Search

The development of environmentally adaptive solutions for magnetically actuated microrobots to enable targeted delivery in complex and confined fluid environments presents a significant challenge. Inspired by the natural locomotion of crucian carp, a barbell‐shaped soft microrobot (MBS2M) is proposed. A mechano‐electromagnetic hybrid actuation system is developed to generate oscillating magnetic fields to manipulate the microrobot. The MBS2M can seamlessly transition between three fundamental locomotion modes: fast navigation (FN), high‐precision navigation (HPN), and fixed‐point rotation (FPR). Moreover, the MBS2M can move in reverse without turning. The multimodal locomotion endows the MBS2M's adaptability in diverse environments. It can smoothly pass through confined channels, climb over obstacles, overcome gravity for vertical motion, track complex pathways, traverse viscous environments, overcome low fluid resistance, and navigate complex spaces mimicking in vivo environments. Additionally, the MBS2M is capable of drug loading and release in response to ultrasound excitation. In an ex vivo porcine liver vein, the microrobot demonstrated targeted navigation under ultrasound guidance, showcasing its potential for specialized in vivo tasks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Halide perovskite materials have garnered significant research attention due to their remarkable performance in both photoharvesting photovoltaics and photoemission applications. Recently, self-assembled CsPbBr3 superstructures (SSs) have been demonstrated to be promising lasing materials. In this study, we report the ultrastable two-photon-pumped amplified stimulated emission from a CsPbBr3 SS/Ag hybrid microcavity with a low threshold of 0.8 mJ/cm2 at room temperature. The experimental results combined with numerical simulations show that the CsPbBr3 SS exhibits a significant enhancement in the electromagnetic properties in the hybrid microcavity on Ag film, leading to the uniform spatial temperature distribution under the irradiation of a pulsed laser, which is conducive to facilitate the recrystallization process of the QDs and improve their structural integrity and optical properties. This study provides a new idea for the application of CsPbBr3/Ag hybrid microcavity in photonic devices, demonstrating its potential in efficient optical amplification and upconversion lasers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The skin epidermis provides a barrier that is imperative for preventing transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and protecting against environmental stimuli. The underlying molecular mechanisms for regulating barrier functions and sustaining its integrity remain unclear. RORα is a nuclear receptor highly expressed in the epidermis of normal skin. Clinical studies showed that the epidermal RORα expression is significantly reduced in the lesions of multiple inflammatory skin diseases. In this study, we investigate the central roles of RORα in stabilizing skin barrier function using mice with an epidermis-specific Rora gene deletion (RoraEKO). While lacking spontaneous skin lesions or dermatitis, RoraEKO mice exhibited an elevated TEWL rate and skin characteristics of barrier dysfunction. Immunostaining and Western blot analysis revealed low levels of cornified envelope proteins in the RoraEKO epidermis, suggesting disturbed late epidermal differentiation. In addition, an RNA-seq analysis showed the altered expression of genes related to "keratinization" and "lipid metabolism" in RORα deficient epidermis. A lipidomic analysis further uncovered an aberrant ceramide composition in the RoraEKO epidermis. Importantly, epidermal Rora ablation greatly exaggerated percutaneous allergic inflammatory responses to oxazolone in an allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) mouse model. Our results substantiate the essence of epidermal RORα in maintaining late keratinocyte differentiation and normal barrier function while suppressing cutaneous inflammation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a compact V-band low-noise amplifier (LNA) featuring temperature compensation, implemented in a 130 nm SiGe BiCMOS process. A negative temperature coefficient bias circuit generates an adaptive current for temperature compensation, enhancing the LNA's temperature robustness. A T-type inductive network is employed to establish two dominant poles at different frequencies, significantly broadening the amplifier's bandwidth. Over the wide temperature range of −55 °C to 85 °C, the LNA prototype exhibits a gain variation of less than 1.5 dB at test frequencies from 40 GHz to 65 GHz, corresponding to a temperature coefficient of 0.01 dB/°C. At −55 °C, 25 °C, and 85 °C, the measured peak gains are 25.5 dB, 25 dB, and 24.4 dB, respectively, with minimum noise figures (NF) of 3.0 dB, 3.5 dB, and 4.2 dB, and DC power consumptions of 22.3 mW, 27.6 mW, and 34.4 mW. Moreover, the total silicon area of the LNA chip is 0.37 mm2, including all test pads, while the core area is only 0.09 mm2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the enhanced photoluminescence of CsPbX3 by the localized surface plasmon (LSP) of Ag nanoparticles. The Ag nanoparticles with different sizes were obtained by annealing Ag thin films at different temperatures. Then the Ag/PMMA/perovskite structure was fabricated to realize the exciton-LSP coupling effect, and enhancement was found for wavelength-tunable CsPbX3 films. When the Ag film is heated to 200∘C, the maximum enhancement factor of LSP is 6.03. The LSP coupling effect induces the slight blue shift of the fluorescence emission center which is caused by the limitation of electron free trajectories under the LSP resonance frequency of Ag nanoparticles. As the gap between nanoparticles decreases, the absorption cross-section increases, and the scattering rate of electrons on the surface of metal nanoparticles greatly exceeds the internal scattering rate, causing the LSP resonance frequency to shift to the blue region, resulting in a blue shift of the PL spectrum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) have been widely used to break the metasurface’s performance ceiling. However, the existing data‐driven ML and DL methods usually require the availability of vast amounts of training data to ensure their stable and accurate performance. The process of acquiring these data is high‐cost due to the need for numerous full‐wave electromagnetic (EM) simulations. Here, we  propose a low‐cost surrogate model to generate these data efficiently. The proposed model employs microwave network theory to separate meta‐elements into four independent components. Through integration with transmission line theory, we  derive the EM responses of meta‐elements using analytical representation with the active device equivalent impedance and dielectric as design variables. Two typical phase‐modulation active meta‐elements are employed to verify the accuracy of our  macromodel in comparison with full‐wave EM simulations. Based on the developed macromodel, the superior prediction ability is further presented to illustrate the performance of meta‐elements with various active devices and dielectric substrates. The proposed macromodel is a feasible and general method to rapidly obtain the necessary training data of active meta‐elements, which holds a great potential to significantly reduce the designing time of ML and DL models for the active metasurfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND Chemotherapy-associated ovarian damage (CAOD) is one of the most feared short- and long-term side effects of anticancer treatment in premenopausal women. Accumulating detailed data show that different chemotherapy regimens can lead to disturbance of ovarian hormone levels, reduced or lost fertility, and an increased risk of early menopause. Previous studies have often focused on the direct effects of chemotherapeutic drugs on ovarian follicles, such as direct DNA damage-mediated apoptotic death and primordial follicle burnout. Emerging evidence has revealed an imbalance in the ovarian microenvironment during chemotherapy. The ovarian microenvironment provides nutritional support and transportation of signals that stimulate the growth and development of follicles, ovulation, and corpus luteum formation. The close interaction between the ovarian microenvironment and follicles can determine ovarian function. Therefore, designing novel and precise strategies to manipulate the ovarian microenvironment may be a new strategy to protect ovarian function during chemotherapy. OBJECTIVE AND RATIONALE This review details the changes that occur in the ovarian microenvironment during chemotherapy and emphasizes the importance of developing new therapeutics that protect ovarian function by targeting the ovarian microenvironment during chemotherapy. SEARCH METHODS A comprehensive review of the literature was performed by searching PubMed up to April 2024. Search terms included 'ovarian microenvironment' (ovarian extracellular matrix, ovarian stromal cells, ovarian interstitial, ovarian blood vessels, ovarian lymphatic vessels, ovarian macrophages, ovarian lymphocytes, ovarian immune cytokines, ovarian oxidative stress, ovarian reactive oxygen species, ovarian senescence cells, ovarian senescence-associated secretory phenotypes, ovarian oogonial stem cells, ovarian stem cells), terms related to ovarian function (reproductive health, fertility, infertility, fecundity, ovarian reserve, ovarian function, menopause, decreased ovarian reserve, premature ovarian insufficiency/failure), and terms related to chemotherapy (cyclophosphamide, lfosfamide, chlormethine, chlorambucil, busulfan, melphalan, procarbazine, cisplatin, doxorubicin, carboplatin, taxane, paclitaxel, docetaxel, 5-fluorouraci, vincristine, methotrexate, dactinomycin, bleomycin, mercaptopurine). OUTCOMES The ovarian microenvironment shows great changes during chemotherapy, inducing extracellular matrix deposition and stromal fibrosis, angiogenesis disorders, immune microenvironment disturbance, oxidative stress imbalances, ovarian stem cell exhaustion, and cell senescence, thereby lowering the quantity and quality of ovarian follicles. Several methods targeting the ovarian microenvironment have been adopted to prevent and treat CAOD, such as stem cell therapy and the use of free radical scavengers, senolytherapies, immunomodulators, and proangiogenic factors. WIDER IMPLICATIONS Ovarian function is determined by its 'seeds' (follicles) and 'soil' (ovarian microenvironment). The ovarian microenvironment has been reported to play a vital role in CAOD and targeting the ovarian microenvironment may present potential therapeutic approaches for CAOD. However, the relation between the ovarian microenvironment, its regulatory networks, and CAOD needs to be further studied. A better understanding of these issues could be helpful in explaining the pathogenesis of CAOD and creating innovative strategies for counteracting the effects exerted on ovarian function. Our aim is that this narrative review of CAOD will stimulate more research in this important field. REGISTRATION NUMBER Not applicable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optical convolution computing is gaining traction owing to its inherent parallelism, multi‐dimensional processing, and energy efficiency. To handle input dimensions of N, conventional implementations necessitate N2 optical elements, such as Mach–Zehnder interferometers or micro‐ring resonators, to process multiply‐accumulate (MAC) operations, limiting scalability and resulting in elevated power consumption. Here, a direct convolution computing method based on wavelength routing, utilizing the unique sliding property of an arrayed waveguide grating router (AWGR) to perform the sliding window operation of the convolution in the wavelength–space domains is proposed. With two input vectors directly loaded onto two modulator arrays, the convolution result is instantaneously produced at a photodetector array. The entire convolution computation is executed within a single clock cycle without the need for preprocessing or decomposition into elementary MAC operations. The number of active elements is minimal, only needed for input/output. The proposed optical convolution unit has striking advantages of high scalability, high speed, and processing simplicity compared to those based on optical matrix‐vector multipliers. In the first experimental demonstration, a remarkable classification accuracy of up to 98.2% in handwritten digit recognition tasks using a LeNet‐5 neural network is achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As environmental, social, and governance (ESG) reporting has become a mainstream channel for companies to communicate their commitment to sustainability issues, the need for reliable and transparent ESG reports is increasing. However, research on ESG assurance is still in its early stages. ESG assurance poses more challenges than traditional financial auditing due to the diverse subjects and types of information in ESG reports. This paper proposes using artificial intelligence (AI) technologies and exogenous data as solutions. It discusses how AI can enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of ESG assurance by assessing vast and extensive data. This paper also explores AI's application throughout the general ESG assurance process and contributes to the discussion on providing high-quality ESG assurance services. Additionally, it provides practical implications for auditors, regulators, and stakeholders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To characterize BMI in Chinese patients with RA vs US patients and examine its association with joint damage in Chinese patients. Methods Each of the 1318 patients from a real-world Chinese RA population was first stratified by gender and then individually age-matched with one American RA patient from the US National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey 1999–2018. Data on BMI, bilateral hand radiographs and risk factors at enrolment were collected but radiographs were unavailable for the American patients. Logistic regression was used to evaluate the association of BMI with radiographic joint damage (RJD) in Chinese patients. Results Chinese patients had a significantly lower BMI [(weighted) median 21.8 vs 29.8 kg/m2; P  < 0.001] and a higher prevalence of being underweight (15.2% vs 1.1%; P  < 0.05) than their American counterparts. Underweight Chinese patients (BMI <18.5) had higher modified total Sharp scores (median 17 vs 10) and joint space narrowing (JSN) subscores (median 6 vs 2) (both P  < 0.05) than normal-weight patients (BMI ≥18.5–<24). After controlling for confounding, continuous BMI was cross-sectionally negatively associated with RJD [adjusted prevalence odds ratio (OR) 0.90 (95% CI 0.85, 0.96)] and JSN [adjusted prevalence OR 0.92 (95% CI 0.87, 0.96)]; being underweight vs normal weight was associated with RJD [adjusted prevalence OR 2.14 (95% CI 1.37, 3.35)] and JSN [adjusted prevalence OR 1.77 (95% CI 1.10, 2.84)]. Conclusion Low BMI and being underweight were cross-sectionally associated with joint damage in Chinese RA patients, especially JSN, suggesting the clinical importance of identifying underweight patients and focusing on weight gain to prevent joint damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The carbon fiber/bismaleimide resin composites were prepared by the autoclave molding process. Effects of carbon fiber type and volume fraction of carbon fiber on the high speed impact properties were investigated by air cannon impact testing machine, ultrasonic C-scanner and electronic universal material testing machine. The results demonstrate that the anti-high speed impact property of TZ1000G carbon fiber reinforced composites is superior to that of the CCF300 carbon fiber, CCF700S carbon fiber and CCF800H carbon fiber reinforced composites. Also, the volume fraction of carbon fiber can improve the anti-high speed impact property of the composites. Meanwhile, the results also indicate that failure modes are highly dependent on the impact velocity. Specifically, when the impact velocity is low, a circular pit with fiber delamination appears around on the impact surface of the composites while delamination appears on the back surface along the fiber direction. Also, when the impact velocity is high, a circular hole with fiber delamination around is formed on the impact surface of composites, and the tearing fracture is observed on the back surface.