We report on size-dependent morphological characteristics of buckle-driven delaminations in large-scale brittle silicon nitride films in accompany with ridge cracking. The buckling morphologies fall ...into four distinct categories in a phase diagram. They start as straight-sided blisters with or without ridge cracks from the film edge and then spread as telephone cord blisters with or without ridge cracks into the central region of the sample gradually. The buckle-delamination size is found to decrease with the increase of residual stress, different from the previous reports. Theoretic analysis based on Föppl-von Kármán plate theory with strong mixed-mode interfacial adhesion elucidates this abnormal behavior and explains why the ridge-cracked straight-sided blister always appears with much smaller delamination size in comparison with the coexisting uncracked telephone cord blister with large delamination size. The ridge-cracked buckle-delaminations destabilized into bubble-like blisters are also recovered by dynamic simulations based on phase field modeling, in good agreement with the experimental observations.
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Background
Treatments based on the inhibition of pivotal signals of cancer stem cells (CSCs) are on a promising track. Recent studies have shown that targeting CSCs with broader immune‐based ...therapeutic methods, for example, the anti‐CD47 treatment, may serve as a more potent strategy for eliminating these intractable cells. We aimed to explore the prognostic effects of CD47/CD133 and the potential therapeutic significance of CD47 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).
Methods
Immunohistochemistry was employed to identify the characteristics of CD47 and CD133 in 26 pairs of tumor tissues and adjacent non‐tumor tissues and 136 ESCC tissues. Kaplan‐Meier analysis and Cox proportional hazards models were built for estimating the prognostic values of CD47 and CD133 expression and their combined stemness index. Sphere formation assays were undertaken to explore the effects of CD47 inhibition on primary human ESCC CSCs.
Results
Results conclude that CD47 and CD133 expression is increased in tumor tissues as compared to adjacent non‐tumor tissues. A positive correlation between CD47/CD133 expression and differentiation was found in 136 ESCC patients. Survival analysis indicated that patients with high CD47 or CD133 expression exhibited poor overall survival and progression‐free survival (PFS). The combination of high CD47 and CD133 expression was a reliable independent prognostic factor for both OS (HR = 1.940, 95% CI = 1.399‐2.690, P < 0.0001) and progression‐free survival (HR = 1.883, 95% CI = 1.384‐2.562, P < 0.0001). Notably, CD47+ CD133+ ESCC cells were observed to possess the characteristics of CSCs, and anti‐CD47 treatment veritably eliminated the CSCs pool.
Conclusions
The stemness index determined by the expression of CD47 and CD133 is a promising prognostic predictor, and CD47 is a potential therapeutic target for CSCs in ESCC patients.
We posited that targeting Cancer Stem Cells with broader immune‐based therapeutic methods may be a more potent alternative for eradicating these problematic cells.
Continuous iron films that are deposited on silicone oil droplets with finite sizes and thicknesses by direct current magnetron sputtering and the ordered wrinkle patterns that resulted from thermal ...stress are investigated. Due to the edge effect, straight strip wrinkles form near the droplet edges, while disordered labyrinth wrinkles appear in the center regions of the droplets. When the distance from the droplet edge increases, the average wavelength of the wrinkles increases quickly first, and then it slows down gradually and finally reaches a saturation value. The saturation wavelength increases approximately linearly with increasing the droplet radius. Based on the geometrical characteristic of the silicone oil droplet, the evolution behaviors of the wrinkle wavelengths are discussed in the frame of stress theory.
•Fe films were deposited on micro-scale silicone oil droplets by sputtering method.•Wrinkle patterns form on smaller droplets while cracks form on larger droplets.•Straight wrinkles form near droplet edge and labyrinths appear in the center.•Wrinkle wavelength increases linearly with film thickness and droplet radius.•Finite oil layer thickness has a significant influence on the wrinkle wavelength.
Lithium batteries employing Li or silicon (Si) anodes hold promise for the next‐generation energy storage systems. However, their cycling behavior encounters rapid capacity degradation due to the ...vulnerability of solid electrolyte interphases (SEIs). Though anion‐derived SEIs mitigate this degradation, the unavoidable reduction of solvents introduces heterogeneity to SEIs, leading to fractures during cycling. Here, we elucidate how the reductive stability of solvents, dominated by the electrophilicity (EPT) and coordination ability (CDA), delineates the SEI formed on Li or Si anodes. Solvents exhibiting lower EPT and CDA demonstrate enhanced tolerance to reduction, resulting in inorganic‐rich SEIs with homogeneity. Guided by these criteria, we synthesized three promising solvents tailored for Li or Si anodes. The decomposition of these solvents is dictated by their EPTs under similar solvation structures, imparting distinct characteristics to SEIs and impacting battery performance. The optimized electrolyte, 1 M lithium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide (LiFSI) in N‐Pyrrolidine‐trifluoromethanesulfonamide (TFSPY), achieves 600 cycles of Si anodes with a capacity retention of 81 % (1910 mAh g−1). In anode‐free Cu||LiNi0.5Co0.2Mn0.3O2 (NCM523) pouch cells, this electrolyte sustains over 100 cycles with an 82 % capacity retention. These findings illustrate that reducing solvent decomposition benefits SEI formation, offering valuable insights for the designing electrolytes in high‐energy lithium batteries.
The electrophilicity (EPT) and coordination ability (CDA) of solvents dominate their reductive stability and delineate the SEI formed on Li or silicon (Si) anodes. Electrolyte with a high reductive stability achieves a high retention rate of 82 % after 100 cycles in anode‐free Cu||LiNi0.5Co0.2Mn0.3O2 (NCM523) pouch cells.
Tectonic research of the Tibetan Plateau has long focused on its deformation style and mechanisms. The 2008 Mw7.9 Wenchuan earthquake ruptured the Longmen Shan fault located at the eastern rim of the ...plateau and excited a viscoelastic response of the lithosphere. We infer a three‐dimensional (3D) rheological structure of eastern Tibet from modeling nine years of postseismic displacements observed by GPS. Our solution provides tight constraints on the lower‐crustal and upper‐mantle steady‐state viscosities of the Songpan‐Ganzi Terrane as (5.0 ± 0.7) × 1018 and (1.3 ± 0.3) × 1019 Pa s, respectively, consistent with a “jelly sandwich” model of Tibet, but not with some crustal channel flow models featuring much lower viscosities. The inferred lower‐crustal and upper‐mantle transient viscosities are (5.0 ± 1.3) × 1017 and (5.0 ± 1.5) × 1018 Pa s, respectively, suggesting nonlinear deformation mechanisms. The adjacent West Qinling and Sichuan blocks feature an order‐of‐magnitude higher rheological strength, which is consistent with the changes in the crustal material properties and interseismic deformation style across the East Kunlun‐Tazang and Longmen Shan faults. Our results enable us to propose a conceptual 3D tectonic deformation model, in which the eastward extrusion of Tibet is absorbed in the Songpan‐Ganzi crust mainly by E‐W shortening and N‐S extension, accommodated through faulting of conjugate strike‐slip faults in the upper crust and distributed shear in the lower crust.
Plain Language Summary
One of the fundamental questions in Earth science is the deformation mechanism of the continents, which controls the topography of the land we live on, the distribution of the resources extracted to support our living, and the origins of natural hazards such as landslides and earthquakes. The Tibetan Plateau, arguably, is the best natural laboratory to study the deformation mechanism of the continents. In this study, we address two critically important and much debated problems in Tibetan Plateau dynamics; that is, the rheologic structure of the Tibetan lithosphere and how it deforms under tectonic loading. We use nine years of mostly unpublished three‐dimensional (3D) deformation data collected in the aftermath of the 2008 Mw7.9 Wenchuan earthquake to infer the rheological structure of the eastern Tibet lithosphere. Our results are consistent with a “jelly sandwich” model, with a relatively weak lower crust underlain by a stronger upper mantle. However, they do not support the very low viscosities envisioned by some of the channel flow models of lower crustal deformation in eastern Tibet. We also propose a conceptual 3D tectonic deformation model, in which the eastward extrusion of Tibet is absorbed in the Songpan‐Ganzi crust by E‐W shortening and N‐S extension, accommodated through conjugate faults in the upper crust and distributed shear in the lower crust.
Key Points
A comprehensive GPS data set is provided to cover nine years of three‐dimensional (3D) postseismic displacements after the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake
GPS constrained eastern Tibet Lithospheric rheological structure agrees with a “jelly sandwich” model, not models of much lower viscosities
A conceptual 3D tectonic deformation model in eastern Tibet is proposed to characterize its dynamic deformation style and mechanisms
Directed energy deposition (DED) additive manufacturing of metal matrix composites (MMC) involves a mixture of metal and ceramic particles with a range of sizes, morphologies, and densities. Such a ...heterogeneous mixture of physical characteristics makes it difficult to establish optimum deposition conditions, and hence extensive parametric experiments are often needed to optimize the microstructure and performance of a final component. To provide insight into the behavior of metal and ceramic powders during DED, we report on a study that uses two complementary approaches. First, we formulate a 3-dimensional COMSOL numerical model to simulate the particle trajectories under the influence of gas flow, particle-gas interactions and particle-wall collisions. Second, we implement high-speed photography to examine and compare the powder flow behavior of metallic particles (Inconel 718) and ceramic particles (TiC). Our results reveal that there are distinct differences in particle velocity and spatial distribution between the Inconel 718 and TiC particles, due to the dissimilar particle sizes, morphologies, material densities, and particle collision behavior. By understanding these differences, as presented here, targeted compositions and homogeneous reinforcement distribution can be attained in DED components through proper material and process parameter selection; furthermore, the custom design of tailored microstructures for heterogenous functionality can also be achieved.
Abstract
Atomic layer engineering is investigated to tailor the morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) between antiferroelectric, ferroelectric, and paraelectric phases. By increasing the HfO
2
seeding ...layer with only 2 monolayers, the overlying ZrO
2
layer experiences the dramatic phase transition across the MPB. Conspicuous ferroelectric properties including record‐high remanent polarization (2
P
r
≈ 60 µC cm
−2
), wake‐up‐free operation, and high compatibility with advanced semiconductor technology nodes, are achieved in the sub‐6 nm thin film. The prominent antiferroelectric to ferroelectric phase transformation is ascribed to the in‐plane tensile stress introduced into ZrO
2
by the HfO
2
seeding layer. Based on the high‐resolution and high‐contrast images of surface grains extracted precisely by helium ion microscopy, the evolution of the MPB between tetragonal, orthorhombic, and monoclinic phases with grain size is demonstrated for the first time. The result indicates that a decrease in the average grain size drives the crystallization from the tetragonal to polar orthorhombic phases.
Abstract
Background
The life-threatening haemorrhagic complications of pulmonary arteriovenous malformations (PAVMs) are extremely rare, and only described in isolated cases. This study was designed ...to comprehensively investigate management of ruptured PAVMs.
Methods
We retrospectively assessed clinical and imaging data of ruptured PAVMs to summarize incidence, clinical characteristics, and outcomes following embolisation between January 2008 and January 2021.
Results
Eighteen of 406 (4.4%) patients with PAVMs developed haemorrhagic complications. Twelve of 18 patients were clinically diagnosed with hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT). Haemorrhagic complications occurred with no clear trigger in all cases. Eight of 18 patients (44.4%) were initially misdiagnosed or had undergone early ineffective treatment. 28 lesions were detected, with 89.3% of them located in peripheral lung. Computed tomography angiography (CTA) showed indirect signs to indicate ruptured PAVMs in all cases. Lower haemoglobin concentrations were associated with the diameter of afferent arteries in the ruptured lesions. Successful embolotherapy was achieved in all cases. After embolotherapy, arterial oxygen saturation improved and bleeding was controlled (
P
< 0.05). The mean follow-up time was 3.2 ± 2.5 years (range, 7 months to 10 years).
Conclusions
Life threatening haemorrhagic complications of PAVMs are rare, they usually occur without a trigger and can be easily misdiagnosed. HHT and larger size of afferent arteries are major risk factors of these complications. CTA is a useful tool for diagnosis and therapeutic guidance for ruptured PAVMs. Embolotherapy is an effective therapy for this life-threatening complication.
African swine fever (ASF) is mainly an acute hemorrhagic disease which is highly contagious and lethal to domestic pigs and wild boars. The global pig industry has suffered significant economic ...losses due to the lack of an effective vaccine and treatment. The African swine fever virus (ASFV) has a large genome of 170-190 kb, encoding more than 150 proteins. During infection, ASFV evades host innate immunity via multiple viral proteins. A528R is a very important member of the polygene family of ASFV, which was shown to inhibit IFN-β production by targeting NF-κB, but its mechanism is not clear. This study has shown that A528R can suppress the TLR8-NF-κB signaling pathway, including the inhibition of downstream promoter activity, NF-κB p65 phosphorylation and nuclear translocation, and the antiviral and antibacterial activity. Further, we found the cellular co-localization and interaction between A528R and p65, and ANK repeat domains of A528R and RHD of p65 are involved in their interaction and the inhibition of p65 activity. Therefore, we conclude that A528R inhibits TLR8-NF-κB signaling by targeting p65 activation and nuclear translocation.
BACKGROUND: Praziquantel has been used as first-line drug for chemotherapy of schistosomiasis since 1984. Besides praziquantel, artemether and artesunate have also been used for the control of this ...infectious disease since late 1990s. In this article, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the antischistosomal efficacy of different medication strategies including monotherapy or combination therapies of these drugs. RESULTS: A number of 52 trials from 38 articles published in peer-reviewed journals before July 2011 were selected for analysis after searching the following literature databases: the Cochrane Library, PubMed/Medline, ISI Web of Science, Chinese Biomedicine Literature Database, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure. Our meta-analyses showed that a dosage of 30-60 mg/kg praziquantel compared with placebo produced a protection rate of about 76% (95% CI: 67%-83%) for treating human schistosomiasis, which varied from 70% to 76% with no significant differences among the subspecies S. haematobium, S. japonicum or S. mansoni. Protection rates were higher when praziquantel doses were elevated, as concluded from the nRCTs results: the protection rate of praziquantel at 40 mg/kg was 52% (95% CI: 49%-55%), and it increased to 91% (95% CI: 88%-92%) when the dosages were elevated to 60/80/100 mg/kg divided two or more doses. Multiple doses of artemether or artesunate over 1- or 2-week intervals resulted in protection rates of 65% to 97% for preventing schistosomiasis, and increased doses and shorter medication intervals improved their efficacies. Praziquantel and artemisinin derivatives (artemether or artesunate) in combination resulted in a higher protection rate of 84% (95% CI: 64%-91%) than praziquantel monotherapy for treatment. praziquantel and artesunate in combination had a great protection rate of 96% (95% CI: 78%-99%) for preventing schistosomes infection. CONCLUSIONS: According to the results, praziquantel remains effective in schistosomiasis treatment, and multiple doses would improve its efficacy; meanwhile, praziquantel is also a good drug for preventing acute schistosomiasis morbidity. It's better to use multiple doses of artemether or artesunate with 1- or 2-week intervals for prevention against schistosome infection. Praziquantel and artemether or artesunate in combination perform better in treatment than praziquantel monotherapy, and they are especially suitable for treating the patients with repeated exposure to infected water.
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