Performance demonstration of cavity-free planar multi-stage bileg and unileg silicon-nanowire thermoelectric generators.

A Thermoelectric (TE) generator is expected to play an important role in the operation of tiny-watt capable wireless power supply devices by converting the waste heat energy into electrical energy. This work is the demonstration of planar cavity-free multi-stage n-type unileg- and bileg Si-nanowire (Si-NW) TE generators. The result shows that the output power of the multi-stage bileg-TE generator increases linearly with increasing the stage number, whereas the rate of increase of the multi-stage unileg-TE generator power output tends to decrease as the stage number increases. Although the power of the multi-stage bileg-TE generator fabricated in this work was smaller than that of the multi-stage unileg-TE generator due to the large internal resistance of p-type elements, however, the improved linearity of the bileg-TE generator than the unileg-TE generator indicates the potential advantage of the multi-stage bileg-TE generator for the large-scale integration.

Analysis, Modeling, and Simulation of Thin-Film Cells-Based Photovoltaic Generator Combined with Multilayer Thermoelectric Generator

A new model for a multi-stage thermoelectric generator (TEG) is developed. An electrical and thermal model is built and simulated for different configurations of photovoltaic (PV) stand-alone hybrid systems, combining different stages of a TEG. The approach is evaluated with and without cooling by coupling a cold plate to a multi-stage hybrid PVTEG system. The model can be adjusted by sizing and specifying the influence of stage number on the overall produced power. Amorphous silicon thin-film (a-Si) is less affected by rising temperature compared to other technology. Hence, it was chosen for evaluating the lower limit gain in a hybrid system under various ambient temperatures and irradiances. The dynamics of the PVTEG system are presented under different coolant water flow rates. Finally, comparative electrical efficiency in reference to PV stand-alone was found to be for PVTEG without cooling, for PVTEG, and for multi-stage PVTEG, accordingly installing multi-stage PVTEG at Israel in a typical year with an average PV yield of generates an extra per module hence avoiding fossil energy and equivalent emissions.

Nonlinear Dynamics of Interband Cascade Laser Subjected to Optical Feedback

We present a theoretical study of the nonlinear dynamics of a long external cavity delayed optical feedback-induced interband cascade laser (ICL). Using the modified Lang–Kobayashi equations, we numerically investigate the effects of some key parameters on the first Hopf bifurcation point of ICL with optical feedback, such as the delay time (τf), pump current (I), linewidth enhancement factor (LEF), stage number (m) and feedback strength (fext). It is found that compared with τf, I, LEF and m have a significant effect on the stability of the ICL. Additionally, our results show that an ICL with few stage numbers subjected to external cavity optical feedback is more susceptible to exhibiting chaos. The chaos bandwidth dependences on m, I and fext are investigated, and 8 GHz bandwidth mid-infrared chaos is observed.

Effect of surgery on survival in patients with stage III N2 small cell lung cancer: propensity score matching analysis and nomogram development and validation

Background The standard treatment of stage III N2 small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is concurrent chemoradiation, and surgery is not recommended. This study was aimed to evaluate whether surgery has survival benefits in patients with stage III N2 SCLC and investigate the factors influencing survival of surgery. Methods Patients diagnosed with stage T1-4N2M0 SCLC from 2004 to 2015 were selected from the Surveillance Epidemiology End Results database. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to balance confounders between patients who underwent surgery and those treated with radiation and/or chemotherapy. We compared overall survival (OS) of the two groups using Kaplan-Meier curves and a Cox proportional hazard model. We also identified prognostic factors in patients with surgical resection, and a nomogram was developed and validated for predicting postoperative OS. Results −A total of 5576 patients were included in the analysis; of these, 211 patients underwent surgery. PSM balanced the differences between the two groups. The median OS was longer in the surgery group than in the non-surgery group (20 vs. 15 months; p = 0.0024). Surgery was an independent prognostic factor for longer OS in the multivariate Cox regression analysis, and subgroup analysis revealed a higher survival rate in T1 stage patients treated with surgery (hazard ratio = 0.565, 95% confidence interval: 0.401–0.798; p = 0.001). In patients who underwent surgery, four prognostic factors, including age, T stage, number of positive lymph nodes, and radiation, were selected into nomogram development for predicting postoperative OS. C-index, decision curve analyses, integrated discrimination improvement, and time-dependent receiver operating characteristics showed better performance in nomogram than in the tumor-node-metastasis staging system. Calibration plots demonstrated good consistency between nomogram predicted survival and actual observed survival. The patients were stratified into three different risk groups by prognostic scores and Kaplan-Meier curves showed significant difference between these groups. Conclusions These results indicate that surgery can prolong survival in patients with operable stage III N2 SCLC, particularly those with T1 disease. A nomogram that includes age, T stage, number of positive lymph nodes, and radiation can be used to predict their long-term postoperative survival.

Fecal Immunochemical Tests Detect Screening Participants with Multiple Advanced Adenomas Better than T1 Colorectal Cancers

Background: Fecal immunochemical tests (FITs) are widely used for colorectal cancer (CRC) screening. The detection of early-stage cancer and advanced adenoma (AA), the most important premalignant lesion, is highly relevant to reducing CRC-related deaths. We aimed to assess sensitivity for the detection of CRC and AA stratified by tumor stage; number; size; histology of AA; and by location, age, sex, and body mass index (BMI). Methods: Participants of screening colonoscopy (n = 2043) and newly diagnosed CRC patients (n = 184) provided a stool sample before bowel preparation or CRC surgery. Fecal hemoglobin concentration was determined in parallel by nine different quantitative FITs among 94 CRC patients, 200 AA cases, and 300 participants free of advanced neoplasm. Sensitivities were calculated at original cutoffs and at adjusted cutoffs, yielding 93% specificity among all FITs. Results: At adjusted cutoffs, UICC stage I cancers yielded consistently lower sensitivities (range: 62–68%) compared to stage II–IV cancers (range: 73–89%). An even stronger gradient was observed according to T status, with substantially lower sensitivities for T1 (range: 39–57%) than for T2–T4 cancers (range: 71–100%). Sensitivities for the detection of participants with multiple AAs ranged from 55% to 64% and were by up to 25% points higher than sensitivities for T1 cancers. Conclusions: FITs detect stage I cancers and especially T1 cancers at substantially lower sensitivities than more advanced cancer stages. Participants with multiple AAs were detected with slightly lower sensitivities than stage I cancers and with even higher sensitivities than T1 cancers. Further research should focus on improving the detection of early-stage cancers.

The “Dance with Daggers” as an Ethno-Marker of Adyghe Culture

This article reviews the history, semantic scope and meaning of the “dance with daggers”, which has survived today as a solo male stage number. The dance is becoming a very important part of academic dance concerts in the North Caucasus, and at the same time dancers with daggers are invited to traditional weddings and corporate parties. Сamechas (kъамэчIас) are identified as military sports and exercises, while also being a modern dance concert number with the same name. The military sport, circus and dance characteristics of this action are revealed in the article. It is proved that the dance is based on the demonstration of military merits, such as the ability to handle sharp knives freely and easily, to throw them at a target, to overcome any obstacles through high jumps, to keep a visible space in sight, to control the body gracefully and to conquer physical pain. In the history of the development of the dance, a multilayered literary text is formed that has mythological and ethno-informational codes. The meaning of using twelve daggers and a papakha (sheepskin hat), symbolizing intellect/reason and equal to any Caucasian man’s head is revealed. The movements on toes allowing one to “rise”, to be close to the gods and to conform to the contours of the mountain landscape, are comparable to the fine graceful movements of mountain animals using any stone or mound as support. Jumping, whirling, lunging, and manipulating with a large number of daggers are considered as signs that reveal deep ethnic values. The choreographic and musical component of the dance is analyzed as well as tricks that are included in the plot of the dance, allowing the performer to demonstrate traditional hand positions, certain steps, jump height, spin speed. The Western Adyghes have formed a stable musical composition for the “dance with daggers”, which consists of three tunes: “Dzherakai Zafak”, “Kabardinka” and an Ossetian melody arranged by the famous Adyghe accordionist Kim Tletseruk. “Gathering” music also symbolically represents the “dance with daggers” as a product and artistic practice of the entire Caucasus.

Influence of Neighborhood Factors on Sleep in Home Dwelling Multiethnic Older Adults With Dementia

Current scientific paradigms inadequately capture complex clinical, behavioral, and sociocultural factors impacting health and well-being in persons living with dementia (PLWD). The purpose of this study was to identify differences in individual and neighborhood-level factors contributing to sleep among multi-ethnic PLWD. Wrist actigraphy measured objective sleep characteristics. Subjective sleep was assessed using the PROMIS sleep measure. GIS mapping analyzed neighborhood-level factors (walkability, green space, crime index, density). Walkability was significantly associated with subjective sleep (p.006) controlling for age and dementia stage. Number of night awakenings was significantly associated with density, crime and housing value (p<.001). PLWD in neighborhoods with higher population density, annual crime, low median home and low walkability would benefit from interventions targeting unsupportive neighborhood environments to improve sleep.

Coordinating Manipulation in Real-time Interactive Mechanism of College Admission: Agent-Based Simulations

The matching in college admission is a typical example of applying algorithms in cyberspace to improve the efficiency of the corresponding process in physical space. This paper studies the real-time interactive mechanism (RIM) recently adopted in Inner Mongolia of China, where students can immediately observe the provisional admission results for their applications and are allowed to modify the application before the deadline. Since the universities accept the applications according to the ranking of the scores, RIM is believed to make the competition more transparent. However, students may coordinate to manipulate this mechanism. A high-score student can perform a last-minute change on the university applied, opening a slot for a student with a much lower score. With agent-based simulations, we find that a large portion of students will choose to perform coordinating manipulation, which erodes the welfare and fairness of society. To cope with this issue, we investigate the Multistage RIM (MS-RIM), where students with different ranges of scores are given different deadlines for application modification. We find that the multistage policy reduces the chance of manipulation. However, the incentive to conduct manipulation is increased by a higher success rate of manipulation. Hence, the overall social welfare and fairness are further diminished under MS-RIM with a small number of stages, but are improved if the stage number is large.

Nomogram for Predicting Brain Metastases in Lung Squamous Cell Carcinoma Patients: A SEER -Based Study

BackgroundThe incidence of brain metastasis (BM) in patients suffering from lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC) is lower than that in those suffering from non squamous cell carcinoma (NSCC). The purpose of this investigation is to ascertain the risk factors of LUSC as well as to establish a nomogram prognostic model to predict the incidence of BM.MethodsData about the patients diagnosed with LUSC between 2010 and 2015 were collected from Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. The patients diagnosed during 2010-2012 were divided into the training cohort, and the remaining diagnosed during 2013-2015 into the test cohort. Using factors screened out through logistic regression analyses, we established the nomogram in the training cohort and then evaluated the discrimination and calibration in the test cohort. The prediction performance of nomogram was quantified by AUC（area under ROC(receiver operating characteristic curve)）and evaluated by calibration curve.Results26154 LUSU patients were included: 16543 in the training cohort and 8611 in the test cohort. Age, marital status, insurance status, histological grade, tumor location, laterality, stage, number of metastatic organs, chemotherapy, surgery and radiotherapy were highly related to the incidence of BM. The AUC of nomogram was 0.810 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.796-0.823) and 0.805 (95%CI: 0.784-0.825) in the training cohort and the test cohort, respectively. The slope of calibration curve was closed to 1. ConclusionsThe nomogram can accurately predict the incidence of BM, which is helpful for the early identification of high-risk LUSU patients and the establishment of individualized treatment.