On-Chip Micro Temperature Controllers Based on Freestanding Thermoelectric Nano Films for Low-Power Electronics

Multidimensional integration and multifunctional com-ponent assembly have been greatly explored in recent years to extend Moore’s Law of modern microelectronics.However,this inevitably exac-erbates the inhomogeneity of temperature distribution in microsystems,making precise temperature control for electronic components extremely challenging.Herein,we report an on-chip micro temperature controller including a pair of thermoelectric legs with a total area of 50×50μm^(2),which are fabricated from dense and flat freestanding Bi2Te3-based ther-moelectric nano films deposited on a newly developed nano graphene oxide membrane substrate.Its tunable equivalent thermal resistance is controlled by electrical currents to achieve energy-efficient temperature control for low-power electronics.A large cooling temperature difference of 44.5 K at 380 K is achieved with a power consumption of only 445μW,resulting in an ultrahigh temperature control capability over 100 K mW^(-1).Moreover,an ultra-fast cooling rate exceeding 2000 K s^(-1) and excellent reliability of up to 1 million cycles are observed.Our proposed on-chip temperature controller is expected to enable further miniaturization and multifunctional integration on a single chip for microelectronics.

Low-power system model for quantum entangled photon-pair source

The quantum entangled photon-pair source,as an essential component of optical quantum systems,holds great potential for applications such as quantum teleportation,quan-tum computing,and quantum imaging.The current workhorse technique for preparing photon pairs involves performing spon-taneous parametric down conversion(SPDC)in bulk nonlinear crystals.However,the current power consumption and cost of preparing entangled photon-pair sources are relatively high,pos-ing challenges to their integration and scalability.In this paper,we propose a low-power system model for the quantum entan-gled photon-pair source based on SPDC theory and phase matching technology.This model allows us to analyze the per-formance of each module and the influence of component cha-racteristics on the overall system.In our experimental setup,we utilize a 5 mW laser diode and a typical type-II barium metabo-rate(BBO)crystal to prepare an entangled photon-pair source.The experimental results are in excellent agreement with the model,indicating a significant step towards achieving the goal of low-power and low-cost entangled photon-pair sources.This achievement not only contributes to the practical application of quantum entanglement lighting,but also paves the way for the widespread adoption of optical quantum systems in the future.

Inhibition of the NLRP3 inflammasome attenuates spiral ganglion neuron degeneration in aminoglycoside-induced hearing loss

Aminoglycosides are a widely used class of antibacterials renowned for their effectiveness and broad antimicrobial spectrum.However,their use leads to irreversible hearing damage by causing apoptosis of hair cells as their direct target.In addition,the hearing damage caused by aminoglycosides involves damage of spiral ganglion neurons upon exposure.To investigate the mechanisms underlying spiral ganglion neuron degeneration induced by aminoglycosides,we used a C57BL/6J mouse model treated with kanamycin.We found that the mice exhibited auditory deficits following the acute loss of outer hair cells.Spiral ganglion neurons displayed hallmarks of pyroptosis and exhibited progressive degeneration over time.Transcriptomic profiling of these neurons showed significant upregulation of genes associated with inflammation and immune response,particularly those related to the NLRP3 inflammasome.Activation of the canonical pyroptotic pathway in spiral ganglion neurons was observed,accompanied by infiltration of macrophages and the release of proinflammatory cytokines.Pharmacological intervention targeting NLRP3 using Mcc950 and genetic intervention using NLRP3 knockout ameliorated spiral ganglion neuron degeneration in the injury model.These findings suggest that NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated pyroptosis plays a role in aminoglycoside-induced spiral ganglion neuron degeneration.Inhibition of this pathway may offer a potential therapeutic strategy for treating sensorineural hearing loss by reducing spiral ganglion neuron degeneration.

Evaluating foot reflexology as a proposed treatment for sensorineural hearing loss:A critical review

This editorial critically evaluates the application of foot reflexology as a treatment for sensorineural hearing loss(SNHL)in infants,as proposed in a case report published in the World of Clinical Cases.SNHL is a condition characterized by damage to the cochlea or the neural pathways that transmit auditory information to the brain.The etiology of SNHL is often complex,involving genetic mutations,prenatal factors,or perinatal insults.Reflexology,an alternative therapy involving the application of pressure to specific points on the feet,is based on the hypothesis that these points correspond to different organs and systems in the body,including the auditory system.However,the biological plausibility and clinical efficacy of foot reflexology in addressing SNHL lack empirical support.This editorial examines the pathophysiology of SNHL,assesses the clinical claims of reflexology practitioners,and emphasizes the necessity of evidence-based approaches in treating infant hearing loss.While complementary therapies may provide ancillary benefits,they should not supplant validated medical treatments in managing SNHL in infants.Further research is needed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of foot reflexology and other alternative therapies in pediatric audiology.

Acquired sensorineural hearing loss,oxidative stress,and microRNAs

Hearing loss is the third leading cause of human disability.Age-related hearing loss,one type of acquired sensorineural hearing loss,is largely responsible for this escalating global health burden.Noise-induced,ototoxic,and idiopathic sudden sensorineural are other less common types of acquired hearing loss.The etiology of these conditions is complex and multi-fa ctorial involving an interplay of genetic and environmental factors.Oxidative stress has recently been proposed as a likely linking cause in most types of acquired sensorineural hearing loss.Short non-coding RNA sequences known as microRNAs(miRNAs)have increasingly been shown to play a role in cellular hypoxia and oxidative stress responses including promoting an apoptotic response.Sensory hair cell death is a central histopathological finding in sensorineural hearing loss.As these cells do not regenerate in humans,it underlies the irreversibility of human age-related hearing loss.Ovid EMBASE,Ovid MEDLINE,Web of Science Core Collection,and ClinicalTrials.gov databases over the period August 1,2018 to July 31,2023 were searched with"hearing loss,""hypoxamiRs,""hypoxia,""microRNAs,""ischemia,"and"oxidative stress"text words for English language primary study publications or registered clinical trials.Registe red clinical trials known to the senior author we re also assessed.A total of 222studies were thus identified.After excluding duplicates,editorials,retra ctions,secondary research studies,and non-English language articles,39 primary studies and clinical trials underwent full-text screening.This resulted in 11 animal,in vitro,and/or human subject journal articles and 8 registered clinical trial database entries which form the basis of this narrative review.MiRNAs miR-34a and miR-29b levels increase with age in mice.These miRNAs were demonstrated in human neuroblastoma and murine cochlear cell lines to target Sirtuin 1/peroxisome proliferato r-activated receptor gamma coactivator-1-alpha(SIRT1/P GC-1α),SIRT1p53,and SIRT1/hypoxia-inducible factor 1-alpha signaling pathways resulting in increased apoptosis.Furthermore,hypoxia and oxidative stress had a similar adve rse apoptotic effect,which was inhibited by resve ratrol and a myocardial inhibitorassociated transcript,a miR-29b competing endogenous mRNA.Gentamicin reduced miR-182-5p levels and increased cochlear oxidative stress and cell death in mice-an effect that was corrected by inner ear stem cell-derived exosomes.There is ongoing work seeking to determine if these findings can be effectively translated to humans.

Is it possible to foot reflexology for infants with sensorineural hearing loss?

Foot reflexology is a non-invasive and safe complementary therapy that works by massaging the reflex zones of the feet and exerts systemic or whole-body regulation through meridian nerve conduction.This therapy is commonly used in the treatment of various conditions such as autism and Parkinson's disease.However,there is limited reporting on the use of foot reflexology therapy for infants with sensorineural hearing loss(SNHL).Currently,there is no definitive conclusion on how foot reflexology therapy can influence hearing.This editorial holds some guiding significance regarding this clinical issue.The aim is to present physiological evidence of how foot reflexology therapy can impact infants with SNHL,thereby enhancing clinician’s awareness of foot reflexology in treating infants with SNHL.

Tranylcypromine upregulates Sestrin 2 expression to ameliorate NLRP3-related noise-induced hearing loss

Noise-induced hearing loss is the primary non-genetic factor contributing to auditory dysfunction.However,there are currently no effective pharmacological interventions for patients with noise-induced hearing loss.Here,we present evidence suggesting that the lysine-specific demethylase 1 inhibitor–tranylcypromine is an otoprotective agent that could be used to treat noise-induced hearing loss,and elucidate its underlying regulatory mechanisms.We established a mouse model of permanent threshold shift hearing loss by exposing the mice to white broadband noise at a sound pressure level of 120 d B for 4 hours.We found that tranylcypromine treatment led to the upregulation of Sestrin2(SESN2)and activation of the autophagy markers light chain 3B and lysosome-associated membrane glycoprotein 1 in the cochleae of mice treated with tranylcypromine.The noise exposure group treated with tranylcypromine showed significantly lower average auditory brainstem response hearing thresholds at click,4,8,and 16 k Hz frequencies compared with the noise exposure group treated with saline.These findings indicate that tranylcypromine treatment resulted in increased SESN2,light chain 3B,and lysosome-associated membrane glycoprotein 1 expression after noise exposure,leading to a reduction in levels of 4-hydroxynonenal and cleaved caspase-3,thereby reducing noise-induced hair cell loss.Additionally,immunoblot analysis demonstrated that treatment with tranylcypromine upregulated SESN2 expression via the autophagy pathway.Tranylcypromine treatment also reduced the production of NOD-like receptor family pyrin domaincontaining 3(NLRP3)production.In conclusion,our results showed that tranylcypromine treatment ameliorated cochlear inflammation by promoting the expression of SESN2,which induced autophagy,thereby restricting NLRP3-related inflammasome signaling,alleviating cochlear hair cell loss,and protecting hearing function.These findings suggest that inhibiting lysine-specific demethylase 1 is a potential therapeutic strategy for preventing hair cell loss and noise-induced hearing loss.

A kind of low-power 10 Gbit/s CMOS 1∶4 demultiplexer

A 10 Gbit/s 1：4 demultiplexer（DEMUX） fabricated in 0. 18 μm CMOS （complementary metal-oxidesemiconductor transistor） technology for optical-fiber-link is presented. The system is constructed in tree-type structure and it includes a high-speed 1 ： 2 DEMUX, two low-speed 1 ： 2 DEMUXs, a divider, and input and output buffers for data and dock. To improve the circuit performance and reduce the power consumption, a latch structure with a common-gate topology and a single clock phase is employed in the high-speed 1 ： 2 DEMUX and the 5 GHz 1 ： 2 on-chip frequency divider, while dynamic CMOS logic is adopted in the low-speed l ： 2 DEMUXs. Measured results at 10 Gbit/s by 23^31 -1 pseudo random bit sequences （PRBS） via on-wafer testing indicate that it can work well with a power dissipation of less than 100 mW at 1.8 V supply voltage. The die area of the DEMUX is 0. 65 mm × 0. 75 mm.

基于Focal Loss改进LightGBM的供水管网毛刺数据检测

针对数据不平衡导致的管网毛刺数据检测召回率偏低问题,提出一种Focal Loss改进LightGBM的管网毛刺数据检测方法。首先,结合管网毛刺数据的特点,针对性构造邻域相关特征。其次,将Focal Loss函数引入LightGBM,提高模型对难以检测的毛刺样本的权重,并对Focal Loss不同的参数取值进行实验,以平衡精确率与召回率。最后,选择不同参数的Focal Loss进行模型融合,进一步提升模型对不平衡毛刺数据的检测性能。在某市供水管网的真实数据上进行实验,结果表明,对比基于交叉熵损失函数的单一模型,本文提出的Focal Loss改进后的融合模型在毛刺数据上召回率和F1值的提升幅度达33.3和18个百分点,但毛刺数据的精确率还有待进一步提升。本文所提方法从损失函数入手,动态调整难易样本的权重,有效地提升了不平衡数据下的毛刺数据的检测性能。

Low-power laser irradiation promotes the proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of human periodontal ligament cells via cyclic adenosine monophosphate

Retaining or improving periodontal ligament （PDL） function is crucial for restoring periodontal defects. The aim of this study was to evaluate the physiological effects of low-power laser irradiation （LPLI） on the proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of human PDL （hPDL） cells. Cultured hPDL cel Is were irradiated （660 nm） daily with doses of O, 1, 2 or 4 J .cm-2. Cell proliferation was evaluated by the 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide （MTT） assay, and the effect of LPLI on osteogenic differentiation was assessed by Alizarin Red S staining and alkaline phosphatase （ALP） activity. Additionally, osteogenic marker gene expression was confirmed by real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction （RT-PCR）. Our data showed that LPLI at a dose of 2 J.cm-2 significantly promoted hPDL cell proliferation at days 3 and 5. In addition, LPLI at energy doses of 2 and 4 J.cm-2 showed potential osteogenic capacity, as it stimulated ALP activity, calcium deposition, and osteogenic gene expression. We also showed that cyclic adenosine monophosphate （cAMP） is a critical regulator of the LPLI-mediated effects on hPDL cells. This study shows that LPLI can promote the proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of hPDL cells. These results suggest the potential use of LPLI in clinical applications for periodontal tissue regeneration.

Modelling Study to Compare the Flow and Heat Transfer Characteristics of Low-Power Hydrogen,Nitrogen and Argon Arc-Heated Thrusters

A modelling study is performed to compare the plasma flow and heat transfer characteristics of low-power arc-heated thrusters （arcjets） for three different propellants： hydrogen, nitrogen and argon. The all-speed SIMPLE algorithm is employed to solve the governing equations, which take into account the effects of compressibility, Lorentz force and Joule heating, as well as the temperature- and pressure-dependence of the gas properties. The temperature, velocity and Mach number distributions calculated within the thruster nozzle obtained with different propellant gases are compared for the same thruster structure, dimensions, inlet-gas stagnant pressure and arc currents. The temperature distributions in the solid region of the anode-nozzle wall are also given. It is found that the flow and energy conversion processes in the thruster nozzle show many similar features for all three propellants. For example, the propellant is heated mainly in the near-cathode and constrictor region, with the highest plasma temperature appearing near the cathode tip; the flow transition from the subsonic to supersonic regime occurs within the constrictor region; the highest axial velocity appears inside the nozzle; and most of the input propellant flows towards the thruster exit through the cooler gas region near the anode-nozzle wall. However, since the properties of hydrogen, nitrogen and argon, especially their molecular weights, specific enthMpies and thermal conductivities, are different, there are appreciable differences in arcjet performance. For example, compared to the other two propellants, the hydrogen arcjet thruster shows a higher plasma temperature in the arc region, and higher axial velocity but lower temperature at the thruster exit. Correspondingly, the hydrogen arcjet thruster has the highest specific impulse and arc voltage for the same inlet stagnant pressure and arc current. The predictions of the modelling are compared favourably with available experimental results.

EXPERIMENTAL STUDY ON MACRO AND MICRO-STRUCTURE OF METALLIC PARTS BUILT BY LOW-POWER LASER CLADDING

A low-power CO_2 laser is used to deposit Fe powder and mixture of Fe andcarbon powder on substrates respectively, and the macro and micro-structure of the formed samplesare investigated. It is demonstrated that most grains of these samples are equi-axed. This isderived from the high nucleation velocity in the shallow melt pool besides rapid solidification ofthe liquid-state alloy or metal. Bainitic structure, combination of pearlite and ferrite structureand ferrite structure are seen respectively in the samples involving various amounts of carbon owingto no martensitic transformation in these small samples.

Transplantation of low-power laser-irradiated olfactory ensheathing cells to promote repair of spinal cord injury in rats

BACKGROUND： Previous studies have demonstrated that low-power laser （LPL） irradiation can promote the regeneration of peripheral nerves and central nerves, as well as influence cellular proliferation. Therefore, it is thought to be a potential treatment for spinal cord injury. OBJECTIVE： Utilizing histological observations and behavioral evaluations, the aim of this study was to investigate the influence of transplanted olfactory ensheathing cells （OECs）, irradiated by LPL, on functional repair of rats following transversal spinal cord injury. DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING： A randomized, controlled, animal experiment was performed at the animal experimental center in the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University between January 2007 and February 2008. MATERIALS： A total of 52 Sprague Dawley rats were included in this experiment. Twelve rats were used to harvest OECs, some of which were irradiated by LPL on days 3, 5, and 7 in culture. The remaining 40 rats were used to establish T12 complete spinal cord transection injury. DMEM/F12 medium was purchased from Sigma, USA, Fluorogold was provided by Chemicon, USA, and the LY/JG650-D500-16 low-power laser was produced by Xi＇an Lingyue Electromechanical Science And Technology Co., Ltd., China. METHODS： The successful rat models were randomly divided into three groups： OEC transplantation, LPL-irradiated OEC transplantation, and control. These animals were microinjected with OEC suspension, LPL-irradiated OEC suspension, and DMEM/F12 medium （10μL） respectively 4 weeks after spinal cord was completely transected at the T12 level. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES： Spinal cord injury was observed using hematoxylin-eosin staining Expression of nerve growth factor receptor p75 and glial fibrillary acidic protein were determined using immunohistochemical staining. Regeneration of spinal nerve fibers in rats was assayed by Fluorogold retrograde labeling method. Basso, Beattie and Bresnahan （BBB） scores were used to evaluate motor functions of rat lower limbs. RESULTS： Structural disturbances were observed following spinal cord injury in each group, and a large amount of scar tissue covered the broken ends, accompanied by porosis and inflammatory cell infiltration. Following OEC transplantation, the distal end connected to the proximal end. nerve growth factor receptor p75 and glial fibrillary acidic protein immunohistochemistry revealed positive OECs in the cephalad and caudal area of rats that received LPL-irradiated OEC transplantation. In the OECs group, only glial fibrillary acidic protein staining was observed. No staining was found in the control group. Neural fibers labeled with Fluorogold extended across the lesion area and into the cephalad and caudal area in the OECs and LPL-irradiated OECs groups, but were not present in the control group. BBB scores revealed statistically significant differences among the three groups （P 〈 0.05）： OECs irradiated by LPL group 〉 OECs group 〉 control group. CONCLUSION： Transplantation of OECs and LPL-irradiated OECs promoted functional repair in the injured spinal cord of rats, although LPL-irradiated OECs resulted in greater beneficial effects.

A low-power high-throughput link splitting router for NoCs

In this paper, we propose a technique for lowering the latency of the communication in a NoC （network on chip）. The technique, which can support two qualities of service （QoS）, i.e., the guaranteed throughput （GT） and best effort （BE）, is based on splitting a wider link into narrower links to increase throughput and decrease latency in the NoC. In addition, to ease the synchronization and reduce the crosstalk, we use the l-of-4 encoding for the smaller buses. The use of the encoding in the proposed NoC architecture considerably lowers the latency for both BE and GT packets. In addition, the bandwidth is increased while the power consumption of the links is reduced.

Low-power laser irradiation inhibits arecoline-induced fibrosis:an in vitro study

Oral submucous fibrosis （OSF） is a potentially malignant disorder that is characterized by a progressive fibrosis in the oral submucosa. Arecoline, an alkaloid compound of the areca nut, is reported to be a major aetiological factor in the development of OSF. Low-power laser irradiation （LPLI） has been reported to be beneficial in fibrosis prevention in different damaged organs. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential therapeutic effects of LPLI on arecoline-induced fibrosis. Arecoline- stimulated human gingival fibroblasts （HGFs） were treated with or without LPLI. The expression levels of the fibrotic marker genes alpha-smooth muscle actin （a-SMA） and connective tissue growth factor （CTGF/CCN2） were analysed by quantitative real- time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction （RT-PCR） and western blots. In addition, the transcriptional activity of CCN2 was further determined by a reporter assay. The results indicated that arecoline increased the messenger RNA and protein expression of CCN2 and a-SMA in HGF. Interestingly, both LPLI and forskolin, an adenylyl cyclase activator, reduced the expression of arecoline-mediated fibrotic marker genes and inhibited the transcriptional activity of CCN2. Moreover, pretreatment with SQ22536, an adenylyl cyclase inhibitor, blocked LPLI＇s inhibition of the expression of arecoline-mediated fibrotic marker genes. Our data suggest that LPLI may inhibit the expression of arecoline-mediated fibrotic marker genes via the cAMP signalling pathway.

Design of Low-Power Data Logger of Deep Sea for Long-Term Field Observation

This paper describes the implementation of a data logger for the real-time in-situ monitoring of hydrothermal systems. A compact mechanical structure ensures the security and reliability of data logger when used under deep sea. The data logger is a battery powered instrument, which can connect chemical sensors （pH electrode, H2S electrode, H2 electrode） and temperature sensors. In order to achieve major energy savings, dynamic power management is implemented in hardware design and software design. The working current of the data logger in idle mode and active mode is 15 μA and 1.44 mA respectively, which greatly extends the working time of battery. The data logger has been successftdly tested in the first Sino-American Cooperative Deep Submergence Project from August 13 to September 3, 2005.

An artificial synapse by superlattice-like phase-change material for low-power brain-inspired computing

Phase-change material(PCM)is generating widespread interest as a new candidate for artificial synapses in bioinspired computer systems.However,the amorphization process of PCM devices tends to be abrupt,unlike continuous synaptic depression.The relatively large power consumption and poor analog behavior of PCM devices greatly limit their applications.Here,we fabricate a GeTe/Sb2Te3 superlattice-like PCM device which allows a progressive RESET process.Our devices feature low-power consumption operation and potential high-density integration,which can effectively simulate biological synaptic characteristics.The programming energy can be further reduced by properly selecting the resistance range and operating method.The fabricated devices are implemented in both artificial neural networks(ANN)and convolutional neural network(CNN)simulations,demonstrating high accuracy in brain-like pattern recognition.

Mechanisms for non-ideal flow in low-power arc-heated supersonic nozzles

The flow in a low-powered arc gas heater com- bined with a supersonic nozzle of throat diameter less than 1 mm is quite complicated and difficult to describe in quan- titative detail. Experiments on arc-heated supersonic jet thrusters of monatomic gases argon and helium have been carried out and their performance measured. The flow charac- teristics are analyzed with the help of numerical simulation. Results show that the viscous effect is the most important factor causing the large difference between ideal and real performance. A large outer section of the exit flow is slow- moving. This is especially pronounced in helium, where 70 % of the exit area of the nozzle might be in subsonic flow. Fric- tion forces can be much larger than the net thrust, reaching several times higher in helium, resulting in very low efficien- cies. Other factors causing the differences between ideal and real flow include： complex flow in the throat region, electric arc extending to the nozzle expansion section, heat transfer to the inlet gas and from the hot plasma, and environmen- tal pressure in the vacuum chamber. It is recognized that the ordinary concepts of supersonic nozzle flow must be greatly modified when dealing with such complicated situations. The general concepts presented in this paper could be helpful in guiding the design and operation of this equipment.

Implications of using two low-power continuous-wave lasers for polishing

Laser polishing is widely employed to reduce the surface roughness of products with complex geometries.Traditional laser polishing techniques use a single high-power Gaussian beam to melt and smooth a thin layer of surface material.However,the reliance on high power lasers can present practical challenges such as minimizing surface evaporation or reducing overall cost.In this work,we combined two identical low-power laser beams with a spatial offset in between them to construct an elliptical beam.By changing the spatial offset,combined beams with different lengths along the major axis can be created.We observe over 20%improvement in line roughness reduction using this approach compared to a single Gaussian laser beam with the same total power.Additionally,both experiment and simulation results suggest such improvement is because this dual-laser set-up can create a longer molten pool compared to a single laser.

New design solutions for low-power energy production in water pipe systems

This study is the result of ongoing research for a European Union 7th Framework Program Project regarding energy converters for very low heads, and aims to analyze optimization of new cost-effective hydraulic turbine designs for possible implementation in water supply systems （WSSs） or in other pressurized water pipe infrastructures, such as irrigation, wastewater, or drainage systems. A new methodology is presented based on a theoretical, technical and economic analysis. Viability studies focused on small power values for different pipe systems were investigated. Detailed analyses of alternative typical volumetric energy converters were conducted on the basis of mathematical and physical fundamentals as well as computational fluid dynamics （CFD） associated with the interaction between the flow conditions and the system operation. Important constraints （e.g., size, stability, efficiency, and continuous steady flow conditions） can be identified and a search for alternative rotary yolumetric converters is being conducted. As promising cost-effective solutions for the coming years, adapted rotor-dynamic turbomachines and non-conventional axial propeller devices were analyzed based on the basic principles of pumps operating as turbines, as well as through an extensive comparison between simulations and experimental tests.