Exfoliation solvent dependent plasmon resonances in two-dimensional sub-stoichiometric molybdenum oxide nanoflakes

Few-layer two-dimensional (2D) molybdenum oxide nanoflakes are exfoliated using a grinding assisted liquid phase sonication exfoliation method. The sonication process is carried out in five different mixtures of water with both aprotic and protic solvents. We found that surface energy and solubility of mixtures play important roles in changing the thickness, lateral dimension, and synthetic yield of the nanoflakes. We demonstrate an increase in proton intercalation in 2D nanoflakes upon simulated solar light exposure. This results in substoichiometric flakes and a subsequent enhancement in free electron concentrations, producing plasmon resonances. Two plasmon resonance peaks associated with the thickness and the lateral dimension axes are observable in the samples, in which the plasmonic peak positions could be tuned by the choice of the solvent in exfoliating 2D molybdenum oxide. The extinction coefficients of the plasmonic absorption bands of 2D molybdenum oxide nanoflakes in all samples are found to be high (Îμ > 109 L mol-1 cm-1). It is expected that the tunable plasmon resonances of 2D molybdenum oxide nanoflakes presented in this work can be used in future electronic, optical, and sensing devices

Plasmon resonances of highly doped two-dimensional MoS2

The exhibition of plasmon resonances in two-dimensional (2D) semiconductor compounds is desirable for many applications. Here, by electrochemically intercalating lithium into 2D molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) nanoflakes, plasmon resonances in the visible and near UV wavelength ranges are achieved. These plasmon resonances are controlled by the high doping level of the nanoflakes after the intercalation, producing two distinct resonance peak areas based on the crystal arrangements. The system is also benchmarked for biosensing using bovine serum albumin. This work provides a foundation for developing future 2D MoS2 based biological and optical units

Gerontology course in the nursing undergraduate curricula

Objective To explores nursing faculty members’ attitudes towards older people, their thoughts about gerontological nursing education. Method Five focus groups and a survey were used with nursing faculty members 132 at the three nursing schools to explore their attitudes towards the care of older people and the perceived status of gerontological nursing education. The survey was given to 132 faculty members, including 76 clinical instructors, 40 associate professors and 16 professors. The nursing faculty in general had a positive attitude toward older people (M=3.36, SD 0.25), and teachers’ attitudes were higher than those of their nursing students (M=3.18, SD0.29). Results This study results suggests that Saudi nursing curricula should include more extensive gerontology content and clinical experience with older people. Conclusion This is the first time in Saudi Arabia that research has listened to their voices and examined their commitments toward gerontology education.
Objetivo Explorar a atitude dos docentes de enfermagem em relação às pessoas mais velhas e suas reflexões sobre o ensino de enfermagem gerontológica nos currículos de graduação em enfermagem na Arábia Saudita. Método Uma pesquisa com cinco grupos focais foi utilizada com membros do corpo docente, nas três escolas de enfermagem. O levantamento contou com 132 membros, incluindo 76 instrutores clínicos, 40 professores associados e 16 professores. A faculdade de enfermagem em geral teve uma atitude positiva para com os idosos (M = 3,36, DP 0,25) e as atitudes dos professores foram mais elevadas do que os de seus alunos de enfermagem (M = 3,18, SD0.29). Resultados Sugerem que os currículos de enfermagem Sauditas devem incluir um conteúdo mais extenso em gerontologia e experiência clínica com as pessoas mais velhas. Conclusão Esta foi a primeira vez na Arábia Saudita, que a pesquisa ouviu suas vozes e examinou os seus compromissos para com a educação gerontológica.
Objetivo Explorar la actitud de los docentes de enfermería con relación a las personas mayores y sus reflexiones acerca de la enseñanza de enfermería gerontológica en los currículos de grado de enfermería en Arabia Saudita. Método Una investigación con cinco grupos focales fue utilizada con miembros del cuerpo docente, en las tres escuelas de enfermería. El relevamiento contó con 132 miembros, incluyéndose a 76 instructores clínicos, 40 profesores asociados y 16 profesores. La facultad de enfermería, en general, tuvo una actitud positiva ante los ancianos (M = 3,36, DP 0,25) y las actitudes de los profesores fueron más elevadas que las de sus alumnos de enfermería (M = 3,18, SD0.29). Resultados Sugieren que los currículos de enfermería sauditas deban incluir un contenido más extensivo en gerontología y experiencia clínica con las personas mayores. Conclusión Esta fue la primera vez que la investigación oyó las voces de Arabia Saudita y examinó sus compromisos con relación a la educación gerontológica.

High-performance field effect transistors using electronic inks of 2D molybdenum oxide nanoflakes

Planar 2D materials are possibly the ideal channel candidates for future field effect transistors (FETs), due to their unique electronic properties. However, the performance of FETs based on 2D materials is yet to exceed those of conventional silicon based devices. Here, a 2D channel thin film made from liquid phase exfoliated molybdenum oxide nanoflake inks with highly controllable substoichiometric levels is presented. The ability to induce oxygen vacancies by solar light irradiation in an aqueous environment allows the tuning of electronic properties in 2D substoichiometric molybdenum oxides (MoO3-x). The highest mobility is found to be approximate to 600 cm(2) V-1 s(-1) with an estimated free electron concentration of approximate to 1.6 x 10(21) cm(-3) and an optimal I-On/I-Off ratio of >10(5) for the FETs made of 2D flakes irradiated for 30 min (x = 0.042). These values are significant and represent a real opportunity to realize the next generation of tunable electronic devices using electronic inks

Digital Processing and Deep Learning Techniques: A review of the Literature

This the first goal of digital image processing was to aid a human observer in intercepting certain events taking place through such images, yet we are more inclined to suppress the observer. We want to ask the computer to automatically analyze images in the same approach that a human observer might. Mathematical approaches are used to process images in image processing.Different approaches are done to the image in image processing to obtain a better image.The main goal of image enhancement is processing certain image so that the result is more appropriate for a specific application compared to original image. The first part of the presented study gives an overview regarding the approaches of digital image processing, while the second section introduces the concept of deep learning (DL) approaches and compares them

Fog Computing: A Comprehensive Review of Architectures, Applications, and Security Challenges

Fog computing has emerged as a promising paradigm for bringing capabilities of cloud computing closer to the edge computing. It tries to overcome the limits of traditional cloud designs by putting storage, computing, and resources of networking closer to the data source. This results in accelerated processing, decreased latency, and enhanced system performance. Fog computing designs use a hierarchical approach, where the fog nodes act as an intermediary layer for local data processing and the cloud infrastructure acts as the top layer to support the fog nodes while the devices and sensors generate the data at the bottom layer. The paper discusses the uses of fog computing, and security issues,and suggests countermeasures including encryption, intrusion detection, and access control to reduce risks. It is anticipated that as fog computing develops further, it will spur creativity and efficiency in the linked world because to its adaptability and versatility. In order to properly utilize the promise of fog computing and handle security concerns, the paper underlines the significance of ongoing research and development

Optimal distributed decision in wireless sensor network using gray wolf optimization

The distributed object decision (DOD) was applied to choose a single solution for problem among many complexes solutions. Most of DOD systems depend on traditional technique like small form factor optical (SFFO) method and scalable and oriented fast-based local features (SOFF) method. These two methods were statistically complex and depended to an initial value. In this paper proposed new optimal technical called gray wolf optimization (GWO) which is used to determine threshold of sensor decision rules from fusion center. The new algorithm gave better performance for fusion rule than numerical results. The results are providing to demonstrate of fusion system reduced of bayes risk by a high rate of 15%-20%. This algorithm also does not depend on the initial values and shows the degree of complexity is better than other algorithms

A spectroscopic, thermodynamic and molecular docking study of the binding mechanism of dapoxetine with calf thymus DNA

Dapoxetine is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, used to treat premature ejaculation in men. Dapoxetine may interact with theDNAand hence this study investigated dapoxetine and calf thymusDNA(ctDNA) binding interaction. The interaction study of ligands to DNA is of importance in the development of molecular probes and therapeutic agents. Spectroscopic techniques including spectrofluorometry and spectrophotometry were employed to study this interaction. Fluorescence studies indicated a static quenching mechanism between dapoxetine and ctDNA. Groove binding was suggested as the mode of interaction between dapoxetine and ctDNA based onUVabsorption, circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy, iodide quenching and molecular docking studies. The studies conducted at three different temperatures 298, 303 and 310 K indicated a strong binding interaction at higher temperatures. Thermodynamic studies conducted indicated involvement of hydrophobic interaction between ctDNA and dapoxetine and were entropy-driven. Ethidium bromide probe study suggested that dapoxetine does not bind to ctDNA in an intercalative fashion. Iodide quenching studies further proved the non-intercalative binding of ctDNA with dapoxetine. Ionic strength studies conducted ruled out the electrostatic binding mechanism between ctDNA and dapoxetine. Molecular docking analysis performed for the dapoxetine with calf thymus DNA (ctDNA) interaction and confirmed minor groove binding of dapoxetine to ctDNA. The study helped to reveal the binding interaction mechanism between dapoxetine and ctDNA

Fatigue performance of flexible steel fibre reinforced rubberised concrete pavements

Recycled rubber particles and steel fibres from end-of-life tyres have the potential to enhance the flexibility and ductility of concrete pavements and produce more sustainable pavement solutions. However, the fatigue behaviour of such pavements is not fully understood. This article investigates the mechanical and fatigue performance of steel fibre reinforced concrete (SFRC) and steel fibre reinforced rubberised concrete (SFRRuC). Specimens tested were cast using rubber particles as replacement of natural aggregates (0%, 30% and 60% by volume), and using a blend of manufactured and recycled tyre steel fibres (40 kg/m3). Prisms were subjected to four-point flexural cyclic load (f = 15 Hz) at stress ratios of 0.5, 0.7, 0.8 and 0.9. The results show that, compared to plain concrete, the addition of steel fibres alone improves the fatigue stress resistance of concrete by 11% (at 25% probability of failure). The replacement of natural aggregates with rubber particles improves the flexibility of SFRRuC (from 51 GPa elastic modules for plain concrete to 13 GPa for SFRRuC), but reduces its fatigue stress resistance by 42% (at 25% probability of failure). However, a probabilistic analysis of the fatigue life data and overall design considerations show that the flexible SFRRuC can be used for pavements. To account for the effect of fatigue load, the Concrete Society approach included in TR34 is modified to account for SFRRuC pavements. Finite element analyses show that flexible SFRRuC pavements can accommodate large subgrade movements and settlements and result in much smaller cracks (up to 24 times) compared to SFRC pavements

Treatment of dental plaque biofilms using photodynamic therapy: a randomised controlled study

Introduction Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a treatment modality involving a dye that is activated by exposure to light of a specific wavelength in the presence of oxygen to form oxygen species causing localised damage to microorganisms. Aim To determine the most effective bactericidal incubation and irradiation times of erythrosine-based PDT on in vivo-formed dental plaque biofilms. Methods A randomised controlled study; 18-healthy adult participants wearing intraoral appliances with human enamel slabs to collect dental plaque samples in two separate periods of two weeks each for use in arm-1 and arm-2. These accumulated dental plaque samples were treated with PDT under different experimental conditions. Incubation times with photosensitiser (erythrosine) of 15 min and 2 min were used in arm-1 and arm-2, respectively, followed by light irradiation for either 15 min (continuous) or as a fractionated dose (5 × 30 sec). Following treatment, percentage reductions of total bacterial counts were compared between the different groups. In addition, confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) and LIVE/DEAD® BacLight™ Bacterial Viability Kit were used to visualise the effect of PDT on in vivo-formed biofilms. Results Significant reductions in the percentage of total bacterial counts (~93–95%) of in vivo-formed biofilms were found when using either 2 min or 15min incubation times and applying 15 min continuous light. Although when applying fractionated light, there was more cell death when 15 min incubation time was used (~ 91%) compared with the 2 min incubation time (~ 64%). CLSM results supported these findings. Conclusion Improving the clinical usefulness of PDT by reducing its overall treatment time seems to be promising and effective in killing in vivo-formed dental plaque biofilms