as well as outstanding thermal stability approaching at 300 °C. [Display omitted] • A large-area and structure stable 2D triphenylamine-based polymer was prepared through interface-limited polymerization. • A 2D material-based volatile memory was fabricated with an ultrahigh on/off current ratio up to 107. • The device showed DRAM memory performance even after annealing at 300 °C, indicating its excellent thermal stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• This study explored the influence of thickness and temperature on the electrical properties of Pt / HfO 2 / Al 2 O 3 / TiN structure RRAM devices. • Adjust the performance of the device by adjusting the thickness of the double-layer film. • The results obtained have important guiding significance for one-step experimental application. Thin films with HfO 2 /Al 2 O 3 laminated structure were prepared by the ALD method in this paper. Typical bipolar resistance switching characteristics were observed in the Pt/HfO 2 /Al 2 O 3 /TiN structure device. The samples were characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The effects of dielectric thickness and different test temperatures on the electrical performance were investigated. Experiments show that when the thickness of HfO 2 /Al 2 O 3 is 7 nm/3 nm, the electrical properties are the best. As the test temperature increases, the resistance values (R LRS and R HRS) of the Pt/HfO 2 /Al 2 O 3 /TiN structure fluctuate more and more. When the test temperature approaches the failure temperature, the device's transition voltages (V Set and V Reset) will also become more volatile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Previous research demonstrates that adopting, abandoning, and re-adopting (i.e., cycling) a healthy dietary pattern (HDP) improved, reverted, and re-improved cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors. In addition, changes in CVD risk factors are associated with dietary modifications of gut microbiota., Objective: We sought to assess the effects of cycling an HDP on gut microbiota and CVD risk factors., Methods: Retrospectively, we used data from a randomized controlled, crossover trial with three 3-week controlled dietary interventions, each separated by a 5-week period of participant-chosen, uncontrolled food intake. Seventeen participants (10 males, 7 females, age 26 ± 4 years old, BMI 23 ± 3 kg/m 2 ) all consumed intervention diets that followed healthy U.S.-style dietary patterns. Gut microbiota composition and cardiovascular risk factors were measured before and after each HDP., Results: Repeatedly adopting and abandoning an HDP led to a cycling pattern of changes in the gut microbial community and taxonomic composition. During the HDP cycles, relative abundances of several bacterial taxa (e.g., Collinsella, Mediterraneibacter , Romboutsia , and Dorea ) decreased and returned to baseline repeatedly. Similar HDP cycling occurred for multiple CVD risk factors (i.e., serum total cholesterol and LDL-C concentrations). Consistent negative associations were observed between changes in Mediterraneibacter or Collinsella and serum total cholesterol/HDL-C ratio., Conclusions: These results support previous findings that HDP cycling affected multiple CVD risk factors and expand the HDP cycling phenomenon to include several bacterial taxa. Young adults are encouraged to adopt and sustain a healthy dietary pattern to improve cardiovascular health, potentially through modifying gut microbiota composition.

Background: Low birth weight (LBW; <2,500 g) affects approximately 15 to 20 percent of global births annually and is associated with suboptimal child development. Recent studies suggest a link between the maternal gut microbiome and poor obstetric and perinatal outcomes. The goal of this study was to examine relationships between maternal microbial taxa, fecal metabolites, and maternal anthropometry on incidence of LBW in resource-limited settings., Methods: This was a secondary analysis of the Women First trial conducted in a semi-rural region of Guatemala. Maternal weight was measured at 12 and 34 weeks (wk) of gestation. Infant anthropometry measures were collected within 48 h of delivery. Maternal fecal samples at 12 and 34 weeks were used for microbiome (16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing) and metabolomics analysis (34 wk). Linear mixed models using the MaAslin2 package were utilized to assess changes in microbiome associated with LBW. Predictive models using gradient boosted machines (XGBoost) were developed using the H2o.ai engine., Results: No differences in β-diversity were observed at either time point between mothers with LBW infants relative to normal weight (NW) infants. Simpson diversity at 12 and 34 weeks was lower in mothers with LBW infants. Notable differences in genus-level abundance between LBW and NW mothers ( p  < 0.05) were observed at 12 weeks with increasing abundances of Barnesiella , Faecalibacterium , Sutterella , and Bacterioides . At 34 weeks, there were lower abundances of Magasphaera , Phascolarctobacterium , and Turicibacter and higher abundances of Bacteriodes , and Fusobacterium in mothers with LBW infants. Fecal metabolites related to bile acids, tryptophan metabolism and fatty acid related metabolites changed in mothers with LBW infants. Classification models to predict LBW based on maternal anthropometry and predicted microbial functions showed moderate performance., Conclusion: Collectively, the findings indicate that alterations in the maternal microbiome and metabolome were associated with LBW. Future research should target functional and predictive roles of the maternal gut microbiome in infant birth outcomes including birthweight., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Ruebel, Gilley, Yeruva, Tang, Frank, Garcés, Figueroa, Lan, Assress, Kemp, Westcott, Hambidge, Shankar and Krebs.)

Throughout infancy, changes in growth and development are observed, including changes in nutritional requirements; at approximately 6 months of age, when complementary feeding begins, breastmilk and/or formula are no longer the sole source of energy and nutrients. Little is known about the impact of complementary feeding (CF) approaches used during this time on infant nutrition and growth. Baby-led weaning (BLW) has continued to gain popularity over the last two decades, emphasizing the importance of examining the adequacy of different CF methods. This narrative review of 19 studies from January 2010 to April 2024 aims to discuss the differences between BLW and conventional weaning (CW). The definition of BLW varied across studies, and no standard definition has been established. Though no differences in energy were reported, macronutrient and micronutrient intakes were variable between approaches, including for micronutrients such as iron and zinc. Of the few studies with growth data, results comparing BLW and CW were conflicting. Differences were seen in the demographics of parents who chose to follow BLW and breastfeeding prevalence and duration prior to complementary feeding. Additional research is needed to understand the impacts of BLW and CW on nutrient intakes and growth to inform recommendations for infant complementary feeding approaches.

Lu doped Hf 0.5 Zr 0.5 O 2 (HZO) ferroelectric films were prepared on Pt/TiN/SiO 2 /Si substrate by chemical solution deposition method, and an interfacial engineering strategy for improving the ferroelectric property was explored by capping the Lu doped HZO films with a cerium oxide layer. Compared with the Lu doped HZO film without the CeO x coating layer, the Lu doped HZO film with the CeO x coating layer has a larger remanent polarization (2 P r = 34.72 µ C cm -2 ) and presents weaker wake-up behavior, which result from the higher orthogonal phase ratio and the lower oxygen vacancy of the CeO x coated Lu doped HZO film. In addition, the CeO x coating can remarkably improve the fatigue resistance and retention performance of the Lu doped HZO films. It is hoped that the results can provide an effective approach for the realization of high-performance and highly reliable hafnium oxide based ferroelectric thin films., (© 2024 IOP Publishing Ltd.)

Resistive random access memory (RRAM) holds great promise for in-memory computing, which is considered the most promising strategy for solving the von Neumann bottleneck. However, there are still significant problems in its application due to the non-uniform performance of RRAM devices. In this work, a bilayer dielectric layer memristor was designed based on the difference in the Gibbs free energy of the oxide. We fabricated Au/Ta 2 O 5 /HfO 2 /Ta/Pt (S3) devices with excellent uniformity. Compared with Au/HfO 2 /Pt (S1) and Au/Ta 2 O 5 /Pt (S2) devices, the S3 device has a low reset voltage fluctuation of 2.44%, and the resistive coefficients of variation are 13.12% and 3.84% in HRS and LRS, respectively, over 200 cycles. Otherwise, the bilayer device has better linearity and more conductance states in multi-state regulation. At the same time, we analyze the physical mechanism of the bilayer device and provide a physical model of ion migration. This work provides a new idea for designing and fabricating resistive devices with stable performance.

A novel position-sensitive linear winding silicon drift detector (LWSDD) was designed and simulated. On the frontside (anode side), the collecting anodes were set on both sides of the detector, and an S-shaped linear winding cathode strip was arranged in the middle, which can realize independent voltage division and reduce the complexity of external bias resistor chain compared with the traditional linear silicon drift detector. The detectors were arranged in a butterfly shape, which increased the effective area of the detectors and improved the collection efficiency. The linear winding silicon drift detector can obtain one-dimensional position information by measuring the drift time of electrons. The 2D position information of the incident particle is obtained from the anodes coordinates of the readout signal. One-dimensional analytically exact solutions of electric potential and field were obtained for the first time for the linear winding silicon drift detector. The simulation results show that the electric potential distribution inside the detector is uniform, and the "drift channel" inside the detector points to the collecting anodes on both sides, which proves the reasonable and feasible design of the linear winding silicon drift detector.

Background: Diet is among the most influential lifestyle factors impacting chronic disease risk. Nutrimetabolomics, the application of metabolomics to nutrition research, allows for the detection of food-specific compounds (FSCs) that can be used to connect dietary patterns, such as a Mediterranean-style (MED) diet, to health. This validation study is based upon analyses from a controlled feeding MED intervention, where our team identified FSCs from eight foods that can be detected in biospecimens after consumption and may therefore serve as food intake biomarkers., Methods: Individuals with overweight/obesity who do not habitually consume a MED dietary pattern will complete a 16-week randomized, multi-intervention, semi-controlled feeding study of isocaloric dietary interventions: (1) MED-amplified dietary pattern, containing 500 kcal/day from eight MED target foods: avocado, basil, cherry, chickpea, oat, red bell pepper, walnut, and a protein source (alternating between salmon or unprocessed, lean beef), and (2) habitual/Western dietary pattern, containing 500 kcal/day from six non-MED target foods: cheesecake, chocolate frozen yogurt, refined grain bread, sour cream, white potato, and unprocessed, lean beef. After a 2-week washout, participants complete four, 4-week intervention periods, with biospecimen sampling and outcome assessments at baseline and at intervention weeks 4, 8, 12, and 16. The primary outcome is change in the relative abundance of FSCs from the eight MED target foods in participant biospecimens from baseline to the end of each intervention period. Secondary outcomes include mean change in cardiometabolic health indicators, inflammatory markers, and adipokines. Exploratory outcomes include change in diversity and community composition of the gut microbiota., Discussion: Our stepwise strategy, beginning with identification of FSCs in whole diets and biospecimens, followed by relating these to health indicators will lead to improved methodology for assessment of dietary patterns and a better understanding of the relationship between food and health. This study will serve as a first step toward validating candidate food intake biomarkers and allow for assessment of relationships with cardiometabolic health. The identification of food intake biomarkers is critical to future research and has implications spanning health promotion and disease prevention for many chronic conditions., Trial Registration: Registered at ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT05500976 ; Date of registration: August 15, 2022., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Mushrooms are a nutritious food, though knowledge of the effects of mushroom consumption on cardiometabolic risk factors is limited and inconsistent., Objective: We assessed the effects of consuming mushrooms as part of a healthy United States Mediterranean-style dietary pattern (MED) on traditional and emerging cardiometabolic disease (CMD) risk factors. We hypothesized that adopting a MED diet with mushrooms would lead to greater improvements in multiple CMD risk factors., Methods: Using a randomized, parallel study design, 60 adults (36 females, 24 males; aged 46 ± 12 y; body mass index 28.3 ± 2.84 kg/m 2 , mean ± standard deviation) without diagnosed CMD morbidities consumed a MED diet (all foods provided) without (control with breadcrumbs) or with 84 g/d of Agaricus bisporus (White Button, 4 d/wk) and Pleurotus ostreatus (Oyster, 3 d/wk) mushrooms for 8 wk. Fasting baseline and postintervention outcome measurements were traditional CMD risk factors, including blood pressure and fasting serum lipids, lipoproteins, glucose, and insulin. Exploratory CMD-related outcomes included lipoprotein particle sizes and indexes of inflammation., Results: Adopting the MED-mushroom diet compared with the MED-control diet without mushrooms improved fasting serum glucose (change from baseline -2.9 ± 1.18 compared with 0.6 ± 1.10 mg/dL; time × group P = 0.034). Adopting the MED diet, independent of mushroom consumption, reduced serum total cholesterol (-10.2 ± 3.77 mg/dL; time P = 0.0001). Concomitantly, there was a reduction in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, buoyant HDL2b, and apolipoprotein A1, and an increase in lipoprotein(a) concentrations (main effect of time P < 0.05 for all). There were no changes in other measured CMD risk factors., Conclusions: Consuming a Mediterranean-style healthy dietary pattern with 1 serving/d of whole Agaricus bisporus and Pleurotus ostreatus mushrooms improved fasting serum glucose but did not influence other established or emerging CMD risk factors among middle-aged and older adults classified as overweight or obese but with clinically normal cardiometabolic health., Trial Registration Number: https://www., Clinicaltrials: gov/study/NCT04259229?term=NCT04259229&rank=1., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Nutrimetabolomics allows for the comprehensive analysis of foods and human biospecimens to identify biomarkers of intake and begin to probe their associations with health. Salmon contains hundreds of compounds that may provide cardiometabolic benefits., Objectives: We used untargeted metabolomics to identify salmon food-specific compounds (FSCs) and their predicted metabolites that were found in plasma after a salmon-containing Mediterranean-style (MED) diet intervention. Associations between changes in salmon FSCs and changes in cardiometabolic health indicators (CHIs) were also explored., Methods: For this secondary analysis of a randomized, crossover, controlled feeding trial, 41 participants consumed MED diets with 2 servings of salmon per week for 2 5-wk periods. CHIs were assessed, and fasting plasma was collected pre- and postintervention. Plasma, salmon, and 99 MED foods were analyzed using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry-based metabolomics. Compounds were characterized as salmon FSCs if detected in all salmon replicates but none of the other foods. Metabolites of salmon FSCs were predicted using machine learning. For salmon FSCs and metabolites found in plasma, linear mixed-effect models were used to assess change from pre- to postintervention and associations with changes in CHIs., Results: Relative to the other 99 MED foods, there were 508 salmon FSCs with 237 unique metabolites. A total of 143 salmon FSCs and 106 metabolites were detected in plasma. Forty-eight salmon FSCs and 30 metabolites increased after the intervention (false discovery rate <0.05). Increases in 2 annotated salmon FSCs and 2 metabolites were associated with improvements in CHIs, including total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, and apolipoprotein B., Conclusions: A data-driven nutrimetabolomics strategy identified salmon FSCs and their predicted metabolites that were detectable in plasma and changed after consumption of a salmon-containing MED diet. Findings support this approach for the discovery of compounds in foods that may serve, upon further validation, as biomarkers or act as bioactive components influential to health. The trials supporting this work were registered at NCT02573129 (Mediterranean-style diet intervention) and NCT05500976 (ongoing clinical trial)., (Copyright © 2023 American Society for Nutrition. All rights reserved.)

Chronic wound healing remains challenging due to the oxidative microenvironment. Prussian blue (PB) nanoparticles exhibiting multiple antioxidant enzyme-like activities have attracted widespread attention, while their antioxidant efficacy remains unsatisfied. Herein, ultrasmall calcium-enriched Prussian blue nanoparticles (CaPB NPs) are simply constructed with high yields for the wound repair application. Owing to the ultrasmall size and synergistic effect of the generated dual active sites, the CaPB NPs exhibit prominent antioxidase-like activities, protecting cells from oxidative stress-induced damage. In addition to the effect of Ca on regulating keratinocyte and fibroblast growth, it has been demonstrated that the administration of CaPB NPs obviously promoted wound closure as well as collagen deposition and neovascularization in the full-thickness wound defect model in mice. Importantly, the CaPB NP treatment can effectively up-regulate the expression levels of anti-inflammatory cytokines and vascular endothelial growth factors to remodel the wound microenvironment, thereby accelerating the wound healing process. Overall, this work reveals that metal atom substitution is an effective strategy to construct ultrasmall and high-catalytic-performance PB-based nanozymes and further potentiate their effectiveness for chronic wound management.

HfO&#95;{2}-based ferroelectric thin films are promising for their application in ferroelectric devices. Predicting the ultimate magnitude of polarization and understanding its switching mechanism are critical to realize the optimal performance of these devices. Here, a generalized solid-state variable cell nudged elastic band method is employed to predict the switching pathway associated with domain-wall motion in (Hf,Zr)O&#95;{2} ferroelectrics. It is found that the polarization reversal pathway, where threefold coordinated O atoms pass across the nominal unit-cell boundaries defined by the Hf/Zr atomic planes, is energetically more favorable than the conventional pathway where the O atoms do not pass through these planes. This finding implies that the polarization orientation in the orthorhombic Pca2&#95;{1} phase of HfO&#95;{2} and its derivatives is opposite to that normally assumed, predicts the spontaneous polarization magnitude of about 70  μC/cm^{2} that is nearly 50% larger than the commonly accepted value, signifies a positive intrinsic longitudinal piezoelectric coefficient, and suggests growth of ferroelectric domains, in response to an applied electric field, structurally reversed to those usually anticipated. These results provide important insights into the understanding of ferroelectricity in HfO&#95;{2}-based ferroelectrics.

Background: Evidence regarding the effects of infant feeding type (exclusive breastfeeding compared with exclusive formula feeding) on the gut microbiota and how it impacts infant growth status is limited., Objectives: The primary objective was to compare gut microbiota by feeding type and characterize the associations between gut microbiota and infant growth status., Methods: Stool samples from healthy, full-term infants (4-5 mo-old) who were either exclusively breastfed (BF) or exclusively formula-fed (FF) in Denver, CO, United States were collected, and fecal 16S ribosomal ribonucleic acid gene-based profiling was conducted. Length and weight were measured at the time of stool collection. Length-for-age z-score, weight-for-age z-scores (WAZ), and weight-for-length z-scores were calculated based on the World Health Organization standards. Associations between gut microbial taxa and anthropometric z-scores were assessed by Spearman's rank correlation test., Results: A total of 115 infants (BF n = 54; FF n = 61) were included in this study. Feeding type (BF compared with FF) was the most significant tested variable on gut microbiota composition (P < 1 × 10-⁶), followed by mode of delivery and race. Significant differences were observed in α-diversity, β-diversity, and relative abundances of individual taxa between BF and FF. BF infants had lower α-diversity than FF infants. Abundances of Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus were greater in the breastfeeding group. FF infants had a higher relative abundance of unclassified Ruminococcaceae (P < 0.001), which was associated with a higher WAZ (P < 0.001) and length-for-age z-score (P < 0.01). Lactobacillus was inversely associated with WAZ (P < 0.05)., Conclusions: Feeding type is the main driver of gut microbiota differences in young infants. The gut microbiota differences based on feeding type (exclusive breast- or formula feeding) were associated with observed differences in growth status. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02142647, NCT01693406, and NCT04137445., (Copyright © 2023 American Society for Nutrition. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Mushrooms contain multiple essential nutrients and health-promoting bioactive compounds, including the amino acid L-ergothioneine. Knowledge of the chemical composition of different mushroom varieties will aid research on their health-promoting properties. We compared the metabolomes of fresh raw white button, crimini, portabella, lion's mane, maitake, oyster, and shiitake mushrooms using untargeted liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC/MS)-based metabolomics. We also quantified amino acid concentrations, including L-ergothioneine, a potential antioxidant which is not synthesized by plants or animals. Among the seven mushroom varieties, more than 10,000 compounds were detected. Principal Component Analysis indicated mushrooms of the same species, Agaricus Bisporus (white button, portabella, crimini), group similarly. The other varieties formed individual, distinct clusters. A total of 1344 (520 annotated) compounds were detected in all seven mushroom varieties. Each variety had tens-to-hundreds of unique-to-mushroom-variety compounds. These ranged from 29 for crimini to 854 for lion's mane. All three Agaricus bisporus varieties had similar amino acid profiles (including detection of all nine essential amino acids), while other varieties had less methionine and tryptophan. Lion's mane and oyster mushrooms had the highest concentrations of L-ergothioneine. The detection of hundreds of unique-to-mushroom-variety compounds emphasizes the differences in chemical composition of these varieties of edible fungi.

Background: Limited research evidence exists on the effects of red meat on gut microbiota in human adults., Objective: We aim to assess the effects of consuming a Healthy U.S.-Style Dietary Pattern (HDP), without or with unprocessed or processed lean red meats, on gut microbiota and fecal short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) levels in healthy young adults. Secondary outcomes are cardiovascular disease risk factors., Methods: We conducted a randomized, controlled, crossover trial with 3 3-wk dietary interventions, each separated by a 5-wk washout period with habitual dietary intake. Nineteen participants (8 females, age 26 ± 4 y old, BMI 23 ± 3 kg/m 2 ) consumed 3 study diets in random order: 1) healthy lacto-ovo vegetarian diet (LOV); 2) LOV plus 3 ounces/d of cooked unprocessed lean red meat (URM); and 3) LOV plus 3 ounces/d of cooked processed lean red meat (PRM). Fecal and fasting blood samples were collected before and during the last 2 wk of each intervention. We measured fecal bacterial community structure using 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing (V4 region, primers 515F-806R). Community diversity, structure, and taxonomic composition were computed using Mothur v.1.44.3., Results: The addition of unprocessed or processed lean red meats to a LOV HDP did not influence short-term changes in bacterial taxonomic composition. Independent of red meat intake, the HDP led to changes in 23 bacteria; reductions in serum total cholesterol (TC) and LDL-C concentrations; but no changes in fecal SCFA, serum triglycerides, HDL-C concentrations, TC/HDL-C ratio, or blood pressures. With data from all 3 diet interventions combined, changes in some bacteria were associated with improvements in TC, LDL-C, triglycerides, and HDL-C concentrations, and TC/HDL-C ratio., Conclusions: Healthy young adults who adopt an HDP that may be vegetarian or omnivorous, including lean red meat, experience short-term changes in gut microbial composition, which associate with improvements in multiple lipid-related cardiovascular risk factors. NCT03885544, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03885544?cond=NCT03885544&draw=2&rank=1., (Copyright © 2023 American Society for Nutrition. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: This project aimed to evaluate the impact of meat- vs. dairy-based complementary foods on gut microbiota and whether it relates to growth., Design: Full-term, formula-fed infants were recruited from the metro Denver area (Colorado, US) and randomized to a meat- or dairy-based complementary diet from 5 to 12 months of age. Infant's length and weight were measured, and stool samples were collected at 5, 10, and 12 months for 16S rRNA gene sequencing and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) quantification., Results: Sixty-four infants completed the dietary intervention ( n = 32/group). Weight-for-age Z (WAZ) scores increased in both groups and length-for-age Z scores (LAZ) increased in the meat group only, which led to a significant group-by-time interaction ( P = 0.02) of weight-for-length Z (WLZ) score. Microbiota composition (Beta-diversity) differed between groups at 12 months (weighted PERMANOVA P = 0.01) and had a group-by-time interaction of P = 0.09. Microbial community richness (Chao1) increased in the meat group only. Genus Akkermansia had a significant group-by-time interaction and increased in the dairy group and decreased in the meat group. A significant fold change of butyric acid from 5 to 12 months was found in the meat group (+1.75, P = 0.011) but not in the dairy group. Regression analysis showed that Chao1 had a negative association with WLZ and WAZ. Several genera also had significant associations with all growth Z scores., Conclusion: Complementary feeding not only impacts infant growth but also affects gut microbiota maturation. Complementary food choices can affect both the gut microbiota diversity and structures and these changes in gut microbiota are associated with infant growth., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Tang, Ma, Weinheimer-Haus, Robertson, Kofonow, Berman, Waljee, Zhu, Frank and Krebs.)

Objective: To characterize the changes in gut microbiota during pregnancy and determine the effects of nutritional intervention on gut microbiota in women from sub-Saharan Africa (the Democratic Republic of the Congo, DRC), South Asia (India and Pakistan), and Central America (Guatemala)., Methods: Pregnant women in the Women First (WF) Preconception Maternal Nutrition Trial were included in this analysis. Participants were randomized to receive a lipid-based micronutrient supplement either ≥3 months before pregnancy (Arm 1); started the same intervention late in the first trimester (Arm 2); or received no nutrition supplements besides those self-administered or prescribed through local health services (Arm 3). Stool and blood samples were collected during the first and third trimesters. Findings presented here include fecal 16S rRNA gene-based profiling and systemic and intestinal inflammatory biomarkers, including alpha (1)-acid glycoprotein (AGP), C-reactive protein (CRP), fecal myeloperoxidase (MPO), and calprotectin., Results: Stool samples were collected from 640 women (DRC, n = 157; India, n = 102; Guatemala, n = 276; and Pakistan, n = 105). Gut microbial community structure did not differ by intervention arm but changed significantly during pregnancy. Richness, a measure of alpha-diversity, decreased over pregnancy. Community composition (beta-diversity) also showed a significant change from first to third trimester in all four sites. Of the top 10 most abundant genera, unclassified Lachnospiraceae significantly decreased in Guatemala and unclassified Ruminococcaceae significantly decreased in Guatemala and DRC. The change in the overall community structure at the genus level was associated with a decrease in the abundances of certain genera with low heterogeneity among the four sites. Intervention arms were not significantly associated with inflammatory biomarkers at 12 or 34 weeks. AGP significantly decreased from 12 to 34 weeks of pregnancy, whereas CRP, MPO, and calprotectin did not significantly change over time. None of these biomarkers were significantly associated with the gut microbiota diversity., Conclusion: The longitudinal reduction of individual genera (both commensals and potential pathogens) and alpha-diversity among all sites were consistent and suggested that the effect of pregnancy on the maternal microbiota overrides other influencing factors, such as nutrition intervention, geographical location, diet, race, and other demographical variables., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Tang, Weaver, Frank, Ir, Robertson, Kemp, Westcott, Shankar, Garces, Figueroa, Tshefu, Lokangaka, Goudar, Somannavar, Aziz, Saleem, McClure, Hambidge, Hendricks, Krebs and the Women First Study Group.)

Capillary electrochromatography for enantioseparation has received considerable research attention in the past decades, because it integrates the advantages of classical electrophoresis and modern micro-column separation. Chirality is a fundamental feature of compounds found in nature and is also a major concern in the modern pharmaceutical industry. Porous organic cages (POCs) are defined as a class of porous materials with permanent ordered three-dimensional cavity structures that are different from those of porous materials, such as zeolite, metal-organic frameworks, covalent organic frameworks, and mesoporous silica. POCs have good solubility in general organic solvents and can be used as a chromatographic stationary phase conveniently coated inside a standard capillary column. Homochiral POCs with hydroxyl groups on the cage molecules were synthesized by imine-linked condensation of 2-hydroxy-1,3,5-triformylbenzene with (1 R ,2 R )-1,2-diphenylethylenediamine. The thus-synthesized POCs were characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) analysis, etc. In the FT-IR spectra, the absorption peaks at 1602, 1489, and 1458 cm -1 were attributed to the C=C-H and C=C tensile vibrations in the benzene ring. The strong characteristic absorption peak at 1636 cm -1 was attributed to the imine bond (C=N) stretching, the two peaks at about 2900 cm -1 were attributed to C-H bond vibration, and the absorption peak at 3420 cm -1 was attributed to the O-H pulling vibration. In the XRD patterns, the powder diffraction peaks of the POCs were consistent with the simulated data. These results indicated that POCs were successfully synthesized. Thermogravimetric analysis was performed in the temperature range of 25-800 ℃ (10 ℃/min), and the POCs were found to be stable up to 380 ℃. Dichloromethane was used as solvent to uniformly coat POCs on the capillary wall to prepare an electrochromatography column. Joule heat generated in electrophoresis was negligible under the experiment condition used for the open-tubular column. Four chiral compounds, viz. dihydroflavone, praziquantel, naproxen, and 3,5-dinitro- N -(1-phenylethyl)benzamide, were used as test compounds, and the electrochromatography separation conditions were optimized such that the best separations were obtained. The voltage was applied to separate the selected enantiomers in the range of 10-20 kV. Considering the good separation and appropriate migration time simultaneously, applied voltages of 13 kV and 12 kV were recommended for dihydroflavones and 3,5-dinitro- N -(1-phenylethyl)benzamide, respectively, as well as 14 kV for praziquantel and naproxen. The concentration of the buffer solution for dihydroflavonoids was 0.075 mol/L, and those for praziquantel, naproxen, and 3,5-dinitro- N -(1-phenylethyl)benzamide were 0.100 mol/L. The pH was 3.51 for all four substances. Resolutions of 2.99, 2.10, 2.58, and 3.59 were achieved on a POC chiral column for dihydroflavonoids, praziquantel, naproxen, and 3,5-dinitro- N -(1-phenylethyl)benzamide, respectively. Two positional isomers, viz. o , m , p -nitrophenol and o , m , p -nitrophenilamine, were also successfully separated with 0.100 mol/L Tris-H 3 PO 4 at pH 3.51. Therefore, the chiral electrochromatography column showed good chiral recognition ability and the POC is an excellent separation material with excellent application prospect in chiral electrochromatography.

Background: An urgent need exists for evidence-based dietary guidance early in life, particularly regarding protein intake. However, a significant knowledge gap exists in the effects of protein-rich foods on growth and development during early complementary feeding. Methods: This is a randomized controlled trial of infant growth and gut health (primary outcomes). We directly compare the effects of dietary patterns with common protein-rich foods (meat, dairy, plant) on infant growth trajectories and gut microbiota development (monthly assessments) during early complementary feeding in both breast- and formula-fed infants. Five-month-old infants (up to n = 300) are randomized to a meat-, dairy-, plant-based complementary diet or a reference group (standard of care) from 5 to 12 months of age, with a 24-month follow-up assessment. Infants are matched for sex, mode of delivery and mode of feeding using stratified randomization. Growth assessments include length, weight, head circumference and body composition. Gut microbiota assessments include both 16S rRNA profiling and metagenomics sequencing. The primary analyses will evaluate the longitudinal effects of the different diets on both anthropometric measures and gut microbiota. The secondary analysis will evaluate the potential associations between gut microbiota and infant growth. Discussion: Findings are expected to have significant scientific and health implications for identifying beneficial gut microbial changes and dietary patterns and for informing dietary interventions to prevent the risk of overweight and later obesity, and promote optimal health. Clinical Trial Registration: www.ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier: NCT05012930., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Tang, Matz, Berman, Davis, Melanson, Frank, Hendricks and Krebs.)

Polar metals, commonly defined by the coexistence of polar structure and metallicity, are thought to be scarce because free carriers eliminate internal dipoles that may arise owing to asymmetric charge distributions. By using first-principle electronic structure calculations, we explored the possibility of producing metallic states in the polar/nonpolar KNbO 3 /BaTiO 3 superlattice (SL) composed of two prototypical ferroelectric materials: BaTiO 3 (BTO) and KNbO 3 (KNO). Two types of polar/nonpolar interfaces, p-type (KO) - /(TiO 2 ) 0 and n-type (NbO 2 ) + /(BaO) 0 , which can be constituted into two symmetric NbO 2 /BaO-NbO 2 /BaO (NN-type) and KO/TiO 2 -KO/TiO 2 (PP-type) SL, as well as one asymmetric KO/TiO 2 -NbO 2 /BaO (PN-type) SL. The spatial distribution of ferroelectric distortions and their conductive properties are found to be extraordinarily sensitive to the interfacial configurations. An insulator-to-metal transition is found in each unit cell of the symmetric interfacial SL models: one exhibiting quasi-two-dimensional n-type conductivity for NN-type SL, while the other being quasi-two-dimensional p-type conductivity for PP-type SL. The anisotropic coexistence of in-plane orientation of free carriers and out-of-plane orientation of ferroelectric polarization in KNO/BTO SL indicates that in-plane free carriers can not eliminate the out-of-plane dipoles. Our results provide a road map to create two-dimensional polar metals in insulating perovskite oxide SL, which is expected to promote applications of new quantum devices., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interest., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

Oxygen ions' migration is the fundamental resistive switching (RS) mechanism of the binary metal oxides-based memristive devices, and recent studies have found that the RS performance can be enhanced through appropriate oxygen plasma treatment (OPT). However, the lack of experimental evidence observed directly from the microscopic level of materials and applicable understanding of how OPT improves the RS properties will cause significant difficulties in its further application. In this work, we apply scanning probe microscope (SPM)-based techniques to study the OPT-enhanced RS performance in prototypical HfO x based memristive devices through in situ morphology and electrical measurements. It is first found that the structural deformations in HfO x nanofilm induced by migration of oxygen ions and interfacial electrochemical reactions can be recovered by OPT effectively. More importantly, such structural deformations no longer occur after OPT due to the strengthening in lattice structure, which directly illustrates the enhanced quantity of HfO x nanofilm and the nature of enhanced RS properties after OPT. Finally, the underlying mechanisms of OPT-enhanced RS performance are analyzed by the results of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic (XPS) surface analysis. In the OPT-enhanced HfO x nanofilm, oxygen vacancies in crystalline regions can be remarkably reduced by active oxygen ions' implantation. The oxygen ions transport will depend considerably on the grain boundaries and OPT-enhanced lattice structure will further guarantee the stability of conductive filaments, both of which ensure the uniformity and repeatability in RS processes. This study could provide a scientific basis for improving RS performance of oxides-based memristive devices by utilizing OPT.

This review focuses on pre- and post-natal iron supplementation in malaria endemic settings. Although iron supplementation can reduce iron deficiency, malaria infection may counteract this effect by the increase of hepcidin, and iron supplementation may further worsen malaria infection by providing additional iron for the parasites. However, most iron supplementation intervention studies in pregnant women with malaria have not shown a negative impact, although malaria treatment with iron supplementation may be beneficial in terms of improving birth outcomes. In infants and young children in malaria endemic settings, the adverse effects of iron supplementation has been well documented and malaria prevention and treatment with iron supplementation is recommended. Besides fostering the growth of malaria parasites, iron may also promote potential pathogens in the gut and cause an inflammatory response in young children. Overall, iron supplementation is beneficial for treating iron deficiency, but needs to be considered in the context of malaria prevention and treatment in pregnant women, infants and young children for safety and effectiveness., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Bi 3.15 Nd 0.85 Ti 2.99 Mn 0.01 O 12 (BNTM) thin films with (200)-orientations, (117)-orientations, and mixed-orientations were prepared by sol-gel methods. The influence of orientations on polarization fatigue behaviors of BNTM thin films were systematically investigated at both low and elevated temperatures. It was found that the changed trends of the polarization fatigue of (200)-oriented and (117)-oriented BNTM thin films at elevated temperatures were opposite. The fatigue properties become exacerbated for the (200)-oriented ones and become improved for the (117)-oriented ones, while the reduction of remanent polarization first decreases and then increases for the mixed-oriented ones. It can be assumed that the different roles played by domain walls and interface layer with increasing T in these thin films have caused such differences, which was certified by the lower activation energies (0.12-0.13 eV) of (200)-oriented BNTM thin films compared to those of BNTM thin films (0.17-0.31 eV) with other orientations through the temperature-dependent impedance spectra analysis. With the aid of piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM), the non-neutral tail-to-tail or head-to-head polarization configurations with greater probabilities for (117)-oriented and mixed-oriented thin films were found, while a majority of the neutral head-to-tail polarization configurations can be observed for (200)-oriented ones.

Objective: To test the long-term effect on growth status at 24 months of age in formula-fed infants who were randomized to consume a meat- or dairy-based complementary diet from 5 to 12 months of age., Study Design: Observational assessments, including anthropometric, dietary, and blood biomarkers, were conducted at 24 months of age, 1 year after the intervention ended., Results: The retention rate at 24 months of age was 84% for the meat group and 81% for the dairy group. Mean (±SD) protein intakes at 24 months of age were 4.1 ± 1.2 and 4.0 ± 1.1 g/kmeat (n = 27) and dairy (n = 26) groups, respectively, and comparable with the estimates of US population intake. At 24 months of age, weight-for-age z score did not differ significantly between groups and was similar to that at 12 months. Length-for-age z score remained significantly higher in the meat group compared with the dairy group, and the average length was 1.9 cm greater in the meat group. Weight-for-length z score also did not differ significantly between groups. Insulin-like growth factor 1 significantly increased from 12 to 24 months of age in both groups, but insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 3 and blood urea nitrogen did not change significantly from 12 to 24 months of age and were comparable between groups., Conclusions: The protein source-induced distinctive growth patterns observed during infancy persisted at 24 months of age, suggesting a potential long-term impact of early protein quality on growth trajectories in formula-fed infants., Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02142647., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Bi₄Ti 2.99 Mn 0.01 O 12 (BTM) thin films with different ratio of neodymium (Nd) doping were prepared on Pt(111)/Ti/SiO₂/Si(100) substrates through a sol-gel method. The effects of Nd doping on domain dynamics and temperature-dependent fatigue behaviors of BTM thin films were systematically studied. The polarization fatigues of BTM (not doped) and Bi 3.5 Nd 0.5 Ti 2.99 Mn 0.01 O 12 (BNTM05) thin films first get better with the increasing temperature ( T ) from 300 to 350 K and then become worse from 350 to 400 K, while Bi 3.15 Nd 0.85 Ti 2.99 Mn 0.01 O 12 (BNTM85) thin films show enhanced fatigue endurance from 300 to 400 K. It can be shown that the long-range diffusion of oxygen vacancies in BTM thin film happens more easily through the impedance spectra analysis with T from 300 to 475 K, which can be verified by a lower activation energies (0.13⁻0.14 eV) compared to those of BNTM05 and BNTM85 (0.17⁻0.21 eV). Using a temperature-dependent piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM), we have found more responsive domain fragments in Nd-substituted films. The microscopic domain evolution from 298 to 448 K was done to further explain that the domain wall unpinning effect has been enhanced with increasing T . The correlation between microscopic domain dynamics and macroscopic electrical properties clearly demonstrates the effects of charged domain wall in Nd-doped BTM thin films during the fatigue tests.

Background: Protein intake from cow milk-based infant formula has been associated with rapid weight gain and increased adiposity, but the effect of protein from complementary foods has not been prospectively evaluated, and the effect of protein from sources other than formula during complementary feeding is not clear., Objective: The aim of this study was to directly compare the effect of protein from 2 common complementary food sources, meat and dairy, on infant growth and weight trajectory., Design: Healthy term, formula-fed infants were recruited from the metro Denver area, matched by sex and race/ethnicity and randomly assigned to a meat or a dairy complementary food group from 5 to 12 mo of age. Total protein intake during this 7-mo intervention was ∼3 g ⋅ kg-1 ⋅ d-1 for both groups. Intakes of infant formula, cereal, fruit, and vegetables were ad libitum. Caregivers also completed 3-d diet records at 5, 10, and 12 mo of age. Anthropometric measures were obtained during monthly home visits, and blood samples were collected at 5 and 12 mo of age., Results: Sixty-four infants completed the intervention (meat: n = 32; dairy: n = 32). The average total protein intake (mean ± SD) increased from 2.01 ± 0.06 g ⋅ kg-1 ⋅ d-1 at 5 mo to 3.35 ±0.12 g ⋅ kg-1 ⋅ d-1 at 12 mo and did not differ between groups. Over time, weight and weight-for-age z score increased by 0.48 ± 0.07. However, there was a significant group-by-time interaction for both length-for-age z score (LAZ) and weight-for-length z score (WLZ). Post hoc analysis showed that LAZ increased in the meat group (+0.33 ± 0.09; P = 0.001 over time) and decreased in the dairy group (-0.30 ± 0.10; P = 0.0002 over time); WLZ significantly increased in the dairy group (0.76 ± 0.21; P = 0.000002 over time) compared with the meat group (0.30 ± 0.17; P = 0.55 over time). Insulin-like growth factor I and insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 3 both increased over time without group differences., Conclusions: Protein source may have an important role in regulating growth. In these formula-fed older infants, meat- and dairy-based complementary foods led to distinct growth patterns, especially for length. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02142647.

A few-layer MoS2 photodetector driven by poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene) ferroelectrics is achieved. The detectivity and responsitivity are up to 2.2 × 10(12) Jones and 2570 A W(-1), respectively, at 635 nm with ZERO gate bias. E(g) of MoS2 is tuned by the ultrahigh electrostatic field from the ferroelectric polarization. The photoresponse wavelengths of the photodetector are extended into the near-infrared (0.85-1.55 μm)., (© 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)