Breast cancer is a disease that occurs most often in female cancer patients. Early detection can significantly reduce the mortality rate. Microwave breast imaging, which is noninvasive and harmless ...to human, offers a promising alternative method to mammography. This paper presents a review of recent advances in microwave imaging for breast cancer detection. We conclude by introducing new research on a microwave imaging system with time-domain measurement that achieves short measurement time and low system cost. In the time-domain measurement system, scan time would take less than 1 sec, and it does not require very expensive equipment such as VNA.
Aquaculture, the production of farm-raised fish, is a major industry that employs and feeds millions of individuals across the globe, but which may also be a nexus of emerging public health threats. ...This study examined potential health risks associated with integrated aquaculture operations by with One Health approach using a suite of tools to study water contamination sources, pathogens, antibiotic resistant bacteria, and bacterial community in the water from fishponds. Water samples from 27 fishponds across 9 villages were collected in Jiangmen City, China. Microbial source tracking, pathogens (including Salmonella and Arcobacter), toxin-producing Microcystis, and antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB) resistant to tetracycline, sulfonamide, and carbapenem were quantified with qPCR. Bacterial community was determined with next-generation sequencing. All ponds exceeded E. coli single-day maximum criteria of US, and 67% ponds exceeded World Health Organization (WHO) waste-fed aquaculture guidelines for protecting consumers and pond workers, representing a high degree of fecal contamination and potential pathogen risks in these ponds. The majority of the ponds were positive for human- (84%) and pig- (41%) associated fecal contamination. Salmonella and microcystin-producing Microcystis were detected in 37% and 15% of the ponds, respectively, while Arcobacter was not detected in any ponds. ARB were highly prevalent. Among the measured factors, canonical correspondence analysis and network analysis demonstrated that secchi depth, temperature and conductivity were the major environmental elements impacting the bacterial community structure, while Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria were the major biological factor. This study demonstrated the presence of intersecting health risk factors in aquaculture facilities and can lay the foundation for addressing these risks in aquaculture management in rural China, with potential applicability in other developing regions dependent on aquaculture.
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•Integrated fishfarms in China were tested for microbial threats to public health.•Pathogens, antibiotic resistant bacteria, and fecal contamination were detected.•Human fecal contamination was confirmed; shows elevated risk of disease transmission.•All ponds tested positive for presence of antibiotic resistant bacteria.•Suggests high risk to pond workers directly exposed; possible risk to consumers
As Artificial Intelligence (AI) is becoming ubiquitous in many applications, serverless computing is also emerging as a building block for developing cloud-based AI services. Serverless computing has ...received much interest because of its simplicity, scalability, and resource efficiency. However, due to the trade-off with resource efficiency, serverless computing suffers from the cold start problem, that is, a latency between a request arrival and function execution. The cold start problem significantly influences the overall response time of workflow that consists of functions because the cold start may occur in every function within the workflow. Function fusion can be one of the solutions to mitigate the cold start latency of a workflow. If two functions are fused into a single function, the cold start of the second function is removed; however, if parallel functions are fused, the workflow response time can be increased because the parallel functions run sequentially even if the cold start latency is reduced. This study presents an approach to mitigate the cold start latency of a workflow using function fusion while considering a parallel run. First, we identify three latencies that affect response time, present a workflow response time model considering the latency, and efficiently find a fusion solution that can optimize the response time on the cold start. Our method shows a response time of 28-86% of the response time of the original workflow in five workflows.
► I build a simulation model of an ecosystem with constant and pulsed energy sources. ► Matching of pulsed energy sources increases total empower of a system. ► Consumer energy is correlated with ...total empower acquisition of the system.
Pulsing is prevalent in nature. As resource pulse has been recognized as one of the major factors influencing ecosystem structures and processes, it is important to investigate why nature pulses and what benefits an ecosystem obtains from pulsed resources. The main question of this study was that if a system could be exposed to either constant external resources or pulsed external resources of the same temporal average intensity, which resources would maximize power acquisition of a system. To answer the question, this study tested how matching of pulsed resources affects total empower acquisition of a system using numerical simulation models and a refined dynamic emergy accounting method. A producer–consumer model system was built and simulated by varying phases and frequencies of pulsed energy sources. It was hypothesized that matching of frequency and phase among two or more pulsed energy sources increases the empower acquisition of a system, compared with a system under constant energy sources. The simulation results showed that in systems of two energy sources, matching phases and frequencies of the pulsed energy sources involved in primary production is critical to increase total empower acquisition and consumer energy storage. The primary mechanism was that the matching of pulsed resources in phase and frequency promotes energy acquisition of primary producers that is further efficiently transferred for the production of consumers. Energy acquisition of consumers was strongly correlated with total empower acquisition of the system presumably because the consumers are in the high energy hierarchical position controlling the producers thus contributing to the total empower acquisition through the system.
A recent ecological study demonstrated a significant association between an increased risk of nonalcoholic liver disease mortality and freshwater cyanobacterial blooms. Moreover, previous ...epidemiology studies highlighted a relationship between cyanotoxins in drinking water with liver cancer and damage and colorectal cancer. These associations identified cyanobacterial blooms as a global public health and environmental problem, affecting freshwater bodies that are important sources for drinking water, agriculture, and aquafarms. Furthermore, as a result of climate change, it is expected that our freshwater environments will become more favorable for producing harmful blooms that produce various cyanotoxins. Food is an important source of cyanotoxin exposure to humans, but it has been less addressed. This paper synthesizes information from the studies that have investigated cyanotoxins in freshwater and food on a global scale. We also review and summarize the health effects and exposure routes of cyanotoxins and candidates for cyanotoxin treatment methods that can be applied to food.
•SARS-CoV-2 was detected from various surfaces surrounding COVID-19 patients.•Extensive viral contamination was found especially around an intubated patient.•Therefore, strict contact precaution is ...needed in managing COVID-19 patients.
Although contact precaution is generally recommended in situations where coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is suspected, there is limited evidence on environmental contamination of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Therefore, we conducted environmental surveillance on SARS-CoV-2 contamination in 2 different healthcare settings.
Viral contamination was investigated on the environment of 2 hospitals that had admitted 13 COVID-19 patients. In hospital A, 5 patients with pneumonia occupied negative pressure rooms. In hospital B, 8 asymptomatic patients shared 2 common 4-bed rooms. Most rooms were poorly cleaned or disinfected. Environmental swab were collected from inside and outside the rooms and were tested using real-time RT-PCR for the detection of SARS-CoV-2.
In hospital A, SARS-CoV-2 was detected in 10 of 57 (17.5%) samples from inside the rooms including the Ambu bag and infusion pump. Two samples obtained at more than 2 m from the patients showed positive results. In hospital B, 3 of 22 (13.6%) samples from inside the rooms were positive. Areas outside the rooms, such as the anteroom, corridor, and nursing station, were all negative in both hospitals.
Hospital surfaces surrounding patients were contaminated by SARS-CoV-2. Our findings support the value of strict contact precaution, routine cleaning, and disinfection in the management of COVID-19 patients.
(1) Introduction: Tendinous mallet finger is a frequent deformity that occurs after an extensor tendon injury during sports or daily life activities. Despite the existence of numerous non-operative ...and operative techniques to address this deformity, there is a controversy on its optimal management. In this study, we aimed to present a direct tendon suture technique using the distal interphalangeal (DIP) joint open approach for treating tendinous mallet finger injury. (2) Methods: Between 2019 and 2021, 19 patients with closed non-fracture tendinous mallet fingers underwent the direct tendon and paratenon repair technique. After skin incision, we opened the paratenon with lazy S shape incision and found the ruptured proximal and distal tendon ends. We reapproximated the tendons using a simple interrupted suture with Prolene #6/0. After that, we meticulously performed paratenon repair using PDS #6/0 for preventing readherence. Temporary trans-articular Kirschner wire fixation was used for 4 weeks. (3) Results: All patients were followed-up for 3–8 months (mean: 4.8 months). The mean final extension lag was 6.5 degrees, and the overall rate of cases with excellent and good outcomes using Crawford’s criteria was 85%. (4) Conclusions: In conclusion, this surgical approach could be a reliable alternative for the treatment of tendinous mallet finger injuries.
Following the construction of a bacterial pan-genome from the whole genome sequences on a web-based pipeline, all coding DNA sequences (CDSs) can be clustered into pan-genome orthologous groups ...(POGs), which is a similar approach to comparative genome hybridization on glass microscope slides. We aimed to clarify the genomic characteristics of Streptococcus agalactiae based on the POG analysis.
Sixty-six S. agalactiae isolates obtained from invasive specimens (blood and cerebrospinal fluid) and non-invasive specimens (urine and vaginal discharge) between 2010 and 2017 in Korea were subjected to whole genome sequencing (WGS). Based on the WGS data, we conducted the POG analysis and constructed a phylogenetic tree along with capsular polysaccharide (CPS) genotyping. We compared the genomics of invasive vs. non-invasive isolates, as well as CPS III vs. non-CPS III genotypes.
Predicted pan- and core-genome sizes were 3416 and 1658 genes, respectively. We found four clusters consisting of CPS genotypes (III, VIII, Ib/VI, and Ia) in the phylogenetic tree. There were significant differences in two metabolic pathways specific to invasiveness, and in six metabolic pathways specific to CPS III type produced by CDSs.
Our observations reveal the pan- and core-genome sizes, four clusters of genomes distributed by CPS genotypes, and unique CDS features of S. agalactiae by comparative genomics in terms of invasiveness and CPS genotype.
(1)
: The management of melanonychia is highly controversial. With growing melanonychia, in case of doubt, the entire lesion should be examined. It may appear similar to nail melanoma or may turn ...into melanoma. Here, we present surgical cases of nail bed total removal and free flap reconstruction. (2)
: Between 1 January 2020 and 31 December 2022, eleven patients were operated on for growing melanonychia, involving the hand and foot. After complete resection of the nail root and plate, immediate reconstruction was performed using a fasciocutaneous free flap. The authors describe the procedures in detail with a few illustrations and clinical photographs depicting the techniques. (3)
: All patients underwent complete nail unit removal around the anatomic boundaries of the nail. Histology showed a nevus and no malignancy in all cases. We used three onychocutaneous flaps, three hypothenar flaps and five venous flaps. All flaps survived, with one case of partial necrosis which spontaneously healed with secondary intention. In the follow-up periods, there was no recurrence or nail regrowth. (4)
: These free flap techniques are very useful for total nail bed defect reconstruction after melanonychia lesion total ablation.
This paper presents a small-sized, low-power gas sensor system combining a high-electron-mobility transistor (HEMT) device and readout integrated circuit (ROIC). Using a semiconductor-based HEMT as a ...gas-sensing device, it is possible to secure high sensitivity, reduced complexity, low power, and small size of the ROIC sensor system. Unlike existing gas sensors comprising only HEMT elements, the proposed sensor system has both an ROIC and a digital controller and can control sensor operation through a simple calibration process with digital signal processing while maintaining constant performance despite variations. The ROIC mainly consists of a transimpedance amplifier (TIA), a negative-voltage generator, and an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) and is designed to match a minimum target detection unit of 1 ppm for hydrogen. The prototype ROIC for the HEMT presented herein was implemented in a 0.18 µm complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor (CMOS) process. The total measured power consumption and detection unit of the proposed ROIC for hydrogen gas were 3.1 mW and 2.6 ppm, respectively.
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