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Abstract Surface acoustic wave (SAW) gas sensors based on the acoustoelectric effect exhibit wide application prospects for in situ gas detection. However, establishing accurate models for calculating the scattering parameters of SAW gas sensors remains a challenge. Here, we present a coupling of modes (COM) model that includes the acoustoelectric effect and specifically explains the nonmonotonic variation in the center frequency with respect to the sensing film’s sheet conductivity. Several sensing parameters of the gas sensors, including the center frequency, insertion loss, and phase, were experimentally compared for accuracy and practicality. Finally, the frequency of the phase extremum (FPE) shift was determined to vary monotonically, and the range of selectable test points was wide, making the FPE an appropriate response parameter for leveraging in SAW gas sensors. The simulation results of the COM model were highly consistent with the experimental results. Our study is proposed to provide theoretical guidance for the future development of gas SAW sensors.

The relationship between red cell distribution width (RDW) and hypertension remains a contentious topic, with a lack of large-scale studies focusing on the adults in the United States. This study aimed to investigate the association between RDW and hypertension among US adults from 1999 to 2018.MethodsData were derived from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1999-2018. RDW values were obtained from the Laboratory Data's Complete Blood Count with 5-part Differential-Whole Blood module. Hypertension data were obtained through hypertension questionnaires and blood pressure measurements. Multivariable weighted logistic regression analyses were conducted to assess the association between RDW and hypertension, followed by subgroup and smooth curve analyses.ResultsCompared to the non-hypertensive group, the hypertensive group exhibited higher RDW values (13.33±1.38 vs. 12.95±1.27, P 0.05).Smooth curve fitting analysis revealed a reverse J-shaped relationship between RDW and hypertension prevalence, with an inflection point at 12.93%.ConclusionWe first explored the relationship between RDW and hypertension among US adults and discovered a reverse J-shaped association, providing further insights into the relationship between blood cell counts and hypertension and offering a new foundation for hypertension prevention and control.

Sebaceous glands (SGs) originate from hair follicular stem cells and secrete lipids to lubricate the skin. The coordinated effects of intrinsic and extrinsic aging factors generate degradation of SGs at a late age. Senescence of SGs could be a mirror of the late aging of both the human body and skin. The procedure of SG aging goes over an initial SG hyperplasia at light-exposed skin areas to end with SG atrophy, decreased sebum secretion, and altered sebum composition, which is related to skin dryness, lack of brightness, xerosis, roughness, desquamation, and pruritus. During differentiation and aging of SGs, many signaling pathways, such as Wnt/β-catenin, c-Myc, aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), and p53 pathways, are involved. Random processes lead to random cell and DNA damage due to the production of free radicals during the lifespan and neuroendocrine system alterations. Extrinsic factors include sunlight exposure (photoaging), environmental pollution, and cigarette smoking, which can directly activate signaling pathways, such as Wnt/β-catenin, Notch, AhR, and p53 pathways, and are probably associated with the de-differentiation and hyperplasia of SGs, or indirectly activate the abovementioned signaling pathways by elevating the inflammation level. The production of ROS during intrinsic SG aging is less, the signaling pathways are activated slowly and mildly, and sebocytes are still differentiated, yet terminal differentiation is not completed. With extrinsic factors, relevant signaling pathways are activated rapidly and fiercely, thus inhibiting the differentiation of progenitor sebocytes and even inducing the differentiation of progenitor sebocytes into keratinocytes. The management of SG aging is also mentioned.

Despite the rapid development in hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) research, the immediate introduction of potent therapeutic compounds in clinical trials and the lack of definitive outcome measures have led to the discontinuation of potential therapeutic compound studies. HS is a solely human disease, and therefore, the search for preclinical human models has been given priority. The 3D-SeboSkin model, a co-culture of human skin explants with human SZ95 sebocytes as a feeder layer, has been shown to prevent the rapid degeneration of human skin in culture and has been validated for HS preclinical studies. In this work, the HS 3D-SeboSkin model has been employed to characterize cellular and molecular effects of the EMA- and FDA-approved biologic adalimumab. Adalimumab, a tumor necrosis factor-α inhibitor, was shown to target inflammatory cells present in HS lesions, inducing a prominent anti-inflammatory response and contributing to tissue regeneration through a wound healing mechanism. Adalimumab inhibited the lesional tissue expression of TNF-α, IL-3, IL-15, and MCP-3 and downregulated the secretion of IL-1α, IL-5, RANTES, MCP-2, TNF-α, TNF-β, TGF-β, and IFN-γ. In contrast, IL-6 was stimulated. The compound failed to modify abnormal epithelial cell differentiation present in the HS lesions. Patients with Hurley stage II lesions exhibited stronger expression of autophagy proteins in perilesional than in lesional skin. Adalimumab modified the levels of the pro-apoptotic proteins LC3A, LC3B, and p62 in an individual, patient-dependent manner. Finally, adalimumab did not modify the NFκB signal proteins in SZ95 sebocytes and NHK-19 keratinocytes, used to study this specific pathway. The administration of the validated HS 3D-SeboSkin model in ex vivo studies prior to clinical trials could elucidate the individual pathogenetic targets of therapeutic candidates and, therefore, increase the success rates of clinical studies, minimizing HS drug development costs.

DNA methylation and histone modification play important roles in the development of mammalian embryos. Cytochalasin B (CB) is an actin polymerization inhibitor that can significantly affect cell activity and is often used in studies concerning cytology. In recent years, CB is also commonly being used in in vitro experiments on mammalian embryos, but few studies have addressed the effect of CB on the epigenetic modification of embryonic development, and the mechanism underlying this process is also unknown. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of CB on DNA methylation and histone modification in the development of parthenogenetically activated porcine embryos. Treatment with 5 µg/mL CB for 4 h significantly increased the cleavage rate, blastocyst rate and total cell number of blastocysts. However, the percentage of apoptotic cells and the expression levels of the apoptosisrelated genes BCL-XL, BAX and CASP3 were significantly decreased. Treatment with CB significantly decreased the expression levels of DNMT1, DNMT3a, DNMT3b, HAT1 and HDAC1 at the pronuclear stage and promoted the conversion of 5-methylcytosine (5mC) into 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC). After CB treatment, the level of AcH3K9 was upregulated and the level of H3K9me3 was downregulated. When combined with Scriptaid and 5-Aza-Cdr, CB further improved the embryonic development competence and decreased the expression of BCL-XL, BAX and CASP3. In conclusion, these results suggest that CB could improve embryonic development and the quality of the blastocyst by improving the epigenetic modification during the development of parthenogenetically activated embryos. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) are determined by risk priority number (RPN), which is the product of three risk factors occurrence (O), severity (S), and detection (D). This method is unreasonable. One of the serious deficiencies existing in traditional FMEA model is focusing on the quality risk of failures and ignoring the cost risk of those. In this paper, based on the quality and cost, a new economic FMEA model was proposed for risk evaluation. In the proposed model, economy, as the 4th risk factor, was defined and its scale was formulated. Then the fuzzy belief structure and grey relational projection method were used to measure risk in terms of quality and cost to determine the risk priority order of the failure modes that had been identified. Finally, a case shows that the proposed model is rational and practical. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report on room-temperature negative transconductance (NTC) in axial Si/Ge hetero-nanowire tunneling field-effect transistors. The NTC produces a current peak-to-valley ratio >45, a high value for a Si-based device. We characterize the NTC over a range of gate VG and drain VD voltages, finding that NTC persists down to VD = --50 mV. The physical mechanism responsible for the NTC is the VG-induced depletion in the p-Ge section that eventually reduces the maximum electric field that triggers the tunneling ID, as confirmed via three-dimensional (3D) technology computer-aided design simulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Partially aligned polyacrylonitrile (PAN)-based nanofibers were electrospun from PAN and PAN/single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) in a solution of dimethylformamide (DMF) to make the nanofiber composites. The as-spun nanofibers were then hot-stretched in the oven to enhance its orientation and crystallinity. With the introduction of SWNTs and by the hot-stretched process, the mechanical properties will be enhanced correspondingly. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray scattering (XRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and the tensile test were used to characterize the microstructure and performances of the nanofibers. The orientation and crystallinity of the as-spun and hot-stretched nanofibers confirmed by X-ray have increased. Differential scanning calorimetry showed that the glass transition temperature of PAN increased about 3 °C by an addition of 0.75 wt% SWNTs indicating a strong interfacial interaction between PAN and SWNTs. The tensile strength and the modulus of the nanofibers increased revealing significant load transfer across the nanotube-matrix interface. For PAN nanofibers, the improved fiber alignment, orientation and crystallinity resulted in enhanced mechanical properties, such as the tensile strength and modulus of the nanofibers. It was concluded that the hot-stretched nanofiber and the PAN/SWNTs nanofibers can be used as a potential precursor to produce high-performance nanocomposites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]