4,238 research outputs found
Resolving and Tuning Mechanical Anisotropy in Black Phosphorus via Nanomechanical Multimode Resonance Spectromicroscopy
Black phosphorus (P) has emerged as a layered semiconductor with a unique
crystal structure featuring corrugated atomic layers and strong in-plane
anisotropy in its physical properties. Here, we demonstrate that the crystal
orientation and mechanical anisotropy in free-standing black P thin layers can
be precisely determined by spatially resolved multimode nanomechanical
resonances. This offers a new means for resolving important crystal orientation
and anisotropy in black P device platforms in situ beyond conventional optical
and electrical calibration techniques. Furthermore, we show that
electrostatic-gating-induced straining can continuously tune the mechanical
anisotropic effects on multimode resonances in black P electromechanical
devices. Combined with finite element modeling (FEM), we also determine the
Young's moduli of multilayer black P to be 116.1 and 46.5 GPa in the zigzag and
armchair directions, respectively.Comment: Main Text: 13 Pages, 4 Figures; Supplementary Information: 5 Pages, 2
Figures, 2 Table
First-principles study on the effective masses of zinc-blend-derived Cu_2Zn-IV-VI_4 (IV = Sn, Ge, Si and VI = S, Se)
The electron and hole effective masses of kesterite (KS) and stannite (ST)
structured Cu_2Zn-IV-VI_4 (IV = Sn, Ge, Si and VI = S, Se) semiconductors are
systematically studied using first-principles calculations. We find that the
electron effective masses are almost isotropic, while strong anisotropy is
observed for the hole effective mass. The electron effective masses are
typically much smaller than the hole effective masses for all studied
compounds. The ordering of the topmost three valence bands and the
corresponding hole effective masses of the KS and ST structures are different
due to the different sign of the crystal-field splitting. The electron and hole
effective masses of Se-based compounds are significantly smaller compared to
the corresponding S-based compounds. They also decrease as the atomic number of
the group IV elements (Si, Ge, Sn) increases, but the decrease is less notable
than that caused by the substitution of S by Se.Comment: 14 pages, 6 figures, 2 table
Exact quantum dissipative dynamics under external time-dependent fields driving
Exact and nonperturbative quantum master equation can be constructed via the
calculus on path integral. It results in hierarchical equations of motion for
the reduced density operator. Involved are also a set of well--defined
auxiliary density operators that resolve not just system--bath coupling
strength but also memory. In this work, we scale these auxiliary operators
individually to achieve a uniform error tolerance, as set by the reduced
density operator. An efficient propagator is then proposed to the hierarchical
Liouville--space dynamics of quantum dissipation. Numerically exact studies are
carried out on the dephasing effect on population transfer in the simple
stimulated Raman adiabatic passage scheme. We also make assessments on several
perturbative theories for their applicabilities in the present system of study
Exosomes released by granulocytic myeloid-derived suppressor cells attenuate DSS-induced colitis in mice
published_or_final_versio
The Long Noncoding RNA IFNG-AS1 Promotes T Helper Type 1 Cells Response in Patients with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis
published_or_final_versio
Ficus carica Polysaccharides Promote the Maturation and Function of Dendritic Cells
Various polysaccharides purified from plants are considered to be biological response modifiers and have been shown to enhance immune responses. Ficus carica L. is a Chinese traditional plant and has been widely used in Asian countries for its anti-tumor properties. Ficus carica polysaccharides (FCPS), one of the most essential and effective components in Ficus carica L., have been considered to be a beneficial immunomodulator and may be used in immunotherapy. However, the immunologic mechanism of FCPS is still unclear. Dectin-1 is a non-toll-like pattern recognition receptor, predominately expressed on dendritic cells (DCs). Activation of DCs through dectin-1 signaling can lead to the maturation of DC, thus inducing both innate and adaptive immune responses against tumor development and microbial infection. In our study, we found that FCPS could effectively stimulate DCs, partially through the dectin-1/Syk pathway, and promote their maturation, as shown by the up-regulation of CD40, CD80, CD86, and major histocompatibility complex II (MHCII). FCPS also enhanced the production of cytokines by DCs, including IL-12, IFN-γ, IL-6, and IL-23. Moreover, FCPS-treated DCs showed an enhanced capability to stimulate T cells and promote T cell proliferation. Altogether, these results demonstrate that FCPS are able to activate and maturate DCs, thereby up-regulating the immunostimulatory capacity of DCs, which leads to enhanced T cell responses.published_or_final_versio
The role of humic substances in drinking water in Kashin-Beck disease in China.
We conducted in vitro and in vivo assays in a selenium-deficient system to determine if organic matter (mainly fulvic acid; FA) is involved in a free radical mechanism of action for Kashin-Beck disease. Cartilage cell culture experiments indicated that the oxy or hydroxy functional groups in FA may interfere with the cell membrane and result in enhancement of lipid peroxidation. Experiments with rats demonstrated that toxicity from FA was reduced when the hydroxy group was blocked. Induction of lipid peroxidation by FA in liver and blood of rats was similar to that exhibited by acetyl phenyl hydrazine. FA accumulated in bone and cartilage, where selenium rarely concentrates. In addition, selenium supplementation in rats' drinking water inhibited the generation of oxy-free radicals in bone. We hypothesized that FA in drinking water is an etiological factor of Kashin-Beck disease and that the mechanism of action involves the oxy and hydroxy groups in FA for the generation of free radicals. Selenium was confirmed to be a preventive factor for Kashin-Beck disease
Challenges at the marketing–operations interface in omni-channel retail environments
To compete in today’s omni-channel business context, it is essential for firms to co-ordinate their activities across channels and across different stages of the customer journey and the product flow. This requires firms to adopt an integrative approach, addressing each omni-channel design decision from a dual demand-side (marketing) and supply-side (operations) perspective. However, both in practice and in academic research, such an integrative approach is still in an immature stage. In this article, a framework is developed with the following key decision areas: (i) assortment & inventory, (ii) distribution & delivery and (iii) returns. These affect both the customer journey and the product flow. As a consequence of the resulting interdependencies between the firm’s functions, addressing the issues that arise in the three decision areas requires an integrated marketing and operations perspective. For each of the areas, the key decisions that affect or involve both the customer journey and product flow are identified first. Next, for each decision, the marketing and operational goals and the tensions that arise when these goals are not perfectly aligned are described. The opportunities for relieving these tensions are also discussed and possible directions for future research aimed at addressing these tensions and opportunities are presented.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
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