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Objectives: Previous studies have demonstrated that obesity may impact the efficacy of anti‐PD1 therapy, but the underlying mechanism remains unclear. In this study, our objective was to determine the prognostic value of obesity in patients with oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma (OTSCC) treated with pembrolizumab and establish a subtype based on fatty acid metabolism‐related genes (FAMRGs) for immunotherapy. Materials and Methods: We enrolled a total of 56 patients with OTSCC who underwent neoadjuvant anti‐PD1 therapy. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses, Kaplan–Meier survival analysis, and immunohistochemistry staining were performed. Additionally, we acquired the gene expression profiles of pan‐cancer samples and conducted GSEA and KEGG pathway analysis. Moreover, data from TCGA, MSigDB, UALCAN, GEPIA and TIMER were utilized to construct the FAMRGs subtype. Results: Our findings indicate that high Body Mass Index (BMI) was significantly associated with improved PFS (HR = 0.015; 95% CI, 0.001 to 0.477; p = 0.015), potentially attributed to increased infiltration of PD1 + T cells. A total of 91 differentially expressed FAMRGs were identified between the response and non‐response groups in pan‐cancer patients treated with immunotherapy. Of these, 6 hub FAMRGs (ACSL5, PLA2G2D, PROCA1, IL4I1, UBE2L6 and PSME1) were found to affect PD‐1 expression and T cell infiltration in HNSCC, which may impact the efficacy of anti‐PD1 therapy. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that obesity serves as a robust prognostic predictor for patients with OTSCC undergoing neoadjuvant anti‐PD1 therapy. Furthermore, the expression of 6 hub FAMRGs (ACSL5, PLA2G2D, PROCA1, IL4I1, UBE2L6 and PSME1) plays a pivotal role in the context of anti‐PD1 therapy and deserves further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cerebral ischemic stroke remains a leading cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. Toll‐like receptor 4 (TLR4) has been implicated in neuroinflammatory responses poststroke, particularly in the infiltration of immune cells and polarization of macrophages. This study aimed to elucidate the impact of TLR4 deficiency on neutrophil infiltration and subsequent macrophage polarization after middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO), exploring its role in stroke prognosis. The objective was to investigate how TLR4 deficiency influences neutrophil behavior poststroke, its role in macrophage polarization, and its impact on stroke prognosis using murine models. Wild‐type and TLR4‐deficient adult male mice underwent MCAO induction, followed by various analyses, including flow cytometry to assess immune cell populations, bone marrow transplantation experiments to evaluate TLR4‐deficient neutrophil behaviors, and enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay and Western blot analysis for cytokine and protein expression profiling. Neurobehavioral tests and infarct volume analysis were performed to assess the functional and anatomical prognosis poststroke. TLR4‐deficient mice exhibited reduced infarct volumes, increased neutrophil infiltration, and reduced M1‐type macrophage polarization post‐MCAO compared to wild‐type mice. Moreover, the depletion of neutrophils reversed the neuroprotective effects observed in TLR4‐deficient mice, suggesting the involvement of neutrophils in mediating TLR4's protective role. Additionally, N1‐type neutrophils were found to promote M1 macrophage polarization via neutrophil gelatinase‐associated lipocalin (NGAL) secretion, a process blocked by TLR4 deficiency. The study underscores the protective role of TLR4 deficiency in ischemic stroke, delineating its association with increased N2‐type neutrophil infiltration, diminished M1 macrophage polarization, and reduced neuroinflammatory responses. Understanding the interplay between TLR4, neutrophils, and macrophages sheds light on potential therapeutic targets for stroke management, highlighting TLR4 as a promising avenue for intervention in stroke‐associated neuroinflammation and tissue damage. Significance statement: This study illuminates the beneficial effects of TLR4 deficiency in improving stroke outcomes, demonstrating how it enhances protective N2 neutrophil infiltration and diminishes harmful M1 macrophage polarization. These findings highlight TLR4's pivotal role in stroke‐induced neuroinflammation and brain damage, presenting it as a promising target for therapeutic intervention. By understanding the nuanced interplay between immune responses and stroke pathology, this research opens avenues for developing novel treatments aimed at reducing the devastating impact of stroke, offering hope for improved recovery and quality of life for stroke patients worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: This study aimed to evaluate the characteristics and prognostic factors for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients on maintenance hemodialysis (HD). Methods: All admitted HD patients who were infected with SARS-CoV-2 from December 1, 2022, to January 31, 2023, were included. Patients with pneumonia were further classified into the mild, moderate, severe, and critical illness. Clinical symptoms, laboratory results, radiologic findings, treatment, and clinical outcomes were collected. Independent risk factors for progression to critical disease and in-hospital mortality were determined by the multivariate regression analysis. The receiver operating characteristic analysis with the area under the curve was used to evaluate the predictive performance of developing critical status and in-hospital mortality. Results: A total of 182 COVID-19 patients with HD were included, with an average age of the 61.55 years. Out of the total, 84 (46.1%) patients did not have pneumonia and 98 (53.8%) patients had pneumonia. Among patients with pneumonia, 48 (49.0%) had moderate illness, 26 (26.5%) severe illness, and 24 (24.5%) critical illness, respectively. Elder age [HR (95% CI): 1.07 (1.01–1.13), p <0.01], increased levels of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) [1.01 (1.003–1.01), p <0.01], and C-reactive protein (CRP) [1.01 (1.00–1.01), p = 0.04] were risk factors for developing critical illness. Elder age [1.11 (1.03–1.19), p = 0.01], increased procalcitonin (PCT) [1.07 (1.02–1.12), p = 0.01], and LDH level [1.004 (1–1.01), p = 0.03] were factors associated with increased risk of in-hospital mortality. Conclusion: Age, CRP, PCT, and LDH can be used to predict negative clinical outcomes for HD patients with COVID-19 pneumonia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Edge detection is a widely popular data processing tool in magnetic and gravity exploration which plays an important role in defining shapes and horizontal locations of underground geological structures such as faults, rock boundaries, and minor lineaments. Conventional edge detectors, which are mostly derived from the total field anomaly, have long been applied in field exploration. However, the development of full gradient tensor measurement, which improves detection resolution and provides greater geophysical detail for researchers, has given greater importance to edge detection for full gradient tensors. We propose the use of multiple combinations of gradient tensor components and their eigenvalues to construct balanced boundary recognition filters, taking full advantage of information from the gradient tensor matrix. Different synthetic tests demonstrated that model boundaries were definitely detected, and our methods demonstrated great robustness to noise and oblique magnetization. Field processing of magnetic and gravity data using our methods also yielded clear lineaments and structure locations. Compared with other edge detectors derived from gradient tensors, boundary detection accuracy was considerably improved and false edges were nearly eliminated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salivary gland malignancies are rare and are often acompanied by poor prognoses. So, identifying the populations with risk factors and timely intervention to avoid disease progression is significant. This study provides an effective prediction model to screen the target patients and is helpful to construct a cost‐effective follow‐up strategy. We enrolled 249 patients diagnosed with salivary gland tumors and analyzed prognostic risk factors using Cox proportional hazard univariable and multivariable regression models. The patients' data were split into training and validation sets on a 7:3 ratio, and the random survival forest (RSF) model was established using the training sets and validated using the validation sets. The maximally selected rank statistics method was used to determine a cut point value corresponding to the most significant relation with survival. Univariable Cox regression suggested age, smoking, alcohol consumption, untreated, neural invasion, capsular invasion, skin invasion, tumors larger than 4 cm, advanced T and N stage, distant metastasis, and non‐mucous cell carcinoma were risk factors for poor prognosis, and multivariable analysis suggested that female, aging, smoking, untreated, and non‐mucous cell carcinoma were risk factors. The time‐dependent ROC curve showed the AUC of the RSF prediction model on 1‐, 2‐, and 3‐year survival were 0.696, 0.779, and 0.765 respectively in the validation sets. Log‐rank tests suggested that the cut point 7.42 risk score calculated from the RSF was most effective in dividing patients with significantly different prognoses. The prediction model based on the RSF could effectively screen patients with poor prognoses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compared to traditional single-axis motors, reluctance spherical motors (RSMs) can generate rotational torque in three spatial latitudes on a single motor, thus enabling three degrees-of-freedom (DOF) motion. Due to the complexity of their structure, the finite element method (FEM) is usually used to calculate the torque, but this method has the problem of consuming huge computational resources and long computation time. To address the problem that the FEM for calculating the torque of RSM consumes a lot of computation time, the torque model of RSM is developed by using the virtual work method considering the nonlinear cases of the magnetic circuit in this paper. Firstly, the inductance simulation of a single stator coil of a RSMs is carried out using finite element simulation software to obtain its inductance model. When the magnetic circuit is linear, the torque is obtained by partial differential calculation of the inductance surface. When the magnetic circuit is nonlinear, the distribution of flux linkage is first solved. Then, the electromagnetic torque is obtained by partial differential calculation of the magnetic co-energy. The calculated results are then projected to the global coordinate system to convert the two-DOF torque to the three-DOF torque. Finally, the experimental torque measurement platform is built, and the torque is measured and compared with the analytical calculation results. The results show that this method greatly reduces the amount of computing and simulation work with accurate modeling and provides a theoretical basis for the study of energization strategies and real-time control of the reluctance spherical motors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumour (IMT) of the common bile duct (CBD) is an extremely rare low-grade malignancy with various biological behaviours and a lack of specific clinical and histopathological features. Preoperative and intraoperative diagnosis are challenging, and a diagnostic delay may increase surgical complexity. Case presentation: We present the case of a 34-year-old male with no relevant medical history who presented with jaundice of 20 days of evolution. Histology and immunohistochemistry confirmed the diagnosis of an IMT with anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-1 expression. In addition, a review of the relevant literature revealed 13 published reports of biliary IMTs. The clinical history and histopathological features in these 13 cases were compared with those in our case to provide a comprehensive overview of the clinical manifestations and histopathological features of the disease. Conclusion: IMT of the CBD is an extremely rare low-grade malignancy that mainly occurs in middle-aged female patients. The main clinical manifestation is monosymptomatic jaundice. The reported tumours originated in the middle and lower segments of the CBD, with an average size of approximately 3.5 cm × 3.0 cm and tumour cells expressing smooth muscle actin (SMA), vimentin and ALK. Abnormal ALK expression and ALK gene rearrangement represent potential histopathological and differential diagnoses. A clear diagnosis by preoperative biopsy and intraoperative frozen section examination is critical and can significantly reduce surgical trauma. The prognosis is good, and very few patients experience recurrence or distant metastasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article proposes a rotor attitude estimation (RAE) method for spherical motors using the multiobject Kalman kernel correlation filter (MKKCF) algorithm in monocular vision. A permanent magnet spherical motor (PMSpM) is adopted as the research object, and a monocular area scan camera is equipped in the RAE system with a visual feature component mounted on top of the rotor output shaft. In the proposed MKKCF algorithm, the Kalman filter is used to enhance the robustness and accuracy of KCF tracker for each object. To simplify the proposed algorithm verification, a one-object tracking comparison is conducted among the KCF algorithm, the fast discriminative scale space tracking (FDSST) algorithm, and the Kalman KCF algorithm, and the results show that Kalman KCF tracker is more applicable for RAE. In addition, an RAE test bench is developed, and the MKKCF-based RAE method and the micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) (MPU9250) method are compared when estimating the rotor attitude. To set a benchmark, the contact rotor position measurement with encoders is used. The comparison results indicate that the MKKCF-based RAE method works with higher accuracy than the MEMS method. Finally, a closed-loop PMSpM control experiment is conducted by using the proposed MKKCF-based RAE method, and the practicability of the proposed method is proved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dapsone (DDS), Rifampicin (RIF) and Ofloxacin (OFL) are drugs recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) for the treatment of leprosy. In the context of leprosy, resistance to these drugs occurs mainly due to mutations in the target genes (Folp1, RpoB and GyrA). It is important to monitor antimicrobial resistance in patients with leprosy. Therefore, we performed a meta-analysis of drug resistance in Mycobacterium leprae and the mutational profile of the target genes. In this paper, we limited the study period to May 2022 and searched PubMed, Web of Science (WOS), Scopus, and Embase databases for identified studies. Two independent reviewers extracted the study data. Mutation and drug-resistance rates were estimated in Stata 16.0. The results demonstrated that the drug-resistance rate was 10.18% (95% CI: 7.85–12.51). Subgroup analysis showed the highest resistance rate was in the Western Pacific region (17.05%, 95% CI:1.80 to 13.78), and it was higher after 2009 than before [(11.39%, 7.46–15.33) vs. 6.59% (3.66–9.53)]. We can conclude that the rate among new cases (7.25%, 95% CI: 4.65–9.84) was lower than the relapsed (14.26%, 95 CI%: 9.82–18.71). Mutation rates of Folp1, RpoB and GyrA were 4.40% (95% CI: 3.02–5.77), 3.66% (95% CI: 2.41–4.90) and 1.28% (95% CI: 0.87–1.71) respectively, while the rate for polygenes mutation was 1.73% (0.83–2.63). For further analysis, we used 368 drug-resistant strains as research subjects and found that codons (Ser, Pro, Ala) on RpoB, Folp1 and GyrA are the most common mutation sites in the determining region (DRDR). In addition, the most common substitution patterns of Folp1, RpoB, and GyrA are Pro→Leu, Ser→Leu, and Ala→Val. This study found that a higher proportion of patients has developed resistance to these drugs, and the rate has increased since 2009, which continue to pose a challenge to clinicians. In addition, the amino acid alterations in the sequence of the DRDR regions and the substitution patterns mentioned in the study also provide new ideas for clinical treatment options. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studying the temperature field of photovoltaic modules is important for improving their power generation efficiency. To solve the problem of traditional sensors being unsuitable for measuring the spatial temperature field, we designed a real-time detection scheme of the photovoltaic module temperature field based on a fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensor array. In this scheme, wavelength division multiplexing and space division multiplexing technologies were applied. The multi-channel FBG sensor strings were arranged on the surface and in the near field of the photovoltaic module. Different FBG strings were selected through optical switches, and the wavelength of the FBG string was addressed and demodulated using the tunable laser method and a peak-seeking algorithm. A measurement experiment of the photovoltaic module temperature field was carried out in an outdoor environment. The experimental results showed that the fluctuation law of the photovoltaic module surface and near-field temperature is basically consistent with that of solar radiation power. The temperature of the photovoltaic module decayed from the surface to space. Within 6 mm of the photovoltaic module surface, the temperature sharply dropped, and then the downward trend became flat. The lower the solar radiation power and the higher the wind speed, the faster the temperature decay. This method provides technical support for measuring the temperature field of a photovoltaic module and other heat source equipment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hot spot effect is an important factor that affects the power generation performance and service life in the power generation process. To solve the problems of low detection efficiency, low accuracy, and difficulty of distributed hot spot detection, a hot spot detection method using a photovoltaic module based on the distributed fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensor is proposed. The FBG sensor array was pasted on the surface of the photovoltaic panel, and the drift of the FBG reflected wavelength was demodulated by the tunable laser method, wavelength division multiplexing technology, and peak seeking algorithm. The experimental results show that the proposed method can detect the temperature of the photovoltaic panel in real time and can identify and locate the hot spot effect of the photovoltaic cell. Under the condition of no wind or light wind, the wave number and variation rule of photovoltaic module temperature value, environmental temperature value, and solar radiation power value were basically consistent. When the solar radiation power fluctuated, the fluctuation of hot spot cell temperature was greater than that of the normal photovoltaic cell. As the solar radiation power decreased to a certain value, the temperatures of all photovoltaic cells tended to be similar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A permanent magnet spherical motor (PMSpM) is a representative multiple degree-of-freedom electric apparatus. This paper proposes new analytical models for the PMSpM with stepped cylindrical permanent magnets (PMs). The research is not only to obtain the magnetic field and torque models of the PMSpM but also to yield a potential analytic tool for the spatial magnetic field and torque decomposition. The model decomposition aims to acquire a potential tool for the future research on PMSpM topology optimization and working mechanism. To achieve the two research targets above, the toroidal expansion method is used for magnetic field modeling, and the finite element method verification and experimental verification are conducted. Then, forces and torques are deduced from the Lorentz force law. In addition, a prototype PMSpM has been produced and the comparison studies of the air-gap flux density and torque among decomposed components are conducted using finite element analysis results and experimental results. It is concluded that the proposed analytical PMSpM models and the model decomposition method are proved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes an adaptive backstepping sliding mode control method based on a nonlinear disturbance observer (NDO) to solve the problem that the tracking performance of the motion system of a permanent magnet spherical motor (PMSpM) is degraded due to the influence of external nonlinear disturbance. First, the dynamic model of the PMSpM under the compound interference is established. Second, an NDO and an adaptive backstepping sliding mode controller are designed to compensate for the external disturbances and modeling uncertainties, and the stability of the closed-loop system using the proposed method is confirmed through the Lyapunov theorem. Then, compared with the results of proportion differentiation control and conventional sliding mode control, the simulation results show that the proposed method can significantly reduce input signal chattering and improve the trajectory tracking performance of the PMSpM. Finally, experimental results are provided to validate the effectiveness of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A holographic spectrum method (HSM) of multi-phase and multi-layer winding magnetomotive force (MMF) for 12-slot/10-pole combination with fractional-slot concentrated-winding (FSCW) is proposed in this paper. Taking two kinds of traditional winding layout as example, amplitude and phase distribution of the vth harmonic are calculated. The holospectrum of the multi-phase and multi-layer winding are derived based on three-phase single-layer (TP-SL) and three-phase double-layer (TP-DL) holospectrum theory. Then the finite element method (FEM) is used to validate the resultant winding MMF calculated by the holospectrum method. Results show that two methods have a good consistency in changing tendency. Prototype manufacture and test of axial-flux PMSM with a double-three-phase four-layer (DTP-FL) winding have been completed. A load experiment with two groups of resistance is established to validate its output power of axial-flux permanent magnet synchronous machine (PMSM). The temperature distribution of axial-flux PMSM is evaluated with PT100 and infrared thermal imager. The experiments shows that the axial-flux PMSM runs at a relative temperature rise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a monolayer Halbach array based permanent magnet spherical motor (PMSpM) using cubic permanent magnets (PM). The research aims to provide a fast computing model to calculate the magnetic field for this PMSpM, which helps for future PMSpM optimization and control study. Three thickness equivalence principles are provided and compared for cubic PMs. The magnetic scalar potential is introduced, and the spherical harmonics expansion is implemented for rotor magnetic field analysis. Engineering revision is used to reduce the Legendre function deviation in polar angle direction. Torques and forces are deduced using the Lorentz force law, and relatively simple models of this PMSpM for both magnetic fields and torques are acquired. In addition, a prototype motor has been developed, and the analytic results of air-gap flux density and torque are compared with their finite element simulation and experimental results, which are proved consistent. It is concluded that the fundamental component of the spherical harmonics can be used to present the magnetic field model, which uses fewer integrals than the Biot-Savart law based solution, and the modeling results of the magnetic field flux density, forces and torques are in line with the expectations. The analytic models are proved correct. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Permanent magnet spherical motors (PMSMs) operate on the principle of the dc excitation of stator coils and three freedom of motion in the rotor. Each coil generates the torque in a specific direction, collectively they move the rotor to a direction of motion. Modeling and analysis of the output torque are of critical importance for precise position control applications. The control of these motors requires precise output torques by all coils at a specific rotor position, which is difficult to achieve in the three-dimension space. This article is the first to apply the Gaussian process to establish the relationship of the rotor position and the output torque for PMSMs. Traditional methods are difficult to resolve such a complex three-dimensional problem with a reasonable computational accuracy and time. This article utilizes a data-driven method using only input and output data validated by experiments. The multitask Gaussian process is developed to calculate the total torque produced by multiple coils at the full operational range. The training data and test data are obtained by the finite-element method. The effectiveness of the proposed method is validated and compared with existing data-driven approaches. The results exhibit superior performance of accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, negative transconductance (NTC) behavior in molybdenum disulfides (MoS2) field effect transistors (FETs) is investigated. Combining experimental observation and numerical analysis, we demonstrate that positive shift in the device transfer curves results from the electron trapping/de-trapping processes, where the defect densities at the MoS2/SiO2 interface are reduced when the temperature T decreases from 300 to 200 K. Moreover, the main types of defects that affect the device electrical performance are the interface defect and bulk sulfur vacancy VS in which VS induces the p-type doping effect. While decreasing T below 100 K, NTC occurs when their active layer thickness t (=41 and 35 nm) is larger than the Debye length λ (28 nm). Considering the n-type doping effect induced by the interface defects and the p-type doping caused by the bulk S vacancies, these two opposite doping regions are carefully implemented in simulation at T = 70 K. A vertical barrier induced by the inhomogeneous electron distribution enlarges with the increased gate bias VGS and, thereafter, leads to the unconventional increase in the contact and total resistances with t > λ. While t ≦ λ, the barrier and NTC behavior disappear. The current IDS and transconductance g obtained from the simulation confirm the low-temperature NTC mechanism related to the defects as discussed above. The material defects and physical origin of NTC discussed in the multilayer MoS2 transistors provide the theoretical foundation for designing and realizing novel structures of functional devices via defect engineering in the two-dimensional FET. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non‐linear friction between the rotor and the rotor support mandrels would occur during the movement of the permanent‐magnet spherical motor (PMSpM). The friction which varies with the position causes PMSpM jitter or even stop it when running at low speeds, and the system operation accuracy is reduced. To solve these problems, this work proposes a parameter identification method of the Coulomb friction model. First, a dynamics model with the Coulomb friction of PMSpM is established by using generalised Euler angles and the Lagrangian energy method. Then, a parameter identification method of the Coulomb friction model based on COMSOL Multi physics coupled simulation and MEMS experiment is proposed to obtain the friction torque data of the PMSpM. Finally, the friction torque compensation in a closed‐loop control experiment is completed by using the friction data. The results show that the accuracy of trajectory tracking control is significant, and the error is reduced by 49.32%. Hence, the distribution of the friction torque field is accurate and effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The permanent magnet spherical actuator (PMSA) is a multi-variable featured and strongly coupled nonlinear system, and its motion control will unavoidably be affected by various factors. In order to reduce the influence of model uncertainty, friction, and external disturbance on the actual control during the position tracking of PMSA, this paper proposes a novel adaptive friction compensation robust control method under compound disturbance to improve the motion stability of PMSA. In this method, an adaptive compensator is designed to compensate for the unmodeled friction with unknown but constant parameters, and a robust compensator is used to deal with friction parameter variation and non-parametric interference factors that cannot be modeled. The combination of the two controllers can achieve better friction compensation and interference suppression with smaller feedback gain, thus reducing the trajectory tracking errors. In addition, in order to add the smoothness of the velocity value during the experiment, a first-order filter is introduced into the controller. Finally, the stability of the designed controller for the closed-loop system is proved by the Lyapunov method. Furthermore, a simulation model is established and experiments are conducted on the research prototype, and the feasibility and effectiveness under compound disturbance of the proposed control method are verified by comparing with the simulation and experimental results of other controllers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of shape, material and shell thickness on electric field distribution of both Ag@CuO and Ag@ZnO core–shell dimer is investigated. First, three core–shell structures, including plane@circle, triangle@circle and quadrilateral@circle are designed. The field enhancement advantages of the quadrilateral@circle structures are summarized by analyzing the electric field distribution diagrams. Then the influence of materials on the field enhancement effect of core–shell dimer is discussed. The results show that Ag@CuO structure has better stability, while Ag@ZnO structure have larger electric field enhancement. Finally, the shell thickness is changed from 0.1 nm to 1.5 nm. We found that the X-component electric field of both the Ag@ZnO and Ag@CuO core–shell dimer structure is decreased with the increase in the shell thickness. Also, the X-component electric field of Ag@ZnO core–shell dimer is about five times than that of the Ag@CuO. The increase of electric field indicated that Ag@ZnO core–shell dimer has strong local surface plasma resonance characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pyriproxyfen is a juvenile hormone analogue. The physiological effects of its low-concentration drift during the process of controlling agricultural and forestry pests on non-target organisms in the ecological environment are unpredictable, especially the effects on organs that play a key role in biological function are worthy of attention. The silk gland is an important organ for silk-secreting insects. Herein, we studied the effects of trace pyriproxyfen on autophagy and apoptosis of the silk gland in the lepidopteran model insect, Bombyx mori (silkworm). After treating fifth instar silkworm larvae with pyriproxyfen for 24 h, we found significant shrinkage, vacuolization, and fragmentation in the posterior silk gland (PSG). In addition, the results of autophagy-related genes of ATG8 and TUNEL assay also demonstrated that autophagy and apoptosis in the PSG of the silkworm was induced by pyriproxyfen. RNA-Seq results showed that pyriproxyfen treatment resulted in the activation of juvenile hormone signaling pathway genes and inhibition of 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) signaling pathway genes. Among the 1808 significantly differentially expressed genes, 796 were upregulated and 1012 were downregulated. Among them, 30 genes were identified for autophagy-related signaling pathways, such as NOD-like receptor signaling pathway and mTOR signaling pathway, and 30 genes were identified for apoptosis-related signaling pathways, such as P53 signaling pathway and TNF signaling pathway. Further qRT-PCR and in vitro gland culture studies showed that the autophagy-related genes Atg5, Atg6, Atg12, Atg16 and the apoptosis-related genes Aif, Dronc, Dredd, and Caspase1 were responsive to the treatment of pyriproxyfen, with transcription levels up-regulated from 24 to 72 h. In addition, ATG5, ATG6 , and Dronc genes had a more direct response to pyriproxyfen treatment. These results suggested that pyriproxyfen treatment could disrupt the hormone regulation in silkworms, promoting autophagy and apoptosis in the PSG. This study provides more evidence for the research on the damage of juvenile hormone analogues to non-target organisms or organs in the environment, and provides reference information for the scientific and rational use of juvenile hormone pesticides. [Display omitted] • • Pyriproxyfen promoted autophagy and apoptosis in silk glands of silkworm. • • Differentially transcribed genes related to autophagy and apoptosis of silkworm silk gland induced by pyriproxyfen were obtained. • • In vitro culture verified the role of ATG5, ATG6 genes in promoting autophagy of silkworm silk gland. • • In vitro culture verified the role of Dronc genes in promoting apoptosis of silkworm silk gland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women worldwide, with 70% being estrogen receptor-positive (ER+). Although ER-targeted treatment is effective in treating ER + breast cancer, chemoresistance and metastasis still prevail. Outcome-predictable biomarkers can help improve patient prognosis. Through the analysis of the Array Express database, The Cancer Genome Atlas-Breast Cancer datasets, and breast tumor tissue array results, we found that cytochrome c oxidase subunit 5a (COX5A) was related to poor prognosis of ER + breast cancer. Further studies revealed that COX5A was positively associated with metastasis and chemoresistance in ER + breast cancer. In vitro experiments showed that knockdown of COX5A was accompanied by a decrease in ERα expression, cell cycle arrest, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition blockade, resulting in an inhibition of proliferation and invasion. Knockdown of COX5A enhanced the chemosensitivity of breast cancer cells by decreasing adenosine triphosphate and increasing reactive oxygen species levels. We report that miR-204 can target and inhibit the expression of COX5A, thus, reversing the functions of COX5A in ER + breast cancer cells. We found that COX5A may serve as a prognostic biomarker in ER + breast cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cecal ligation and perforation (CLP) model is the gold standard for the polymicrobial sepsis. In the CLP mice, the myeloid cells play an important role in septic shock. The phenotypes and the activation state of the macrophage and neutrophil correlate with their metabolism. In the present study, we generated the specific myeloid deletion of PDK1 and mTOR mice, which was the important regulator of metabolic signaling. We found that the deletion of PDK1 in the myeloid cells could aggravate the early septic shock in the CLP mice, as well as the deletion of mTORC1 and mTORC2. Moreover, PDK1 deletion attenuated the inflammation induced by LPS in the late stage on CLP mice, which was exacerbated in mTORC1 and mTORC2 knockout mice. Both PDK1 and mTORC1/2 could not only regulate the cellular metabolism but also play important roles on the myeloid cells in the secondary stimulation of sepsis. The present study will provide a theoretical prospect for the therapy of the septic shock in different stages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the complex spatial magnetic field distribution and the variable motion mode, the torque analysis of spherical motors is usually carried out by the finite-element method (FEM) with a large amount of calculation and time consumption. In order to improve analysis efficiency, this article proposes a spherical motor torque calculation method based on the permanent-magnet surface current model and Lorentz force, aiming to replace the finite-element calculation. First, the equivalent surface current analytical expression of the rectangular permanent-magnet magnetic field is derived. Then, this expression is used to establish the 3-D magnetic field analytical model of Halbach array permanent magnets in the rotor. Based on this magnetic field, the Lorentz force of the energized stator coil is calculated. Then, the electromagnetic torque generated by the rotor is analyzed. Finally, the analytical results of the magnetic field and the motor torque are compared with those by the FEM and experiments, verified that, under the premise of ensuring the calculation accuracy, the proposed method effectively shortens the calculation time and has higher stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A method for measuring the contact angle of the refrigerant falling film evaporation process is proposed. • The contact angle increases as the wall superheat increases in the evaporation process. • The relationship between the contact angle of R134a and the wall superheat is evaluated, and a correlation is developed. Rivulet is a very common form of flow during the refrigerant falling film evaporation process. In this work, a visual refrigeration cycle system is designed to observe the evaporative flow characteristics of R134a. The cross-sectional profile of the liquid film is obtained using a camera equipped with a charge-coupled device (CCD HV1351UM), after which the contact angle is measured by an edge detection technique and circle fitting under superheated conditions (0.2–1.8 °C). In the image fitting process, the pixels with the largest coefficient of determination (R2) are selected for fitting. The data show that the contact angle increases with the wall superheat because the increase in the wall superheat intensifies the evaporation at the contact line. In conclusion, we show that the measured contact angles lie close to the curve, θ = 12. 12 Δ T 0. 343 . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The finite-element model is established to simulate electromagnetic forces of a permanent-magnet (PM) spherical motor using the commercial software from Ansoft. The Taguchi method is used to optimize the magnetic field density in the radial air gap and the maximum torque of the PM spherical motor. The final optimization parameters are determined by a response surface method (RSM). The simulation results of the optimized motor are compared with those of the original motor to show that the output performances of the optimized motor have improved greatly, which verifies the effectiveness and practicability of the Taguchi method on the optimization of the PM spherical motor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we present a silicon-based p-i-n thermal diode, with post-CMOS MEMS processing (deep reactive ion etching and Al deposition) and annealing (at 250 °C). The MEMS processing degraded device stability as well as thermal sensing linearity and sensitivity, while the local annealing recovered the device performance (forward and reverse characteristics) by reducing the trap density and improving the carrier lifetime. After annealing, the on-membrane diode can achieve stabilized thermal linearity with a high sensitivity of ~ 2.25 mV/°C at 0.02– $0.03~\mu \text{A}$ low constant current, in the temperature range from room temperature to 200 °C, under a back-gate bias of 90 V to achieve a fully-depleted condition in the intrinsic (I) region and decrease the trap-assisted recombination at the front surface which dominates and degrades the device forward output current. To be compatible with commercial 1.0- $\mu \text{m}$ SOI CMOS technology, a front gate with a 25-nm-thick oxide dielectric is proposed and simulated in Atlas/SILVACO to optimize the device performance and achieve the same thermal characteristics under a front-gate bias of 1.0 V, showing its potential in low-power consumption electronics. The temperature sensor investigated in this work shows its industrial capability in gas sensing and integrated circuit applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Limited resident's participation in the stock market has become a key constraint to the capital market development. Utilizing the 2019 China Household Financial Survey (CHFS) data, our paper designs probit models to examine the peer effects of residents' stock market participation and explore the intermediary mechanisms with a multiple intermediary model. We find that: (1) Resident involvement in stock market decision-making exhibits significant peer effects. (2) Heterogeneity analysis reveals that males and rural residents display more pronounced peer effects than females and urban residents. Additionally, middle-aged residents demonstrate more potent peer effects than their younger and older counterparts, with the intensity of peer effects correlating with education levels. (3)We observe that the peer effects of market participation operate by altering economic expectations and enhancing residents' financial literacy. (4) Further investigation establishes that individuals engaging in stock market investments manifest peer effects when deciding whether to diversify their stock portfolio. This study holds reference value for analyzing the impact of social interaction on financial behaviors and regulating individuals' financial conduct. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Arteriovenous fistula (AVF) dysfunction is a prevalent complication among maintenance hemodialysis patients. However, the factors influencing AVF patency remain unclear. To address this, we conducted a study aimed at identifying factors contributing to AVF dysfunction in this patient population. Methods: The study compared clinical data, vascular calcification score, and laboratory data focusing on blood cell composition and coagulation in 100 maintenance hemodialysis patients in whom an AVF had been inserted from January through September of 2022. The patients were divided into a group in which the AVF functioned without issues and a group in which the AVF was dysfunctional, defined as not able to provide a blood flow of greater than 200 mL/min. Findings: Patients in the 2 groups (56 in the dysfunctional AVF group and 44 in the group with satisfactory AVF function) were similar demographically. Compared with the normally functioning AVF group, the AVF dysfunction group exhibited significantly higher Agatston calcium scores (20.5 [1.28, 298] median [Q1, Q3] vs. 1.14 [0.00, 11.6]; p = 0.01), elevated triglyceride levels (1.1 [0.6, 1.2] mmol/L vs. 0.5 [0.3, 0.8]; p < 0.01), increased prothrombin activity (113 ± 22.1% vs. 99.4 ± 23.1; p < 0.01), lower prothrombin time (10.4 [9.8, 10.8] s vs. 11.0 [10.3, 11.5]; p < 0.01), higher red blood cell (RBC) counts (3.5 ± 0.7 · 1012/L vs. 3.0 ± 0.7; p < 0.01), and elevated hemoglobin levels (98.0 ± 21.8 g/L vs. 84.9 ± 24.2; p < 0.01). Higher C‐reactive protein (20.2 [3.3, 20.2] mg/L vs. 17.8 [6.2, 17.8]; p = 0.01) and procalcitonin levels (0.9 [0.4, 0.9] ng/mL vs. 0.5 [0.2, 0.7]; p < 0.01) were also noted. Logistic regression analysis indicated that platelet/lymphocyte ratio, monocyte/lymphocyte ratio, and RBC count were factors associated with AVF dysfunction. Increased monocyte/lymphocyte ratio and RBC count correlated with higher risk, while a higher platelet/lymphocyte ratio was associated with lower risk. Discussion: Arteriovenous fistula dysfunction in maintenance hemodialysis patients is associated with higher proportions of specific hematological parameters, particularly elevated RBC count, and altered platelet/lymphocyte and monocyte/lymphocyte ratios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The RNA‐binding motif single‐stranded interacting protein 3 (RBMS3) is a constituent of the RNA‐binding motif (RBM) protein family, which assumes a pivotal role in governing cellular biogenesis processes such as the cell cycle and apoptosis. Despite an abundance of studies elucidating RBMS3's divergent roles in the genesis and advancement of various tumors, its involvement in colon cancer remains enigmatic. Methods: The present investigation employed data analysis from TCGA and GTEx to unveil that RBMS3 expression demonstrated a diminished presence in colon cancer tissues when juxtaposed with normal colon tissues. The effect of RBMS3 and LIM zinc finger domain 1 (LIMS1) on colon cancer was substantiated via animal models and cellular experiments. The connection between RBMS3 and LIM zinc finger domain 1 (LIMS1) was verified by molecular biology methods. Results: The study conclusively ascertained that augmenting RBMS3 expression quells the proliferation, migration, and invasion of colon cancer cells. Furthermore, the inquiry unveiled a plausible mechanism through which RBMS3 impacts the expression of LIMS1 by modulating its mRNA stability. The investigation ascertained that RBMS3 inhibits the progression of colon cancer by regulating LIMS1. The inhibitory function of LIMS1 and RBMS3 is closely intertwined in colon cancer, with knocking down LIMS1 being able to rescue the inhibitory effect of RBMS3 overexpression on the functionality of colon cancer cell Conclusions: The discernments delineate RBMS3 as a novel suppressor of cancer via LIMS1, thereby bestowing fresh therapeutic possibilities and illuminating the intricacies of colon cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Breast cancer, one of the most frequently occurring cancers worldwide, is the leading cause of cancer-related death among women. AKT1, PIK3CA, PTEN and TP53 mutations were common observed in breast cancer representing potential clinical biomarkers for cancer classification and treatment. A comprehensive knowledge of AKT1, PIK3CA, PTEN and TP53 mutations in breast cancer was still insufficient in Chinese population. In this study, the complete coding regions and exon-intron boundaries of AKT1, PIK3CA, PTEN and TP53 genes were sequenced in paired breast tumor and normal tissues from 313 Chinese breast cancer patients using microfluidic PCR-based target enrichment and next-generation sequencing technology. Total 120 somatic mutations were identified in 190 of the 313 patients (60.7%), with the mutation frequency of AKT1 as 3.2%, PIK3CA as 36.4%, PTEN as 4.8%, and TP53 as 33.9%. Among these mutations, 1 in PIK3CA (p.I69N), 3 in PTEN (p.K62X, c.635-12_636delTTAACCATGCAGAT and p.N340IfsTer4) and 5 in TP53 (p.Q136AfsTer5, p.K139_P142del, p.Y234dup, p.V274LfsTer31 and p.N310TfsTer35) were novel. Notably, PIK3CA somatic mutations were significantly associated with ER-positive or PR-positive tumors. TP53 somatic mutations were significantly associated with ER-negative, PR-negative, HER2-positive, BRCA1 mutation, Ki67 high expression and basal-like tumors. Our findings provided a comprehensive mutation profiling of AKT1, PIK3CA, PTEN and TP53 genes in Chinese breast cancer patients, which have potential implications in clinical management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work analyses the physics of active trap states impacted by hydrogen (H) and nitrogen (N) dopings in amorphous In-Ga-Zn-O (a-IGZO) thin-film transistors (TFTs) and investigates their effects on the device performances under back-gate biasing. Based on numerical simulation and interpretation of the device transfer characteristics, it is concluded that the interface and bulk tail states, as well as the 2+ charge states (i.e., acceptors VO2+) related to oxygen vacancy (VO), are neutralized by the H/N dopants incorporation via an experimental plasma treatment. Moreover, the simulation reveals that an acceptor-like defect VOH has been induced by the H doping, to support the observed additional degradation of device subthreshold slope. Superior stability of the optimized a-IGZO TFTs under a proper amount of H/N doping is demonstrated by the decreased density of VO-related defects in simulation, where hole (VO0 donor) and electron trapping (Oi acceptor) occurs during the negative or positive bias stresses. This work benefit lies in an in-depth systematic understanding and exploration of the effects of the incorporation of the H and N dopants into the a-IGZO film for the TFTs improvement and optimization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we present a detailed analysis of leakage current in a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) lateral P+P−N+ (p-i-n) diode suspended on a microheating platform, combining device experimental characterization and numerical simulation. The diode leakage currents have been extensively studied using the back-gate bias as a means to alter the space-charge (SC) condition at the P− region (I-region)/buried oxide interface from accumulation to full depletion, and finally to inversion. Both dark leakage current analysis and low-frequency noise characterization performed on the suspended SOI lateral p-i-n diode indicate device degradation induced by microelectromechanical systems postprocessing (i.e., deep reactive-ion etching or aluminum deposition). A low-temperature (~250 °C) in situ (i.e., using embedded microheater) annealing of SOI lateral p-i-n diode after postprocessing allows reduction of the diode leakage current and optimization of the device performance by neutralizing the interface traps and improving carriers’ lifetime and surface recombination velocity. Numerical simulations have been performed with Atlas/SILVACO for deeper analysis of the leakage current behavior in the lateral p-i-n diode and identification of the generation mechanism dominating the diode leakage behavior. Simulation reveals that the dominant generation rate in the diode depends on the SC conditions, the interface trap density, and the carriers’ lifetime in the I-region. The experimental and simulated behaviors of “as processed” and annealed diode leakage current are shown to be in good qualitative agreement. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Purpose: BRCA1 and BRCA2 ( BRCA1/2) are two major high-penetrance breast cancer predisposition genes, mutations in which can lead to high risks and early onset of breast cancer. This study was performed to comprehensively investigate the spectrum and prevalence of BRCA1/2 mutations in unselected Chinese breast cancer patients and evaluate the associations of BRCA1/2 mutations with related clinicopathological characteristics of the tumors. Methods: By integrating microfluidic PCR-based target enrichment and next-generation sequencing, paired tumor and normal tissues from 313 unselected breast cancer patients were analyzed for both germline and somatic mutations of BRCA1/2 genes in Chinese Han population. Results: Total 5 BRCA1 and 8 BRCA2 deleterious germline mutations were detected in 5 (1.60%) and 12 (3.83%) of the 313 patients, respectively. The entire frequency of deleterious germline mutations of BRCA1/2 was 5.43%. Among them, c.1069A > T and c.3418_3419insTGACTACT in BRCA1, c.8474_8487delCATACCCTATACAG and c.6547delG in BRCA2 were novel. In addition, 32 germline variants of unknown significance in 31 (9.90%) of the 313 patients were identified. We also detected 13 somatic mutations in ten patients (3.19%), including 4 (1.28%) deleterious mutations (c.1575delT, c.2677C > T, c.7024C > T, and c.7672G > T in BRCA2) and 5 novel mutations (c.4728A > G and c.4820T > C in BRCA1; c.2527G > A, c.4069C > G and c.7672G > T in BRCA2). Notably, BRCA1 mutation carriers were significantly younger, and more likely to be ER negative and basal-like breast cancers. Conclusions: Our study provided a reliable and effective platform for BRCA1/2 genetic testing, and suggested that there was a relatively high prevalence and special spectrum of BRCA1/2 mutations in unselected Chinese breast cancer patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research details the potential of a microhotplate photo sensor, based on a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) lateral PIN (P+/P–/N+) diode and a microheater, fabricated on a thin suspended membrane from a commercial 1.0-μm SOI complementary metal oxide semiconductor technology. A local annealing (30-min. microheating, at elevated temperature ∼250 °C) is directly carried out onto the suspended diode to optimize device characteristics (e.g., leakage current, output optical response), for device long-term stability and industrial application. The optical performances of such SOI lateral PIN diodes with four different backside reflectors placed below them are fully investigated. Under same incident illumination, four specific output photocurrents and responsivities are therefore obtained due to the varied light absorption in the active Si film. By combining the photodiodes responses with the four backside reflectors (i.e., gold, aluminum, silicon substrate, and black silicon), multiple-wavelength detection can be straightforwardly achieved within the 450–900-nm wavelength range, which makes the SOI photodiode highly promising in red-green-blue sensing, gas analyzing or plasma monitoring applications. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

[Display omitted] • HMGB1 nucleocytoplasmic translocation promoted renal inflammation and kidney injury after I/R insult. • Cytoplasmic HMGB1 induced tubular ferroptosis activation during AKI. • Binding of cytoplasmic HMGB1 to ACSL4 exacerbated kidney injury during AKI. As a damage-associated molecular pattern molecule, high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) is well-studied and is released from injured tubular epithelial cells to trigger cell death. However, the role of intracellular HMGB1 induced cell death during acute kidney injury (AKI) is poorly understood. We showed that cytosolic HMGB1 induced ferroptosis by binding to acyl-CoA synthetase long-chain family member 4 (ACSL4), the driver of ferroptosis, following renal ischemia/reperfusion (I/R). Both mouse and human kidneys with acute tubular injury were characterized by nucleocytoplasmic translocation of HMGB1in tubular cells. Pharmacological inhibition of HMGB1 nucleocytoplasmic translocation and deletion of HMGB1 in tubular epithelial cells in mice inhibited I/R-induced AKI, tubular ferroptosis, and inflammation compared to those in controls. Co-immunoprecipitation and serial section staining confirmed the interaction between HMGB1 and ACSL4. Taken together, our results demonstrated that cytoplasmic HMGB1 is essential for exacerbating inflammation-associated cellular injury by activating renal tubular ferroptosis via ACSL4 after I/R injury. These findings indicate that cytoplasmic HMGB1 is a regulator of ferroptosis and a promising therapeutic target for AKI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Follicular dendritic cell sarcoma (FDCS) is a rare, low-to-moderate-grade malignant tumor, which occurs in the dendritic cells of the germinal center. Pancreatic FDCS (PFDCS) is extremely rare, with only a few reported cases. Presently, the etiology and pathogenesis of pancreatic FDCS are still unclear, and the clinical symptoms and signs as well as the laboratory diagnosis lack specificity. Although PFDCS presents better histological and morphological characteristics and a distinct immunophenotype, it can be easily missed and/or misdiagnosed if it occurs outside the node. Lymph node FDCS are easier to diagnose because of the rarity of fusiform cell tumors in lymph nodes. Case demonstration: Herein, we reported a 67-year-old female patient with upper-left abdominal pain without obvious cause and was admitted for treatment. A computed tomography (CT) scan revealed a cystic solid mass in the pancreatic tail toward the greater curvature of the stomach, with an obvious enhancement of the cyst wall in enhanced scanning. Subsequently, the patient underwent surgical resection and the resected sample was sent for pathological biopsy. According to the results, the pathology was consistent with the histological morphology and immunohistochemical characteristics of FDCS, and the Epstein–Barr virus (EBV)-encoded RNA was negative for in situ hybridization. Three months post-resection, the patient returned to the hospital for chemotherapy. This case report is aimed to improve the clinical recognition of FDCS. Conclusion: Pancreatic FDCS is a rare disease. Herein, we have reported a case of pancreatic FDCS and analyzed its clinical and pathological features and differential diagnosis to improve the understanding of FDCS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing evidence has suggested that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play critical roles in cancer development. Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a disease with high incidence. Although remarkable progress has been made in understanding the molecular mechanism and therapy strategies in NPC, the potential involvement of lncRNAs in NPC remains largely unknown. In this study, we identified that lncRNA cancer susceptibility candidate 9 (CASC9) is highly expressed in NPC tissues, which facilitates cell growth and is correlated with a poor prognosis of cancer patients. The underlying molecular mechanism revealed that CASC9 interacts with HIF1α and enhances the stabilization of HIF1α. Activation of HIF1α by overexpressed CASC9 promotes the glycolysis and tumorigenesis of NPC cells. Downregulation of CASC9 significantly inhibits NPC cancer cell growth. Collectively, our results illustrated the oncogenic role of CASC9 in promoting the progression of NPC through regulating HIF1α, which imply that modulation of CASC9 expression may be a promising target in cancer therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the operation principle of thin-film gated SOI lateral PIN photodetectors, and an analytical model of depletion voltage is presented and validated by two-dimensional Atlas simulations. With gate voltage applied to achieve fully depleted (FD) condition in intrinsic region, the variation of intrinsic length ( L i ) on photocurrent and dark current characteristics, sensitivity, and speed is addressed. With L i between 1 and 10 μm, the simulated results predict internal quantum efficiency (QI) in excess of 95% even near 100% at a 400 nm wavelength. Also, QI can yield over 87% for the long channels. Under FD condition, the total −3 dB frequency value can achieve 16 GHz (19 GHz) for L i = 1 and 4.1 GHz (6.2 GHz) for L i = 2 μm with V K = 1.0 V (2.0 V). And a high ratio of more than 10 7 between illuminated and dark currents can be yielded for all detectors realized in 0.18 μm SOI CMOS technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article proposes a position detection method for a multi-to-one wireless power transmission (WPT) system for the first time and applies it to the position detection of a spherical motor. The traditional contact detection system has high friction resistance and poor rotor positioning accuracy. Although some noncontact measurement systems are not directly connected to the rotor, the structure or calculation of the measurement system is more complicated. To solve the abovementioned problems, this article proposes two structural topologies, which are evenly arranged on the upper part of the rotor and the receiving coil is placed on the rotor shaft. When the motor rotor rotates along with the three motion states of yaw, spin, and tilt, the receiving and multitransmitting coils will have an angular offset. The rotor position is obtained by a method of accurately estimating the mutual inductance. This method avoids complicated finite element calculations and saves a lot of time. Finally, the experiment verifies the above analysis and compares the data with the microelectromechanical system three-degree-of-freedom attitude detection method. This article provides insights into the position detection of spherical motors. This method simplifies the previous measurement system and obtains higher positioning accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Based on the semiconductor-device structure and equations, we analyze the operation principles of thin-film gated silicon-on insulator (SOI) Lateral PIN (LPIN) photodetectors, and obtain current–voltage models. With 800nm film thickness and 8μm channel length, we validate these models by two-dimensional (2D) Atlas numerical measurements and electrical simulations, including carriers distributions and current–voltage characteristics. In fully-depleted condition, our results predict the internal quantum efficiency as high as 97% at 400nm wavelength, a very low dark current around 1pA and a high ratio of more than 107 between illuminated to dark current with low-voltage operation. Optimizing the performances of photodetectors, our models have highly potential applications in optical storage systems. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

System-level thermal modelling of electric drive systems requires simple thermal models coupled with each other by the operation parameters of the drive systems. This paper presents a simple parameterized power loss model for insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) inverters, in which variables are relevant to the powertrain operation conditions and are routinely monitored. Combined with a two-impedance thermal model of the inverter with parameters fitted to the results of computation fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations, the resulted real-time model can provide accurate estimations of the junction temperature. The present power loss model combined with the simple two-impedance thermal model is very suitable to be used in system-level real-time thermal monitoring of an integrated electric drive system. • Simple analytical power loss model is proposed for IGBT module under SVPWM modulation. • Its representation in terms of electric drive operation parameters makes it suitable for integrated drive system modelling. • Temperature-dependent parameters of the power loss model are obtained from the module datasheet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental residues of pryriproxyfen, a juvenile hormone analogue (JHA) type pesticide, may have on unintended consequences on non-target insects. However, the mechanism of pyriproxyfen action and silk protein synthesis in silkworms has not been reported. In the present study, we treated the silkworms with trace pyriproxyfen (1 × 10−4 mg/L) and found that the silkworm larvae showed no obvious poisoning symptoms, while the development of silk glands and cocoon-forming function were both seriously damaged due to the accumulation of pyriproxyfen in posterior silk gland (PSG). The titer of the juvenile hormone (JH) was increased, whereas the content of 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) was reduced in pyriproxyfen-exposed hemolymph. Met2 is a component of the JH receptor complex and JH can promote its phosphorylation. We found Met2 and SRC were up-regulated in the larval stage after pyriproxyfen exposure, the JH-Met2/SRC complex led to the up-regulation of downstream genes Kr-h1 , and Dimm , and then specifically inhibited the transcription of Fib-H. Meanwhile, the transcription of ecdysone inducible transcription factor Br-C Z4 was also inhibited by pyriproxyfen and resulted in the defects of metamorphosis. In conclusion, the trace pyriproxyfen could affect the metamorphosis and silk protein synthesis through the Met2-mediated pathway. Our study provided new evidence that Met2 might be a potential target gene of JHA in Lepidoptera. [Display omitted] • Trace pyriproxyfen could significantly inhibit transcription of Fib-H , with no effects on Fib-L and P25. • Trace pyriproxyfen could induce the advanced-transcription of Met2 in the larval stage. • The JH-Met2-Kr-h1 pathway participated in defects of metamorphosis and silk protein synthesis induced by pyriproxyfen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To study the correlation between expression levels of ERCC1/TS mRNA and the susceptibility of preoperative chemotherapy for patients with gastric cancer. Methods: A total of forty cases with advanced gastric cancer of T3-4N1-2M0 were treated with preoperative chemotherapy according to FLEEOX regimen based on endarterial-intravenous coadministration. Sufficient, fresh gastric tissue specimens were obtained with the help of gastroscope, and the expression levels of ERCC1/TS mRNA were detected by qRT-PCR before chemotherapy. The chemotherapeutic response was evaluated with Choi Criteria after chemotherapy, and pathologic remission extent was observed after surgery. The correlation between the expression levels of ERCC1/TS mRNA before chemotherapy and the chemotherapeutic effect based on imageology and pathology was analyzed. Results: The response rate of Chemotherapy in this cohort was 80.0 % based on imageology and 51.43 % based on pathology. The expression levels of ERCC1/TS mRNA were significantly associated with imageology remission extent ( P = 0.033, P = 0.025) and pathologic remission extent ( P = 0.044, P = 0.016), respectively. The chemotherapeutic effect on patients with low-expression levels of ERCC1/TS mRNA was better. Conclusions: From the perspective of pathology and imageology evaluating the preoperative chemotherapeutic response for patients with gastric cancer, ERCC1 and TS were used as the molecular predictors and provided prognostic information in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tuberculosis recurrence after an initial successful treatment episode can occur from either reinfection or relapse. In a population-based sample and whole genome sequencing in eastern China, we aimed to evaluate risk factors for tuberculosis recurrence and assess the proportion of recurrence because of either reinfection or relapse. Successfully treated pulmonary tuberculosis patients with sputum culture positive results were recruited from five cities in Jiangsu Province from 2013 to 2015 and followed for 2 years for tuberculosis recurrence. Among patients developing a second tuberculosis episode, whole genome sequencing was performed to distinguish relapse or reinfection through a distance threshold of 6-single-nucleotide polymorphisms. We analyzed risk factors for recurrence and epidemiological characteristics of different types of recurrent patients. Of 1897 successfully treated tuberculosis patients, 7.4% (141/1879) developed recurrent tuberculosis. Compared with nonrecurrent tuberculosis, patients were at higher risk of recurrence in older age (adjusted odds ratio, 1.02 for each additional year; 95% CI, 1.01 to 1.03, p = 0.003), patients previously treated for tuberculosis (adjusted odds ratio = 2.22; 95% CI, 1.52 to 3.26, p < 0.001), or with bilateral cavities (adjusted odds ratio, 1.56; 95% CI, 1.05 to 2.32, p = 0.029). Among 27.0% (38/141) recurrent tuberculosis patients with successfully sequenced pairs, relapse was substantially more common than reinfection (71.1% vs 28.9%, p = 0.014). Endogenous relapse was significantly more common than exogenous reinfection in the first 2 years after treatment in eastern China. Prioritization of high-risk groups for recurrence, such as the elderly, with a previous tuberculosis diagnosis, or with bilateral cavities, may provide opportunities to reduce post-tuberculosis morbidity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nicotinamide N-methyltransferase (NNMT) plays multiple roles in improving the aggressiveness of colorectal cancer (CRC) and enhancing resistance to 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU), making it an attractive therapeutic target. Curcumin (Cur) is a promising natural compound, exhibiting multiple antitumor effects and potentiating the effect of 5-FU. The aim of the present study is to explore the effect of Cur on attenuating NNMT-induced resistance to 5-FU in CRC. A panel of CRC cell lines with different NNMT expressions are used to characterize the effect of Cur. Herein, it is observed that Cur can depress the expression of NNMT and p-STAT3 in CRC cells. Furthermore, Cur can induce inhibition of cell proliferation, G2/M phase cell cycle arrest, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, especially in high-NNMT-expression CRC cell lines. Cur can also re-sensitize high-NNMT-expression CRC cells to 5-FU both in vitro and in vivo. In summary, it is proposed that Cur can reverse NNMT-induced cell proliferation and 5-FU resistance through ROS generation and cell cycle arrest. Given that Cur has long been used, we suppose that Cur is a promising anticancer drug candidate with minimal side effects for human CRC therapy and can attenuate NNMT-induced resistance to 5-FU. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to star graph and winding distribution, winding MMFs of three kinds of 12-slot/10-pole multi-phase and multi-layer winding layout are analyzed by the improved winding function method. Analysis results show that multi-phase and multi-layer winding can suppress even order and (12n ± 1) order harmonics, thereby reducing the eddy-current loss in PMs. Based on the unfolded LPMSM model, rotor MMF, air gap flux density, and no-load back-EMF are analyzed by the analytical permeance function method, which is validated by Teslameter and no-load experiment. Winding MMF is validated by FEM. An axial-flux integrated starting/generator (ISG) with double-three-phase four-layer (DTP-FL) winding, segmented armature and PM, and centrifugal fan is designed and manufactured. The no-load and load test with two groups of resistance established has validated the reasonability of the mentioned method. Experiments show that the axial-flux ISG prototype can run at a relative temperature rise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We investigated the fabrication and adhesive properties of thin organosilane films coated on the surface of low carbon steel substrates by curing γ-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane (γ-GPS) solutions hydrolyzed in different solvents. This method appears to be a promising alternative treatment for the chromium and phosphate mainly due to its excellent corrosion protection and adhesion properties to organic coatings and a non-toxic pretreatment. In this work the elemental distribution in γ-GPS films coated on low carbon steel substrates was analyzed by an energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDX), and the effect of curing temperature and solution concentration on the chemical structures of this silane was also carried out with reflection–absorption infrared (RAIR) spectroscopy. We systematically investigated the processing variables regarding adhesive strength of the film, including hydrolysis solvents, hydrolysis time, solution concentration and curing temperature. Compared with other experimental conditions, the present results provided a consistent demonstration that γ-GPS films exhibited improved adhesive strength to metal substrates in case of using DI water/methanol mixture as hydrolysis solvent, hydrolysis time of 48 h, solution concentration of 10%, curing temperature of 150 °C and curing time of 1 h. The fracture mode of γ-GPS films varied with different deposition parameters. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Silane coupling agents seem to be one of the most promising alternatives for the chromium and phosphate mainly due to its excellent corrosion protection and adhesion properties to organic coatings and a non-toxic pretreatment. The organosilane film was produced by thermal curing after low carbon steel substrates were immersed in γ-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane (γ-GPS) solution. The present paper is intended to provide a deeper insight into the effect of thermal curing on the fabrication and properties of this film. Characterizations of the film were performed by energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDS) and reflection–absorption infrared spectroscopy (RAIR). The adhesion of the film to the substrates was also tested by pull-off method. The analytical results from EDS showed that the distribution of silicon and iron atomic concentration changed with the curing temperature. The maximum adhesion of 3.65MPa was obtained for films cured at 150°C for 1h. Results of RAIR showed that the thermal curing had a great effect on the chemical structure of the films, and the reaction between silanols caused to the formation of dense films with siloxane bonds. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Hybrid organic–inorganic perovskites have been widely studied in high-performance optoelectronic devices. Long-term stability is a key limitation to date in restricting their further development and commercial application. In general, interface properties between a semiconductor and an electrode highly affect device performance and stability. Herein, contact characteristics between the perovskite and electrode varying with illumination status have been first investigated. The results suggest that device's contact resistance (RC), obtained from a transfer length method, decreases as the incident light intensity increases. The RC under a higher irradiation intensity (1.26 mW/cm2) is about one-tenth of that at a lower density (0.08 mW/cm2). Simulation has been performed and shows a similar trend with experimental results. The interface physical model has been discussed based on an energy band theory. The band bending and barrier modulation at the interface under light illumination are originated from the surface states and the localized charges. This work explains the interface in determining device's fundamental properties, including stability, RC variation, and charge carrier transport process. It is significant in understanding the device working mechanism and providing a potential way for perovskite optoelectronic devices with enhanced stability and performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]