Continuous memory technology scaling causes memory cells to be vulnerable to wearout. To ensure reliable operations of circuits and systems in the presence of wearout, we require accurate estimation ...of the lifetime of circuits and systems degraded by wearout. Since the conventional method of estimating circuit and system reliability degradation based on device-level accelerated life test (ALT) does not account for the tolerance of a circuit and a system to a wearout failure of a device, accelerated lifetime testing at the circuit and system level is necessary. For accurate estimation of system reliability using system-level ALT, we propose a method that optimizes the design of experiments for ALT. From significant observations from failure data statistics of system-level ALT with various stress conditions applied to the memory system of the Leon3 as a case study, we define acceptability regions for memory testing of each wearout mechanism. In addition, by analyzing errors in estimating Weibull parameters from system-level ALT, we develop a methodology that optimizes experimental designs in acceptability regions of each wearout mechanism to minimize such estimation errors in system-level ALT.
Purpose
To improve the three dimensional (3D) and two dimensional (2D) image correlation and differentiation of 3D endoluminal lesions in the traditional surface rendering (SR) computed tomographic ...endoscopy (CTE), a target gray level mapping (TGM) technique is developed and applied to computed tomographic colonography (CTC) in this study.
Methods
A study of sixty-two various endoluminal lesions from thirty patients (13 males, 17 females; age range 31–90 years) was approved by our institutional review board and evaluated retrospectively. The endoluminal lesions were segmented using gray level threshold. The marching cubes algorithm was used to detect isosurfaces in the segmented volumetric data sets. TGM allows users to interactively apply grey level mapping (GM) to region of interest (ROI) in the 3D CTC. Radiologists conducted the clinical evaluation and the resulting data were analyzed.
Results
TGM and GM are significantly superior to SR in terms of surface texture, 3D shape, the confidence of 3D to 2D, 2D to 3D image correlation, and clinical classification of endoluminal lesions (P < 0.01). The specificity and diagnostic accuracy of GM and TGM methods are significantly better than those of SR (P < 0.01). Moreover, TGM performs better than GM (specificity: 75.0–85.7% vs. 53.6–64.3%; accuracy: 88.7–93.5% vs. 77.4–83.9%). TGM is a preferable display mode for further localization and differentiation of a lesion in CTC navigation.
Conclusions
Compared with only the spatial shape information in traditional SR of CTC images, the 3D shapes and gray level information of endoluminal lesions can be provided by TGM simultaneously. 3D to 2D image correlations are also increased and facilitated at the same time. TGM is less affected by adjacent colon surfaces than GM. TGM serves as a better way to improve the image correlation and differentiation of endoluminal lesions.
With the increasing importance of portable sensing devices, one keeps seeking possible optimization to detect the lower concentration of target molecules with reduced reagents. Here presents a method ...to enhance fluorescence detection through a miniature cylindrical lens integrated into an engineered PDMS cuvette with a high refractive index embedded TiO2 nanoparticles. 3D printing technique was used to develop the moulds where the custom cuvette is produced utilizing the imprinting method. LED transmitter and blue laser diode were used as the excitation light sources to verify the light and materials interactions. In all the experiments, the fluorescence detection system was set at 90° alignments without any filters. First, the square‐shaped cuvette resulted in more fluorescence detection compared to the circular one. Hence, different fluorophore holders with square shapes were designed to investigate the efficiency of the integrated lens and the TiO2 nanoparticles inclusions. Overall, the customized cuvette with integrated lens and nanoparticles demonstrated the most significant signal enhancement that reached the lower detection limit as 10 nM/L in 1 μL detection volume. This structural and material‐modified cuvette can significantly enhance fluorescent detection at a sub‐microliter scale, allowing further device miniaturization, especially for micro and nano fluidic devices using optical detection.
•Dual beam polarization interferometry for roll angular displacement measurement.•Dual beam configuration helps to compensate for disturbances induced by incident angular displacement.•The proposed ...system with resolution of 0.58 arcsec and measurement range of 10°.
This study presents a polarization interferometry-based technique for the measurement of roll angular displacement with high resolution and excellent stability. The proposed technique uses a polarization camera to detect the phases of a light beam passed through a birefringent crystal. Variations in the phase difference are used to determine the angular displacement of the birefringent crystal. The dual beam configuration of the proposed measurement scheme helps to overcome the effects of fluctuating incident angular displacement on measurements of roll angular displacement. In experiments, the proposed system achieved resolution of 0.58 arcsec within a 10-degree measurement range. Disturbance from the incident angular displacement was much lower than that of our previous technique measurement methods. This study also investigated the occurrence of nonlinear periodic system errors. The proposed technique offers several advantages over existing methods, including higher resolution, wider range measurement capabilities, and robustness against external disturbance.
Particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5) is a dangerous airborne pollutant that has become a global issue due to its detrimental effect on macrophages. Chenopodium formosanum Koidz (Djulis), a native plant ...from Taiwan well known for its high antioxidant content and is frequently used in ethnomedicine, shows promise as a novel phytomedicine to combat against oxidative stress caused by PM2.5. However, the protective mechanism of Djulis against PM2.5 still remains unclear.
This study aimed to characterize the deleterious effect of emerging PM2.5 contaminants on the alveolar macrophage cell of the respiratory system and explore the underlying mechanisms in the suppression of PM2.5-induced inflammation using the extract of fermented Djulis.
RNA sequencing, immunoblot, and ChIP assay approaches were used to gain insight into the deleterious effect of PM2.5 on the macrophage cell at the transcriptional and translational level; and to elucidate the contribution of fermented Djulis extract (FCS) as the remedy of PM-induced MH-S cell inflammation. UHPLC-ESI-MS/MS and LC-QQQ/MS were used to identify the bioactive compounds potentially contributing to phytomedicinal properties in the water fraction of FCS. Multiple ligands docking analysis was conducted to predict the in-silico interaction of Djulis metabolites and NF-κB.
Here, we showed that PM2.5 exposure at 200 ppm accelerated the production of intracellular ROS and phosphorylated NF-κB (p-NFκB), and negatively affecting the alveolar macrophage cell viability. Treating the cells with water-extracted FCS can restore their viability to 76% while simultaneously suppressing the generation of ROS and p-NFκB up to 38%. These ameliorative effects can be attributed to the occurrence of bioactive compounds such as gluconic acid, uridine, pantothenic acid, L-pyroglutamic acid, L-(−)-malic acid, and acetyl-L-carnitine in the water-extracted FCS which potentially dock to the RELA subunit site and consequently inhibit NF-κB activity along with its downstream inflammation signaling cascade.
This work demonstrated the hazardous effect of PM2.5 on alveolar macrophage and unveiled the potential of FCS as a therapeutic phytomedicine to alleviate PM-induced inflammation.
Display omitted
•The trace elements in PM2.5 are predominantly Fe ion and pyrene.•Water extraction of fermented C. formosanum sprout can reduce oxidative stress.•Oxidative stress from PM2.5 is impeded by the interference of NF-κB transcription.•After identification, six compounds contribute the anti-inflammatory effect.•In silico, the six compounds inhibit the RELA subunit of NF-κB.
This research focused on the synthesis of tin oxide (SnO
2
) by a facile sol–gel method because its advantage had a low-cost process. SnO
2
was then annealed from 300℃ to 700℃ to obtain crystal ...nanopowders with different surface morphologies and grain sizes. In addition, ultraviolet laser processing equipment was used to fabricate an interdigitated structure on indium tin oxide (ITO) films coated on glass plates as an electrode layer of gas sensors. The annealed SnO
2
nanopowder was drop-cast on the interdigitated ITO electrode as a gas detection layer. The developed gas sensors were used to detect air pollution. Moreover, a SEM, an XRD, and a four-point probe were applied to measure the morphologies, structural characteristics, and electrical properties of ITO thin films and SnO
2
nanopowders, respectively. After gas detection tests, the gas sensor based on SnO
2
nanopowders annealed at 600 ℃ demonstrated a relatively large response of 9.7% and fast response and recovery times of 12 s and 16 s. Furthermore, the SnO
2
nanopowder-based gas sensor at a NO
2
concentration of 5 ppm had better repeatability with an average response of 9.57 ± 0.22% after the 11-cycle test and an excellent sensitivity to NO
2
compared to the gases CO
2
, H
2
, NO, CO, and NH
3
.
AAA domain-containing 3A (ATAD3A) is a member of the AAA-ATPase family. Three forms of ATAD3 have been identified: ATAD3A, ATAD3B and ATAD3C. In this study, we examined the type and expression of ...ATAD3 in lung adenocarcinoma (LADC). Expression of ATAD3A was detected by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, immunoblotting, immunohistochemistry and confocal immunofluorescent microscopy. Our results show that ATAD3A is the major form expressed in LADC. Silencing of ATAD3A expression increased mitochondrial fragmentation and cisplatin sensitivity. Serum deprivation increased ATAD3A expression and drug resistance. These results suggest that ATAD3A could be an anti-apoptotic marker in LADC.
Solid-state fermentation for C. formosanum sprouts and metabolites analysis.
Display omitted
•Fermentation of Chenopodium formosanum sprouts by Rhizopus oligosporus was studied.•Solid state ...fermentation of djulis in bioreactor led to more antioxidant activity.•Over twenty new metabolites were found from the bioreactor system.•Interactions between djulis and fungi generated seven new peptides.•Bioinformatics approaches predicted two peptides with potentially high bioactivity.
The study utilized fresh fourth-day Chenopodium formosanum sprouts as the substrate for Rhizopus oligosporus fermentation. The resultant products showed higher antioxidant capacity than those from C. formosanum grains. Compared to traditional plate fermentation (PF), fermentation in a bioreactor (BF) (35 °C, 0.4 vvm aeration at 5 rpm) led to higher free peptide content (99.56 ± 7.77 mg casein tryptone/g) and enzyme activity (amylase, glucosidase, and proteinase are 2.21 ± 0.01, 54.57 ± 10.88, and 40.81 ± 6.52 U/g, respectively) than traditional plate fermentation (PF). Using mass spectrometry analysis, two peptides TDEYGGSIENRFMN and DNSMLTFEGAPVQGAAAITEK were predicted to possess high bioactive properties as DPP IV and ACE inhibitors. Additionally, over twenty new metabolites (aromatics, amines, fatty acids, and carboxylic acids) were discovered in the BF system compared to its PF counterpart. Results suggest that using a BF system to ferment C. formosanum sprouts is an appropriate method to scale-up fermentation and enhance nutritional values as well as bioactivities.
Coral reefs constitute the most biologically productive and diverse ecosystem, and provide various goods and services including those related to fisheries, marine tourism, coastal protection, and ...medicine. However, they are sensitive to climate change and rising temperatures. Taiwan is located in the central part of the world's distribution of coral reefs and has about one third of the coral species in the world. This study estimates the welfare losses associated with the potential damage to coral reefs in Taiwan caused by climate change. The contingent valuation method adopted includes a pre-survey, a face-to-face formal survey, and photo illustrations used to obtain reliable data. Average annual personal willingness to pay is found to be around US$35.75 resulting in a total annual willingness to pay of around US$0.43 billion. These high values demonstrate that coral reefs in Taiwan deserve to be well preserved, which would require a dedicated agency and ocean reserves.
•Coral reefs constitute multiple ecosystem functions but are sensitive to climate change.•This study estimates the potential damage to coral reefs in Taiwan caused by climate change.•The contingent valuation method is adopted.•Average annual personal willingness to pay is found to be around US$35.75.•A total annual willingness to pay is around US$0.43 billion.
This study aimed to synthesize Ti
3
C
2
T
x
(MXene) through selective etching of Ti
3
AlC
2
(MAX) using the in situ hydrofluoric acid method. ZnO was then grown on the Ti
3
C
2
T
x
surface to form Ti
...3
C
2
T
x
(MXene)/ZnO composites (M-ZnO) using the hydrothermal method. To increase adhesion between the M-ZnO sensing composite and the laser-patterned interdigitated electrode surface, PEDOT:PSS was used as an adhesive layer to obtain PEDOT:PSS/M-ZnO-based gas sensors. The surface morphology, cross-sectional profile, elemental analysis, and structural and chemical compositions of M-ZnO composites were characterized using scanning electron microscope with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray diffractometer, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The results of the sensing test indicated that the responses of the gas sensors were 3.66%, 6.62%, 8.12%, and 10.23% when PEDOT:PSS/M-ZnO were exposed to 400, 600, 800, and 1000 ppb NO
2
concentrations, respectively. The sensitivity of the PEDOT:PSS/ZnO-, PEDOT:PSS/MXene-, and PEDOT:PSS/M-ZnO-based gas sensors was 0.67, 1.37, and 10.61, respectively. The PEDOT:PSS/M-ZnO-based gas sensor had the highest sensitivity of 10.61, which was 15.8 times higher than the PEDOT:PSS/ZnO-based gas sensor. Additionally, the PEDOT:PSS/M-ZnO-based gas sensor displayed good stability and excellent sensing selectivity for NO
2
gas at room temperature.
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