Search Results (18)

Gate driver-on-array (GOA) circuits employing amorphous indium–gallium–zinc oxide (IGZO)-based thin-film transistors (TFTs) have been successfully utilized to generate the driving signals for the commercialization of active-matrix organic light-emitting diode (AMOLED) displays. The depletion-mode TFTs in GOA circuits can be completely turned off by the introduction of series-connected, two-transistor, dual low-voltage-level power signals. Simulation results demonstrate that a GOA exhibits high process stability with a threshold voltage margin from −5 V to +5 V. Furthermore, the GOA output characterization and mobility compensation effect are evaluated by the integration of the GOA and pixel in a 31-inch 4K AMOLED display. Experimental results demonstrate that full-swing driving pulses can be obtained with the GOA. Finally, the stripe mura in the display caused by mobility variation can be successfully eliminated by the introduction of GOA circuits. Full article

Urban mobility structure detection and functional distribution learning are significant for urban planning and management. However, existing methods have limitations in handling complex urban data and capturing global spatial structure features. To deal with these challenges, we proposed a multi-scale feature-aware urban mobility structure embedding method based on contrastive learning. First, we designed a multi-scale contrastive learning strategy to effectively learn local human activity features and global spatial structure features, determine the community affiliation of regions, and generate regional embedding vectors. Next, we introduced a correlation matrix to encode the functional synergy and competition of Point of Interests (POIs) and construct the complex correlation between urban mobility structure and urban functional distribution to evaluate the quality of regional embedding vectors. Experiments in Haikou City show that the proposed method can accurately detect the urban mobility structure and functional distribution. The analysis reveals that the central urban area of Haikou exhibits concentrated functions and significant traffic tidal effects, while the suburban areas have relatively weaker functions, with residents displaying a high level of dependence on the central area. Therefore, urban planning needs to optimize the functional layout, improve the functions of the suburbs, and promote the balance of urban space. Full article

The mechanical response of monolithic CuZr metallic glass (MG) and MG/Cu composite substrates under high-velocity impact was investigated using molecular dynamics simulations, with variations in impact velocity and initial temperature. Higher impact velocities resulted in deeper penetration and increased plastic deformation, with the monolithic MG exhibiting greater energy absorption and slightly more extensive projectile fragmentation. The MG/Cu composite displayed enhanced plastic deformation, attributed to the higher stiffness of the crystalline Cu phase, which promoted plasticity in the amorphous matrix. Temperature effects were more pronounced in the composite, where elevated temperatures enhanced strain localization and atomic mobility in the glassy phase. This was supported by a decrease in dislocation density and the population of hexagonal close-packed (HCP) atoms with increasing temperature, indicating a shift in plastic activity toward the amorphous matrix. These findings provide insights into the interplay between impact velocity, temperature, and material composition, contributing to a deeper understanding of MG-based composite behavior under extreme loading conditions. Full article

In active-matrix organic light-emitting diode (AMOLED) displays, conventional pixel circuits that compensate for the non-uniformity of the threshold voltage (V_T) of low-temperature polycrystalline silicon thin-film transistors (TFTs) can hardly compensate for variations in other TFT parameters, such as carrier mobility (μ₀), subthreshold swing (SS) and the various effects of parasitic capacitance. In recent high-resolution AMOLED displays, as the current required for OLED pixel driving decreases, the current error rate (CER) caused by the non-uniform TFT parameters increases. In this study, we analyzed the influence of each TFT parameter on the CER using SPICE simulation. Based on our analysis, the origin of the increased CER can be classified into two categories: the charging capability of driving TFT and the capacitive coupling effect of the switching TFT. The SS of the driving TFT and the parasitic capacitance of the switching TFT are major factors that affect the CER in terms of the charging capability and capacitive coupling effect, respectively. Our analysis results can be summarized as follows: The SS value of the driving TFT should be high, and its variation should be small to minimize the CER. The variation in the parasitic capacitance of the switching TFT possibly occurs due to long-term bias conditions, as well as process non-uniformity. Therefore, the stability of TFT should also be confirmed for the prevention of anomalous CER caused by long-term bias stress. Full article

Futibatinib is an excellent fibroblast growth factor receptor 1–4 (FGFR 1–4) inhibitor that exhibits selective anti-tumor activeness against FGFR-deregulated tumors. A new high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) technique for the quantitative analysis of futibatinib in beagle dog plasma was developed, and the effect of Yinchenhao decoction (YCHD) on the pharmacokinetics of futibatinib was evaluated. After processing plasma samples with ethyl acetate extraction in the alkaline condition of sodium carbonate, a C18 column (4.6 mm × 150, 5 μm) was used to accomplish the separation of futibatinib and ripretinib (internal standard, ISTD), with the mobile phase consisting of methanol and 0.1% formic acid in water (60:40). The scanning method adopted a multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode with positive ion detection through the triple quadrupole mass spectrometer. The ion transitions for futibatinib and IS were m/z 419.20 → 296.15 and m/z 510.36 → 417.00, respectively. Futibatinib displayed excellent linearity in the range of 1–200 ng/mL. Neither inter-day nor intra-day precision exceeded 6.3%. The %RE values for accuracy ranged from −3.1% to 0.9%. The recovery, stability, and matrix effect of futibatinib also complied with the guidelines for the validation of quantitative analysis methods for biological samples in the 2020 edition of the Chinese Pharmacopoeia. In combination with YCHD, the C_max of futibatinib increased by 40.84% compared to futibatinib dosage alone., and the AUC_(0–t) and AUC_(0–∞) of futibatinib increased by 78.06% and 82.71%, respectively. The Vd and CL of futibatinib were reduced by 20.05% and 40.85%, respectively. T_1/2 was extended from 3.88 h to 5.26 h. The results indicated that YCHD could affect the pharmacokinetics of futibatinib and increase the plasma exposure of futibatinib. If YCHD is administered along with futibatinib, this study gives a first impression how pharmacokinetics and toxicokinetics would change. Full article

Metal-oxide (MOx) thin-film transistors (TFTs) require complex circuit structures to cope with their depletion mode characteristics, making them applicable only to large-area active matrix (AM) displays despite their low manufacturing cost and decent performance. In this paper, we report a simple MOx 10T-2C scan driver circuit that overcomes the depletion mode characteristics using a series-connected two transistor (STT) configuration and clock signals with two kinds of low-voltage levels. The proposed circuit has a wide operating range of TFT characteristics, i.e., −2.8 V ≤ V_TH ≤ +3.0 V. Through the measurement results of the manufactured sample, it was confirmed that the performance and area of our circuit are suitable for high-resolution mobile displays. Full article

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease, causing impaired mobility. There are currently no effective therapies other than palliative treatment. Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) and their secreted extracellular vesicles (MSC-EVs) have shown promise in attenuating OA progression, promoting chondral regeneration, and modulating joint inflammation. However, the precise molecular mechanism of action driving their beneficial effects has not been fully elucidated. In this study, we analyzed MSC-EV-treated human OA chondrocytes (OACs) to assess viability, proliferation, migration, cytokine and catabolic protein expression, and microRNA and mRNA profiles. We observed that MSC-EV-treated OACs displayed increased metabolic activity, proliferation, and migration compared to the controls. They produced decreased proinflammatory (Il-8 and IFN-γ) and increased anti-inflammatory (IL-13) cytokines, and lower levels of MMP13 protein coupled with reduced expression of MMP13 mRNA, as well as negative microRNA regulators of chondrogenesis (miR-145-5p and miR-21-5p). In 3D models, MSC-EV-treated OACs exhibited enhanced chondrogenesis-promoting features (elevated sGAG, ACAN, and aggrecan). MSC-EV treatment also reversed the pathological impact of IL-1β on chondrogenic gene expression and extracellular matrix component (ECM) production. Finally, MSC-EV-treated OACs demonstrated the enhanced expression of genes associated with cartilage function, collagen biosynthesis, and ECM organization and exhibited a signature of 24 differentially expressed microRNAs, associated with chondrogenesis-associated pathways and ECM interactions. In conclusion, our data provide new insights on the potential mechanism of action of MSC-EVs as a treatment option for early-stage OA, including transcriptomic analysis of MSC-EV-treated OA, which may pave the way for more targeted novel therapeutics. Full article

Flat panel displays are electronic displays that are thin and lightweight, making them ideal for use in a wide range of applications, from televisions and computer monitors to mobile devices and digital signage. The Thin-Film Transistor (TFT) layer is responsible for controlling the amount of light that passes through each pixel and is located behind the liquid crystal layer, enabling precise image control and high-quality display. As one of the important parameters to evaluate the display performance, the faster response time provides more frames in a second, which benefits many high-end applications, such as applications for playing games and watching movies. To further improve the response time, the single-pixel charging efficiency is investigated in this paper by optimizing the TFT dimensions in gate driver circuits in active-matrix liquid crystal displays. The accurate circuit simulation model is developed to minimize the signal’s fall time ($T_f$) by optimizing the TFT width-to-length ratio. Our results show that using a driving TFT width of 6790 $\mathsf{\mu }\mathrm{m}$ and a reset TFT width of 640 $\mathsf{\mu }\mathrm{m}$ resulted in a minimum $T_f$ of 2.6572 $\mathsf{\mu }\mathrm{s}$, corresponding to a maximum pixel charging ratio of 90.61275%. These findings demonstrate the effectiveness of our optimization strategy in enhancing pixel charging efficiency and improving display performance. Full article

In 2009, a novel H1N1 influenza virus caused the first influenza pandemic of the 21st century. Studies have shown that the influenza M gene played important roles in the pathogenicity and transmissibility of the 2009 H1N1 pandemic ((H1N1)pdm09), whilst the underlying mechanism remains unclear. The influenza M gene encodes two proteins, matrix protein 1 and matrix protein 2, which play important roles in viral replication and assembly. In this study, it is found that the M2 protein of the (H1N1)pdm09 virus showed a lower mobility rate than the North America triple-reassortant influenza M2 protein in Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis (PAGE). The site-directed mutations of the amino acids of (H1N1)pdm09 M2 revealed that E79 is responsible for the mobility rate change. Further animal studies showed that the (H1N1)pdm09 containing a single M2-E79K was significantly attenuated compared with the wild-type virus in mice and induced lower proinflammatory cytokines and IFNs in mouse lungs. Further in vitro studies indicated that this mutation also affected NLRP3 inflammasome activation. To reveal the reason why they have different mobility rates, a circular dichroism spectra assay was employed and showed that the two M2 proteins displayed different secondary structures. Overall, our findings suggest that M2 E79 is important for the virus replication and pathogenicity of (H1N1)pdm09 through NLRP3 inflammasome and proinflammatory response. Full article

A 6T1C pixel circuit based on low-temperature polycrystalline oxide (LTPO) technology for portable active-matrix organic light-emitting diode (AMOLED) display applications is proposed in this paper. For superior high-end portable applications including 4K high resolution and high PPI (pixels per inch), the proposed pixel circuit employs a single storage capacitor and signal sharing switch-control design and provides low-voltage driving and immunity to the IR-drop issue and OLED degradation. Furthermore, the threshold voltage and mobility-compensating capabilities are improved by both compensation mechanisms, which are based on a negative feedback system, and mobility-related compensation parameters. Simulation results reveal that threshold voltage variations of ±0.33 V in the driving thin-film transistors can be well sensed and compensated while the maximum OLED current shift is 4.25%. The maximum variation in OLED currents within all gray levels is only 1.05% with mobility variations of ±30%. As a result, the proposed 6T1C pixel circuit is a good candidate for portable AMOLED display usage. Full article

Seeking to improve personal armor equipment by providing mobility and resistance to penetration, this research aimed to explore the potential of sustainable materials in order to assess their ability in ballistic applications. Titica vine fibers (TVFs) extracted from aerial roots of Heteropsis flexuosa from the Amazon region were incorporated at 10, 20, 30, and 40 vol% into an epoxy matrix for applications in ballistic multilayered armor systems (MASs) and stand-alone tests for personal protection against high-velocity 7.62 mm ammunition. The back-face signature (BFS) depth measured for composites with 20 and 40 vol% TVFs used as an intermediate layer in MASs was 25.6 and 32.5 mm, respectively, and below the maximum limit of 44 mm set by the international standard. Fracture mechanisms found by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) attested the relevance of increasing the fiber content for applications in MASs. The results of stand-alone tests showed that the control (0 vol%) and samples with 20 vol% TVFs absorbed the highest impact energy (E_abs) (212–176 J), and consequently displayed limit velocity (V_L) values (213–194 m/s), when compared with 40 vol% fiber composites. However, the macroscopic evaluation found that, referring to the control samples, the plain epoxy shattered completely. In addition, for 10 and 20 vol% TVFs, the composites were fragmented or exhibited delamination fractures, which compromised their physical integrity. On the other hand, composites with 30 and 40 vol% TVFs, whose E_abs and V_L varied between 166–130 J and 189–167 m/s, respectively, showed the best physical stability. The SEM images indicated that for composites with 10 and 20 vol% TVFs, the fracture mode was predominantly brittle due to the greater participation of the epoxy resin and the discrete action of the fibers, while for composites with 30 and 40 vol% TVFs, there was activation of more complex mechanisms such as pullout, shearing, and fiber rupture. These results indicate that the TVF composite has great potential for use in bulletproof vests. Full article

In recent years, the active-matrix organic light-emitting diode (AMOLED) displays have been greatly required. A voltage compensation pixel circuit based on an amorphous indium gallium zinc oxide thin-film transistor is presented for AMOLED displays. The circuit is composed of five transistors–two capacitors (5T2C) in combination with an OLED. In the circuit, the threshold voltages of both the transistor and the OLED are extracted simultaneously in the threshold voltage extraction stage, and the mobility-related discharge voltage is generated in the data input stage. The circuit not only can compensate the electrical characteristics variation, i.e., the threshold voltage variation and mobility variation, but also can compensate the OLED degradation. Furthermore, the circuit can prevent the OLED flicker, and can achieve the wide data voltage range. The circuit simulation results show that the OLED current error rates (CERs) are lower than 3.89% when the transistor’s threshold voltage variation is ±0.5V, lower than 3.49% when the mobility variation is ±30%. Full article

In this study, Hf_xAl_yO_z nanolaminate, single-layer Al₂O₃, and HfO₂ gate insulators were fabricated by atomic layer deposition (ALD) to successfully integrate the InGaZnO (IGZO) thin-film transistors (TFTs). Compared with single-layer HfO₂-based TFTs, the Hf_xAl_yO_z-based IGZO TFTs showed a larger field-effect mobility of 10.31 cm²/Vs and a smaller subthreshold swing of 0.12 V/decade. Moreover, it showed a smaller threshold voltage shift of 0.5 V than that of HfO₂-based TFTs under gate-bias stress at +5 V for 900 s due to the smooth surface. Moreover, the high dielectric Hf_xAl_yO_z nanolaminate had a larger equivalent SiO₂ thinness than that of Al₂O₃ gate insulators, which are beneficial in applications of high-resolution display. Thus, the high mobility and high stability TFTs could be regarded as good candidates for active-matrix flat panel displays. Full article

In this paper, we propose a design of a two-channel high-performance DC-DC converter that provides a positive voltage V_POS with a low ripple, and a negative voltage V_NEG with high power efficiency, for the purpose of enhancing power efficiency and output ripple under light loads of 100 mA or less for mobile active-matrix organic light-emitting diode (AMOLED) displays. The V_POS was designed as a boost converter using a novel input voltage variation reduction circuit (IVVRC), which rapidly changes the pulse width for input voltage fluctuations, using a feed-forward path. The V_NEG was designed as an inverting buck–boost converter based on the pulse width modulation–set time variable pulse width modulation (PWM–SPWM) dual-mode switching method to enhance power efficiency, especially under light loads, and to reduce the overhead of the circuit configuration using a voltage-controlled oscillator. In addition, an adaptive dead-time using voltage detection of switching node (ADTVS) circuit was proposed to enhance power efficiency, which detects the voltage of the switching node at every cycle, and keeps the dead-time constant irrespective of changes in driving conditions. The proposed converter was fabricated with a chip size of 1.67 mm × 2.44 mm, using a 0.35 μm BCD process. Measurement results showed that the power efficiency of our converter was 72.9%~90.4% at 5 mA–100 mA light load output current, which is 2.7%~5.8% higher than the output of the previous converter. Furthermore, the output voltage ripple of V_POS and V_NEG at 5 mA light load output current was 3.0 mV and 5.3 mV, respectively, which improved by 19% and 25% as compared to those of the previous converter, respectively. Full article

For high-speed and large-area active-matrix displays, metal-oxide thin-film transistors (TFTs) with high field-effect mobility, stability, and good uniformity are essential. Moreover, reducing the RC delay is also important to achieve high-speed operation, which is induced by the parasitic capacitance formed between the source/drain (S/D) and the gate electrodes. From this perspective, self-aligned top-gate oxide TFTs can provide advantages such as a low parasitic capacitance for high-speed displays due to minimized overlap between the S/D and the gate electrodes. Here, we demonstrate self-aligned top-gate oxide TFTs using a solution-processed indium-gallium-zinc-oxide (IGZO) channel and crosslinked poly(4-vinylphenol) (PVP) gate dielectric layers. By applying a selective Ar plasma treatment on the IGZO channel, low-resistance IGZO regions could be formed, having a sheet resistance value of ~20.6 kΩ/sq., which can act as the homojunction S/D contacts in the top-gate IGZO TFTs. The fabricated self-aligned top-gate IGZO TFTs exhibited a field-effect mobility of 3.93 cm²/Vs and on/off ratio of ~10⁶, which are comparable to those fabricated using a bottom-gate structure. Furthermore, we also demonstrated self-aligned top-gate TFTs using electrospun indium-gallium-oxide (IGO) nanowires (NWs) as a channel layer. The IGO NW TFTs exhibited a field-effect mobility of 0.03 cm²/Vs and an on/off ratio of >10⁵. The results demonstrate that the Ar plasma treatment for S/D contact formation and the solution-processed PVP gate dielectric can be implemented in realizing self-aligned top-gate oxide TFTs. Full article