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Abstract Background Congenital rib deformity is a common thoracic deformity that has a potentially far-reaching impact on the growth and lung function development of young children. Early diagnosis and accurate assessment of congenital rib deformity is of great importance. This study was to retrospectively analyze the number, location, and types of deformities, imaging features as well as clinical symptoms of children with congenital rib deformities. Methods Children who were diagnosed with congenital rib deformities between October 2019 and October 2021 in our hospital were included in this study. The rib deformities were analyzed according to the imaging results of chest X-ray and 3D volume rendering multidetector computed tomography (MDCT). The data were analyzed using SPSS 22.0. Results A total of 472 male and 186 female children with rib deformities were detected in this study, with a male to female ratio of approximately 2.54:1. Of the deformed ribs, 417 (63.4%) were located on the right side, usually single and unilateral. The most common type of the detected rib deformity were bifid ribs (95.14%). Rib deformity was most common in the fourth rib (46.62%). The majority (76.16%, n = 428) of rib deformities were incidental findings and asymptomatic. Conclusions Congenital rib deformities in pediatric patients included in our hospital were more frequently observed in males than females, more frequently detected on the right than on the left side. The most common type of rib deformity is the bifid rib. MDCT examination are of great value in the diagnosis of rib deformity and can help guide clinical treatment.

ObjectiveTo establish a predictive model for distinguishing testicular benign or yolk sac tumors in children.MethodsWe retrospectively analyzed data for 119 consecutive patients with unilateral testicular tumors treated at a single institution from June 2014 to July 2020. The patients were divided into the benign (n = 90) and yolk sac (n = 29) tumor groups based on the pathological diagnosis. We recorded patient age, serum markers [serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), human chorionic gonadotropin], and tumor ultrasonic findings (maximum diameter, ultrasonic echo, blood flow signal). Predictive factors were identified using descriptive statistical methods. A nomogram was established for preoperative prediction. An additional 46 patients were used as a validation cohort to verify the model.ResultsPatients with testicular yolk sac tumors were younger (median age: 14.0 vs. 34.0 months, P = 0.001) and had a higher incidence of elevated AFP levels (93.1% vs. 2.2%, P

Abstract The burgeoning need for extensive data processing has sparked enthusiasm for the development of a novel optical logic gate platform. In this study, junction field‐effect phototransistors based on molybdenum disulfide/Germanium (MoS2/Ge) heterojunctions are constructed as optical logic units. This device demonstrates a positive photoresponse that is attributed to the photoconductivity effect occurring upon irradiation with visible (Vis) light. Under the illumination of near‐infrared (NIR) optics with wavelengths within the communication band, the device shows a negative photoresponse, which is associated with the interlayer Coulomb interactions. The current state of the device can be effectively modulated as different logical states by precisely tuning the wavelength and power density of the optical. Within a 3 × 3 MoS2/Ge phototransistor array, five essentially all‐optical logic gates (“AND,” “OR,” “NAND,” “NOT,” and “NOR”) can be achieved in every signal unit. Furthermore, three complex all‐optical logical operations are demonstrated by integrating two MoS2/Ge phototransistors in series. Compared to electronic designs, these all‐optical logic devices offer a significant reduction in transistor number, with savings of 50–94% when implementing the above‐mentioned functions. These results present opportunities for the development of photonic chips with low power consumption, high fidelity, and large volumes.

In this paper, a physics-based ANN assisting method for extracting transient properties of extrinsically triggering photoconductive semiconductor switches (ET-PCSSs) is proposed. It exploits the nonlinear mapping of ANN between transient current (input) and doping concentration (output). According to the basic laws of photoelectric device operating, two types of ANN models are constructed by gaussian and polynomial fitting. The mean absolute error (MAE) of forecasting transient photocurrent can be less than 10 A under low triggering optical powers, which verifies the feasibility of ANN assisting TCAD applied to PCSSs. The results are comparable to computation by Mixed-Mode simulation, yet even thousands of seconds of CPU runtime cost are saved in every period. To improve the robustness of the Poly-ANN predictor, Bayesian optimization (BO) is implemented for minimizing the curl deviation of photocurrent-time curves.

Undescended testis or cryptorchidism is the most common reproductive system disease in children. About 3% of full-term and 30% of premature male infants are born with one or both testicles undescended. Most cryptorchidism is asymptomatic and is occasionally found due to inguinal pain caused by testicular torsion. Herein, we presented a case of pediatric patient with abdominal pain as initial symptom who was found the left inguinal cryptorchidism complicated by testicular torsion, and then spontaneous remission during the color Doppler ultrasonography examination.

Integrated circuit technology has undergone significant advancements and progress over the past few decades. However, as the demand to further shrink circuit sizes increases, traditional IC interconnections face challenges such as RC delay, energy loss, and interconnect interference, which become increasingly prominent. Optical interconnection emerges as a promising solution to mitigate these issues by enabling reductions in circuit size, power consumption, and signal delay. In this article, we propose a novel lateral Si0.15Ge0.85/Ge/Si0.15Ge0.85 p-i-n double-heterojunction laser array, leveraging SiN stress as a key component. Our study focuses on the EL emission properties of individual lasers within the array, the distribution of SiN stress within the device, and the impact of stress on the laser properties. Additionally, we design a Si0.15Ge0.85/SiO2 distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) tailored for the laser array. Simulation results demonstrate a peak luminescence wavelength of 1849 nm and a threshold current density of 190 kA/cm2 at 300 K.

Optoelectronic synapses integrating sensing–memory–processing functions have great advantages in neuromorphic computing for visual information processing and complex learning, recognition, and memory in an energy‐efficient manner. Herein, a light‐induced bidirectional response is demonstrated in the proposed WSe2/MoS2 junction field‐effect transistor (JFET) with an extra Ge back gate. The WSe2/MoS2 JFET exhibits high responsivity and detectivity owing to effective modulation by the top junction and back dielectric gates. The unique bidirectional photoresponse and interfacial state storage properties of the device result in significant synaptic excitatory effects under visible light stimulation and remarkable synaptic inhibitory effects under infrared illumination. Optical storage with visible light and optical erasure with infrared light can be achieved in the device based on its synaptic behavior. The conductance changes under different types of illumination can be used to mimic the weight update in a neural network for image recognition. A high accuracy exceeding 98% was achieved in handwritten digit recognition. This visible and infrared dual‐band phototransistor, which integrates image perception, memory, and recognition functionalities, provides a promising solution for self‐driving, surveillance, computer vision, and biomedical imaging applications.

Abstract Programmable devices can be easily switched between n‐type and p‐type devices by applying an electric field and are promising candidates for simplifying the currently used fabrication process and increasing programmable flexibility. This paper proposes a 2D WSe2/3D Ge heterojunction field‐effect transistor (JFET) with a top metal‐insulator semiconductor gate. The n‐type and p‐type JFETs are realized based on one device structure; furthermore, the n‐type JFET can be converted into p‐type and vice versa under the control of top‐gate voltages of different polarities. The nJFET and pJFET has low subthreshold swings of 102 and 65 mV dec−1 with a high on/off ratio of ≈105, respectively. Moreover, a visible‐infrared wavelength‐distinguishing photodetector is implemented based on this device. It exhibits a bidirectional photoresponse, wherein the photocurrent polarity is reversed depending on the wavelength of light. Under illumination at 532 nm, positive photoresponsivity is realized through the effective charge separation of the heterojunction. In contrast, the JFET has a negative photoresponsivity at an infrared wavelength of 1550 nm, which is related to type‐I band alignment and the photogating effect. These results indicate that the device has promising potential as a multifunctional optoelectronic device.

Background: Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) and HER-2 negative metastatic breast cancer (HER-2 negative MBC) are intractable to various treatment schemes. Bevacizumab as a novel anti-VEGF drug, its safety for these two high-risk breast cancers remains controversial. Therefore, we conducted this meta-analysis to assess the safety of Bevacizumab for TNBC and HER-2 negative MBC.Methods: We searched Medline, Embase, Web of science and Cochrane databases updated to 1 Oct 2022 for relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs). In all, 18 RCTs articles with 12,664 female patients were included. We used any grade Adverse Events (AEs) and grade ≥3 AEs to assess the AEs of Bevacizumab.Results: Our study demonstrated that the application of Bevacizumab was associated with increased incidence of grade ≥3 AEs (RR = 1.37, 95% CI 1.30–1.45, Rate: 52.59% vs. 41.32%). Any grade AEs (RR = 1.06, 95% CI 1.04–1.08, Rate: 64.55% vs. 70.59%) did not show a significant statistical difference in both overall results and among the subgroups. In subgroup analysis, HER-2 negative MBC (RR = 1.57, 95% CI 1.41–1.75, Rate: 39.49% vs. 25.6%), dosage over 15 mg/3w (RR = 1.44, 95% CI 1.07–1.92, Rate: 28.67% vs. 19.93%) and endocrine therapy (ET) (RR = 2.32, 95% CI 1.73–3.12, Rate: 31.17% vs. 13.42%) were associated with higher risk of grade ≥3 AEs. Of all graded ≥3 AEs, proteinuria (RR = 9.22, 95%CI 4.49–18.93, Rate: 4.22% vs. 0.38%), mucosal inflammation (RR = 8.12, 95%CI 2.46–26.77, Rate: 3.49% vs. 0.43%), palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia syndrome (RR = 6.95, 95%CI 2.47–19.57, Rate: 6.01% vs. 0.87%), increased Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (RR = 6.95, 95%CI 1.59–30.38, Rate: 3.13% vs. 0.24%) and hypertension (RR = 4.94, 95%CI 3.84–6.35, Rate: 9.44% vs. 2.02%) had the top five risk ratios.Conclusion: The addition of Bevacizumab for TNBC and HER-2 negative MBC patients showed an increased incidence of AEs especially for grade ≥3 AEs. The risk of developing different AEs varies mostly dependent on the type of breast cancer and combined therapy.Systematic Review Registration: [https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/#recordDetails], identifier [CRD42022354743].

Herein, the unique emission properties of Ge quantum dots (QDs) SiGe microdisk system are reported on Si substrates. Two types of microdisks embedded with random QDs and radial site‐controlled QDs are realized by top–down and bottom–up methods, respectively. Photoluminescence results demonstrate that the maximum enhancement factor (EF) of emissions from radial site‐controlled QDs is ≈5.2 times of that from random QDs in microdisks. Moreover, the EF dramatically depends on the site of QD in a microdisk. For a single QD in a microdisk, the difference of EF can be more than five orders due to radial site‐dependent Purcell effect. For multiple QDs in a microdisk, both the azimuthal site and the number of QDs also substantially affect EF due to the interference effect of QDs’ emissions coupling into the cavity modes of microdisks. These unique features disclose the critical effect of the spatial matching between the QD site and the cavity mode on light–matter interactions in a microdisk. In addition, the microdisk via the bottom–up method can efficiently suppress nonradiative losses at the sidewall of microdisk. A promising strategy to QDs’ microdisk system is provided in the results, which promises strong coupling between QDs and the cavity modes and the realization of innovative light sources.

BackgroundTriple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most aggressive subtype of breast cancer with limited treatment options and poor prognosis. Capecitabine, as a novel adjuvant chemotherapy for TNBCs, remains controversial. Therefore, we conducted this meta-analysis to assess the efficacy and safety of capecitabine for early-stage TNBCs combined with neo-/adjuvant chemotherapy.MethodsWe searched Medline, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane databases updated on Mar 18, 2022 for relevant RCTs. In all, 11 RCTs with 5,175 patients were included. We used hazard ratios (HRs) and odds ratios (ORs) to assess the differences between disease-free survival (DFS), overall survival (OS), and adverse events.ResultsOur study demonstrated significance differences in both DFS and OS (DFS: HR=0.77; 95% CI 0.68–0.86; OS: HR=0.73, 95% CI 0.63–0.85). In subgroup analysis, the lower dosage group showed higher DFS (HR=0.79, 95% CI 0.69–0.91), higher frequency (HR=0.72, 95%CI 0.62–0.83), and adjuvant chemotherapy (HR=0.74, 95% CI 0.65–0.84). However, capecitabine was also associated with a higher risk of diarrhea (OR=3.10, 95% CI 2.32–4.15), hand–foot syndrome (OR=25.79, 95% CI 15.32–43.42), and leukopenia (OR=2.08, 95% CI 1.13–3.84).ConclusionThe addition of capecitabine to early-stage TNBC patients receiving standard adjuvant chemotherapy showed significant DFS and OS improvement with tolerable adverse events. The lower dosage and higher frequency of capecitabine combined with adjuvant chemotherapy demonstrated a better survival outcome.

A sub-wavelength plasmonic Au–Ge grating was used to enhance the responsivity of Ge-based metal–semiconductor–metal photodetectors at infrared communication wavelengths. Furthermore, a finite-difference time-domain simulation was performed to optimize absorption of light by the detectors. Characterizations of the photoelectronic properties of the optimized device revealed high-performance photodetection with a responsivity of 0.38 A/W and an external quantum efficiency of 30% for 1.55 μm wavelength incident light. Moreover, an enhancement peak across three infrared telecommunication bands (C-band, L-band, and U-band) was achieved in the plasmon-enhanced photodetector. According to the simulation results of the optical absorption spectra, the distributions of electric field, and absorbed power, the enhancements of responsivity and quantum efficiency could be ascribed to the surface plasmons at the Au/Ge interface. These plasmons boosted inter-band transition and internal photoemission effect simultaneously, enabling high efficient photodetection around the C-band. The results of the fabricated devices demonstrated the potential of this approach for achieving high-performance Ge-based photodetectors.

Ultraviolet-visible-near infrared broadband photodetectors have significant prospects in many fields such as image sensing, communication, chemical sensing, and day and nighttime surveillance. Hybrid one-dimensional (1D) and zero-dimensional (0D) materials are attractive for broadband-responsive photodetectors since its unique charges transfer characteristics and facile fabrication processes. Herein, a Si/ZnO nanowires/Ge quantum dots photodetector has been constructed via processes that combined electrospinning and spin-coating methods. A broadband response behavior from ultraviolet to near-infrared (from 250 to 1550 nm) is observed. The responsivity of the hybrid structure increases around three times from 550 to 1100 nm compared with the pure Si photodetector. Moreover, when the photodetector is illuminated by a light source exceeding 1100 nm, such as 1310 and 1550 nm, there is also a significant photoresponse. Additionally, the ZnO NWs/Ge quantum dots heterostructure is expected to be used in flexible substrates, which benefits from electrospinning and spin-coating processes. The strategy that combines 1D ZnO NWs and 0D solution-processed Ge QDs nanostructures may open a new avenue for flexible and broadband photodetector.

Self-assembled MnGe quantum dots (QDs) were grown on Si (001) substrates using molecular beam epitaxy with different growth temperatures and Ge deposition thicknesses to explore the interaction among Mn doping, Ge deposition, the formation of intermetallics, and the ferromagnetism of QDs. With the introduction of Mn atoms, the QDs become large and the density significantly decreases due to the improvement in the surface migration ability of Ge atoms. The growth temperature is one of the most important factors deciding whether intermetallic phases form between Mn and Ge. We found that Mn atoms can segregate from the Ge matrix when the growth temperature exceeds 550 °C, and the strongest ferromagnetism of QDs occurs at a growth temperature of 450 °C. As the Ge deposition thickness increases, the morphology of QDs changes and the ferromagnetic properties decrease gradually. The results clearly indicate the morphological evolution of MnGe QDs and the formation conditions of intermetallics between Mn and Ge, such as Mn5Ge3 and Mn11Ge8.