A review of Brucea javanica: metabolites, pharmacology and clinical application

This review examines advances in the metabolites, pharmacological research, and therapeutic applications of the medicinal fruit of Brucea javanica (L.) Merr. Brucea javanica (BJ) is derived from the fruit of the Brucea javanica (L.) Merr. There are nearly 200 metabolites present in BJ, and due to the diversity of its metabolites, BJ has a wide range of pharmacological effects. The traditional pharmacological effects of BJ include anti-dysentery, anti-malaria, etc. The research investigating the contemporary pharmacological impacts of BJ mainly focuses on its anti-tumor properties. In the article, the strong monomeric metabolites among these pharmacological effects were preliminarily screened. Regarding the pharmacological mechanism of action, current research has initially explored BJ’s pharmacological agent and molecular signaling pathways. However, a comprehensive system has yet to be established. BJ preparations have been utilized in clinical settings and have demonstrated effectiveness. Nevertheless, clinical research is primarily limited to observational studies, and there is a need for higher-quality research evidence to support its clinical application. There are still many difficulties and obstacles in studying BJ. However, it is indisputable that BJ is a botanical drugs with significant potential for application, and it is expected to have broader global usage

Flexible optoelectronic synaptic transistors for neuromorphic visual systems

Neuromorphic visual systems that integrate the functionalities of sensing, memory, and processing are expected to overcome the shortcomings of conventional artificial visual systems, such as data redundancy, data access delay, and high-energy consumption. Neuromorphic visual systems based on emerging flexible optoelectronic synaptic devices have recently opened up innovative applications, such as robot visual perception, visual prosthetics, and artificial intelligence. Various flexible optoelectronic synaptic devices have been fabricated, which are either two-terminal memristors or three-terminal transistors. In flexible optoelectronic synaptic transistors (FOSTs), the synaptic weight can be modulated by the electricity and light synergistically, which endows the neuromorphic visual systems with versatile functionalities. In this Review, we present an overview of the working mechanisms, device structures, and active materials of FOSTs. Their applications in neuromorphic visual systems for color recognition, image recognition and memory, motion detection, and pain perception are presented. Perspectives on the development of FOSTs are finally outlined

Formation Mechanism and Restraining Measures of Burning-on of DZ22B Directionally Solidified Blade

The microstructure and chemical composition of the burning-on layer of the directionally solidified blade of the DZ22B superalloy were studied by means of SEM and EDS. The results show that the metal ceramic like sand defects are formed by a part of ceramic particles covered during the infiltration of metal to shell surface pores. The main component of the burning-on layer composes fused corundum, with some interfacial reaction products containing Cr2O3 and HfO2. According to the results of SEM analysis of blade cross section, the mechanism of the burning-on of the DZ22B directionally solidified blade is mainly caused by thermo mechanical permeation. A certain amount of burning-on inhibitor is added to the shell surface slurry, which significantly improves the penetration resistance of the fused corundum shell surface. The casting verifies that the surface of the DZ22B directionally solidified blade is smooth without burning-on, and the metallic luster on the blade surface is obviously observed

Improved device performance of Si-based heterojunction solar cells by using phosphorus doped Si nanocrystals embedded in SiC host matrix

Phosphorus-doped Si nanocrystals embedded in amorphous SiC (Si NCs:SiC) films were fabricated by annealing phosphorus-doped Si-rich amorphous SiC materials at 900°C to get n-type Si NCs/p-Si heterojunction for photovoltaic device applications. The film compositions and the microstructure were characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectra and Raman scattering technique. After phosphorus doping, the dark conductivity can reach to be as high as 48 S/cm which is increased by six orders of magnitude compared with the un-doped one, while the bandgap keeps almost unchanged around 2.14 eV. The improved device performance was confirmed with the fill factor of 58% and the power conversion efficiency of 6.11%, which can be attributed to the good conductivity of phosphorus-doped Si NCs and the improved rectification characteristics of heterojunction structures

Rational Design of ZnFe₂O₄/In₂O₃ Nanoheterostructures: Efficient Photocatalyst for Gaseous 1,2-Dichlorobenzene Degradation and Mechanistic Insight

Novel ZnFe₂O₄/In₂O₃ hybrid nanoheterostructures with enhanced visible-light catalytic performance were fabricated by assembling ZnFe₂O₄ nanoparticles on the surface of monodispersed In₂O₃ nanospheres, and their photocatalytic performances were evaluated via the degradation of gaseous 1,2-dichlorobenzene (<i>o</i>-DCB). The catalytic activity of the resulting heterostructures for degradation of <i>o</i>-DCB was higher than that of either pure In₂O₃ or ZnFe₂O₄. The enhanced activity was mainly ascribed to the enhanced visible-light harvesting ability, efficient spatial separation, and prolonged lifetimes of photogenerated charges. Meanwhile, the main reaction intermediates including <i>o</i>-benzoquinone type species, phenolate species, formates, acetates, and maleates were verified with <i>in situ</i> FTIR spectroscopy. Additionally, a tentative catalytic reaction mechanism and the generation pathway of ^•OH over the ZnFe₂O₄/In₂O₃ nanohetero­structures were postulated. The present work provides some significative information for the eradication of harmful chlorinated volatile organic compounds and is expected to benefit the development of In₂O₃-based hybrid heterostructures

Gallium Oxide for Gas Sensor Applications: A Comprehensive Review

Ga2O3 has emerged as a promising ultrawide bandgap semiconductor for numerous device applications owing to its excellent material properties. In this paper, we present a comprehensive review on major advances achieved over the past thirty years in the field of Ga2O3-based gas sensors. We begin with a brief introduction of the polymorphs and basic electric properties of Ga2O3. Next, we provide an overview of the typical preparation methods for the fabrication of Ga2O3-sensing material developed so far. Then, we will concentrate our discussion on the state-of-the-art Ga2O3-based gas sensor devices and put an emphasis on seven sophisticated strategies to improve their gas-sensing performance in terms of material engineering and device optimization. Finally, we give some concluding remarks and put forward some suggestions, including (i) construction of hybrid structures with two-dimensional materials and organic polymers, (ii) combination with density functional theoretical calculations and machine learning, and (iii) development of optical sensors using the characteristic optical spectra for the future development of novel Ga2O3-based gas sensors