Anomalous Electron Transport in Field-Effect Transistors with Titanium Ditelluride Semimetal Thin-Film Channels

We report on "graphene-like" mechanical exfoliation of thin films of titanium ditelluride and investigation of their electronic properties. The exfoliated crystalline TiTe2 films were used as the channel layers in the back-gated field-effect transistors fabricated with Ti/Al/Au metal contacts on SiO2/Si substrates. The room-temperature current-voltage characteristics revealed strongly non-linear behavior with signatures of the source-drain threshold voltage similar to those observed in the charge-density-wave devices. The drain-current showed an unusual non-monotonic dependence on the gate bias characterized by the presence of multiple peaks. The obtained results can be potentially used for implementation of the non-Boolean logic gates.Comment: 11 pages, 4 figure

GREEN PRODUCTIVITY: AN APPROACH FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF AGRO-FORESTRY IN SRI LANKA.

The agricultural and forest resources in Sri Lanka are diminishing while thepopulation is still growing. Hence, designing of resource-efficient agroforestrysystems has considerable potential not only to improve forest andagricultural production but also to enhance and maintain overall productivityof sustainable small farm units. The different types of agro forestry systemsin the country are highly diverse and complex in characters and functions.However, the productivity of agro-forestry system and the role inenvironmental conservation are lower than their potential due to lack ofproper management practices. Green Productivity (GP) approach emphasizesthe sustainable development of agro-forestry systems enhancing productivityand using resources efficiently while protecting the environment.The paper attempts to discuss the concept, methodology, principle stage,implementation strategies and impact assessment of GP approach with theview of sustainable development of agro-forestry systems in Sri Lanka. TheGP concept emphasizes environmentally sound technology transfer to keepagro forestry systems competitive; environmental regulations to extendfarmers responsibility; and cleaner production enhancing productivity andenvironmental performance of the agro-forestry systems. The methodologyof GP would consist of problem-solving steps, selecting tools, techniques andtechnologies useful for solving problems in agro forestry and application ofsocio-economic and environmental principles and values for agro-forestryimprovements. The six principle stages of GP are described in terms ofgetting started to gain base-line information and identify problems in agroforestrysystems: generation and evaluation of GP options to meet theobjectives and targets of the agro-forestry system: implementation of GPoptions involving performance and the targets being achieved: and sustainingGP through corrective options to achieve objectives and targets of thesustainable agro forestry systems

FORMULATION AND STABILITY EVALUATION OF KETOPROFEN LOADED VIRGIN COCONUT OIL BASED CREAMY EMULSION

Objective: To formulate and optimize a topical formulation; a virgin coconut oil (VCO) based Ketoprofen loaded creamy emulsion containing Tween 80® as the surfactant and to evaluate the stability of samples. Methods: In preformulatory studies optimization of the formulae was done using ternary phase diagrams with water titration method and emulsions were formulated using two methods; spontaneous emulsification and homogenization. Their stability was analyzed under visual observation to optimize the best formulae for Ketoprofen incorporated creamy emulsion. 2.5% w/w Ketoprofen topical formulations are available in the market. Results: Centrifugation provided more comparable data than visual observation. Phase separation was the main instability condition observed in unstable emulsions. Composition 23.60% VCO: 29.53% Tween 80®: 45.87% water was identified as the best optimized formulae in both with and without Ketoprofen formulations and all the samples with different Ketoprofen concentrations were stable for 14 days under centrifugation and visual observation stability studies. Conclusion: Homogenization was more effective in stable emulsion formation than spontaneous emulsification in VCO, Tween 80®,water emulsion. The best optimized formula was 23.60% VCO: 29.53% Tween 80®: 45.87% water

The Effects On Children Of Depressed Mothers' Remission And Relapse Over 9 Months

Background—The high rate of depression among children of depressed mothers is well known. Suggestions that improvement in maternal acute depression has a positive effect on the child have emerged. However, data on the mechanisms of change have been sparse. The aim was to understand how remission and relapse in the mother might explain the changes in the child’s outcome

Nanomechanical probing of the layer/substrate interface of an exfoliated InSe sheet on sapphire

Van der Waals (vdW) layered crystals and heterostructures have attracted substantial interest for potential applications in a wide range of emerging technologies. An important, but often overlooked, consideration in the development of implementable devices is phonon transport through the structure interfaces. Here we report on the interface properties of exfoliated InSe on a sapphire substrate. We use a picosecond acoustic technique to probe the phonon resonances in the InSe vdW layered crystal. Analysis of the nanomechanics indicates that the InSe is mechanically decoupled from the substrate and thus presents an elastically imperfect interface. A high degree of phonon isolation at the interface points toward applications in thermoelectric devices, or the inclusion of an acoustic transition layer in device design. These findings demonstrate basic properties of layered structures and so illustrate the usefulness of nanomechanical probing in nanolayer/nanolayer or nanolayer/substrate interface tuning in vdW heterostructures

Stress biology:Complexity and multifariousness in health and disease

Preserving and regulating cellular homeostasis in the light of changing environmental conditions or developmental processes is of pivotal importance for single cellular and multicellular organisms alike. To counteract an imbalance in cellular homeostasis transcriptional programs evolved, called the heat shock response, unfolded protein response, and integrated stress response, that act cell-autonomously in most cells but in multicellular organisms are subjected to cell-nonautonomous regulation. These transcriptional programs downregulate the expression of most genes but increase the expression of heat shock genes, including genes encoding molecular chaperones and proteases, proteins involved in the repair of stress-induced damage to macromolecules and cellular structures. Sixty-one years after the discovery of the heat shock response by Ferruccio Ritossa, many aspects of stress biology are still enigmatic. Recent progress in the understanding of stress responses and molecular chaperones was reported at the 12th International Symposium on Heat Shock Proteins in Biology, Medicine and the Environment in the Old Town Alexandria, VA, USA from 28th to 31st of October 2023.</p

The Role of Maternal Depression on Treatment Outcome for Children with Externalizing Behavior Problems

Studies have shown that, on average, Parent Management Training combined with cognitive-behavioral therapy decreases children’s externalizing behavior, but some children do not improve through treatment. The current study aimed to examine the role of maternal depression in understanding this variability in treatment outcome. Children with externalizing behavioral problems and their parents were recruited from combined Parent Management Training and Cognitive-Behavioral programs in “real-world” clinical settings. At pre- and post treatment, maternal depression and children’s externalizing behavior were assessed. Results showed that treatment was less effective for children of depressed mothers compared to non-depressed mothers and that improvements in maternal depression were associated with improvements in children’s externalizing behavior. These findings suggest that treatment programs for children with externalizing problems may be able to improve outcomes if maternal depression is a target of intervention