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Glaucoma encompasses a group of optic neuropathies characterized by complex and often elusive etiopathology, involvihttng neurodegeneration of the optic nerve in conjunction with abnormal intraocular pressure (IOP). Currently, there is no cure for glaucoma, and treatment strategies primarily aim to halt disease progression by managing IOP. This review delves into the etiopathology, diagnostic methods, and treatment approaches for glaucoma, with a special focus on IOP management. We discuss a range of active pharmaceutical ingredients used in glaucoma therapy, emphasizing their chemical structure, pharmacological action, therapeutic effectiveness, and safety/tolerability profiles. Notably, most of these therapeutic agents are administered as topical formulations, a critical aspect considering patient compliance and drug delivery efficiency. The classes of glaucoma therapeutics covered in this review include prostaglandin analogs, beta blockers, alpha agonists, carbonic anhydrase inhibitors, Rho kinase inhibitors, and miotic (cholinergic) agents. This comprehensive overview highlights the importance of topical administration in glaucoma treatment, offering insights into the current state and future directions of pharmacological management in glaucoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identifying the patterns of defective chips in wafer bin maps (WBMs) in semiconductor manufacturing processes is crucial because different defect patterns correspond to different root causes of process failures. Recently, mixed-type defect patterns (i.e., multiple defect patterns in a single wafer) have become increasingly common owing to the increased complexity of semiconductor manufacturing processes. Previous methods for classifying mixed-type defect patterns in WBMs focused on outputting only the class labels of the defect patterns and not their locations, although location information of the defect patterns is useful for tracking the root causes of failure and improving processes. Moreover, most previous methods used only labeled WBM data, although a larger quantity of unlabeled WBM data are more accessible because of the costly process of label annotation. Therefore, in this paper, we propose a semi-supervised learning method for classifying mixed-type defect patterns and detecting their locations simultaneously using both labeled and unlabeled WBM data. The proposed method extends a recent unsupervised object detection method called Attend-Infer-Repeat in a semi-supervised manner to perform object detection and classification simultaneously. The performance of the proposed method is verified using WBM datasets of different sizes. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method for classification and location detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In vehicles with driving assistance systems, the responsibility of driving still lies with the driver. Therefore, active safety systems follow a design principle of avoiding intervention as long as possible. Decision making using this principle requires collision avoidance with surrounding objects during the evasive maneuvering of an ego vehicle. However, general decision-making methods for collision avoidance focus on preventing collisions with objects in front of the subject vehicle; the risk of collision with the following vehicle caused by emergency braking is not considered. This paper presents decision-making methods for such collision avoidance systems, wherein emergency braking and steering are considered as collision avoidance maneuvers. The risk of collision is predicted based on the braking model of a normal driver and several emergency braking strategies are designed to avoid collisions. A within-lane steering avoidance method to improve avoidance performance in small overlap collision scenarios and a general avoidance method of steering to change lanes are designed. Collisions with surrounding objects can be avoided using the designed evasive maneuvers; further, maneuvers that can be implemented at the last moment are determined. The results of computer simulations indicate an improved collision avoidance performance using the proposed methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Various amyloidogenic proteins have been suggested to be involved in the onset and progression of neurodegenerative diseases (ND) such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD). Particularly, the aggregation of misfolded amyloid-β and hyperphosphorylated tau and α-synuclein are linked to the pathogenesis of AD and PD, respectively. In order to care the diseases, multiple small molecules have been developed to regulate the aggregation pathways of these amyloid proteins. In addition to controlling the aggregation of amyloidogenic proteins, maintaining the levels of the proteins in the brain by amyloid degrading enzymes (ADE; neprilysin (NEP), insulin-degrading enzyme (IDE), asparagine endopeptidase (AEP), and ADAM10) is also essential to cure AD and PD. Therefore, numerous biological molecules and chemical agents have been investigated as either inducer or inhibitor against the levels and activities of ADE. Although the side effect of enhancing the activity of ADE could occur, the removal of amyloidogenic proteins could result in a relatively good strategy to treat AD and PD. Furthermore, since the causes of ND are diverse, various multifunctional (multitarget) chemical agents have been designed to control the actions of multiple risk factors of ND, including amyloidogenic proteins, metal ions, and reactive oxygen species. Many of them, however, were invented without considerations of regulating ADE levels and actions. Incorporation of previously created molecules with the chemical agents handling ADE could be a promising way to treat AD and PD. This review introduces the ADE and molecules capable of modulating the activity and expression of ADE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After wafer fabrication, individual chips on the wafer are checked for defects by using multiple electrical tests. The test results can be represented by binary values for all individual chips, which form a spatial map called a wafer bin map (WBM). Different defect patterns in WBMs are related to different causes of process faults. Thus, it is important to classify WBMs according to their defect patterns to identify the root causes of process faults and correct the problems. Recently, with the increase in wafer size, the semiconductor manufacturing process has become more complicated and the probability of having mixed-type defect patterns in WBMs has increased. Previous studies for the classification of mixed-type defect patterns have mainly used labeled WBM data, although a much larger quantity of unlabeled data are often available in practice. To utilize both labeled and unlabeled data to achieve better classification performance, this study proposes the use of a semi-supervised deep convolutional generative model. In particular, we formulate the problem of classifying mixed-type defect patterns as a problem of multi-label classification and adopt multiple latent class variables, each for a distinct single pattern. As an inherent advantage of a generative model, we can also use the proposed model to generate new WBM data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work a novel method is unfolded to modify carbon felts (CF) to substantially improve the performance of the electrodes for vanadium redox flow batteries (VRFBs). The carbon felt, a well-known electrode material for VRFB, is catalytically etched by cobalt oxide to form carbon nanorods on the surface of the fibers comprising the CF. Unlike conventional multistep processes to grow nano-structures on carbon felts, this method simply involves a thermal treatment of catalyst-loaded felt in air to produce well aligned nanorods on its fibers. The surface morphology is optimized by etching temperature, treatment time and catalyst type. The catalytically etched CF shows an improved surface wettability and an enlarged specific surface area about two times compared to pristine CF that lead to an improvement of kinetics towards vanadium redox reactions. When used as electrode in all-vanadium redox flow battery, the nanorod-structured CF shows around 35% higher charge/discharge rate capability at 150 mA cm −2 and 80% retained-capacity compared to 48% in case of un-etched CF as confirmed by a long run test with a hundred cycles of charge/discharge operation at 50 mA cm −2 . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globally, safety has become an increasingly important issue in the automotive industry. In an attempt to reduce traffic fatalities, UNECE launched a new EU Road Safety Program which aims to decrease the number of road deaths by half by 2020. AEB (Autonomous Emergency Braking) is a very effective active safety system intended to reduce fatalities. This study involves the design of a multi-sensor data fusion strategy and decision-making algorithm for AEB pedestrian. Possible collision avoidance scenarios according to the EuroNCAP protocol are analyzed and a robust pedestrian tracking strategy is proposed. The performance of the AEB system is enhanced by using a braking model to predict the collision avoidance time and by designing the system activation zone according to the relative speed and possible distance required to stop for pedestrians. The AEB activation threshold requires careful consideration. The test results confirm the advantages of the proposed algorithm, the performance of which is described in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) were fabricated using an Al-O insulating layer prepared on an epitaxially grown Ni[SUB80[Fe[SUB20] bottom electrode and on a polycrystalline Ni[SUB80]Fe[SUB20] bottom electrode. Crystallographic orientations and surface morphology of the films were examined using x-ray diffraction and atomic force microscopy, respectively. The MTJ with an epitaxial bottom electrode showed a tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR) ratio of 51% after annealing at 250 °C. This value was about two times larger than that of the MTJ with a polycrystalline bottom electrode (27%). The applied bias voltage dependences of the TMR ratios were also much different. The V[SUBhalf] values of epitaxial and polycrystalline samples were about 750 and 400 mV, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here, we introduce a layered hollow sphere (LHS) architecture of iridium-decorated carbon electrode. The electrode was prepared by coating of a solution composed of graphene oxide (GO), IrCl 3 , and polystyrene bead followed by subsequent pyrolysis. The morphology of the electrode was investigated according to the composition of solution, and the electrocatalytic properties were characterized. The usage of GO highly enhanced the electrochemical surface area of the electrode (by ∼6 times). The LHS electrode also showed outstanding electrocatalytic properties: a current density of 89.99 mA/cm 2 could be obtained at a potential of 1.6 V. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To elucidate the involvement of individual and inter-related pathological factors [i.e., amyloid-β (Aβ), metals, and oxidative stress] in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD), chemical tools have been developed. Characteristics required for such tool construction, however, have not been clearly identified; thus, the optimization of available tools or new design has been limited. Here, key structural properties and mechanisms that can determine tools' regulatory reactivities with multiple pathogenic features found in AD are reported. A series of small molecules was built up through rational structural selection and variations onto the framework of a tool useful for in vitro and in vivo metal-Aβ investigation. Variations include: (i) location and number of an Aβ interacting moiety; (ii) metal binding site; and (iii) denticity and structural flexibility. Detailed biochemical, biophysical, and computational studies were able to provide a foundation of how to originate molecular formulas to devise chemical tools capable of controlling the reactivities of various pathological components through distinct mechanisms. Overall, this multidisciplinary investigation illustrates a structure-mechanism-based strategy of tool invention for such a complicated brain disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) dendrites were successfully prepared by a simple electrochemical deposition technique in acidic solution. The TiO2 dendrites showed outstanding electrochemical properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the effects of presence when respondents played a golf game using virtual golf simulators. The respondents were able to use real golf clubs and accurate swing-and-ball-tracking technology for a realistic experience. The perceived enjoyment, perceived value, and behavioral intention were measured. Data were collected using a convenience sample of 275 virtual golf simulator players. Multiple regression analyses revealed that social presence had a pivotal role in explaining perceived enjoyment, perceived value, and behavioral intention. However, telepresence was not a significant predictor for those variables. Results of simple regression showed that perceived enjoyment was significantly associated with perceived value and behavioral intention. The results also showed that perceived value significantly predicted behavioral intention. The findings imply that the success of virtual golf simulators may be more related to an enhanced sense of socialization with other players, rather than the virtual reality technology itself. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Synthesis of a series of 8-phenylthiazolo[4,5- e][1,2,4]triazolo[1,5- c]pyrimidin-5(4 H)-one and 5-piperazino-8-phenylthiazolo[4,5- e][1,2,4]triazolo[1,5- c]pyrmidine compounds with promising biological activity is described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, cancers and dementia, such as Alzheimer's disease, are the most fatal causes of death. Many studies tried to understand the pathogenesis of those diseases clearly and develop a promising way to treat the diseases. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) have been reported to be involved in the pathology of cancers and AD through tumor cell movement and amyloid degradation. Therefore, control of the levels and actions of MMPs, especially MMP-2 and MMP-9, is necessary to care for and/or cure cancer and AD. Various molecules have been examined for their potential application as regulators of MMPs expression and activity. Among the molecules, multiple metal complexes have shown advantages, including simple synthesis, less toxicity and specificity toward MMPs in cancer cells or in the brain. In this review, we summarize the recent studies and knowledge of metal complexes (e.g., Pt-, Ru-, Au-, Fe-, Cu-, Ni-, Zn-, and Sn-complexes) targeting MMPs and their potentials for treating and/or caring the most fatal human diseases, cancers and AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Platinum nanoparticles (Pt NPs) were deposited on a layer-by-layer (LBL) assembled carbon nanotube (CNT) thin film via the spontaneous reduction of H2PtCl6 at the functional defect sites of the CNT surface. This nanostructure was characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The modified electrode can be used for the nonenzymatic detection of cholesterol by chronoamperometry (CA) in neutral PBS. We also studied the optimal number of CNT layer for obtaining high sensitivity. The sensor with 24 bilayer of CNT shows very low detection limit and a wide linear range from 0.005mM to 10mM with a sensitivity of 8.7μAmM−1 cm−2. The result is attributed to the LBL assembled structure and more continuous intercalated pathways for electron transport in LBL assembled CNT film and the fact that the CNT film can provide a larger surface area for Pt NP loading. The sensor has good anti-interferent properties in the presence of glucose, ascorbic acid, and dopamine. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Bis(azido)bis(phosphine)-Pd(II) and -Pt(II) complexes, [M(N3)2L2] {L=PMe3, PEt3, PMe2Ph, dppe=1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane}, underwent 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition with organic chiral isothiocyanates (R∗–NCS: R∗ =(S)-(+)-1-phenylethyl, (R)-(−)-1-phenylethyl, (±)-1-phenylethyl, (S)-(+)-1-indanyl) to give the corresponding tetrazole-thiolato Pd(II) and Pt(II) complexes, trans-[M{S[CN4(R∗)]}2L2] or [M{S[CN4(R∗)]}2(dppe)]. Spectroscopic (IR and NMR) and X-ray structural analyses of the products showed that the absolute configuration of the starting organic isothiocyanates is retained throughout the reaction. Further treatments of the isolated tetrazole-thiolato complexes with electrophiles such as HCl or benzoyl chloride produced heterocyclic compounds containing a tetrazole thione or a tetrazolyl sulfide group. In addition, organic tetrazole thiones, [S={CN4H(R∗)}] containing a chiral moiety, were prepared from NaN3 and R∗–NCS in the presence of water. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Polypyrrole (PPy)/carbon nanotube (CNT) composite electrodes are fabricated on ceramic fabrics for electrochemical capacitor applications. The CNTs are grown on the ceramic fabrics by the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method and PPy is subsequently coated on them by chemical polymerization. The large surface area and high conductivity of the CNTs on the porous ceramic fabrics enhance their energy storage capacity. PPy provides not only additional capacitance as an active material, but also enhances the adhesion between the CNTs and ceramic fabrics. Furthermore, PPy acts as a conducting binder for connecting every individual CNT to increase the capacitance. The morphology of the PPy–CNTs on the ceramic fabrics is confirmed by SEM and TEM, and the electrochemical characteristics are investigated by cyclic voltammetry and galvanostatic charge–discharge tests. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In this study, ruthenium oxide-polypyrrole (RuOx-PPy) composite nanostructures were prepared as electrode materials for electrochemical capacitors. Pyrrole was electrochemically polymerized in the pores of an anodized aluminum oxide (AAO) template. RuOx was further deposited on the surface of the PPy nanorod array by an electrochemical method. The morphology and composition of the RuOx-PPy nanocomposites were observed by SEM and EDX. The capacitive performance of the RuOx-PPy nanocomposites was investigated by the galvanostatic charge/discharge test as a function of the amount of RuOx. The maximum specific capacitance of the RuOx-PPy nanocomposite electrode was 419mFcm−2/681Fg−1. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article discusses the challenge for clinicians in determining whether to institute either prolonged or continuous infusion of intravenous (IV) antibiotics as initial treatment strategy. Topics discussed include the two primary objectives of strategies for improving antimicrobial therapy, conflicting opinions on the issue of continuous infusion of beta-lactam antibiotics, and identified disadvantages with the use of continuous infusion.

Abstract: The permeabilities of He, H2, N2, O2, CO2, CH4, C2H6, C3H8, and n-C4H10 in poly[1-phenyl-2-[p-(trimethylsilyl)phenyl]acetylene] (PTMSDPA) and poly[diphenylacetylene] (PDPA) are presented and compared to those of poly(1-trimethylsilyl-1-propyne) (PTMSP), poly(1-phenyl-1-propyne) (PPP), and polysulfone. Like PTMSP, PTMSDPA, a disubstituted glassy acetylene-based polymer, exhibits higher permeabilities to organic vapors than to permanent gases due to its rigid polyacetylene backbone and bulky side groups, which provide a relatively high fractional free volume (FFV) value of 0.26. Desilylation was performed on PTMSDPA. The resulting material, PDPA, is totally insoluble in common organic solvents, so it has much higher chemical resistance than PTMSDPA. Additionally, due to its insolubility in polymerization solvents, desilylation provides the only known route to high molar mass PDPA. The FFV of the resulting membrane (PDPA) is reduced by approximately 12% relative to that of PTMSDPA. This leads to a decrease in gas permeability values and selectivity of organic vapors relative to nitrogen. For example, the oxygen permeability is reduced from 1200 to 500 Barrers upon desilylation. The pure gas selectivities decrease from 9 to 3 for n-C4H10/N2 and from 26 to 9 for C3H8/N2. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Kinetics of phase separation of polymer solution layers induced by nonsolvent vapor was investigated. Polymer solutions were prepared with polysulfone (PSF) and N-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone (NMP) as a solvent. The phase separation was induced by exposing the solution layers to controlled water vapor. Using time-resolved small angle light scattering and phase contrast optical microscope, the kinetics of the phase separation was studied for several concentrations of polymer solution films. The phase separation took place as the solution layers absorbed nonsolvent (water) vapor. As the phase separation proceeds, the scattering halo was observed, which implies that the phase separation occurs via spinodal decomposition. Bicontinuous network structure, which is a characteristic morphology of the spinodal decomposition, was confirmed by optical microscopy. The analysis of the early stage of phase separation was based on Cahn–Hilliard theory and mutual diffusion coefficients were evaluated. The late stage of phase separation was analyzed by means of power law (qm ∼ t-α). In the late stage of the phase separation, spontaneous pinning of phase domain was observed. Finally, when the phase-separated solution layers were coagulated in the water bath, it was found that the correlation length at pinning regime is proportional to the pore size of the resulting material. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The density functional theory (DFT) has been used to simultaneously investigate physi-/chemi-sorption properties of hydrogen on the (10,0) single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) walls. Physisorption of H2 outside the CNT with a vertical orientation to the tube axis above the center of a hexagon surface is the most stable state of physisorption and its binding energy is very weak, -0.792 kcal/mol. In the chemisorption of two hydrogen atoms the most stable state is above two adjacent carbon atoms of a hexagon with a C–H bond length of 1.10 Å and one C–H bond energy of -45.761 kcal/mol. Based on these results, we have also investigated the transition state and the reaction pathway from physisorption to chemisorption of hydrogen on the CNT. The energy barrier of the reaction from physisorption to chemisorption is about 78.837 kcal/mol and the reaction is not spontaneous at 0 K. Through the calculations of the Gibbs free energy change from physisorption to chemisorption with temperatures, we learned that it is not easy for the reaction to occur, which is a major obstacle for the practical use of the CNT as a hydrogen storage medium. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

To evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of ceftriaxone+vancomycin+rifampicin (CVR) in the treatment of pneumococcal meningitis caused by a multidrug-resistant strain, single-drug regimens (ceftriaxone 100 mg/kg, rifampicin 15 mg/kg, or vancomycin 20 mg/kg), double-drug regimens (ceftriaxone+vancomycin [CV] and ceftriaxone+rifampicin [CR]) and a triple-drug combination (CVR) with or without dexamethasone were compared in a rabbit meningitis model. Meningitis was induced by a highly penicillin-resistant (MIC 2 mg/l) and ceftriaxone-resistant (MIC 4 mg/l) pneumococcal strain. Final therapeutic efficacy was evaluated by the bacterial concentration at 24 h, and the bacterial killing rate was also evaluated. All combination regimens were superior to ceftriaxone or vancomycin single-drug regimens with regard to sterilisation of CSF and bacterial killing rate. Rifampicin was as effective as combination regimens. Regardless of dexamethasone, therapeutic efficacy of CVR and CR were superior to that of CV. CVR showed comparable therapeutic efficacy to CR. Data suggested that CVR would not have additional therapeutic benefit over CR during the initial 24 h of treatment. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

By comparing the activation energy for nucleation of individual intermetallic compound (IMC), the IMC phase that forms first is predicted as the one with the smallest activation energy. This methodology has been successfully applied to observations of IMC phases that form during liquid soldering on Cu and Ni plates. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Redox-active metal ions, Cu(I/II) and Fe(II/III), are essential biological molecules for the normal functioning of the brain, including oxidative metabolism, synaptic plasticity, myelination, and generation of neurotransmitters. Dyshomeostasis of these redox-active metal ions in the brain could cause Alzheimer's disease (AD). Thus, regulating the levels of Cu(I/II) and Fe(II/III) is necessary for normal brain function. To control the amounts of metal ions in the brain and understand the involvement of Cu(I/II) and Fe(II/III) in the pathogenesis of AD, many chemical agents have been developed. In addition, since toxic aggregates of amyloid-β (Aβ) have been proposed as one of the major causes of the disease, the mechanism of clearing Aβ is also required to be investigated to reveal the etiology of AD clearly. Multiple metalloenzymes (e.g., neprilysin, insulin-degrading enzyme, and ADAM10) have been reported to have an important role in the degradation of Aβ in the brain. These amyloid degrading enzymes (ADE) could interact with redox-active metal ions and affect the pathogenesis of AD. In this review, we introduce and summarize the roles, distributions, and transportations of Cu(I/II) and Fe(II/III), along with previously invented chelators, and the structures and functions of ADE in the brain, as well as their interrelationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrochemical nitrate reduction reaction (NO3RR) has garnered increasing attention as a pathway for converting a harmful pollutant (nitrate) into a value‐added product (ammonia). However, high selectivity toward ammonia (NH3) is imperative for process viability. Optimizing proton availability near the catalyst is important for achieving selective NH3 production. Here, the aim is to systematically examine the impacts of proton availability on NO3RR selectivity in a bipolar membrane (BPM)‐based membrane electrode assembly (MEA) system. The BPM generates a proton flux from the membrane toward the catalyst during electrolysis. Thus, the BPM‐MEA system can modulate the proton flux during operation. The impact of interposer layers, proton scavenging electrolytes (CO32−), and catalyst configurations are also examined to identify which local microenvironments favor ammonia formation. It is found that a moderate proton supply allows for an increase in ammonia yield by 576% when compared to the standard MEA setup. This also results in a high selectivity of 26 (NH3 over NO2−) at an applied current density of 200 mA cm−2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water electrolyzers powered by renewable energy are emerging as clean and sustainable technology for producing hydrogen without carbon emissions. Specifically, anion exchange membrane (AEM) electrolyzers utilizing non‐platinum group metal (non‐PGM) catalysts have garnered attention as a cost‐effective method for hydrogen production, especially when integrated with solar cells. Nonetheless, the progress of such integrated systems is hindered by inadequate water electrolysis efficiency, primarily caused by poor oxygen evolution reaction (OER) electrodes. To address this issue, a NiFeCo─OOH has developed as an OER electrocatalyst and successfully demonstrated its efficacy in an AEM electrolyzer, which is powered by renewable electricity and integrated with a silicon solar cell. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Proposes an adaptive pseudonoise (PN) code acquisition scheme for PN sequences. Use of adaptive signal processing techniques employing an adaptive detection threshold; Results and discussion of the study.

By employing epitaxial NiFe (111) films as ferromagnetic bottom electrodes, magnetic tunnel junctions with layer sequence of Si (111)/epitaxial Ag/epitaxial Cu/epitaxial NiFe/Al-oxide/CoFe/ IrMn/NiFe/Ta were prepared. High tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) ratios were obtained and the bias dependence of TMR was remarkably reduced. The reason for the small bias dependence of TMR was explained by inelastic electron tunneling spectroscopy. It was clearly elucidated that a well-defined sharp interface formed between the tunnel barrier and the ferromagnetic electrode that is nearly free of crystalline defects. This magnetic tunnel junction has a large capability in engineering aspects if we can reduce the barrier thickness further by decreasing the interface roughness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fat-soluble vitamins (vitamin A, D, E, and K) assume a pivotal role in maintaining human homeostasis by virtue of their enzymatic functions. The daily inclusion of these vitamins is imperative to the upkeep of various physiological processes including vision, bone health, immunity, and protection against oxidative stress. Current research highlights fat-soluble vitamins as potential therapeutics for human diseases, especially cancer. Fat-soluble vitamins exert their therapeutic effects through multiple pathways, including regulation of matrix metalloproteinases' (MMPs) expression and enzymatic activity. As MMPs have been reported to be involved in the pathology of various diseases, such as cancers, cardiovascular diseases, and neurological disorders, regulating the expression and/or activity of MMPs could be considered as a potent therapeutic strategy. Here, we summarize the properties of fat-soluble vitamins and their potential as promising candidates capable of effectively modulating MMPs through multiple pathways to treat human diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies the phenomenon of electromigration-induced edge drift in a finite, Al-Cu thin-film conductor using a one-dimensional diffusion model. Causes of edge drift; Grain boundaries; Electromigration diffusivity; Formation of precipitate-free zone at the cathode.

The development of highly active and durable Ir‐based electrocatalysts for the acidic oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is challenging because of the corrosive anodic conditions. Herein, IrOx/Zr2ON2 electrocatalyst is demonstrated, employing Zr2ON2 as a support material, to overcome the trade‐off between the activity and stability in the OER. Zr2ON2 is selected due to its excellent electrical conductivity and chemical stability, and the fact that it induces strong interactions with IrOx catalysts. As a result, IrOx/Zr2ON2 electrocatalysts exhibit outstanding OER performances, reaching an overpotential of 255 mV at 10 mA cm−2 and a mass activity of 849 mA mgIr−1 at 1.55 V (vs the reversible hydrogen electrode). The activity of IrOx/Zr2ON2 is maintained at 10 mA cm−2 for 5 h, while in contrast, IrOx/ZrN and an unsupported IrOx catalyst undergo drastic degradation. Combined experimental X‐ray analyses and theoretical interpretations reveal that the reduced oxidation state of Ir and the extended IrO bond distance in IrOx/Zr2ON2 effectively increase the activity and stability of IrOx by altering reaction pathway from a conventional adsorbate evolution mechanism to a lattice oxygen‐participating mechanism. These results demonstrate that it is possible to effectively reduce the Ir content in OER catalysts through interface engineering without sacrificing the catalytic performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The synthesis and characterization of Ti x WTaVCr alloys for high-temperature and fusion plasma-facing applications are presented in this study. Specimens of Ti x WTaVCr containing 0 to 7 at% Ti were prepared via spark plasma sintering of an elemental powder mixture at 1500 °C. Characterization of sintered samples via X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectroscopy revealed increased formation of a BCC solid solution due to the addition of up to 7 at% Ti. Mechanical characterizations of the Ti x WTaVCr alloys indicate that they are harder and stronger than several reported high-entropy alloys. The alloy that contained 7 at% Ti also exhibited improved oxidation resistance in air at 1000 °C. Its improved strength, hardness, and oxidation resistance suggest future applications for this high-entropy alloy in high-temperature and nuclear applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The formation of the insulating A1O[sub x] tunnel barrier is a critical and sensitive process in magnetic tunnel junctions. Both the natural oxidation and the plasma oxidation methods were employed to fabricate the A1O[sub x] insulating layer in this study. In the natural oxidation, the A1 layer was exposed to pure oxygen gas at 20 Torr for up to 50 min to produce the A10[sub x] tunnel barrier. It was revealed by high resolution transmission electron microscopy that the oxidation occurred preferentially through the grain boundary of A1 grains. Also, the A10[sub x] grains expanded isotropically when fully oxidized, thereby making the surface of the A1O[sub x] layer modulated. In plasma oxidation, the oxygen plasma was used at 20 mTorr of pure oxygen gas for up to 30 s and the flat A10[sub x] layer formed uniformly on the A1 layer. It had sharp interfaces with the underlying metallic A1 and the rate of oxide layer growth decreased as the oxidation proceeded. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by an imbalance between production and clearance of amyloid-β (Aβ) species. Aβ peptides can transform structurally from monomers into β-stranded fibrils via multiple oligomeric states. Among the various Aβ species, structured oligomers are proposed to be more toxic than fibrils; however, the identification of Aβ oligomers has been challenging due to their heterogeneous and metastable nature. Multiple techniques have recently helped us gain a better understanding of oligomers' assembly details and structural properties. Moreover, some progress on elucidating the mechanisms of oligomer-triggered toxicity has been made. Based on the collection of current findings, there is growing consensus that control of toxic Aβ oligomers could be a valid approach to regulate Aβ-associated toxicity, which could advance development of new diagnostics and therapeutics for amyloid-related diseases. In this review, we summarize the recent understanding of Aβ oligomers' assembly, structural properties, and toxicity, along with inhibitors against Aβ aggregation, including oligomerization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We use CeO x -TiO2 hetero-interfaces generated on the surface of CeO x -TiO2 hybrid oxide supporting powders to stabilize Au single-atoms (SAs) with excellent low-temperature activity toward CO oxidation. Based on intriguing density functional theory calculation results on the preferential formation of Au-SAs at the CeO x -TiO2 interfaces and the high activity of Au-SAs toward the Marsâ€"van Krevelen type CO oxidation, we synthesized a Au/CeO x -TiO2 (ACT) catalyst with 0.05 wt.% of Au content. The Au-SAs stabilized at the CeO x -TiO2 interfaces by electronic coupling between Au and Ce showed improved low-temperature CO oxidation activity than the conventional Au/TiO2 control group catalyst. However, the light-off profile of ACT showed that the early activated Au-SAs are not vigorously participating in CO oxidation. The large portion of the positive effect on the overall catalytic activity from the low activation energy barrier of ACT was retarded by the negative impact from the decreasing active site density at high temperatures. We anticipate that the low-temperature activity and high-temperature stability of Au-SAs that stand against each other can be optimized by controlling the electronic coupling strength between Au-SAs and oxide clusters at the Au-oxide-TiO2 interfaces. Our results show that atomic-precision interface modulation could fine-tune the catalytic activity and stability of Au-SAs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biodegradable or eco‐degradable electronics is an emerging field of technology capable of reducing the excessively increasing electronic waste originating from the rapid development of personalized and bio‐integrated devices and skin adhesive patches. Through an advantageous solution process, biodegradable conductive pastes can be employed in various applications of soft and flexible devices. Herein a biodegradable conductive paste composed of molybdenum (Mo) microparticles and polybutylene adipate terephthalate (PBAT) exhibiting excellent mechanical flexibility and stretchability is reported, while also demonstrating substantially superior mechanical and conductive properties compared with previously reported biodegradable polymer matrices such as poly butanedithiol 1,3,5‐triallyl‐1,3,5‐triazine‐2,4,6‐(1H,3H,5H)‐trione pentenoic anhydride (PBTPA) and Candelilla wax (CW) owing to the significant elongation of PBAT. Moderate dissolution in phosphate buffer saline (PBS) accomplishes its full biodegradability and programmable lifecycle. Tetraglycol (TG) enhances elongation and conductivity performance by acting as a lubricant and improving the dispersion of microparticles. The practical implications of the Mo/PBAT pastes are demonstrated in numerous biodegradable electronic applications such as electrodes, strain and temperature sensors, joule heaters, interconnectors, and freestanding radiofrequency (RF) coils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) often referred to endotoxin is an undesirable impurity frequently entrained with various recombinant protein therapeutics and plasmid DNA (pDNA) vaccines of bacterial origin. The inherent toxicities (e.g. fever, hypotension, shock and death) of LPS render its early and sensitive detection essential for several biological assays and/or parenteral administrations of biotherapeutics. In this study, an electrochemical biosensor using an LPS specific single stranded DNA (ssDNA) aptamer as a probe was developed. Amine-terminated aptamer exhibiting high affinity (K d =11.9nM) to LPS was immobilized on a gold electrode using 3-mercaptopropionic acid (MPA) as a linker. Each step of the modification process was characterized by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impendence spectroscopy (EIS). A good linear relationship of the changes in the charge-transfer resistance (ΔR et) and the logarithmic value of LPS concentration was demonstrated in a broad dynamic detection range of 0.001–1ng/ml. Furthermore, the aptasensor showed a high selectivity to LPS despite the presence of pDNA, RNA and bovine serum albumin (BSA) and could be regenerated in low pH condition, offering a promising option for detecting LPS often present in a complex milieu. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The polarizable charge equilibration (PQEq) method was developed to provide a simple but accurate description of the electrostatic interactions and polarization effects in materials. Previously, we optimized four parameters per element for the main group elements. Here, we extend this optimization to the 24 d-block transition-metal (TM) elements, columns 4–11 of the periodic table including Ti–Cu, Zr–Ag, and Hf–Au. We validate the PQEq description for these elements by comparing to interaction energies computed by quantum mechanics (QM). Because many materials applications involving TM are for oxides and other compounds that formally oxidize the metal, we consider a variety of oxidation states in 24 different molecular clusters. In each case, we compare interaction energies and induced fields from QM and PQEq along various directions. We find that the original χ and J parameters (electronegativity and hardness) related to the ionization of the atom remain valid; however, we find that the atomic radius parameter needs to be close to the experimental ionic radii of the transition metals. This leads to a much higher spring constant to describe the atomic polarizability. We find that these optimized parameters for PQEq provide accurate interaction energies compared to QM with charge distributions that depend in a reasonable way on the coordination number and oxidation states of the transition metals. We expect that this description of the electrostatic interactions for TM will be useful in molecular dynamics simulations of inorganic and organometallic materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Under bump metallurgies (UBMs) made of Cu–10Zn and Cu–20Zn (numbers are all in weight percent unless specified otherwise) are proposed. After a reaction with Sn–0.7Cu and Sn–3.8Ag–0.7Cu solders, the wettability and interfacial reactions during reflow and aging were compared with those of a pure Cu UBM. The wettability of both solders on Cu–10Zn and Cu–20Zn decreased by about 30% even though they were reflowed under the same conditions. The total thickness of the intermetallic compounds (IMCs: Cu6Sn5 plus Cu3Sn) at the interface during reflow was significantly reduced by the reaction with the Cu–Zn UBMs, and this reduction is attributed to the large reduction of the growth of Cu3Sn IMCs in both solder joints. Moreover, when the Zn content was increased to 20wt.% in the Cu–xZn UBM, the growth of Cu6Sn5 as well as Cu3Sn was retarded during aging, and thus the thickness of the total IMCs was significantly reduced. In addition, the first-forming IMC on the Cu–Zn UBMs during the reflow was calculated thermodynamically and compared with the experimental results. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In the present work, Mn and Cr were added to a commercial A356 (Al–7.0Si–0.38Mg–0.12Ti–0.02Sr in wt.%)–0.20Fe cast alloy to control the crystallization of β-Al5FeSi. The tensile properties are compared in terms of the way the microstructures changed before and after the addition of 0.20Mn and 0.13Mn–0.13Cr. The addition of 0.20Mn causes the acicular β-Al5FeSi to be replaced by granular or skeletal α-Al(Mn,Fe)Si in solidification, and the additions of 0.13Mn–0.13Cr acts as an effective replacing element of β-Al5FeSi. Moreover, the addition of 0.20Mn functionally improves the strength, and the addition of 0.13Mn–0.13Cr improves the strain as well as the strength compared to a commercial A356 cast alloy. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The classical molecular dynamics (MD) simulation at about 3000 K shows that the formation of an armchair carbon nanotube (CNT) nucleus from graphite flakes occurs within 10 ps by the zipper-like mechanism and it consists of only hexagonal structures without defects, while the transformation into a zigzag CNT nucleus needs more time than 50 ps and it involves many defects such as pentagons, heptagons and octagons. The transformation energy from graphite into CNT nucleus is found to be related with both the surface plane energy and the energy involved in bending from graphite sheet to tube. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Electromigration damage in the flip chip solder bump of 97Pb–3Sn/37Pb–63Sn (numbers are all in wt% unless specified otherwise) combination structure was studied after current stressing at 140 °C with a density of 2.55 × 104 A/cm2 for up to 20 h. The under bump metallurgy for the 97Pb–3Sn solder on the chip side was TiW/Cu/electroplated Cu while the bond-pad for the 37Pb–63Sn solder on the printed circuit board (PCB) side was electroless Ni/Au. We observed in the thermo-electromigration test that failure occurred at the top of the bump with a downward electrical current flow while there was no failure in the opposite current polarity. The Pb atoms were found to move in the same direction as with the electron current flow. Therefore, in the case of the downward electron flow, the composition of the upper solder bump changed from 97Pb–3Sn to 83Pb–17Sn and it enabled the Cu6Sn5 phase to precipitate onto the chip side. Due to the precipitation and growth of the Cu6Sn5 intermetallic compound, the Cu under bump metallurgy was quickly consumed and the subsequent void formation induced failure. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In an aging society in the world, dementia that leads to pain in patients and their families has become a common disease in our lives. Among dementia, Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most commonly shown disease. Various causes of the disease have been proposed and amyloid hypothesis insists that the toxic amyloid‐β (Aβ) species could be the major risk factor of the onset and progression of AD. In this perspective, clearance of Aβ species from the brain by regulating the activity of amyloid degrading enzymes (ADE), including neprilysin and matrix metalloproteinases, could be a potent treatment for AD. Therefore, the structures and functions of these enzymes along with biological molecules in the brain would be important to understand the pathogenesis of AD and develop an effective medication for the disease. In this review, multiple ADE with biological molecules which could affect the activities and/or expression of the enzymes are summarized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Double‐walled carbon nanotubes (DWNTs) have shown potential as promising alternatives to conventional transparent electrodes owing to their solution processability as well as high conductivity and transparency. However, their DC to optical conductivity ratio is limited by the surrounding surfactants that prevent the p‐doping of the DWNTs. To maximize the doping effectiveness, the surfactants are removed from the DWNTs, with negligible damage to the nanotubes, by calcination in an Ar atmosphere. The effective removal of the surfactants is characterized by various analyses, and the results show that the optimal calcination temperature is 400 °C. The conductivity of the DWNTs films improves when doped by triflic acid. While the conductivity increase of the surfactants‐wrapped DWNT films is 31.9%, the conductivity increase of the surfactants‐removed DWNT is found to be 59.7%. Using the surfactants‐removed, p‐doped, solution‐processed transparent electrodes, inverted‐type perovskite solar cells are fabricated, resulting in a power conversion efficiency of 17.7% without hysteresis. This work advances the application of DWNTs in transparent conductors, as the efficiency obtained is the highest value achieved to date for carbon nanotube electrode‐based perovskite solar cells and solution‐processable transparent electrode‐based solar cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Within first-principles density functional theory (DFT) frameworks, it is challenging to predict the electronic structures of nanoparticles (NPs) accurately but fast. Herein, a machine-learning architecture is proposed to rapidly but reasonably predict electronic density of states (DOS) patterns of metallic NPs via a combination of principal component analysis (PCA) and the crystal graph convolutional neural network (CGCNN). With the PCA, a mathematically high-dimensional DOS image can be converted to a low-dimensional vector. The CGCNN plays a key role in reflecting the effects of local atomic structures on the DOS patterns of NPs with only a few of material features that are easily extracted from a periodic table. The PCA-CGCNN model is applicable for all pure and bimetallic NPs, in which a handful DOS training sets that are easily obtained with the typical DFT method are considered. The PCA-CGCNN model predicts the R2 value to be 0.85 or higher for Au pure NPs and 0.77 or higher for Au@Pt core@shell bimetallic NPs, respectively, in which the values are for the test sets. Although the PCA-CGCNN method showed a small loss of accuracy when compared with DFT calculations, the prediction time takes just ~ 160 s irrespective of the NP size in contrast to DFT method, for example, 13,000 times faster than the DFT method for Pt147. Our approach not only can be immediately applied to predict electronic structures of actual nanometer scaled NPs to be experimentally synthesized, but also be used to explore correlations between atomic structures and other spectrum image data of the materials (e.g., X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We evaluated the toxic effects of aconitine on the human nervous system and its associated factors, and the general clinical characteristics of patients who visited the emergency room due to aconitine intoxication between 2008 and 2017. We also analyzed the differences related to aconitine processing and administration methods (oral pill, boiled in water, and alcohol-soaked), and the clinical characteristics of consciousness deterioration and neurological symptoms. Of the 41 patients who visited the hospital due to aconitine intoxication, 23 (56.1%) were female, and most were older. Aconitine was mainly used for pain control (28 patients, 68.3%) and taken as oral pills (19 patients, 46%). The patients showed a single symptom or a combination of symptoms; neurological symptoms were the most common (21 patients). All patients who took aconitine after processing with alcohol showed neurological symptoms and a higher prevalence of consciousness deterioration. Neurological symptoms occurred most frequently in patients with aconitine intoxication. Although aconitine intoxication presents with various symptoms, its prognosis may vary with the processing method and prevalence of consciousness deterioration during the early stages. Therefore, the administration method and accompanying symptoms should be comprehensively investigated in patients who have taken aconitine to facilitate prompt and effective treatment and better prognoses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The limitations of aluminum (Al) are discussed in certain industrial applications, owing to its low hardness and wear resistance. To overcome these limitations, surface modification techniques, such as the formation of aluminum nitride (AlN) layers on the Al surface, have been explored. However, conventional surface-nitriding processes have low productivity, and it is essential to develop a cost-effective method to ensure higher nitriding rates. This paper presents the results of a multiscale computational study on the atomic-scale mechanisms involved in gas nitriding processes and the effects of alloying elements on reaction kinetics using density functional theory calculations. This study also provides insights into the thermodynamic stability and kinetics of the process, contributing to the design and optimization of the nitriding process for the formation of AlN on Al surfaces using Thermo-Calc. and microkinetic analyses. This study demonstrates the potential of multiscale computational methods for advancing the understanding of surface modification techniques and their applications for nitriding on the surface of Al and suggests the best alloying element to enhance the nitriding rate. [Display omitted] • Exploring surface gas nitriding to address industrial limitations of Al. • Multiscale computational study reveals atomic-scale mechanisms of gas nitriding. • This study reveals the intrinsic effects of alloying elements on the nitriding. • Guiding element selection in Al alloy for enhanced nitriding rate with insight. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite their potential promise, multicomponent materials have not been actively considered as catalyst materials to date, mainly due to the massive compositional space. Here, targeting ternary electrocatalysts for fuel cells, we present a machine learning (ML)-driven catalyst screening protocol with the criteria of structural stability, catalytic performance, and cost-effectiveness. This process filters out only 10 and 37 candidates out of over three thousand test materials in the alloy core@shell (X 3 Y@Z) for each cathode and anode of fuel cells. These candidates are potentially synthesizable, lower-cost and higher-performance than conventional Pt. A thin film of Cu 3 Au@Pt, one of the final candidates for oxygen reduction reactions, was experimentally fabricated, which indeed outperformed a Pt film as confirmed by the approximately 2-fold increase in kinetic current density with the 2.7-fold reduction in the Pt usage. This demonstration supports that our ML-driven design strategy would be useful for exploring general multicomponent systems and catalysis problems. [Display omitted] • ML identifies efficient electrocatalysts in the vast ternary alloy space. • ML filters promising ternary candidates from 3180 for fuel cell electrodes. • Cu 3 Au@Pt: an experimentally validated ternary core-shell catalyst outperforming pure Pt at lower cost. • A catalyst design protocol for multicomponent systems for general catalysis problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The M13 bacteriophage, a nature‐inspired environmentally friendly biomaterial, is used as a perovskite crystal growth template and a grain boundary passivator in perovskite solar cells. The amino groups and carboxyl groups of amino acids on the M13 bacteriophage surface function as Lewis bases, interacting with the perovskite materials. The M13 bacteriophage‐added perovskite films show a larger grain size and reduced trap‐sites compared with the reference perovskite films. In addition, the existence of the M13 bacteriophage induces light scattering effect, which enhances the light absorption particularly in the long‐wavelength region around 825 nm. Both the passivation effect of the M13 bacteriophage coordinating to the perovskite defect sites and the light scattering effect intensify when the M13 virus‐added perovskite precursor solution is heated at 90 °C prior to the film formation. Heating the solution denatures the M13 bacteriophage by breaking their inter‐ and intra‐molecular bondings. The denatured M13 bacteriophage‐added perovskite solar cells exhibit an efficiency of 20.1% while the reference devices give an efficiency of 17.8%. The great improvement in efficiency comes from all of the three photovoltaic parameters, namely short‐circuit current, open‐circuit voltage, and fill factor, which correspond to the perovskite grain size, trap‐site passivation, and charge transport, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]