Improvement of Formability in Parallel Double-Branched Tube Hydroforming Combined with Pre-Forming and Crushing Processes.

In hydroforming of parallel double-branch tubes, the material entering the branch zone is obstructed by material accumulation in the main tubes and corners, which decreases the branch height. A tube hydroforming approach is combined with pre-forming and crushing (THPC) to mitigate this problem. A larger diameter tube blank is flattened for pre-forming and then subjected to radial compression for crushing. In the next step, hydroforming forms the parallel double-branch tubes. Experiments and numerical simulations are then carried out to analyze the effect of traditional tube hydroforming (TTH) and the proposed THPC process on the formability of parallel double-branch tubes. The results show that for tubes obtained via THPC, the tube burst pressure increases by 27.5% and the branch height increases 2.37-fold compared to TTH. Additionally, the flattening, pre-forming, and crushing stages cause work hardening of the tube when using the TPHC process. Flattened tubes undergo radial compression to improve the material flowing into the branch tube. The formability of parallel double-branched tubes can be improved by using the TPHC process. Consequently, tube hydroforming, combined with pre-forming and crushing, has been confirmed as a feasible forming process for fabricating parallel double-branch tubes.

Safety and Efficacy of Double Lamellar Keratoplasty for Corneal Perforation.

INTRODUCTION: To assess the outcomes of double lamellar keratoplasty in the treatment of corneal perforation secondary to various keratopathies. METHODS: In this prospective non-comparative interventional case series, 15 eyes from 15 consecutive patients with corneal perforation were chosen to undergo double lamellar keratoplasty, which is characterized by two layers of lamellar grafting in the perforated area. The posterior graft was separated from a relatively healthy and thin lamellar graft of the recipient, and the anterior graft was transplanted from the donor lamellar cornea. Preoperative characteristics and postoperative examination and relevant complications throughout the study were recorded. RESULTS: Nine men and six women with an average age of 50.73 ± 19.89 (range, 9-84) years were enrolled. The median follow-up period was 18 (range, 12-30) months. In all postoperative patients, the integrity of the eyeball was successfully rebuilt, and the anterior chambers were formed without aqueous leakage. At the last visit, best-corrected visual acuity improved in 14/15 patients (93.3%). Slit-lamp microscopy showed that all treated eyes remained fully transparent. Anterior segment optical coherence tomography revealed that the double-layer structure of the treated cornea was clear in the early postoperative stage. In vivo confocal microscopy revealed intact epithelial cells, sub-basal nerves, and clear keratocytes in the transplanted cornea. No immune rejection or recurrence was detected during the follow-up period. CONCLUSIONS: Double lamellar keratoplasty presents a new therapeutic option for patients undergoing corneal perforation, and it provides improvement in visual acuity and reduces the risk of postoperative adverse events.

An Intelligent Online Drunk Driving Detection System Based on Multi-Sensor Fusion Technology.

Since drunk driving poses a significant threat to road traffic safety, there is an increasing demand for the performance and dependability of online drunk driving detection devices for automobiles. However, the majority of current detection devices only contain a single sensor, resulting in a low degree of detection accuracy, erroneous judgments, and car locking. In order to solve the problem, this study firstly designed a sensor array based on the gas diffusion model and the characteristics of a car steering wheel. Secondly, the data fusion algorithm is proposed according to the data characteristics of the sensor array on the steering wheel. The support matrix is used to improve the data consistency of the single sensor data, and then the adaptive weighted fusion algorithm is used for multiple sensors. Finally, in order to verify the reliability of the system, an online intelligent detection device for drunk driving based on multi-sensor fusion was developed, and three people using different combinations of drunk driving simulation experiments were conducted. According to the test results, a drunk person in the passenger seat will not cause the system to make a drunk driving determination. When more than 50 mL of alcohol is consumed and the driver is seated in the driver's seat, the online intelligent detection of drunk driving can accurately identify drunk driving, and the car will lock itself as soon as a real-time online voice prompt is heard. This study enhances and complements theories relating to data fusion for online automobile drunk driving detection, allowing for the online identification of drivers who have been drinking and the locking of their vehicles to prevent drunk driving. It provides technical support for enhancing the accuracy of online systems that detect drunk driving in automobiles.

Overcoming resistance to oncolytic virus M1 by targeting PI3K-γ in tumor-associated myeloid cells.

Oncolytic viruses (OVs) have become a category of promising anticancer immunotherapeutic agents over the last decade. However, the fact that many individuals fail to respond to OVs highlights the importance of defining the barely known immunosuppressive mechanisms that lead to treatment resistance. Here we found that the immunosuppression mediated by tumor-associated myeloid cells (TAMCs) directly quenches the antitumor effect of oncolytic virus M1 (OVM). OVM induces myeloid cells to migrate into tumors and strengthens their immunosuppressive phenotypes. Mechanically, tumor cells treated with OVM secrete interleukin-6 (IL-6) to activate the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)-γ/Akt axis in TAMCs, promoting infiltration of TAMCs and aggravating their inhibition on cytotoxic CD8+ T lymphocytes. Pharmacologically targeting PI3K-γ relieves TAMC-mediated immunosuppression and enhances the efficacy of OVM. Additional treatment with immune checkpoint antibodies eradicates multiple refractory solid tumors and induces potent long-term antitumor immune memory. Our findings indicate that OVM functions as a double-edged sword in antitumor immunity and provide insights into the rationale for liberating T cell-mediated antitumor activity by abolishing TAMC-mediated immunosuppression.

Identification of the receptor of oncolytic virus M1 as a therapeutic predictor for multiple solid tumors.

Over the last decade, oncolytic virus (OV) therapy has shown its promising potential in tumor treatment. The fact that not every patient can benefit from it highlights the importance for defining biomarkers that help predict patients' responses. As particular self-amplifying biotherapeutics, the anti-tumor effects of OVs are highly dependent on the host factors for viral infection and replication. By using weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), we found matrix remodeling associated 8 (MXRA8) is positively correlated with the oncolysis induced by oncolytic virus M1 (OVM). Consistently, MXRA8 promotes the oncolytic efficacy of OVM in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, the interaction of MXRA8 and OVM studied by single-particle cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) showed that MXRA8 directly binds to this virus. Therefore, MXRA8 acts as the entry receptor of OVM. Pan-cancer analysis showed that MXRA8 is abundant in most solid tumors and is highly expressed in tumor tissues compared with adjacent normal ones. Further study in cancer cell lines and patient-derived tumor tissues revealed that the tumor selectivity of OVM is predominantly determined by a combinational effect of the cell membrane receptor MXRA8 and the intracellular factor, zinc-finger antiviral protein (ZAP). Taken together, our study may provide a novel dual-biomarker for precision medicine in OVM therapy.

Method for QCM Resonator Device Equivalent Circuit Parameter Extraction and Electrode Quality Assessment.

Quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) resonators are used in a wide range of sensors. Current QCM resonators achieve a simultaneous measurement of multiple physical quantities by analyzing lumped-element equivalent parameters, which are obtained via the introduction of external devices. This introduction of external devices will probably increase measurement error. To realize the measurement of multiple physical quantities while eliminating the measurement error caused by external devices, this paper proposes a measurement method for the lumped-element equivalent parameters of QCM resonators without the need for extra external devices. Accordingly, a numerical method for solving nonlinear equations with fewer data points required and a higher accuracy was adopted. A standard crystal resonator parameter extraction experiment is described. The extracted parameters were consistent with the nominal parameters, which confirms the accuracy of this method. Furthermore, six QCM resonator device samples with different electrode diameters and materials were produced and used in the parameter measurement experiment. The linear relationship between the electrode material conductivity and motional resistance R1 is discussed. The ability of this method to characterize the electrode material and to detect the rust status of the electrode is also demonstrated. These abilities support the potential utility of the proposed method for an electrode quality assessment of piezoelectric devices.