N-Acetyl-l-cysteine ameliorates gestational diabetes mellitus by inhibiting oxidative stress.

Objective: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) affects 7% of pregnant women worldwide. How to effectively treat GDM has always been a concern of people.Research methods: In this study, a diabetes model was established by drug-induced mice. Subsequently, the blood glucose levels and serum insulin changes of the mice after N-acetyl-l-cysteine (NAC) treatment were observed. At the same time, the effect of NAC on reproduction of GDM mice was recorded.Results of the study: Mice fed NAC showed significantly improved glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity compared to Diabetic/Control. Total serum cholesterol, serum triglycerides, and serum low-density lipoprotein were significantly reduced, and atherosclerosis index was much lower than in control mice. In addition, Diabetic/Control mice had lower litter sizes and higher birth weights. NAC treatment significantly restored litter size and reduced birth weight in Diabetic/Control mice. It was found in WB assay that the NAC-fed group significantly increased nuclear Nrf2 and HO-1 expression levels.Conclusion: NAC can improve blood glucose tolerance in GDM mice; NAC effectively relieves the symptoms of hyperlipidemia caused by GDM; NAC enhances the expression of Nrf2/HO-1 in the liver, thereby restoring redox homeostasis. NAC can reduce gestational diabetes-related disease indicators by oral administration, and has a beneficial effect on the offspring of pregnant mice (reduces its diabetes disease indicators).

Cyclic helix B peptide ameliorated the sepsis-induced injury in human HPMEC cells through regulating NF-κB.

BACKGROUND: Sepsis is a life-threatening condition. The incidence of severe sepsis is increasing. Sepsis is often complicated with organ dysfunctions. Cyclic helix B peptide (CHBP) is a peptide derivant of erythropoietin with powerful tissue-protective efficacies. However, the role of CHBP in sepsis-induced injury remains unclear. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Lyso-phosphatidylserine (LPS) was used to induce sepsis in human pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells (HPMECs). Cell growth was detected using Cell Counting Kit-8. Cell permeability was measured using fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-dextran. Cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) method was applied to induce sepsis and CHBP was provided to test its efficacy. Western blot assays were used to evaluate gene expression. RESULTS: Administration of CHBP ameliorated LPS-induced injury in HPMECs dose-dependently. Administration of CHBP decreased the permeability of LPS-treated HPMEC cells in a same way as well. Furthermore, we identified that recombinant CHBP protein (Re-CHBP) ameliorated CLP-induced injury in vivo. Finally, we found that administration of NF-κB activator, TNF-α, abolished the function of Re-CHBP in LPS-treated HPMEC cells. CONCLUSION: CHBP ameliorated sepsis-induced injury dose dependently both in vitro and in vivo through decreasing the permeability of HPMEC cells via suppressing NF-κB signaling and inflammation. Present findings highlight the importance of CHBP/NF-κB signaling in septic injury and provide new insights into therapeutic strategies for sepsis-induced injury.

Undifferentiated high-grade pleomorphic sarcoma of the colon: a rare case report and literature review.

BACKGROUND: Undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma (UPS), also known as malignant fibrous histiocytoma (MFH), hardly originates from the colorectum. CASE PRESENTATION: We reported a 65-year-old female presented with UPS in the descending colon. Computed tomography (CT) revealed an irregularly thickened descending colon. On colonoscopy examination, an ulcerative tumour was identified. The patient received radical resection of the left colon and partial enterectomy. The resected tumor was ulcerative, 10 cm × 8 cm × 5 cm in size, and infiltrated the serosa layer. Postsurgical pathology showed that the tumor was high-graded UPS in the colon with large amounts of necrotic tissues. CONCLUSIONS: UPS in the large intestine is a rare malignant tumor with a poor prognosis and unknown pathogenesis. The main treatment for UPS is early complete resection. Postsurgery adjuvant radiotherapy or chemotherapy can be attempted.

The efficacy of ileostomy after laparoscopic rectal cancer surgery: a meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Protective ileostomy is always applied to avoid clinically significant anastomotic leakage and other postoperative complications for patients receiving laparoscopic rectal cancer surgery. However, whether it is necessary to perform the ileostomy is still controversial. This meta-analysis aims to analyze the efficacy of ileostomy on laparoscopic rectal cancer surgery. METHODS: Cochrane Library, EMBASE, Web of Science, and PubMed were applied for systematic search of all relevant literature, updated to May 07, 2021. Studies compared patients with and without ileostomy for laparoscopic rectal cancer surgery. We applied Review Manager software to perform this meta-analysis. The quality of the non-randomized controlled trials was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale (NOS), and the randomized studies were assessed using the Jadad scale. RESULTS: We collected a total of 1203 references, and seven studies were included using the research methods. The clinically significant anastomotic leakage rate was significantly lower in ileostomy group (27/567, 4.76%) than that in non-ileostomy group (54/525, 10.29%) (RR = 0.47, 95% CI 0.30-0.73, P for overall effect = 0.0009, P for heterogeneity = 0.18, I2 = 32%). However, the postoperative hospital stay, reoperation, wound infection, and operation time showed no significant difference between the ileostomy and non-ileostomy groups. CONCLUSION: The results demonstrated that protective ileostomy could decrease the clinically significant anastomotic leakage rate for patients undergoing laparoscopic rectal cancer surgery. However, ileostomy has no effect on postoperative hospital stay, reoperation, wound infection, and operation time. The efficacy of ileostomy after laparoscopic rectal cancer surgery: a meta-analysis.

Phase-shift laser range finder technique based on optical carrier phase modulation.

A coherent laser range finder based on optical phase modulation and phase shift measurement is presented. In the proposed laser range finder, the emitted laser is modulated by an electro-optic phase modulator using a 20 MHz sine signal, and the received laser is mixed with a local oscillator using a 90° optical hybrid. Compared with traditional laser phase shift range finders, the proposed laser range finder can measure the velocity and range at high precision simultaneously. An algorithm to calculate the range and velocity is deduced. Our preliminary experiments on moving targets indicate that when the measurement rate is 100 kHz, the root mean square errors of range and velocity, respectively, are 9.35×10-4m and 4.74×10-4m/s.

Large field of view beaconless laser nutation tracking sensor based on a micro-electro-mechanical system mirror.

We propose a laser nutation tracking sensor for beaconless laser communication, which uses a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) mirror to achieve high-efficiency and large-amplitude nutation at its resonant frequency. We derive a new formula for the case of incompletely detectable optical power in the nutation cycle. In the experiment, we measure the performance of the sensor in calculating boresight error under three different nutation radii. Combining with the proposed algorithm for the new scene, we complete the accurate boresight calculation in the range of ±200µrad, at the nutation radius of 4.9 µm. We trust that the receiving field of view (FOV) of this tracking sensor can be further expanded by increasing the nutation radius. The sensor, as proposed in this paper, will be of constructive help to simplify tracking systems in the future.

Two-one-way laser Doppler approach for inter-satellite velocity measurement.

A high-precision inter-satellite velocity measurement method based on two-one-way laser Doppler is presented in this paper. This method's working principle and signal-to-noise ratio's effect under different measurement times of signal on velocity precision are analyzed theoretically. This method is also tested by laboratory experiments and 1 mm/s velocity precision is achieved in 1 ms integrating time. The proposed method potentially contributes to inter-satellite velocity measurement, especially for the relative velocity measurement between two satellites in high dynamic motion and a long distance apart.

Glucocorticoid attenuates acute lung injury through induction of type 2 macrophage.

BACKGROUND: Acute lung injury (ALI) and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) are severe inflammatory lung diseases. Methylprednisolone (MP) is a common drug against inflammation in clinic. In this study, we aim to investigate the protective effect of MP on ALI and potential mechanisms. METHODS: Male BABL/c mice were injected through tail vein using lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 5 mg/kg) with or without 5 mg/kg MP. Lung mechanics, tissue injury and inflammation were examined. Macrophage subsets in the lung were identified by flow cytometry. Macrophages were cultured from bone marrow of mice with or without MP. Then, we analyzed and isolated the subsets of macrophages. These isolated macrophages were then co-cultured with CD4+ T cells, and the percentage of regulatory T cells (Tregs) was examined. The expression of IL-10 and TGF-ß in the supernatant was measured. The Tregs immunosuppression function was examined by T cell proliferation assay. To disclose the mechanism of the induction of Tregs by M2c, we blocked IL-10 or/and TGF-ß using neutralizing antibody. RESULTS: Respiratory physiologic function was significantly improved by MP treatment. Tissue injury and inflammation were ameliorated in the MP-treated group. After MP treatment, the number of M1 decreased and M2 increased in the lung. In in vitro experiment, MP promoted M2 polarization rather than M1. We then induced M1, M2a and M2c from bone marrow cells. M1 induced more Th17 while M2 induced more CD4+CD25+Fxop3+ Tregs. Compared with M2a, M2c induced more Tregs, and this effect could be blocked by anti-IL-10 and anti-TGF-ß antibodies. However, M2a and M2c have no impact on Tregs immunosuppression function. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, MP ameliorated ALI by promoting M2 polarization. M2, especially M2c, induced Tregs without any influence on Tregs immunosuppression function.

Acute transverse myelitis of the cervical spine secondary to psoas abscess.

BACKGROUND: Acute transverse myelitis is uncommon and presumably results from an autoimmune process or a preceding infection. Most cases of bacterial myelitis are due to hematogenous dissemination from urinary or respiratory tract infections or contiguous spreading from a neighboring infected structure. A psoas abscess rarely spreads to higher levels of the spinal cord. No cases of acute cervical myelitis due to a psoas abscess have been previously reported. CASE PRESENTATION: A 34-year-old man was transferred to our hospital due to progressive muscle weakness, sensory deficits and severe hypotension. Two weeks prior to admission, he had received low back injection to relieve back pain in a healthcare clinic. One day prior to admission, his condition had worsened. On admission, he was tetraplegic with absence of sensation below the level of the suprasternal fossa. A lumbar CT scan demonstrated an abscess in the left psoas, and the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan of the entire spinal suggested a cervical spine infection. A cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis performed before surgery indicated the possibility of bacterial infection. An operation was performed to drain the abscess. Microbiological cultivation revealed a Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection. The patient was administered with vancomycin for 10 days and followed by oral formulations of linezolid for 6 weeks. The patient's general condition improved, and he was successfully discharged. Six months later, a follow-up MRI revealed that the lesion of the cervical spine had been ameliorated, and the sensation and myodynamia of his upper limbs had partially recovered. CONCLUSION: This was a rare case of a high-level cervical spine pyogenic infection complicating psoas abscess. An invasive paravertebral injection procedure was thought to be the initial damaging event that created a port of entry for MRSA into the psoas muscle and caused a subsequent psoas abscess. This case indicated that evaluation of higher levels of the spine is warranted when a psoas abscess coexists with severe weakness.

Co-expression of parathyroid hormone related protein and TGF-beta in breast cancer predicts poor survival outcome.

BACKGROUND: Better methods to predict prognosis can play a supplementary role in administering individualized treatment for breast cancer patients. Altered expressions of PTHrP and TGF-ß have been observed in various types of human cancers. The objective of the current study was to evaluate the association of PTHrP and TGF-ß level with the clinicopathological features of the breast cancer patients. METHODS: Immunohistochemistry was used to examine PTHrP and TGF-ß protein expression in 497 cases of early breast cancer, and Kaplan-Meier method and COX's Proportional Hazard Model were applied to the prognostic value of PTHrP and TGF-ß expression. RESULTS: Both over-expressed TGF-ß and PTHrP were correlated with the tumor in larger size, higher proportion of axillary lymph node metastasis and later clinical stage. Additionally, the tumors with a high TGF-ß level developed poor differentiation, and only TGF-ß expression was associated with disease-free survival (DFS) of the breast cancer patients. Followed up for a median of 48 months, it was found that only the patients with negative TGF-ß expression had longer DFS (P < 0.05, log-rank test). Nevertheless, those with higher PTHrP expression tended to show a higher rate of bone metastasis (67.6 % vs. 45.8 %, P = 0.019). In ER negative subgroup, those who developed PTHrP positive expression presented poor prognosis (P < 0.05, log-rank test). The patients with both positive TGF-ß and PTHrP expression were significantly associated with the high risk of metastases. As indicated by Cox's regression analysis, TGF-ß expression and the high proportion of axillary lymph node metastasis served as significant independent predictors for breast cancer recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: TGF-ß and PTHrP were confirmed to be involved in regulating the malignant progression in breast cancer, and PTHrP expression, to be associated with bone metastasis as a potential prognostic marker in ER negative breast cancer.

Moderate-dose glucocorticoids as salvage therapy for severe pneumonia in renal transplant recipients: a single-center feasibility study.

This study aimed to assess the effectiveness and safety of moderate-dose glucocorticoids (GCs) with mechanical ventilation as salvage therapy for renal transplant recipients with severe pneumonia, which was non-responsive to conventional treatment. A retrospective study was conducted involving renal transplant recipients diagnosed with severe pneumonia and did not respond to conventional treatment. All immunosuppressants were then completely withdrawn, and the patients were initially administered with methylprednisolone at doses of 2.0-2.5 mg/kg/day once every 12 h. This dosage was continued until oxygenation improved, and the treatment was gradually tapered (by 20 mg every 2-3 days) to the previous maintenance dosage. Ten patients were recruited from year 2008 to 2012. Two patients who underwent emergency endotracheal intubation were intubated on days 3 and 8, respectively, another one died from recurrent pneumothorax. The mean PaO2/FiO2 of the nine survivors was significantly increased by the increasing treatment duration; whereas the lung injury scores (LIS) and the sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score were both significantly decreased. The use of moderate-dose GCs may play a role as salvage therapy for renal transplant recipients with severe pneumonia. However, further study with larger trials to is needed.

The Effects of a Crosslinking Agent on the Microrheological Properties and Cellular Structure of Silicone Rubber Foam Prepared via a Green Process.

Chemical foaming technology is widely used in the preparation of silicone rubber foam and is attributable to its one-step molding capability and eco-friendly production processes. The microrheological properties of silicone rubber play a pivotal role during the foaming process. In this study, Rheolaser Lab (Formulaction, Toulouse, France) was used to conduct in situ examinations for the influence of a crosslinking agent on the microrheological properties of silicone rubber foam for the first time. This study monitors the entire reaction process of silicone rubber foam from liquid to solid, as well as the matching of crosslinking and foaming reactions. Various parameters, including solid-liquid balance, elasticity index, and macroscopic viscosity index, are measured to analyze the microrheological properties of silicone rubber foam. The results show that the silicone rubber foam exhibits good microrheological properties, thereby demonstrating excellent performance at a crosslinking agent content of 2%. Through adjusting the experimental conditions, a sustainable and efficient approach was proposed for better cellular structure control in the industrial preparation of silicone rubber foam.

Molecular dynamics simulating the effects of Shockley-type stacking faults on the radiation displacement cascades in 4H-SiC.

Four-layer hexagonal silicon carbide (4H-SiC) is a promising material for high-temperature and radiation-rich environments due to its excellent thermal conductivity and radiation resistance. However, real 4H-SiC crystals often contain Shockley-type stacking faults (SSF), which can affect their radiation resistance. This study employed molecular dynamics (MD) simulation method to explore the effects of SSF on radiation displacement cascades in 4H-SiC. We conducted a comprehensive study of various SSF within the crystalline framework of 4H-SiC, and analyzed their stacking fault energy (SFE). We simulated the radiation displacement cascade in 4H-SiC with SSF and analyzed the effects of SSF on the distribution of radiation displacement defects. We simulated the radiation displacement cascade in 4H-SiC with SSF under different energies of primary knock-on atom (E PKA) and temperatures (T) conditions, and analyzed the variation pattern of the number of radiation displacement defects and clusters. The results indicated that SSF limits defect distribution position. SSF has an effect on the defects and clusters of 4H-SiC in the displacement cascade, and SSF can affect the maximum working temperature of 4H-SiC.

Molecular dynamics simulation and experimental verification of the effects of vinyl silicone oil viscosity on the mechanical properties of silicone rubber foam.

The molecular motion trajectories of silicone rubber foam (SRF) at various vinyl silicone oil viscosities were studied via molecular dynamics (MD) simulation from the perspective of all atomic molecules. The influence of different viscosities of vinyl silicone oil on interaction, compatibility, and aggregation degree of molecules was determined based on the mean square displacement, diffusion coefficient, binding energy, solubility parameter, radial distribution function, and radius of gyration. The mechanical properties of the SRF were also experimentally verified. Results revealed that as the viscosity of vinyl silicone oil increased, the mean square displacement, fractional free volume, diffusion coefficient, and solubility parameter of the system decreased, whereas its larger radius of gyration increased. Moreover, the radial distribution function showed a weaker relative interaction between molecular chains. The calculated binding energy demonstrated that the system had better compatibility at a viscosity of 0.45 Pa s. This study provided a deeper insight into the relation between the viscosity of vinyl silicone oil and mechanical properties of the SRF. As the viscosity of vinyl silicone oil increased, the changing trend in MD simulation results of elastic modulus, shear modulus, bulk modulus, and Poisson's ratio was consistent with the experimental results. The MD simulations can promote theoretical predictions and scientific basis for the design of the SRF with desired performances.

OTX1 regulates tumorigenesis and metastasis in glioma.

The most prevalent kind of primary brain tumors, gliomas, have a dismal prognosis. Recent advances in the tumor-promoting ability of OTX1 have drawn increasing attention. The overexpression of OTX1 has been reported to be associated with tumor-promoting effects in several malignancies, but its expression in gliomas is unknown. The oncogene OTX1 is increased in gliomas and is linked to a poor prognosis, as we show here. The degree of OTX1 positive expression is doubtlessly concomitant with the grade of glioma. We observed that OTX1 was up-regulated in gliomas, influenced the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), encouraged glioma cell growth and proliferation, and was linked to a poor clinical outcome for patients. At present, the prognosis of glioma is still not optimistic, and further research is needed to find a new target for treatment. According to our research, OTX1 is anticipated to emerge as a novel biological target for determining glioma prognosis and treatment.

Effectiveness and safety of Shenfu injection in septic patients with hypoperfusion: A multi-center, open-label, randomized, controlled trial.

Background: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of the Shenfu injection (SFI) combined with standard bundle treatment in septic patients with hypoperfusion. Method: This study was a multi-center, randomized, open-label, controlled trial conducted in four teaching hospitals in China. The septic patients with hypoperfusion and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndrome with Yang-Qi deficiency were enrolled from January 2019, through September 2020. Eligible patients were randomly allocated in a 1:1 ratio to either receive 60 mL of SFI infusion per day plus standard treatment (SFI group) or standard bundle treatment alone (control group). The primary outcome was 28-day all-cause mortality. Secondary outcomes were 90-day all-cause mortality time to weaning from mechanical ventilation, time to weaning from vasopressors, time to discharge from the ICU and hospital, and laboratory results after randomization. Results: A total of 188 patients completed the trail. This study revealed that the results of the SFI group and the control groups were not statistically significant in 28-day all-cause mortality (10.6% vs. 20.2%, respectively; P=0.106). The infusion of SFI was associated with a significant reduction in the duration of vasopressor use (median=4.0 days, interquartile range [IQR]: 2.0 days-6.0 days vs. median=5.0 days, IQR: 3.0 days-8.0 days, respectively; P=0.043). Patients in the SFI group had statistically greater reductions in plasma lactate levels compared with those in the control group at the first 12 h (median=1.1 mmol/L, IQR: 0.3-2.0 mmol/L vs. median=0.0 mmol/L, IQR: -0.2 to 0.8 mmol/L, respectively; P <0.001) and 24 h (median=1.4 mmol/L, IQR: 0.3-2.2 mmol/L vs. median=0.4 mmol/L, IQR: -0.4 to 1.6 mmol/L, respectively; P=0.001). Conclusion: SFI plus standard therapy did not significantly decrease 28-day all-cause mortality for septic patients with hypoperfusion and TCM syndrome with Yang-Qi deficiency.Trial registration Chinese Clinical Trial Registry Identifier: ChiCTR1800020435.

Low expression of TFPI-2 associated with poor survival outcome in patients with breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the prognostic value of TFPI-2 expression in breast cancer patients through examining the correlation between TFPI-2 expression and breast cancer clinicopathologic features. METHODS: Immunohistochemical staining combined with digital image analysis was used to quantify the expression of TFPI-2 protein in breast tumor tissues. For evaluation of the prognostic value of TFPI-2 expression to each clinicopathologic factor, Kaplan-Meier method and COX's Proportional Hazard Model were employed. RESULTS: TFPI-2 expression was significantly correlated with tumor size, lymph node metastasis, histologic grade, clinical stage, and vessel invasion. More importantly, TFPI-2 expression was also associated with disease-free survival (DFS) of breast cancer patients. We found that patients with high TFPI-2 expression had longer DFS compared with those with low or negative expression of TFPI-2 (P <0.05, log-rank test). Cox's regression analysis indicated that TFPI-2 expression, histologic grade, and vessel invasion might be significant prognostic factors for DFS, while TFPI-2 expression and histologic grade were the most significant independent predictors for tumor recurrence. Compared with the group with low/high TFPI-2 expression, the TFPI-2 negative group was more likely to have tumor relapse. The hazard ratio of DFS is 0.316 (P <0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Low or negative expression of TFPI-2 is associated with breast cancer progression, recurrence and poor survival outcome after breast cancer surgery. TFPI-2 expression in breast tumors is a potential prognostic tool for breast cancer patients.

Effect of admission time on mortality in an intensive care unit in Mainland China: a propensity score matching analysis.

INTRODUCTION: The relationship between admission time and intensive care unit (ICU) mortality is inconclusive and influenced by various factors. This study aims to estimate the effect of admission time on ICU outcomes in a tertiary teaching hospital in China by propensity score matching (PSM) and stratified analysis. METHODS: A total of 2,891 consecutive patients were enrolled in this study from 1 January 2009 to 29 December 2011. Multivariate logistic regression and survival analysis were performed in this retrospective study. PSM and stratified analysis were applied for confounding factors, such as Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) score and admission types. RESULTS: Compared with office hour subgroup (n = 2,716), nighttime (NT, n = 175) subgroup had higher APACHE II scores (14 vs. 8, P < 0.001), prolonged length of stay in the ICU (42 vs. 24 h, P = 0.011), and higher percentages of medical (8.6% vs. 3.3%, P < 0.001) and emergency (59.4% vs. 12.2%, P < 0.001) patients. Moreover, NT admissions were related to higher ICU mortality [odds ratio (OR), 1.725 (95% CI 1.118-2.744), P = 0.01] and elevated mortality risk at 28 days [14.3% vs. 3.2%; OR, 1.920 (95% CI 1.171-3.150), P = 0.01]. PSM showed that admission time remained related to ICU outcome (P = 0.045) and mortality risk at 28 days [OR, 2.187 (95% CI 1.119-4.271), P = 0.022]. However, no mortality difference was found between weekend and workday admissions (P = 0.849), even if weekend admissions were more related to higher APACHE II scores compared with workday admissions. CONCLUSIONS: NT admission was associated with poor ICU outcomes. This finding may be related to shortage of onsite intensivists and qualified residents during NT. The current staffing model and training system should be improved in the future.

Synergistic Effects of 2-Butyne-1,4-Diol and Chloride Ions on the Microstructure and Residual Stress of Electrodeposited Nickel.

To assess the individual and synergistic effects of 2-butyne-1,4-diol (BD) and chloride ions on the microstructure and residual stress of electrodeposited nickel, various nickel layers were prepared from sulfamate baths comprising varying concentrations of BD and chloride ions by applying direct-current electrodeposition. And their surface morphologies, microstructure, and residual stress were tested using SEM, XRD, EBSD, TEM, and AFM. While the nickel layers composed of pyramid morphology were prepared from additive-free baths, the surface flattened gradually as the BD concentration of the baths was increased, and the acicular grains in the deposits were replaced with <100> oriented columnar grains or <111> oriented nanograins; additionally, the residual tensile stress of the deposits increased. The addition of chloride ions to the baths containing BD significantly increased the residual stress in the nickel layers, although it only slightly promoted surface flattening and columnar grain coarsening. The effects of BD and chloride ions on the growth mode and residual stress of nickel deposits were explained via analysis of surface morphologies and microstructure. And the results indicate that the reduction of chloride ion concentration is a feasible way to reduce the residual stress of the nickel deposits when BD is included in the baths.

A Pixel Circuit for Compensating Electrical Characteristics Variation and OLED Degradation.

In recent years, the active-matrix organic light-emitting diode (AMOLED) displays have been greatly required. A voltage compensation pixel circuit based on an amorphous indium gallium zinc oxide thin-film transistor is presented for AMOLED displays. The circuit is composed of five transistors-two capacitors (5T2C) in combination with an OLED. In the circuit, the threshold voltages of both the transistor and the OLED are extracted simultaneously in the threshold voltage extraction stage, and the mobility-related discharge voltage is generated in the data input stage. The circuit not only can compensate the electrical characteristics variation, i.e., the threshold voltage variation and mobility variation, but also can compensate the OLED degradation. Furthermore, the circuit can prevent the OLED flicker, and can achieve the wide data voltage range. The circuit simulation results show that the OLED current error rates (CERs) are lower than 3.89% when the transistor's threshold voltage variation is ±0.5V, lower than 3.49% when the mobility variation is ±30%.