Calibration of the lateral spring constant for a custom T-shaped atomic force microscopy probe.

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is a versatile tool for investigating nanotribology, where the probe's lateral spring constant is a critical parameter. This work introduced a method to calibrate the lateral spring constant of a T-shaped probe integrated into a custom AFM system. An expression for the lateral spring constant of the probe was derived by correlating the probe's lateral bending and torsional resonance frequencies with its reduced masses and moments of inertia.

Fully Conjugated Co-Self-Assembled Monolayers for Efficient and Stable Inverted Perovskite Solar Cells.

[4-(3,6-dimethyl-9H-carbazol-9-yl)butyl]phosphonic acid (Me-4PACz) consistently exhibits inhomogeneous distribution on the substrate, which makes it a challenge for the growth of high-quality perovskite film, resulting in undesired interfacial losses at buried interfaces. Moreover, the flexible alkyl chains of Me-4PACz are not conducive to intermolecular interactions and hinder charge flow. Here, a novel molecule with 4-Methoxy-N-(4-methoxyphenyl)-N-phenylaniline (TPA) and carbazole backbone, named CzTPA is designed, which constituted Co-SAM with Me-4PACz.

Toughened Interface by Engineering the Side Group of Conjugated Polymers to Stabilize Flexible Perovskite Solar Modules.

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have attracted considerable attention due to their high power conversion efficiency (PCE), cost-effective manufacturing processes, as well as the potential flexibility. However, a significant challenge to the commercial applications of PSCs is their mechanical reliability. In this work, three naphthalene diimide polymers with distinct donor units are chosen to reduce surface trap states and enhance the long-term stability and mechanical reliability of photovoltaic devices.

Recent advances in green deep eutectic solvents for lithium-ion battery recycling: A perspective on bibliometric analysis.

The rapid growth of electric vehicles worldwide has resulted in a significant increase in the demand for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), thereby accelerating the development of the LIBs recycling industry. Currently, the predominant methods for recycling spent LIBs include pyrometallurgical, hydrometallurgical, and direct recycling techniques, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. To enhance the recycling efficiency of cathode metals from spent LIBs while promoting environmental sustainability, green deep eutectic solvents (DESs) have attracted scholarly interest.

Photoaging of Terrestrial Plastic Pollution: A Process Affected by Precipitation.

Rainwater is the primary water source with which terrestrial plastic pollutants interact. Not only could active substances in rainwater generate additional reactive oxygen species but water could also react with the photoaging intermediates of plastic. Precipitation and evaporation lead to repeated shifts between the solid-liquid and solid-gas interfaces during photoaging.

Electrically-driven reversible phonon transport manipulation in two-dimensional heterostructures.

Phonon transport manipulation is crucial for various technological applications, such as thermal management in electronic devices, thermoelectric energy conversion, and thermal insulation. However, to date, viable approaches for manipulating phonon transport remain limited, particularly in achieving reversible manipulation. Here, we achieve reversible manipulation of phonon transport in a monolayer MoSe-WSe heterojunction, by modulating phonon thermal conductivity through the switching of bias voltage.

Preparation of Dual-Asymmetric Acceptors via Selenium Substitution Combined with Terminal Group Optimization Strategy for High Efficiency Organic Solar Cells.

Improving both the open-circuit voltage () and short-circuit current density () through the development of photovoltaic materials to achieve high power conversion efficiency (PCE) is critical and a significant challenge for organic solar cells (OSCs). Here, we designed novel dual-asymmetric acceptors A-SSe-TCF and A-SSe-LSF by simultaneously asymmetrically regulating the backbone and terminal groups and investigated their synergistic effects on photovoltaic performance in comparison with the monoasymmetric acceptor A-SSe-4F. The dual-asymmetric acceptors exhibit broader spectral absorption and larger half-molecule dipole moment differences, which favored the enhancement of and the reduction of energy loss ().

Oxygen vacancy-enriched ZIF-8-encapsulated Au nanoparticles for boosting electrochemical dopamine sensing.

Rapid and sensitive detection of dopamine (DA) remains a great challenge in biosensing and disease diagnosis. In this work, we proposed a locking reduction series strategy for designing an electrochemical DA sensor. First, an oxygen vacancy-enriched zeolite imidazole framework-8 (ZIF-8) was prepared by facile solvothermal methods, and then Au nanoparticles (Au NPs) were encapsulated within the ZIF-8 (Au@ZIF-8) to obtain an efficient electrochemical DA sensor.

Manipulating σ-Hole Interactions in Halogenated Additives for High-Performance Organic Solar Cells with 19.8 % Efficiency.

The incorporation of volatile solid additives has emerged as an effective strategy for enhancing the performance of organic solar cells (OSCs). However, the influence of the electronic structure of these additives on morphological evolution remains insufficiently understood. Herein, 1,4-Dibromobenzene (DBB) and 1,4-Difluoro-2,5-dibromobenzene (DFBB) are introduced as volatile additives into OSCs.

Electrolyte reactivity on electrode surfaces for active species formation and Reactive Red X-3B degradation in electrochemical treatment of dyeing wastewater.

The pivotal role of electrolytes such as NaSO and NaCl in electrochemical treatment of dyeing wastewater was investigated by comparing recalcitrant Reactive Red X-3B (RRX-3B) degradation rates, active species formation and intermediates generation in a double-chamber cell. It was found that similar reactive oxygen species (ROS) formed in the anodic chamber are OH and O, in the cathodic chamber is O with different electrolytes, while this is not the case for ROS contribution, RRX-3B degradation kinetic and intermediates. NaCl favored the generation of O, faster decolorization (-N=N- cleavage), and organic intermediates degradation in the anodic chamber.

Advancements in Applications of Manufacturing and Measurement Sensors.

Manufacturing and measurement sensors are an integral part of advanced manufacturing technology, which requires sensors that can precisely capture and analyze various physical parameters during the manufacturing process [...

The effect and mechanism of mutual aid on the subjective well-being of participants under the COVID-19 pandemic.

The outbreak of COVID-19 led to the emergence of various forms of mutual aid. While prior research has demonstrated that mutual aid can contribute to participants' subjective well-being, the majority of these studies are qualitative and lack clear understanding of the underlying mechanisms. Using a questionnaire survey and structural equation modeling, this study finds that mutual aid significantly enhances the subjective well-being of participants in China.

Advancements in iron-based photocatalytic degradation for antibiotics and dyes.

The accelerated growth of the economy and advancements in medical technology have led to the discharge of a diverse range of organic pollutants into water sources. Recent investigations into water treatment have demonstrated the potential for integrating photocatalysis with techniques such as photocatalytic persulfate activation and the Photo-Fenton process for more efficient wastewater management. Iron-based photocatalysts responsive to visible light offer several advantages, including non-toxicity, safety, affordability, and excellent chemical and optical properties.

Investigation of a flat-type piezoelectric motor using in-plane vibrations.

This paper presents a flat-type piezoelectric motor utilizing in-plane vibration modes. Two piezoelectric ceramic plates in combination with a brass metal sheet were used to construct the stator. The superposition of two second order in-plane vibration modes can generate a traveling-wave inside the stator.

Femtomolar hydrogen sulfide detection via hybrid small-molecule nano-arrays.

Early disease diagnosis hinges on the sensitive detection of signaling molecules. Among these, hydrogen sulfide (HS) has emerged as a critical player in cardiovascular and nervous system signaling. On-chip immunoassays, particularly nanoarray-based interfacial detection, offer promising avenues for ultra-sensitive analysis due to their confined reaction volumes and precise signal localization.

A weighted fuzzy inference method and application on wheel damage analysis.

To mitigate the safety risks and economic losses caused by wheel damage, this paper proposes an interval valued fuzzy inference-based sound analysis method for wheel damage detection. Firstly, interval valued fuzzy sets are defined to represent various levels of damage severity. A similarity calculation method is then designed, based on the defined interval valued fuzzy sets, to assess the damage level of wheel components.

Machine learning analysis of CD4+ T cell gene expression in diverse diseases: insights from cancer, metabolic, respiratory, and digestive disorders.

CD4 T cells play a pivotal role in the immune system, particularly in adaptive immunity, by orchestrating and enhancing immune responses. CD4 T cell-related immune responses exhibit diverse characteristics in different diseases. This study utilizes gene expression analysis of CD4 T cells to classify and understand complex diseases.

ConoDL: a deep learning framework for rapid generation and prediction of conotoxins.

Conotoxins, being small disulfide-rich and bioactive peptides, manifest notable pharmacological potential and find extensive applications. However, the exploration of conotoxins' vast molecular space using traditional methods is severely limited, necessitating the urgent need of developing novel approaches. Recently, deep learning (DL)-based methods have advanced to the molecular generation of proteins and peptides.

Prediction of Lung Adenocarcinoma Driver Genes Through Protein-Protein Interaction Networks Utilizing GenePlexus.

Lung adenocarcinoma, a subtype of lung cancer, is produced by uncontrolled proliferation of somatic cells affected by some tumorigenic factors. The origin of this disease can be attributed to the concept of "cancer driver," which links the occurrence of tumor with specific changes in some key genes. These key genes can be identified at various molecular levels.

Synergic action of bamboo-cellulose-supported hydrogen-bonded nano-AgBr for robust photocatalysis.

A novel semiconductor photocatalyst was developed using bamboo cellulose fibers (BCFs) embedded with nano-AgBr (AgBr@BCFs) via a simple and rapid method. BCFs prevented the agglomeration of AgBr and provided numerous active reaction sites as a dispersant and structural support. The photocatalytic activity of AgBr@BCFs in removing organic pollutants was investigated and the endogenous factors leading to the high activity were analyzed through a combination of a series of experiments, characterizations and theoretical calculations.

Pollutant emissions and environmental advantages of heating peanut oil by using commercial induction cooktop: A comparative analysis with traditional natural gas stoves.

Commercial induction cooktops are increasingly gaining popularity in residential households and business restaurants. However, little is known about the specific environmental benefits of induction cooking compared to conventional gas cooking. This study used two heating methods to heat peanut oil to achieve the same heating effect, and compared particulate matter, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), ozone precursors, and total carbon emissions generated during the heating process using various detection devices.

Heavy metal pollution from standardized e-waste dismantling activities: Pollution index, risk assessment and intervening measures.

Due to the e-waste complexity and recycling technology limitations, more and more attention has been paid to the inevitable pollution in the standardized recycling process. This study systematically explores the heavy metals (HMs) (from surface dust) pollution characteristics and exposure risk of a typical e-waste dismantling plant (EDP) in South China. Further, this study explores the real level of health risks through valence analysis of a typical HM (Cr), and seeks effective measures to reduce exposure risk through behavioral science methods.

Latent Profile Analysis of Acute Stress Disorder Symptoms and Their Links to Individual Characteristics and Mental Health Among College Students During the Early COVID-19 Pandemic.

Objectives: acute stress disorder (ASD) became prevalent among various populations during the COVID-19 pandemic, yet little research has examined the heterogeneity of ASD symptoms among college students. The purpose of this research was to explore subgroups of ASD symptoms using latent profile analysis (LPA) and to explore the predictors and mental health outcomes associated with these profiles.

Methods: Using the person-centered method, we recruited 1198 college students (71.