RESET Current Reduction for Phase Change Memory Based on Standard 0.13-μm CMOS Technology

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Cardiac arrhythmias in patients with COVID-19.

The emergence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has become a major global public health concern. Although SARS-CoV-2 causes primarily respiratory problems, concurrent cardiac injury cannot be ignored since it may be an independent predictor for adverse outcomes. Cardiac arrhythmias are often observed in patients with COVID-19, especially in severe cases, and more likely contribute to the high risk of adverse outcomes. Arrhythmias should be regarded as one of the main complications of COVID-19. Mechanistically, a number of ion channels can be adversely affected in COVID-19, leading to alterations in cardiac conduction and/or repolarization properties, as well as calcium handling, which can predispose to cardiac arrhythmogenesis. In addition, several antimicrobials that are currently used as potential therapeutic agents for COVID-19, such as chloroquine, hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin, have uncertain benefit, and yet may induce electrocardiographic QT prolongation with potential ventricular pro-arrhythmic effects. Continuous electrocardiogram monitoring, accurate and prompt recognition of arrhythmias are important. The present review focuses on cardiac arrhythmias in patients with COVID-19, its underlying mechanisms, and proposed preventive and therapeutic strategies

Index coding algorithms:cooperative caching and delivery for F-RANs

Abstract In a Fog Radio Access Network (F-RAN), fog access points (F-APs) are equipped with caches that can store popular files during off-peak hours. Besides, they are densely deployed to have overlapping radio coverage so that requested files can be delivered cooperatively using beamforming. The bottleneck of the network is typically in the bandwidth-limited wireless fronthaul, which connects a cloud server to the F-APs. This work studies index coding design for cooperative caching and delivery in F-RAN to minimize fronthaul traffic and transmit energy. Index coding algorithms are designed considering the cached content at the F-APs and the possibility of beamforming in the access network under coded and uncoded caching schemes. An optimal polynomial-time index coding algorithm for uncoded and repetition caching and an efficient heuristic for Maximum Distance Separable (MDS) coded caching are designed, and their superior performance is verified by simulations. The study is further extended to consider the tradeoff between the traffic load of the fronthaul link and the transmit energy consumed in the access network. At the expense of more fronthaul traffic, beamforming opportunities can be increased, significantly reducing energy consumption. Algorithms to achieve the tradeoff are crafted, and simulation results show that uncoded caching well balances the tradeoff

Lateral flow nucleic acid biosensor for sensitive detection of microRNAs based on the dual amplification strategy of duplex-specific nuclease and hybridization chain reaction

<div><p>MicroRNAs (miRNAs) constitute novel biomarkers for various diseases. Accurate and quantitative analysis of miRNA expression is critical for biomedical research and clinical theranostics. In this study, a method was developed for sensitive and specific detection of miRNAs via dual signal amplification based on <i>duplex specific nuclease</i> (DSN) and hybridization chain reaction (HCR). A reporter probe (RP), comprising recognition sequence (3’ end modified with biotin) for a target miRNA of miR-21 and capture sequence (5’ end modified with Fam) for HCR product, was designed and synthesized. HCR was initiated by partial sequence of initiator probe (IP), the other part of which can hybridize with capture sequence of RP, and was assembled by hairpin probes modified with biotin (H1-bio and H2-bio). A miR-21 triggered cyclical DSN cleavage of RP, which was immobilized to a streptavidin (SA) coated magnetic bead (MB). The released Fam labeled capture sequence then hybridized with the HCR product to generate a detectable dsDNA. This polymer was then dropped on lateral flow strip and positive result was observed. The proposed method allowed quantitative sequence-specific detection of miR-21 (with a detection limit of 2.1 fM, S/N = 3) in a dynamic range from 100 fM to 100 pM, with an excellent ability to discriminate differences in miRNAs. The method showed acceptable testing recoveries for the determination of miRNAs in serum.</p></div

Tracking progress towards equitable maternal and child health in Yunnan: a systematic assessment for the Health Programme for Poverty Alleviation in China during 2015–2020

Objectives To inform the impacts of health programmes which aimed at preventing women and children from being trapped in or returning to poverty because of illness in Yunnan, the main battlefield against poverty in China.Design The longitudinal comparative evaluation design.Data collection and analysis National and Yunnan policy documents related to maternal and child health programmes for poverty alleviation during 2015–2020 were analysed. The changes in disparities in maternal and child health system inputs, service coverage, and health outcomes between poor and non-poor areas, as well as out-of-pocket payments between poor and non-poor populations were assessed before and after 2017.Results In total 12 policies and 15 programmes related to poverty alleviation for poor women and children in Yunnan were summarised. As a result of health system strengthening in Yunnan, the densities of licensed doctors, nurses, obstetricians, midwives, township health workers and female village doctors had been increased substantially in poor areas, with the annual rates of 14.3%, 22.5%, 21.8%, 23.9%, 14.1% and 7.1% separately. Although disparities existed in some of service coverage between poor and non-poor areas, the health programmes had narrowed the gaps in utilisation of facility birth, caesarean section, prenatal screening and newborn screening across Yunnan (p&lt;0.01). The out-of-pocket payments for inpatient care for serious illnesses among women and children with poverty registration had been considerably decreased to 10.0%. Paralleling the universal coverage, maternal deaths per 100 000 livebirths and child deaths per 1000 livebirths had further declined in both poor and non-poor areas, and the impacts of health programmes on closing the gaps in child survivals across Yunnan were significant (p&lt;0.01).Conclusions Remarkable progress in equitable maternal and child survival has been achieved in Yunnan. The practices in Yunnan have shown the Chinese model in ending poverty by strengthening health system and implementing universal coverage with firm commitment, determined leadership, detailed blueprint and social participation

Selectivity of the strip biosensor for miR-21 over competing sequences.

<p>Concentrations were 10 nM for miR-21 and 10 nM for other sequences.</p

Effect of report probe concentration on response of the strip biosensor.

<p>P_T and P_C are peak areas of test and control lines, respectively. The histograms represent P_T/P_C values in the presence of 100 pM miR-21 (blue) and without miR-21 (purple), respectively. Error bars are standard deviations from three repetitive experiments.</p

Effect of reaction temperature on response of the strip biosensor.

<p>The histograms represent P_T/P_C values in the presence of 100 pM miR-21 (blue) and without miR-21 (green), respectively. P_T and P_C are peak areas of test and control lines, respectively. Error bars are standard deviations from three independent measurements.</p

Schematic representation of the dual target-recycling amplification strategy for sensitive detection of microRNAs based on duplex-specific nuclease and hybridization chain reaction with lateral flow assay.

<p>The explanations of all acronyms were listed as follows: H1-bio, Hairpin probe1-biotin; SA-MB, Streptavidin-magnetic bead; AuNPs, Au nanoparticles; SA-AuNPs, Streptavidin-Au nanoparticles; BSA, bovine serum albumin; DSN, duplex specific nuclease; FAM, fluorescein isothiocyanates; anti-Fam mAb, anti-FAM- monoclonal antibody.</p