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3D model retrieval is useful for reusing designs in manufacturing industry. Traditionally, 3D model retrieval has been implemented only in low-level information such as geometry, color, and texture. However high-level semantic information should be used for more accurate retrieval. In this study, a 3D geometry is divided into several parts using PointNet and then the local ontology is constructed by summarizing the characteristics of each part. Then part align similarity, lemma similarity, name similarity, part location similarity, and part size similarity are calculated. Using the values of these similarities, 3D models are retrieved from input query model. This comprehensive retrieval that includes all the similarities is more balanced and shows better performance in nameless models than considering only partial similarities. Through the method in this paper, high-level information and low-level information can be used simultaneously for 3D model retrieval. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although neural networks have revolutionized various fields, their deployment in mobile environments confronts significant challenges due to limitations in battery and cooling capacity, especially for internet of things devices [1]. A lightweight neural network is urgently needed to address these issues. In this study, we explore the use of the Hadamard product and assess the usefulness of the method to enhance the neural network performance in mobile environments. The method has less computational complexity compared with other matrix multiplication methods [2]. Hadamard product methodologies are applied to the input features to amplify useful data and diminish noise. Our research involved the use of 48 electromyography signals sourced from the calves of three individuals with the signal time frame being iterated from 10 to 990 with a step size of 10. Findings indicate that the utilization of Hadamard products significantly improves the model performance relative to the increase in model size. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing an intelligent robot platform that has multiple motion modes and can actively adjust the motion mode according to an operation situation is necessary in resolving the inability of single-mode robots to adapt completely to complex environments. In this study, we designed a robot that has multiple motion modes and can switch freely in these existing modes. The robot has the following modes: Four-legged walking, two-legged walking, pulse scrolling, and crawler movement. In the robot's design, these modes are not just simple mechanisms involving superposition and motion switching. These modes involve a degree of freedom in reuse, thereby reducing the number of drives and obtaining a compact structure while achieving a coherent transition of each action mode. For higher load ratios, motion continuity are increased. The robot platform can balance itself during movement by adjusting its own mechanism or providing additional force and change its shape and posture over some obstacles by adjusting its own mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The latest results on the use of porous silicon (PS) as an antireflection coating (ARC) in simplified processing for multicrystalline silicon (mc-Si) solar cells are presented. A PS layer with optimal antireflection characteristics was obtained for charge density (Q) of 5.2 C/cm2. The weighted reflectance was reduced to 4.7% in the range of wavelengths between 400 and 1000 nm. Also, the optimization of a PS selective emitter formation results in a 13.2% efficiency mc-Si cell (2×2 cm2) with the electroplating method. Specific attention is given to the implementation of a PS ARC into a commercially compatible screen-printed solar cell process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"Making 3D deep neural networks debuggable". In the study, we develop and propose a 3D deep neural network visualization methodology for performance evaluation of 3D deep neural networks. Our research was conducted using a 3D deep neural network model, which shows the best performance. The visualization method of the research is a method of visualizing part of the 3D object by analyzing the naive Bayesian 3D complement instance generation method and the prediction difference of each feature. The method emphasizes the influence of the network in the process of making decisions. The result of visualization through the algorithm of the study shows a clear difference based on the result class and the instance within the class, and the authors can obtain insight that can evaluate and improve the performance of the DNN (deep neural networks) model by the analyzed results. 3D deep neural networks can be made "indirectly debuggable", and after the completion of the visualization method and the analysis of the result, the method can be used as the evaluation method of "general non-debuggable DNN" and as a debugging method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Ell3 is a RNA polymerase II elongation factor that has various cell type-dependent functions, such as regulating the differentiation efficiency of embryonic stem cells and sensitizing cancer cells to anticancer drugs. However, there has been little research on the role of Ell3 on the regulation of senescence and apoptosis of stem cells. Methods: We analyzed the senescence of Ell3-suppressed stem cells by mitochondrial activity, β-gal (+) cells, and lineage differentiation efficiency. The apoptosis of Ell3-overexpressing stem cells was analyzed by Annexin V staining, Immunoblot, and Live&dead assay. In addition, chromatin immunoprecipitation and luciferase assays were used to demonstrate p53 functions as a direct transcriptional activator of Ell3. Results: Suppression of Ell3 expression induced senescence in stem cells by increasing Bcl-2 expression. Unlike the effect of Ell3 suppression, the ectopic expression of Ell3 induces apoptosis of stem cells and induces apoptosis of adjacent cells. In addition, p53 functions as a direct transcriptional activator of Ell3 during the stem cell apoptosis. Conclusions: We suggest that the function of Ell3 is associated with the p53-Bcl2 axis in both senescent and apoptotic ADSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, the robots market is growing rapidly, and robots are being applied in various industrial fields. In the future, robots will work in more complex and diverse environments. For example, a robot can perform one or more tasks and collaborate with people or other robots. In this situation, the path planning for the robots to perform their tasks efficiently is an important issue. In this study, we assume that the mobile robot performs one or more tasks, moves various places freely, and works with other robots. In this situation, if the path of the mobile robot is planned with the shortest path algorithm, waiting time may occur because the planned path is blocked by other robots. Sometimes it is possible to complete a task in a shorter time than returning or performing another task first. That is, the shortest path and the shortest path do not coincide with each other. The purpose of this study is to construct a network in which the mobile robot designs the shortest path planning considering shortest time by judging itself based on environment information and path planning information of other robots. For this purpose, a network is constructed using a recurrent neural network and reinforcement learning is used. We established the environment for network learning using the robot simulation program, V-Rep. We compare the effects of various network structures and select network models that meet the purpose. In the future work, we will try to prove the effect of network by comparing existing algorithm and network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we develop a transportability evaluation system for the transportation process or design process in product development engineering. The system extracts the constraint condition and transportability using swept path analysis and multi-body dynamic simulation. This system consists of two main software modules: a feature curve extraction module and a multi-body dynamic simulation module. The feature curve extraction module extracts the feature curve list of the entire transportation path with swept path analysis to transmit the information to the simulation module. The multi-body dynamic simulation module extracts the constraint condition for the product design process that a designer uses as the transportation constraint in the design process or quick checks the transportability of the product files. The entire structure of the system is accessible by a web-based platform. When the user (designer) inputs the product files and the transportation information, the system gives the constraints and transportability to the user. The entire analysis is performed by a background process on the analysis server. We also propose a multimodal transportability evaluation algorithm that considers design and dynamic conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to manage and control the quality of products in a real-time manner, a statistical process control methodology, one of the most popular quality control activities, is utilized as a software service in many manufacturing industries. However, these quality control systems are not affordable to small and medium sized industries due to their expense in installation, difficulty, inflexibility and lack of post management in the systems. To satisfy all the various requested given by the enterprises, we propose a customizable web-based process analysis system with user-centered design that enables continuous process management. The methodologies for constructing such a customizable web-based process analysis system are suggested first. Then, these methodologies are implanted into the suggested system, Process analysis system (PAS) and each process is described in detail. PAS is utilized in the concrete manufacturing process to observe a continuous process improvement. Lastly, the suggestions for PAS in future are discussed in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the anti-inflammatory effects of Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages. Methods: We induced an inflammatory process in RAW 264.7 macrophages using LPS. The anti-inflammatory effects of UDCA on LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages were analyzed using nitric oxide (NO). Pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines were analyzed by quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The phosphorylations of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), and p38 in mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways and nuclear factor kappa-light polypeptide gene enhancer in B-cells inhibitor, alpha (IκBα) signaling pathways were evaluated by western blot assays. Results: UDCA decreased the LPS-stimulated release of the inflammatory mediator NO. UDCA also decreased the pro-inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin 1-α (IL-1α), interleukin 1-β (IL-1β), and interleukin 6 (IL-6) in mRNA and protein levels. In addition, UDCA increased an anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin 10 (IL-10) in the LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages. UDCA inhibited the expression of inflammatory transcription factor nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages. Furthermore, UDCA suppressed the phosphorylation of ERK, JNK, and p38 signals related to inflammatory pathways. In addition, the phosphorylation of IκBα, the inhibitor of NF-κB, also inhibited by UDCA. Conclusion: UDCA inhibits the pro-inflammatory responses by LPS in RAW 264.7 macrophages. UDCA also suppresses the phosphorylation by LPS on ERK, JNK, and p38 in MAPKs and NF-κB pathway. These results suggest that UDCA can serve as a useful anti-inflammatory drug. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biological barriers, such as phagocytosis and nonspecific distribution, are major factors limiting the clinical translation of nanomedicine. Biomimetic and bioengineering strategies have been used to overcome these challenges. In particular, natural cell membrane-based biofunctionalized nanoparticles (CMFNPs) have gained widespread attention owing to their cell surface mimetic characteristics and tailored nanomaterial features. These hybrid nanocarriers show strong potential for the delivery of myriad therapeutic agents. Herein, we highlight the most recent advances in CMFNP-based drug delivery systems and address the challenges and opportunities in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electrohydrodynamic (EHD) inkjet method is a printing technology using electricity. This technique allows for the printing of EML (Emission layer) materials, usually used for OLED devices, on a substrate. In this study, ejection experiments were performed with various solvents to verify which of them is properly ejected in the EHD method. The solvents employed were dielectric liquids with low viscosity and it was confirmed that among them two solvents, 1,2-Dichlorobenzene (DCB) and 1,2-Dichloroethane (DCE), produced the pulsating cone-Jet mode and stable cone-jet mode well. In addition, experiments were conducted to find out how the voltage and applied flux influence the ejection mode, in order to apply the result to the ejection control. It was found that the selected solvent was easily ejected and printed, due to the free surface charge and charge density determined by the dielectric constant. Finally, a patterning experiment was performed to verify proper printing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A distributed collaborative engineering has been increased in various types of industries. As a consequence, many CAD application developers have improved web-based designing systems. However, the web applications cannot modify and create 3D data but only visualize a 3D model. This paper describes a web-based collaborative framework for a runner-gate design; it includes an interactive 3D runner-gate designing module, converting module, real-time communication module, etc. The design process involves numbers of steps such as uploading 3D model data file to the STL-converting server, designing guidelines of runner-gate on the web browser, and an automatically generating runner-gate system through server side application programming interface (API). This paper concludes solutions on issues raised by research and development process of the suggested framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Althoughdifferent kinds of metal oxide nanoparticles continueto be proposed as anode materials for lithium ion batteries (LIBs),their cycle life and power density are still not suitable for commercialapplications. Metal oxide nanoparticles have a large storage capacity,but they suffer from the excessive generation of solid–electrolyteinterphase (SEI) on the surface, low electrical conductivity, andmechanical degradation and pulverization resulted from severe volumeexpansion during cycling. Herein we present the preparation of mesoporousiron oxide nanoparticle clusters (MIONCs) by a bottom-up self-assemblyapproach and demonstrate that they exhibit excellent cyclic stabilityand rate capability derived from their three-dimensional mesoporousnanostructure. By controlling the geometric configuration, we canachieve stable interfaces between the electrolyte and active materials,resulting in SEI formation confined on the outer surface of the MIONCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A user’s haptic experience in using an electronic device is related to the continuous and dynamic variances of the structural state of the device. Since the changes of the structural component cause complex changes of the dynamics, it is difficult to predict the user’s experience. We propose a function-behavior-structure framework to predict and improve the user’s experience. The framework consists of the function layer model, the behavior layer model, and the structure layer model. Especially, the independent behavior model to the device is based on a physical phenomenon. Finally, an optimized structure which produces an ideal haptic experience for a cell phone is suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Droplet ejection from an electrohydrodynamic (EHD) inkjet nozzle depends on many factors such as an onset voltage, liquid conductivity, surface tension, etc. Since the surface tension has an influence on the contact angle between the nozzle surface and the liquid droplet, the surface tension change should be investigated for the control of the droplet ejection. In this study, surfactant, which can weaken the surface tension force, was used to analyze the effect of the surface tension. Furthermore, hydrophobic coating of the nozzle surface was considered as another factor for the droplet ejection. Also, a flow visualization technique was developed to observe the droplet formation and ejection from the EHD inkjet nozzle by various surface tension values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Micropatterning techniques that control three-dimensional (3D) arrangement of biomolecules and cells at the microscale will allow development of clinically relevant tissues composed of multiple cell types in complex architecture. Although there have been significant developments to regulate spatial and temporal distribution of biomolecules in various materials, most micropatterning techniques are applicable only to two-dimensional patterning. We report here the use of two-photon laser scanning (TPLS) photolithographic technique to micropattern cell adhesive ligand (RGDS) in hydrogels to guide cell migration along pre-defined 3D pathways. The TPLS photolithographic technique regulates photo-reactive processes in microscale focal volumes to generate complex, free from microscale patterns with control over spatial presentation and concentration of biomolecules within hydrogel scaffolds. The TPLS photolithographic technique was used to dictate the precise location of RGDS in collagenase-sensitive poly(ethylene glycol-co-peptide) diacrylate hydrogels, and the amount of immobilized RGDS was evaluated using fluorescein-tagged RGDS. When human dermal fibroblasts cultured in fibrin clusters were encapsulated within the micropatterned collagenase-sensitive hydrogels, the cells underwent guided 3D migration only into the RGDS-patterned regions of the hydrogels. These results demonstrate the prospect of guiding tissue regeneration at the microscale in 3D scaffolds by providing appropriate bioactive cues in highly defined geometries. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: We have developed collagenase-sensitive hydrogels by incorporating a collagenase-sensitive fluorogenic substrate (CS-FS) within the backbone of a polyethylene glycol (PEG) copolymer to visualize collagenase activity during three-dimensional cell migration. CS-FS was synthesized by conjugating Bodipy dyes to a peptide with collagenase-sensitive sequence, Leu-Gly-Pro-Ala (LGPA), and the products were grafted into the collagenase-sensitive PEG hydrogels. CS-FS both in solution and hydrogels had an increase in the fluorescence intensity after proteolytic degradation by collagenase, but not by non-targeted proteases nor in the absence of an enzyme. Fibroblasts inside the hydrogels conjugated with CS-FS spread and extended lamellipodia in three dimensions over several days, and their pericellular collagenase-mediated proteolysis of the hydrogel was visualized via confocal microscopy. A matrix metalloproteinase inhibitor, served as a negative control, significantly reduced the degradation rate of CS-FS by collagenase and prevented cell migration and cell-mediated collagenase activity inside these hydrogels. In summary, we have fabricated collagenase-sensitive hydrogels incorporated with CS-FS and successfully visualized the collagenase activity during three-dimensional cell migration. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Regeneration of bone and cartilage defects can be accelerated by localized delivery of appropriate growth factors incorporated within biodegradable carriers. The carrier essentially allows the impregnated growth factor to release at a desirable rate and concentration, and to linger at injury sites for a sufficient time to recruit progenitors and stimulate tissue healing processes. In addition, the carrier can be formulated to have particular structure to facilitate cellular infiltration and growth. In this review, we present a summary of growth factor delivery carrier systems for bone and cartilage tissue engineering. Firstly, we describe a list of growth factors implicated in repair and regeneration of bone and cartilage by addressing their biological effects at different stages of the healing process. General requirements for localized growth factor delivery carriers are then discussed. We also provide selective examples of material types (natural and synthetic polymers, inorganic materials, and their composites) and fabricated forms of the carrier (porous scaffolds, microparticles, and hydrogels), highlighting the dose-dependent efficacy, release kinetics, animal models, and restored tissue types. Extensive discussion on issues involving currently investigated carriers for bone and cartilage tissue engineering approaches may illustrate future paths toward the development of an ideal growth factor delivery system. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Recently, the formation of three-dimensional (3D) cell aggregates known as embryoid bodies (EBs) grown in media supplemented with HSC-specific morphogens has been utilized for the directed differentiation of embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), into clinically relevant hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). However, delivering growth factors and nutrients have become ineffective in inducing synchronous differentiation of cells due to their 3D conformation. Moreover, irregularly sized EBs often lead to the formation of necrotic cores in larger EBs, impairing differentiation. Here, we developed two gelatin microparticles (GelMPs) with different release patterns and two HSC-related growth factors conjugated to them. Slow and fast releasing GelMPs were conjugated with bone morphogenic factor-4 (BMP-4) and stem cell factor (SCF), respectively. The sequential presentation of BMP-4 and SCF in GelMPs resulted in efficient and effective hematopoietic differentiation, shown by the enhanced gene and protein expression of several mesoderm and HSC-related markers, and the increased concentration of released HSC-related cytokines. In the present study, we were able to generate CD34+, CD133+, and FLT3+ cells with similar cellular and molecular morphology as the naïve HSCs that can produce colony units of different blood cells, in vitro. [Display omitted] • Successful conjugation of BMP4 and SCF in fast and slow release gelatin microparticles. • BMP4/SCF conjugation in GelMPs promotes proliferation and reduces apoptosis. • Dual GelMP system promotes sequential differentiation of iPSC to mesoderm and HSC. • CD34+ iPS-derived HSCs (iHSCs) are capable of producing various blood cells, in-vitro. • Differentiated iHSCs were verified by RNA sequencing analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Owing to the importance of stem cell culture systems in clinical applications, researchers have extensively studied them to optimize the culture conditions and increase efficiency of cell culture. A spheroid culture system provides a similar physicochemical environment in vivo by facilitating cell–cell and cell–matrix interaction to overcome the limitations of traditional monolayer cell culture. In suspension culture, aggregates of adjacent cells form a spheroid shape having wide utility in tumor and cancer research, therapeutic transplantation, drug screening, and clinical study, as well as organic culture. There are various spheroid culture methods such as hanging drop, gel embedding, magnetic levitation, and spinner culture. Lately, efforts are being made to apply the spheroid culture system to the study of drug delivery platforms and co-cultures, and to regulate differentiation and pluripotency. To study spheroid cell culture, various kinds of biomaterials are used as building forms of hydrogel, film, particle, and bead, depending upon the requirement. However, spheroid cell culture system has limitations such as hypoxia and necrosis in the spheroid core. In addition, studies should focus on methods to dissociate cells from spheroid into single cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In situ characterization of electrochemical systems can provide deep insights into the structure of electrodes under applied potential. Grazing‐incidence X‐ray diffraction (GIXRD) is a particularly valuable tool owing to its ability to characterize the near‐surface structure of electrodes through a layer of electrolyte, which is of paramount importance in surface‐mediated processes such as catalysis and adsorption. Corrections for the refraction that occurs as an X‐ray passes through an interface have been derived for a vacuum–material interface. In this work, a more general form of the refraction correction was developed which can be applied to buried interfaces, including liquid–solid interfaces. The correction is largest at incidence angles near the critical angle for the interface and decreases at angles larger and smaller than the critical angle. Effective optical constants are also introduced which can be used to calculate the critical angle for total external reflection at the interface. This correction is applied to GIXRD measurements of an aqueous electrolyte–Pd interface, demonstrating that the correction allows for the comparison of GIXRD measurements at multiple incidence angles. This work improves quantitative analysis of d‐spacing values from GIXRD measurements of liquid–solid systems, facilitating the connection between electrochemical behavior and structure under in situ conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction to a series of articles is presented with topics including the advances in nano/micro-assisted technology use, the mesenchymal stem cell labeling, and the native tissue topographies.

Many common path optimization algorithms are available. However, problems arise when a general route optimization algorithm is applied to land transportation of large cargo, such as a modular plant. The large and heavy structure of a modular plant can lead to a loss of time depending on the curve of the road. This problem is more critical when traveling through large turns, which may also cause mechanical problems. Therefore, curves are essential parameters for modular plant land transportation. In this research, we show the importance of angles in the path via multi-body dynamic simulations and finite element analysis. Based on these results, we constructed a pathfinding algorithm that considers the importance of angles. The traditional A-star algorithm considers only distance as a cost, whereas our modified A-star algorithm considers both distance and angle as costs. Our goal is to improve traditional A-star algorithms and optimize them for modular plant land transportation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aluminum-induced crystallization (AIC) is one process which increases silicon grain size at low temperatures. In this study, we analyzed the effect of silicon crystallization according to the aluminum deposition conditions in the AIC process using silicon oxide. The initial aluminum layer was analyzed using a field emission-scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) after cutting the samples with a focused-ion-beam (FIB). Through FE-SEM, we observed that the aluminum grain size of the original aluminum layer increased in proportion to the aluminum deposition temperature. However, not only aluminum grain size but also surface roughness and porosity of the initial aluminum layer were increased. The initial aluminum layer, according to the deposition temperature, significantly affected the crystallized silicon grain size. The silicon grain size was decreased from 16.97 μm to 7.81 μm according to the increase of the aluminum deposition temperature. This was because the Si diffusion area was increased by the increase of the aluminum surface roughness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are nano-sized carriers that reflect the parent cell's information and are known to mediate cell-cell communication. In order to overcome the disadvantages of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in cell therapy, such as unexpected differentiation leading to tumorization, immune rejection, and other side effects, EVs derived from MSCs (MSC-EVs) with the tissue regenerative function have been studied as new cell-free therapeutics. However, therapeutic applications of EVs require overcoming several challenges. First, the production efficiency of MSC-EVs should be increased at least as much as the quantity of them are required to their clinical application; second, MSC-EVs needs to show various functionality further, thereby increasing tissue regeneration efficiency. In this study, we treated tauroursodeoxycholic acid (TUDCA), a biological derivative known to regulate cholesterol, to MSCs and investigated whether TUDCA treatment would be able to increase EV production efficiency and tissue regenerative capacity of EVs. Indeed, it appears that TUDCA priming to MSC increases the yield of MSC-EVs >2 times by reducing the cellular cholesterol level in MSCs and increasing the exocytosis-related CAV1 expression. Interestingly, it was found that the EVs derived from TUDCA-primed MSCs (T-EV) contained higher amounts of anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL1RN, IL6, IL10, and IL11) and osteogenic proteins (ALP, RUNX2, BMP2, BMPR1, and BMPR2) than those in control MSC-EVs (C-EV). Besides, it was shown that T-EV not only regulated M1/M2 macrophages differentiation of monocytes, also effectively increased the osteogenic differentiation of MSCs as well as bone tissue regeneration in a bone defect rat model. Based on these results, it is concluded that TUDCA treatment to MSC as a new approach endows EV with high-yield production and functionality. Thus, we strongly believe T-EV would be a powerful therapeutic material for bone tissue regeneration and potentially could be expanded to other types of tissue regeneration for clinical applications. [Display omitted] • A strategy priming MSCs with TUDCA for improving bone regenerative capacities of MSC-EVs was successfully developed. • The yield of T-EV significantly increased compared with original MSC-EVs. • T-EV contained much more abundant anti-inflammatory cytokines and osteogenic factors compared with original MSC-EVs. • T-EV showed remarkable anti-inflammatory and osteogenic activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, our focus is prior to the single step selective emitter for the plated Ni/Cu solar cell. Here, the light induced plating (LIP) technology is used to fabricate the Cu plated solar cell. The purpose of using electroless Ni plating is to prevent the diffusion of Cu into Si and to improve adhesion on the Si substrate as a seed layer for better electrical quality of the solar cell. The characteristics of solar cells such as short-circuit current density have also been analyzed. Throughout the experiment, we have obtained a selective emitter cell of its conversion efficiency of 17.90%, fill factor of 75.14%, V OC of 614 mV and J SC of 38.8 mA/cm 2 , while the conversion efficiency of 17.13%, fill factor of 73.21%, V OC of 614 mV, J SC of 38.1 mA/cm 2 are obtained for a non-selective emitter Ni/Cu solar cell. The efficiency of the selective emitter cell improves about 0.77% compared to that of the reference cell. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The carbon-based composite materials prepared through green synthetic approach are attracting greater interest in electrochemical applications due to their sustainable nature. Herein, we developed Fe 2 O 3 and Fe 2 O 3 @CNT composite materials via a green mechanochemical one-pot method. The as prepared composite materials were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive X-Ray spectroscopy (EDS), field emission scanning microscopy (FE-SEM), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), respectively. Incorporating Fe 2 O 3 nanoparticles on CNT surface tunes its electronic structure as well increases active sites and thus enhance the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) performance. As a result, the fabricated Fe 2 O 3 @CNT is a highly effective and balanced electrocatalyst that delivers superior current density (j = 10 mA cm−2) at low overpotential (η = 270 mV) for OER compared with pristine Fe 2 O 3 (η = 290 mV) in 1 M KOH. Further, Fe 2 O 3 @CNT electrocatalyst shows high long-term durability in 1 M KOH for 100 h, fulfilling all the advantageous viable standards for OER. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zinc oxide nanostructures (ZnO NS) were fabricated in situ within a ternary hydrogel system composed of carboxymethyl cellulose-agarose-polyvinylpyrrolidone (CAP@ZnO TNCHs) by a one-pot method employing moist-heat solution casting. The percentages of CMC and ZnO NS were varied in the CAP hydrogel films and then they were investigated by different techniques, such as ATR/FTIR, TGA, XRD, XPS, and FE-SEM analysis. Furthermore, the mechanical properties, hydrophilicity, swelling, porosity, and antibacterial activity of the CAP@ZnO TNCHs were studied. In-vitro biocompatibility assays were performed with skin fibroblast (CCD-986sk) cells. In-vitro culture of CCD-986sk fibroblasts showed that the ZnO NS facilitated cell adhesion and proliferation. Furthermore, the application of CAP@ZnO TNCHs enhanced cellular interactions and physico-chemical, antibacterial bacterial, and biological performance relative to unmodified CAP hydrogels. Also, an in vivo wound healing study verified that the CAP@ZnO TNCHs promoted wound healing significantly within 18 days, an effect superior to that of unmodified CAP hydrogels. Hence, these newly developed cellulose-based ZnO TNCHs are promising materials for wound healing applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aluminum-induced crystallization (AIC) is usually used for making silicon seed layer. In this paper, we investigated the AIC process varied with different diffusion barrier materials. The barrier materials were native Al oxide, directly deposited Al 2 O 3 , and SiO 2 in AIC process. The effects of these diffusion barrier materials were analyzed by using electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), Raman spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM). The results showed that the case of native Al oxide showed diffusion-limited aggregation which usually resulted in polycrystalline structure. On the other hand, the case of SiO 2 layer showed kinetic-limited aggregation, which generally resulted in the mono-crystalline structure. Therefore, we introduced the novel AIC process with SiO 2 layers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Nanocellulose materials are promising sustainable and environmentally friendly candidates for green and renewable energy storage applications. Herein, hierarchical Co3O4@CNC nanohybrid structure was fabricated in conjunction with cobalt acetate tetrahydrate and cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) as a bio‐carbon source using green ball‐milling pathway for the first time. For comparison, pristine Co3O4 nanostructure was prepared using a similar method without adding CNC. The structural and morphological characteristics of nanohybrid composites were investigated using X‐ray diffractometer (XRD), Raman, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and Brunauer‐Emmett‐Teller (BET) techniques. Furthermore, the electrochemical properties of the nanohybrid composites evaluated using cyclic voltammetry (CV), Galvanostatic Charge‐Discharge (GCD), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) techniques. The hierarchical Co3O4@CNC nanohybrid electrode showed the highest specific capacitance of 396 F/g that of pristine Co3O4 nanostructure electrode (was 268 F/g) at a current density of 1.0 A/g for a three‐electrode assembly. The hierarchical Co3O4@CNC nanohybrid electrode showed appreciable capacitive behavior with 96% cyclic retention even after 5,000 cycles at 1.0 A/g with energy density of 12.5 Wh k−1 at a power density of 230.5 W k−1. Thus, it is suitable for improving and/or designing active electrocatalysts for enhanced supercapacitor applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Uniformly sized exosomes were isolated using a conductive spiral microfluidic channel induced by hydrodynamics and dielectrophoretic (DEP) forces from a crude environment (a cell culture medium). The proposed channel was fabricated by mixing Ag flakes and polydimethylsiloxane, resulting in low resistances of 11.04 ± 2.87 Ω. This allowed the formation of a DEP force inside the channel by applying an external voltage. The DEP force captured small particles (such as exosomes) that were pushed to the corner by the Dean flow, significantly improving separation efficiency. The separation efficiencies of the hydrodynamic forces-induced microfluidic chip (HIMF) and the DEP force-assisted microfluidic chip (DAMF) were verified through the successful separation of 100 nm polystyrene beads (resembling exosomes in size) from 5 µm polystyrene beads (resembling cell size) as well as a mixture of purified exosomes and 5 µm polystyrene beads. Additionally, the detection signal of the separated exosomes using a reduced graphene oxide-based biosensor was confirmed as approximately four times higher than the signal of the supernatant before separation. Finally, the exosomes from lung adenocarcinoma cell H1437 were separated using the DAMF and compared with those isolated through ultrafiltration (UF). The exosomes separated by the DAMF exhibited a more consistent response across various concentrations than those isolated through UF, indicating that the DAMF had a minimal effect on the destruction of exosomes during the separation process. Consequently, our DAMF successfully separated exosomes from cell-containing media in one step, rendering the process remarkably simple with a high separation efficiency of 83%. • Efficient exosome separation via Dielectrophoretic force assisted micro fluidic chip: rapid and minimal damage at the sample. • In this chip, hydrodynamic and dielectrophoretic forces were induced simultaneously. • This chip offers a faster and simplified separation process for diverse samples. • Reduced graphene oxide(rGO)-based biosensor can analyze the exosomes quantity. • The separation efficiency of the proposed chip was verified by rGO-based biosensor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We have previously reported the efficient osteogenic differentiation of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) by co-culture with primary human bone-derived cells (hPBDs) without the use of exogenous factors. In the present study, we explored whether osteogenic cells derived from hESCs (OC-hESCs) using the previously reported method would be capable of regenerating bone tissue in vivo. A three-dimensional porous poly(d,l-lactic-co-glycolic acid)/hydroxyapatite composite scaffold was used as a cell delivery vehicle. In vivo implantation of OC-hESC-seeded scaffolds showed significant bone formation in the subcutaneous sites of immunodeficient mice at 4 and 8 weeks after implantation (n=5 for each time point). Meanwhile, implantation of the control no cell-seeded scaffolds or human dermal fibroblast-seeded scaffolds did not show any new bone formation. In addition, the presence of BMP-2 (1μg/scaffold) enhanced new bone tissue formation in terms of mineralization and the expression of bone-specific genetic markers. According to FISH analysis, implanted OC-hESCs remained in the regeneration sites, which suggested that the implanted cells participated in the formation of new bone. In conclusion, OC-hESCs successfully regenerated bone tissue upon in vivo implantation, and this regeneration can be further enhanced by the administration of BMP-2. These results suggest the clinical feasibility of OC-hESCs as a good alternative source of cells for bone regeneration. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The exploration of biocompatible materials has received greater significance in the research area of energy storage tools. In the present work, a composite material consisting of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) with CuO@MnO 2 is synthesized via thermal reduction protocol. The resulting composite material exhibited unique morphology and excellent electrochemical properties. The electrochemical properties were premeditated by CV, GCD, and spectral impedance analysis. Electrochemical analyses of the composite materials indicated the extraordinary specific capacitance in a three-electrode configuration. The composite displayed the value of ~414 F/g at a current density of 0.5 A g−1 and the electrodes retaining 96.2% capacitance after 5000 cycles. Therefore, our study demonstrated the synergistic effect of CuO@MnO 2 nanoparticles with porous CMC network structures show enhanced electrochemical properties in the presence of 3 M KOH as an electrolyte. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polymer–clay nanocomposite hydrogel films (PCNCHFs) were prepared from caboxymethyl cellulose, polyvinylpyrrolidone, agar and nanosepiolite clay (0, 0.3, 0.5, 0.7, 0.9 and 1.5% reinforcement) by treating thermally in a simple, rapid, and inexpensive route. The PCNCHFs and its 5-fluorouracil (FU)-loaded composites (PCNCHFs@FU) were tested for FU release and characterized by FTIR, XRD, FE-SEM, EDX, DSC, and TGA analyses to investigate their structural, morphological, and thermal properties. The nanosepiolite-loaded polymer composites (PCNCHF1 to PCNCHF5) exhibited higher tensile strength than the pristine polymer hydrogel (PCNCHF0); consequently, the thermal properties (glass- and melting-transition) were improved. The PCNCHFs@FU demonstrated prolonged FU release at pH 7.4 for 32 h. The biocompatibility of PCNCHFs was tested against human skin fibroblast (CCDK) cells. The viability of cells exposed to all PCNCHFs was >95% after 72 h of culture. The live/dead assay show the proliferation of fibroblast cells, confirming the biocompatibility of the hydrogels. The pH-sensitive PCNCHFs@FU release could be suitable for drug release in cancer therapy, and the developed PCNCHFs may also be useful for tissue engineering, food packaging, and other biological applications. [Display omitted] • CMC-based clay hydrogels (PCNCHFs) prepared by moist-heat ensuing solution casting. • PCNCHFs exhibit higher thermal, mechanical, swelling, and FU release properties. • PCNCHF5 showed higher (78 MPa) tensile strength than PCNCHF0 (50 MPa). • PCNCHF5 revealed higher FU release compared to PCNCHF0 at pH 7.4 and 1.2. • The non-toxic behavior of PCNCHFs against CCDK cells confirm their biocompatibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A lower-limb exoskeleton robot identifies the wearer′s walking intention and assists the walking movement through mechanical force; thus, it is important to be able to identify the wearer′s movement in real-time. Measurement of the angle of the knee and ankle can be difficult in the case of patients who cannot move the lower-limb joint properly. Therefore, in this study, the knee angle as well as the angles of the talocrural and subtalar joints of the ankle were estimated during walking by applying the neural network to two inertial measurement unit (IMU) sensors attached to the thigh and shank. First, for angle estimation, the gyroscope and accelerometer data of the IMU sensor were obtained while walking at a treadmill speed of 1 to 2.5 km/h while wearing an exoskeleton robot. The weights according to each walking speed were calculated using a neural network algorithm programmed in MATLAB software. Second, an appropriate weight was selected according to the walking speed through the IMU data, and the knee angle and the angles of the talocrural and subtalar joints of the ankle were estimated in real-time during walking through a feedforward neural network using the IMU data received in real-time. We confirmed that the angle estimation error was accurately estimated as 1.69° ± 1.43 (mean absolute error (MAE) ± standard deviation (SD)) for the knee joint, 1.29° ± 1.01 for the talocrural joint, and 0.82° ± 0.69 for the subtalar joint. Therefore, the proposed algorithm has potential for gait rehabilitation as it addresses the difficulty of estimating angles of lower extremity patients using torque and EMG sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here we report a self-supported SnO2 nanofilm prepared by a robust electrochemical process as an electrocatalyst for the CO2 reduction reaction. The SnO2 film had a large surface area originating from its nano-architecture and manifested high selectivity toward formate (over 60%), which resulted in CO2-to-formate current density up to 33.66 mA cm−2 that is among the state-of-the-art. We unveiled that the high performance of the SnO2 nanofilm is attributable to the presence of a metastable oxide under reductive conditions in addition to the abovementioned advantages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the biophysical relationships between stem cells and applied biomaterials can facilitate the ability to control the functions and behaviors of stem cells. However, the role of 3D microenvironment in stem cell biology remains largely unexplored, compared with that of 2D cell‐culture environment. Here, a new strategy that improves the efficacy of Yamanaka's four‐factor‐induced cellular reprogramming into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) by incorporating cues derived from the 3D microenvironment and biophysical ligands is reported. Among the various 3D hydrogel systems tested, methacrylated hyaluronic acid (HA) hydrogel significantly improves cellular reprogramming into iPSCs. Additionally, the initial upregulation of CD44 in encapsulated cells in low‐level methacrylated soft HA hydrogel accelerates the reprogramming. In conclusion, the reported HA hydrogel with low modulus accelerates reprogramming into iPSCs and thus offers potential advantages for translational applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rising demand for green and clean energy urges the enlargement of economical and proficient electrode materials for supercapacitors. Herein, we designed a novel electrode material by porous cellulose graphitic carbon (CC) derived from bio-waste cornhusk via the pyrolysis route, and α-Fe 2 O 3 decorated nanostructure with CC (CCIO) was achieved in situ pyrolysis of corn-husk and Fe(NO 3) 3 ·9H 2 O metal salt followed by a coating of polypyrrole (CCIOP). The CC, CCIO, and CCIOP nanocomposite electrodes were characterized by XRD, Raman, FTIR, FE-SEM/EDX, FE-TEM, XPS, and BET analysis. The CCIOP nanocomposite electrode exhibits an enhanced specific capacitance (Csp) of 290.9 F/g, which is substantial to its pristine CC (128.3 F/g), PPy (140.3 F/g), and CCIO (190.7 F/g). The Csp of CCIOP in a three-electrode system, using 1 M Na 2 SO 4 electrolyte exhibits excellent capacity retention of 79.1 % even at a high current density of 10 A/g. The as-fabricated asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) delivered a remarkable capacity retention of 88.7 % with a coulombic efficiency of 98.8 % even after 3000 cycles. The study shows successful utilization of cellulose from bio-waste cornhusk into a substantial template applicable in future alternative energy storage devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today, dyes/pigment-based materials are confronting a serious issue in harming marine ecology. Annihilate these serious water pollutants using photoactive 2D nanohybrid catalysts showed promising comparativeness over available photocatalysts. In the present work, a facile route to decorate Ruthenium (Ru) on 2D MgB 2 flower-like nanostructures was developed via ecofriendly guar gum biopolymer substantial template (MgB 2 /GG@Ru NFS) and its photocatalytic performance was reported. Synthesis of MgB 2 @Ru, MgB 2 /GG@Ru NFS and commercial MgB 2 , was studied by FTIR, XRD, FE-SEM, EDX, AFM, TEM, UV–vis spectra, and XPS analysis. From the results, the MgB 2 /GG@Ru NFS exhibited a superior photocatalytic performance (99.7 %) than its precursors MgB 2 @Ru (79.7 %), and MgB 2 (53.7 %), with the degradation efficiency of the crystal violet (CV) within 100 min under visible light irradiation. The proposed photo-catalyst MgB 2 /GG@Ru NFS showed negligible loss of photocatalytic activity even after five successive cycles, revealing its reusability and enhanced stability due to the network structure. The photocatalytic mechanism for MgB 2 /GG@Ru NFS was evaluated by trapping experiment of active species, verifying that superoxide (O 2 −) and electron (e−) contributed significant role in the dye degradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A high level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) such as hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2) upregulates pro-inflammatory cytokines and inhibits the osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), which are key factors in bone regeneration. Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA), a hydrophilic bile acid, has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities and also plays beneficial roles in bone regeneration by stimulating the osteogenic differentiation of MSCs while suppressing their adipogenic differentiation. Despite its remarkable capacity for bone regeneration, multiple injections of UDCA induce adverse side effects such as mechanical stress and contamination in bone defects. To fully exploit the beneficial roles of UDCA, a concept polymeric prodrug was developed based on the hypothesis that removal of overproduced H 2 O 2 will potentiate the osteogenic functions of UDCA. In this work, we report bone regenerative nanoparticles (NPs) formulated from a polymeric prodrug of UDCA (PUDCA) with UDCA incorporated in its backbone through H 2 O 2 -responsive peroxalate linkages. The PUDCA NPs displayed potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities in MSCs and induced osteogenic rather than adipogenic differentiation of the MSCs. In rat models of bone defect, the PUDCA NPs exhibited significantly better bone regeneration capacity and anti-inflammatory effects than equivalent amounts of UDCA. We anticipate that PUDCA NPs have tremendous translational potential as bone regenerative agents. Unlabelled Image [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poly(acrylamide- co -acrylamidoglycolic acid)/guar gum@ Ag-nanocomposite (AgNC@PAAG) hydrogels has been fabricated by a green protocol utilizing rhubarb stem-extract as bioreductant. The prepared nanocomposites (NCs) are formulated by varying guar gum (GG) polymer and cross-linker content, and used remarkably to study the release of an anticancer drug, 5-fluorouracil (FU). The AgNC@PAAG has demonstrated its potential in bacterial inactivation and p -nitrophenol (PNP) reduction. The AgNC@PAAG hydrogels showed extended FU release time, which was up to 23 h in pH 7.4. The higher zone of inhibition was documented for AgNC@PAAG against B. subtilis and E. coli. It was noticed that, the inhibition activity of AgNC@PAAG, was directly proportional to cross-linker content than the GG polymer. The efficiency of AgNC@PAAG as a nanocatalyst was evaluated for a model reduction reaction of p -nitrophenol (PNP) reduction by aqueous sodium borohydride (NaBH 4), with an apparent rate constant of 121.8 × 10−3 min−1 at ambient temperature. The proposed nanocatalysts are reliable and recyclable, demonstrated its catalytic recycle efficacy of 85% after the third successive run. These NCs robust its biological and catalytic activity after embedding silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) by the bioreduction process; these optimized nanocatalysts can be remarkably used in biomedical healthcare sectors and industrial catalysis. Unlabelled Image • Guar gum silver-nanocomposites (AgNC@PAAG) were prepared from rhubarb extract. • AgNC@PAAG showed extended FU release (23 h) with superior EE (62%) than PAAG. • AgNC@PAAG showed significant zone of inhibition against B. subtilis and E. coli. • AgNC@PAAG showed potential catalytic activity toward p-nitro phenol (<14 min). • AgNC@PAAG evinced notable catalytic behavior with recyclable efficiency of 85%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) are a potent source of clinically relevant mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) that confer functional and structural benefits in cell therapy and tissue regeneration. Obtaining sufficient numbers of MSCs in a short period of time and enhancing the differentiation potential of MSCs can be offered the potential to improve the regenerative activity of MSCs therapy. In addition, the underlying processes in the isolation and derivation of MSCs from hPSCs are still poorly understood and controlled. To overcome these clinical needs, an efficient and simplified technique on the isolation of MSCs from spontaneously differentiated human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) via integrin α5β1 (fibronectin (FN) receptor)‐to‐FN interactions (hESC‐FN‐MSCs) is successfully developed. It is demonstrated that hESC‐FN‐MSCs exhibit a typical MSC surface phenotype, cellular morphology, with the whole transcriptome similar to conventional adult MSCs; but show higher proliferative capacity, more efficient trilineage differentiation, enhanced cytokine secretion, and attenuated cellular senescence. In addition, the therapeutic potential and regenerative capacity of the isolated hESC‐FN‐MSCs are confirmed by in vitro and in vivo multilineage differentiation. This novel method will be useful in the generation of abundant amounts of clinically relevant MSCs for stem cell therapeutics and regenerative medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are two main causes of plant accidents: poor maintenance management and human error. In this study, we implemented a smart plant maintenance system that can reduce human errors based on the conditional based maintenance (CBM) concept. Unlike smart plant technology, which focuses on existing technology, we interviewed actual engineers and implemented a system reflecting their needs. First, we implemented three methods for learning defective images using convolutional neural network (CNN) and found that blob detection processing improves learning accuracy. Second, the fitness for service API (FFS API) methodology used in the actual pitting corrosion maintenance evaluation method was used to implement the CBM system. Finally, we verified the reliability of this system by conducting validation through actual case study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have developed a dual-sensitive composite hydrogel network from guar gum grafted polyacrylamidoglycolic acid (graft polymer) using sodium borohydride, which induces cross-linking and growth of silver nuclei by reduction reaction through a fast and easy route. The cross-linked graft polymer (GGAA) and its silver nanocomposite (GGAA@SNC) hydrogels have been successfully utilized to explore sustained release of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), an anticancer drug, and antibacterial activity was evaluated. The composite hydrogels exhibit sol-gel behavior due to pH and temperature effect. To identify the functional interactions of pure guar gum (GG), graft polymer, 5-FU loaded GGAA and GGAA@SNC hydrogels, the synthesized materials are characterized by FTIR, DSC, and XRD analysis. In addition, the growth of silver nanoparticles (SNPs), its size, and stability in the hydrogel network were verified by UV-vis spectra, FE-TEM, and TGA-DTA analysis. Additionally, the structural morphology and porosity of polymer structures were observed by FE-SEM analysis. The different polymer network parameters (Mc, χ, 휉 and ϕ) and diffusion constant (D) were calculated by using swelling data and evaluated to assess the drug release profile. The diffusion exponents (n) were determined by studying 5-FU release behavior of the composite hydrogels in phosphate buffer solution (pH = 1.2 & 7.4); in vitro release data indicated that, maximum 5-FU release was significantly achieved in pH 7.4 rather than pH 1.2. The GGAA@SNC hydrogels showed excellent antibacterial activity towards Bacillus subtilis and Salmonella ebony using zone of inhibition test. A versatile strategy has been developed to prepare GGAA@SNC hydrogels to enhance 5-FU release over 16 h for its effective anticancer drug release applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crystalline silicon single quantum wells (QWs) with a minimum Si layer thickness of around 1 nm were fabricated by high temperature thermal oxidation of separation by implantation of oxygen (SIMOX) and epitaxial layer transfer (ELTRAN®) silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafers. Not only Si thickness but also defect-free SOI materials may be important factors for observation of quantum-confined transition in the Si QWs. Si QWs fabricated from SIMOX SOI wafers showed strong interface-mediated luminescence, which is independent of Si thickness, at 1.63 and 1.49 eV in the Si thickness range from 1 to 7 nm. On the other hand, Si QWs fabricated from ELTRAN SOI wafers showed very strong thickness dependent luminescence in the range of 1.36–1.77 eV without interface-mediated luminescence, where the Si thickness range was 3–1 nm. The ability to detect quantum-confined luminescence seems to arise from the use of high-quality defect-free ELTRAN SOI wafers, from suppressed interface state luminescence by high temperature oxidation, and, possibly, from interface matching by crystalline silicon oxide. Hydrogen passivation suggests luminescence from a weak Si==O state at around 1.59 eV, but luminescence due to quantum confinement is more predominant in the ELTRAN Si QWs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • Field induced platting process was applied for Ag/Ni deposition on graphene/silicon cell structure. • Ni/Gr interface helps to reduce the contact resistance. • Reduction in contact resistance improved the F.F of Gr/Si solar cell. • Efficiency improved from 4.3% to 5.01% having F.F 49.1% and 60.1%. Abstract In this work we studied front electrodes of nickel/silver (Ni/Ag) deposited on Gr/Si solar cell structure using field induced plating. These electrodes also be used as a front electrode on 2D graphene-based devices at very low cost and temperature (< 70 °C). Adhesion between the nickel and graphene was controlled by varying the solution temperature between 50 °C and 70 °C, followed by Ag plating at room temperature. It was observed that contact resistivity improved between plated electrodes and graphene, helpful in improving the F.F of the device from 49% to 60.1%. Efficiency was enhanced from 4.3% to 5.01%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Bioengineering strategies to enhance the natural targeting function of nanocarriers would expand their therapeutic applications. Here, we designed bioengineered stem cell membrane-functionalized nanocarriers (BSMNCs) harboring C-X-C chemokine receptor type 4 (CXCR4) to achieve robust targeting and also to increase their retention time in ischemic tissue. Stem cell membrane coated nanocarrier (SMNCs) or poly (lactic- co -glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanocarriers (PNCs) and BSMNCs were prepared by functionalizing PNCs with human adipose-derived stem cells (hASCs) membranes and hASCs engineered to overexpress CXCR4-receptor, respectively. The functionalization of PNCs with stem cell membranes derived from hASCs significantly enhance the nanocarrier penetration across endothelial cell barrier compare to PNCs. In addition, stem cell membrane functionalization on PNCs also significantly decreased the nanoparticles uptake in J774 (murine) and THP (human) macrophages respectively from 84% to 76%–29% and 24%. Interestingly, BSMNCs showed much higher level of accumulation in ischemic tissue than SMNCs. Systemic retro-orbital injection of BSMNCs loaded with VEGF into mice with hindlimb ischemia resulted substantially enhancement of blood reperfusion, muscle repair, and limb salvage compared to animals treated with SMNCs loaded with similar concentration of VEGF. The reported strategy could be used to create biocompatible and custom-tailored biomimetic nanoparticles with various hybrid functionalities, which may overcome the limitations of current nanoparticle-based therapeutic and imaging platforms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The efficiency of a heterojunction with intrinsic thin‐layer (HIT) solar cell with an insulator/ITO structure was discussed in this paper. First, the efficiency was analyzed by OPAL 2 simulations. Second, an insulator/ITO structure was experimentally applied to a HIT solar cell. The OPAL 2 simulations using an insulator/ITO/Si structure and a TCO/ITO/Si structure showed that the generation current density in the Si substrate increased when the insulator or TCO layer had a proper thickness. Experimentally, HfO2, a type of insulator, was deposited on a HIT solar cell with a thickness varying from 3 to 15 nm. The average efficiency of the HIT solar cell improved from 18.21% to 20.75% after HfO2 deposition. The highest efficiency was achieved for the 3‐nm‐thick HfO2/HIT solar cell structure, which exhibited the best improvement in the current density of approximately 1.5 mA/cm2. For the external quantum efficiency of the HfO2/HIT solar cell, the total absorption was improved by HfO2 deposition. The results suggest that the HfO2 layer improves the solar cell efficiency of the HIT solar cell by increasing light absorption. The simulations using an insulator or TCO/ITO/Si structures showed that the generation current density increased when the insulator or TCO layer had a proper thickness. Experimentally, the average efficiency of the HIT solar cell improved from 18.21% to 20.75% after HfO2 deposition, a type of insulator. The highest efficiency was achieved for the 3‐nm‐thick HfO2/HIT solar cell structure, which exhibited the best improvement in the current density of approximately 1.5 mA/cm2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract For the reduction of optical loss and contact material cost in silicon heterojunction (SHJ) solar cells, copper plating has been considered as a suitable metallization technique. Usually, a metal seed layer is deposited on an indium tin oxide (ITO) prior to copper plating for adhesive contact between copper and ITO. As a requirement of suitable seed layer material, contact resistivity (ρ c) between the seed and the ITO is also important, as well as the adhesion, because high series resistance results in fill factor loss. In this study, we applied alloy seed layers which were deposited by co-evaporating copper with other metals (Cu-X). Contact resistivity values of the samples were extracted by using transfer length method (TLM). Also, tape tests were carried out to simply confirm the adhesion of contacts with different seed layers. Among the Cu-X alloy seed materials, the Cu-Ni alloy film resulted in good adhesion to the ITO as well as low average contact resistivity under 1 mΩ cm2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]