A Novel Three-Point Modulation Technique for Fractional-N Frequency Synthesizer Applications

This paper presents a novel three-point modulation technique for fractional-N frequency synthesizer applications. Convention modulated fractional-N frequency synthesizers suffer from quantization noise, which degrades not only the phase noise performance but also the modulation quality. To solve this problem, this work proposes a three-point modulation technique, which not only cancels the quantization noise, but also markedly boosts the channel switching speed. Measurements reveal that the implemented 2.4 GHz fractional-N frequency synthesizer using three-point modulation can achieve a 2.5 Mbps GFSK data rate with an FSK error rate of only 1.4 %. The phase noise is approximately -98 dBc/Hz at a frequency offset of 100 kHz. The channel switching time is only 1.1 μs with a frequency step of 80 MHz. Comparing with conventional two-point modulation, the proposed three-point modulation greatly improves the FSK error rate, phase noise and channel switching time by about 10 %, 30 dB and 126 μs, respectively

Relationships between Secondary School Students’ Perceptions of School Adjustment and Well-being

The research is financed by the Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan. No. MOST 108-2410-               H-018-016-MY2 Abstract Both school adjustment and well-being are fundamental to a good quality of life for youth. Good school adjustment is important and has far-reaching influences on the psychology and behavior of middle school students, which sets the stage for future educational and occupational opportunities. Good mental health or well-being helps young people develop the skills they need to cope with whatever life throws at them. The purposes of this study were to explore the relationships between secondary school students’ perceptions of school adjustment and well-being. 890 secondary students were selected from central Taiwan. A questionnaire was applied to collect data. Data were analyzed by using descriptive statistics, one-way ANOVA, Pearson’s product-moment correlation, and multiple regression analysis. The findings of this study were as follows: First, students’ perceptions of school adjustment and well-being were moderate level. Second, respondents with different family socio-economic status showed significant differences in school adjustment including dimensions of overall, academic adjustment, proper behavior, and self-affirmation, and also showed significant differences in well-being including dimensions of overall, life satisfaction, physical-mental health, and self-evaluation. Third, there was a medium positive correlation between respondents' school adjustment and well-being. The school adjustment could predict well-being and the peer relationship and the self-assurance were the better predictors of well-being. Keywords: Secondary school students, School adjustment, Well-being DOI: 10.7176/JEP/11-30-19 Publication date:October 31st 202

6-Gingerol Inhibits Growth of Colon Cancer Cell LoVo via Induction of G2/M Arrest

6-Gingerol, a natural component of ginger, has been widely reported to possess antiinflammatory and antitumorigenic activities. Despite its potential efficacy against cancer, the anti-tumor mechanisms of 6-gingerol are complicated and remain sketchy. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the anti-tumor effects of 6-gingerol on colon cancer cells. Our results revealed that 6-gingerol treatment significantly reduced the cell viability of human colon cancer cell, LoVo, in a dose-dependent manner. Further flow cytometric analysis showed that 6-gingerol induced significant G2/M phase arrest and had slight influence on sub-G1 phase in LoVo cells. Therefore, levels of cyclins, cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs), and their regulatory proteins involved in S-G2/M transition were investigated. Our findings revealed that levels of cyclin A, cyclin B1, and CDK1 were diminished; in contrast, levels of the negative cell cycle regulators p27Kip1 and p21Cip1 were increased in response to 6-gingerol treatment. In addition, 6-gingerol treatment elevated intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and phosphorylation level of p53. These findings indicate that exposure of 6-gingerol may induce intracellular ROS and upregulate p53, p27Kip1, and p21Cip1 levels leading to consequent decrease of CDK1, cyclin A, and cyclin B1 as result of cell cycle arrest in LoVo cells. It would be suggested that 6-gingerol should be beneficial to treatment of colon cancer

The Potential Economic Impact of Avian Flu Pandemic on Taiwan

This study analyzes the potential consequences of an outbreak of avian influenza (H5N1) on Taiwan¡¦s macro economy and individual industries. Both the Input-Output (IO) Analysis Model and Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) Model are used to simulate the possible damage brought by lowering domestic consumption, export, and labor supply. The simulation results indicates that if the disease is confined within the poultry sector, then the impact on real GDP is around -0.1%~-0.4%. Once it becomes a human-to-human pandemic, the IO analysis suggests that the potential impacts on real GDP would be as much as -4.2%~-5.9% while labor demand would decrease 4.9%~6.4%. In the CGE analysis, which allows for resource mobility and substitutions through price adjustments, the real GDP and labor demand would contract 2.0%~2.4% and 2.2%~2.4%, respectively, and bringing down consumer prices by 3%. As for the individual sector, the outbreak will not only damage the poultry sector and its upstream and downstream industries, but also affect the service sectors including wholesale, retail, trade, air transportation, restaurants, as well as healthcare services. These results can be used to support public investment in animal disease control measures.Avian Flu Pandemic, Input-output Model, Computable General Equilibrium Model, Livestock Production/Industries,

Caffeamide 36-13 Regulates the Antidiabetic and Hypolipidemic Signs of High-Fat-Fed Mice on Glucose Transporter 4, AMPK Phosphorylation, and Regulated Hepatic Glucose Production

This study was to investigate the antidiabetic and antihyperlipidemic effects of (E)-3-[3, 4-dihydroxyphenyl-1-(piperidin-1-yl)prop-2-en-1-one] (36-13) (TS), one of caffeic acid amide derivatives, on high-fat (HF-) fed mice. The C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into the control (CON) group and the experimental group, which was firstly fed a HF diet for 8 weeks. Then, the HF group was subdivided into four groups and was given TS orally (including two doses) or rosiglitazone (Rosi) or vehicle for 4 weeks. Blood, skeletal muscle, and tissues were examined by measuring glycaemia and dyslipidemia-associated events. TS effectively prevented HF diet-induced increases in the levels of blood glucose, triglyceride, insulin, leptin, and free fatty acid (FFA) and weights of visceral fa; moreover, adipocytes in the visceral depots showed a reduction in size. TS treatment significantly increased the protein contents of glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4) in skeletal muscle; TS also significantly enhanced Akt phosphorylation in liver, whereas it reduced the expressions of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) and glucose-6-phosphatase (G6Pase). Moreover, TS enhanced phosphorylation of AMP-activated protein kinase (phospho-AMPK) both in skeletal muscle and liver tissue. Therefore, it is possible that the activation of AMPK by TS resulted in enhanced glucose uptake in skeletal muscle, contrasting with diminished gluconeogenesis in liver. TS exhibits hypolipidemic effect by decreasing the expressions of fatty acid synthase (FAS). Thus, antidiabetic properties of TS occurred as a result of decreased hepatic glucose production by PEPCK and G6Pase downregulation and improved insulin sensitization. Thus, amelioration of diabetic and dyslipidemic state by TS in HF-fed mice occurred by regulation of GLUT4, G6Pase, and FAS and phosphorylation of AMPK