This paper presents a novel design of compact dualpolarized multi-input and multi-output (MIMO) antennas with endfire radiation for millimeter-wave wireless applications. The low-cost printed circuit ...board process serves as the basis for the design, fabrication, and measurement of the proposed dualpolarized quasi Yagi-Uda antennas. Addressing the potential antenna locations in a mobile terminal, this paper investigates both the corner and the lateral design of antenna modules. Each design incorporates dual-port dual-polarized antennas co-located in a compact area. The lateral design is further extended to a linear 1×4 array for high-gain and phased-scanning operation. Experimental results show that the proposed compact dual-polarized quasi Yagi-Uda antennas are very suitable for MIM terminals of next-generation (5G) mobile communications.
Background
To assess the association of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with the use of glucagon‐like peptide‐1 receptor agonists (GLP‐1RAs) versus long‐acting insulins (LAIs), which are ...the two commonly prescribed injectable glucose‐lowering agents (GLAs) for patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) after the failure of multiple oral GLAs.
Methods
We emulated a target trial using the nationwide data of a Taiwanese cohort with T2D. Incident new users of GLP‐1RAs and LAIs during 2013–2018 were identified, and propensity score (PS) matching was applied to ensure between‐group comparability in baseline patient characteristics. The primary outcome was the composite liver disease including cirrhosis or HCC. Each patient was followed until the occurrence of a study outcome, death, or the end of 2019, whichever came first. Subdistribution hazard models were employed to assess the treatment‐outcome association. Sensitivity (e.g., stabilized inverse probability of treatment weighting analysis, time‐dependent analysis), E‐value, and negative control outcome analyses were performed to examine the robustness of study findings.
Results
We included 7171 PS‐matched pairs of GLP‐1RA and LAI users with no significant between‐group differences at baseline. Compared with LAIs, the use of GLP‐1RAs was associated with significantly reduced risks of composite liver disease (subdistribution hazard ratio 95% confidence interval: 0.56 0.42–0.76), cirrhosis (0.59 0.43–0.81), and HCC (0.47 0.24–0.93). Results were consistent across sensitivity analyses and among patients with different baseline characteristics.
Conclusion
Among T2D patients who require injectable GLAs, the use of GLP‐1RAs versus LAIs was associated with lower risks of cirrhosis and HCC.
Full text
Available for:
BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
Electrolyzed oxidizing (EO) water has been regarded as a new sanitizer in recent years. Production of EO water needs only water and salt (sodium chloride). EO water have the following advantages over ...other traditional cleaning agents: effective disinfection, easy operation, relatively inexpensive, and environmentally friendly. The main advantage of EO water is its safety. EO water which is also a strong acid, is different to hydrochloric acid or sulfuric acid in that it is not corrosive to skin, mucous membrane, or organic material. Electrolyzed water has been tested and used as a disinfectant in the food industry and other applications. Combination of EO water and other measures are also possible. This review includes a brief overview of issues related to the electrolyzed water and its effective cleaning of food surfaces in food processing plants and the cleaning of animal products and fresh produce.
Full text
Available for:
GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK
•Flexible PCM composites were prepared by infiltrating 3D MXene-coated melamine scaffold with PEG.•The PCM composites possessed high phase change enthalpy (194.1 J g−1) and dimension retention ratio ...(90%).•The solar-thermal conversion efficiency was 92.7% with the incorporation of MXene network.•The PCM composites exhibited an excellent light-actuated shape memory performance.•An application of light-driven and flexible heat eye-patch was proposed.
The liquid leakage, low light absorption capability and strong rigidity severely limit large-scale applications of phase change materials (PCMs). In this work, novel PCM composites with good encapsulation property, superior solar-to-thermal conversion efficiency and shape memory function were fabricated by introducing MXene-coated melamine foam (MF@MXene) into poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG). The MF@MXene/PEG composites showed satisfactory dimension retention ratio (90%) and phase change enthalpy (194.1 Jg−1). The three-dimensional MXene network constructed along the MF skeleton imparted the PCM composites with the ability to absorb and store the solar-energy as latent heat. Sunlight irradiation measurements suggested that the solar-thermal conversion efficiency reached 92.7%. Moreover, combining the resilience of MF@MXene sponge and the phase transition of PEG, the PCM composites exhibited remarkable shape fixation and recovery effects. A flexible heat eye-patch was further developed, which could be closely attached on human eyes and provided long-time thermal comfort within a stable temperature range.
Full text
Available for:
GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
To examine the safety and efficacy of Cyberknife stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) and its effect on survival in patients of recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
This was a matched-pair ...study. From January 2008 to December 2009, 36 patients with 42 lesions of unresectable recurrent HCC were treated with SBRT. The median prescribed dose was 37 Gy (range, 25 to 48 Gy) in 4-5 fractions over 4-5 consecutive working days. Another 138 patients in the historical control group given other or no treatments were selected for matched analyses.
The median follow-up time was 14 months for all patients and 20 months for those alive. The 1- and 2-year in-field failure-free rates were 87.6% and 75.1%, respectively. Out-field intrahepatic recurrence was the main cause of failure. The 2-year overall survival (OS) rate was 64.0%, and median time to progression was 8.0 months. In the multivariable analysis of all 174 patients, SBRT (yes vs. no), tumor size (≤4 cm vs. >4 cm), recurrent stage (stage IIIB/IV vs. I) and Child-Pugh classification (A vs. B/C) were independent prognostic factors for OS. Matched-pair analysis revealed that patients undergoing SBRT had better OS (2-year OS of 72.6% vs. 42.1%, respectively, p = 0.013). Acute toxicities were mild and tolerable.
SBRT is a safe and efficacious modality and appears to be well-tolerated at the dose fractionation we have used, and its use correlates with improved survival in this cohort of patients with recurrent unresectable HCC. Out-field recurrence is the major cause of failure. Further studies of combinations of SBRT and systemic therapies may be reasonable.
Full text
Available for:
GEOZS, IJS, NUK, OILJ, UL, UM, UPUK
Melatonin (N‐acetyl‐5‐methoxytryptamine) plays important roles in plant defences against a variety of biotic and abiotic stresses, including UV‐B stress. Molecular mechanisms underlying functions of ...melatonin in plant UV‐B responses are poorly understood. Here, we show that melatonin effect on molecular signalling pathways, physiological changes and UV‐B stress resistance in Arabidopsis. Both exogenous and endogenous melatonin affected expression of UV‐B signal transduction pathway genes. Experiments using UV‐B signalling component mutants cop1‐4 and hy5‐215 revealed that melatonin not only acts as an antioxidant to promote UV‐B stress resistance, but also regulates expression of several key components of UV‐B signalling pathway, including ubiquitin‐degrading enzyme (COP1), transcription factors (HY5, HYH) and RUP1/2. Our findings indicate that melatonin delays and subsequently enhances expression of COP1, HY5, HYH and RUP1/2, which act as central effectors in UV‐B signalling pathway, thus regulating their effects on antioxidant systems to protect the plant from UV‐B stress.
Several studies have demonstrated that melatonin plays a role in UV‐B responses, however, the molecular mechanism whereby melatonin affects the UV‐B pathway was not clear. This study examined the function of melatonin in molecular signaling pathways, physiological changes, and UV‐B stress resistance under UV‐B radiation in Arabidopsis. Exogenous melatonin treatment experiment indicated that melatonin could enhance the transcriptional level of genes on UV‐B signaling pathway and ameliorate ROS damage caused by UV‐B stress. This result was verified in SNAT overexpressing lines and knock‐down mutant.
Full text
Available for:
BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
In this study, the surface enhanced Raman spectra (SERS) of two prohibited veterinary drugs, metronidazole (MNZ) and ronidazole (RNZ), have been acquired, and compared to the theoretically calculated ...spectra using density function theory (DFT). The experimental Raman and SERS spectra of MNZ and RNZ exhibit high resemblance with the DFT calculations. SERS detection of MNZ and RNZ from standard solutions as well as real environmental samples (tap, lake, swamp waters and soil) was performed on highly sensitive and reproducible silver nanorod array substrates. The limits of detection for MNZ and RNZ are 10 and 1µg/mL in methanol and ultra-pure water, respectively, and 10–50µg/mL in the environmental samples. The SERS-based method demonstrates its potential as a rapid, simple, and inexpensive means for the onsite screening of banned antibiotics from the aquatic and sediment environments, with minimal requirement for sample pretreatment.
Display omitted
•The Raman and SERS spectra of metronidazole (MNZ) and ronidazole (RNZ) have been acquired.•Density function theory was used to predict theoretical spectra of MNZ and RNZ.•The limits of detection for MNZ and RNZ were determined.•SERS was used to detect MNZ and RNZ from environmental samples with minimal sample pre-treatment.
Full text
Available for:
GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK
Artificial intelligence has revolutionised smart medicine, resulting in enhanced medical care. This study presents an automated detector chip for age-related macular degeneration (AMD) using a ...support vector machine (SVM) and three-dimensional (3D) optical coherence tomography (OCT) volume. The aim is to assist ophthalmologists by reducing the time-consuming AMD medical examination. Using the property of 3D OCT volume, a modified feature vector connected method called slice-sum is proposed, reducing computational complexity while maintaining high detection accuracy. Compared to previous methods, this method significantly reduces computational complexity by at least a hundredfold. Image adjustment and noise removal steps are excluded for classification accuracy, and the feature extraction algorithm of local binary patterns is determined based on hardware consumption considerations. Through optimisation of the feature vector connection method after feature extraction, the computational complexity of SVM detection is significantly reduced, making it applicable to similar 3D datasets. Additionally, the design supports model replacement, allowing users to train and update classification models as needed. Using TSMC 40 nm CMOS technology, the proposed detector achieves a core area of 0.12 mm2 while demonstrating a classification throughput of 8.87 decisions/s at a maximum operating frequency of 454.54 MHz. The detector achieves a final testing classification accuracy of 92.31%.
Full text
Available for:
IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
•Phospholipid classes are separated using a diol column in HILIC mode.•Molecular species of each phospholipid class are separated in the ion source.•Phospholipids in dried seahorse contain many ...polyunsaturated acyl chains.•The method is validated and shown to be reliable and efficient.•Phospholipid can be used as potential marker for species differentiation.
Dried seahorse is a precious raw food material for cooking soups. In this study, a lipidomics strategy using the techniques of solid-phase extraction (SPE) and hydrophilic interaction chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (HILIC–QTOF/MS) was developed for extraction, visualization, and quantification of phospholipids in dried seahorses. The parameters of SPE were optimized, and 1mL of sample and chloroform/methanol (1:2, v/v) were found to be the best loading volume and eluting solvent, respectively. Afterwards, each phospholipid class was successfully separated on a HILIC column and analyzed by mass spectrometry. A total of 50 phospholipid molecular species were identified and determined, including 15 phosphatidylcholines (PCs), 14 phosphatidylethanolamines (PEs), 12 phosphatidylinositols (PIs) and 9 phosphatidylserines (PSs). In comparison to previously methods, this strategy was robust and efficient in extraction, characterization, and determination of phospholipids. The dried seahorse was found to contain large amounts of polyunsaturated fatty acyl phospholipids which are beneficial to human health.
Full text
Available for:
GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZRSKP
Modern electron-beam lithography (EBL) suffers from the long-range fogging effect that incurs undesired excessive exposure and thus layout pattern distortions. In this article, we propose an ...analytical placement algorithm to tackle the fogging effect. The underlying idea is to place standard cells, guided by our efficient, yet reasonably accurate fogging effect model, to minimize the fogging variation during placement, and thus the effect can be corrected by reducing dosage uniformly over the chip. We derive a fogging source modeling and further develop an efficient, accurate evaluation scheme to estimate the fogging effect by the fast Gauss transform with the Hermite expansion. The scheme achieves a 30.2X speedup over the traditional convolution computation, with only about 2.35% absolute average errors, which enables the iterative evaluation and variation minimization of the effect during global placement. We also develop fogging-aware legalization and detailed placement to further optimize the placement quality, while limiting fogging variation. The experimental results show that our algorithm can effectively reduce the fogging variation by 35.4%, while maintaining high wirelength quality, at reasonable runtime.
PDF
