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This letter solves a major hurdle that mars photolithography-based fabrication of micro-mesoscale structures in silicon. Conventional photolithography is usually performed on smooth, flat wafer surfaces to lay a 2D design and subsequently etch it to create single-level features. It is, however, unable to process non-flat surfaces or already etched wafers and create more than one level in the structure. In this study, we have described a novel cleanroom-based process flow that allows for easy creation of such multi-level, hierarchical 3D structures in a substrate. This is achieved by introducing an ultra-thin sacrificial silicon dioxide hardmask layer on the substrate which is first 3D patterned via multiple rounds of lithography. This 3D pattern is then scaled vertically by a factor of 200-300 and transferred to the substrate underneath via a single shot deep etching step. The proposed method is also easily characterizable-using features of different topographies and dimensions, the etch rates and selectivities were quantified; this characterization information was later used while fabricating specific target structures. Furthermore, this study comprehensively compares the novel pattern transfer technique to already existing methods of creating multi-level structures, like grayscale lithography and chip stacking. The proposed process was found to be cheaper, faster, and easier to standardize compared to other methods-this made the overall process more reliable and repeatable. We hope it will encourage more research into hybrid structures that hold the key to dramatic performance improvements in several micro-mesoscale devices.

Atypical gaze patterns are a promising biomarker of autism spectrum disorder. To measure gaze accurately, however, it typically requires highly controlled studies in the laboratory using specialized equipment that is often expensive, thereby limiting the scalability of these approaches. Here we test whether a recently developed smartphone‐based gaze estimation method could overcome such limitations and take advantage of the ubiquity of smartphones. As a proof‐of‐principle, we measured gaze while a small sample of well‐assessed autistic participants and controls watched videos on a smartphone, both in the laboratory (with lab personnel) and in remote home settings (alone). We demonstrate that gaze data can be efficiently collected, in‐home and longitudinally by participants themselves, with sufficiently high accuracy (gaze estimation error below 1° visual angle on average) for quantitative, feature‐based analysis. Using this approach, we show that autistic individuals have reduced gaze time on human faces and longer gaze time on non‐social features in the background, thereby reproducing established findings in autism using just smartphones and no additional hardware. Our approach provides a foundation for scaling future research with larger and more representative participant groups at vastly reduced cost, also enabling better inclusion of underserved communities. Lay Summary: Atypical eye gaze is a promising biomarker of autism but generally requires controlled laboratory assessments with expensive eye trackers. Here we leveraged a recently developed smartphone‐based method that measures eye movements to overcome such challenges. The smartphone method reliably characterized reduced gaze onto human faces versus other non‐human backgrounds, while individuals watch videos on the phone screen, indicating promise for larger‐scale clinical and scientific studies of atypical eye gaze in autism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the effect of curcumin on liver anti-oxidative stress in the type 1 diabetic rat model induced by streptozotocin (STZ). Experimental diabetic rats were induced by STZ intraperitoneally. All rats were fed for 21 days including three groups of control (NC), diabetic model (DC) and curcumin-treated (Cur, 1.5 g/kg by gavage). The results showed that curcumin-treatment significantly decreased the blood glucose and plasma malondialdehyde levels, but significantly increased the plasma superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase and reduced glutathione levels. Curcumin treatment decreased the activity of aldose reductase, but increased the plasma glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, glucose synthetase and glucose-polymerizing activities. Curcumin treatment significantly decreased the protein of protein kinase C (PKC) and poly ADP ribose polymerase (PARP) expression in the Cur group compared with the DC group. Moreover, the sorbitol dehydrogenase activity was significantly decreased and deterred glucose enters into the polyol pathway leading to an increased NADPH content in the Cur group compared with the DC group. Our data provides evidence that oxidative stress in diabetic rats may be attenuated by curcumin by inhibiting polyol pathway associated with down-regulated expression of PKC and PARP, as evidenced by both an increase the antioxidant enzymes levels and glycogen biosynthesis enzymes activities.

Objectives: In this study, we aimed to examine the prevalence of alcohol consumption among methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) clients in Shanghai and to determine whether a brief intervention (BI) affects drinking among them. Methods: A total of 837 clients from 14 local MMT clinics were invited to complete the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT). One hundred one were included in the study and randomly assigned to the BI group or the control group. Clients in the BI group received a BI and general health education, whereas clients in the control group received the general health education only. Baseline and postintervention assessments were conducted by using the AUDIT, the Drinking Attitude Questionnaire, the Depression Module of the Patient Health Questionnaire, the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale, and the General Well-Being Schedule. Results: Two hundred fifty-nine (30.9%) reported drinking during the last year, and 103 (12.3%) met the criteria for harmful use. At the 3-month follow-up, the AUDIT scores of the 2 groups were significantly decreased, and the time effect was statistically significant (F = 6.224, P = 0.018), but there was no group difference in AUDIT scores (F = 1.953, P = 0.172). Both groups had a main time effect of time on the improvement of depression (F = 8.044, P = 0.008), anxiety (F = 9.650, P = 0.004), and general well-being (F = 5.056, P = 0.033). However, there was no statistical difference between the 2 groups (P > 0.05), and no statistical difference in the time (F = 1.738, P = 0.198) and group (F = 0.658, P = 0.424) effect of drinking attitude. Conclusions: Alcohol consumption is common among MMT clients in China. Brief intervention, in its current form, could not effectively help them reduce their alcohol consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the COVID-19 pandemic, internet use and gaming of adolescents had been elevated. On the one hand, internet use and gaming in the period was a good approach to killing quarantined time. However, the increased use of the internet and game of adolescents may also increase the risk of internet addiction. This study aimed to describe the internet behavior changes of adolescents and to understand the impact of clinical features on internet addiction after the adolescents back to school in COVID-19 period. We conducted a cross-sectional cohort study using data collected through online investigation in China. Six hundred and twenty-five adolescents completed the online survey. Results indicated that internet addiction, having gaming use behaviors, Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) Conduct subscale scores and the SDQ Prosocial subscale scores before the COVID-19 outbreak were significant in predicting the internet addiction after the adolescents back to school. The proportion of internet addiction and gaming behaviors among adolescents in China was changed across the COVID-19 pandemic. Clinical features before the COVID-19 pandemic could predict Internet addiction risk after the adolescents back to school. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]