Two-dimensional (2D) semiconductors enable atomically thin channels and attractive electrostatics, but practical scaling increasingly hinges on gate-dielectric integration rather than channel performance. A key challenge is forming high-quality dielectrics on chemically inert, dangling-bond-free 2D surfaces while pushing equivalent oxide thickness to the sub-nanometer regime without excessive leakage, traps, or electrical breakdown. This review addresses the materials and process physics that govern dielectric formation in 2D devices, with an emphasis on atomic layer deposition nucleation, surface pretreatment and functionalization, and the use of seed and buffer layers for conformal high-κ oxides. The roles of layered insulators, such as hexagonal boron nitride, are discussed in terms of interface quality, electrostatic scaling limits, and transport limitations. The impact of dielectrics and processing on leakage mechanisms, defect generation, device-to-device variability, and reliability metrics, including time-dependent dielectric breakdown, bias-temperature instability, hysteresis, and threshold-voltage drift, is examined. Finally, we highlight van der Waals dry integration and dielectric transfer approaches that reduce process-induced damage and support wafer-scale uniformity, as well as opportunities for mixed-dimensional and 3D stacked architectures across logic, memory, and emerging functional systems.
The increasing use of natural product-based supplements or medicines alongside prescription drugs carries risks of metabolic interference, potentially leading to toxicity or reduced therapeutic efficacy. However, the inhibitory activity of many natural compounds has not been comprehensively evaluated. Here, we investigated the potential in vitro inhibitory effects of 39 natural compounds on cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes via inhibition and kinetic analyses using pooled human liver microsomes. Based on screening at compound concentrations of 10 μM, α-cyperone and evodiamine showed weak inhibition of CYP2C19 (IC50 > 10 μM), aloe-emodin, emodin, and isoimperatorin showed moderate inhibition of CYP1A2 (IC50 1–10 μM), and bergapten, imperatorin, and xanthotoxin showed potent inhibition of CYP1A2 (IC50 < 1 μM). Notably, bergapten and xanthotoxin exhibited metabolism-dependent inhibition, implying the potential for mechanism-based inactivation. Kinetic analysis demonstrated that aloe-emodin inhibited CYP1A2 via a mixed-type mechanism (Ki = 0.6 μM), reflecting relatively selective inhibition. Structural characteristics were the major determinants of CYP inhibitory properties: furanocoumarins acted as strong or metabolism-dependent inhibitors, whereas anthraquinones exerted selective and reversible inhibitory effects on CYP1A2. Aloe-emodin showed potential as a relatively selective reversible inhibitor for mechanistic studies of CYP1A2-mediated drug metabolism. Based on reported human plasma Cmax values, the estimated [I]/IC₅₀ ratios for bergapten (0.55–1.38) and xanthotoxin (0.45–2.27) suggest a potential risk of clinically relevant CYP1A2-mediated herb–drug interactions. Our findings highlight the value of combining in vitro inhibition data with pharmacokinetic considerations when evaluating the interaction risks of natural products.
Achieving dendrite-free and highly reversible Zn anodes remains a critical challenge for realizing high-performance aqueous Zn-ion batteries (AZIBs). Here, we report a rationally designed nanoscale interfacial architecture, constructed via sequential assembly of a reduced graphene oxide (rGO) nanolayer and solvent-annealed block copolymer (BCP)-templated Au nanoseed arrays, that enables spatially uniform Zn nucleation and planar plating, yielding highly stable, dendrite-free Zn anodes with minimal excess Zn. The synergistic integration of zincophilic Au nanoseeds on rGO, which energetically favor Zn (002) nucleation, effectively suppresses parasitic reactions and directs preferentially oriented Zn growth, yielding macroscopically uniform Zn plating with an exceptionally high (002) relative texture coefficient (RTC) of 88.2
Urban forests deliver critical ecosystem services, particularly in tropical cities where ecological variability and urban stressors interact. However, the extent to which specific tree traits influence service delivery remains underexplored. This study applied an integrated sensitivity framework, combining Morris One-at-a-Time (MOAT), Variance Decomposition (VD), and Bin-wise Standardized Linear Regression (BSLR) to evaluate global and conditional drivers of carbon, pollution, and hydrological services simulated by the i-Tree Eco model in Rizal Park, Manila, Philippines. We utilized Latin Hypercube Sampling (LHS) to generate individual synthetic tree records, preserving empirical trait correlations to ensure biological plausibility. Results showed diameter at breast height (DBH) was the dominant driver of carbon storage (MOAT µ* = 496.10; VD S₁ = 0.947). For carbon sequestration (CSeq), sensitivities were more distributed across performance tiers, reflecting a complex interplay between tree size and canopy-level traits. For air pollution removal (PM10 and PM2.5), Leaf Area Index (LAI) emerged as the primary global driver of output variance (S1 ≈0.57–0.58), whereas crown structural variables like crown missing (CM) were identified as critical inhibitors in low-performance scenarios Hydrological regulation was similarly governed by functional leaf area (S1 ≈0.48–0.52), with LAI exhibiting massive, standardized coefficients in high-performance tiers (e.g., βPET = 22,157.09, p < 0.001). BSLR analysis revealed a bifurcated two-stage sensitivity structure: structural integrity (low CM) was the primary prerequisite for baseline services, whereas LAI act as the performance ceiling for high-magnitude delivery. Explanatory power for these relationships was high, with Adjusted R2 values ranging from 0.89 for pollution removal to near-perfect linearity (≈ 1.00) for hydrological services. These findings underscore the necessity of integrating structural and functional traits to optimize nature-based solutions and refine trait-based monitoring in tropical urban forestry.
