A Pulsed-Coherent Lidar With Sub-10 μm Precision Chen, Li-Yang; Vinod, Abhinav Kumar; McMillan, James F. ...
IEEE journal of solid-state circuits,
08/2022, Volume:
57, Issue:
8
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
This article presents a pulsed-coherent lidar that uses a 19-GHz pulse-modulated optical carrier and segmented time-of-flight (ToF) detection. The receiver analog frontend (AFE) employs a ...down-conversion chain that consists of a phase-invariant programmable-gain low-noise amplifier (PI-PGLNA), a sub-harmonic mixer (SHM), and an inverter-based phase-invariant programmable-gain amplifier (PI-PGA). The local oscillator (LO) is generated from a phase-locked loop (PLL) with a ring-type voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO). An analog-to-digital converter (ADC) subsamples the down-converted signal, and a digital signal processor (DSP) calculates the coarse, intermediate, and fine ToF. At the receiver input, a narrowband matching is implemented between the p-i-n photodiode and the PI-PGLNA with direct wire bonding. The system achieves 6-<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">\mu \text{m} </tex-math></inline-formula> precision with a 5-MSa/s sampling rate at a 2.5-m distance. The 2-D scanning is achieved with this lidar with the use of an MEMS mirror.
Highly excited molecular species are at play in the chemistry of interstellar media and are involved in the creation of radiation damage in a biological tissue. Recently developed ultrashort extreme ...ultraviolet light sources offer the high excitation energies and ultrafast time-resolution required for probing the dynamics of highly excited molecular states on femtosecond (fs) (1 fs=10(-15) s) and even attosecond (as) (1 as=10(-18) s) timescales. Here we show that polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) undergo ultrafast relaxation on a few tens of femtoseconds timescales, involving an interplay between the electronic and vibrational degrees of freedom. Our work reveals a general property of excited radical PAHs that can help to elucidate the assignment of diffuse interstellar absorption bands in astrochemistry, and provides a benchmark for the manner in which coupled electronic and nuclear dynamics determines reaction pathways in large molecules following extreme ultraviolet excitation.
Summary
Background
Drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS) is a condition caused by a drug‐induced immune response. Previous reports have found that CXCL10, also known as ...interferon‐γ‐induced protein (IP)‐10, may participate in the pathogenesis of cutaneous adverse drug reactions. However, the exact role of IP‐10 in DRESS and Stevens–Johnson syndrome (SJS)/toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) has remained unknown.
Objectives
This comparative prospective cohort study aimed to ascertain the roles of the IP‐10/CXCR3 axis in DRESS and SJS/TEN.
Methods
Plasma IP‐10 levels were analysed, and univariate analyses were conducted to assess the relationship between IP‐10, human herpesvirus (HHV)‐6 reactivation and the development of long‐term sequelae. We also performed immunohistochemical staining using skin specimens and flow cytometry to determine the expression of CXCR3 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs).
Results
Significantly higher plasma IP‐10 levels were observed in patients with DRESS with long‐term sequelae (effect size 0·81) and also in those with HHV‐6 reactivation (effect size 0·83). By immunohistochemistry, more abundant IP‐10+ and CXCR3+ cells were demonstrated in the skin lesions of patients with DRESS with HHV‐6 reactivation. The percentages of CLA+ CXCR3+ CD4+ cells and CLA+ CXCR3+ CD8+ cells were also higher in the PBMCs of HHV‐6‐reactivated patients with DRESS than in those of patients with SJS/TEN.
Conclusions
Higher plasma IP‐10 levels are associated with the development of long‐term sequelae in DRESS. Higher IP‐10/CXCR3 expression in skin and more abundant CLA+ CXCR3+ CD4+ cells and CLA+ CXCR3+ CD8+ cells were observed in patients with DRESS with HHV‐6 reactivation. The IP‐10/CXCR3 axis is associated with HHV‐6 reactivation and development of long‐term sequelae in DRESS.
What is already known about this topic?
Elevated levels of interferon‐γ‐induced protein‐10 (IP‐10) have been observed in patients with drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS) and Stevens–Johnson syndrome (SJS)/toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN).
Patients with DRESS tend to develop long‐term autoimmune sequelae, including type 1 diabetes and autoimmune thyroiditis. IP‐10 has been associated with these autoimmune diseases in previous studies.
What does this study add?
The patients with DRESS with HHV‐6 reactivation exhibited higher levels of IP‐10 in the plasma and skin than the patients with DRESS without HHV‐6 reactivation and the patients with SJS/TEN.
Patients with DRESS with higher plasma IP‐10 levels tended to develop sequelae during long‐term follow‐up.
What is the translational message?
IP‐10 is a useful biomarker to predict the development of long‐term sequelae in patients with DRESS.
Linked Comment: Belloón and Kardaun. Br J Dermatol 2020; 183:804–805.
What is already known about this topic?
Elevated levels of interferon‐γ‐induced protein‐10 (IP‐10) have been observed in patients with drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS) and Stevens–Johnson syndrome (SJS)/toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN).
Patients with DRESS tend to develop long‐term autoimmune sequelae, including type 1 diabetes and autoimmune thyroiditis. IP‐10 has been associated with these autoimmune diseases in previous studies.
What does this study add?
The patients with DRESS with HHV‐6 reactivation exhibited higher levels of IP‐10 in the plasma and skin than the patients with DRESS without HHV‐6 reactivation and the patients with SJS/TEN.
Patients with DRESS with higher plasma IP‐10 levels tended to develop sequelae during long‐term follow‐up.
What is the translational message?
IP‐10 is a useful biomarker to predict the development of long‐term sequelae in patients with DRESS.
Linked Comment: Belloón and Kardaun. Br J Dermatol 2020; 183:804–805.
Plain language summary available online
We investigate the performance and reliability characteristics of Cu interconnects with Ta-based barrier layers and Co wetting layers at 7nm node dimensions with a focus on the impacts of reducing ...the Co thickness from 30Å down to 10Å. We demonstrate that while reducing Co liner thickness significantly reduces RC delay, there is a significant reduction in electromigration reliability below a thickness of 20Å if used in conjunction with a PVD (physical vapor deposition) TaN barrier. However, if the PVD treatment is followed by deposition of a thin ALD (atomic layer deposition) TaN, the Co layer thickness can be scaled down to 10Å without any penalty in either electromigration or time dependent dielectric breakdown (TDDB.) The combined PVD/ALD process with 10Å Co enables a 14% reduction in RC delay relative to our control split.
Role of Interleukin-6 in Depressive Disorder Ting, Emily Yi-Chih; Yang, Albert C; Tsai, Shih-Jen
International journal of molecular sciences,
03/2020, Volume:
21, Issue:
6
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
Open access
Major depressive disorder (MDD), which is a leading psychiatric illness across the world, severely affects quality of life and causes an increased incidence of suicide. Evidence from animal as well ...as clinical studies have indicated that increased peripheral or central cytokine interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels play an important role in stress reaction and depressive disorder, especially physical disorders comorbid with depression. Increased release of IL-6 in MDD has been found to be a factor associated with MDD prognosis and therapeutic response, and may affect a wide range of depressive symptomatology. However, study results of the
genetic effects in MDD are controversial. Increased IL-6 activity may cause depression through activation of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis or influence of the neurotransmitter metabolism. The important role of neuroinflammation in MDD pathogenesis has created a new perspective that the combining of blood IL-6 and other depression-related cytokine levels may help to classify MDD biological subtypes, which may allow physicians to identify the optimal treatment for MDD patients. To modulate the IL-6 activity by IL-6-related agents, current antidepressive agents, herb medication, pre-/probiotics or non-pharmacological interventions may hold great promise for the MDD patients with inflammatory features.
Background
Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) have been known to induce type I hypersensitivity reactions. However, severe delayed‐type hypersensitivity reactions (DHR) induced by PPI, such as ...Stevens‐Johnson syndrome (SJS), toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN), or drug rash with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS), are rarely reported. We conducted a study of a large series of PPI‐related DHR, followed up their tolerability to alternative anti‐ulcer agents, and investigated the T‐cell reactivity to PPI in PPI‐related DHR patients.
Methods
We retrospectively analyzed patients with PPI‐related DHR from multiple medical centers in Taiwan during the study period January 2003 to April 2016. We analyzed the causative PPI, clinical manifestations, organ involvement, treatment, and complications. We also followed up the potential risk of cross‐hypersensitivity or tolerability to other PPI after their hypersensitivity episodes. Drug lymphocyte activation test (LAT) was conducted by measuring granulysin and interferon‐γ to confirm the causalities.
Results
There were 69 cases of PPI‐related DHR, including SJS/TEN (n=27) and DRESS (n=10). The LAT by measuring granulysin showed a sensitivity of 59.3% and specificity of 96.4%. Esomeprazole was the most commonly involved in PPI‐related DHR (51%). Thirteen patients allergic to one kind of PPI could tolerate other structurally different PPI without cross‐hypersensitivity reactions, whereas three patients developed cross‐hypersensitivity reactions to alternative structurally similar PPI. The cross‐reactivity to structurally similar PPI was also observed in LAT assay.
Conclusions
PPIs have the potential to induce life‐threatening DHR. In patients when PPI is necessary for treatment, switching to structurally different alternatives should be considered.
Public controversy regarding the potential overdiagnosis and overmedication of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has continued for decades. This study used the National ...Health Insurance Research Database of Taiwan (NHIRD-TW) to explore trends in ADHD diagnosis in youths and the proportion of those receiving medication, with the aim of determining whether ADHD is overdiagnosed and overmedicated in Taiwan.
Youths (age ≤18 years) who had at least two NHIRD-TW claims records with ADHD diagnosis between January 2000 and December 2011 were selected as the subject cohort. In total, the study sample comprised 145 018 patients with ADHD (mean age at a diagnosis of ADHD: 7.7 ± 3.1 years; 21.4% females). The number of cases of ADHD were calculated annually for each year (from 2000 to 2011), and the number of cases per year who received medication was determined as those with at least one record of pharmacotherapy (immediate-release methylphenidate, osmotic controlled-release formulation of methylphenidate, and atomoxetine) in each year.
The prevalence rates of a diagnosis of ADHD in the youths ranged from 0.11% in 2000 to 1.24% in 2011. Compared with children under 6 years of age, the ADHD diagnosis rates in children aged between 7 and 12 years (ratio of prevalence rates = 4.36) and in those aged between 13 and 18 years (ratio of prevalence rates = 1.42) were significantly higher during the study period. The prevalence in males was higher than that in females (ratio of prevalence rates = 4.09). Among the youths with ADHD, 50.2% received medications in 2000 compared with 61.0% in 2011. The probability of receiving ADHD medication increased with age. More male ADHD patients received medications that females patients (ratio of prevalence rates = 1.16).
The rate of ADHD diagnosis was far lower than the prevalence rate (7.5%) identified in a previous community study using face-to-face interviews. Approximately 40-50% of the youths with ADHD did not receive any medications. These findings are not consistent with a systematic public opinion about overdiagnosis or overmedication of ADHD in Taiwan.
Computationally designed multi-subunit assemblies have shown considerable promise for a variety of applications, including a new generation of potent vaccines. One of the major routes to such ...materials is rigid body sequence-independent docking of cyclic oligomers into architectures with point group or lattice symmetries. Current methods for docking and designing such assemblies are tailored to specific classes of symmetry and are difficult to modify for novel applications. Here we describe RPXDock, a fast, flexible, and modular software package for sequence-independent rigid-body protein docking across a wide range of symmetric architectures that is easily customizable for further development. RPXDock uses an efficient hierarchical search and a residue-pair transform (RPX) scoring method to rapidly search through multidimensional docking space. We describe the structure of the software, provide practical guidelines for its use, and describe the available functionalities including a variety of score functions and filtering tools that can be used to guide and refine docking results towards desired configurations.
MgZnO/ZnO two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) structures with ZnO annealed at various temperatures (600–900 °C) and photodetectors (PDs) with and without a 2DEG structure were fabricated using a ...radio frequency magnetron sputtering system. It was found that the carrier concentration and mobility increase with the annealing temperature owing to the improved crystalline in ZnO; however, high-temperature (800 °C or higher) annealing can degrade the crystalline of the ZnO layer. Hall measurements showed that compared with that of bulk ZnO, the sheet carrier concentration of the 2DEG sample increased from 1.3 × 1013 to 1.2 × 1014 cm–2, and the mobility was enhanced from 5.1 to 17.5 cm2/V s. This is because the channel layer is the total thickness (300 nm) in bulk ZnO, whereas the carriers are confined to a 45 nm region beneath the MgZO layer in the 2DEG sample, confirming the 2DEG behavior at the MgZnO/ZnO interface. The PDs with 2DEG structures demonstrate a higher ultraviolet (UV) response and a UV/visible rejection ratio that is six times larger than that of the PDs without a 2DEG structure. The 2DEG structure also induces a photocurrent gain, which results in a 240% quantum efficiency for the 310 nm incident wavelength. The related mechanism is elucidated with a band diagram.
PDF
