Embedding of printed electronic interconnections in additively manufactured metal components

Ultrasonic Additive Manufacturing (UAM) is an advanced hybrid manufacturing technology, which enables the embedding of electronic components and interconnections within solid metal structures, due to the low temperature/high plastic flow encountered during ultrasonic bonding. The UAM process is based on the ultrasonic metal welding of thin metal foils in a layer-by-layer fashion. This work summarises the recent advances made towards the integration of UAM with printed electronics and other advanced manufacturing technologies for the encapsulation of conductive tracks between the interfaces of the welded foils. Two different approaches were followed: Screen printing was utilized in the first approach, for the deposition of an insulating polymer layer and silver-loaded conductive adhesive tracks on the surface of an aluminium substrate prepared with UAM. In the second approach, the aluminium foils were surface modified prior to welding, in order to selectively create an insulating ceramic layer directly onto the foil surface. These modified foils were bonded using UAM and a syringe system was used for the dispensing of the silver conductive tracks. The effectiveness and advantages of each of these two methodologies are illustrated and commented upon. The results of this ongoing research project are promising and showcase the successful integration of advanced manufacturing technologies for the fabrication of intricate metal structural electronic components

Zambia Signal Functions study 2016 dataset

This dataset contains information related to health facilities’ infrastructure, staffing, equipment, supplies, and capacity to perform various clinical functions related to reproductive and maternal health service provision. The study was conducted in Central Province, Zambia and its primary aim was to assess facilities’ capacity to provide termination of pregnancy services. EMBARGOED UNTIL 31st DEC 201

Table_1_The causal relationship between gut microbiota and inflammatory dermatoses: a Mendelian randomization study.xlsx

BackgroundObservational studies have shown that gut microbiota is closely associated with inflammatory dermatoses such as psoriasis, rosacea, and atopic dermatitis (AD). However, the causal relationship between gut microbiota and inflammatory dermatosis remains unclear.MethodsBased on Maximum Likelihood (ML), MR-Egger regression, Inverse Variance Weighted (IVW), MR Pleiotropy RESidual Sum and Outlier (MR-PRESSO), Weighted Mode, and Weighted Median Estimator (WME) methods, we performed a bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis to explore the causal relationship between gut microbiota and inflammatory dermatosis. The genome-wide association study (GWAS) summary data of gut microbiota came from the MiBioGen consortium, while the GWAS summary data of inflammatory dermatosis (including psoriasis, AD, rosacea, vitiligo, acne, and eczema) came from the FinnGen consortium and IEU Open GWAS project. Cochran’s IVW Q test tested the heterogeneity among instrumental variables (IVs). The horizontal pleiotropy was tested by MR-Egger regression intercept analysis and MR-PRESSO analysis.ResultsEventually, the results indicated that 5, 16, 17, 11, 15, and 12 gut microbiota had significant causal effects on psoriasis, rosacea, AD, vitiligo, acne, and eczema, respectively, including 42 protective and 34 risk causal relationships. Especially, Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria at the Family and Genus Level, as common probiotics, were identified as protective factors for the corresponding inflammatory dermatoses. The results of reverse MR analysis suggested a bidirectional causal effect between AD and genus Eubacterium brachy group, vitiligo and genus Ruminococcaceae UCG004. The causal relationship between gut microbiota and psoriasis, rosacea, acne, and eczema is unidirectional. There was no significant heterogeneity among these IVs. In conclusion, this bidirectional two-sample MR study identified 76 causal relationships between the gut microbiome and six inflammatory dermatoses, which may be helpful for the clinical prevention and treatment of inflammatory dermatoses.</p

Prognostic value of programmed cell death ligand 1 expression in patients with head and neck cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis

<div><p>Background</p><p>Programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression was reported to be correlated with poor prognosis in various cancers. However, the relationship between PD-L1 expression and the survival of patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) remains inconclusive. In the present study, we aimed to clarify the prognostic value of PD-L1 in HNC patients using meta-analysis techniques.</p><p>Methods</p><p>A comprehensive database searching was conducted in the PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science and Cochrane Library from inception to August 2016. Studies meeting the inclusion criteria were included. The methodological quality of included studies was assessed by the Newcastle-Ottawa quality assessment scale. Hazard ratios (HRs) with their corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were pooled by STATA 11.0 for the outcome of overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS).</p><p>Results</p><p>A total of 17 studies with 2,869 HNC patients were included in the meta-analysis. The results of meta-analysis showed that there was no significant correlation between PD-L1 expression and OS (HR, 1.23; 95% CI, 0.99–1.53; <i>P</i> = 0.065) or DFS (HR, 1.42; 95% CI, 1.00–2.03; <i>P</i> = 0.052) of HNC patients. However, the subgroup analysis suggested that positive expression of PD-L1 was associated with poor OS (HR, 1.38; 95% CI, 1.12, 1.70; <i>P</i> = 0.003) and DFS (HR, 1.99; 95% CI, 1.59, 2.48; <i>P</i> = 0.001) in HNC patients from Asian countries/regions. The subgroup analysis also showed that the correlations between PD-L1 and prognosis are variant among different subtypes of HNC. When performing sensitive analyses, we found that the results of meta-analyses were not robust.</p><p>Conclusion</p><p>The meta-analysis indicated that positive expression of PD-L1 could serve as a good predictor for poor prognosis of Asian patients with HNC. However, the findings still need to be confirmed by large-scale, prospective studies.</p></div

Begg’s funnel plot for assessment of potential publication bias in studies investigating the correlation between programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression and the disease-free survival of head and neck cancer patients.

<p>No evidence of publication bias was observed, as indicated by a symmetric funnel plot (Begg’s <i>P</i> = 0.640). HR, hazard ratio.</p

DataSheet_1_The causal relationship between gut microbiota and inflammatory dermatoses: a Mendelian randomization study.docx

BackgroundObservational studies have shown that gut microbiota is closely associated with inflammatory dermatoses such as psoriasis, rosacea, and atopic dermatitis (AD). However, the causal relationship between gut microbiota and inflammatory dermatosis remains unclear.MethodsBased on Maximum Likelihood (ML), MR-Egger regression, Inverse Variance Weighted (IVW), MR Pleiotropy RESidual Sum and Outlier (MR-PRESSO), Weighted Mode, and Weighted Median Estimator (WME) methods, we performed a bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis to explore the causal relationship between gut microbiota and inflammatory dermatosis. The genome-wide association study (GWAS) summary data of gut microbiota came from the MiBioGen consortium, while the GWAS summary data of inflammatory dermatosis (including psoriasis, AD, rosacea, vitiligo, acne, and eczema) came from the FinnGen consortium and IEU Open GWAS project. Cochran’s IVW Q test tested the heterogeneity among instrumental variables (IVs). The horizontal pleiotropy was tested by MR-Egger regression intercept analysis and MR-PRESSO analysis.ResultsEventually, the results indicated that 5, 16, 17, 11, 15, and 12 gut microbiota had significant causal effects on psoriasis, rosacea, AD, vitiligo, acne, and eczema, respectively, including 42 protective and 34 risk causal relationships. Especially, Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria at the Family and Genus Level, as common probiotics, were identified as protective factors for the corresponding inflammatory dermatoses. The results of reverse MR analysis suggested a bidirectional causal effect between AD and genus Eubacterium brachy group, vitiligo and genus Ruminococcaceae UCG004. The causal relationship between gut microbiota and psoriasis, rosacea, acne, and eczema is unidirectional. There was no significant heterogeneity among these IVs. In conclusion, this bidirectional two-sample MR study identified 76 causal relationships between the gut microbiome and six inflammatory dermatoses, which may be helpful for the clinical prevention and treatment of inflammatory dermatoses.</p

Main characteristics of studies included in the meta-analysis.

<p>Main characteristics of studies included in the meta-analysis.</p

Synthesis of a fumed silica-supported poly-3-(2-aminoethylamino)propylsiloxane platinum complex and its catalytic behavior in the hydrosilylation of olefins with triethoxysilane

<p>A novel fumed silica-supported bidentate nitrogen platinum complex was conveniently prepared from N-(2-aminoethyl)-3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane via immobilization on fumed silica followed by a reaction with hexachloroplatinic acid. The title complex was systematically characterized and analyzed by Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and specific surface area analysis (BET). The resulting title complex was found to be efficient and stable in catalyzing the hydrosilylation reaction of olefins with triethoxysilane. Furthermore, the polymeric platinum complex could be separated by simple filtration and reused four times without any appreciable loss of catalytic activity.</p

Egger’s test for assessment of potential publication bias in studies investigating the correlation between programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression and the disease-free survival of head and neck cancer patients.

<p>Egger's test revealed no evidence of publication bias (Egger’s <i>P</i> = 0.416) among the studies reporting the outcome of disease-free survival.</p

Subgroup analysis and sensitive analysis on the outcome of overall survival.

<p>Subgroup analysis and sensitive analysis on the outcome of overall survival.</p