Abstract: The production of genetically modified (GM) crops is growing around the world, and with it possible opportunities to combat food insecurity and hunger, as well as solutions to current problems facing conventional agriculture. In this regard the use of GMOs in food and agricultural applications has increased greatly over the past decade. However, the development of GM crops has been a matter of considerable interest and worldwide public controversy. This, in addition to skepticism, has stifled the use of this practice on a large scale in many areas, including Iran. It stands to reason that a greater understanding of this practice could be formed after a review of the existing expert opinions surrounding GM crops. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to analyze the predictors that influence agricultural experts attitudes toward the development of and policies related to GM crops. Using a descriptive correlational research method, questionnaire data was collected from 65 experts from the Agricultural Organization in the Gotvand district in Southwest Iran. Results indicated that agricultural experts were aware of the environmental benefits and possible risks associated with GM crops. The majority of participants agreed that GM crops could improve food security and accelerate rural development, and were proponents of labeling practices for GM crops. Finally, there was a positive correlation between the perception of benefits and attitudes towards GM crops.

Abstract: Polarization fatigue, i.e., the loss of polarization of ferroelectric capacitors upon field cycling, has been widely discussed as an interface related effect. However, mechanism(s) behind the development of fatigue have not been fully identified. Here, we study the fatigue mechanisms in Pt/PbZr0.52Ti0.48O3/SrRuO3 (Pt/PZT/SRO) capacitors in which all layers are fabricated by pulsed laser deposition without breaking the vacuum. With scanning transmission electron microscopy, we observed that in the fatigued capacitor, the Pt/PZT interface becomes structurally degraded, forming a 5 nm-10 nm thick non-ferroelectric layer of crystalline ZrO2 and diffused Pt grains. We then found that the fatigued capacitors can regain the full initial polarization switching if the externally applied field is increased to at least 10 times the switching field of the pristine capacitor. These findings suggest that polarization fatigue is driven by a two-step mechanism. First, the transient depolarization field that repeatedly appears during the domain switching under field cycling causes decomposition of the metal/ferroelectric interface, resulting in a non-ferroelectric degraded layer. Second, this interfacial non-ferroelectric layer screens the external applied field causing an increase in the coercive field beyond the usually applied maximum field and consequently suppresses the polarization switching in the cycled capacitor. Our work clearly confirms the key role of the electrode/ferroelectric interface in the endurance of ferroelectric-based devices.

Abstract: Intragranular amorphization shear lamellae are found in deformed olivine aggregates. The detailed trans-mission electron microscopy analysis of intragranular lamella arrested in the core of a grain provides novel information on the amorphization mechanism. The deformation field is complex and heteroge-neous, corresponding to a shear crack type instability involving mode I, II and III loading components. The formation and propagation of the amorphous lamella is accompanied by the formation of crystal defects ahead of the tip. These defects are geometrically necessary [001] dislocations, characteristics of high-stress deformation in olivine, and rotational nanodomains which are tentatively interpreted as disclinations. We show that these defects play an important role in dictating the path followed by the amorphous lamella. Stress-induced amorphization in olivine would thus result from a direct crystal-to -amorphous transformation associated with a shear instability and not from a mechanical destabilization due to the accumulation of high number of defects from an intense preliminary deformation. The pref-erential alignment of some lamellae along (010) is a proof of the lower ultimate mechanical strength of these planes.(c) 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of Acta Materialia Inc. This is an open access article under the CC BY license ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ )

Abstract: Richardson approach provides an exact solution of the pairing Hamiltonian. This Hamiltonian is characterized by the electron-hole pairing symmetry, which is however hidden in Richardson equations. By analyzing this symmetry and using an additional conjecture, fulfilled in solvable limits, we suggest a simple expression of the ground state energy for an equally-spaced energy-level model, which is applicable along the whole crossover from the superconducting state to the pairing fluctuation regime. Solving Richardson equations numerically, we demonstrate a good accuracy of our expression.

Abstract: The counterions are of crucial importance in determining the mesostructure and morphology of ethanebridged PMO materials synthesized under basic conditions. By using CTABr as the surfactant, the final PMO materials show a 2-D hexagonal (p6mm) mesophase, while PMO materials with cubic (Pm (3) over barn ) mesostructure are obtained when CTACl or CTA(SO4)(1)/(2) are used. With gradually replacing CTABr by CTACl or CTA(SO4) (1)/(2) while keeping the total surfactant concentration constant, a clear p6mm to Pm (3) over barn 3n mesophase evolution process is observed. For a given gel composition, the mesophase of ethanebridged PMO materials can also be adjusted by the addition of different sodium salts. In short, the effect of the counterions on the mesophase can be attributed to the binding strength of the ions on the surfactant micelles, which follows the Hofmeister series (SO42- < Cl- < Br-< NO3- < SCN-). Furthermore, it is found that the hydrolysis and condensation rate of the organosilica precursor also plays an important role in the formation of the final mesostructure

Abstract: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the most aggressive cancers with a low response to treatment and a five-year survival rate below 5%. The ineffectiveness of treatment is partly because of an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment, which comprises tumor-supportive pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs). Therefore, new therapeutic strategies are needed to tackle both the immunosuppressive PSC and pancreatic cancer cells (PCCs). Recently, physical cold atmospheric plasma consisting of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species has emerged as a novel treatment option for cancer. In this study, we investigated the cytotoxicity of plasma-treated phosphate-buffered saline (pPBS) using three PSC lines and four PCC lines and examined the immunogenicity of the induced cell death. We observed a decrease in the viability of PSC and PCC after pPBS treatment, with a higher efficacy in the latter. Two PCC lines expressed and released damage-associated molecular patterns characteristic of the induction of immunogenic cell death (ICD). In addition, pPBS-treated PCC were highly phagocytosed by dendritic cells (DCs), resulting in the maturation of DC. This indicates the high potential of pPBS to trigger ICD. In contrast, pPBS induced no ICD in PSC. In general, pPBS treatment of PCCs and PSCs created a more immunostimulatory secretion profile (higher TNF-α and IFN-γ, lower TGF-β) in coculture with DC. Altogether, these data show that plasma treatment via pPBS has the potential to induce ICD in PCCs and to reduce the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment created by PSCs. Therefore, these data provide a strong experimental basis for further in vivo validation, which might potentially open the way for more successful combination strategies with immunotherapy for PDAC.

Abstract: It is important to understand the effect of the interfaces between the oxide electrode layers and the ferroelectric layer on the polarization response for optimizing the device performance of all-oxide ferroelectric devices. Herein, the effects of the oxide La0.07Ba0.93SnO3 (LBSO) as an electrode material in an PbZr0.52Ti0.48O3 (PZT) ferroelectric capacitor are compared with those of the more commonly used SrRuO3 (SRO) electrode. SRO (top)/PZT/SRO (bottom), SRO/PZT/LBSO, and SRO/PZT/2 nm SRO/LBSO devices are fabricated. Only marginal differences in crystalline properties, determined by X-ray diffraction and scanning transmission electron microscopy, are found. High-quality polarization loops are obtained, but with a much larger coercive field for the SRO/PZT/LBSO device. In contrast to the SRO/PZT/SRO device, the polarization decreases strongly with increasing field cycling. This fatigue problem can be remedied by inserting a 2 nm SRO layer between PZT and LBSO. It is argued that strongly increased charge injection into the PZT occurs at the bottom interface, because of the low PZT/LBSO interfacial barrier and the much lower carrier density in LBSO, as compared with that in SRO, causing a low dielectric constant, depleted layer in LBSO. The charge injection creates a trapped space charge in the PZT, causing the difference in fatigue behavior.

Abstract: We have realized a reversible structure transformation of one-dimensional 1D K4CdCl6-type Sr3CoMO6 with the Co2+/M4+ cation ordering into the two-dimensional 2D double layered Ruddlesden-Popper structure Sr3CoMO7-delta with a random distribution of Co and M (with M = Ru, Ir) upon increasing the partial oxygen pressure. The combined soft and hard X-ray absorption spectroscopy studies show that under transformation, Co and M cations were oxidized to Co3+ and M5+. During oxidation, high-spin Co2+ in Sr3CoMO6 first transforms into high-spin Co3+ in oxygen-deficient Sr3CoMO7-delta, and then further transforms into low-spin Co3+ in fully oxidized Sr3CoMO7 upon further increasing the partial pressure of oxygen. The 1D Sr3CoMO6 compound is magnetically ordered at low temperatures with the magnetic moments lying along the c-axis. Their alignment is parallel for Sr3CoRuO6 and antiparallel for Sr3CoIrO6. The 2D compounds reveal a spin-glass-like behavior related to the random distribution of magnetic cations in the structure.

Abstract: We show that interlayer spins play a dual role in the Cairo pentagonal magnet Bi4Fe5O13F, on one hand mediating the three-dimensional magnetic order, and on the other driving spin-reorientation transitions both within and between the planes. The corresponding sequence of magnetic orders unraveled by neutron diffraction and Mossbauer spectroscopy features two orthogonal magnetic structures described by opposite local vector chiralities, and an intermediate, partly disordered phase with nearly collinear spins. A similar collinear phase has been predicted theoretically to be stabilized by quantum fluctuations, but Bi4Fe5O13F is very far from the relevant parameter regime. While the observed in-plane reorientation cannot be explained by any standard frustration mechanism, our ab initio band-structure calculations reveal strong single-ion anisotropy of the interlayer Fe3+ spins that turns out to be instrumental in controlling the local vector chirality and the associated interlayer order.

Abstract: The Sr3RFe4O10.5 (R=Y, Ho, Dy) anion-deficient perovskites were prepared using a solid-state reaction in evacuated sealed silica tubes. Transmission electron microscopy and 57Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy evidenced a complete A-cations and oxygen vacancies ordering. The structure model was further refined by ab initio structure relaxation, based on density functional theory calculations. The compounds crystallize in a tetragonal a≈2√2ap≈11.3 Å, с≈4сp≈16 Å unit cell (ap: parameter of the perovskite subcell) with the P42/mnm space group. Oxygen vacancies reside in the (FeO5/4□3/4) layers, comprising corner-sharing FeO4 tetrahedra and FeO5 tetragonal pyramids, which are sandwiched between the layers of the FeO6 octahedra. Smaller R atoms occupy the 9-fold coordinated position, whereas the 10-fold coordinated positions are occupied by larger Sr atoms. The Fe sublattice is ordered aniferromagnetically up to at least 500 K, while the rare-earth sublattice remains disordered down to 2 K.

Abstract: A superior field electron emission (FEE) source made from a hierarchical heterostructure, where two-dimensional hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) nanowalls were coated on one-dimensional diamond nanorods (DNRs), is fabricated using a simple and scalable method. FEE characteristics of hBN-DNR display a low turn-on field of 6.0 V mu m(-1), a high field enhancement factor of 5870 and a high life-time stability of 435 min. Such an enhancement in the FEE properties of hBN-DNR derives from the distinctive material combination, i.e., high aspect ratio of the heterostructure, good electron transport from the DNR to the hBN nanowalls and efficient field emission of electrons from the hBN nanowalls. The prospective application of these heterostructures is further evidenced by enhanced microplasma devices using hBN-DNR as a cathode, in which the threshold voltage was lowered to 350 V, affirming the role of hBN-DNR in the improvement of electron emission.

Abstract: 2D homojunctions have stimulated extensive attention because of their perfect thermal and lattice matches, as well as their tunable band structures in 2D morphology, which provide fascinating opportunities for novel electronics and optoelectronics. Recently, 2D nonlayered materials have attracted the attention of researchers owing to their superior functional applications and diverse portfolio of the 2D family. Therefore, 2D nonlayered homojunctions would open the door to a rich spectrum of exotic 2D materials. However, they are not investigated due to their extremely difficult synthesis methods. Herein, nonlayered CdSe flakes homojunctions are obtained via self-limited growth with InCl3 as a passivation agent. Interestingly, two pieces of vertical wurtzite-zinc blende (WZ-ZB) homojunctions epitaxially integrate into WZ/ZB lateral junctions. These homojunctions show a divergent second-harmonic generation intensity, strongly correlated to the multiple twinned ZB phase, as identified by aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy and theoretical calculations. Impressively, the photodetector based on this WZ/ZB CdSe homojunction shows excellent performances, integrating a high photoswitching ratio (3.4 x 10(5)) and photoresponsivity (3.7 x 10(3) A W-1), suggesting promising potential for applications in electronics and optoelectronics.