Cu Pillar Electroplating Using a Synthetic Polyquaterntum Leveler and Its Coupling Effect on SAC305/Cu Solder Joint Voiding.

With the advancement of high-integration and high-density interconnection in chip manufacturing and packaging, Cu bumping technology in wafer- and panel- level packaging is developed to micrometer-sized structures and pitches to accommodate increased I/O numbers on high-end integrated circuits. Driven by this industrial demand, significant efforts have been dedicated to Cu electroplating techniques for improved pillar shape control and solder joint reliability, which substantially depend on additive formulations and electroplating parameters that regulate the growth morphology, crystal structure, and impurity incorporation in the process of electrodeposition. It is necessary to investigate the effect of an additive on Cu pillar electrodeposition, and to explore the Kirkendall voids formed during the reflowing process, which may result from the additive-induced impurity in the electrodeposited Cu pillars.

Exploring lithium ion interactions in graphite electrodes through non-equilibrium molecular dynamics and density functional theory.

In molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, selecting an appropriate potential function is a crucial element for accurately simulating the kinetic properties of lithium ion intercalation, storage, and diffusion in graphite systems. This work employed a combination of non-equilibrium molecular dynamics (NEMD) and density-functional theory (DFT) for simulation and analysis. The findings indicate that the AIREBO potential function precisely describes the motion of ordered lithium ions between graphite layers, consistent with the models proposed by Rüdorff and Hofmann (R-H) and Daumas and Hérold (D-H).

Seven undescribed compounds from dried flower buds of Ochrocarpus longifolius.

Seven unreported compounds were isolated from dried flower buds of Ochrocarpus longifolius in this study, including an alkaloid ochrocaracid A (1), five coumarins ochrocarpins I (2), J (3), K (4), L (5), and M (6), and one styryl-2-pyranone compound iresinoacid (7) and nine known compounds (8-16). All these compounds were found in O. longifolius for the first time.

Transient Phase-Mediated Li Transportation in the Lithium Lanthanum Titanate Solid-State Electrolyte.

The lithium lanthanum titanium oxide (LLTO) perovskite is one type of superior lithium (Li)-ion conductor that is of great interest as a solid-state electrolyte for all-solid-state lithium batteries. Structural defects and impurity phases formed during the synthesis of LLTO largely affect its Li-ion conductivity, yet the underlying Li diffusion mechanism at the atomic scale is still under scrutiny. Herein, we use aberration-corrected transmission electron microscopy to perform a thorough structural characterization of the LLTO ceramic pellet.

Multiomics Analysis of Interleukin-21 as a Potential Immunologic and Biomarker in Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Interleukin-21 (IL-21) is an important antitumor cytokine that contributes to the proliferation and differentiation of CD8 + T cells. It has been proven to enhance the response to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in various solid tumors. However, its role in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has not yet been clarified.

Machine Learning Model Based on the Neutrophil-to-Eosinophil Ratio Predicts the Recurrence of Hepatocellular Carcinoma After Surgery.

Background: Circulating eosinophils are associated with tumor development. An eosinophil-related index, the neutrophil to eosinophil ratio (NER), can be used to predict the prognosis of patients with tumors. However, there is still a lack of efficient prognostic biomarkers for HCC.

Preoperative prediction model for non-neoplastic and benign neoplastic polyps of the gallbladder.

Background: Gallbladder adenoma represents a precancerous lesion of gallbladder cancer. However, distinguishing it from cholesteryl polyps of the gallbladder before surgery is challenging. Thus, we aimed to comprehensively explore various risk factors contributing to the formation of gallbladder adenoma to facilitate an informed diagnosis and treatment by clinicians.

Technical specifications for ethics review of human stem cell research.

The rapid advancement of human stem cell research and its expansion into emerging areas has resulted in an escalation of ethical challenges associated with these studies. As a result, there has been a corresponding increase in both the volume and complexity of institutional ethics reviews, coupled with higher expectations for the quality of the review process. In response to these challenges, this standard provides a comprehensive outline of the fundamental principles, content, types, and procedures of ethics review, specifically focusing on non-clinical human stem cell research.

Analysis of ethics dumping and proposed solutions in the field of biomedical research in China.

As international academic exchanges and cooperation deepen, China has actively engaged in international biomedical research collaboration and achieved significant success. However, these accomplishments have been accompanied by ethical controversies and issues, with ethics dumping being a recurrently discussed focus among scholars. This paper reviews ethics dumping incidents in China's biomedical research field and analyzes the underlying causes to answer why China is often susceptible to ethics dumping.

Co-expression module analysis reveals high expression homogeneity for both coding and non-coding genes in sepsis.

Sepsis is a life-threatening condition characterized by a harmful host response to infection with organ dysfunction. Annually about 20 million people are dead owing to sepsis and its mortality rates is as high as 20%. However, no studies have been carried out to investigate sepsis from the system biology point of view, as previous research predominantly focused on individual genes without considering their interactions and associations.

The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on hand hygiene compliance of healthcare workers in a tertiary hospital in East China.

Introduction: Hand hygiene is a cost-effective measure to reduce healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) in healthcare facilities. The impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on hand hygiene performance (HHP) provided evidence for targeted hand hygiene intervention measures.

Methods: This study evaluated the HHP rate in a tertiary hospital before and after the COVID-19 outbreak.

Circulating the HLA-DR+ T Cell Ratio Is a Prognostic Factor for Recurrence of Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma after Curative Surgery.

Background: HLA-DR+ T cell, accounting for 1.2%-5.8% of peripheral lymphocyte, is a type of activated T lymphocyte.

Donors' experiences and attitudes of fecal microbiota transplantation: An empirical bioethics study from China.

Donor participation is a critical part of ensuring the development of human microbiome research and the clinical application of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT). Most FMT donors are still not sufficiently aware of the risks associated with the act of donating gut microbiota, especially the risk of data privacy disclosure. Enhanced awareness of the moral responsibility of the researchers and ethical oversight by ethics committees are needed.

Hyperacmosin R, a New Decarbonyl Prenylphloroglucinol with Unusual Spiroketal Subunit from .

Two previously undescribed polycyclic polyprenylated acylphloroglucinols, hyperacmosins R-S (-), were obtained from the aerial parts of . Their structures were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analysis and electronic circular dichroism calculation (ECD). Compound featured an unprecedented 5,8-spiroketal subunit as well as the loss of C-2' carbonyl in the phloroglucinol ring.

Polyester materials for mRNA delivery.

Messenger RNA (mRNA) has recently made important progress in clinical implementation, offering a promising therapeutic option for infectious disease and cancer. However, the nature of mRNA molecules rendered them poorly bioavailable and unstable , impeding their further clinical application. Therefore, safe and efficient delivery of mRNA therapeutics to the target site is crucial for their successful translation into the clinical setting.

Polycyclic polyprenylated acylphloroglucinols from Hypericum beanii and their hepatoprotective activity.

Twenty-seven polycyclic polyprenylated acylphloroglucinols (PPAPs) with diverse skeletons, including seven previously undescribed ones (hyperbeanins A-G), were isolated from the aerial parts of Hypericum beanii. Their structures were established by comprehensive analysis of NMR, HRESIMS, and experimental electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectra. Hyperbeanin A was a monocyclic polyprenylated acylphloroglucinols (MPAPs) with an unusual spiro-fused cyclopropane ring.

Structure units oriented approach towards collective synthesis of sarpagine-ajmaline-koumine type alkaloids.

Sarpagine-Ajmaline-Koumine type monoterpenoid indole alkaloids represent a fascinating class of natural products with polycyclic and cage-like structures, interesting biological activities, and related biosynthetic origins. Herein we report a unified approach towards the asymmetric synthesis of these three types of alkaloids, leading to a collective synthesis of 14 natural alkaloids. Among them, akuammidine, 19-Z-akuammidine, vincamedine, vincarine, quebrachidine, vincamajine, alstiphylianine J, and dihydrokoumine are accomplished for the first time.

Making sense of it all: Ethical reflections on the conditions surrounding the first genome-edited babies.

In November 2018 the birth of the first genome-edited human beings was announced by Chinese scientist, He Jiankui. The ensuing ethical controversy, institutional investigations and legal proceedings led to the revision of standards, rules and procedures at many levels. Arguably, however, these developments have not fundamentally changed the conditions or the culture that nourished He Jiankui's vaulting ambition in the first place and enabled it to find expression.

Zero Lithium Miscibility Gap Enables High-Rate Equimolar Li(MnFe)PO Solid Solution.

Forming olivine-structured Li(Mn,Fe)PO solid solution is theoretically a feasible way to improve the energy density of the solid solutions for lithium ion batteries. However, the Jahn-Teller active Mn in the solid solution restricts their energy density and rate performance. Here, as demonstrated by operando X-ray diffraction, we show that equimolar LiMnFePO solid solution nanocrystals undergo a single-phase transition during the whole (de)lithiation process, with a feature of zero lithium miscibility gap, which endows the nanocrystals with excellent electrochemical properties.

A Statistical Study of the Correlation between Geomagnetic Storms and M ≥ 7.0 Global Earthquakes during 1957-2020.

In order to find out whether the geomagnetic storms and large-mega earthquakes are correlated or not, statistical studies based on Superposed Epoch Analysis (SEA), significance analysis, and Z test have been applied to the Dst index data and M ≥ 7.0 global earthquakes during 1957-2020. The results indicate that before M ≥ 7.

Nanomagnetic structure of composite films with cubic array distribution of FeNi nanoparticles.

It is difficult to fabricate magnetic films containing small nanoparticles with a narrow size distribution. The nanomagnetic structural evolutions inside the nanoparticles in these types of films play a key role in the development of the magnetic properties. Magnetic composite films with a cubic array distribution of the nanoparticles are obtained using the layered growth of FeNi-SiO and SiO by the vacuum thermal evaporation method.