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We aimed to determine the global effects of the Chêneau brace combined with Schroth exercises on adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). We analyzed 192 patients with AIS who underwent the Chêneau brace treatment alone or combined with Schroth best practice (SBP) from June 2013 to October 2019. There were 138 patients in the Brace group and 54 patients in the Brace + SBP group. Radiographs were obtained at various treatment durations. Answers to the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) questionnaire were recorded before the intervention and at the time of treatment wean. The Cobb angle (–3.55°; p < 0.001) and C7-CSVL (–3.03 mm; p < 0.001) significantly decreased in the Brace + SBP group. Thoracic kyphosis (TK) decreased in both the Brace + SBP group (–1.85°; p = 0.0152) and the Brace group (–5.06; p < 0.001). Changes before and after treatment of TK were significantly different between groups (p < 0.001). The 22-item Scoliosis Research Society function score, self-image, mental health, and EuroQol 5-Dimension scores were significantly higher in the Brace + SBP group. The satisfaction score was higher in the Brace + SBP group (3.77 ± 0.63 vs. 3.13 ± 0.79; p < 0.001). Compared to bracing alone, the Schroth exercises plus bracing had a better effect on coronal balance. Schroth exercises improve flatback deformity caused by bracing and positively influence the HRQoL in AIS patients who received the Chêneau brace treatment. Bracing and physiotherapy are common treatments for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). The Chêneau brace treatment causes flatback deformity and muscle stiffness in AIS patients. The Schroth method helps patients increase muscle strength, halt curve progression, increase vital capacity, and maintain improved posture. The Schroth exercises could improve flatback deformity caused by bracing and positively influence the health-related quality of life in AIS patients who received the Chêneau brace treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spontaneous heating in the active goaf area during normal mining processes poses increased threats to mine productivity and safety, as evidenced in events induced by spontaneous combustion of coal. To control and mitigate this engineering problem, there is a need to gain critical knowledge of spontaneous combustion in the longwall goaf area, which can be achieved through a combination of field tests and numerical modeling. This paper introduces the spontaneous combustion management system widely used in Australia and presents Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) models for the simulation of gas flow dynamics in the goaf area, based on the site conditions of an underground coal mine where coal seam gas is predominantly comprised of carbon dioxide. The models were validated with gas monitoring data and used to conduct parametric studies for proactive goaf inertisation optimization. Qualitative and quantitative analysis of simulation results indicated that better goaf inertisation could be achieved when nitrogen was injected via cut-through at 250 m on the maingate (MG) side and surface boreholes at 100 m and 700 m on the tailgate (TG) side, with a total injection rate greater than 1750 1/s. The oxygen concentration on the MG and TG side dropped below 5% at distances of 120 m and 75 m behind the longwall face, with an oxidation zone area of 35375 m2, which was approximately one-third of the oxidation zone area of the scenario without inert gas injection. Simulation results help shed light on improving current goaf inertisation practices to effectively reduce the risk of heating in goaf areas and improve mining process safety based on Australian conditions and practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hot-carrier-induced linear drain current (Idlin) and threshold voltage (Vth) degradations for the thin layer SOI field p-channel lateral double-diffused MOS (pLDMOS) are investigated. Two competition degradation mechanisms are revealed and the hot-carrier conductance modulation model is proposed. In the channel, hot-hole injection induced positive oxide trapped charge and interface trap gives rise to the Vth increasing and the channel conductance (Gch) decreasing, then reduces Idlin. In the p-drift region, hot-electron injection induced negative oxide trapped charge enhances the conductance of drift doping resistance (Gd), and then increases Idlin. Consequently, the eventual Idlin degradation is controlled by the competition of the two mechanisms due to conductance modulation in the both regions. Based on the model, it is explained that the measured Idlin anomalously increases while the Vth is increasing with power law. The thin layer field pLDMOS exhibits more severe Vth instability compared with thick SOI layer structure; as a result, it should be seriously evaluated in actual application in switching circuit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The severe low-speed creep phenomenon occurs in the telescopic boom system of a heavy-load transfer robot with a long telescopic boom as a result of nonlinear friction. In order to improve control precision and operation performance at low speeds, we built a three-loop control nonlinear model of an AC servo motor with Stribeck friction disturbance. Traditional proportional-integral-derivative controller (PID) and fuzzy PID controls were, respectively, adopted in the position loop, and the control performance was simulated. The results showed that a system with fuzzy PID control eliminates "flat top" position tracking and "dead zone" speed tracking, which are generated by traditional PID, and thereby decreases the effect of friction on the performance of the servo system. This elimination also improved the tracking accuracy and robustness of the system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Supported gold catalysts Au/OMS-2 and Au/La-OMS-2 were prepared and used for liquid phase oxidation of cyclohexene with oxygen as an oxidant. These catalysts were characterized by XRD, SEM, TEM and EDX. The reactions were carried out in an autoclave at 80°C without any solvent. Effects of Au content and La content on catalytic performance were studied. Au/La-OMS-2 (0.24) was found to be an efficient catalyst for the oxidation of cyclohexene with a high conversion (48.0%). More than 86% selectivity for ∑C6 (including cyclohexene oxide, 2-cyclohexene-1-ol, 2-cyclohexene-1-one) was obtained. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Recombinant hepatitis C virus (HCV)-like particles (HCV-LPs) containing HCV structural proteins (core, E1, and E2) produced in insect cells resemble the putative HCV virions and are capable of inducing strong and broad humoral and cellular immune responses in mice and baboons. Here, we present evidence on the immunogenicity and induction of protective immunity by HCV-LPs in chimpanzees. Chimpanzees (two in each group), were immunized with HCV-LPs or HCV-LPs plus AS01B adjuvant. After immunizations, all animals developed an HCV-specific immune response including IFN-γ+, lL-2+, CD4+, and CD8+ T cell and proliferative lymphocyte responses against core, E1, and E2. Upon challenge with an infectious HCV inoculum, one chimpanzee developed transient viremia with low HCV RNA titers (10³ to 104 copies per ml) in the third and fourth weeks after the challenge. The three other chimpanzees became infected with higher levels of viremia (104 to 105 copies per ml), but their viral levels became unquantifiable (<10³ copies per ml) 10 weeks after the challenge. After the HCV challenge, all four chimpanzees demonstrated a significant increase in peripheral and intrahepatic T cell and proliferative responses against the HCV structural proteins. These T cell responses coincided with the fall in HCV RNA levels. Four naïve chimpanzees were infected with the same HCV inoculum, and three developed persistent infection with higher viremia in the range of 105 to 106 copies per ml. Our study suggests that HCV-LP immunization induces HCV-specific cellular immune responses that can control HCV challenge in the chimpanzee model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The forward-biased diode has been widely applied in electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection projects. In this Letter, various diodes with finger-shaped topology are studied by transmission line pulse (TLP) and emission microscope (EMMI) experiments. Among them, a novel mix-mode diode with P-well and floating deep N-well, called MMDIO, is fabricated by the same process and footprint, except that some discrete N+ regions are being added to the original anode P+ region. This approach forms a combination of a parasitic NPN transistor and a PNPN structure, which can significantly optimise the ESD current efficiency and clamping voltage (VCL). According to the comprehensive comparison, the MMDIO with overlapped anode N+ layout could endure the failure current 1.25 times higher than that of a regular diode under the same junction capacitance (Cj), while the VCL is reduced by 20%. Accordingly, the MMDIO is an attractive solution to pass the higher ESD level without any negative influence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have previously reported the production of hepatitis C virus-like particles (HCV-LP) using a recombinant baculovirus containing the cDNA of the HCV structural proteins (core, El, and E2). These particles resemble the putative HCV virions and are capable of inducing strong and broad humoral and cellular immune responses in mice. Here we present evidence on the immnnogenicity of HCV-LP and the effects of novel adjuvant systems in a nonhuman primate model, the baboon. Three groups of four baboons were immunized with HCV-LP, HCV-LP and adjuvant AS01B (monophosphoryl lipid A and QS21), or HCV-LP and the combination of AS01B and CpG oligodeoxynucleotides 10105. After four immunizations over an 8-month period, all animals developed HCV-specific humoral and cellular immune responses including antibodies to HCV structural proteins and gamma interferon+ (IFN-γ+)CD4+ and IFN-γ+CD8++T-cell responses. The immunogenicity of HCV-LP was only marginally enhanced by the use of adjuvants. The overall HCV-specific immune responses were broad and long lasting. Our results suggest that HCV-LP is a potent immunogen to induce HCV-specific humoral and cellular immune responses in primates and may be a promising approach to develop novel preventive and therapeutic modalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An intelligent simulation method for predicting and optimizing the pore structure of carbon aerogels is proposed by using an artificial neural network (ANN) algorithm. The ANN model has been optimized based on an improved genetic algorithm from six typical training algorithms. The volumes and diameters of pores in the simulated samples are predicted by the optimized ANN model, which shows correlation coefficients R² of 0.992 and 0.981 and root-mean-square prediction errors (RMSPE) of 0.077 and 0.054 between the predicted and experimental values for the volumes and diameters of pores, respectively. The proposed model is expected to have practical applications in the pore structure control of carbon aerogels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel silicon controlled rectifier (SCR) with high holding voltage ( for electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection is proposed and investigated in this paper. The proposed SCR obtains high by adding a long N+ layer (LN+) and a long P+ layer (LP+), which divide the conventional low voltage trigger silicon controlled rectifier (LVTSCR) into two SCRs (SCR1: P+/Nwell/Pwell/N+ and SCR2: P+/LN+/LP+/N+) with a shared emitter. Under the low ESD current (, the two SCRs are turned on at the same time to induce the first snapback with high (. As the increases, the SCR2 will be turned off because of its low current gain. Therefore, the will flow through the longer SCR1 path, bypassing SCR2, which induces the second snapback with high (. The anti-latch-up ability of the proposed SCR for ESD protection is proved by a dynamic TLP-like (Transmission Line Pulse-like) simulation. An optimized of 7.4 V with a maximum failure current ( of 14.7 mA/ is obtained by the simulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel ultralow turnoff loss dual-gate silicon-on-insulator (SOI) lateral insulated gate bipolar transistor (LIGBT) is proposed. The proposed SOI LIGBT features an extra trench gate inserted between the p-well and n-drift, and an n-type carrier stored (CS) layer beneath the p-well. In the on-state, the extra trench gate acts as a barrier, which increases the carrier density at the cathode side of n-drift region, resulting in a decrease of the on-state voltage drop (Von). In the off-state, due to the uniform carrier distribution and the assisted depletion effect induced by the extra trench gate, large number of carriers can be removed at the initial turnoff process, contributing to a low turnoff loss (Eoff). Moreover, owing to the dual-gate field plates and CS layer, the carrier density beneath the p-well can greatly increase, which further improves the tradeoff between Eoff and Von. Simulation results show that Eoff of the proposed SOI LIGBT can decrease by 77% compared with the conventional trench gate SOI LIGBT at the same Von of 1.1 V. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An ultra-low Ron,sp 700 V DB-nLDMOS (dual P-buried-layer nLDMOS) which uses 0.35 μm technology and full ion implantation technology is proposed. Experimental results show that with 800 V BVds, Ron,sp is only 10.7 Ω·mm2 which is the lowest value of triple RESURF (REduce SURface Field) LDMOS reported before. This mainly benefits from two aspects. First, thermal budgets of the process are strictly limited after implantation of the Pbury layer. Secondly, device sizes of the neck region are optimised to reduce Ron,sp which also suppress the JFET effect of the triple RESURF LDMOS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel ultra-thin partial silicon-on-insulator (PSOI) LDMOS with n-type buried (n-buried) layer (NBL PSOI LDMOS) is proposed. The new PSOI LDMOS features an n-buried layer underneath the n-type drift (n-drift) region close to the source side, providing a large conductivity region for majority carriers to significantly improve the self-heating effect. A combination of uniform and linear variable doping (LVD) profile with highly initial concentration is utilised in the n-drift region, which alleviates the inherent tradeoff between specific on-resistance (Ron,sp) and breakdown voltage (BV), as well as achieving low power dissipation. With a 60-μm n-drift region length, the NBL PSOI LDMOS obtains a high BV of 940 V with a low maximum temperature (Tmax) of 327 K at a power (P) of 1 mW/μm, which is reduced by around 56 K in comparison to the conventional SOI LDMOS using an LVD profile for the n-drift region (LVD SOI LDMOS). Moreover, Ron,sp of the NBL PSOI LDMOS is lower than that of the LVD SOI LDMOS for a wide range of BV from 400 to 900 V. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An advanced low-cost and low-power high-voltage (HV) startup circuit which uses a 50 V pJFET and a 700 V T-nJFET (triple RESURF nJFET) is proposed. Compared with traditional technology, a mass of module area is saved. This mainly benefits from: first, with increase of VDS, IOFF (leakage current in off-state) can be quickly pinched off to a low value by pJFET without a large layout area which is needed for the traditional resistance method. Secondly, T-nJFET is located at the drain terminal of T-nLDMOS (triple RESURF LDMOS) with common drain electrode which also saves large area than traditional independent nJFET. Moreover, pJFET brings stable and low IOFF which leads to 4 mW POFF (static power consumption in off-state) due to its low VP (pinch-off voltage) and high BVDS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A lateral current regulator diode (CRD) with field plates is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. The proposed CRD is based on the junction field-effect transistor (JFET) structure. A cathode field plate is adopted to alleviate the channel-length modulation effect and to improve the saturated I—V characteristics. An anode field plate is induced to achieve a high breakdown voltage VB of the CRD. The influence of the key device parameters on the I—V characteristics of the lateral CRD are discussed. Experimental results show that the proposed CRD presents good I—V characteristics with a high VB about 180 V and a low knee voltage (Vk) below 3 V. Furthermore, the proposed CRD has a negative temperature coefficient. The well characteristic of the proposed CRD makes it a cost-effective solution for light-emitting-diode lighting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel substrate trigger semiconductor control rectifier-laterally diffused metal–oxide semiconductor (STSCR-LDMOS) stacked structure is proposed and simulated using the transimission line pulser (TLP) multiple-pulse simulation method in a 0.35-μm, 60-V biploar-CMOS-DMOS (BCD) process without additional masks. On account of a very low holding voltage, it is susceptible to latch-up-like danger for the semiconductor control rectifier-laterally diffused metal–oxide semiconductor (SCR-LDMOS) in high-voltage electro-static discharge (ESD) protection applications. Although the conventional stacking structure has achieved strong latch-up immunity by increasing holding voltage, excessive high trigger voltage does not meet requirements for an ESD protection device. The holding voltage of the proposed stacked structure is proportional to the stacking number, whereas the trigger voltage remains nearly the same. A high holding voltage of 30.6 V and trigger voltage of 75.4 V are achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sugarcane is the most important sugar crop, contributing > 80% of global sugar production. High sucrose content is a key target of sugarcane breeding, yet sucrose improvement in sugarcane remains extremely slow for decades. Molecular breeding has the potential to break through the genetic bottleneck of sucrose improvement. Dissecting the molecular mechanism(s) and identifying the key genetic elements controlling sucrose accumulation will accelerate sucrose improvement by molecular breeding. In our previous work, a proteomics dataset based on 12 independent samples from high- and low-sugar genotypes treated with ethephon or water was established. However, in that study, employing conventional analysis, only 25 proteins involved in sugar metabolism were identified. Results: In this work, the proteomics dataset used in our previous study was reanalyzed by three different statistical approaches, which include a logistic marginal regression, a penalized multiple logistic regression named Elastic net, as well as a Bayesian multiple logistic regression method named Stochastic search variable selection (SSVS) to identify more sugar metabolism-associated proteins. A total of 507 differentially abundant proteins (DAPs) were identified from this dataset, with 5 of them were validated by western blot. Among the DAPs, 49 proteins were found to participate in sugar metabolism-related processes including photosynthesis, carbon fixation as well as carbon, amino sugar, nucleotide sugar, starch and sucrose metabolism. Based on our studies, a putative network of key proteins regulating sucrose accumulation in sugarcane is proposed, with glucose-6-phosphate isomerase, 2-phospho-D-glycerate hydrolyase, malate dehydrogenase and phospho-glycerate kinase, as hub proteins. Conclusions: The sugar metabolism-related proteins identified in this work are potential candidates for sucrose improvement by molecular breeding. Further, this work provides an alternative solution for omics data processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During curing process of composite overwrap the die shows a significant influence on the temperature field, curing degree distribution, and curing deformation. The curing process can thus not be accurately simulated without a die. In this paper, a model of the composite overwrap with a die and two models without dies were respectively created. The finite element method was employed to solve the equations for describing the thermo-chemical model coupled with the cure kinetic model. The validity of the simulation was experimentally verified. The temperature distribution and the curing degree field of the composite overwrap were outlined and the effect of the die on the curing process was evaluated for each model. With the aid of the thermal analysis, the curing deformation as a result of the thermo-chemical shrinkage was presented and the difference in thermal expansion coefficients between the composite overwrap and the die was illustrated. The effect of the stacking sequence of multi-layers on the curing deformation of the composite overwrap was also evaluated, taking into account the changes in the resin properties during the curing process. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Curing process has a great impact on molding quality of the fiber-winding composite shell. In order to improve its curing quality and efficiency, a new curing process employed the method of heating the internal metal mandrel with steam can be adopted, which is called internal curing process. This paper introduces the principle of internal curing process and establishes the mathematical models of internal curing process, adopts ANSYS and APDL to develop the 3-D transient numerical simulation program of internal curing to realize numerical simulation of temperature, curing degree and residual strain, and analyze the influence of shell thick, fiber volume fraction and film coefficient on the simulation results. Taking the cylinder shell as an example, numerical simulation and experiment are carried out. This research provides theory basis and analysis method for the design, simulation and parameter optimization of internal curing process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Gold nanoparticles were stabilized on alumina support by silica via a surface sol–gel post-modification method and applied for the catalytic cyclohexane oxidation to cyclohexanone and cyclohexanol using oxygen in the absence of any solvent and initiator. The results show that the surface doping of alumina support with silica is highly effective in stabilizing gold nanoparticles subjected to calcination at 500°C for 3h. Moreover, the catalytic activity in terms of specific reaction rate and the selectivity to cyclohexanone are appreciably enhanced probably due to a decreased acidity and hydrophilicity by surface substitution of alumina with silica. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Amorphous silica was modified by doping with titania through a surface sol–gel process and applied as the support for depositing gold. These doped silica-supported gold catalysts were tested in the selective cyclohexane oxidation to cyclohexanone and cyclohexanol using oxygen. Under the oxidation conditions of 150 °C, 1.5 MPa and 3 h, a selectivity of 91.7% for cyclohexanone and cyclohexanol could be reached over the gold catalyst, affording a cyclohexane conversion of 8.4% and a turnover frequency up to 40,133 per hour. Moreover, the catalytic activity and selectivity could be well retained in 4 recycling oxidation reactions, showing a high stability of the gold catalyst supported on titania-doped silica. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The selective oxidation of cyclohexane to cyclohexanone and cyclohexanol has been investigated over Au/Al2O3 catalysts using molecular oxygen in a solvent-free system. The catalysts were prepared by a modified direct anionic exchange method and characterized by AAS, N2 adsorption and TEM. The results showed that the catalytic performance of Au/Al2O3 is very high in terms of turnover frequency. Moreover, the nano-size effect of gold is also reported in the reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rate of improvement of sugar content in sugarcane remains low for decades worldwide. Our previous transcriptome studies provided an atlas of sucrose accumulation-related gene expression, but little is known about the proteins involved. Here, we conducted a proteomic analysis of experimentally altered sucrose accumulation in sugarcane. Analysis of stem proteomes of sugarcane ripener ethephon treated high- and low-sugar genotypes had identified 2983 proteins of which 139 were significantly differentially expressed (DEPs). These DEPs were found to be associated with sugar metabolism-related processes with 25 of them may have a regulatory role in sucrose accumulation. The key proteins identified include UDP-glucose 6-dehydrogenase associated with amino sugar and nucleotide sugar metabolism; those involved in carbon fixation; and fructokinase, β-D-glucosidase, and α-glucan phosphorylase involved in starch and sucrose metabolism. Distinct genotype- and ethephon-dependent DEP expression was evident providing new insights into one of the most intractable sugarcane traits to breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have recently demonstrated that immunization with hepatitis C virus-like particles (HCV-LPs) generated in insect cells can elicit both humoral and cellular immune responses in BALB/c mice. Here, we evaluate the immunogenicity of HCV-LPs in HLA2.1 transgenic (AAD) mice in comparison to DNA immunization. HCV-LP immunization elicited a significantly stronger humoral immune response than DNA immunization. HCV-LP-immunized mice also developed stronger HCV-specific cellular immune responses than DNA-immunized mice as determined by using quantitative enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISpot) assay and intracellular cytokine staining. In BALB/c mice, immunization with HCV-LPs resulted in a >5 log[sub 10] reduction in vaccinia titer when challenged with a recombinant vaccinia expressing the HCV structural proteins (vvHCV.S), as compared to 1 log[sup 10] decrease in DNA immunization. In HLA2.1 transgenic mice, a 1-2 log[sub 10] reduction resulted from HCV-LP immunization, whereas no reduction was seen from DNA immunization. Adoptive transfer of lymphocytes from HCV-LP-immunized mice to naive mice provided protection against vvHCV.S challenge, and this transferred immunity can be abrogated by either CD4 or CD8 depletion. Our results suggest that HCV-LPs can induce humoral and cellular immune responses that are protective in a surrogate HCV challenge model and that a strong cellular immunity provided by both CD4 and CD8 effector lymphocytes may be important for protection from HCV infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study which investigates on the biological components of nonalkaloid portions of Ervatamia yunnanensis. The study used a plant material from Xishuangbanna, Yunnan province identified as stems of Ervatamia yunnanensis Tsiang which were extracted and suspended in 2% hydrochloric (HCL) solution. It says that the fractions were subjected to chromatography and 14 compounds, including flavonoids, vanillin, and lignans, were isolated.

Purpose. Due to the rarity, it is difficult to predict the survival of patients with fibrosarcoma. This study aimed to apply a nomogram to predict survival outcomes in patients with fibrosarcoma. Methods. A total of 2235 patients with diagnoses of fibrosarcoma were registered in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database, of whom 663 patients were eventually enrolled. Univariate and multivariate Cox analyses were used to identify independent prognostic factors. Nomograms were constructed to predict 3-year and 5‐year overall survival and cancer‐specific survival of patients with fibrosarcoma. Results. In univariate and multivariate analyses of OS, age, sex, race, tumor stage, pathologic grade, use of surgery, and tumor size were identified as independent prognostic factors. Age, sex, tumor stage, pathologic grade, use of surgery, and tumor size were significantly associated with CSS. These characteristics were further included to establish the nomogram for predicting 3-year and 5-year OS and CSS. For the internal validation of the nomogram predictions of OS and CSS, the C-indices were 0.784 and 0.801. Conclusion. We developed the nomograms that estimated 3-year and 5-year OS and CSS. These nomograms not only have good discrimination performance and calibration but also provide patients with better clinical benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, effect of PEDOT:PSS content on structure and properties of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS)/poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) composite conducting fiber was systematically investigated for the first time. PEDOT:PSS/PVA composite conducting fibers with various PEDOT:PSS loadings were successfully fabricated via wet-spinning technique. Correlation between PEDOT:PSS loading and performance of composite fibers was investigated by analyzing changes in chemical constitution, morphology, thermal property, conductivity, and tensile property of composite fibers. Formation of hydrogen bonding interactions was observed between PVA matrix and PEDOT:PSS conducting filler, and the interaction was enhanced with increasing PEDOT:PSS loading. As PEDOT:PSS loading increased in composite fiber, fiber conductivity increased monotonically, and surface morphology of composite fibers became regularly circular. Young's modulus and tensile strength of composite fibers also increased with increasing PEDOT:PSS loading, while elongation at break decreased. In addition, thermal stability of composite fibers improved with increasing PEDOT:PSS loading. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: We assessed replication and excretion of the live attenuated tetravalent dengue vaccine (CYD-TDV) into biological fluids following vaccination in dengue-naive adults in Australia.Methods: Vaccinal viremia/shedding was assessed in a subset of participants enrolled in a lot-to-lot consistency study; 95 participants received 3 subcutaneous doses of CYD-TDV from phase 2/3 lots of the vaccine, and 8 received placebo; doses were administered 6 months apart. Quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (qR-PCR) analysis was used to initially detect the yellow fever virus (YFV) core protein gene in the backbone of CYD-TDV in serum, saliva and urine, followed by serotype-specific qRT-PCR analysis of samples positive for YFV by qRT-PCR (lower limit of detection, 5.16 GEq/mL).Results: YFV viremia was detected by qRT-PCR in 69.5% of participants (66 of 95) who received CYD-TDV, mainly 6-14 days after injection 1. The serotypes detected were serotype 4 (in 68.2% of participants [45 of 95]), serotype 3 (in 19.7% [13 of 95]), and serotype 1 (in 12.1% [8 of 95]); serotype 2 was not detected. None of the placebo recipients had vaccinal viremia/shedding. No participants had detectable viral shedding into saliva at levels above the lower limit of quantitation. Two participants had low-level viral shedding (serotype 3) in urine (5.47 and 5.77 GEq/mL). None of the participants with viremia or shedding experienced concomitant fever.Conclusions: Low-level vaccinal viremia may occur following vaccination with CYD-TDV, but this is not associated with any symptom or adverse event.Clinical Trials Registration: NCT01134263. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, blend fibers composed of poly(vinyl alcohol) and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) were prepared via wet-spinning technology. Ethylene glycol (EG) vapor annealing was employed to improve the electrical conductivity and tensile properties of blend fibers. The effects of EG vapor annealing on structures and properties of blend fibers were investigated in detail by analyzing the changes in chemical constituent and structure, molecular structure, surface morphology, surface chemical composition, electrical conductivity, and tensile properties. FTIR spectroscopy indicates that EG vapor annealing does not change the chemical constituent and structure of blend fibers. Raman spectroscopy shows that vapor annealing leads to conformational changes of PEDOT chains from benzoid structure to quinoid structure. AFM and SEM images show that surface morphology of blend fibers become smoother after vapor annealing. XPS measurement shows that EG vapor annealing induces significant phase separation between PEDOT and PSS, forming an enriched PSS layer on the surface of blend fibers, thus leading to a thinner insulating PSS layer between PEDOT grains. This conformational change is beneficial to improve the electrical conductivity of blend fibers. The resultant blend fiber reached conductivity up to 20.4 S cm−1. The mechanical properties of blend fibers were also improved by EG vapor annealing, with the Young’s modulus and tensile strength increasing from 3.6 GPa and 112 MPa to 4.4 GPa and 132.7 MPa, respectively.In this study, blend fibers composed of poly(vinyl alcohol) and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) were prepared via wet-spinning technology. Ethylene glycol (EG) vapor annealing was employed to improve the electrical conductivity and tensile properties of blend fibers. The effects of EG vapor annealing on structures and properties of blend fibers were investigated in detail by analyzing the changes in chemical constituent and structure, molecular structure, surface morphology, surface chemical composition, electrical conductivity, and tensile properties. FTIR spectroscopy indicates that EG vapor annealing does not change the chemical constituent and structure of blend fibers. Raman spectroscopy shows that vapor annealing leads to conformational changes of PEDOT chains from benzoid structure to quinoid structure. AFM and SEM images show that surface morphology of blend fibers become smoother after vapor annealing. XPS measurement shows that EG vapor annealing induces significant phase separation between PEDOT and PSS, forming an enriched PSS layer on the surface of blend fibers, thus leading to a thinner insulating PSS layer between PEDOT grains. This conformational change is beneficial to improve the electrical conductivity of blend fibers. The resultant blend fiber reached conductivity up to 20.4 S cm−1. The mechanical properties of blend fibers were also improved by EG vapor annealing, with the Young’s modulus and tensile strength increasing from 3.6 GPa and 112 MPa to 4.4 GPa and 132.7 MPa, respectively.In this study, blend fibers composed of poly(vinyl alcohol) and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) were prepared via wet-spinning technology. Ethylene glycol (EG) vapor annealing was employed to improve the electrical conductivity and tensile properties of blend fibers. The effects of EG vapor annealing on structures and properties of blend fibers were investigated in detail by analyzing the changes in chemical constituent and structure, molecular structure, surface morphology, surface chemical composition, electrical conductivity, and tensile properties. FTIR spectroscopy indicates that EG vapor annealing does not change the chemical constituent and structure of blend fibers. Raman spectroscopy shows that vapor annealing leads to conformational changes of PEDOT chains from benzoid structure to quinoid structure. AFM and SEM images show that surface morphology of blend fibers become smoother after vapor annealing. XPS measurement shows that EG vapor annealing induces significant phase separation between PEDOT and PSS, forming an enriched PSS layer on the surface of blend fibers, thus leading to a thinner insulating PSS layer between PEDOT grains. This conformational change is beneficial to improve the electrical conductivity of blend fibers. The resultant blend fiber reached conductivity up to 20.4 S cm−1. The mechanical properties of blend fibers were also improved by EG vapor annealing, with the Young’s modulus and tensile strength increasing from 3.6 GPa and 112 MPa to 4.4 GPa and 132.7 MPa, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To report a new index, the spinal cord (SC) line, and a new classification to predict postoperative recovery effect in patients with multilevel cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM). Methods On T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the cervical spine, point A is the posteroinferior point of the spinal cord at C2, and point B is the posterosuperior point of the spinal cord at C7. The SC line is defined as a line connecting A and B. The posterior surface of the compressor at the compression level does not exceed the line in SC line type I, touches the line in type II, and exceeds the line in type III. Between January 2010 and January 2015, 121 patients with multilevel CSM who underwent surgery through an anterior approach (anterior cervical corpectomy with fusion or anterior cervical discectomy and fusion) or a posterior approach (laminoplasty or laminectomy) in our hospital were studied retrospectively. The patients were classified into 3 groups according to SC line type (I, II, or III). Results In the anterior surgical approach group, the Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) recovery rate at the last follow-up was 84.88 ± 3.06% for SC line type I, 78.05 ± 2.89% for type II, and 68.69 ± 3.21% for type III. In the posterior surgical approach group, the JOA recovery rate at last follow-up was 69.35 ± 8.73% for type I, 58.05 ± 5.88% for type II, and 47.98 ± 4.31% for type III. The anterior surgery approach was associated with a higher postoperative recovery rate than the posterior surgery approach in type II and type III groups (type II anterior vs. type II posterior: 78.05 ± 2.89% vs. 58.05 ± 5.88%, P = 0.003; type III anterior vs. type III posterior: 68.69 ± 3.21% vs. 47.98 ± 4.31%, P = 0.001). In contrast, the anterior and posterior surgery were associated with similar postoperative recovery rates in the type I group (84.88 ± 3.06% vs. 69.35 ± 8.73%; P = 0.820). Conclusions The SC line and its classifications can predict postoperative recovery in patients with multilevel CSM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Previous studies have shown that electroacupuncture (EA) has a significant effect on acute pain, but it has not solved the clinical problem of the chronification of acute pain. Diffuse noxious inhibitory controls (DNIC) function as a reliable indicator to predict the risk of chronic pain events. DNIC function in knee osteoarthritis (KOA) patients has been demonstrated to gradually decrease during the development of chronic pain. The purpose of this study is to conduct a randomized, controlled clinical trial to determine if EA can repair impaired DNIC function and thus prevent chronification of the acute pain of KOA. Methods/Design: This is a multicenter, single blind, randomized, controlled, three-arm, large-scale clinical trial. A total of 450 KOA patients will be randomly assigned to three groups. The strong EA group will receive EA with high-intensity current (2 mA < current < 5 mA) at the ipsilateral 'Neixiyan' (EX-LE5), 'Dubi'(ST35), 'Liangqiu'(ST34) and 'Xuehai' (SP10). The weak EA group will receive EA with low-intensity current (0 mA < current < 0.5 mA) on the same acupoints. The sham EA group will receive EA with low-intensity current (0 mA < current < 0.5 mA) with fine needles inserted superficially into the sites 2 cm lateral to the above acupoints. The patients will be treated with EA once a day, 30 minutes per session, in 5 sessions per week, for 2 weeks. In order to determine the best stage of KOA for effective EA intervention, patients within the treatment groups also will be divided into four stages. The primary outcomes are Visual Analog Scale (VAS), DNIC function and the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC). Clinical assessments will be evaluated at baseline (before treatment) and after 5 to 10 sessions of treatment. Discussion: This trial will be helpful in identifying whether strong EA is more effective than weak EA in reversing chronification of acute pain through repairing the impaired DNIC function and in screening for the best stage of KOA for effective EA intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An analytical model for a novel triple reduced surface field (RESURF) silicon-on-insulator (SOI) lateral double-diffused metal–oxide–semiconductor (LDMOS) field effect transistor with n-type top (N-top) layer, which can obtain a low on-state resistance, is proposed in this paper. The analytical model for surface potential and electric field distributions of the novel triple RESURF SOI LDMOS is presented by solving the two-dimensional (2D) Poisson’s equation, which can also be applied to single, double and conventional triple RESURF SOI structures. The breakdown voltage (BV) is formulized to quantify the breakdown characteristic. Besides, the optimal integrated charge of N-top layer (Qntop) is derived, which can give guidance for doping the N-top layer. All the analytical results are well verified by numerical simulation results, showing the validity of the presented model. Hence, the proposed model can be a good tool for the device designers to provide accurate first-order design schemes and physical insights into the high voltage triple RESURF SOI device with N-top layer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Previous studies have shown that electroacupuncture (EA) has a significant effect on acute pain, but it has not solved the clinical problem of the chronification of acute pain. Diffuse noxious inhibitory controls (DNIC) function as a reliable indicator to predict the risk of chronic pain events. DNIC function in knee osteoarthritis (KOA) patients has been demonstrated to gradually decrease during the development of chronic pain. The purpose of this study is to conduct a randomized, controlled clinical trial to determine if EA can repair impaired DNIC function and thus prevent chronification of the acute pain of KOA.Methods/design: This is a multicenter, single blind, randomized, controlled, three-arm, large-scale clinical trial. A total of 450 KOA patients will be randomly assigned to three groups. The strong EA group will receive EA with high-intensity current (2 mA < current < 5 mA) at the ipsilateral 'Neixiyan' (EX-LE5), 'Dubi'(ST35), 'Liangqiu'(ST34) and 'Xuehai' (SP10). The weak EA group will receive EA with low-intensity current (0 mA < current < 0.5 mA) on the same acupoints. The sham EA group will receive EA with low-intensity current (0 mA < current < 0.5 mA) with fine needles inserted superficially into the sites 2 cm lateral to the above acupoints. The patients will be treated with EA once a day, 30 minutes per session, in 5 sessions per week, for 2 weeks. In order to determine the best stage of KOA for effective EA intervention, patients within the treatment groups also will be divided into four stages. The primary outcomes are Visual Analog Scale (VAS), DNIC function and the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC). Clinical assessments will be evaluated at baseline (before treatment) and after 5 to 10 sessions of treatment.Discussion: This trial will be helpful in identifying whether strong EA is more effective than weak EA in reversing chronification of acute pain through repairing the impaired DNIC function and in screening for the best stage of KOA for effective EA intervention.Trial Registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry Number: ChiCTR-ICR-14005411. The date of registration is 31 October 2014. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]