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Microstructure, phase transition and electric properties of Pb 0.99 (Zr 0.95 Ti 0.05 ) 0.98 Nb 0.02 O 3 (PZTN 95/5) ferroelectric ceramics modified with x wt% ZnO additive (where x  = 0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3 and 0.4) were systematically investigated. It was found that ZnO modification brought out an improvement of densification and an increase in grain size of PZTN 95/5 ceramics. Results of dielectric and pyroelectric measurements demonstrated that, the low temperature rhombohedral-high temperature rhombohedral ferroelectric phase transition temperature ( T LH ) gradually decreased with increasing x to 0.2, while the Curie temperature ( T c) gradually increased. With further increasing ZnO content, however, T LH and T C almost showed no change. Additionally, the excellent ferroelectric, pyroelectric and piezoelectric properties were all achieved by less than 0.2 wt% ZnO modification. It is suggested that, due to superior room–temperature pyroelectric properties, the 0.2 wt% ZnO-modified PZTN 95/5 ceramics may be a promising material for applications in uncooled pyroelectric infrared detectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reperfusion therapy contributes to better clinical outcomes in patients with acute ischemic stroke but carries a more significant risk of hemorrhagic transformation (HT) compared to supportive care. Once HT occurs, the outcome is usually poor and this causes a dilemma in the treatment of ischemic stroke. Consequently, early prediction of HT would be extremely helpful for guiding precise treatment of ischemic stroke. In this review, we focus on summarizing biomarkers of HT and elucidating possible mechanisms so as to identify potential biomarkers for predicting HT. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The solar chimney power plant (SCPP) is one method of solar thermal utilization with high/super-high chimney. There are few methods to decrease the solar chimney height. One possible method is the sloped solar chimney power plant (SSCPP), which depends on the special geographical condition. In the present paper, another system is proposed to overcome this problem, which is named solar double-chimney power plant (SDCPP). Mathematical models of the SDCPP are established and its performances are analyzed. It is found that, for an SDCPP with 5 MW configuration size, the average temperature rises of the horizontal and tilted solar collectors are 5.64 K and 7.87 K respectively. The highest wind speeds in the inner chimney and in the interlayer of the inner and outer chimney are 15.28 m/s and 19.41 m/s respectively. The annually average SDCPP power productivity and power efficiency are 4.72 MW and 1.2% respectively. The power productivity of the SDCPP is 1.59 times larger than that of the CSCPP and 2.77 times larger than that of the SSCPP. Through comparing with the CSCPPs in the literature, the SDCPPs can increase their power productivities by 21%–55%. The SDCPP is a promising method for non-concentrating solar thermal power generation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the performance of graded channel double-gate MOSFET (GC-DGFET) that utilizes the charge-plasma concept and a high-κ spacer is investigated through 2-D device simulations. The results demonstrate that GC-DGFET with high-κ spacer can effectively improve the ON-state driving current ( I ON ) and reduce the OFF-leakage current ( I OFF ). We find that reduction of the initial energy barrier between the source and channel is the origin of this I ON enhancement. The reason for the I OFF reduction is identified to be the extension of the effective channel length owing to the fringing field via high-κ spacers. Consequently, these devices offer enhanced performance by reducing the total gate-to-gate capacitance ( C gg ) and decreasing the intrinsic delay (τ). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a breakdown-enhanced AlGaN/GaN MISFET with a source-connected P-buried layer combined with field plates (SC-PBL FPs MISFET). A TCAD tool was used to analyze the breakdown characteristics of the proposed structure, and results show that in comparison to the conventional gate field plate MISFET (GFP-C MISFET), the proposed structure provides a significant increase of breakdown voltage ( V BK ) due to redistribution of electric field in the gate-drain region induced by the SC-PBL and the FPs. The optimized SC-PBL FPs MISFET with a gate-drain spacing of 6 μm achieved a high Baliga’s figure of merit of 2.6 GW cm −2 with a corresponding breakdown voltage ( V BK ) of 1311.62 V and specific on resistance ( R ON,sp ) of 0.66 mΩ cm 2 , which demonstrates a good trade-off between R ON,sp and V BK compared to the GFP-C MISFET with V BK of 524.27 V and R ON,sp of 0.61 mΩ cm 2 . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A pair of novel sesquiterpenoids, (8R)-alismanoid A (1a) and (8S)-alismanoid A (1b), possessing an unprecedented 1,2-seco bisabolene carbon skeleton, were isolated from rhizomes of Alisma orientale together with two new sesquiterpenoids: a 15-nor guaiane alismanoid B (2) and alismanoid C (3). Their structures were elucidated by 1D and 2D NMR, HRESIMS, electronic circular dichroism (ECD), and theoretical calculations, and a plausible biosynthetic pathway for compound 1 is discussed. Meanwhile, compounds 1–3 were investigated for their protective effects on H2O2-induced damage in human dopaminergic neuroblastoma cells (SH-SY5Y), and compounds 1b, 2, and 3 showed significantly protective activities at a certain concentration. Further, the action mechanism of compound 3 was proved to be through inhibition of H2O2-induced apoptosis in SH-SY5Y cells. Herein, these results suggest that sesquiterpenoids are potential candidate drugs for treating Parkinson's disease induced by reactive oxygen species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the influence of phase evolution on polarization change and electrocaloric response in lead-free (Ba0.9Ca0.1)(Ti1− x Zr x)O3 ceramics ( BCTZ) was systematically investigated. With increasing Zr/Ti ratio, the phase structure and phase transition behavior were greatly changed, resulting in various temperature and electric field dependence of electrocaloric responses. For x=0.05, a peak electrocaloric temperature change 1.64 K (at 130°C) and corresponding entropy change 1.78 J·kg−1·K−1 were obtained for 0-7 kV·mm−1 electric field. Negative electrocaloric temperature change in −0.1 K was obtained below Curie temperature ( Tc), which may be induced by the orthorhombic-tetragonal ferroelectric phase transition. With the increase in x, the peak value of the electrocaloric response decreased but much better temperature stability was observed. Simultaneously the negative electrocaloric response gradually disappeared with the disappearance of the low temperature ferroelectric-ferroelectric phase transition. For x=0.2, electrocaloric response showed good temperature stability ranging from room temperature to 130°C, attributing to the relaxor ferroelectric feature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A silicon-on-insulator (SOI) lateral double-diffused MOSFET (LDMOSFET) with a buried field plate (BFP-LDMOS) is proposed. Its characteristics are studied using 2-D simulations. The proposed structure features double buried field plates which are surrounded by buried oxide (BOX) and connected to the source and drain electrode, respectively. The drain buried field plate (DBFP) prevents a premature breakdown at the interface of the silicon/BOX and enhances the dielectric field. The source buried field plate (SBFP) introduces a new electric-field peak and modulates the distribution of the horizontal electric field. In addition, the BFPs replace part of the BOX, which is useful to minimize self-heating effects (SHE). According to the simulation results, compared to a conventional SOI LDMOS (C-LDMOS), the breakdown voltage (BV) in the BFP-LDMOS increases from 128 V to 182 V. The specific on-state resistance ( R on,sp ), however, decreases from 20.46 mΩ cm 2 to 18.50 mΩ cm 2 . Moreover, the maximum lattice temperature at 1 mW/μm and V gs = 10 V is reduced by 33.8 K compared to the C-LDMOS device. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To evaluate the ablation ranges and temperature rising rates of three microwave antenna with different diameters in vitro bovine and in vivo porcine livers.Materials and Methods: In vitro and in vivo study, microwave ablations (MWA) were induced at a power output of 70 W for 5, 8, and 10 min; a total of 54 and 36 ablations were performed, respectively. Temperature measurements were performed in the 70 W/10 min group with 3 different microwave antennas.Results: In vitro study, the long axis diameter for the 16G microwave antenna was longer than the 15G (P < 0.05) and 14G microwave antennae (P < 0.05). The sphericity index for the 14G and 15G microwave antennae was higher than the 16G microwave antenna (P < 0.05 for both). In the in vivo study, the short- and long-axis diameters, and sphericity index were not statistically different between the 14G, 15G, and 16G groups. The temperature data were not statistically different in both studies.Conclusions: Although the thin microwave antenna had a longer long-axis diameter and a lower sphericity index in vitro study, the thin microwave antenna achieved the same ablation effect in vivo application. MWA has several advantages, and the thin microwave antenna decreases the puncture risk and complication rate. Thus, a thin microwave antenna (15G and 16G) is beneficial in clinical applications and will have a significant influence in the development of MWA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of stereotactic body radiation therapy for the elderly with advanced or medically inoperable pancreatic cancer was still debated. Therefore, we evaluated the value of stereotactic body radiation therapy and its association with survival of those patients. A total of 417 elderly patients were retrospectively reviewed from 2012 to 2015. Overall survival ( OS), progression-free survival ( PFS), local recurrence-free survival ( LRFS), distant metastasis-free survival ( DMFS), and toxicities were analyzed. Prescription doses ranged from 30-46.8 Gy in 5-8 fractions. Median age was 73 years old. Median OS, PFS, LRFS, and DMFS were 10, 8, 10, and 9.5 months, respectively. One-year OS, PFS, LRFS, and DMFS rate were 35.5%, 18.2%, 26.6%, and 27.1%, respectively. Tumor stage and tumor response at 6 months and CA19-9 levels normalization at 3 months after treatment were independent predictors of OS, PFS, LRFS, and DMFS. Patients with early-stage cancer, better tumor response, and normalization of CA19-9 levels had significantly longer OS, PFS, LRFS, and DMFS. Patients with the prodrug of 5- FU and radiotherapy had longer survival than those with gemcitabine-based chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Patients who received BED10 ≥ 60 Gy achieved better tumor response compared with those who received BED10 < 60 Gy. Two patients had grade 4 intestinal strictures. No grade 3 or higher hematologic toxicities occurred. Stereotactic body radiation therapy is safe and effective for elderly patients with advanced or medically inoperable pancreatic cancer. Early efficacy could be predictive of prognosis. Higher doses may be associated with efficacy but need further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we propose an enhanced efficiency 4H-SiC U-shaped trench-gate MOSFET (UMOSFET) structure. The proposed device structure takes an advantage of a p+-polySi/SiC shielded region to reduce the on-state specific resistance. We show that the heterojunction diode formed by the p+-polySi and the n-drift regions improves the body diode effect, and thereby, reduces the reverse recovery charge. Further, we illustrate through simulation results that in comparison with the traditional p+-SiC shielded UMOSFET, the proposed device structure provides a 56.5% improvement in the figure of merit (including the breakdown voltage and on-resistance), and a 35.7% and 55.5% reduction in specific on-resistance and reverse recovery charge, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

A new compound parabolic concentrator (CPC) for solar photocatalytic hydrogen production has been designed and estimated in the present study. Parameters of the CPC, i.e., the orientation, the acceptance angle and the absorber tube diameter are designed according to the local meteorological conditions. A north-south orientated, adjustable, single axis tracking truncated CPC with the concentration ratio of 4.22 is designed as one unit. An experimental system including 76 units with the total light area of 103.7m 2 is developed and installed. The units have four different angles with inclination being 25°, 35°, 45° and 55°, respectively. The system is operated under the natural circulation condition for most of the time, with high pressure gas perturbing the sedimentary photocatalysts from time to time. NiS-Cd x Zn 1−x S is used as the photocatalyst. Preliminary results show that the mean hydrogen productivity and cumulative hydrogen generation are 7.14 NL/h and 42.84 NL/day of the horizontal angle 25° row on a typical meteorological day. The average energy conversion efficiency is 0.087%. The daily hydrogen generation of the whole system is accumulated to be 160.34 NL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Ultrasonic waves were successfully introduced into Cu-TiB 2 melt at 1523 K. • The deagglomeration and dispersion of TiB 2 were achieved by ultrasonic treatment. • The strength and ductility were improved concurrently after ultrasonic treatment. In this paper, ultrasonic vibration treatment (UVT) was directly introduced into Cu-Ti-B melt through a Sialon sonotrode. The effects of UVT on the microstructures and properties of TiB 2 /Cu composite thus fabricated were investigated. The results indicate that with the application of UVT, the average size of the particle agglomerates in the as-cast composite reduced from 24.84 μm to 19.69 μm. Besides, the 3D morphology of the agglomerates changed from irregular to near-spherical under the effect of ultrasound cavitation. The acoustic streaming promotes the flow of the melt to realize a more uniform distribution of particles in the bulk. Dispersion of TiB 2 particles alleviates the stress concentration caused by coarse agglomerates, resulting in the concurrent improvements in both strength and ductility of the composite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A recently found precipitation hardened Cu-Hf alloy is a promising candidate for the fabrication of novel high strength and high electrical conductivity materials. However, the precipitation behavior and microstructural evolution during thermo-mechanical processing remain poorly recognized. The present paper focuses on the crystallography, thermodynamics and kinetics of precipitation process during isothermal aging and the interaction between nano-precipitates and nano-twins during liquid nitrogen temperature (LNT) rolling in Cu-Hf alloys. The isothermal aging precipitation procedure of Cu-Hf alloys was identified as supersaturated FCC-Cu → coherent Cu 5 Hf phase → incoherent Cu 51 Hf 14 phase. The coherent Cu 5 Hf is oriented with respect to the Cu matrix: (1 1 1) Cu / / (3 1 1) C u 5 Hf , [ 0 − 1 1 ] Cu / / [ 0 − 1 1 ] C u 5 Hf . According to thermodynamic assessment and kinetic analysis, the formation of intermediate Cu 5 Hf phase is due to the lower accommodation energy and interfacial free energy of coherent nano-precipitates, and the change of the growth mode results in shape change in nano-precipitates. Based on molecular dynamics simulations, the significant improvement in the twinning ability of Cu-Hf alloys by the pre-existing nano-precipitates leads to the formation of plenty of nano-twin bundles during LNT-rolling. Finally, a new type of Cu-Hf based alloys with an excellent combination of high strength, high electrical conductivity, as well as high heat-resistance were fabricated by routine process. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hyperoxia exposure can cause dramatic release of proinflammatory cytokines, leading to neuronal apoptosis and inducing white matter damage in newborn mouse brains. Some studies indicated that the Notch activation was provoked during inflammation and might regulate adaptive and innate immune responses. Moreover, the pathway also regulated oligodendrocyte maturation which was disrupted in neonatal mice after hyperoxia exposure. This study sought to investigate whether the Notch signalling activation contributed to immature brain damage after hyperoxia exposure. Cellular changes in the white matter (WM) of neonatal wild-type mice exposed to 80% oxygen from postnatal day 3 (P3) to day 5 (P5) were determined. Moreover, in order to further confirm the relationship between the Notch signalling pathway and hyperoxia-induced periventricular white matter injury, mice were pre-treated with a γ-secretase inhibitor (N-[N-(3,5-difluorophenacetyl)- l -alanyl]- S -phenylglycine t-butyl ester, DAPT), which inhibits activation of the Notch pathway before exposure to hyperoxia. The results suggested that expression of myelin basic protein (MBP) increased in P12 mice subjected to hyperoxia after DAPT pretreatment. Moreover, hyperoxia could cause mature oligodendrocytes (MBP + ) counts decreased with an obvious inverse increase in OPCs (NG2 + ) after hyperoxia on P12, DAPT pretreatment significantly ameliorated disruption of oligodendrocytes maturation induced by hyperoxia. Our results also demonstrated that DAPT could reduce memory impairment induced by hyperoxia exposure. Taken together, these results suggest that hyperoxia exposure induces both brain damage in the developing brain and behavioural abnormalities through the Notch signalling activation. And modulation of γ-secretase, selectively interfering with the Notch signalling pathway, could improve adverse outcomes induced by hyperoxia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a multiple trench split-gate silicon-on-insulator (SOI) lateral double-diffused MOSFET with a Schottky rectifier (MTS-SG-LDMOS) is proposed and its characteristics are studied using 2-D simulations. The new structure features double oxide trenches, a floating polysilicon split-gate, and a Schottky rectifier. Each oxide trench includes a vertical field plate which enhances the depletion of the drift region and modulates the bulk electric field. As the simulation results, when compared to the conventional SOI LDMOS (C-LDMOS), the breakdown voltage in the MTS-SG-LDMOS increases from 297 to 350 V, the specific on-state resistance ( R \mathrm{\scriptscriptstyle ON,\mathsf {sp}} ) decreases from 142.9 to 48.2 \textm\Omega \cdot \mathsf cm^\mathsf 2 , and the gate–drain charge ( Q {\mathsf {gd}} ) decreases from 19 to 9 pC. Moreover, the reverse recovery time of the proposed structure shows a 73.6% reduction as compared to the C-LDMOS device. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electrical hysteresis behaviors and energy storage performance of Pb0.97La0.02(Zr0.58Sn0.335Ti0.085)O3 antiferroelectric ( AFE) ceramics were studied under the combined effects of electric field and temperature. It was observed that the temperature dependence of recoverable energy density ( Wre) of AFE ceramics depends critically on the applied electric field. While Wre at lower electric fields (<8 kV/mm) shows increasing tendency with increasing temperature from 20°C to 100°C, Wre at higher electric fields (>8 kV/mm) demonstrates decreasing dependence. There exists an appropriate electric field (8 kV/mm) under which the AFE ceramics exhibit nearly temperature-independent Wre (the variation is less than 0.5% per 10°C). The underlying physical principles were also discussed in this study. These results indicate that the temperature dependence of Wre of AFE materials can be tuned through selecting appropriate electric fields and provide an avenue to obtain thermal stable energy storage capacitors, which should be of great interest to modern energy storage community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustained Casing Pressure (SCP) is a critical aspect to gas well safety and environmental protection. All regulations require SCP elimination. This paper focuses on the SCP which is caused by gas migration in cemented casing annulus. We modeled the gas channeling-path of cemented section and further developed a modified method to predict casing pressure rise. A field study was presented in the paper to verify the result of the prediction. We also analyzed the effects of the annular permeability, initial annular pressure, gas leakage pressure and the cementing isolation interval length on SCP. The annular equivalent permeability and initial annular pressure influence the rising rate of casing pressure without influencing the maximum casing pressure; while gas leakage pressure and the length of cementing isolation interval can influence both the rising rate and the maximum casing pressure. We discussed also the prevention measures. In particular, we suggest that the rising rate and the maximum of casing pressure should be considered while determining the cementing isolation interval. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Morphine is viewed as one of the classical treatments for intractable pain, but its role is limited by side effects, including analgesic tolerance. A few chemokines have been reported to be engaged in the mechanisms of morphine tolerance. However, the exact roles of CXC chemokine 11 ( CXCL11) in chronic morphine tolerance remain unknown. In this study, Walker 256 mammary gland carcinoma cells were inoculated into the tibia of rats to provoke cancer-induced bone pain. Then, morphine was intrathecally administered twice daily for seven consecutive days to induce drug tolerance. We found that the level of CXCL11 in lumbar spinal cord was increased during the development of morphine tolerance in cancer-induced bone pain rats. Meanwhile, CXCL11 was co-localized with markers of astrocytes and neurons in the spinal cord. Inhibition of CXCL11 by neutralizing antibodies could remarkably attenuate the degree of morphine tolerance and decrease the activation of astrocytes. Moreover, blocking astrocyte activation by d, l-Fluorocitric acid could distinctly alleviate morphine tolerance and reduce the expression of CXCL11. Finally, morphine stimulation could induce the release of CXCL11 by cultured astrocytes and neurons in vitro. In summary, our results provide evidence that spinal CXCL11 plays a powerful modulatory role in the development of morphine tolerance through cross-talking between astrocytes and neurons.. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an optimized split-gate-enhanced trench MOSFET with dual channels (DSGE-UMOS). The 2-D device simulator ATLAS is used to investigate the characteristics of the proposed structure. When compared with the conventional SGE-UMOS, the optimized device shows a significant reduction in the specific on-resistance ( R {\mathrm{\scriptscriptstyle ON}\text {-sp}} ) at a breakdown voltage of 120 V, which is due to the adoption of an additional p-type well region. Furthermore, the proposed structure can also enhance the single-event burnout (SEB) survivability. Based on the DSGE-UMOS, the hardened DSGE-UMOS (an n-type buffer layer is added between the epitaxial layer and substrate layer) is also investigated that the addition of the buffer layer can improve the SEB performance a lot. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(Bi0.5Na0.5)TiO3-BiAlO3 lead-free materials exhibit excellent ferroelectric properties, but its depolarization temperature is relatively low which is the major obstacle limiting the material's practical application. In this study, the effects of Manganese (Mn) modification on the microstructure, ferroelectric properties and depolarization behavior of 0.96(Bi0.5Na0.5)(Ti1− xMn x)O3-0.04BiAlO3 ceramics were investigated. It was found that the average grain size was enlarged and ferroelectric properties were enhanced with small Mn addition, meanwhile the tangent loss decreased. The remnant polarization ( Pr) of the samples reached an optimal value (~41 μC/cm2) as Mn content increased up to 0.7 mol%, whereas further addition resulted in the decrease in Pr. Moreover, appropriate Mn addition ( x=0.7%) can improve the depolarization temperature from 140°C to 161°C determined from thermally stimulated depolarization currents measurement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ca x Sr 0.3− x Ba 0.7 Nb 2 O 6 [CSBN ( x ), x = 0.00, 0.10, 0.20, and 0.30] lead-free ceramics were fabricated by traditional solid-state reaction technique. The morphology, structure, dielectric, ferroelectric and pyroelectric properties of CSBN ( x ) ceramics were systematically studied. The thermal depoling behaviors were evaluated through measurements of temperature dependence of piezoelectric constant ( d 33 ). All CSBN ( x ) ceramics exhibited obvious diffuse phase transitions and maximum dielectric constant (ε m ) increased monotonically with x . The ferroelectric and pyroelectric properties of CSBN ( x ) have been enhanced remarkably due to Ca addition. The remnant polarization ( P r ) and pyroelectric coefficient ( p ) of CSBN (0.30) samples reached 4.95 μC/cm 2 and 1.30 × 10 −8 C/cm 2 K which roughly tripled and doubled pure SBN. What's more, CSBN (0.20) samples achieved rather high pyroelectric figure of merit of voltage ( F v = 0.0203 m 2 /C) which is superior to many other lead-free materials and pyroelectric figure of merit of detectivity ( F D ) for CSBN (0.20) and CSBN (0.30) samples both soared to 0.61 × 10 −5 Pa −1/2 . The most inspiring part is the depoling temperature and Curie temperature noticeably shifted to higher temperature region owing to Ca addition. These results unveil the potential of CSBN ( x ) ceramics for infrared detector applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, an n-p-n collector incorporated in the back side of a 4H-SiC trench IGBT is presented to reduce the turn-off energy loss. A comparative study between the proposed structure and the conventional structure is conducted through ATLAS. The simulation results have demonstrated that the turn-off energy loss is reduced by more than 82.96% with a slight degradation in the on-state voltage drop. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Major histocompatibility class II (MHC II)-specific activation of CD4 + T helper cells generates specific and persistent adaptive immunity against tumors. Emerging evidence demonstrates that MHC II is also involved in basic pain perception; however, little is known regarding its role in the development of cancer-induced bone pain (CIBP). In this study, we demonstrate that MHC II expression was markedly induced on the spinal microglia of CIBP rats in response to STAT1 phosphorylation. Mechanical allodynia was ameliorated by either pharmacological or genetic inhibition of MHC II upregulation, which was also attenuated by the inhibition of pSTAT1 and pERK but was deteriorated by intrathecal injection of IFNγ. Furthermore, inhibition of ERK signaling decreased the phosphorylation of STAT1, as well as the production of MHC II in vivo and in vitro . These findings suggest that STAT1 contributes to bone cancer pain as a downstream mediator of ERK signaling by regulating MHC II expression in spinal microglia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In recently, several large longitudinal population-based studies have shown that the rate of cognitive decline is accelerated in elderly people with diabetes mellitus. But the relation between diabetes and AD is still an area of controversy. The objective of this review was to update the evidence for or against diabetes as a risk factor of AD.Methods: We searched the literature from their inception to May 2016 without restriction of language. We included all longitudinal population-based studies examining the association between diabetes and risk of AD. The meta-analysis was conducted using Stata software.Results: A total of 17 studies involving 1,746,777 individuals were included. After pooling these 17 studies, subjects with diabetes had significant higher incidence of AD than those without diabetes (RR: 1.53, 95% CI: 1.42-1.63). When stratified by ethnicity, five cohorts were identified as Eastern populations, twelve were identified as Western populations. The Relative risk of AD in Western populations and Eastern populations were 1.36(1.18-1.53) and 1.62(1.49-1.75).Conclusion: The risk of AD is higher among people with diabetes than in the general population, especially in Eastern populations. So the necessary treatment measures should be taken in order to decrease the risk of AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The composition dependent dielectric, ferroelectric and energy storage properties of tetragonal lead lanthanum zirconate stannate titanate (PLZST) antiferroelectric ceramics were systematically studied in this paper. Two sets of simple linear scaling relations were established for the forward switching field E AFE-FE , the backward switching field E FE-AFE and recoverable energy density W re . As Zr content increases (Ti fixed), E AFE-FE , E FE-AFE , W re decreases linearly, while the stored energy density W st declines first and then increases. In addition, decreasing Ti content (Zr fixed) leads to linear increments in all of E AFE-FE , E FE-AFE , W re and W st . These results not only reveal the superiority of PLZST with lower Zr and lower Ti contents for energy storage capacitors, but also provide a fast way to design PLZST ceramics with specific energy storage properties. Our work may also be very helpful for better understanding the mechanism of phase transition behaviors of antiferroelectric materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the chemical constituents of the soft coral species Sinularia compacta which include secondary metabolites such as cembranoid diterpenes, sesquiterpenes, and sterols. Topics discussed include collection of bioactive secondary metabolites and their symbiotic fungi, isolation of cembranoid diterpenes and structural analysis of isolated compounds by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) imaging.

Background: The decision to perform a total thyroidectomy (TT) for unilateral papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC) with nodules in the contralateral lobe remains controversial. The aim of this study was to investigate the rate of contralateral carcinomas that are preoperatively misdiagnosed as benign. Methods: From October 2011 to October 2015, a total of 347 patients with unilateral PTMC and contralateral benign nodules who were treated with a TT at a single institution were enrolled. All patients underwent preoperative fine needle aspiration and ultrasonography (US). Clinicopathological features such as age, sex, laterality, tumor size, central lymph node metastases, capsular invasion, TgAb and TPOAb levels, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, nodule number in both lobes according to preoperative US, and primary carcinoma number in the final postoperative pathology report were all analyzed to investigate the rate and predictive factors of contralateral carcinoma. Results: A total of 100 patients (28.9 %) were diagnosed with papillary thyroid carcinoma in the contralateral lobe. A multivariate analysis showed that tumor size, nodule number in the contralateral lobe, and multifocality of the primary tumor were all independent predictive factors of contralateral carcinoma in patients with unilateral PTMC and contralateral benign nodules. Conclusions: According to our findings, the rate at which contralateral carcinomas are preoperatively misdiagnosed as benign is 28.9 %. A TT is essential for unilateral PTMC with a primary tumor size >5 mm, multifocal primary carcinomas or multifocal benign nodules in the contralateral lobe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stilbenes (based on the 1,2-diphenylethylene skeleton) are a class of plant polyphenols with rich structural and bioactive diversity. Twenty-six stilbenes, including five undescribed compounds (7,8-dioxy-4,3′,5′-trihydroxystilbene, trans -13′-methoxygnetin H, suffruticosol E, paestibenetrimerols A and B), were isolated from the seedcases of Paeonia suffruticosa Andrews. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic analyses and comparison with previously reported data. The absolute configurations of trans -13′-methoxygnetin H, suffruticosol E, paestibenetrimerols A and B were assigned from their respective electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectra. Additionally, the structures of known compounds suffruticosols A, B and rockiol B were revised and the absolute configurations of them, and along with (+)-davidiol A, were also further determined by ECD. The isolated compounds, trans -gnetin H, cis -gnetin H and suffruticosol E, were found to have potent cytotoxicity against the DU-145 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines with IC 50 values of 4.89–8.61 μM. The preliminary antitumor structure-activity relationship of these stilbenes is discussed as well. 26 Stilbenes including five undescribed ones were isolated from Paeonia suffruticosa Andrews. The isolated compounds, trans -gnetin H, cis -gnetin H and suffruticosol E showed potent cytotoxicity against the DU-145 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines with IC 50 values of 4.89–8.61 μM. [Display omitted] • Five undescribed stilbenes were isolated from the seedcases of Paenoia suffruticosa Andrews. • The absolute configurations of isolated compounds were determined by ECD. • The structures of suffruticosols A, B and rockiol B were revised. • trans -Gnetin H, cis -gnetin H and suffruticosol E showed potent cytotoxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Controllable Cu 2 O nanocrystals with petal-like structure were successfully synthesized by the introduction of a concentrated ripening process into the methodology developed by the preparation of Cu 2 O nanocubes. The mechanism of shape evolution of petal-like Cu 2 O nanoflowers was proposed to reveal the concentrated ripening process as a novel strategy in the fabrication of special structured nanocrystals. Cu 2 O nanoflowers with petal-like structure exhibited enhanced activity and stability in hydrogen evolution compared with Cu 2 O naonocubes via the same route. The enhanced activity and stability of Cu 2 O nanoflowers was attributed to their unique petal-like sheet structure, which exhibited large BET surface area and pore volume. The results of cycle experiments also confirmed the enhanced stability of Cu 2 O nanoflower, which the H 2 evolution rate of Cu 2 O nanoflower only decreased by 5.5% after the 4th cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective This paper aimed to investigate ego modules for TGFβ3-induced chondrogenesis in mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) using ego network algorithm. Methods The ego network algorithm comprised three parts, extracting differential expression network (DEN) based on gene expression data and protein-protein interaction (PPI) data; exploring ego genes by reweighting DEN; and searching ego modules by ego gene expansions. Subsequently, permutation test was carried out to evaluate the statistical significance of the ego modules. Finally, pathway enrichment analysis was conducted to investigate ego pathways enriched by the ego modules. Results A total of 15 ego genes were obtained from the DEN, such as PSMA4 , HNRNPM and WDR77 . Starting with each ego genes, 15 candidate modules were gained. When setting the thresholds of the area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AUC) ≥0.9 and gene size ≥4, three ego modules (Module 3, Module 8 and Module 14) were identified, and all of them had statistical significances between normal and TGFβ3-induced chondrogenesis in MSCs. By mapping module genes to confirmed pathway database, their ego pathways were detected, Cdc20:Phospho-APC/C mediated degradation of Cyclin A for Module 3, Mitotic G1-G1/S phases for Module 8, and mRNA Splicing for Module 14. Conclusions We have successfully identified three ego modules, evaluated their statistical significances and investigated their functional enriched ego pathways. The findings might provide potential biomarkers and give great insights to reveal molecular mechanism underlying this process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cancer induced bone pain (CIBP) remains one of the most intractable clinical problems due to poor understanding of its underlying mechanisms. Recent studies demonstrate the decline of inhibitory interneurons, especially GABAergic interneurons in the spinal cord, can evoke generation of chronic pain. It has also been reported that neuronal MHC-I expression renders neurons vulnerable to cytotoxic CD8 + T cells and finally lead to neurons apoptosis in a variety neurological disorders. However, whether MHC-I could induce the apoptosis of GABAergic interneurons in spinal cord and contribute to the development of CIBP remains unknown. In this study, we investigated roles of MHC-I and underlying mechanisms in CIBP on a rat model. Our results showed that increased MHC-I expression on GABAergic interneurons could deplete GABAergic interneurons by inducing their apoptosis in the spinal dorsal horn of tumor-bearing rats. Pretreatment of MHC-I RNAi-lentivirus could prevent the apoptosis of GABAergic interneurons and therefore alleviated mechanical allodynia induced by tumor cells intratibial injection. Additionally, we also found that CD8 + T cells were colocalized with MHC-I and GABAergic neurons and presented a significant and persistent increase in the spinal cord of tumor-bearing rats. Taken together, these findings indicated that MHC-I could evoke CIBP by promoting apoptosis of GABAergic interneurons in the dorsal horn, and this apoptosis was closely related to local CD8 + T cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents 2-D numerical simulation results of single-event burnout (SEB) in power trench accumulation mode field effect transistor (ACCUFET) for the first time. In this device, a p+ base region is used to deplete the n− base region to achieve a low leakage current density, and the blocking voltage is supported by the n− drift region. We find that the depth of the p+ base region determines both the leakage current density and SEB performance, as a result, there is a tradeoff relationship between the two characteristics. The 60 V hardened power ACCUFET shown in this paper could demonstrate much better SEB performance without sacrificing the current handling capability compared with the standard UMOSFET. The hardened structure mentioned in this paper indicates that an n buffer layer is added between the epitaxial layer and substrate layer based on a basic power device. As a result, the safe operating area (SOA) of the 60 V, 80 V and 100 V hardened ACCUFET discussed in this paper could reach the value of breakdown voltage when the buffer layer is over a certain value, that can realize safety operation throughout entire LET range. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background: Glioblastoma is refractory to conventional treatment, which is combined of surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Recent studies have shown that glioma initiating cells (GICs) contribute to tumorigenesis and radioresistance. Recently, other studies showed that the GICs use the autophagy as the major pathway to survive. Chloroquine, an anti-malarial chemical, is an autophagic inhibitor which blocks autophagosome fusion with lysosome and slows down lysosomal acidification. The aim of this study was to explore the mechanisms of chloroquine on the radiosensitivity of GICs.Methods: Human glioblastoma cell lines U87 were investigated. MTT and clonogenic survival assay were used to evaluate the cell viability and survival from radiation. The formation of autophagosomes were evaluated by immunofluorescence. Annexin V-FITC/PI staining and flow cytometry were used to quantify the apoptotic cells. The expression levels of proteins were analyzed by Western blot. Cell cycle status was analyzed by checking DNA content after staining with PI. A comet assay was used to assess the DNA repair in the cells. Tumorsphere assay was used for evaluating GICs' renewal ability.Results: Treatment of U87 GICs with chloroquine (10-80 nmol/L) alone inhibited the cell growth in a dose-dependent manner. A dose of chloroquine (20 nmol/L) obviously enhanced the radiation sensitivity of U87 GICs., we found more punctate patterns of microtubule-associated protein LC3 immunoreactivity in radiation-treated U87 GICs, and the level of membrane-bound LC3-II was obviously enhanced. A combination of radiation and chloroquine obviously enhanced the U87 GICs' apoptosis, as demonstrated by the enhanced levels of caspase-3, and reduced level of Bcl-2. In additon, combination of radiation and chloroquine cause G1/G0 cell cycle arrest. what's more, Chloroquine obviously weakened the repair of radiation-induced DNA damage as reflected by the tail length of the comet. Combination treatment of irradiation and chloroquine has synergistic effects on decreasing the GICs' tumorsphere number and diameter.Conclusion: Chloroquine enhances the radiosensitivity of GICs in vitro, suggesting the feasibility of joint treatment with chloroquine with radiation for GBM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we propose a junctionless MOSFET with asymmetric gates (AG-JL MOSFET). This device is a double gate structure with a lateral offset between the gate, and this leads to different characteristic than a conventional double gate structure. Specifically, the asymmetric gate modulates the effective channel length depending on whether the device is in the ON or OFF state, which this leads to more ideal device characteristics. A comprehensive device performance comparison including the I ON /I OFF ratio, subthreshold slope (SS), and drain-induced barrier lowering (DIBL) between the proposed device and a conventional device is presented. The proposed device exhibits superior performance when compared a conventional device, and results show that it is also less sensitive to process variations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phenylethynyl-terminated polyimide (PI)/carboxylated multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) composite films were synthesized from 4,4′-oxydianiline, carboxylated MWCNTs, and 3,3′,4,4′-biphenyl tetracarboxylic dianhydride and capped by 4-phenylethynylphthalic anhydride through in situ polymerization under sonication. The results of scanning electron microscopy indicated that the carboxylated MWCNTs were uniformly dispersed in the phenylethynyl-terminated PI matrix. Thermal gravimetric analysis indicated that the initial thermal decomposition temperatures of the films were up to 500°C, and the addition of carboxylic MWCNT have advantage of thermal properties of the phenylethynyl-terminated PI. The dynamic mechanical thermal analysis results clearly indicated that the glass transition temperature increases with increasing carboxylated MWCNT content. In addition, the mechanical properties of the composite films were improved by the carboxylated MWCNTs. The electrical properties were greatly enhanced due to the good conductivity of the carboxylated MWCNTs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a reverse conducting insulated gate bipolar transistors (RC-IGBT) structure with a raised N-buffer layer (RNB-IGBT) to improve the single-event burnout (SEB) robustness. The electrical and radiation properties of the structure were verified by TCAD simulations. At the same snapback voltage of 0.22 V and the liner energy transfer (LET) of 60 MeVcm2/mg conditions, the SEB threshold of RNB-IGBT is improved by 52 % compared to that of conventional RC-IGBT. This result indicates that the raised N-buffer layer of the RNB-IGBT can effectively reduce impact ionization, so it can suppress excessive heat concentration and avoid induce SEB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant essential oil (EO) is an important natural active product, and the development of efficient and green EO separation technique has been one of the research hotspots. In this work, surfactant-enzyme pretreatment in high-solid system followed by microwave-assisted hydrodistillation (SEHS-MHD) was developed for the isolation of EO from Mosla chinensis Maxim. Through kinetic curve fitting, pretreatment of raw materials with combined enzyme (cellulase and hemicellulase of 1:1 in activity value) and surfactant (tween-20) in high-solid system (20% solid content) could provide a higher yield of EO. Compared with other reference methods, the yield of EO obtained by SEHS-MHD was significantly increased, which was mainly due to the synergistic interaction of enzyme and surfactant in the high-solid system. The results of gas chromatography-mass spectrometer analysis showed that the main components of M. chinensis EO were thymol and carvacrol, the contents of which were 75.38% and 17.20%, respectively. Additionally, the inhibitory enzyme activity and antifungal activity of M. chinensis EO were evaluated, the results of which indicated that EO had no obvious inhibitory activity on α-amylase and acetylcholinesterase, but had spectral antifungal activity. In general, the SEHS-MHD developed in this work is a potential and powerful alternative to traditional techniques for the sufficient isolation of EO from natural plant and crop materials. • Surfactant and enzyme were combined to pretreat raw materials in high-solid system. • Synergistic interaction of surfactant and enzyme in high-solid system was produced. • Kinetics and composition of essential oils under various conditions were studied. • Essential oil showed excellent inhibitory activity against plant pathogenic fungi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, three different configurations of composite materials models of TiB 2 /Cu homogeneous structure, single TiB 2 /Cu network structure and hybrid reinforced (TiB 2p +TiB w)/Cu network structure are established based on their actual microstructure. The models take into account the ductile fracture of the matrix, the brittle fracture of the reinforcing phase and the traction separation behavior of the interface. Influence of mesh size and mass scaling factor on the simulation results are discussed. The validity of the simulation results is verified by the agreement of the experimental tensile stress-strain curve. The effects of TiB 2 particle size, volume fraction and hybrid effects of TiB 2p +TiB w on plastic deformation and mechanical properties of composites are assessed from the three aspects: interface damage, load-bearing capacity of reinforcement and matrix damage. Compared with the TiB 2 /Cu homogeneous composites and the single TiB 2 /Cu network composites, the hybrid reinforced (TiB 2p +TiB w)/Cu network composites has better comprehensive mechanical properties, and its tensile strength and elongation are 349 MPa and 10.6 %, respectively. The addition of whiskers can effectively improve the bearing capacity of the hybrid reinforced (TiB 2p +TiB w)/Cu network composites, but reduce the elongation of composites. [Display omitted] • Models of homogeneous composites, single TiB 2 network composites and hybrid TiB 2p +TiB w network composites are established. • The particle size, volume fraction and the hybrid effects of TiB 2p +TiB w on the deformation of composites are studied. • The composites are assessed from the three aspects: interface damage, load-bearing capacity of and matrix damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A novel numerical modeling method for multiphase and multiscale Cu matrix composites based on FEM is proposed. • Two 3D finite element models of (TiB 2p + TiB w)/Cu composites and TiB 2p /Cu composites were established. • Whisker orientation in hybrid composites has great influence on mechanical properties of composites. In this paper, a novel numerical modeling method for multiphase and multiscale Cu matrix composites (CMCs) is constructed from material characteristics, complex structure reconstruction, interface behavior characterization, and comprehensive mechanical properties prediction. On this basis, two 3D finite element models of (TiB 2p + TiB w)/Cu composites and TiB 2p /Cu composites are established respectively according to the actual microstructure of CMCs. Brittle fractures of TiB 2p and TiB w , ductile fracture of Cu matrix, and interface behavior are taken into account in the model to predict the cracking evolution process of CMCs. The consistency with the experimental stress-strain curve verifies the reliability of the models. The deformation behavior and fracture mechanism of (TiB 2p + TiB w)/Cu composites were studied. By analyzing the stress and strain distributions of reinforcements, interface and the evolution of cracks of matrix in (TiB 2p + TiB w)/Cu composites, the model reveals hybrid effects of particle and whisker on the mechanical behavior in composites. The stress concentration factors are used to quantify the bearing capacity of particle and whisker in hybrid composites. The interface damage rate and the damage accumulation of matrix of the two kinds of composites are also discussed. A relationship between the macroscopic mechanical behavior and microstructure of (TiB 2p + TiB w) reinforced CMCs is investigated. This work can provide useful guidance for the optimal design and industrial application of CMCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

I) Current clamp recording of hippocampus neuron stimulated with 20 ms pulse light without or with PS. Whole-cell patch clamp recording was conducted in ChR2-expressed cells stimulated by blue light in the presence of PS (PS(+)) or not (PS(-)). G) The curve between input power density and inward currents induced by light with PS or without PS in primary hippocampus neuron. [Extracted from the article]

The spherical TiB 2 /Cu composite powder was fabricated by a new method of liquid-phase in-situ reaction coupled with inert gas atomization. The powder morphology, characteristic indexes, microstructure and nanoindentation hardness were investigated. The effects of spheroidization time and solidification rate of atomized molten droplets on powder sphericity and the relationship between in-situ reaction control and TiB 2 distribution were discussed. Results indicate that the powder has a good sphericity and d 50 is 32.86 μm, in addition to 75% fine powder yield (<45 μm). The in-situ formed TiB 2 particles (TiB 2p) were uniformly distributed in grain boundaries and intragrain. The rapid solidification of molten droplets and the inhibition of copper grain growth by TiB 2p refined the Cu matrix grain size (4.34 μm). The nanoindentation hardness of composite powder is 3.17 GPa, which is 1.9 times higher than that of spherical Cu powder, and the reasons for the increased hardness of powder are also discussed. [Display omitted] • Spherical TiB 2 /Cu powder was prepared by in-situ reaction coupled with gas atomization. • Powder characteristic indexes: d 50 = 32.86 μm, fine powder yield =75% (<45 μm). • Partition melting alloys and micro-melts flow mixing result in TiB 2p uniformity distribution. • The improvement of powder hardness is attributed to Orowan strengthening and grain refinement strengthening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Two new pairs of DKP alkaloids were isolated by chiral column. • Theoretical calculations methods were applied to assign absolute configurations. • Compound 7 exhibited potent cytotoxic activity against HGC-27 cell line. (±)-brevianamide Z [(±)- 1 ] and (±)-brevianamide Z1 [(±)- 2 ], two new pairs of diketopiperazine alkaloids, along with nine known analogues [(±)- 3 , (±)- 4 , (±)- 5, 6, 7 , and 8 ], were isolated from the marine-derived fungus Aspergillus versicolor. The structures of 1 – 8 including their absolute configurations were assigned based on extensive spectroscopic analysis, and calculated NMR, ECD, ORD and DP4+ methods. All the obtained compounds were evaluated for their cytotoxic, antibacterial, and antifungal activities. Among them, 7 exhibited potent cytotoxic activity against the HGC-27 cell line with an IC 50 value of 4.54 µM, stronger than that of cisplatin (IC 50 , 8.63 µM). [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Al 2 O 3 -modified Pb 0.99 (Zr 0.95 Ti 0.05 ) 0.98 Nb 0.02 O 3 (PZT 95/5) ferroelectric ceramics with enhanced breakdown strength were prepared from PZT 95/5 powders coated with a thin Al 2 O 3 shell layer, which were fabricated by a Citrate-Chelation method followed by a conventional sintering process. The microstructure and electrical properties of the as-prepared ceramics as a function of Al 2 O 3 content were systematically investigated. The results reveal that Al 2 O 3 nanoparticles are successfully coated on PZT 95/5 powders to form the core–shell structure and well dispersed at the grain boundaries of the PZT 95/5 ceramic matrix after sintering, which strengthened the grain boundaries. In particular, compared with pure PZT 95/5 ferroelectric ceramics, PZT 95/5 ceramics with less than 1.0 wt% Al 2 O 3 inclusion possess the enhanced breakdown strength and energy density, of which the largest increment being 25.9% and 13.5%, respectively. It is indicated that the as-prepared PZT 95/5 ferroelectric ceramics may be a promising candidate for explosively driven power supply. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a sandwich vertical tunnel field effect transistor (SDG-VTFET) is presented and studied. Since the dominant carrier tunneling of SDG-VFET occurs in a direction that is in line with the gate field, high ON-state current and steep subthreshold slope are observed. Comparisons between SDG-VFET and double gate tunnel field effect transistor are made to clarify advantages of SDG-VTFET. The simulation results of our work show that SDG-VTFET has stronger gate control, steeper subthreshold slope and higher ON-state current. The device plays a promising candidate for future low power circuit applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shale gas contains free gas and adsorbed gas in matrix pores. The size of matrix pore is on the order of nanometer, large specific surface area makes the adsorbed gas occupy a large part of the total void volume. However, most widely used simulators ignore the volume reduction of free gas due to adsorbed gas, resulting in the OGIP errors. In order to make the simulation results be more reasonable and accurate, firstly, we derived the correction formulas of bulk porosity, free gas saturation and connate water saturation used for converting measured data into simulation model. Then, the matrix porosity, gas saturation and connate water saturation are corrected to match the original gas in place (OGIP) and the production data of Barnett Shale. Finally, the effects of gas adsorption on gas production in Barnett Shale with porosity correction are studied. The results show that porosity correction is significantly necessary before inputting the measured parameters into a simulator. In Barnett Shale, the adsorbed gas takes up 1/4 of the total void volume, if this partial volume is ignored, the free gas storage capacity and OGIP will be overestimated by 52.49% and 25.5%, respectively. The cumulative gas production will be much higher without porosity correction due to the artificial increasing of the free gas volume in the model which should be occupied by adsorbed gas in reality. The adsorption effect of shale gas is adverse to the development of shale gas. Only a little fraction of the adsorbed gas contributes to gas production in the late-stage. For Barnett Shale, the recovery factor of free gas is about three times of adsorbed gas; the gas recovery factor in the near-wellbore region is about two times of the gas recovery factor in the whole reservoir. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we propose and simulate an asymmetric dual-gate tunneling FET (ADG-TFET) combining a tunneling field effect transistor (TFET) with a junctionless field effect transistor (JLFET). The current is controlled by an in the bottom channel potential barrier as well as the reverse-biased P+ pocket-Intrinsic region (p-i) tunnel junction bandgap, which combines the merits of both bandgap-controlled TFET and barrier-controlled JLFET. The simulation results of ADG-TFET with high-κ dielectric material (HfO 2 ) of 40-nm gate length show excellent characteristics with high I ON /I OFF ratio of 3.3 × 10 10 and I ON of 302 μA/μm, a steep subthreshold slope (SS) for point SS of 35 mV/decade and average SS of 54 mV/decade at room temperature, which indicates that ADG-TFET is a promising candidate for future low power circuit applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Left ventricular hypertrabeculation/noncompaction (LVHT/LVNC), characterized by prominent trabeculations and intertrabecular recesses within the left ventricle, is a cardiac abnormality of unclear etiology. Although the left ventricle is the most commonly affected site, a few cases of biventricular involvement have also been reported. We report a 31-year-old woman who presented with mild cardiac symptoms and progressive bilateral limb muscle weakness following exercise which she had also been experiencing for about 5 years. Abnormal serum levels of creatine kinase, lactic acid and pyruvic acid, combined with the results of modified lactate stress test, needle EMG and muscle biopsy indicated that she had mitochondrial myopathy. The transthoracic echocardiography, together with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), revealed biventricular hypertrabeculation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyethylene 2, 5-furandicarboxylate-lactic acid copolyesters (PEFL) were synthesized from bis (hydroxyethyl)-2, 5-furandicarboxylate and oligomer of l -lactic acid, through two-stage condensation. The polyesters were characterized using FTIR, 1 H NMR, GPC, and WXRD. The weight-average molecular weight (M w ) of the polyesters ranged from 68240 to 130433. The glass transition temperature (T g ) of the copolyesters increased gradually with increasing content of 2, 5-furandicarboxylate. In phosphate buffer solution (PBS, pH = 7.4) and in soil, the degradability of the polyesters was evaluated for 55 d. More weight loss was obtained with a higher ratio of lactate polymers in soil than those with a lower ratio in PBS. After 55 d, the weight loss of PEFL20/80 reached 65% and 24% in soil and PBS, respectively. However, the mole fraction of lactyl and furanic units that was calculated by 1 H NMR data did not change. Comparing the scanning electron microscopy images, we found many micro-cracks on the copolyester surfaces. Meanwhile, M w and T g also decreased prominently during degradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]