Human breast milk is widely recognized as the best source of nutrients for healthy growth and development of infants; it contains a diverse microbiota. Here, we characterized the diversity of the ...microbiota in the breast milk of East Asian women and assessed whether delivery mode influenced the microbiota in the milk of healthy breast-feeding mothers. We profiled the microbiota in breast milk samples collected from 133 healthy mothers in Taiwan and in six regions of mainland China (Central, East, North, Northeast, South, and Southwest China) by using 16S rRNA pyrosequencing. Lactation stage (months postpartum when the milk sample was collected) and maternal body mass index did not influence the breast milk microbiota. Bacterial composition at the family level differed significantly among samples from the seven geographical regions. The five most predominant bacterial families were
(mean relative abundance: 24.4%),
(14.0%),
(12.2%),
(6.2%), and
(4.8%). The microbial profiles were classified into three clusters, driven by
(abundance in Cluster 1: 42.1%),
(Cluster 2: 48.5%), or
(Cluster 3: 26.5%). Microbial network analysis at the genus level revealed that the abundances of the Gram-positive
,
, and
were negatively correlated with those of the Gram-negative
,
,
,
, and
. Milk from mothers who had undergone Caesarian section (C-section group) had a significantly higher abundance of
(
< 0.05) and a higher number of unique unclassified operational taxonomic units (OTUs) (
< 0.001) than that from mothers who had undergone vaginal delivery (vaginal group). These findings revealed that (i) geographic differences in the microbial profiles were found in breast milk from mothers living in Taiwan and mainland China, (ii) the predominant bacterial families
,
, and
were key components for forming three respective clusters, and (iii) a significantly greater number of unique OTUs was found in the breast milk from mothers who had undergone C-section than from those who had delivered vaginally.
This study focused on using the released heat from a heat pump as the heat source at 40–50 °C to regenerate a silica gel/polymer composite desiccant wheel and also on using the adsorb heat of the ...heat pump to dehumidify the processed air by condensing it and creating a high relative humidity condition, which helped to improve the performance of the composite desiccant wheel. The desiccant wheel was placed behind the evaporator to handle the second stage of dehumidification, achieving total dehumidification by 7 g kg−1. A new composite desiccant made of 80% silica gel, 10% polyacrylic acid and 10% polyacrylic sodium (SG8PS1PA1) was chosen due to its high average adsorption rate and its low average temperature increase of outlet air. Composite desiccants can be made into any shape, so a low-pressure-drop composite desiccant wheel with air flow channels can be designed to reduce the power consumption of the system. Under the same conditions, a composite desiccant in a heat pump system exhibited an energy factor of 2.3 kg kW−1 h−1, outperforming the silica-gel-based system by 130% and consuming less power than traditional dehumidification systems. Finally, the composite desiccant wheel-heat pump system was installed in a building and underwent long-term testing.
•Composite desiccant has low pressure drop and high dehumidification performance.•Condensing and adsorption dehumidification achieve total dehumidification by 7 g kg−1.•Energy factor of composite desiccant combined with heat pump system is 2.3 kg/kWh.•Get the same absolute humidity with small energy comparing with traditional systems.•Composite desiccant combined with heat pump system reduce enthalpy of outdoor air.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZRSKP
Abstract
Time-of-flight dual photon emission computed tomography (TOF-DuPECT) is an imaging system that can obtain radionuclide distributions using time information recorded from two cascade-decay ...photons. The potential decay locations in the image space, a hyperbolic response curve, can be determined via time-difference-of-arrival (TDOA) estimations from two instantaneous coincidence photons. In this feasibility study, Monte Carlo simulations were performed to generate list-mode coincidence data. A full-ring positron emission tomography-like detection system geometry was built in the simulation environment. A contrast phantom and a Jaszczak-like phantom filled with Selenium-75 (Se-75) were used to evaluate the image quality. A TOF-DuPECT system with varying coincidence time resolution (CTR) was then evaluated. We used the stochastic origin ensemble (SOE) algorithm to reconstruct images from the recorded list-mode data. The results indicate that the SOE method can be successfully employed for the TOF-DuPECT system and can achieve acceptable image quality when the CTR is less than 100 ps. Therefore, the TOF-DuPECT imaging system is feasible. With the improvement of the detector with time, future implementations and applications of TOF-DuPECT are promising. Further quantitative imaging techniques such as attenuation and scatter corrections for the TOF-DuPECT system will be developed in future.
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IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
Objectives This study was designed to evaluate the status of steroidogenesis proteins and de novo synthesis of aldosterone in the atrium, and relationships of these factors to atrial fibrillation ...(AF). Background The role of mineralocorticoid in the pathogenesis of AF is unknown. Methods We studied atrial expression of steroidogenesis proteins and aldosterone level in patients with and without AF, and in HL-1 atrial myocytes. We also investigated the electrophysiologic effects and signal transduction of aldosterone on atrial myocytes. Results We found basal expressions of mineralocorticoid receptors (MRs), glucocorticoid receptors, and 11-beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2 (11bHSD2) but not 11-beta-hydroxylase (CYP11B1) or aldosterone synthase (CYP11B2) in human atria and HL-1 myocytes. There was no significant difference of mean atrial aldosterone level between patients with AF and those with normal sinus rhythm. However, patients with AF had a significantly higher atrial MR expression compared with those with normal sinus rhythm (1.73 ± 0.24-fold, p < 0.001). Using mouse HL-1 atrial myocytes as a cellular AF model, we found that rapid depolarization increased MR expression (1.97 ± 0.72-fold, p = 0.008) through a calcium-dependent mechanism, thus augmenting the genomic effect of aldosterone signaling as evaluated by MR reporter. Aldosterone increased intracellular oxidative stress through a nongenomic pathway, which was attenuated by nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase inhibitor diphenyleneiodonium, but not by MR-blockade spironolactone. Aldosterone increased expression of the alpha-1G and -1H subunits of the T-type calcium channel and thus increased the T-type calcium current (–13.6 ± 2.9 pA/pF vs. –4.5 ± 1.6 pA/pF, p < 0.01) and the intracellular calcium load through a genomic pathway, which were attenuated by spironolactone, but not by diphenyleneiodonium. Conclusions Expression of MR increased in AF, thus augmenting the genomic effects of aldosterone. Aldosterone induced atrial ionic remodeling and calcium overload through a genomic pathway, which was attenuated by spironolactone. These results suggest that aldosterone may play a role in AF electrical remodeling and provide insight into the treatment of AF with MR blockade.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Optogenetics is widely used in fundamental neuroscience. Its potential clinical translation for brain neuromodulation requires a careful assessment of the safety and efficacy of repeated, sustained ...optical stimulation of large volumes of brain tissues. This study was performed in rats and not in non-human primates for ethical reasons. We studied the spatial distribution of light, potential damage, and non-physiological effects in vivo, in anesthetized rat brains, on large brain volumes, following repeated high irradiance photo-stimulation. We generated 2D irradiance and temperature increase surface maps based on recordings taken during optical stimulation using irradiance and temporal parameters representative of common optogenetics experiments. Irradiances of 100 to 600 mW/mm
with 5 ms pulses at 20, 40, and 60 Hz were applied during 90 s. In vivo electrophysiological recordings and post-mortem histological analyses showed that high power light stimulation had no obvious phototoxic effects and did not trigger non-physiological functional activation. This study demonstrates the ability to illuminate cortical layers to a depth of several millimeters using pulsed red light without detrimental thermal damages.
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IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
The limited capacity of a single inverter has encouraged the usage of parallel inverters for the interconnection of renewable energy generation system. The current-sharing control is one of the ...commonly used operating strategies for parallel inverters; however, the conversion efficiency using conventional current sharing is low at light loads. Therefore, a smart control strategy for conversion efficiency enhancement of parallel inverters is proposed in this paper. The proposed control strategy is based on the conversion efficiency curve of a single inverter, where a particle swarm optimization based algorithm is utilized to find the optimal conversion efficiency of parallel inverters. Integration of the proposed control strategy into a photovoltaic generation system (PVGS) with a rated output power of 20 kW interconnected by ten inverters with rated output powers of 2 kW is simulated in this paper. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed smart control strategy can effectively enhance the conversion efficiency of parallel inverters at light loads and increase the electrical energy output of PVGSs. A fully digitally controlled single-phase inverter with a rated output voltage of 220 V and a rated output power of 2 kW is also implemented in this paper. Two implemented inverters are used to validate the performance of the proposed smart control strategy for parallel inverters. Experimental results show that the proposed control strategy can enhance the conversion efficiency of parallel inverters at light loads.
Sacubitril/valsartan (Entresto) has proven therapeutic effects in heart failure (HF) patients, but its impact on those with advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD) remains unclear, particularly in HF ...patients with coexisting end‐stage renal disease (ESRD). This study aims to assess the long‐term survival of patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) and coexisting ESRD treated with sacubitril/valsartan. A retrospective cohort study included 2,860 HFrEF and ESRD patients between January 2008 and December 2020. After propensity score matching, data from a sacubitril/valsartan group (n = 61) and a candesartan or valsartan group (n = 117) were analyzed. Patients on sacubitril/valsartan for at least 9 months had significantly lower 5‐year all‐cause mortality (39.3%) compared with the non‐sacubitril/valsartan group (54.7%) (HR 0.46; 95% CI, 0.25–0.82; P = 0.0094). Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) improvement after 3 years in the sacubitril/valsartan group (14.51 ±18.98) was significantly greater than the non‐sacubitril/valsartan group (6.91 ±18.44) (P = 0.0408). Average hospitalizations in sacubitril/valsartan and non‐sacubitril/valsartan groups were 1.39 and 0.97, respectively (incidence rate ratio, 1.59; 95% CI, 0.90–2.82; P = 0.1106). Sacubitril/valsartan treatment demonstrated significantly lower 5‐year mortality rates and greater LVEF improvement in HFrEF patients with coexisting ESRD compared with candesartan or valsartan. These findings suggest that sacubitril/valsartan is a beneficial treatment option for this patient population.
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BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
Proton range uncertainties limit the ability to make full clinical use of the sharp distal falloff of the proton beam. To overcome this limitation, prompt gamma (PG) imaging system with mechanical ...collimation can be used in non-invasive proton beam range verification. In this study, we developed a focusing multi-knife-edge collimator to improve the counting efficiency and accuracy in detecting proton beam range. Unlike the common design of a single-knife-edge slit (SKE) collimator, the multi-knife-edge slit (MKE) collimator consists of three slits and focuses on the target detection area. To compare the performances of these two collimator designs, Monte Carlo simulation was unitized to model the cameras for measuring the PGs during proton irradiation. The simulation was performed using the GATE v9.1. The setup included a pencil beam of 100 MeV, 160 MeV, and 230 MV protons incident upon a cylindrical PMMA phantom with three different proton numbers of 107, 108, and 109. The detection PG profiles were fitted with a 3-line-segment fitting method to estimate the range of proton beams. Both cameras were aimed at the expected range depth for the corresponding proton beam energies. Experiments for range shifts were conducted by shifting the phantom between −20 mm and 20 mm along the beam axis. Results demonstrate that the MKE camera exhibits approximately twice the efficiency of the SKE camera in detecting PGs. In range shift retrieval, with the delivery of 108 protons, the MKE camera achieves submillimeter accuracy (except for incident protons at 230 MeV), while the SKE camera achieves accuracy within 2 mm. In conclusion, this study assesses the feasibility of the MKE camera and illustrates its potential application for range shift detection, contributing to precise range monitoring in proton therapy.
•Focusing multi-knife-edge slit (MKE) camera for proton beam range verification is proposed.•Slit cameras with multiple knife edges and single knife edge were evaluated.•MKE camera provides higher detection efficiency and a larger peak and slope in the PG distribution•MKE camera achieves submillimeter accuracy in range shift retrieval with 108 protons delivered.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Colibactin is a nonribosomal peptide-polyketide synthesized by multi-enzyme complexes encoded by the pks gene cluster. Colibactin-producing Escherichia coli have been demonstrated to induce host DNA ...damage and promote colorectal cancer (CRC) development. In Taiwan, the occurrence of pyogenic liver abscess (PLA) has been suggested to correlate with an increasing risk of CRC, and Klebsiella pneumoniae is the predominant PLA pathogen in Taiwan.
At the asn tRNA loci of the newly sequenced K. pneumoniae 1084 genome, we identified a 208-kb genomic island, KPHPI208, of which a module identical to the E. coli pks colibactin gene cluster was recognized. KPHPI208 consists of eight modules, including the colibactin module and the modules predicted to be involved in integration, conjugation, yersiniabactin production, microcin production, and unknown functions. Transient infection of BALB/c normal liver cells with K. pneumoniae 1084 increased the phosphorylation of histone H2AX, indicating the induction of host DNA damage. Colibactin was required for the genotoxicity of K. pneumoniae 1084, as it was diminished by deletion of clbA gene and restored to the wild type level by trans-complementation with a clbA coding plasmid. Besides, BALB/c mice infected with K. pneumoniae 1084 exhibited enhanced DNA damage in the liver parenchymal cells when compared to the isogenic clbA deletion mutant. By PCR detection, the prevalence of pks-positive K. pneumoniae in Taiwan is 25.6%, which is higher than that reported in Europe (3.5%), and is significantly correlated with K1 type, which predominantly accounted for PLA in Taiwan.
Our knowledge regarding how bacteria contribute to carcinogenesis has just begun. The identification of genotoxic K. pneumoniae and its genetic components will facilitate future studies to elucidate the molecular basis underlying the link between K. pneumoniae, PLA, and CRC.
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
In this paper, an ultraviolet (UV) light intensity monitor was newly fabricated for personally wearable devices of monitoring environmental UV light intensity. It was realized by using a UV light ...sensor and a proposed UV light sensor transducer. The proposed UV light sensor transducer can linearly convert UV light intensity into an output of duty cycle. The proposed UV light intensity to duty cycle conversion was less susceptible to noise than the conversion of UV light intensity to analog voltage. In addition, a calibratable technique was also proposed to solve the intrinsic nonlinearity of the output resistance of the monitor's operational amplifier and the resistance of switches. All the functions of the UV light sensor and the proposed UV light sensor transducer were validated by measurements. After calibration, the UV light intensity was in the range of 1.49-8 mW/cm 2 , and the corresponding range of the duty cycle was in the range of 68%-42%. The measured maximum linear error was 0.79%. The measured sensitivity was -3.99%/mW/cm 2 , and the chip area was 1.016× 1.01 mm 2 . The proposed chip can be suitable for personally wearable devices of monitoring UV light intensity.
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