Cell Height Research Articles

Non-Uniform Circumferential Expansion of Cylindrical Li-Ion Cells—The Potato Effect

This paper presents the non-uniform change in cell thickness of cylindrical Lithium (Li)-ion cells due to the change of State of Charge (SoC). Using optical measurement methods, with the aid of a laser light band micrometer, the expansion and contraction are determined over a complete charge and discharge cycle. The cell is rotated around its own axis by an angle of α=10° in each step, so that the different positions can be compared with each other over the circumference. The experimental data show that, contrary to the assumption based on the physical properties of electrode growth due to lithium intercalation in the graphite, the cell does not expand uniformly. Depending on the position and orientation of the cell coil, there are different zones of expansion and contraction. In order to confirm the non-uniform expansion around the circumference of the cell in 3D, X-ray computed tomography (CT) scans of the cells are performed at low and at high SoC. Comparison of the high resolution 3D reconstructed volumes clearly visualizes a sinusoidal pattern for non-uniform expansion. From the 3D volume, it can be confirmed that the thickness variation does not vary significantly over the height of the battery cell due to the observed mechanisms. However, a slight decrease in the volume change towards the poles of the battery cells due to the higher stiffness can be monitored.

Based on auxetic foam: A novel type of seismic metamaterial for Lamb waves

Seismic metamaterial (SM) has lately received significant attention in the field of vibration isolation and damping due to its wave manipulation and bandgap properties. However, the limitations of unit cell size and the difference of the material parameters of each component have made it challenging to generate an ultra-low frequency bandgap. In order to overcome this challenge, a novel type of 2D SM composed of auxetic foam and steel is proposed to attenuate seismic waves at ultra-low frequencies. Firstly, the band structure of the SMs and the vibration modes of the upper and lower bounds of the first complete bandgap are calculated and analyzed by using the finite element method, and the mechanism of the bandgap generation is clarified. The transmission spectrum under the Lamb wave incident on the SM is investigated. It is validated that Lamb waves have a good attenuation effect in the frequency range below 10 Hz. Secondly, a parametric study of the SM with auxetic foam-coated hollow steel columns is carried out. The numerical results show that the shape and height of the unit cell, the elastic modulus, density and Poisson’s ratio of the auxetic foam play important roles in the formation of the bandgap. Finally, the numerical simulation verifies that adding through holes in the matrix which reduces the equivalent mass density of the matrix could widen the bandgap and enhance the effective attenuation of seismic waves. Based on theoretical model and combined with the exceptional material characteristics of auxetic foam, the focus of the study is to achieve a wide bandgap coverage for the seismic peak spectrum of 2 Hz which causes the principal damage of surface buildings.

The implication of leaf anatomical structure for the selective breeding of lilacs.

The cultivars of the common lilac (Syringa vulgaris) grown in the south of the Russian Far East are not always winter-hardy and are often damaged by fungal diseases due to a very humid climate. A promising trend in the selective breeding of lilacs in Russia is the creation of new breeding material based on the gene pool of the broadleaf lilac (S. oblata) and its hybrids in order to introduce valuable adaptive traits into cultivars. The present work aimed to identify the traits of leaf anatomy in species and cultivars of Syringa resistant and susceptible to Pseudocercospora lilacis, the causative agent of brown leaf spot disease. The study was carried out on the living collection of the Botanical Garden-Institute, Far Eastern Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences (Vladivostok). The leaf anatomical structure of two Syringa species showing different degrees of resistance to P. lilacis in the monsoon climate of the Far East (resistant S. oblata and weakly resistant S. vulgaris, and also their hybrid cultivars) has been analyzed. The differences between species, subspecies, and cultivars are quantitative: they differ in the number of spongy mesophyll layers, the cell height in the f irst layer of palisade mesophyll, the cell height in the upper and lower epidermises, and the thickness of both mesophylls. The interspecif ic hybrids resistant or weakly resistant to P. lilacis (brown leaf spot disease) mainly retain the leaf anatomy structure of the maternal plant. One of the traits determining the resistance of hybrid lilac cultivars is an increased number of spongy mesophyll layers in the leaf blade. The study of leaf anatomy has shown that the four-layered spongy mesophyll leaf parenchyma correlates with the resistance of lilacs from the subsection Euvulgaris to P. lilacis. In S. oblata, this trait is inherited down the maternal line. To establish lilac cultivars resistant to fungal diseases, it is advisable to cross the two species (S. oblata and S. vulgaris) or their cultivars using one of S. oblata subspecies as a maternal plant.

Safety and Effectiveness of Total versus Subtotal Thyroidectomy in Management of Simple Multinodular Goiter

Abstract Background: Disorders of the thyroid gland constitute the second most common endocrine disease following diabetes mellitus. The prevalence of nodular goiter and thyroid auton-omy is increased in regions with chronic Iodine Deficiency (ID). It has been documented that the thyroid gland adjusts to ID in the early stages by diffuse hyperplasia, while chronic exposure to ID results in nodular hyperplasia, increased colloid content and increased height of the follicular cells. Aim of Study: To compare between total and subtotal thyroidectomy in management of Multinodular Goiter as regard safety and effectiveness and post-operative complica-tions like: Hypocalcaemia, recurrent laryngeal nerve injury and hypoparathyroidism. Material and Methods: This prospective study was done at Ain Shams University Hospitals and Banha teaching hospital during the period between March and September 2019. This study included 40 cases of SMNG. Their age was between 30 to 45 years, consent was taken from each patient pre-operatively. Agreement of ethical committee was done. Results: Our study showed the advantages of total thy-roidectomy include adequate eradication of the disease, prevention of recurrent goiter and avoidance of the need for completion surgery in case of occult malignancy, but it is associated with higher morbidity (postoperative thyroidectomy complications: RLN palsy and hypoparathyroidism) and the need for lifelong replacement therapy (L-thyroxin supplemen-tation). Conclusion: In MNG, there are a high percentage of cases with disease involving the entire gland; many areas of appar-ently healthy tissue are found to be microscopically involved with variable grade of chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis or follicular hyperplasia or even lobular dysplasia with tendency to form nodules. These signs of disease of this organ tend to recurrence if not treated.

An ancient RAB5 governs the formation of additional vacuoles and cell shape in petunia petals.

Homologous ("canonical") RAB5 proteins regulate endosomal trafficking to lysosomes in animals and to the central vacuole in plants. Epidermal petal cells contain small vacuoles (vacuolinos) that serve as intermediate stations for proteins on their way to the central vacuole. Here, we show that transcription factors required for vacuolino formation in petunia induce expression of RAB5a. RAB5a defines a previously unrecognized clade of canonical RAB5s that is evolutionarily and functionally distinct from ARA7-type RAB5s, which act in trafficking to the vacuole. Loss of RAB5a reduces cell height and abolishes vacuolino formation, which cannot be rescued by the ARA7 homologs, whereas constitutive RAB5a (over)expression alters the conical cell shape and promotes homotypic vacuolino fusion, resulting in oversized vacuolinos. These findings provide a rare example of how gene duplication and neofunctionalization increased the complexity of membrane trafficking during evolution and suggest a mechanism by which cells may form multiple vacuoles with distinct content and function.

Histometric parameters of the large intestine of hybrid marmosets Callithrix sp. under the influence of seasonality.

Morphofunctional characteristics of the large intestine are rarely explored to understand the physiology, behavior and ecology of neotropical primates. In this study, we analyzed the histometric parameters of the large intestine of hybrid marmosets (Callithrix sp.) captured in forest fragments of Viçosa-Brazil, under seasonal interference. These animals were predominantly insectivorous in the rainy season and gummivores in the dry season. Large intestine fragments were collected and processed according to histological methods and stained with toluidine blue for general analysis, periodic acid of Schiff (PAS) and Alcian blue (AB) for goblet cells, Grimelius and Masson Fontana for argyrophil and argentaffin endocrine cells. Several histometric parameters were more expressive in the large intestine of the rainy season marmosets: greater thickness of the parietal layers, greater number of argyrophil and argentaffin endocrine cells, and AB-positive goblet cells, characteristics favor secretomotor functions and reduce the passage time of the fecal bolus, which is consistent with an insectivorous diet. In contrast, parameters such as crypt width, height of the absorptive cells and striated border, and the number of PAS-positive cells were more expressive in the dry season marmosets, reflecting the need for longer passage time for digestion and absorption of food items from tree gum, which are more complex and demand the action of microorganisms present in the large intestine, as well as greater protection against the abrasive action of dietary fibers and against microorganisms. Thus, it can be said that the marmoset's large intestine has morphological adaptations to maximize energy intake from the diet, which alternates under the influence of seasonality.

Effect of trypsin concentration on living SMCC-7721 cells studied by atomic force microscopy.

Trypsin is playing an important role in the processes of cancer proliferation, invasion and metastasis which require the precise information of morphology and mechanical properties on the nano-scale for the related research. In this work, living human hepatoma (SMCC-7721) cells were treated with different concentrations of trypsin solution. The morphology and mechanical properties of the cells were measured via atomic force microscope (AFM). Statistical analyses of measurement data indicated that with the increase of trypsin concentration, the average cell height and the surface roughness were both increased, but the cell viability, the cell surface adhesion and the elasticity modulus were decreased significantly. The force required to puncture the cells was also gradually reduced. It indicates that trypsin not only hydrolyses the proteins between the cell and the substrate but also the membrane proteins. The results offer valuable clues for the cancerous process study, pathological analysis and trypsin inhibitor drug development. And this work provides an effective way for overcoming the cell membrane in drug injection for cell-targeted therapy.

Energy absorption characteristics of square frustum lattice structure

Lattice structure has become an important energy absorber with its light weight and high strength ratio. In this paper, the stable flat-topped pyramid is used as the structural cell, and square frustum lattice structure (SFLS) with excellent energy absorption performance is designed. The geometry of SFLS is controlled by three factors: cell height, side length ratio and cell number. The quasi-static compression experiment and the finite element (FE) simulation were used to analyse the energy absorption characteristics of SFLS. The results show that the deformation of SFLSs is tightened folding mode, and produce a quasi-rectangular energy absorption curve. The parameterization study found that the better energy absorption performance is the SFLS with arbitrary cell number value, small cell height value and side length ratio close to 1, and the maximum SEA value can reach 72.05 J/g. Finally, by modifying the theoretical prediction model of mean crushing force and comparing with the FE results, it is found that the introduced correction coefficient can reduce the absolute error value from 32.18% to 4.96%, which indicates that the modified theoretical prediction model can be accurately used for prediction.

A Comprehensive Study of Nanosheet and Forksheet SRAM for Beyond N5 Node

SRAM bitcell area reduction, lower SRAM parasitic resistance, and higher drive strength are necessary to continue with technology scaling. Nanosheet (NSH) technology improves SRAM cell write-ability by having 50 mV more write trip point (WTP) than FinFET (FF) SRAM due to reduced bit line (BL) resistance (due to wider metal CD) and more drive current strength (more than 15%) than FF for the same leakage. However, due to higher bitcell area (20% larger), BL, and word line (WL) parasitic capacitance than FF, NSH SRAM would not compete with FF SRAM in terms of the read delay (26% more delay) and energy at the 3-nm technology node. PFET to NFET (PN) spacing, composed of gate cut, gate extension, and Fin pitch in an SRAM bitcell, is critical for SRAM cell height because it can take ~46% of the 111 SRAM total cell height. The forksheet (FSH), achieving extremely scaled PN space in SRAM bitcell due to device structure with limited additional processing complexity, reduces the SRAM bitcell area. As a result, BL and WL parasitics reduce and improve the SRAM read delay and stability. FSH SRAM saves 6% area benefit and achieves 24% lesser read delay than FF high density (HD) SRAM.

COMPARING THE EFFECT OF TWO COATING METHODS OF Tetragonula laeviceps PROPOLIS WATER EXTRACTION ON PHYSICAL QUALITY AND SHELF LIFE OF EGGS KEPT IN ROOM TEMPERATURE

Studies show that in the tropical region, like Indonesia, eggs have a low shelf life, ranging from 10 to 14 days when kept at room temperature. The application of natural coating material, such as propolis, could improve the shelf life of eggs. However, due to the high cost of the material, it is necessary to find more efficient application methods. In this study, propolis extraction using aquadest as solvent was applied, by brushing and spraying, to 180 fresh eggs of local chicken (Gallus sp.) aged 24 hours with another 180 eggs, without propolis coating, designed as control. All eggs were kept in room temperature for 35 days and changes on the albumen index, yolk index, and height of air sacs were measured every 7 days. This study showed that the different application methods did not significantly affect the value of the albumen index and yolk index for each observation time, but haugh unit and height of the air cell. However, the result indicated that the application of propolis by spraying maintained egg quality for a longer time than brushing and the average shelf life of eggs sold at the local market.

Scanning electron microscopy preparation of the cellular actin cortex: A quantitative comparison between critical point drying and hexamethyldisilazane drying.

The cellular cortex is an approximately 200-nm-thick actin network that lies just beneath the cell membrane. It is responsible for the mechanical properties of cells, and as such, it is involved in many cellular processes, including cell migration and cellular interactions with the environment. To develop a clear view of this dense structure, high-resolution imaging is essential. As one such technique, electron microscopy, involves complex sample preparation procedures. The final drying of these samples has significant influence on potential artifacts, like cell shrinkage and the formation of artifactual holes in the actin cortex. In this study, we compared the three most used final sample drying procedures: critical-point drying (CPD), CPD with lens tissue (CPD-LT), and hexamethyldisilazane drying. We show that both hexamethyldisilazane and CPD-LT lead to fewer artifactual mesh holes within the actin cortex than CPD. Moreover, CPD-LT leads to significant reduction in cell height compared to hexamethyldisilazane and CPD. We conclude that the final drying procedure should be chosen according to the reduction in cell height, and so CPD-LT, or according to the spatial separation of the single layers of the actin cortex, and so hexamethyldisilazane.

Transcriptomic Analysis Identified ARHGAP Family as a Novel Biomarker Associated With Tumor-Promoting Immune Infiltration and Nanomechanical Characteristics in Bladder Cancer.

Bladder cancer (BCa) is a common lethal urinary malignancy worldwide. The role of ARHGAP family genes in BCa and its association with immuno-microenvironment remain largely unknown. ARHGAP family expression and immune infiltration in BCa were analyzed by bioinformatics analysis. Then, we investigated cell proliferation, invasion, and migration in vivo and in vitro of the ARHGAP family. Furthermore, atomic force microscopy (AFM) was employed in measuring cellular mechanical properties of BCa cells. The results demonstrated that ARHGAP family genes correlate with a tumor-promoting microenvironment with a lower Th1/Th2 cell ratio, higher DC cell infiltration, higher Treg cell infiltration, and T-cell exhaustion phenotype. Silencing ARHGAP5, ARHGAP17, and ARHGAP24 suppressed BCa cell proliferation, migration, and metastasis. Knocking down of ARHGAPs in T24 cells caused a relatively higher Young’s modulus and lower adhesive force and cell height. Taken together, ARHGAP family genes promote BCa progressing through establishing a tumor-promoting microenvironment and promoting cancer progression.

The effect of atrazine on intestinal histology, microbial community and short chain fatty acids in Pelophylax nigromaculatus tadpoles

The intestine is the main organ for nutrient absorption in amphibians. It is sensitive to atrazine, which is a herbicide widely used in agricultural areas. At present, there is a lack of systematic research on the effect of atrazine on the amphibian intestine. In this study, we evaluated the effects of atrazine exposure (0, 50 μg/L, 100 μg/L, and 500 μg/L) for 20 days on intestinal histology, microbiota and short chain fatty acids in Pelophylax nigromaculatus tadpoles. Our research showed that 500 μg/L atrazine exposure significantly decreased the height of microvilli and epithelial cells, and altered the composition and diversity of intestinal microbiota in P. nigromaculatus tadpoles compared to the control. At the phylum level, the abundance of Bacteroidetes and Fusobacteria increased significantly, while that of Verrucomicrobia and Firmicutes decreased significantly in the 500 μg/L atrazine treatment group. At the genus level, Akkermansia and Lactococcus had significantly lower abundance in the 100 μg/L and 500 μg/L atrazine exposure group, while Cetobacterium was only detected in the 100 μg/L and 500 μg/L atrazine treated group. Also, function prediction of intestinal microbiota showed that atrazine treatment significantly changed the metabolism pathways of P. nigromaculatus tadpoles. In addition, 500 μg/L atrazine exposure changed the content of short chain fatty acids by significantly increasing the content of total SFCAs, butyric acid, and valeric acid, and decreasing the content of isovaleric acid in the intestine. Taken together, atrazine exposure could affect the intestinal histology and induce intestinal microbiota imbalance and metabolic disorder in amphibian tadpoles.

REMODELING PECULIARITIES OF ATRIAL ARTERY IN CONDITIONS OF POSTRESECTION PORTAL HYPERTENSION

It is known that structural and functional changes in the heart can be caused by various changes in hemodynamics, which include post resection portal hypertension. It should be noted that the structure of the atrial arteries in postresection portal hypertension has not been studied enough.
 The purpose of the study is to investigate the peculiarities of atrial artery remodeling in the conditions of post resection portal hypertension.
 Material and methods. The arteries of the atria of 34 male rats, which were divided into 2 groups, were studied by a complex of morphological methods. The group 1 consisted of 15 experimental intact animals; group 2 included 19 rats with post resection portal hypertension, which was simulated by removal of the left and right lateral lobes of the liver. Euthanasia of rats was performed by bloodletting under conditions of thiopental anesthesia one month after the start of the experiment. The outer and inner diameters of the atrial arteries of medium and small calibers, the thickness of the media and adventitial membrane, Wagenworth and Kernogan indices, the height of endothelial cells, the diameters of their nuclei, nuclear-cytoplasmic ratios in the studied endothelial cells, and relative volumes of damaged endotheliocytes were measured. Quantitative indicators were processed statistically.
 Results. It was established that in the conditions of post resection portal hypertension the arteries of small caliber of the atria changed more markedly. The outer diameter of these vessels of the left atrium increased by 4.2 %, the right - by 3.3 % (p <0.05), the thickness of the media and the adventitial membrane increased by 12.58 % and 45.7 % and respectively 11.8 % and 33.7 % (p <0.001, their lumen decreased by 13.5 % and 10.7 %, respectively) (p <0.001). The Wagenworth index of small caliber arteries increased markedly, and the Kernogan index decreased. Nuclear-cytoplasmic ratios in endotheliocytes of small arteries of the left atrium were changed by 7.6 %, and in the right - by 6.1 % (p<0.01), the relative volumes of damaged endotheliocytes respectively increased by 7.6 and 5, 2 times (p <0.001). Damage to a significant number of endothelial cells led to their dysfunction, blockade of NO synthase, decreased NO synthesis, activation of its degradation, which exacerbated spasm, narrowing of vessels and significantly impaired blood supply to the body and complicated by hypoxia.Histologically at post resection portal hypertension, there were pronounced vascular disorders, plethora, dilation of mainly venous vessels, perivasal edema and stroma edema, foci of dystrophic, necrobiotic, apoptotically altered endotheliocytes, stromal structures and cardiomyocytes. There was also swelling of endothelial cells, their dystrophy, necrobiosis, desquamation and proliferation.
 Conclusion. Post resection portal hypertension leads to severe remodeling of mainly small atrial arteries, which is characterized by thickening of their wall, narrowing of the lumen, changes in the Kernogan and Vaughanworth indices, endothelial cell damage, endothelial dysfunction, decreasing of organ blood supply, hypoxia, trophic disorders, dystrophic and necrobiolic changes of tissues and cells, infiltration, sclerosis.

A multi-objective optimization of stent geometries

Stents are scaffolding cardiovascular implants used to restore blood flow in narrowed arteries. However, the presence of the stent alters local blood flow and shear stresses on the surrounding arterial wall, which can cause adverse tissue responses and increase the risk of adverse outcomes. There is a need for optimization of stent designs for hemodynamic performance. We used multi-objective optimization to identify ideal combinations of design variables by assessing potential trade-offs based on common hemodynamic indices associated with clinical risk and mechanical performance of the stents. We studied seven design variables including strut cross-section, strut dimension, strut angle, cell alignment, cell height, connector type and connector arrangement. Optimization objectives were the percentage of vessel area exposed to adversely low time averaged WSS (TAWSS) and adversely high Wall Shear Stress (WSS) assessed using computational fluid dynamics modeling, as well as radial stiffness of the stent using FEA simulation. Two multi-objective optimization algorithms were used and compared to iteratively predict ideal designs. Out of 50 designs, three best designs with respect to each of the three objectives, and two designs in regard to overall performance were identified.

Сравнительная характеристика ультраструктуры клеток нефрона некоторых видов пелагических, придонных и донных рыб (бухта Карантинная, Чёрное море)

Изучена ультраструктура основных отделов нефрона мезонефроса костистых рыб Чёрного моря (пелагических Trachurus mediterraneus (Steindachner, 1868) и Chelon auratus (Risso, 1810); придонных Diplodus annularis (Linnaeus, 1758) и Spicara flexuosa Rafinesque, 1810; донных Scorpaena porcus Linnaeus, 1758, Gobius niger Linnaeus, 1758 и Mullus barbatus ponticus Essipov, 1927). Показано, что у рыб Чёрного моря, обитающих на разных глубинах и находящихся в различных условиях осмотической нагрузки среды, на тканевом уровне организации нефроны имеют единый план строения и формируют гломерулярные почки. Приспособленность рыб к обитанию на определённых глубинах в первую очередь проявляется в увеличении количества и размеров митохондрий всех типов эпителиальных клеток нефрона. Кроме того, отмечено уменьшение площади почечных телец, длины подоцитов и высоты эпителиоцитов канальцев, а также длины щёточной каёмки проксимальных канальцев I типа. Цитологические особенности нефрона пелагических, придонных и донных рыб характеризуют высокую адаптационную способность клеточных структур мезонефроса.

Morphometric properties of immature reticulocytes in health and during acute lymphoblastic and acute myeloid leukemia

Despite significant advances, many changes occurring in the tumor microenvironment during acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) remain unclear. The surface of immature reticulocytes was examined by atomic force microscopy (AFM) to determine specific changes during the development of ALL and AML. In patients with ALL the surface area of reticulocytes increased by 18.5 %, volume by 8.7 %, the width of invaginations by 18 %, and cell height decreased by 7.8 %. In patients with AML, the volume increased by 12.6 %, roughness by 35.5 %, the height of protrusions by 36.2 %, the depth of invaginations by 24.8 %, their width by 18.2 %, and the maximum height difference of the surface by 31.9 %. The obtained data11Seliverstov, Evgeniy (2021), “Properties of immature reticulocytes obtained from donors and patients with ALL and AML”, Mendeley Data, V3, https://doi.org/10.17632/54myng9d2t.3. has important prognostic value in studying the bone marrow activity during acute leukemia.

Dynamic cellular biomechanics in responses to chemotherapeutic drug in hypoxia probed by atomic force spectroscopy.

The changes in cellular structure play an important role in cancer cell development, progression, and metastasis. By exploiting single-cell, force spectroscopy methods, we probed biophysical and biomechanical kinetics (stiffness, morphology, roughness, adhesion) of brain, breast, prostate, and pancreatic cancer cells with standard chemotherapeutic drugs in normoxia and hypoxia over 12–24 hours. After exposure to the drugs, we found that brain, breast, and pancreatic cancer cells became approximately 55–75% less stiff, while prostate cancer cells became more stiff, due to either drug-induced disruption or reinforcement of cytoskeletal structure. However, the rate of the stiffness change decreased up to 2-folds in hypoxia, suggesting a correlation between cellular stiffness and drug resistance of cancer cells in hypoxic tumor microenvironment. Also, we observed significant changes in the cell body height, surface roughness, and cytoadhesion of cancer cells after exposure to drugs, which followed the trend of stiffness. Our results show that a degree of chemotherapeutic drug effects on biomechanical and biophysical properties of cancer cells is distinguishable in normoxia and hypoxia, which are correlated with alteration of cytoskeletal structure and integrity during drug-induced apoptotic process.

Histo-morphology of genitalia in crossbred dairy cows with kinked cervix

The study was conducted on genitalia collected from 100 dairy cows/heifers from the Meat Technology Unit, Mannuthy. The animals brought for slaughter at Meat Technology Unit, Mannuthy were from herds of five different farms (University and Government Undertaking farms) in Kerala state. This included six animals culled on account of factors other than infertility with normal reproductive system (control group) and the remaining animals with a known history of infertility. In total, seven animals showed kinked cervix condition. Cervix was evaluated morphometrically and histologically. Grossly, the cervix was hard, kinked and S-shaped, with a mean length of 9.64 ± 1.19 cm. Average number of annular rings in the cervical canal was 4.14 ± 0.26 with an average diameter of 1.74 ± 0.18 cm. At the external os, diameter of the cervix was less, while at the uterine end, diameter was more. The opening of each cervical ring showed a misalignment instead of a straight line. Histologically, the cervix was lined by simple columnar epithelium with signs of degeneration and desquamation. However, the submucosal layer was extensively infiltrated by collagen fibres. In uterus, there was a significant difference in the number of endometrial glands and height of the glandular epithelial cells which was less when compared to the control group. Muscular layer outer to connective tissue layer was thin and uneven. Alterations of the glandular structures negatively influence the viability of spermatozoa due to the lack of secretory products. This fibrous, collagen rich kinked cervix limits the smooth deposition of the semen into the uterus during artificial insemination and the insufficiently dilated cervix affects its contractibility leading to dystocia and subfertility.

Multirow Complementary-FET (CFET) Standard Cell Synthesis Framework Using Satisfiability Modulo Theories (SMTs)

With the relentless scaling of technology nodes, the track number reduction of conventional (Conv.) cell is starting to reach its limitations due to limited routing resources, lateral p-n separations, and performance requirements. As a result, to exploit the benefits of 3-D architectures, complementary-FET (CFET) technology, which stacks P-FET on N-FET or vice versa, is proposed to release the restriction of p-n separation and reduce in-cell routing congestion by enabling p-n direct connections. However, CFET standard cell (SDC) synthesis demands a holistic reconsideration of multirow (MR) structure to maximize the cell and block-level area benefits due to limited in-cell routing tracks and routability that comes from the stacked structure and reduced cell height. In this article, we propose a satisfiability modulo theory (SMT)-based MR CFET SDC synthesis framework that simultaneously solves place-and-route to minimize the cell area by considering single-row and MR placement together. We enable explorations on upper/lower M0A/PC routing to leverage the shared-and-split structure across cell rows with the proposed MR dynamic complementary pin allocation scheme. We demonstrate that MR 2.5T CFET without and with upper/lower M0A/PC routing achieves 16.44% and 20.61% on the average reduced cell areas, respectively, compared to 3.5T CFET. Moreover, MR 2.5T CFET SDCs achieve 13.43% and 14.40% less block-level area and total wirelength on average compared to 3.5T CFET SDCs.