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OBJECTIVE: The impact of comprehensive risk factor control on heart failure (HF) risk and HF-free survival time in individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2D) was evaluated in this study. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: This prospective study included 11,949 individuals diagnosed with T2D, matched with 47,796 non-T2D control study participants from the UK Biobank cohort. The degree of comprehensive risk factor control was assessed on the basis of the major cardiovascular risk factors, including blood pressure, BMI, LDL cholesterol, hemoglobin A1c, renal function, smoking, diet, and physical activity. Cox proportional hazards models were used to measure the associations between the degree of risk factor control and HF risk. Irwin's restricted mean was used to evaluate HF-free survival time. RESULTS: During a median follow-up of 12.3 years, 702 individuals (5.87%) with T2D and 1,402 matched control participants (2.93%) developed HF. Each additional risk factor controlled was associated with an average 19% lower risk of HF. Optimal control of at least six risk factors was associated with a 67% lower HF risk (hazard ratio [HR] 0.33; 95% CI 0.20, 0.54). BMI was the primary attributable risk factor for HF. Notably, the excess risk of HF associated with T2D could be attenuated to levels comparable to those of non-T2D control participants when individuals had a high degree of risk factor control (HR 0.66; 95% CI 0.40, 1.07), and they exhibited a longer HF-free survival time. CONCLUSIONS: Comprehensive management of risk factors is inversely associated with HF risk, and optimal risk factor control may prolong HF-free survival time among individuals with T2D. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A layered heterogeneous structure (LHS), consisting of silver, liquid crystal, and nonlinear dielectric layers, is proposed to realize functions of computing and sensing. By leveraging the optical Tamm state, the intrinsic absorption principle of liquid crystal, and nonlinear effects, the design of an integrated device capable of passive multiplication and division operations, along with high-performance multi-physical quantity sensing functionalities, is achieved. The given LHS exhibits Janus properties, with different physical functions manifested depending on the direction of electromagnetic wave (EW) propagation. During forward propagation of EWs, the LHS displays high and sharp absorptivity peaks at 774.8 and 1517.6 nm. The relationship between the two peaks approximates a frequency multiplication factor of 1.960, enabling signal multiplication. Furthermore, the two absorptivity peaks at different wavelengths facilitate the sensing of serum creatinine solution concentration and external pressure, with sensitivity (S), quality factors (Q), and figure of merit (FOM) of 266.76 μmol L−1/nm and 213.33 GPa/nm, as well as 248.76 and 348.22, 84.1 L (μmol)−1 and 49.06 GPa−1, respectively. During backward propagation of EWs, absorptivity peaks with distinct resolutions are observed at 1423 and 2809 nm, with a multiple relationship between them of 1.974, enabling frequency doubling for signal division. Additionally, the absorptivity curve facilitates temperature sensing over a wide range from 257 to 347 K. Owing to the unique temperature S of liquid crystal, different sensitivities and resolutions are observed at 257 to 297 K and 307 to 347 K, with S of 1.015 and 0.686 K/nm, and corresponding Q and FOM of 21.57 and 12.576, 0.076 K−1 and 0.003 04 K−1, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a metastructure device (MSD) modulated by liquid crystal (LC) and vanadium dioxide (VO2), suitable for circular-to-linear polarization conversion and refractive index (RI) sensing. The MSD employs a 2 × 2 array as a unit cell, forming a circular-to-linear polarization conversion. Filling the MSD with analytes of different RIs can cause changes in the electromagnetic properties of the MSD, thus realizing the sensing function. Furthermore, the detection range of the sensing can be modified by changing the long-axis pointing of the LC molecules under an applied voltage, resulting in multi-range detection. The RI unit is denoted as RIU. Without an applied voltage, the RI detection range is 1.949–2.607, with a sensitivity of 199 GHz/RIU; under full-bias conditions, the detection range is 2.828–3.391, with a sensitivity of 143 GHz/RIU. In the initial state of LCs, this paper also explores the use of the phase transition of VO2 to adjust the conductivity of VO2 to achieve changes in the detection range. In the insulating state, the detection range is 2.12–2.607, with a sensitivity of 225 GHz/RIU, while in the metallic state, the detection range is 1–2, with a sensitivity of 183 GHz/RIU. Furthermore, altering the thickness of the analyte also affects the electromagnetic properties of the device, causing a shift in the peak axial ratio frequency, making the MSD suitable for analyte thickness detection. The MSD has a wide detection range, high sensitivity, and adaptability, making it suitable for identifying cancer cells and giving a new method of monitoring human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The quality of the oxide barrier in Josephson junctions (JJs) is crucial for devices with it as the core structure. Despite the critical nature of the oxidation process in JJ fabrication, there remains a lack of systematic research on its impact. Our study aims to fill this gap by comprehensively investigating the influence of oxidation parameters and methods on the oxide barrier quality. To achieve this, we evaluate the low-frequency 1 / f noise of JJs produced using various fabrication processes. Our findings demonstrate that a weak oxidation strength (oxygen pressure × exposure time) and a dynamic oxidation method contribute positively to the formation of high-quality oxide barriers. This research provides an important reference for optimizing the oxidation process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces an origami metastructure (OMST), which realizes the conversion of electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) to electromagnetically induced absorption (EIA), and realizes the liquid crystal adjustable curvature sensing (CS) function using EIA. The OMST consists of an upper resonator (resonator 1) and a lower resonator (resonator 2). Resonator 1 achieves the EIT phenomenon when 0–2 THz is excited by an electromagnetic wave (EMW), and a transparent window appears at 0.883 THz. When resonator 2 is introduced, the phase of OMST is regulated and the EIT phenomenon changes to EIA. The absorption peak is 0.998 THz, and the peak value is 0.937. OMST uses the flexible material polyimide, and the liquid crystal injected between the resonators 1 and 2 layers is a nematic liquid crystal (HTW114200-100). The metastructure is used on cylindrical surfaces of CS to measure their curvature. In the initial liquid crystal state, when EMW incident, the OMST resonance frequency changes from 0.998 to 1.006 THz, and the corresponding absorptivity changes from 0.937 to 0.650 (from 0.924 to 0.613 in the bias liquid crystal state). Regarding CS, OMST can be used for curvature detection in the micrometer class, with a detection range of 0–0.02 μm. The maximum curvature measurement sensitivity is 32.230 (33.690), and the quality-factor is 41.859 (40.840). Traditional CS is usually made of optical fiber, but because of the fragility of optical fiber sensors, it is difficult to directly apply to the curvature measurement of various objects. However, OMST's design overcomes this shortcoming and is simple to manufacture. OMST has a high detection accuracy and can be used to detect the curvature of small objects, which has a potential application value in flatness detection and intelligent robots. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]