Your browser doesn't support javascript.
loading
Show: 20 | 50 | 100
Results 1 - 20 de 303
Filter
Add more filters

Country/Region as subject
Publication year range
1.
Nano Lett ; 24(21): 6278-6285, 2024 May 29.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38758393

ABSTRACT

Topological Dirac nodal-line semimetals host topologically nontrivial electronic structure with nodal-line crossings around the Fermi level, which could affect the photocarrier dynamics and lead to novel relaxation mechanisms. Herein, by using time- and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, we reveal the previously inaccessible linear dispersions of the bulk conduction bands above the Fermi level in a Dirac nodal-line semimetal PtSn4, as well as the momentum and temporal evolution of the gapless nodal lines. A surprisingly ultrafast relaxation dynamics within a few hundred femtoseconds is revealed for photoexcited carriers in the nodal line. Theoretical calculations suggest that such ultrafast carrier relaxation is attributed to the multichannel scatterings among the complex metallic bands of PtSn4 via electron-phonon coupling. In addition, a unique dynamic relaxation mechanism contributed by the highly anisotropic Dirac nodal-line electronic structure is also identified. Our work provides a comprehensive understanding of the ultrafast carrier dynamics in a Dirac nodal-line semimetal.

2.
Nano Lett ; 24(15): 4408-4414, 2024 Apr 17.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38567928

ABSTRACT

Tuning the interfacial Schottky barrier with van der Waals (vdW) contacts is an important solution for two-dimensional (2D) electronics. Here we report that the interlayer dipoles of 2D vdW superlattices (vdWSLs) can be used to engineer vdW contacts to 2D semiconductors. A bipolar WSe2 with Ba6Ta11S28 (BTS) vdW contact was employed to exhibit this strategy. Strong interlayer dipoles can be formed due to charge transfer between the Ba3TaS5 and TaS2 layers. Mechanical exfoliation breaks the superlattice and produces two distinguished surfaces with TaS2 and Ba3TaS5 terminations. The surfaces thus have opposite surface dipoles and consequently different work functions. Therefore, all the devices fall into two categories in accordance with the rectifying direction, which were verified by electrical measurements and scanning photocurrent microscopy. The growing vdWSL family along with the addition surface dipoles enables prospective vdW contact designs and have practical application in nanoelectronics and nano optoelectronics.

3.
Nano Lett ; 24(18): 5467-5473, 2024 May 08.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38647318

ABSTRACT

The discovery of room-temperature ferromagnetism in van der Waals (vdW) materials opens new avenues for exploring low-dimensional magnetism and its applications in spintronics. Recently, the observation of the room-temperature topological Hall effect in the vdW ferromagnet Fe3GaTe2 suggests the possible existence of room-temperature skyrmions, yet skyrmions have not been directly observed. In this study, real-space imaging was employed to investigate the domain evolution of the labyrinth and skyrmion structure. First, Néel-type skyrmions can be created at room temperature. In addition, the influence of flake thickness and external magnetic field (during field cooling) on both labyrinth domains and the skyrmion lattice is unveiled. Due to the competition between magnetic anisotropy and dipole interactions, the specimen thickness significantly influences the density of skyrmions. These findings demonstrate that Fe3GaTe2 can host room-temperature skyrmions of various sizes, opening up avenues for further study of magnetic topological textures at room temperature.

4.
Environ Sci Technol ; 2024 Jun 28.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38939969

ABSTRACT

Significant progress has been made previously in the research and development of graphene oxide (GO) membranes for water purification, but their biofouling behavior remains poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the biofilm formation and biofouling of GO membranes with different surface microstructures in the context of filtering natural surface water and for an extended operation period (110 days). The results showed that the relatively hydrophilic and smooth Fe(OH)3/GO membrane shaped a thin and spatially heterogeneous biofilm with high stable flux. However, the ability to simultaneously mitigate biofilm formation and reduce biofouling was not observed in the weakly hydrophilic and wrinkled Fe/GO and H-Fe(OH)3/GO membranes. Microbial analyses revealed that the hydrophilicity and roughness distinguished the bacterial communities and metabolic functions. The organic matter-degrading and predatory bacteria were more adapted to hydrophilic and smooth GO surfaces. These functional taxa were involved in the degradation of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), and improved biofilm heterogeneity. In contrast, the weakly hydrophilic and wrinkled GO surfaces had reduced biodiversity, while unexpectedly boosting the proliferation of EPS-secreting bacteria, resulting in increased biofilm formation and aggravated biofouling. Moreover, all GO membranes achieved sustainable water purification during the entire operating period.

5.
Environ Sci Technol ; 58(2): 1164-1176, 2024 Jan 16.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38164759

ABSTRACT

Terrestrial dissolved organic matter (DOM) is critical to global carbon and nutrient cycling, climate change, and human health. However, how the spatial and compositional differences of soil DOM affect its dynamics and fate in water during the carbon cycle is largely unclear. Herein, the biodegradation of DOM from 14 spatially distributed grassland soils in China with diverse organic composition was investigated by 165 days of incubation experiments. The results showed that although the high humified fraction (high-HS) regions were featured by high humic-like fractions of 4-25 kDa molecular weight, especially the abundant condensed aromatics and tannins, they unexpectedly displayed greater DOM degradation during 45-165 days. In contrast, the unique proteinaceous and 25-100 kDa fractions enriched in the low humified fraction (low-HS) regions were drastically depleted and improved the decay of bulk DOM but only during 0-45 days. Together, DOM from the high-HS regions would cause lower CO2 outgassing to the atmosphere but higher organic loads for drinking water production in the short term than that from the low-HS regions. However, this would be reversed for the two regions during the long-term transformation processes. These findings highlight the importance of spatial and temporal variability of DOM biogeochemistry to mitigate the negative impacts of grassland soil DOM on climate, waters, and humans.


Subject(s)
Dissolved Organic Matter , Soil , Humans , Grassland , Carbon , Water , China
6.
BMC Urol ; 24(1): 1, 2024 Jan 02.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38166868

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: There are few studies on cryptorchidism in adults, and its treatment is still controversial. METHODS: To summarize the surgical strategy and clinical efficacy of laparoscopic orchidopexy for the treatment of cryptorchidism in adults, 37 adult cryptorchidism patients were retrospectively analyzed between September 2017 and February 2022. All 37 patients underwent laparoscopic orchidopexy, of whom 33 underwent inguinal hernia repair without tension. The intraoperative procedures and surgical techniques were recorded in detail. Preoperative examination and regular postoperative review of color Doppler ultrasound, and reproductive hormone, alpha-fetoprotein, human chorionic gonadotropin, and lactate dehydrogenase levels were performed. RESULTS: All testes descended successfully into the scrotum, including 25 through the inguinal route and 12 through Hesselbach's triangle route. No intraoperative or postoperative complications were observed. The follow-up time was 38.6 (± 19.4) months, and no evidence of testicular malignancy was found during the follow-up period. After analyzing the reproductive hormone levels at 1 year postoperatively in 28 patients with more than 1 year of follow-up, it was found that the patients had a significant increase in testosterone levels and a decrease in follicle-stimulating hormone levels after surgery. None of the patients showed any significant improvement in semen quality after surgery. CONCLUSION: Our study suggests that laparoscopic orchidopexy is a safe and feasible surgical procedure for the treatment of cryptorchidism in adults, especially high cryptorchidism, which is difficult to treat. After comprehensive consideration, preserving the testis should be preferred for treating cryptorchidism in adults to maximize the protection of the patient's reproductive hormone secretion function.


Subject(s)
Cryptorchidism , Laparoscopy , Male , Humans , Infant , Cryptorchidism/surgery , Cryptorchidism/diagnosis , Orchiopexy/methods , Retrospective Studies , Semen Analysis , Laparoscopy/methods , Testis , Treatment Outcome , Hormones
7.
J Lipid Res ; 64(7): 100398, 2023 07.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37276941

ABSTRACT

Lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)) is a largely genetically determined biomarker for cardiovascular disease (CVD), while its potential interplay with family history (FHx) of CVD, a measure of both genetic and environmental exposures, remains unclear. We examined the associations of Lp(a) in terms of circulating concentration or polygenetic risk score (PRS), and FHx of CVD with risk of incident heart failure (HF). Included were 299,158 adults from the UK Biobank without known HF and CVD at baseline. Hazards ratios (HRs) and 95% Cls were estimated by Cox regression models adjusted for traditional risk factors defined by the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study HF risk score. During the 11.8-year follow-up, 5,502 incidents of HF occurred. Higher levels of circulating Lp(a), Lp(a) PRS, and positive FHx of CVD were associated with higher risks of HF. Compared with individuals who had lower circulating Lp(a) and no FHx, HRs (95% CIs) of HF were 1.36 (1.25, 1.49), 1.31 (1.19, 1.43), and 1.42 (1.22, 1.67) for those with higher Lp(a) and a positive history of CVD for all family members, parents, and siblings, respectively; similar results were observed by using Lp(a) PRS. The risk estimates for HF associated with elevated Lp(a) and positive FHx were attenuated after excluding those with incident myocardial infarction (MI) during follow-up. Lp(a) and FHx of CVD were independent risk factors for incident HF, and the highest risk of HF was observed among individuals with both risk factors. The association may be partly mediated by myocardial infarction.


Subject(s)
Cardiovascular Diseases , Heart Failure , Myocardial Infarction , Adult , Humans , Cardiovascular Diseases/epidemiology , Cardiovascular Diseases/genetics , Incidence , Lipoprotein(a)/genetics , Heart Failure/epidemiology , Heart Failure/genetics , Heart Failure/complications , Myocardial Infarction/epidemiology , Myocardial Infarction/genetics , Risk Factors
8.
J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol ; 34(9): 1843-1849, 2023 09.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37632286

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to identify the characteristics of unipolar and bipolar electrogram (UniEGM and BiEGM) in guiding successful ablation of premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) originating from the free wall of the ventricular aspect of the tricuspid annulus (TA). We hypothesized that the negative concordance pattern (NCP) on the onset of UniEGM and BiEGM, together with the least value of the difference between the earliest BiEGM and UniEGM dV/dTmax, might improve the accuracy of conventional mapping. METHODS AND RESULTS: Thirty consecutive patients who underwent successful catheter ablation from February 2018 to July 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. The BiEGM and UniEGM for successful ablation sites were compared with those for non-successful ablation sites. Among the 30 patients, 30 successful and 26 nonsuccessful ablation sites were compared. The earliest activation time of the BiEGM (BiEGMoneset-QRS) was 25 ± 6 ms for the successful ablation sites and 21 ± 6 ms for the nonsuccessful ablation sites (p = .47). The value of the difference in the earliest BiEGM and UniEGM dV/dTmax differed between successful and nonsuccessful ablation sites (6.4 ± 3.6 ms vs. 10.4 ± 6.8 ms). NCP was observed at 90.0% and 42.3% of the successful and nonsuccessful ablation sites, respectively. Alignment of NCP and BiEGMonset-UniEGM ≤6 ms was applied as the mapping criterion for successful PVC suppression (73.1% sensitivity and 87.7% specificity). The area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve for this cutoff was 0.85. CONCLUSION: Mapping based on an NCP at the onset of the BiEGM and UniEGM and the least difference value of the earliest BiEGM and UniEGM dV/dTmax had an excellent predictive value for successful ablation. These strategies may reduce the number of radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) applications for free-wall tricuspid annular PVCs.


Subject(s)
Catheter Ablation , Ventricular Premature Complexes , Humans , Ventricular Premature Complexes/diagnosis , Ventricular Premature Complexes/surgery , Retrospective Studies , Heart Ventricles , Catheter Ablation/adverse effects , ROC Curve
9.
Opt Lett ; 48(15): 3909-3912, 2023 Aug 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37527080

ABSTRACT

Reversed nonlinear dynamics is predicted to be capable of enhancing the quantum sensing in unprecedented ways. Here, we report the experimental demonstration of a loss-tolerant (external loss) and quantum-enhanced interferometer. Two cascaded optical parametric amplifiers are used to judiciously construct an interferometry with two orthogonal squeezing operation. As a consequence, a weak displacement introduced by a test cavity can be amplified for measurement, and the measured signal-to-noise ratio is better than that of both conventional photon shot-noise limited and squeezed-light assisted interferometers. We further confirm its superior loss-tolerant performance by varying the external losses and comparing with both conventional photon shot-noise limited and squeezed-light assisted configurations, illustrating the potential application in gravitational wave detection.

10.
Opt Lett ; 48(11): 3111-3114, 2023 Jun 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37262293

ABSTRACT

Quantum entanglement is an important pillar of quantum information processing. In addition to the entanglement degree, the bandwidth of entangled states becomes another focus of quantum communication. Here, by virtue of a broadband frequency-dependent beam splitter, we experimentally demonstrate six pairs of independent entangled sideband modes with maximum entanglement degree of 8.1 dB. Utilizing a time delay compensation scheme, the bandwidth of independent entangled sideband modes is expanded to dozens of megahertz. This work provides a valuable resource to implement efficient quantum information processing.

11.
Opt Lett ; 48(6): 1454-1457, 2023 Mar 15.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36946951

ABSTRACT

Biological particles, e.g., viruses, lipid particles, and extracellular vesicles, are attracting significant research interest due to their role in biological processes and potential in practical applications, such as vaccines, diagnostics, and therapies. Their surface and interior contain many different molecules including lipids, nucleic acids, proteins, and carbohydrates. In this Letter, we show how distance-controlled surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is a promising method to extract essential information from the spatial origin of the signal. This is a highly important parameter in the analysis of these biological particles. The principle of the method is demonstrated by using polystyrene (PS) beads as a biological particle model conjugated with gold nanospheres (AuNSs) functioning as distance-controlled SERS probes via biotin-streptavidin binding. By tuning the size of AuNSs, the Raman signal from the PS beads can be weakened while the signal from the biotin-streptavidin complex is enhanced.


Subject(s)
Metal Nanoparticles , Nanoparticles , Spectrum Analysis, Raman/methods , Nanoparticles/chemistry , Streptavidin/chemistry , Gold/chemistry , Polystyrenes/chemistry , Metal Nanoparticles/chemistry
12.
Mol Biol Rep ; 50(3): 2381-2389, 2023 Mar.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36585555

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Currently, no recognized evidence is known about the bacterial communities found within seminal vesicles (SV) of men presenting with refractory hematospermia. METHODS AND RESULTS: Fifteen male patients with refractory hematospermia or anejaculation were enrolled, and 15 SV-Infection (SV-In) samples from SV with hemorrhage and/or stones, 11 SV-Control (SV-C) samples from SV with non-infection, and 14 Urine (Urine) samples from posterior urethra were obtained via transurethral seminal vesiculoscopy. Then the high-throughput 16 S rRNA gene sequencing method was performed to characterize the microbiota profile. Finally, a total of 1535 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were found, 1295 OTUs were shared across three groups, 7 OTUs, 45 OTUs, and 48 OTUs were unique to SV-C group, SV-In group, and Urine group, respectively. The 5 top bacterial phyla (mean relative abundance) in all samples were Firmicutes (52.08%), Bacteroidetes (21.69%), Proteobacteria (12.72%), Actinobacteria (9.64%), and Fusobacteria (1.62%), the 5 top bacterial genera in all samples were Bacteroides (9.13%), Lactobacillus (5.38%), Bifidobacterium (5.35%), Faecalibacterium (5.10%), and Allobaculum (3.34%), of which Bifidobacterium had the highest level in SV-C samples and had a significant difference (P < 0.05) across all groups. Differential analysis showed genera Leuconostoc and LachnospiraceaeFCS020group were identified as biomarkers in the SV-In microbiota. CONCLUSION: Altered microbiota composition in seminal vesicles is related to refractory hematospermia in men, and the distribution of genus Leuconostoc or LachnospiraceaeFCS020group within seminal vesicles may interact with hematospermia. This study provides clues for the diagnosis and treatment of this urologic disorder.


Subject(s)
Calculi , Hemospermia , Humans , Male , Seminal Vesicles , Hemospermia/diagnosis , Hemospermia/therapy , Calculi/therapy , Urethra
13.
J Insect Sci ; 23(2)2023 Mar 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36916278

ABSTRACT

Fusarium concentricum Nirenberg & O' Donnell (Ascomycota: Hypocreales) is a fungal species known to infect plants, but never reported as entomopathogenic. Polychrosis cunninhamiacola Liu et Pei (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae: Olethreutinae) is a major and widespread insect pest causing economic losses to cultivated Chinese fir Cunninghamia lanceolata (Lamb.) Hook. It is routinely controlled by extensive use of chemical insecticides, which is perceived as environmentally unsustainable. During March and April of 2019-2020, muscardine cadavers of larvae and pupae of P. cunninhamiacola infected with growing fungus were collected in a fir forest in northern Guangdong Province, China. Conidia were isolated and cultured on PDA medium, from which the fungal strain was identified as F. concentricum FCPC-L01 by morphology and by sequence alignment match with Tef-1α gene. Pathogenicity bioassays at the conidial concentration 1 × 107 revealed P. cunninhamiacola adults and Danaus chrysippus (L.) (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) larvae are sensitive to the fungal infection, but not the fire ant Solenopsis invicta Buren (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). We believe results indicate this fungal strain might be applicable against specific target insect pests. As this is the first record of a natural infection caused by F. concentricum in insects, we propose host specificity tests should be done to evaluate its potential as a biocontrol agent.


Subject(s)
Ants , Fusarium , Hypocreales , Moths , Animals , Pest Control, Biological/methods , Insecta , Larva , Spores, Fungal
14.
Nano Lett ; 22(3): 1138-1144, 2022 Feb 09.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35050626

ABSTRACT

Revealing the ultrafast dynamics of three-dimensional (3D) Dirac fermions is critical for both fundamental science and device applications. So far, how the cooling of 3D Dirac fermions differs from that of two-dimensional (2D) and whether there is population inversion are fundamental questions to be answered. Here we reveal the ultrafast dynamics of Dirac fermions in a model 3D Dirac semimetal Cd3As2 by time- and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy with a tunable probe photon energy. The energy- and momentum-resolved relaxation rate shows a linear dependence on the energy, suggesting Dirac fermion cooling through intraband relaxation. Moreover, a population inversion is reported based on the observation of accumulated photoexcited carriers in the conduction band with a lifetime of 3.0 ps. Our work provides direct experimental evidence for a long-lived population inversion in a 3D Dirac semimetal, which is in contrast to 2D graphene with a much shorter lifetime.

15.
Int J Mol Sci ; 24(7)2023 Mar 30.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37047493

ABSTRACT

RNA modifications implicate pathological and prognosis significance in cancer development and progression, of which, m6A and m5C are representative regulators. These RNA modifications could produce effects on the function of other RNA by regulating gene expression. Thus, in this study, we aimed to explore the correlation between m6A/m5C regulators and early-stage lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). Only the early-stage LUAD samples were included in this investigation, and the RNA-seq dataset of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) cohort was utilized to evaluate the expression of 37 m6A/m5C regulated genes. Based on the expression level of these 37 genes, early-stage LUAD patients were divided into 2 clusters, which were performed by consensus clustering, and the m6A/m5C subtypes had significantly different prognostic outcomes (p < 0.001). Cluster1, which has a better prognosis, was characterized by the C3 (inflammatory) immune subtype, low immune infiltration, chemokine expression, major histocompatibility complex (MHC) expression, and immune checkpoint molecule expression. Furthermore, compared with cluster1, cluster2 showed a T cell exhaustion state, characterized by a high expression of immune checkpoint genes, and immune cells, such as T cells, CD8+ T cells, cytotoxic lymphocytes, NK cells, and so on. In addition, patients in cluster2 were with high tumor mutational burden (TMB) and numerous significant mutated oncogene and tumor suppressor genes, such as WNT10B, ERBB4, SMARCA4, TP53, and CDKN2A (p < 0.001). A total of 19 genes were mostly related to the prognosis of LUAD and were upregulated in cluster2 (p < 0.05), showing a positive correlation with the mRNA expression of 37 m6A/m5C regulated genes. The predictive risk model was constructed using Cox and LASSO (least absolute shrinkage and selection operator) regression analysis. Finally, a seven-gene m6A/m5C risk model, comprising of METTL3, NPLOC4, RBM15, YTHDF1, IGF2BP1, NSUN3, and NSUN7, was constructed to stratify the prognosis of early-stage LUAD (p = 0.0049, AUC = 0.791). The high-risk score was associated with a poorer prognosis. This model was also validated using two additional GEO datasets: GSE72094 (p = 0.011, AUC = 0.736) and GSE50081 (p = 0.012, AUC = 0.628). In summary, it was established that the m6A/m5C-regulated genes performed a crosstalk function in the mRNA expression of early-stage LUAD. By interacting with other mRNA genes, m6A/m5C modification disturbs DNA replication and the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME). The seven-gene risk model may be a critical tool for the prognostic assessment of early-stage LUAD.


Subject(s)
Adenocarcinoma of Lung , Lung Neoplasms , Humans , Adenocarcinoma of Lung/genetics , DNA Helicases , Lung Neoplasms/genetics , Major Histocompatibility Complex , Methyltransferases , Nuclear Proteins , Oncogenes , Prognosis , Transcription Factors , Tumor Microenvironment
16.
Molecules ; 28(4)2023 Feb 08.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36838619

ABSTRACT

The luminescent performances of near-infrared (NIR) lanthanide (Ln) complexes were restricted greatly by vibration quenching of X-H (X = C, N, O) oscillators, which are usually contained in ligands and solvents. Encapsulating Ln3+ into a cavity of coordination atoms is a feasible method of alleviating this quenching effect. In this work, a novel ytterbium complex [Yb(DPPDA)2](DIPEA) coordinated with 4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline-2,9-dicarboxylic acid (DPPDA) was synthesized and characterized by FT-IR, ESI-MS and elemental analysis. Under the excitation of 335 nm light, [Yb(DPPDA)2](DIPEA) showed two emission peaks at 975 and 1011 nm, respectively, which were assigned to the characteristic 2F5/2 → 2F7/2 transition of Yb3+. Meanwhile, this ytterbium complex exhibited a plausible absolute quantum yield of 0.46% and a luminescent lifetime of 105 µs in CD3OD solution. In particular, its intrinsic quantum yield was calculated to be 12.5%, and this considerably high value was attributed to the near-zero solvent molecules bound to Yb3+ and the absence of X-H oscillators in the first coordination sphere. Based on experimental results, we further proposed that the sensitized luminescence of [Yb(DPPDA)2](DIPEA) occurred via an internal redox mechanism instead of an energy transfer process.


Subject(s)
Lanthanoid Series Elements , Ytterbium , Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared , Luminescence , Solvents
17.
Molecules ; 28(6)2023 Mar 13.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36985584

ABSTRACT

The feature of low-density and thermal insulation properties of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) foam is one of the important challenges of the silicone industry seeking to make these products more competitive compared to traditional polymer foams. Herein, we report a green, simple, and low-cost strategy for synthesizing ultra-low-density porous silicone composite materials via Si-H cross-linking and foaming chemistry, and the sialylation-modified hollow glass microspheres (m-HM) were used to promote the HM/PDMS compatibility. Typically, the presence of 7.5 wt% m-HM decreases the density of pure foam from 135 mg/cm-3 to 104 mg/cm-3 without affecting the foaming reaction between Si-H and Si-OH and produces a stable porous structure. The optimized m-HM-modified PDMS foam composites showed excellent mechanical flexibility (unchanged maximum stress values at a strain of 70% after 100 compressive cycles) and good thermal insulation (from 150.0 °C to 52.1 °C for the sample with ~20 mm thickness). Our results suggest that the use of hollow microparticles is an effective strategy for fabricating lightweight, mechanically flexible, and thermal insulation PDMS foam composite materials for many potential applications.

18.
Zhonghua Nan Ke Xue ; 29(12): 1038-1042, 2023 Dec.
Article in Zh | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38639959

ABSTRACT

Image fusion technology had been widely applied in image guided radiotherapy (IGRT) for prostate cancer (PCa) based on the gold fiducial mark (GFM). Image fusion technology included the fusion of CT image, magnetic resonance image, and ultrasound image internally or externally. The application of image fusion technology had improved the identification accuracy of GFM and was helpful for the plan design of PCa radiotherapy. This article provided a systematic review of the application of fusion of various medical images in PCa IGRT in recent years. Among them, the application and result of image fusion technology in GFM identification and the impact on the plan design for PCa radiotherapy were emphasized. It hoped that this review could provide some theoretical reference for the deeper integration of image fusion technology with PCa IGRT.


Subject(s)
Fiducial Markers , Prostatic Neoplasms , Male , Humans , Gold , Prostatic Neoplasms/diagnostic imaging , Prostatic Neoplasms/radiotherapy , Prostatic Neoplasms/pathology , Biomarkers , Technology
19.
Opt Lett ; 47(3): 533-536, 2022 Feb 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35103674

ABSTRACT

A squeezed state with higher-order sidebands is a valuable quantum resource for channel multiplexing quantum communication. However, balanced homodyne detection used in nonclassical light detection has a trade-off performance between the detection bandwidth and clearance, in which the verification of a highly squeezing factor faces a challenge. Here, we construct two optical parametric amplifiers with cavity enhancement; one is for the generation of a -10.5 dB squeezed vacuum state, and the other is for all-optical phase-sensitive parametric homodyne detection. Finally, -6.5 dB squeezing at the carrier with 17 pairs of squeezing sidebands (bandwidth of 156 GHz) is directly and simultaneously observed. In particular, for the cavity-enhanced parametric oscillation and detection processes, we analyze the limiting factors of the detectable bandwidth and measurement deviation from the generated value, which indicates that the length difference and propagation loss between two optical parametric amplifiers should be as small as possible to improve the detection performance. The experimental results confirm our theoretical analysis.

20.
Langmuir ; 38(37): 11392-11405, 2022 09 20.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36069741

ABSTRACT

Endoscopes are ubiquitous in minimally invasive or keyhole surgeries globally. However, frequent removal of endoscopes from the patient's body due to the lens contaminations results in undesirable consequences. Therefore, a cost-effective process chain to fabricate thermoplastic-based endoscope lenses with superior antifouling and optical properties is proposed in this research. Such multifunctional surface response was achieved by lubricant impregnation of nanostructures. Two types of topographies were produced by femtosecond laser processing of metallic molds, especially to produce single-tier laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS) and two-tier multiscale structures (MS). Then, these two LIPSS and MS masters were used to replicate them onto two thermoplastic substrates, namely polycarbonate and cyclic olefin copolymer, by using hot embossing. Finally, the LIPSS and MS surfaces of the replicas were infiltrated by silicone oils to prepare lubricant-impregnated surfaces (LIS). Droplet sliding tests revealed that the durability of the as-prepared LIS improved with the increase of the lubricant viscosity. Moreover, the single-tier LIPSS replicas exhibited longer-lasting lubricant conservation properties than the MS ones. Also, LIPSS-LIS replicas demonstrated an excellent optical transparency, better than the MS-LIS ones, and almost match the performance of the reference polished ones. Furthermore, the LIPSS-LIS treatment led to superior antifouling characteristics, i.e., regarding fogging, blood adhesion, protein adsorption, and microalgae attachment, and thus demonstrated its high suitability for treating endoscopic lenses. Finally, a proof-of-concept LIPSS-LIS treatment of endoscope lenses was conducted that confirmed their superior multifunctional response.


Subject(s)
Biofouling , Cycloparaffins , Biofouling/prevention & control , Endoscopes , Humans , Lasers , Lubricants , Silicone Oils , Surface Properties
SELECTION OF CITATIONS
SEARCH DETAIL