The human skin is the largest sensory organ, made up of complex sensors that detect noxious stimuli to rapidly send warning signals to the central nervous system to initiate a motor response. It is complex to mimic key skin features using existing tactile sensors, and there exists no somatosensor that responds to real stimuli of pressure, temperature, and touch. Herein, three critical skin receptors created by realizing integrated electronic systems that mimic the feedback response of somatosensors are experimentally demonstrated. Fully functional Pacinian corpuscles, thermoreceptors, and nociceptors are realized using a combination of stretchable pressure sensors, phase‐change oxide thin films, and threshold‐based resistive switching (memristor) memory elements. The ability to detect and respond to pressure, temperature, and pain stimuli above a threshold with real‐life performance characteristics is demonstrated with explanation of underlying mechanisms. The ability to design and realize artificial skin receptors enables replacement of affected human skin regions, augment skin sensitivity for agile applications in defense and sports, and drive advancements in intelligent robotics.

Metal oxide-based gas sensor technology is promising due to their practical applications in toxic and hazardous gas detection. Orthorhombic α-MoO3 is a planar metal oxide with a unique layered structure, which can be obtained in two-dimensional (2D) form. In 2D form, the larger surface to volume ratio of the material facilitates significantly higher interaction with gas molecules while exhibiting exceptional transport properties. Presence of oxygen vacancies results in non-stoichiometric MoO3 (MoO3-x), which further enhances the charge carrier mobility. Here, we study dual gas sensing characteristics and mechanism of 2D α-MoO3-x.Herein, conductometric dual gas sensors based on CVD grown 2D α-MoO3-x are developed and demonstrated. A facile transfer process is established to integrate the material into any arbitrary substrate. The sensors show high selectivity towards NO2 and H2S gases with response/recovery rates of 295.0 kΩ/s and 276.0 kΩ/s towards NO2, and 28.5 kΩ/s and 48.0 kΩ/s towards H2S, respectively. These gas sensors also show excellent cyclic endurance with a variation in ΔR ~112 ± 1.64 MΩ and 19.5 ± 1.13 MΩ for NO2 and H2S, respectively. As such, this work presents the viability of planar 2D α-MoO3-x as a dual selective gas sensor.

This study investigates the influences of a set of financial ratios on non-performing loans and to show to what extent of listed commercial banks in Bangladesh. In this study, we applied an econometric model to find out correlations among financial ratios and a sample of 96 observations has been analyzed from 20 banks out of 30 listed commercial banks during 2010-2015. This paper mostly agrees with the existing literature that, credit-deposit ratio, net interest margin have a positive influence on the non-performing loans and capital adequacy ratio, return on assets have a negative influence on the non-performing loans. This research also reveals that, sensitive sector’s loan, priority sector’s loan have significant positive influence on the non-performing loans and unsecured loans, profit per employee, investment deposit ratio have significant negative impact on gross non-performing loan. The findings of this research would help commercial banks to maintain standard financial ratios in order to improve their loan qualities and it would be beneficial to the central bank to examine its existing policy in banking supervision relating to the ratios of regulatory requirements like capital adequacy ratio the banks shall maintain.

This research explores the impact of capital structure on the profitability of publicly traded manufacturing firms in Bangladesh. In this paper, we applied the fixed effect regression to find out the correlation among independent variables (debt ratio, equity ratio and debt to equity ratio) and dependent variables (return on asset, return on equity and earnings per share). A sample of 50 observations of selected 10 manufacturing companies listed in Dhaka Stock Exchange has been analyzed over the period of 2013 to 2017. This research reveals that the debt ratio and equity ratio have a significant positive impact but debt to equity ratio has a significant negative impact on ROA. This paper also exposes that, equity ratio has a significant positive impact but debt to equity ratio has a significant negative impact on ROE. Finally, debt and equity ratio has a significant negative impact on EPS. Findings of this research will help the listed manufacturing companies to maintain an optimum capital structure which will lead to the maximization of stockholders wealth.

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