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Three-dimensional (3D) hydrogel microspheres have attracted increasing attention as cell culture carriers. The system of hydrogel microspheres provides great advantages for cell growth owing to its high surface-to-volume ratio and biocompatible environment. However, an integrated system that includes microsphere generation, microsphere capture and

Summary Background Numerous ongoing trials are testing anti-PD-1-based or anti-PD-L1-based cancer treatment combinations. Understanding the toxicity profiles of treatment-related adverse events is essential. The aim of this study was to comprehensively investigate the incidences and profiles of treatment-related adverse events across different combination therapies. Methods We did a systematic review and meta-analysis comparing different chemotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, and radiotherapy combinations with PD-1 or PD-L1 inhibitors. We searched Pubmed, Embase, and Cochrane databases for articles published in English between Jan 1, 2000, and May 21, 2020, investigating globally approved PD-1 or PD-L1 inhibitor-based combination therapies. Only prospective trials reporting overall incidence or tabulated data of treatment-related adverse events were included. Trials investigating sequential therapies, comprising three or more classes of therapies, and enrolling less than ten patients were excluded. The primary outcomes were overall incidences and profiles for all-grade and grade 3 or higher treatment-related adverse events by random-effect models. Heterogeneity between studies was assessed with I2 statistics. The summary measures for main outcomes are incidences (95% CI). The 95% CI were calculated together with the incidence through a random-effects model with a logit transformation. The protocol is registered with PROSPERO (CRD42020189617). Findings We identified 2540 records, of which 161 studies (17 197 patients) met the inclusion criteria. The overall incidence of treatment-related adverse events in the chemotherapy combination was 97·7% (95% CI 96·4–98·5; I2=75%) for all-grade adverse events and 68·3% (60·7–75·0; I2=93%) for grade 3 or higher adverse events; in the targeted therapy combination was 94·5% (90·7–96·8; I2=86%) for all-grade adverse events and 47·3% (37·3–57·5; I2=93%) for grade 3 or higher adverse events; in the immunotherapy combination was 86·8% (80·9–91·1; I2=94%) for all-grade adverse events and 35·9% (29·5–42·9; I2=92%) for grade 3 or higher adverse events; and in the radiotherapy combination was 89·4% (69·0–96·9; I2=74%) for all-grade adverse events and 12·4% (4·4–30·6; I2=73%) for grade 3 or higher adverse events. For these four combination therapies, the most common all-grade adverse events were anaemia (45.4% [95% CI 32·4–59·1]), fatigue (34·3% [27·5–41·9]), fatigue (26·4% [19·2–35·2]), and dysphagia (30·0% [18·7–44·5]), respectively, and the most common grade 3 or higher adverse events were neutropenia (19·6% [13·5–27·7]), hypertension (9·3% [5·7–14·9]), lipase increased (7·2% [5·2–9·9]), and lymphopenia (10·3% [4·5–21·8]). All included randomised controlled trials had a low risk of bias. Interpretation Our study provides comprehensive data on treatment-related adverse events of different PD-1 or PD-L1 inhibitor-based combination therapies. Our results provide an essential reference of toxicity profiles of PD-1 or PD-L1 inhibitor-based combination therapies for clinicians in routine practice of cancer care. Funding National Key Research and Development Programme, National Natural Science Foundation of China key program, National Natural Science Foundation of China general program, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Initiative for Innovative Medicine, Beijing Municipal Science and Technology Commission, Non-profit Central Research Institute Fund.

Two-dimensional (2D) transition metal chalcogenides have attracted enormous attention due to their stunning properties and great prospects for applications. Most of the reported 2D materials have layered structure, and non-layered transition metal chalcogenides are rare. Particularly, chromium chalcogenides are highly complexed in terms of structural phases. Researches on their representative chalcogenides, Cr2S3 and Cr2Se3, are insufficient and most of them focus on individual crystal grains. In this study, large-scale Cr2S3 and Cr2Se3 films with controllable thickness are successfully grown, and their crystalline qualities are confirmed by multiple characterizations. Moreover, the thickness-dependent Raman vibrations are investigated systematically, presenting slight redshift with increasing thickness. The fundamental physical properties of grown Cr2S3 and Cr2Se3 films, including optical bandgap, activation energy and electrical properties, are measured with different thicknesses. The 1.9 nm thick Cr2S3 and Cr2Se3 films show narrow optical bandgap of 0.732 and 0.672 eV, respectively. The electrical properties of Cr2S3 films demonstrate p-type semiconductor behaviours, while the Cr2Se3 films exhibit no gate response. This work can provide a feasible method for growing large-scale Cr2S3 and Cr2Se3 films, and reveal fundamental information of their physical properties, which is helpful for future applications.

Traffic accidents in mountainous highway tunnels have resulted in significant negative effects and losses. Among the potential hazards that can lead to fatal injuries, human-related hazards have been recognized as the leading cause. Determining the risk management effectively and prioritizing unsafe human behavior are the basis for preventing and controlling traffic accidents in mountainous highway tunnels. Therefore, hazards that could potentially cause highway tunnel traffic accidents were identified by using a tail-biting fish diagram combined with the fault tree method. A risk assessment model was constructed based on probability, degree of importance, and loss. Furthermore, the probability can be calculated by assessing the degree of unreliability, which can be obtained by assessing the degree of importance of unsafe behavior in the fault tree, and the loss can be acquired from the authority. The case of 8–10 traffic accidents that occurred in the Qinling No. 1 Tunnel of the Ankang section of the Beijing-Kunming expressway was studied, and the values of the unsafe behaviors were assessed. According to the risk values, the priority for controlling unsafe behaviors can be acquired and tailored measures can be taken to prevent and control the risks, which provides a theoretical basis and new method for the effective control of mountainous highway tunnel traffic accidents.

Objective: To give full play to the role of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) in biomedicine, innovate the treatment model of human diseases, and study the effect of genetic stability molecules of hESCs on movement. Methods: hESCs were cultured by mechanical passage, type IV collagenase passage and 0.25% EDTA trypsin passage respectively to find the best passage way of hESCs culture; hESCs were differentiated into endometrial like cells through embryoid pathway in vitro, and the morphology of endometrial like cells was observed under light microscope; the genomic DNA of human embryonic stem cells was detected by SNP chip, and its components were analyzed. The SNP analysis of the samples before and after the induction of differentiation were used to extract the DNA of the endometrial epithelioid cells of hESCs, and the DNA microarray results before and after the induction of hESCs were detected. Results: type IV collagenase passage method took a long time and was not suitable to control the digestion time and inoculation density; 0.25% EDTA trypsin digested hESCs into a single cell state, which was not conducive to continuous growth after being inoculated in the feeder layer; mechanical passage method could cut into different sizes of clumps according to the needs, and could remove differentiated or deviated cells, which was more suitable for hESCs passage; light microscopically, the cells grow in a single layer and adhere to the wall, and the cells extending to the surrounding irregularity are spindle shaped. With the extension of differentiation time, the central part of the clone is loose, the cells fall off, and the surrounding cells grow intensively to the outer part of the clone. The mutant gene involves 1131 mutations and 24 chromosome mutations, of which the mutation rate of chromosome 19 is the largest, and it involves the length of chromosome 5. It is longer than that of other chromosomes, and there are many genes carried by it, which results in the exon mutations on chromosome 5. Conclusion: mechanical subculture is the best way for hESCs culture, and long-term subculture will affect the genetic stability of human embryonic stem cells.

Albumin is the most abundant plasma protein and albumin infusion is commonly used. Conventionally, the biologic and therapeutic effects of albumin have been thought to be due to its oncotic properties. However, albumin has a variety of biologic functions, including molecular transport, anti-oxidation, anti-inflammation, endothelial stabilisation, anti-thrombotic effects, and the adjustment of capillary permeability. Despite this, the functions of albumin have not been thoroughly investigated. Recent studies have shown non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), viral hepatitis, cirrhosis, and liver failure to be associated with impairments in albumin function, which are associated with impairments in liver function and disease prognosis. Post-translational modifications of albumin cause structural modifications that affect protein function. Recently, the concentration of albumin associated with normal function, the ‘efficient albumin concentration’, has been attracting more interest. In addition, although many biologic markers, including albumin concentration, are widely used for the assessment of early liver dysfunction in patients with liver diseases, the predictive values are unsatisfactory. However, clinical evidence has suggested that albumin function may represent a novel biomarker of early impairment in liver function. In this review, we summarise the factors affecting albumin function and discuss the clinical significance of impairments in albumin function in various liver diseases. KEY MESSAGES: 1. The importance of albumin depends not only on its concentration, but also on its various physiological functions. 2. Impaired albumin function has been reported in a variety of liver diseases, and is associated with disease severity and prognosis, thereby proposing the concept of ‘effective albumin concentration’. 3. Albumin dysfunction occurs earlier than other conventional indicators, and albumin dysfunction may be a new biomarker of early impairment in liver function. 4. Many exogenous and endogenous factors lead to post-translational modifications of albumin, which alters the three-dimensional structure of albumin, resulting in a decrease in its biological activity.

The recently discovered kagome metals $A$V${}_{3}$Sb${}_{5}$ ($A$=K, Rb or Cs) have generated great interest as they exhibit an unconventional charge density wave (CDW), superconductivity, and nontrivial band topology. Here, the authors combine infrared spectroscopy and first-principles calculations to shed light on the origin of the CDW. They find that below the CDW transition the optical conductivity component associated with the saddle points is significantly suppressed, while that arising from the light-electron and Dirac bands is not affected. These observations attest to the importance of saddle point nesting in driving the CDW instability in CsV${}_{3}$Sb${}_{5}$.

We present an investigation into the optical properties of ${\mathrm{Nd}}_{4}{\mathrm{Ni}}_{3}{\mathrm{O}}_{8}$ at different temperatures from 300 down to 5 K over a broad frequency range. The optical conductivity at 5 K is decomposed into infrared-active phonons, a far-infrared band $\ensuremath{\alpha}$, a mid-infrared band $\ensuremath{\beta}$, and a high-energy absorption edge. By comparing the measured optical conductivity to first-principles calculations and the optical response of other nickelates, we find that ${\mathrm{Nd}}_{4}{\mathrm{Ni}}_{3}{\mathrm{O}}_{8}$ features evident charge-stripe fluctuations. The $\ensuremath{\beta}$ band is attributed to electronic transitions between the gapped Ni-${d}_{{x}^{2}\ensuremath{-}{y}^{2}}$ bands due to fluctuating charge stripes, while the high-frequency absorption edge corresponds to the onset of transitions involving other high-energy bands. Furthermore, an analysis of the temperature-dependent optical spectral weight reveals a ${T}^{2}$ law, which is likely to originate from strong correlation effects.

s Among the potential accidents that can lead to fatal injuries in underground coal mines, gas explosion accidents have been recognized as the leading threat to miners' safety in China. Moreover, such accidents are triggered predominantly by human-related hazards, namely, the unsafe behaviours of humans. In underground coal mines, there are a considerable number of unsafe behaviours that can trigger gas explosion accidents. Consequently, how to determine scientifically the risk management priority of human unsafe behaviour is the basis of pre-controlling gas explosion accidents effectively. Therefore, the method of assessing the risk value of unsafe behaviour is proposed based on the analysis of its characteristics, and then a risk assessment model is constructed. Under this framework, the risk assessment model is composed of probability, importance degree, and loss, and the risk value is the product of the three. Furthermore, the probability and importance degree can be obtained by assessing the degree of unreliability of unsafe behaviour and analysing the degree of influence in the fault tree using the Boolean algebra algorithm, respectively. Finally, according to the risk values, the priority for controlling unsafe behaviours can be obtained to provide a theoretical basis for the effective control of gas explosion accidents.

Background A number of studies have reported an association between the occurrence of immune-related adverse events (irAEs) and clinical efficacy in patients undergoing treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), but the results remain controversial. Methods Under the guidance of a predefined protocol and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses statement, this meta-analysis included cohort studies investigating the association of irAEs and efficacy of ICIs in patients with cancer. The primary outcome was overall survival (OS), and the secondary outcome was progression-free survival (PFS). Subgroup analyses involving the cancer type, class of ICIs, combination therapy, sample size, model, landmark analysis, and approach used to extract the data were performed. Specific analyses of the type and grade of irAEs were also performed. Results This meta-analysis included 30 studies including 4971 individuals. Patients with cancer who developed irAEs experienced both an OS benefit and a PFS benefit from ICI therapy compared to patients who did not develop irAEs (OS: hazard ratio (HR), 0.54, 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.45–0.65; p < 0.001; PFS: HR, 0.52, 95% CI, 0.44–0.61, p < 0.001). Subgroup analyses of the study quality characteristics and cancer types recapitulated these findings. Specific analyses of endocrine irAEs (OS: HR, 0.52, 95% CI, 0.44–0.62, p < 0.001), dermatological irAEs (OS: HR, 0.45, 95% CI, 0.35–0.59, p < 0.001), and low-grade irAEs (OS: HR, 0.57, 95% CI, 0.43–0.75; p < 0.001) yielded similar results. The association between irAE development and a favorable benefit on survival was significant in patients with cancer who were undergoing treatment with programmed cell death-1 inhibitors (OS: HR, 0.51, 95% CI, 0.42–0.62; p < 0.001), but not cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen-4 inhibitors (OS: HR, 0.89, 95% CI, 0.49–1.61; p = 0.706). Additionally, the association was significant in patients with cancer who were treated with ICIs as a monotherapy (OS: HR, 0.53, 95% CI, 0.43–0.65; p < 0.001), but not as a combination therapy (OS: HR, 0.62, 95% CI, 0.36–1.05; p = 0.073). Conclusions The occurrence of irAEs was significantly associated with a better ICI efficacy in patients with cancer, particularly endocrine, dermatological, and low-grade irAEs. Further large-scale prospective studies are warranted to validate our findings. Systematic review registration PROSPERO CRD42019129310.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) targeting against programmed cell death-1(PD-1) and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4) have shown efficacy in cancer treatment. However, a spectrum of immune-related adverse events (irAEs) have raised concerns about their clinical application. IrAEs are distinct from traditional chemo- and radiotherapy-induced toxicities, as they are related in particular to the dysregulation of immune system and autoimmunity. The underlying pathogenesis of irAEs remains elusive. Understanding of the potential underlying mechanism is of great importance for the management of irAEs and the development of new ICIs with insignificant irAEs. In this review, we summarize the current evidence to provide insights into the biological basis of irAEs and provide a potential explanation for their pathogenesis, with focus on the relationship between checkpoint molecules and immune cell regulation.

Log file of trim and fill method in Figure S5.

Contains additional information about the methods, literature search and data analyses. Table S1. Additional characteristics of the eligible studies. Table S2. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) quality assessment of the enrolled studies. Figure S1. Subgroup analysis stratified by class of immune checkpoint inhibitors in the melanoma cohort. Figure S2. Forest plot (fixed effects model) of the association between immune-related adverse event development and progression-free survival. Figure S3. Subgroup analyses of the association between immune-related adverse event development and progression-free survival. Figure S4. Sensitivity analysis of the impact of each individual study on the pooled effect. A) Overall survival; B) Progression-free survival. Figure S5. Funnel plots of the overall survival results. (A) Without trim and fill; (B) With trim and fill. Figure S6. Funnel plots of the overall survival results in large sample size studies. Figure S7. Funnel plots of the progression-free survival results.

Additional file 1. Additional tables and figures.

Background: Recently, blockade of immune checkpoint has emerged as one of the most potential treatments for solid tumors. Programmed cell death ligand 1(PD-L1), a member of the B7 family of molecules, plays a crucial role in tumor immunobiology. However, the prognostic significance of PD-L1 in cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) patients remains controversial. This study aimed to inquire into the prognostic and clinicopathological significance of PD-L1 in CCA via a meta-analysis. Methods: We searched PubMed, the Cochrane Library, Embase, Web of Science and Google Scholar up to April 2019, regardless of the region or language, for studies on the correlation between clinicopathology/prognosis and PD-L1 in patients with CCA. The pooled hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to investigate the prognostic significance of PD-L1 expression in cholangiocarcinoma. The odds ratios (ORs) were also determined to explore the association between PD-L1 expression and clinicopathological features. Results: Our meta-analysis included 11 studies with 1,066 patients. The meta-analysis of these studies indicated a trend that high PD-L1 expression indicated a poor OS, but the result was not statistically significant (HR = 1.62, 95% CI [0.98–2.68], p = 0.063). For DFS, although the pooled result is not statistically significant, it trends toward being significant that high PD-L1 expression indicated improved DFS (HR = 0.80, 95% CI [0.62, 1.04], p = 0.092). In subgroup analyses, the results were not consistent across the subgroups that were divided based on the publication year (before 2018: HR = 1.92, 95% CI [1.34–2.75], p < 0.001; after 2018: HR = 1.42, 95% CI [0.70–2.89], p = 0.335). Moreover, PD-L1 expression in TCs significantly correlated with the AJCC TNM stage of CCA (OR = 0.52, 95% CI [0.27, 0.99], p = 0.09). Conclusion: Our meta-analyses revealed that PD-L1 expressed in TCs was significantly correlated with the AJCC TNM stage of CCA. Based on the included studies, we found that PD-L1 indeed expressed in both TCs and ICs in CCA patients, raising the possibility of the use of anti-PD-1/PD-L1 therapy for CCA patients. In contrast, expression of PD-L1 did not seem to be associated with patient outcome in our study. The prognostic role of PD-L1 in CCA demands further investigation.

Hongliang Yu,1 Dong Pei,2 Longyun Chen,2 Xiaoxiang Zhou,2 Haiwen Zhu2 1Department of Radiation Oncology, Jiangsu Cancer Hospital and Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 2Department of Radiation Oncology, Yancheng Third People’s Hospital, Yancheng, Jiangsu, People’s Republic of China Background: Dedifferentiated liposarcoma (DDLPS) is one of the most deadly types of soft tissue sarcoma. To date, there have been few studies dedicated to elucidating the molecular mechanisms behind the disease; therefore, the molecular mechanisms behind this malignancy remain largely unknown.Materials and methods: Microarray profiles of 46 DDLPS samples and nine normal fat controls were extracted from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). Quality control for these microarray profiles was performed before analysis. Hierarchical clustering and principal component analysis were used to distinguish the general differences in gene expression between DDLPS samples and the normal fat controls. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified using the Limma package in R. Next, the enriched Gene Ontology (GO) terms and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways were obtained using the online tool DAVID (http://david.abcc.ncifcrf.gov/). A protein–protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed using the STRING database and Cytoscape software. Furthermore, the hub genes within the PPI network were identified.Results: All 55 microarray profiles were confirmed to be of high quality. The gene expression pattern of DDLPS samples was significantly different from that of normal fat controls. In total, 700 DEGs were identified, and 83 enriched GO terms and three KEGG pathways were obtained. Specifically, within the DEGs of DDLPS samples, several pathways were identified as being significantly enriched, including the PPAR signaling pathway, cell cycle pathway, and pyruvate metabolism pathway. Furthermore, the dysregulated PPI network of DDLPS was constructed, and 14 hub genes were identified. Characteristic of DDLPS, the genes CDK4 and MDM2 were universally found to be up-regulated and amplified in gene copy number.Conclusion: This study used bioinformatics to comprehensively mine DDLPS microarray data in order to obtain a deeper understanding of the molecular mechanism of DDLPS. Keywords: dedifferentiated liposarcoma, molecular mechanisms, microarray, bioinformatic methods

Background: Immune checkpoint inhibitors targeting the programmed cell death 1 (PD-1)/programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) pathway are a paradigm-shifting cancer therapy. Programmed cell death ligand 2 (PD-L2) is another ligand of PD-1, but its prognostic significance in solid cancer patients after surgery remains controversial. In this study, we aimed to reveal the prognostic implication of PD-L2 in solid tumors through a meta-analysis. Methods: We searched PubMed, Embase and the Cochrane library for studies reporting the relationship between PD-L2 expression and prognosis or clinicopathological features in solid cancer patients after surgery from inception to January 2018, with language restricted to English. Pooled hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were determined to explore the prognostic value of PD-L2 expression. Odds ratios (ORs) were also calculated to investigate the relationship between PD-L2 expression and clinicopathological parameters. Results: Sixteen studies incorporating 3,533 patients were included in our meta-analysis. The pooled results revealed that PD-L2 overexpression was a weak negative predictor for overall survival (OS; HR = 1.38, 95% CI = 1.05–1.81, P = 0.021), as well as a strong predictor for poor disease-free survival (DFS)/progression-free survival (PFS) (HR = 1.44, 95% CI = 1.15–1.81, P = 0.001). In subgroup analyses, high PD-L2 expression revealed an unfavorable prognostic prediction for OS in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) (HR = 1.60, 95% CI = 1.12–2.29, P = 0.011) and for DFS/PFS in HCC (HR = 1.50, 95%CI = 1.04–2.16, P = 0.031) as well as clear cell renal cell carcinoma (HR = 1.45, 95% CI = 1.03–2.03, P = 0.033). Moreover, PD-L2 expression implied a weak trend toward the presence of lymphatic metastasis (presence vs. absence, OR = 1.61, 95% CI = 0.98–2.65, P = 0.061). Conclusion: High PD-L2 expression may promote tumor metastasis and predict unfavorable prognosis in solid cancer patients after surgery, especially in HCC.

BACKGROUND: Connective tissue diseases (CTDs) are a group of special commodities in lung cancer (LC). This study aimed to analyze the survival and prognostic factors of LC patients with preexisting CTDs. METHODS: A total of 84 LC patients with preexisting CTDs that presented at Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH) were retrospectively recruited in this study between January 2000 and June 2017. Patient survival was compared using the Kaplan-Meier method. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazard models were used to assess prognostic variables. RESULTS: Of the 84 LC patients, 36 (41.8%) had underlying rheumatoid arthritis (RA), 20 (23.8%) had idiopathic inflammatory myopathy (IIM), 18 (21.4%) had Sjögren syndrome (SS), 6 (7.1%) had systemic sclerosis (SSc), and 4 (4.8%) had systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The median overall survival (OS) was 21 months (IQR, 8–72 months), and the 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates were 61.3%, 36.7%, and 29.5%, respectively. The survival rates between different CTD subgroups, histopathologies, and disease stages were significantly different (P

Here, we present the structural characterization and physical properties of Ba2FeVO6 (BFVO) ceramics prepared by the solid-state ceramic method, which is regarded as potential Mott multiferroics. Structural studies demonstrate that the BFVO ceramic samples crystallize in a hexagonal structure with R3c symmetry. SEM images show a spherical morphology of the ceramic grains with an average composition of Bi:Fe:V close to 2.0:1.0:1.0 determined by x-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy. Infrared spectra revealed the vibrational modes of [FeO6] and [VO6] octahedrons in the ceramics, and XPS spectra confirmed the dual chemical valence states of iron (Fe2+ and Fe3+) and vanadium (V3+ and V4+) and two states of oxygen species in the BFVO ceramics, while barium was present as Ba2+. The BFVO ceramics exhibit relaxor-like dielectric behavior with an activation energy of 0.62 eV. The antiferromagnetic (AFM) nature was confirmed in the BFVO ceramics, whereas a weak magnetism was observed at 2 K. The temperature dependence of magnetizations measured with (and without) field cooling across 2 K–300 K under external magnetic fields indicates the spin glass characteristics in the present system. A strong variation of the dielectric behavior observed close to the AFM transition temperature was due to the induced dielectric polarization via the magnetostrictive effect driven by AFM transition. The bandgaps (Eg) of the investigated ceramic samples were deduced from their UV–visible spectra. The Eg values were about 1.15 eV and 1.50 eV, which were ascribed to the d–d electronic transitions of Fe 3d t2g → Fe 3d eg and 6A1g → 4T1g, respectively.

A new tracking algorithm is proposed for strong-maneuvering target, which is based on a two-layer nested model with Improved Current Statistical (ICS) model and Curvilinear (CL) model as the inner and outer layer respectively. The inner layer use ICS model to construct statistics with filtering residuals to detect target's maneuver and thus correcting the parameters of CS model in real time in order to adapt to target's real motion. The outer layer uses the estimate of acceleration obtained from the inner layer as its input and in this way conduct better performance of target tracking by taking advantage of CL model, which can better correspond to the curvilinear motion of target. Simulation results show the practicability of the algorithm proposed in this article and demonstrate good tracking performance. Refereed/Peer-reviewed

We use 2D coupled sine-Gordon equations combined with 3D heat diffusion equations to numerically investigate the thermal and electromagnetic properties of a 250×70 μm2 intrinsic Josephson junction stack. The 700 junctions are grouped to 20 segments; we assume that in a segment all junctions behave identically. At large input power, a hot spot forms in the stack. Resonant electromagnetic modes oscillating either along the length [(0, n) modes] or the width [(m, 0) modes] of the stack or having a more complex structure can be excited both with and without a hot spot. At fixed bath temperature and bias current, several cavity modes can coexist in the absence of a magnetic field. The (1, 0) mode considered to be the most favorable mode for terahertz emission can be stabilized by applying a small magnetic field along the length of the stack. A strong field-induced enhancement of the emission power is also found in experiment for an applied field around 5.9 mT.

We used one-dimensional coupled sine-Gordon equations combined with heat diffusion equations to numerically investigate the thermal and electromagnetic properties of a 300 $\ensuremath{\mu}\mathrm{m}$ long intrinsic Josephson junction stack consisting of $N=700$ junctions. The junctions in the stack are combined with $M$ segments where we assume that inside a segment all junctions behave identically. Most simulations are for $M=20$. For not too high bath temperatures there is the appearance of a hot spot at high-bias currents. In terms of electromagnetic properties, robust standing-wave patterns appear in the current density and electric field distributions. These patterns come together with vortex/antivortex lines across the stack that correspond to $\ensuremath{\pi}$-kink states, discussed before in the literature for a homogeneous temperature distribution in the stack. We also discuss scaling of the thermal and electromagnetic properties with $M$, on the basis of simulations with $M$ between 10 and 350.