Search

A Siamese neural network architecture is introduced to enhance the stability and generalization of deep neural networks for magnetic anomaly detection (MAD). Grounded in signal disparity contrastive learning, this study addresses the statistical disparity in signals from various regions and times. Within the proposed architecture, two identical 1-D convolutional neural networks with shared parameters are used as feature extractors for obtaining the embedding of paired input signals in the target space. Decision networks are then formulated to measure the discrepancies between these embeddings, shedding light on the differences between the original signals. A base signal family is crafted for detection using multiple noisy signals that are spatially and temporally aligned with the evaluated signal. The difference between the measured signal and those in the base family is computed. A voting mechanism subsequently determines if the assessed signal is a magnetic anomaly. Numerous semi-realistic datasets are employed for network training. The results indicate that the proposed network surpasses several existing networks in robustness with regard to detection area, time, and signal parameter variations and also has excellent detection capability and temperature in the face of measured magnetic anomaly signals. Notably, with changes in test parameters, the network only requires the background noise signal as the base, maintaining high detection performance without retraining.

Magnetic anomaly detection (MAD) plays a critical role in both geophysical exploration and environmental monitoring. Despite advancements, traditional MAD methods often struggle with low signal-to-noise ratios (SNR) and complex background noise, limiting their effectiveness. This study introduces a novel magnetic anomaly signal restormer (MASR) approach, significantly outperforming existing signal restoration techniques in the MAD field regarding accuracy and reliability. Leveraging the unconventional computing power of magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs), we propose an integrated measurement-computation system designed to implement the MASR method efficiently. Our system demonstrates superior detection performance and marks a departure from conventional von Neumann architectures, offering enhanced computational efficiency and energy savings. By integrating nanodevice-enabled artificial intelligence (AI) directly with signal measurement, our approach minimizes reliance on external processing units and data transmission, ensuring rapid, real-time MAD processing. This system is particularly suited to address the challenges of low SNR and harsh working conditions prevalent in geoscience data analysis. The experimental results obtained from real-world oceanic deployments validate the superiority of the MASR method and the integrated system in achieving high-fidelity magnetic anomaly signal restoration under challenging conditions. This research not only advances the field of MAD but also paves the way for future developments in energy-efficient, compact, and high-performance real-time remote sensing systems, laying the groundwork for broader applications of nanotechnology-enabled AI in autonomous and efficient remote sensing systems.

In this study, Nd:HfO2 thin films with or without the Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 (HZO) interlayer were prepared on Pt/Ti/SiO2/Si substrates by the chemical solution deposition (CSD) method. It was found that the HZO interlayer could effectively improve the ferroelectric properties of the Nd:HfO2 thin films. The thin films with the HZO interlayer have a larger remanent polarization ( ${P}_{\text {r}} \approx 20.04~\mu \text{C}$ /cm2) and a smaller coercive field ( ${E}_{\text {c}} \approx 1.8$ MV/cm) than that of the thin films without the HZO interlayer. Moreover, the endurance and retention performance of the metal–ferroelectric–metal–semiconductor (MFMS) structure is much better than that of the thin films without the HZO interlayer. Microscopic characterizations by XRD and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) indicated that stacking the HZO interlayer can increase the content of the orthogonal phase, which helps to improve the ferroelectricity of the thin film. The stacking structure overcomes the problems of high leakage current and small polarization window for ferroelectric HfO2-based thin films. The results provide a valuable way for the preparation of ferroelectric HfO2-based thin films through the CSD method.

Introduction: Meta-analysis of the results of transanal total mesorectal excision (taTME) and laparoscopic TME (laTME) regarding perioperative and oncological outcomes have been conducted. Due to the lack of high-quality randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and prospective studies in the included literature, the conclusions are unreliable. This study included RCTs and prospective studies for analysis to obtain more reliable conclusions. Materials and methods: Systematic searches of the PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases were conducted up to June 2023. To assess the quality, the Cochrane quality assessment tool and the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale were employed. The perioperative and oncological outcomes were then analyzed. The I2statistic was used to evaluate statistical heterogeneity and sensitivity analyses was conducted. Results: A total of 22 studies, comprising 5056 patients, were included in the analysis, of which 6 were RCTs and 16 were prospective studies. The conversion rate in the taTME group was significantly lower than that in the laTME group (OR 0.14, 95% CI 0.09 to 0.22, P< 0.01), and the circumferential resection margin (CRM) was longer (MD 0.99 mm, 95% CI 0.66 to 1.32 mm, P< 0.01), with a lower rate of positive CRM involvement (OR 0.68, 95% CI 0.47 to 0.97, P= 0.03). No statistically significant differences were found in terms of the operation time, intraoperative blood loss, complications, anastomotic leakage, uroschesis, obstruction, secondary operation, hospital stay, urethral injury, readmission, mortality rate within 30 days, mesorectal resection quality, number of harvested lymph nodes, distal resection margin (DRM), positive DRM, local recurrence, and distance recurrence (P> 0.05). Conclusion: According to the findings of this meta-analysis, which is based on RCTs and prospective studies, taTME appears to have an advantage over laTME in terms of conversion rate and CRM involvement. Graphical abstract:

An unprecedented three-component [2 + 2 + 1] annulation cascade of indoles with aryldiazonium salts and polyhalomethanes or acetone is presented by dual hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) and C–H functionalization. By employing readily accessible aryldiazonium salts as the radical initiators and electrophiles and polyhalomethanes and acetone as the C1 units, this method unprecedentedly constructs a pyrazole ring on an indole ring skeleton through the formation of two C–N bonds and a C–C bond in a single reaction.

Silicone and e-poly(tetrafluoroethylene) (e-PTFE) are the most commonly used artificial materials for repairing maxillofacial bone defects caused by facial trauma and tumors. However, their use is limited by poor histocompatibility, unsatisfactory support, and high infection rates. Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) has excellent mechanical strength and biocompatibility, but its application to the repair of maxillofacial bone defects lacks a theoretical basis. The microstructure and mechanical properties of e-PTFE, silicone, and PEEK were evaluated by electron microscopy, BOSE machine, and Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy. Mouse fibroblast L929 cells were incubated on the surface of the three materials to assess cytotoxicity and adhesion. The three materials were implanted onto the left femoral surface of 90 male mice, and samples of the implants and surrounding soft tissues were evaluated histologically at 1, 2, 4, 8, and 12 weeks post-surgery. PEEK had a much higher Young’s modulus than either e-PTFE or silicone (p< 0.05 each), and maintained high stiffness without degradation long after implantation. Both PEEK and e-PTFE facilitated L929 cell adhesion, with PEEK having lower cytotoxicity than e-PTFE and silicone (p< 0.05 each). All three materials similarly hindered the motor function of mice 12 weeks after implantation (p> 0.05 each). Connective tissue ingrowth was observed in PEEK and e-PTFE, whereas a fibrotic peri-prosthetic capsule was observed on the surface of silicone. The postoperative infection rate was significantly lower for both PEEK and silicone than for e-PTFE (p< 0.05 each). PEEK shows excellent biocompatibility and mechanical stability, suggesting that it can be effective as a novel implant to repair maxillofacial bone defects.

In this study, the pressure-sensitive paint (PSP) technique, specifically the mesoporous-particle-based PSP, was employed to compare rectangular cavities with varying length-to-depth ratios (L/D) and different trailing edge shapes under transonic conditions. By utilizing PSP, comprehensive and quantitative pressure data were obtained, enabling the simultaneous observation of surface flow field distribution. The results obtained using PSP were found to be consistent with those obtained from conventional pressure sensors. The study revealed that the pressure distribution within the cavities changed with increasing L/D, and cavities with different trailing edge shapes demonstrated a reduction in pressure at the bottom region. Furthermore, the comparison of results obtained through the oil flow method corroborated the PSP findings, indicating that a beveled or sawtooth-shaped trailing edge of the cavity induced air flow deflection, effectively disrupting the upstream shear flow structure and altering the pressure distribution at the cavityʼs bottom.

Background:To evaluate the diagnostic effects of urine PCA-M (prostate cancer antigen-methylation) DNA level in patients with PSA from 4 to 20 ng/ml. Methods: We first explored the diagnostic value of PCAM (PRKYand TGIF2LY) based on prostate cancer samples from the TCGA database. Then ninety-five patients with PSA concentration of 4-20 ng/ml were collected as subjects. The level of urinary PCA-M DNA was detected by RT–PCR. The sensitivity and specificity of the diagnosis and the AUC were calculated and compared with f/t PSA, PSAD. Results: Bioinformatics analysis showed that the expression of PRKYin prostate cancer tissues was significantly higher than that in adjacent normal tissues, while the expression of TGIF2LYin normal prostate tissues was significantly higher than that in cancer tissues (P < 0.001). The results of RT–PCR showed that the level of urinary PCA-M protein kinase PRKYin patients diagnosed with PCA (P < 0.0001), while the level of urinary TGIF2LYin patients with PCA was on the contrary. The AUC value of urinary PRKYlevel was the highest compared with urinary TGIF2LY, f / tPSA and PSAD. Conclusions: PCA-M could be a biomarker for diagnosing patients with PSA from 4 to 20 ng/ml.

Dielectric capacitors with ultrahigh power density and ultra-fast charge/discharge rate are highly desired in pulse power fields. Environmental-friendly AgNbO3family have been actively studied for its large polarization and antiferroelectric nature, which greatly boost the electric energy storage performance. However, high-quality AgNbO3-based films are difficult to fabricate, leading to a low breakdown field Eb(<1.2 MV/cm) and consequently arising inferior energy storage performance. In this work, we propose an interface engineering strategy to mitigate the breakdown field issue. A Ag(Nb,Ta)O3/BaTiO3bilayer film is proposed, where the BaTiO3layer acts as a p-type semiconductor while Ag(Nb,Ta)O3layer is n-type, together with the n-type LaNiO3buffer layer on the substrate, forming an n-p-n heterostructure. The n-p-n heterostructure elevates the potential barriers for charge transport, greatly reducing the leakage current. An extremely large breakdown field Eb∼4.3 MV/cm is achieved, being the highest value up to date in the niobate system. A high recoverable energy density Wrec∼62.3 J/cm3and a decent efficiency η∼72.3% are obtained, much superior to that of the Ag(Nb,Ta)O3monolayer film (Wrec∼46.4 J/cm3and η∼80.3% at Eb∼3.3 MV/cm). Our results indicate that interface engineering is an effective method to boost energy storage performance of dielectric film capacitors.

In the present work, 15 400 yr old geochemical records of a core from the subalpine Daping swamp are presented with the aim to examine the relationship between the chemical weathering and the climatic changes in the region of the western Nanling Mountains, China. The climate of the study region was deeply controlled by the East Asian summer monsoon. The results indicate that, in the past 15 400 yrs, the values of chemical index of alteration (CIA) ranged from 73.9% to 88.2% (mean: 85.3%), suggested a medium and high intensity of chemical weathering. The local exogenous clastic materials, which were derived from the weathered residues, played a key role in contributing towards the sediments. Since the climate-induced chemical weathering exerted strong influences on the geochemical features of weathered residues, the geochemical characteristics of the sediments were deeply impacted by climatic conditions. Wetter and warmer conditions would favor increased chemical weathering, resulting in more leaching of soluble and mobile elements (e.g., Ba and Sr) and leaving the resistant and immobile elements (e.g., Al and Ti) enriched in the weathered residues. These materials were then eroded and transported into the lake, and led to the sediments characterized by the characteristic of having depleted soluble elements. In contrast, dry and cold conditions would result in an opposite trend. In this sense, the geochemical records can serve as proxies to indicate changes of chemical weathering intensity, which were closely related to the evolution of summer monsoon.

Sodium niobate (NaNbO3, NN)–based lead-free antiferroelectric (AFE) ceramics are currently the focus of most attention on account of their outstanding energy storage density. Nevertheless, the high loss energy density (Wloss) by unique field-induced AFE-ferroelectric (FE) phase transition in pure NN ceramic and low breakdown electric field (Eb) largely restrict their practical application. Here, a combined optimization strategy was aimed at ameliorating energy storage characteristics of NN-based ceramics. First, the introduction of BiFeO3–SrTiO3binary solid solution in pure NN ceramics destroys the long-range polar ordering and reduce the tolerance factor (t), thus reducing the polarization hysteresis, stabilizing the AFE phase and enhancing the energy storage efficiency. Then, the two-step sintering method was used to improve the compactness of ceramics and reduce the grain size. Finally, the VPP method was used to reduce the porosity, and thin the ceramic disk to a thickness of ∼100 μm. The high compactness and small thickness could effectively enhance the maximum breakdown electric field of ceramics. Ultimately, the optimum energy storage characteristics were obtained by the improvement of a combined optimization strategy, namely, an exceptional recoverable energy storage density (Wrec= 5.29 J/cm3) and efficiency (η = 82.1%) at a very high breakdown electric field (Eb= 380 kV/cm). This combined optimization strategy establishes a universal approach to ameliorate the energy storage characteristics of NN–based AFE ceramics for energy storage.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are known for their multilineage differentiation potential with immune‐modulatory properties. The molecular underpinnings of differentiation remain largely undefined. In this study, we investigated the cellular and molecular features of chemically induced osteogenesis from MSC isolated from human adipose tissue (human adipose MSCs, hAMSCs) using single‐cell RNA‐sequencing (scRNA‐seq). We found that a near complete differentiation of osteogenic clusters from hAMSCs under a directional induction. Both groups of cells are heterogeneous, and some of the hAMSCs cells are intrinsically prepared for osteogenesis, while variant OS clusters seems in cooperation with a due division of the general function. We identified a set of genes related to cell stress response highly expressed during the differentiation. We also characterized a series of transitional transcriptional waves throughout the process from hAMSCs to osteoblast and specified the unique gene networks and epigenetic status as key markers of osteogenesis. We investigated chemically induced osteogenesis from human adipose mesenchymal stem cells, human adipose mesenchymal stem cells (hAMSCs) using single‐cell RNA‐sequencing (scRNA‐seq). We identified the cellular heterogeneity and their molecular and network regulatory pattern of osteogenic differentiation.

Objective This study aimed to explore the relationship between CD276 and clear cell renal carcinoma (ccRCC) and assess the diagnostic value of CD276 in ccRCC.Methods Expression levels of CD276 in ccRCC and para-cancer tissues were compared and analyzed retrospectively using data obtained from TCGA and GEO databases. The clinical data was analyzed prospectively. Immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR analyses were used to analyze the expression of CD276 at the mRNA and protein levels. These analyses compared the expression between ccRCC tissues and para-cancer tissues obtained from 70 patients with ccRCC. Next, ELISA was used to analyze peripheral blood samples from 70 patients with ccRCC and 72 healthy individuals, facilitating the differentiation of ccRCC patients from normal controls. Finally, we utilized the Kaplan-Meier method to generate ROC curves for assessing the diagnostic value of CD276 for ccRCC.Results Analysis of TCGA and GEO data revealed that the mRNA expression of CD276 was higher in ccRCC tissues than in para-cancer tissues (P< .05). Clinical validation using IHC and RT-PCR confirmed that the expression of CD276 was higher in ccRCC tissues than in para-cancer tissues, both at the mRNA and protein levels (P< .05). ELISA demonstrated that the expression of CD276 was higher in ccRCC patients than in normal individuals, and patients with a higher pathological grade showed higher expression of CD276 in the peripheral blood than those with a lower pathological grade (P< .05). ROC curves drawn from the above three datasets demonstrated that CD276 had a high diagnostic value for ccRCC (AUC = .894, .795, .938, respectively).Conclusion The expression of CD276 was higher in ccRCC tissues and positively associated with the pathological grade. Therefore, CD276 may serve as a molecular biomarker for ccRCC prediction.

Inspired by hook-and-loop fasteners, we designed a hydrogel network containing α-zirconium phosphate (ZrP) two-dimensional nanosheets with a high density of surface hydroxyl groups serving as nanopatches with numerous “hooks,” while polymer chains with plentiful amine functional groups serve as “loops.” Our multiscale molecular simulations confirm that both the high density of hydroxyl groups on nanosheets and the large number of amine functional groups on polymer chains are essential to achieve reversible interactions at the molecular scale, functioning as nano hook-and-loop fasteners to dissipate energy. As a result, the synthesized hydrogel possesses superior stretchability (>2100% strain), resilience to compression (>90% strain), and durability. Remarkably, the hydrogel can sustain >5000 cycles of compression with torsion in a solution mimicking synovial fluid, thus promising for potential biomedical applications such as artificial articular cartilage. This hook-and-loop model can be adopted and generalized to design a wide range of multifunctional materials with exceptional mechanical properties.

BaTiO3-based ferroelectrics have been extensively studied due to their large dielectric constants and a high saturated polarization, which have the potential to store or supply electricity of very high energy and power densities. In order to further improve the energy efficiency η and the recyclable energy density Wrec, an A, B-site co-doped (Ba0.95,Sr0.05)(Zr0.2,Ti0.8)O3ceramic target was used for sputter deposition of film capacitor structures on Si. This film composition reduces the remnant polarization Pr, while the choice of a low-temperature, templated sputtering process facilitates the formation of high-density arrays of columnar nanograins (average diameter d∼20 nm) and grain boundary dead layers. This self-assembled nanostructure further delays the saturation of the electric polarization, leading to a high energy density Wrecof ∼148 J/cm3and a high energy efficiency ηof ∼90%. Moreover, the (Ba0.95,Sr0.05)(Zr0.2,Ti0.8)O3film capacitors retain their high energy storage performance in a broad range of working temperature (−175–300 °C) and operating frequency (1 Hz–20 kHz). They are also fatigue-free after up to 2 × 109switching cycles. Our work provides a new method and a cost-effective processing route for the creation and integration of high-performance dielectric capacitors for energy storage applications.

CaBi2Nb2O9thin film capacitors were fabricated on SrRuO3-buffered Pt(111)/Ti/Si(100) substrates by adopting a two-step fabrication process. This process combines a low-temperature sputtering deposition with a rapid thermal annealing (RTA) to inhibit the grain growth, for the purposes of delaying the polarization saturation and reducing the ferroelectric hysteresis. By using this method, CaBi2Nb2O9thin films with uniformly distributed nanograins were obtained, which display a large recyclable energy density Wrec≈ 69 J/cm3and a high energy efficiency η≈ 82.4%. A superior fatigue-resistance (negligible energy performance degradation after 109charge-discharge cycles) and a good thermal stability (from −170 to 150 °C) have also been achieved. This two-step method can be used to prepare other bismuth layer-structured ferroelectric film capacitors with enhanced energy storage performances.

As a prototype single-phase multiferroic, BiFeO3exhibits excellent electrical, magnetic, and magnetoelectric properties, appealing to many modern technological applications. One of its overlooked merits is a high piezoelectric performance originating from its large remnant polarization (Pr) and low dielectric constant (εr). Furthermore, its high Curie temperature and large coercive field ensure good stabilities in device applications. However, to achieve close-to-intrinsic properties, a high processing temperature is usually used for the preparation of highly crystalline (epitaxial or highly oriented) BiFeO3films. Proliferation of defects due to loss of volatile Bi2O3in the high-temperature process and its incompatibility with CMOS–Si technologies have hindered the development of BiFeO3film-based piezoelectric micro-electro-mechanical systems (piezo-MEMS) devices. In this work, we successfully sputter-deposited highly (100) oriented BiFeO3thick films (∼1 μm) on Si at 350 °C through the use of a conductive perovskite buffer layer of LaNiO3. Formation of bulk and interfacial defects is suppressed by the combination of a low deposition temperature and an oxygen-rich processing atmosphere, resulting in chemically stoichiometric BiFeO3films. These films displayed a high Pr(∼60 μC·cm–2), a low εr(∼200), and a small dielectric loss (<0.02), as well as large coercive and self-bias voltages in their as-grown and aged states. Together with a large transverse piezoelectric coefficient (e31,f∼ −2.8 C·m–2), excellent electromechanical performances with outstanding fatigue and aging resistances are demonstrated in patterned BiFeO3–Si cantilever devices. These integration-friendly BiFeO3films are ideal replacements of PZT films in piezo-MEMS applications.

As an essential energy-stored device, the inorganic dielectric film capacitor plays an irreplaceable role in high-energy pulse power technology area. In this work, propelled by the challenge of overcoming the bottlenecks of inflexibility and inferior energy storage density of the pure BiFeO3films, the mica with high bendability and thermal stability is adopted as substrate, and the relaxor ferroelectric (Sr0.7Bi0.2)TiO3is introduced to form solid solution to introduce relaxor behavior. The subsequently fabricated 0.3Bi(Fe0.95Mn0.05)O3-0.7(Sr0.7Bi0.2)TiO3(BFMO-SBT) thin film capacitor exhibits a high recoverable energy storage density (Wrec = 61 J cm−3) and a high efficiency (η = 75%) combined with a fast discharging rate (23.5 μs) due to the large polarization difference (ΔP = 59.4 μC cm−2), high breakdown strength (Eb = 3000 kV cm−1), and the strong relaxor dispersion (γ = 1.78). Of particular importance is the capacitor presents excellent stability of energy storage performance, including a wide working temperature window of -50-200 °C, fatigue endurance of 108cycles, and frequency range of 500 Hz-20 kHz. Furthermore, there are no obviously deteriorations on energy storage capability under various bending states and after 104times of mechanical bending cycles. All these results indicate that BFMO-SBT on mica film capacitor has potential application in the future flexible electronics.

The in-depth study of the transport properties of the solid electrolyte interface (SEI) is crucial for the development of ultra-high-rate, and long lifespan sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). However, there remains a lack of theoretical investigation into the transport mechanisms of the main inorganic components of the SEI, namely NaF, Na2O, and Na2CO3. To address this research gap, we performed classical molecular dynamics simulations in this work to study the diffusion mechanisms of sodium ions in these inorganic components of the SEI, with special emphasis on the impact of the amorphous SEI environment on the diffusion behavior of sodium ions. The results have shown that amorphous SEI components significantly enhance the diffusion rate of sodium ions at room temperature compared to crystalline components. Within these amorphous SEI components, we reveal that the diffusion coefficients of sodium ions in amorphous Na2O and Na2CO3are more than an order of magnitude higher than that of NaF, suggesting that amorphous Na2O and Na2CO3are more effective in facilitating the Na ion diffusion. Analysis of the local atomic structure indicates that the amorphous local structures are dominant in Na2O and Na2CO3at room temperature, maintaining a disordered amorphous phase. In contrast, amorphous NaF undergoes a spontaneously transformation into an ordered structure, exhibiting crystalline characteristics that restrict the diffusion of sodium ions. In summary, our work provides atomic insights into the impact of local amorphous environments on Na ion diffusion in SEI and suggests that amorphous SEI components play a critical role in improving battery performance.

A halogen-atom-transfer (XAT)-based method for carbonylazotization of pyrroles or indoles with aryldiazonium salts and polyhalomethanes via dual C(sp2)–H bond functionalization is described. Using aryldiazonium salts realizes carbonylation/azotization of pyrroles or indoles via polyhalomethyl-radical-mediated and electrophilic substitution, thus providing a green, efficient, and step-economy approach for synthesis of multifunctional pyrroles or indoles from the easily available substrates. Notably, this strategy relies on the use of aryldiazonium salts to extend the well-established iodine atom transfer to bromine or chlorine atom transfer.

The excellent energy storage performances of dielectric materials, a high energy density and efficiency, the stability in a wide range of temperature, frequency and cycling time, are surely desirable for the energy storage devices. A trade-off relationship between polarization and breakdown strength, however, limits the enhancement of energy storage properties of dielectric materials. To effectively boost the energy density and efficiency of dielectric capacitors, by inserting a BiFeO3layer into the BaTiO3film in present case, the symmetric BaTiO3/BiFeO3/BaTiO3tri-layer film heterostructure with antiferroelectric-like characteristics was constructed based on the dual-interlayer coupling effect, what's more, its antiferroelectric-like characteristics will evolve with electric field. Such the tunable polarization behavior endows it with an enhanced maximum polarization but a reduced remnant one, a delayed saturation of polarization and a high breakdown strength, which are synergistically accountable for a large energy density (Wrec∼109 J/cm3) and a high efficiency (η∼82.6%), together with the good thermal (TR∼200 °C, ΔWrec<3% & Δη<10%) and frequency (50 Hz–10 kHz, ΔWrec<7% & Δη<13%) stabilities, particularly an outstanding cycling reliability (109cycles, both ΔWrecand Δη<1%). Hence these findings can provide some innovative ideas for enriching the performance tuning of ferroelectrics, especially in enhancing their energy storage characteristics.

This paper presents a low-cost, inkjet printed radio frequency identification (RFID) tag antenna for remote healthcare applications. The electrically small tag consists of nested-slot configuration and parallel strips. The tag antenna is exploited as a sensor by modifying its equivalent circuit to mitigate the effects of water, blood sample phantom, and the human body. As a result, the proposed RFID tag antenna with compact dimensions of 40 × 14 mm2, features a conjugate match with Impinj R6 RFID chip ranging from 890 to 937 MHz. Moreover, this tag has a read range of 3 m, 2.5 m, and 1.5 m on the water bottle, intravenous (IV) solution and blood bag, respectively. However, the read range of RFID tag on an empty water bottle or IV solution bag is 0.5 m. By comparing the read range of tag on empty and solution filled IV bags, the proposed tag was used as a water proximity sensor. Experimental testing of the tag is performed for sensing the level of the IV solution. Also, this tag is tested after mounting on the liquid mixture (a mixture of salt and sugar is used as a phantom to mimic the blood) filled plastic bags, which leads to a low-cost solution for blood storage management. Experimental results show a good agreement of the proposed tag toward its use in healthcare applications, which leads to better healthcare facilitation regarding cost, time, and care.

Energy storage property of a dielectric is closely tied with its nanostructure. In this study, we aim to achieve a deep understanding of this relationship in high energy density ferroelectric ceramic films, by probing into the nanograin and sub-grain nanostructures in polycrystalline BaTiO3films integrated on Si. Through scanning probe acoustic microscopy analyses, it is revealed that the BaTiO3films directly grown on Pt/Ti/Si mostly consist of large discontinuous columnar nanograins, while those grown on LaNiO3-buffered Pt/Ti/Si substrates have a dominant microstructure of continuous columnar nanograins. Furthermore, ultrafine ferroelastic domains of ∼10 nm wide are revealed inside the grains of the buffered BaTiO3films, while those unbuffered films show about ∼50% increase in the domain width. The dielectric properties of the BaTiO3films are well correlated with their characteristic nanostructures. Under an increasing electric field, the LaNiO3-buffered films display a slower decline in its dielectric constant and a later saturation of its electric polarization, leading to an improved energy storage performance. Device-level charge-discharge tests have verified not only the delayed polarization saturation and high energy density of the LaNiO3-buffered BaTiO3film capacitors, but also a high power density in the same order as those of the ferroelectric ceramics.

The construction of colorimetric sensing materials with high selectivity, low detection limits, and great stability provides a significant way for facile device implementation of an ammonia (NH3) sensor. Herein, with excellent alkaline stability and exposed N sites in molecule as well as with naked-eye color switching nature generated from changeable cobalt (Co) valence, a three-dimensional mixed-valence cobalt(II/III) metal–organic framework (FJU-56) with tris-(4-tetrazolyl-phenyl)amine (H3L) ligand was synthesized for colorimetric sensing toward ammonia. The activated FJU-56demonstrates a limit of detection of 1.38 ppm for ammonia sensing, with high selectivity in ammonia and water competitive adsorption, and shows outstanding stability and reversibility in the cyclic test. The NH3or water molecules binding to the exposed N sites with the hydrogen-bond are observed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, determining that the attachment of guest molecules to the FJU-56framework changes the valence of Co ions with a naked-eye color switching response, which provides an ocular demonstration for ammonia capture and a valuable insight into ammonia sensing.

Background: Ligament repair and augmentation techniques can stabilize syndesmosis injuries. However, little is known about the mechanical behavior of syndesmotic ligaments. The aim of this study was to analyze full-field strain, strain trend under foot rotation, and subregional strain differences of the anterior inferior tibiofibular ligament (AITFL), posterior inferior tibiofibular ligament (PITFL), and interosseous membrane (IOM).Methods: Eleven fresh-frozen lower limbs were dissected to expose the AITFL, PITFL, and IOM. The foot underwent rotation from 0° to 25° internal and 35° external, with 3 ankle positions (neutral, 15° dorsiflexion, and 25° plantarflexion) and a vertical load of 430 N. Ligament strain was recorded using digital image correlation.Results: The mean strain on the AITFL with 35° external rotation was greater in the proximal portion compared with distal portion in the neutral position (P= .009) and dorsiflexion (P= .003). The mean strain in the tibial insertion and midsubstance near tibial insertion were greater when compared with other regions (P= .018 and P= .009). The subregions of mean strain in the PITFL and IOM groups were not significantly different. The strain trend of AITFL, PITFL, and IOM showed common transformation, just when the foot was externally rotated.Conclusion: The findings of this study show that a significantly high strain was observed on the proximal part and the midsubstance near the Chaput tubercle of the AITFL when the ankle was externally rotated. All 3 ligaments resisted the torque in the syndesmosis by external rotation of the foot.Clinical Relevance: This study allows for better understanding of the mechanical behavior of the syndesmosis ligaments, which could influence the repair technique and AITFL augmentation techniques

Objective To investigate the predictive value of serum neopterin for multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) in severe burn patients. Methods Seventy-six severe burn patients with burns covering a total body surface area (TBSA) above 70% were included in this study. Of the 76 patients, 29 cases developed MODS (MODS group) and the remaining 47 subjects did not (non-MODS group). From the MODS group, 12 patients died (Death group) and 17 patients survived (Survive group). The serum level of neopterin in the MODS and non-MODS groups were examined by radioimmunoassay on following 1, 3 , 7 , 14 , 21 and 28 post-burn days (PBDs). A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to analyse the predictive value of serum neopterin for MODS and death. Results The serum neopterin level in the MODS group was significantly higher than that of non-MODS group between 3~28 PBDs (p<0.001). However, the serum neopterin levels between the MODS and non-MODS groups following 1 PBD were not statistically significant (p>0.05). The best diagnostic performance of serum neopterin for MODS occurred 14 PBDs with the prediction sensitivity and specificity of 75.86% (56.46%~89.70%) and 85.11% (71.69%~93.80%) respectively. However, serum neopterin levels had no clinical value in predicting the death of MODS patients. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) was 0.72 (0.58~0.85), 0.81 (0.71~0.92) and 0.83 (0.72~0.94) for serum neopterin as biomarker in the prediction of MODS after 3, 7 and 14 PBDs, respectively. The AUCs were 0.50 (0.27~0.73), 0.53 (0.30~0.76) and 0.56 (0.33~0.79) for serum neopterin as biomarker in prediction of death for MODS patients after 3, 7 and 14 PBDs, respectively. Conclusion The persistent and significant increase of serum neopterin level is closely related to the development of MODS in patients with severe burns. Serum neopterin is therefore a promising serological marker for MODS early diagnosis, but has little efficacy in the prediction of the likelihood of death in severe burn patients with MODS.

A method for detecting protein molecules based on the tilted fiber Bragg grating (TFBG) surface plasma resonance (SPR) is proposed to achieve the quick online real-time detection of trace amount of proteins. The detection principles of the TFBG-SPR protein molecular probe are analyzed, and its feasibility is demonstrated. The intermediary material between the protein molecules and the golden layer outside of the fiber gratings is cysteamine hydrochloride. When the concentration of the cysteamine hydrochloride solution is 2 M, the shift of the TFBG resonance peak is 2.23 nm, illustrating that the cysteamine hydrochloride modifies the gold film successfully. IgG antigen solution is poured on the surface of the cysteamine hydrochloride modifying the gold-deposited TFBG. Finally, antigen-antibody hybridization experiment is carried out with a 10 mg/mL antibody solution, and after two hours of hybridization the resonance peak of the TFBG shifts 5.1 nm, which validates the feasibility and effectiveness of the TFBG-SPR protein molecular probe.

Nanopores for DNA sequencing have drawn much attention due to their potentials to achieve amplification-free, low-cost, and high-throughput analysis of nuclei acids. The material configuration and fabrication of the nanopore has become one important consideration in the nanopore based DNA sequencing research. Among various materials, the newly emerged graphene has brought more opportunities to the development of sequencing technology because of its unique structures and properties. This review mainly focuses on the experimental aspects of graphene nanopore research including the nanopore fabrication methods and processes. Meanwhile, the challenges in the present graphene nanopore research including hydrophobicity, translocation velocity and noise are also addressed and discussed.

BaTiO3/SrTiO3(BTO/STO) multilayer films were successfully prepared on (La, Sr)CoO3-coated (100) SrTiO3substrates by using a radio-frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering process at 700∘C. Benefiting from the flexible deposition configuration of a multi-target sputtering system, we were able to tune the dielectric properties of the multilayer film by varying the number of multilayer periods Nand the individual layer thickness d. It was found that, in a superlattice-like structure (dBTO=dSTO=4 nm, ∼10 unit cells), the dielectric constant increased and the loss tangent decreased with an increasing N, especially in the high frequency range (104–106Hz). This can be attributed to a reduced volumetric contribution to the dielectric property from the leaky interface capacitor layer, which lies between the multilayer film and the (La, Sr)CoO3electrode. On the other hand, as the individual layer thickness dexceeds the superlattice limit (dBTO=dSTO=8 nm, ∼20 unit cells), the superlattice strain effect disappeared and the dielectric constant value dropped by ∼50%. However, owing to the reduced number of interfaces and associated defects, the dielectric loss of the multilayer film with a larger period was reduced significantly, as compared to its superlattice counterpart with the same thickness and more periods. The dielectric loss power density of the former was about one order of magnitude lower than that of the latter. These observations provide a solid foundation for using RF magnetron sputtering as an effective method to prepare various forms of multilayer film capacitors for integrated device applications.

In this work, strain engineered polycrystalline thin films (∼250 nm) of bismuth layer-structured ferroelectric (BLSF) CaBi2Nb2O9(CBNO) were prepared by using a radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering technique. XRD analysis revealed that the films were (200)/(020) and (00l) textured with a large in-plane tensile stress. Cross-sectional TEM analyses confirmed the bismuth layered-structure, as well as crystalline orientations and a strain-controlled growth mode of the grains. Result of a quantitative XPS analysis revealed that the composition of the film is close to the chemical stoichiometry. Excellent electrical properties were achieved in the CBNO films, including a high dielectric constant (∼280 @5 kHz), a small dielectric loss (tgδ≤ 1.6% up to an applied electric field of ∼1200 kV/cm) and a large polarization (Pr≈ 14 μC/cm2@ 1 kHz).

The purpose of this study was to investigate comprehensive knee joint responses to wedged footwear intervention with lateral inclination angles of 0°, 5°, and 10° at three stance instants in a gait cycle. A footwear–foot–knee finite element model reconstructed from magnetic resonance images of a healthy male subject was validated through a cadaveric experiment and used to predict knee joint loading. The model was driven by the ground reaction force and subject-specific muscle forces to simulate three stance instants, namely the first peak, valley, and second peak of the ground reaction force. Based on the gait analysis data for the same subject, muscle forces were calculated using a musculoskeletal model. The finite element predictions indicated that the medial compartment of the knee joint showed higher loading than that of the lateral one and that the wedged footwear diminished stress, strain, and contact pressure in the medial compartment at all three stance instants. A 10° wedge angle yielded a stronger effect than that obtained with a 5° angle at the three stance instants. Increased gastrocnemius lateralis activity and decreased gastrocnemius medialis activity were found with laterally wedged footwear intervention. The footwear–foot–knee computational platform is promising for exploring footwear effects on knee joint biomechanics.

A persistent challenge in tissue engineering is the fabrication of manipulatable scaffolds for implantation in clinical treatments and use in disease models for drug screening. Electrospinning of nanofibrous membranes is an emerging technology in artificial extracellular matrix (ECM) design that can offer precisely tunable microenvironments upon assembly into three-dimensional (3D) scaffolds that mimic the in vivoECM structure. In this study, we report a facile and versatile strategy for preparing 3D multilayered constructs from Fe3O4/polycaprolactone (PCL)/gelatin nanofibrous membranes. This method combines membrane assembly with noncontact magnetic force to preserve the mechanical integrity and interconnectivity of the 3D scaffolds. An ordered layer structure can be achieved using a magnetic control technique through the addition of magnetic nanoparticles into the PCL/gelatin nanofibers. We first verified the magnetic properties and structures of magnetic nanofibers according to X-ray diffraction, hysteresis, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. We tested the potential toxicity and osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells seeded on the layered scaffolds. To add further functionality to the scaffolds, the membranes were coated with silver nanoparticles and shown to inhibit the growth of Escherichia coliand Staphylococcus aureus, which are responsible for most cases of infection-related implant failure. Finally, we tested the utility of magnetic membranes implanted in an animal model as a contrast agent for magnetic resonance imaging. Scaffolds formed using the presented magnetically guided fabrication strategy have the potential to mimic the structure and function of human tissues and also may be applied in disease models to study cell–cell interactions.