Leakage current simulations of Low Gain Avalanche Diode with improved Radiation Damage Modeling

We report precise TCAD simulations of IHEP-IME-v1 Low Gain Avalanche Diode (LGAD) calibrated by secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS). Our setup allows us to evaluate the leakage current, capacitance, and breakdown voltage of LGAD, which agree with measurements' results before irradiation. And we propose an improved LGAD Radiation Damage Model (LRDM) which combines local acceptor removal with global deep energy levels. The LRDM is applied to the IHEP-IME-v1 LGAD and able to predict the leakage current well at -30 $^{\circ}$C after an irradiation fluence of $\Phi_{eq}=2.5 \times 10^{15} ~n_{eq}/cm^{2}$. The charge collection efficiency (CCE) is under development

Seismic Fragility of a Multi-Frame Box-Girder Bridge Influenced by Seismic Excitation Angles and Column Height Layouts

Curved multi-frame box-girder bridges with hinges are widely used in the United States due to the large spanning capacity, construction simplification and construction cost economy. This type of bridge frequently has the characteristics of column height asymmetry, adjacent bridge frames vibrating discrepancy. The combination of curved shape and random seismic excitation angles could aggravate the irregularity of the structural seismic response. In this study, an OpenSees model is established for an example bridge, and the hinge is taken as a key component to observe. The impacts of seismic excitation angles and column height layouts on fragility are investigated through the comparison of the fragility curves. The conclusions list the most unfavorable seismic excitation angles corresponding to the fragilities of bridge system, plug-type concrete elements in hinges, hinge restrainers, columns, abutment bearings as well as the secondary components, respectively. The symmetrical column height layout is proved to be beneficial to mitigate the damage risks of restrainers in intermediate hinges and reduce the fragility of the bridge system. This study can provide a reference for the rapid assessment of the fragile position and damage degree of bridges through structural configuration and shape, as well as the seismic excitation angle

Neural Basis of the Emotional Conflict Processing in Major Depression: ERPs and Source Localization Analysis on the N450 and P300 Components

Objects: Effective psychological function requires that cognition is not affected by task-irrelevant emotional stimuli in emotional conflict. Depression is mainly characterized as an emotional disorder. The object of this study is to reveal the behavioral and electrophysiological signature of emotional conflict processing in major depressive disorder (MDD) using event-related potentials (ERPs) and standardized low-resolution brain electromagnetic tomography (sLORETA) analysis.Method: We used a face–word Stroop task involving emotional faces while recording EEG (electroencephalography) in 20 patients with MDD and 20 healthy controls (HCs). And then ERPs were extracted and the corresponding brain sources were reconstructed using sLORETA.Results: Behaviorally, subjects with MDDs manifested significantly increased Stroop effect when examining the RT difference between happy incongruent trials and happy congruent trials, compared with HC subjects. ERP results exhibited that MDDs were characterized by the attenuated difference between P300 amplitude to sad congruent stimuli and sad incongruent stimuli, as electrophysiological evidence of impaired conflict processing in subjects with MDD. The sLORETA results showed that MDD patients had a higher current density in rostral anterior cingulate cortex (rostral ACC) within N450 time window in response to happy incongruent trials than happy congruent stimuli. Moreover, HC subjects had stronger activity in right inferior frontal gyrus (rIFG) region in response to incongruent stimuli than congruent stimuli, revealing successful inhibition of emotional distraction in HCs, which was absent in MDDs.Conclusion: Our results indicated that rostral ACC was implicated in the processing of negative emotional distraction in MDDs, as well as impaired inhibition of task-irrelevant emotional stimuli, relative to HCs. This work furnishes novel behavioral and neurophysiological evidence that are closely related to emotional conflict among MDD patients

Seismic Fragility of a Multi-Frame Box-Girder Bridge Influenced by Seismic Excitation Angles and Column Height Layouts

Curved multi-frame box-girder bridges with hinges are widely used in the United States due to the large spanning capacity, construction simplification and construction cost economy. This type of bridge frequently has the characteristics of column height asymmetry, adjacent bridge frames vibrating discrepancy. The combination of curved shape and random seismic excitation angles could aggravate the irregularity of the structural seismic response. In this study, an OpenSees model is established for an example bridge, and the hinge is taken as a key component to observe. The impacts of seismic excitation angles and column height layouts on fragility are investigated through the comparison of the fragility curves. The conclusions list the most unfavorable seismic excitation angles corresponding to the fragilities of bridge system, plug-type concrete elements in hinges, hinge restrainers, columns, abutment bearings as well as the secondary components, respectively. The symmetrical column height layout is proved to be beneficial to mitigate the damage risks of restrainers in intermediate hinges and reduce the fragility of the bridge system. This study can provide a reference for the rapid assessment of the fragile position and damage degree of bridges through structural configuration and shape, as well as the seismic excitation angle

Plasmacytoid urothelial carcinoma of the bladder

Plasmacytoid urothelial carcinoma (PUC) of the urinary bladder is an uncommon and aggressive variant of urothelial carcinoma associated with late presentation and poor prognosis. Immunohistochemical examination showing expression of epithelial markers, CD138, and losing the membranous expression of E-cadherin confirms evidence of PUC. Here, we report a case of bladder PUC of a 74-year-old male who presented with hematuria. A transurethral biopsy revealed urothelial carcinoma with plasmacytoid appearance. The diagnostic dilemmas of this unusual variant of urothelial malignancy and its clinical impact are discussed. The pathological diagnosis was PUC (High-grade, pT4N2M0) with diffuse muscle, small tracts, and vascular invasion, in which almost of the areas studied on the tissue section showed Plasmacytoid differentiation

Nipple Discharge of CA15-3, CA125, CEA and TSGF as a New Biomarker Panel for Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in women. Serum biomarkers such as cancer antigen 15-3 (CA15-3), cancer antigen 125 (CA125), and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) can be used as diagnostic and prognostic factors and can also provide valuable information during follow-up. However, serum protein biomarkers show limited diagnostic sensitivity and specificity in stand-alone assays because their levels reflect tumor burden. To validate whether biomarkers in nipple discharge may serve as novel biomarkers for breast cancer, we composed a panel of potential cancer biomarkers, including CA15-3, CA125, CEA, and malignant tumor-specific growth factor (TSGF), and evaluated their expression in both serum and nipple discharge in order to explore the expression and significance of estrogen receptor (ER), progestrone receptor (PR), epidermal growth factor receptor type 2 (HER2/neu), CA15-3, CA125, CEA, and TSGF expression for their combined predictive value for breast cancer and in judging the prognosis of breast cancer. Univariate analysis revealed that combined detection of CA15-3, CA125, CEA, and TSGF in nipple discharge served as novel biomarkers for the diagnosis and prognosis of breast cancer, but in the multivariate analyses the adverse effects of the four biomarkers combination in nipple discharge positivity on overall survival were lost. Multivariate analysis revealed that the positivity of the combined detection of the four biomarkers in both nipple discharge and serum was significantly higher than that of other detection methods. Thus, the combined detection of these four biomarkers both in serum and nipple discharge was retained as an independent prognostic variable in breast cancer patients. Our results indicate that CA15-3, CA125, CEA, and TSGF in nipple discharge can serve as novel biomarkers in the diagnosis and prognosis of breast cancer

Image_1_Neural Basis of the Emotional Conflict Processing in Major Depression: ERPs and Source Localization Analysis on the N450 and P300 Components.TIF

<p>Objects: Effective psychological function requires that cognition is not affected by task-irrelevant emotional stimuli in emotional conflict. Depression is mainly characterized as an emotional disorder. The object of this study is to reveal the behavioral and electrophysiological signature of emotional conflict processing in major depressive disorder (MDD) using event-related potentials (ERPs) and standardized low-resolution brain electromagnetic tomography (sLORETA) analysis.</p><p>Method: We used a face–word Stroop task involving emotional faces while recording EEG (electroencephalography) in 20 patients with MDD and 20 healthy controls (HCs). And then ERPs were extracted and the corresponding brain sources were reconstructed using sLORETA.</p><p>Results: Behaviorally, subjects with MDDs manifested significantly increased Stroop effect when examining the RT difference between happy incongruent trials and happy congruent trials, compared with HC subjects. ERP results exhibited that MDDs were characterized by the attenuated difference between P300 amplitude to sad congruent stimuli and sad incongruent stimuli, as electrophysiological evidence of impaired conflict processing in subjects with MDD. The sLORETA results showed that MDD patients had a higher current density in rostral anterior cingulate cortex (rostral ACC) within N450 time window in response to happy incongruent trials than happy congruent stimuli. Moreover, HC subjects had stronger activity in right inferior frontal gyrus (rIFG) region in response to incongruent stimuli than congruent stimuli, revealing successful inhibition of emotional distraction in HCs, which was absent in MDDs.</p><p>Conclusion: Our results indicated that rostral ACC was implicated in the processing of negative emotional distraction in MDDs, as well as impaired inhibition of task-irrelevant emotional stimuli, relative to HCs. This work furnishes novel behavioral and neurophysiological evidence that are closely related to emotional conflict among MDD patients.</p