Although many techniques exist to transfer data from the widely distributed sensors that make up the Internet of Things (IoT) (e.g., using 3G/4G networks or cables), these methods are associated with ...prohibitively high costs, making them impractical for real-life applications. Recently, several emerging wireless technologies have been proposed to provide long-range communication for IoT sensors. Among these, LoRa has been examined for long-range performance. Although LoRa shows good performance for long-range transmission in the countryside, its radio signals can be attenuated over distance, and buildings, trees, and other radio signal sources may interfere with the signals. Our observations show that in urban areas, LoRa requires dense deployment of LoRa gateways (GWs) to ensure that indoor LoRa devices can successfully transfer data back to remote GWs. Wireless mesh networking is a solution for increasing communication range and packet delivery ratio (PDR) without the need to install additional GWs. This paper presents a LoRa mesh networking system for large-area monitoring of IoT applications. We deployed 19 LoRa mesh networking devices over an <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">800\,\,\text {m} \times 600 </tex-math></inline-formula> m area on our university campus and installed a GW that collected data at 1-min intervals. The proposed LoRa mesh networking system achieved an average 88.49% PDR, whereas the star-network topology used by LoRa achieved only 58.7% under the same settings. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first academic study discussing LoRa mesh networking in detail and evaluating its performance via real experiments.
Zinc metal is considered a promising anode material for aqueous zinc ion batteries. However, it suffers from dendrite growth, corrosion, and low coulombic efficiency (CE) during plating/stripping. ...Herein, a concentrated hybrid (4 m Zn(CF3SO3)2 + 2 m LiClO4) aqueous electrolyte (CHAE) to overcome the challenges facing the Zn anode is reported. The developed electrolyte achieves dendrite‐free Zn plating/stripping and obtains an excellent CE of ≈100%, surpassing the previously reported values. The combination of synchrotron‐based in operando transmission X‐ray microscopy, X‐ray diffraction, and ex situ X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy analyses indicate that the denser, anion‐derived passivation layer formed using the CHAE facilitates homogeneous current distribution and better prevents freshly deposited Zn from directly contacting the electrolyte than the looser, solvent‐derived layers formed from a dilute hybrid aqueous electrolyte (DHAE). The beneficial effects of the CHAE on the compact, dense, and stable salt‐anion‐derived passivation layer can be attributed to its unique solvation structure, which suppresses the water‐related side reactions and widens the electrochemical potential window. In the hybrid Zn||LiFePO4 configuration, the CHAE‐based cell delivered a stable performance of CE >99% and capacity retention >90% after 285 cycles. In contrast, the DHAE‐based cell exhibits capacity retention of <65% after 170 cycles.
A concentrated hybrid aqueous electrolyte (CHAE) (4 m Zn(CF3SO3)2 + 2 m LiClO4) is developed to address the dendrite formation and low coulombic efficiency upon Zn deposition/stripping. The Zn growth behavior and the formation mechanism of dense anion‐derived passivation layer are unveiled by synchrotron‐based in operando imaging and spectroscopy techniques. The CHAE shows excellent cell performance in Zn||LiFePO4 dual‐ion battery.
Anode‐free lithium‐metal batteries employ in situ lithium‐plated current collectors as negative electrodes to afford optimal mass and volumetric energy densities. The main challenges to such ...batteries include their poor cycling stability and the safety issues of the flammable organic electrolytes. Here, a high‐voltage 4.7 V anode‐free lithium‐metal battery is reported, which uses a Cu foil coated with a layer (≈950 nm) of silicon–polyacrylonitrile (Si‐PAN, 25.5 µg cm−2) as the negative electrode, a high‐voltage cobalt‐free LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 (LNMO) as the positive electrode and a safe, nonflammable ionic liquid electrolyte composed of 4.5 m lithium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide (LiFSI) salt in N‐methyl‐N‐propyl pyrrolidiniumbis(fluorosulfonyl)imide (Py13FSI) with 1 wt% lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (LiTFSI) as additive. The Si‐PAN coating is found to seed the growth of lithium during charging, and reversibly expand/shrink during lithium plating/stripping over battery cycling. The wide‐voltage‐window electrolyte containing a high concentration of FSI− and TFSI− facilitates the formation of stable solid‐electrolyte interphase, affording a 4.7 V anode‐free Cu@Si‐PAN/LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 battery with a reversible specific capacity of ≈120 mAh g−1 and high cycling stability (80% capacity retention after 120 cycles). These results represent the first anode‐free Li battery with a high 4.7 V discharge voltage and high safety.
4.7 V Cu@Si‐PAN/LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 anode‐free Li batteries with a reversible specific capacity of ≈120 mAh g−1 and high capacity retention of 80% after 120 cycles are reported. With the nonflammable F‐rich ionic liquid electrolyte and the seeding Si‐PAN layer (950 nm), an enhanced safety and high‐voltage anode‐free Li battery without dendritic Li growth is demonstrated.
Objectives/Hypothesis
The role of tumor‐associated tissue eosinophilia (TATE) in oral cavity cancer remains quite controversial. This study investigated the potential role of TATE in tongue squamous ...cell carcinoma (TSCC).
Study Design
Retrospective case series.
Methods
This study retrospectively enrolled 259 consecutive TSCC patients who underwent surgery between July 2004 and December 2015. Histopathological examinations for TATE in TSCC tumors were reviewed, and the association of TATE with different clinicopathological factors was evaluated. A nomogram was generated based on several major clinicopathological factors and TATE to improve the accuracy of prognostic prediction.
Results
Higher levels of TATE were significantly associated with male sex, alcohol consumption, cigarette smoking, higher pT classification, advanced disease stage, and tumor depth (P = .006, .003, .024, .041, .013 and .006, respectively). Our results indicated that extranodal extension, cell differentiation, and TATE were independent predictors of overall survival (P < .001, .004, and .032, respectively) and disease‐free survival (P < .001, .012, and .013, respectively). TATE levels significantly correlated with circulating eosinophils (r = 0.139, P = .040), and the c‐index of our nomogram foroverall survival was 0.786, which demonstrates better accuracy in prognosis prediction than the TNM stage only (c‐index = 0.738).
Conclusions
Higher levels of TATE were associated with several clinicopathological factors and poorer survival rates, and a nomogram incorporating TATE levels may strengthen the prediction accuracy of prognosis in TSCC patients.
Level of Evidence
4 Laryngoscope, 129:1123–1129, 2019
It is essential to decouple the interfacial reactions taking place at the anode and cathode in rechargeable batteries. However, due to the reactive nature of Li, it is challenging to use Li‐metal ...batteries (LMBs) protocol to decouple the interfacial reactions. The by‐products from the anode or cathode become mixed in Li/NMC111 cells, which make decoupling interfacial reactions difficult. Here, reactions at electrodes are successfully decoupled and demystified using a protocol combining anode‐free LMB (AFLMB) with online electrochemical mass spectroscopy. LiPF6 in ethylene carbonate (EC)/diethyl carbonate (DEC) and EC/ethyl methyl carbonate (1:1 v/v%) electrolytes are used to compare interfacial reactions in Li/NMC111 and Cu/NMC111 cells. In Cu/NMC111, the evolution of CO2, CO, and C2H4 gases at the initial stage of first charging is due to interfacial reactions at Cu surface due to solid–electrolyte‐interphase formation. However, the evolution of CO2 and CO gases at high voltage in the entire cycles is associated with chemical and/or electrochemical electrolyte oxidation at the cathode. This work paves a new concept to decouple interfacial reactions at electrodes for developing electrochemically stable electrolytes to improve the performance with the long‐cycling life of AFLMBs and LMBs.
Reductive and oxidative gases evolving at the anode and cathode in Li/NMC111 and Cu/NMC111 are independently studied using a protocol combining EL‐Cell and GC‐MS. Understanding the decoupled interfacial reactions at both electrodes help elucidate the solid–electrolyte‐interphase formation mechanism and develop stable and high‐performance electrolytes.
Autophagy participates in the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and the resistance of HCC cells to sorafenib. We investigated the feasibility of sensitising HCC cells to sorafenib by ...modulating miR-541-initiated microRNA-autophagy axis.
Gain- and loss-of-function assays were performed to evaluate the effects of miR-541 on the malignant properties and autophagy of human HCC cells. Autophagy was quantified by western blotting of LC3, transmission electron microscopy analyses and confocal microscopy scanning of mRFP-GFP-LC3 reporter construct. Luciferase reporter assays were conducted to confirm the targets of miR-541. HCC xenograft tumours were established to analyse the role of miR-541 in sorafenib-induced lethality.
The expression of miR-541 was downregulated in human HCC tissues and was associated with malignant clinicopathologic phenotypes, recurrence and survival of patients with HCC. miR-541 inhibited the growth, metastasis and autophagy of HCC cells both in vitro and in vivo. Prediction software and luciferase reporter assays identified autophagy-related gene 2A (ATG2A) and Ras-related protein Rab-1B (RAB1B) as the direct targets of miR-541. Consistent with the effects of the miR-541 mimic, inhibition of ATG2A or RAB1B suppressed the malignant phenotypes and autophagy of HCC cells. Furthermore, siATG2A and siRAB1B partially reversed the enhancement of the malignant properties and autophagy in HCC cells mediated by the miR-541 inhibitor. More interestingly, higher miR-541 expression predicted a better response to sorafenib treatment, and the combination of miR-541 and sorafenib further suppressed the growth of HCC cells in vivo compared with the single treatment.
Dysregulation of miR-541-ATG2A/RAB1B axis plays a critical role in patients' responses to sorafenib treatment. Manipulation of this axis might benefit survival of patients with HCC, especially in the context of the highly pursued strategies to eliminate drug resistance.
Objective
There is no useful tool to clinically predict the occurrence of osteoradionecrosis (ORN) of the mandible quantitatively. The aim was to investigate the risk factors, including different ...modalities of radiotherapy, for developing mandibular ORN in patients undergoing marginal mandibulectomy and postoperative radiotherapy.
Methods
Between January 2006 and December 2012, 167 subjects who underwent marginal mandibulectomy and postoperative radiotherapy with different modalities were enrolled. The association of ORN with mandibular bone measurements and patient variables was analyzed, and a nomogram was established.
Results
Fifteen (8.98%) of the 167 patients developed ORN during the follow‐up period, and ORN was significantly associated with diabetes mellitus (DM), body mass index (BMI), remaining bone height, remaining bone height to original bone height ratio, resected bone height to original bone height ratio, and mandibular dose (P: < 0.001, 0.004, 0.042, 0.018, 0.010, 0.020, respectively). Interestingly, the risk of ORN had no significant difference between conformal and intensity modulation radiation therapy (P = 0.407). Multivariate analysis revealed that DM and resected bone height to original bone height ratio ≥ 50% were independent risk factors for postoperative ORN. A nomogram consisting of BMI, DM, resected bone height to original bone height ratio, mandibulotomy, and mandibular dose for predicting the ORN‐free probability was established; and the c‐index of the nomogram for ORN status was 0.803.
Conclusion
A nomogram based on the risk factors was plotted to strengthen the prediction of ORN quantitatively. Surgeons should be more discrete regarding the treatment plan for patients with higher probability of ORN.
Level of Evidence
3b Laryngoscope, 130:101–107, 2020
Abstract
The standard size of bougie for laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) is not yet established. Therefore, a systematic review and network meta-analysis were conducted to assess the weight ...loss effects and associated complications of LSG for patients with morbid obesity, based on different bougie sizes. A total of 15 studies were reviewed in this systemic review and network meta-analysis (2,848 participants), including RCTs and retrospective studies in PubMed, and Embase until September 1, 2020. The effectiveness of different bougie calibration sizes was assessed based on excess weight loss (EWL), total complications, and staple line leak. Within this network meta-analysis, S-sized (≤ 32 Fr.) and M-sized (33–36 Fr.) bougies had similar effects and were associated with the highest EWL improvement among all different bougie sizes (S-sized: standardized mean difference SMD, 10.52; 95% confidence interval CI − 5.59 to − 26.63, surface under the cumulative ranking curve SUCRA, 0.78; and M-sized: SMD, 10.16; 95% CI − 3.04–23.37; SUCRA, 0.75). M-sized bougie was associated with the lowest incidence of total complications (M-sized: odds ratio, 0.43; 95% CI, 0.16–1.11; SUCRA, 0.92). Based on our network meta-analysis, using M-sized bougie (33–36 Fr.) is an optimal choice to balance the effectiveness and perioperative safety of LSG in the clinical practice.
The release of anthropogenic radiocesium to the North Pacific Ocean (NPO) has occurred in the past 60 years. Factors controlling
Cs (half-life, 30.2 year) and
Cs (half-life, 2.06 year) activity ...concentrations in the Kuroshio east of Taiwan and the Taiwan Strait (latitude 20° N-27° N, longitude 116° E-123° E) remain unclear. This study collected seawater samples throughout this region and analyzed
Cs and
Cs activity concentrations between 2018 and 2019. A principal component analysis (PCA) was performed to analyze the controlling factors of radiocesium. Results of all
Cs activity concentrations were below the detection limit (0.5 Bq m
). Analyses of water column
Cs profiles revealed a primary concentration peak (2.1-2.2 Bq m
) at a depth range of 200-400 m (potential density σ
25.3 to 26.1 kg m
). The PCA result suggests that this primary peak was related to density layers in the water column. A secondary
Cs peak (1.90 Bq m
) was observed in the near-surface waters (σ
= 18.8 to 21.4 kg m
) and was possibly related to upwelling and river-to-sea mixing on the shelf. In the Taiwan Strait,
Cs activity concentrations in the near-surface waters were higher in the summer than in the winter. We suggest that upwelling facilitates the vertical transport of
Cs at the shelf break of the western NPO.
A multi-object distance determination method can be achieved by 932 nm structured light with one camera as the data receiver. The structured light generated by a liquid crystal on silicon spatial ...light modulator (LCoS-SLM) facilitates dynamic image projection on targets. A series of moving light strip images were captured and collected for data analysis. This method lifted the limitation of single-object distance determination and the limitation of the angle requirement between the camera and the light source in the triangulation method. The average error of this method was approximately 3% in the range of 700 mm to 1900 mm away from LCoS-SLM without further optimization. It provides a potential compact design for indoor multi-object distance determination in the future.
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