We present a compact ultra-wideband (UWB) antenna integrated with sharp notches with a detailed analysis of the mutual coupling of the multiple notch resonators. By utilizing complementary split ring ...resonators (CSRR) on the radiating semi-circular patch, we achieve the sharp notch-filtering of various bands within the UWB band without increasing the antenna size. The notched frequency bands include WiMAX, INSAT, and lower and upper WLAN. In order to estimate the frequency shifts of the notch due to the coupling of the nearby CSRRs, an analysis of the coupling among the multiple notch resonators is carried out and we construct the lumped-circuit equivalent model. The time domain analysis of the proposed antenna is performed to show its validity on the UWB application. The measured frequency response of the input port corresponds quite well with the calculations and simulations. The radiation pattern of the implemented quad-notched UWB antenna is nearly omnidirectional in the passband.
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IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
This study reports on the fabrication of pressure/temperature/strain sensors and all‐solid‐state flexible supercapacitors using only polydimethylsiloxane coated microporous polypyrrole/graphene foam ...composite (PDMS/PPy/GF) as a common material. A dual‐mode sensor is designed with PDMS/PPy/GF, which measures pressure and temperature with the changes of current and voltage, respectively, without interference to each other. The fabricated dual‐mode sensor shows high sensitivity, fast response/recovery, and high durability during 10 000 cycles of pressure loading. The pressure is estimated using the thermoelectric voltage induced by simultaneous increase in temperature caused by a finger touch on the sensor. Additionally, a resistor‐type strain sensor fabricated using the same PDMS/PPy/GF could detect the strain up to 50%. Flexible, high performance supercapacitor used as a power supply is fabricated with electrodes of PPy/GF for its high surface area and pseudocapacitance. Furthermore, an integrated system of such fabricated multifunctional sensors and a supercapacitor on a skin‐attachable flexible substrate using liquid–metal interconnections operates well, whereas sensors are driven by the power of the supercapacitor. This study clearly demonstrates that the appropriate choice of a single functional material enables fabrication of active multifunctional sensors for pressure, temperature, and strain, as well as the supercapacitor, that could be used in wirelessly powered wearable devices.
High‐performance solid‐state supercapacitors and multifunctional sensors sensitive to pressure, temperature, and strain are fabricated using a single common active material of microporous polydimethylsiloxane coated microporous polypyrrole/graphene foam composite. Furthermore, these sensors could be wirelessly driven with the integrated supercapacitors on a single flexible and skin‐attachable substrate.
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BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
A new compact tri‐band bandpass filter (BPF) is presented by utilizing 2 double mode resonators incorporating 6 transmission zeros. The proposed BPF is designed to support GSM‐900 (0.83–0.99 GHz), ...GPS (1.575 GHz), and GSM‐1800 (1.88 GHz) bands. The proposed BPF has been configured to operate in corresponding even and odd modes. The generated odd mode frequency band is fixed while the even‐mode frequency can be set to the desired value by tuning the stub length which makes it easy to design the multiple BPF. Two transmission zeros are introduced on each side of the passband, and overall 6 transmission zeros have been constructed which make the passband highly selective. The designed BPF has been implemented on Rogers‐R03006 and verified with measurement.
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BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
•A nitrite detecting sensor was developed by using hydrogel superimposed glass fiber membranes.•A Griess reagent, N-(1-naphthyl)ethylenediamine was immobilized on the chemically modified PEG ...hydrogel.•Nitrite ions were detected by colorimetric Griess assay on the hydrogel sensor.
Nitrite ions are important markers of inflammation, food safety, and water quality; therefore, various methods are under development to detect nitrite ions. This paper describes a novel method for detecting nitrite ions using polyethylene glycol (PEG) hydrogel superimposed glass fiber membrane strips. A colorimetric Griess assay was performed on the hydrogel modified with N-(1-naphthyl)ethylenediamine by dropping a solution of nitrite and sulfanilamide. This colorimetric hydrogel sensor exhibited a detection limit as low as 10 μM for nitrite ions and the working concentration of nitrite ions was between 10 μM and 5 mM. The colorimetric reaction was completed within a few seconds; the performance test results indicated that the sensor was specific to nitrite ions compared to other anions, and it was suitable to detect nitrite ions in clinical samples. In the future, this sensor platform can be used to detect nitrite ions in various complex solutions including biological and environmental samples.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZRSKP
Background
The aim of the present study was to compare the prognostic impact of anatomic resection (AR) versus non‐anatomic resection (NAR) on patient survival after resection of a single ...hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
Methods
To control for confounding variable distributions, a 1‐to‐1 propensity score match was applied to compare the outcomes of AR and NAR. Among 710 patients with a primary, solitary HCC of <5.0 cm in diameter that was resectable by either AR or NAR from 2003 to 2007 in Japan and Korea, 355 patients underwent NAR and 355 underwent AR of at least one section with complete removal of the portal territory containing the tumor.
Results
Overall survival (OS) was better in the AR than NAR group (hazard ratio 1.67, 95% confidence interval 1.28–2.19, P < 0.001) while disease‐free survival showed no significant difference. Significantly fewer patients in the AR than NAR group developed intrahepatic HCC recurrence and multiple intrahepatic recurrences. Patients with poorly differentiated HCC who underwent AR had improved disease‐free survival and OS.
Conclusions
Anatomic resection decreases the risk of tumor recurrence and improves OS in patients with a primary, solitary HCC of <5.0 cm in diameter.
HighlightKaibori and colleagues compared the post‐hepatectomy outcomes of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma who underwent anatomic resection or non‐anatomic resection using combined data from Japan and Korea. Anatomic resection decreases the risk of tumor recurrence and improves overall survival in patients with a primary, solitary hepatocellular carcinoma <5.0 cm in diameter.
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FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
Cytokines are involved in early host defense against pathogen infections. In particular, tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) have critical functions in non-cytopathic elimination ...of hepatitis B virus (HBV) in hepatocytes. However, the molecular mechanisms and mediator molecules are largely unknown. Here we show that interleukin-32 (IL-32) is induced by TNF and IFN-γ in hepatocytes, and inhibits the replication of HBV by acting intracellularly to suppress HBV transcription and replication. The gamma isoform of IL-32 (IL-32γ) inhibits viral enhancer activities by downregulating liver-enriched transcription factors. Our data are validated in both an in vivo HBV mouse model and primary human hepatocytes. This study thus suggests that IL-32γ functions as intracellular effector in hepatocytes for suppressing HBV replication to implicate a possible mechanism of non-cytopathic viral clearance.
The rapid aging of the population worldwide presents a significant social and economic challenge, particularly due to osteoporotic fractures, primarily resulting from an imbalance between ...osteoclast-mediated bone resorption and osteoblast-mediated bone formation. While conventional therapies offer benefits, they also present limitations and a range of adverse effects. This study explores the protective impact of Neorhodomela munita ethanol extract (EN) on osteoporosis by modulating critical pathways in osteoclastogenesis and apoptosis. Raw264.7 cells and Saos-2 cells were used for in vitro osteoclast and osteoblast models, respectively. By utilizing various in vitro methods to detect osteoclast differentiation/activation and osteoblast death, it was demonstrated that the EN’s potential to inhibit RANKL induced osteoclast formation and activation by targeting the MAPKs-NFATc1/c-Fos pathway and reducing H2O2-induced cell death through the downregulation of apoptotic signals. This study highlights the potential benefits of EN for osteoporosis and suggests that EN is a promising natural alternative to traditional treatments.
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IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
The previous Korean liver allocation system was based on Child-Turcotte-Pugh scores, but increasing numbers of deceased donors created a pressing need to develop an equitable, objective allocation ...system based on model for end-stage liver disease scores (MELD scores). A nationwide, multicenter, retrospective cohort study of candidates registered for liver transplantation from January 2009 to December 2011 was conducted at 11 transplant centers. Classification and regression tree (CART) analysis was used to stratify MELD score ranges according to waitlist survival. Of the 2702 patients that registered for liver transplantation, 2248 chronic liver disease patients were eligible. CART analysis indicated several MELD scores significantly predicted waitlist survival. The 90-day waitlist survival rates of patients with MELD scores of 31-40, 21-30, and ≤20 were 16.2%, 64.1%, and 95.9%, respectively (P < 0.001). Furthermore, the 14-day waitlist survival rates of severely ill patients (MELD 31-40, n = 240) with MELD scores of 31-37 (n = 140) and 38-40 (n = 100) were 64% and 43.4%, respectively (P = 0.001). Among patients with MELD > 20, presence of HCC did not affect waitlist survival (P = 0.405). Considering the lack of donor organs and geographic disparities in Korea, we proposed the use of a national broader sharing of liver for the sickest patients (MELD ≥ 38) to reduce waitlist mortality. HCC patients with MELD ≤ 20 need additional MELD points to allow them equitable access to transplantation. Based on these results, the Korean Network for Organ Sharing implemented the MELD allocation system in 2016.
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IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
We present a compact W‐band mixer‐first receiver consisting of a passive single‐balanced mixer, on‐chip balun, and a variable gain amplifier with 1.9 GHz of bandwidth over a gain range of 36 dB in 65 ...nm CMOS. The W‐band front‐end has been implemented aiming at a compact frequency‐modulated continuous‐wave (FMCW) radar as a proximity sensor, and a down‐converting chain for a total power radiometer combined with external low noise amplifier. The measured gain of the W‐band receiver is 25 dB, and the receiver achieves 2.57 dBm of IIP3. The integrated receiver consumes 14.56 mA from a supply voltage of 1.2 V, and the core chip occupies only 0.39 mm2.
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BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
Many uncommon Candida species that cause bloodstream infections (BSIs) are not well-characterized. We investigated the epidemiology, antifungal use, susceptibility patterns, and factors associated ...with all-cause death among cancer patients in whom uncommon Candida spp. BSIs were diagnosed at a cancer treatment center during January 1998–September 2013. Of 1,395 Candida bloodstream isolates, 79 from 68 patients were uncommon Candida spp. The incidence density of uncommon Candida spp. BSIs and their proportion to all candidemia episodes substantively increased during the study period, and the rise was associated with increasing use of echinocandin antifungal drugs. Thirty-seven patients had breakthrough infections during therapy or prophylaxis with various systemic antifungal drugs for >7 consecutive days; 21 were receiving an echinocandin. C. kefyr (82%), and C. lusitaniae (21%) isolates frequently showed caspofungin MICs above the epidemiologic cutoff values. These findings support the need for institutional surveillance for uncommon Candida spp. among cancer patients.
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, ODKLJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK