RF MEMS Based Tunable Bowtie Shaped Substrate Integrated Waveguide Filter

A tunable bandpass filter based on a technique that utilizes substrate integrated waveguide (SIW) and double coupling is presented. The SIW based bandpass filter is implemented using a bowtie shaped resonator structure. The bowtie shaped filter exhibits similar performance as found in rectangular and circular shaped SIW based bandpass filters. This concept reduces the circuit foot print of SIW; along with miniaturization high quality factor is maintained by the structure. The design methodology for single-pole triangular resonator structure is presented. Two different inter-resonator couplings of the resonators are incorporated in the design of the two-pole bowtie shaped SIW bandpass filter, and switching between the two couplings using a packaged RF MEMS switch delivers the tunable filter. A tunning of 1 GHz is achieved for two frequency states of 6.3 and 7.3 GHz. The total size of the circuit is 70mm x 36mm x 0.787 mm (LxWxH)

Equivalent Circuit Modeling of the Dielectric Loaded Microwave Biosensor

This article describes the modeling of biological tissues at microwave frequency using equivalent lumped elements. A microwave biosensor based on microstrip ring resonator (MRR), that has been utilized previously for meat quality evaluation is used for this purpose. For the first time, the ring-resonator loaded with the lossy and high permittivity dielectric material, such as; biological tissue, in a partial overlay configuration is analyzed. The equivalent circuit modeling of the structure is then performed to identify the effect of overlay thickness on the resonance frequency. Finally, the relationship of an overlay thickness with the corresponding RC values of the meat equivalent circuit is established. Simulated, calculated and measured results are then compared for validation. Results are well agreed while the observed discrepancy is in acceptable limit

The clinical pattern of HER-2/neu oncogene overexpressing breast cancer in Pakistani patients at initial presentation: an analysis of HER-2/neu positive versus negative disease--a preliminary report

Background: HER 2/new oncogene is an important prognostic marker in Breast Cancer and has implications in therapy planning.Objective: To describe the clinical features of HER 2/new positive and negative Breast Cancer in the Pakistani patient population and note clinical differences between the two groups if any.Design: A retrospective analysis of Breast Cancer cases at the Aga Khan University, Hospital.METHOD: Immunochemical staining on formation fixed paraffin embedded tissue using oxidase antiperoxidase method. A total of 152 Breast cancer tissue samples were tested for HER-2/neu gene presence. Of these 43 (39%) samples tested positive and 109 (61%) tested negative. A comparison of the two groups revealed that only a few factors tested for either significance or borderline statistical significance between the two groups. These factors included the estrogen receptor status and the number of lymph nodes involved in the axilla. The progesterone receptor status was of borderline significance.CONCLUSION: Given the large number of factors tested it appears that there is no consistent defining feature which helps to separate HER-2/neu positive versus HER-2/neu negative cases with Breast Cancer

Use of Nutritional Supplements in Youth with Medicated and Unmedicated Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Objective: To find out whether use of nutritional supplements (NUS) differs between children and adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD; medicated or unmedicated), compared with those without the disorder. Methods: We used cross-sectional data from the population-based I.Family study conducted between 2013 and 2014 in eight European countries. Parents completed questionnaires and participated in interviews, for example, on health and medical history of their child. Data from 5067 children and adolescents aged 5-17 years were included. Exposures were medicated (with ADHD-approved medication) and unmedicated ADHD. The outcome was the use of NUS, measured by use of any or multiple different NUS. Multivariable logistic regression adjusted for sociodemographics and health determinants was used to find ADHD-depending differences. Results: The study sample comprised 4490 children and adolescents without ADHD and 51 medicated and 76 unmedicated subjects with ADHD. Regarding the use of any NUS, no statistically significant differences were found between children and adolescents without ADHD (18%) and those with medicated (18%) or unmedicated ADHD (22%). However, discrepancies appear when considering multiple use of NUS, not reported for any medicated ADHD subject but remarkably often for unmedicated ADHD subjects (13%), resulting in an adjusted odds ratio of 2.6 (95% confidence interval, 1.2-5.6) when compared with those without ADHD (5%). Conclusion: Children and adolescents who were not using medication for treating ADHD potentially took NUS as oral remedies. Given the potential for a delay of indicated treatments and for use of those NUS which have no proven effectiveness, pediatricians should actively explore whether NUS have been used to treat ADHD core symptoms, and families should be informed that the average effect size has to be considered small

Relative validity of a food and beverage preference questionnaire to characterize taste phenotypes in children adolescents and adults

To assess the relative validity of our food and beverage preference questionnaire we investigated the association between sweet and fatty taste preference scores (assessed using a food and beverage preference questionnaire) and sweet and fatty food propensity scores (derived from a food frequency questionnaire). In I.Family, a large European multi-country cohort study, 12, 207 participants from Cyprus, Estonia, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Spain and Sweden, including 5291 adults, 3082 adolescents, and 3834 children, completed a food and beverage preference questionnaire with 63 items. Cumulative preference scores for sweet and fatty taste were calculated from the single item ranking ranging from 1 to 5. The relative consumption frequency of foods classified as sweet and fatty was used to calculate the corresponding consumption propensities, a continuous variable ranging from 0 to 100. We conducted regression analyses to investigate the association between sweet and fatty taste preference scores and sweet and fatty food propensity scores, respectively, separately for adults, adolescents =12 years, and for children <12 years. The overall sweet taste preference score was positively associated with the sweet food consumption propensity score (ß = 2.4, 95% CI: 2.1;2.7) and the fatty taste preference score was positively associated with the fatty food consumption propensity score (ß = 2.0, 95% CI: 1.8;2.2). After stratification for age (children <12 years, adolescents =12 years, and adults), the effect remained significant in all age groups and was strongest in adolescents and adults. We conclude that our food and beverage preference questionnaire is a useful instrument for epidemiological studies on sensory perception and health outcomes and for the characterization of sensory taste phenotypes

A general process for the development of peptide-based immunoassays for monoclonal antibodies

Monoclonal antibodies (mAb) are an important and growing class of cancer therapeutics, but pharmacokinetic analyses have in many cases been constrained by the lack of standard and robust pharmacologic assays. The goal of this project was to develop a general method for the production of immunoassays that can measure the levels of therapeutic monoclonal antibodies in biologic samples at relevant concentrations. Alemtuzumab and rituximab are monoclonal approved for the treatment of B-cell malignancies and were used as a model system. Phage-displayed peptide libraries were screened for peptide sequences recognized by alemtuzumab (anti-CD52) or rituximab (anti-CD20). Synthetic biotinylated peptides were used in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). Peptides directly synthesized on polymer resin beads were used in an immunofluorescent-based assay. Peptide mimetope sequences were recovered for both mAb and confirmed by competitive staining and kinetic measurements. A peptide-based ELISA method was developed for each. The assay for rituximab had a limit of detection of 4 μg/ml, and the assay for alemtuzumab had a limit of detection of 1 μg/ml. Antibody-specific staining of peptide conjugated beads could be seen in a dose-dependent manner. Phage-displayed peptide libraries can be a source of highly specific mimetopes for therapeutic mAb. The biotinylated forms of those peptides are compatible with conventional ELISA methods with sensitivities comparable to other assay methods and sufficient for pharmacological studies of those mAb given at high dose. The process outlined here can be applied to any mAb to enable improved pharmacokinetic analysis during the development and clinical use of this class of therapies

Association analysis of Neuregulin 1 candidate regions in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder

Schizophrenia (SCZ) and bipolar disorder (BPD) are severe heritable psychiatric disorders involving a complex genetic aetiology. Neuregulin 1 (NRG1) is a leading candidate gene for SCZ, and has recently been implicated in BPD. We previously reported association of two NRG1 haplotypes with SCZ and BPD in a Scottish case–control sample. One haplotype is located at the 5′ end of the gene (region A), and the other is located at the 3′ end (region B). Here, association to haplotypes within regions A and B was assessed in patients with SCZ and BPD in a second Scottish case–control sample and in the two Scottish samples combined. Association to region B was also assessed in patients with SCZ and BPD in a German case–control sample, and in all three samples combined. No evidence was found for association in the new samples when analysed individually; however, in the joint analysis of the two Scottish samples, a region B haplotype comprising two SNPs (rs6988339 and rs3757930) was associated with SCZ and the combined case group (SCZ: p = 0.0037, OR = 1.3, 95% CI: 1.1–1.6; BPD + SCZ: p = 0.0080, OR = 1.2, 95% CI: 1.1–1.5), with these associations withstanding multiple testing correction at the single-test level (SCZ: pst = 0.022; BPD + SCZ: pst = 0.044). This study supports the involvement of NRG1 variants in the less well studied 3′ region in conferring susceptibility to SCZ and BPD in the Scottish population

Design Safety Considerations for Water Cooled Small Modular Reactors Incorporating Lessons Learned from the Fukushima Daiichi Accident

The global future deployment of advanced nuclear reactors for electricity generation depends primarily on the ability of nuclear industries, utilities and regulatory authorities to further enhance their reliability and economic competitiveness while satisfying stringent safety requirements. The IAEA has a project to help coordinate Member State efforts in the development and deployment of small and medium sized or small modular reactor (SMR) technology. This project aims simultaneously to facilitate SMR technology developers and potential SMR users, particularly States embarking on a nuclear power programme, in identifying key enabling technologies and enhancing capacity building by resolving issues relevant to deployment, including nuclear reactor safety. The objective of this publication is to explore common practices for Member States, which will be an essential resource for future development and deployment of SMR technology. The accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant was caused by an unprecedented combination of natural events: a strong earthquake, beyond th e design basis, followed by a series of tsunamis of heights exceeding the design basis tsunami considered in the flood analysis for the site. Consequently, all the operating nuclear power plants and advanced reactors under development, including SMRs, have been incorporating lessons learned from the accident to assure and enhance the performance of the engineered safety features in coping with such external events. In response to the Fukushima Daiichi accident, the IAEA established an Action Plan on Nuclear Safety. The preparation of this publication was carried out within the framework of the IAEA Action Plan on effectively utilizing research and development. The main objective of this publication is to present technology developers and user s with common considerations, approaches and measures for enhancing the defence in depth and operability of water cooled SMR design concepts to cope with extreme natural hazards. Indicative requirements to prevent such an accident from recurring are also provided for States planning to adopt water cooled SMR designs and technologies. The IAEA gratefully acknowledges the information on technology and safety aspects provided by SMR design organizations and information regarding technical requirements provided by several Member States. The IAEA officers responsible for this publication were M.H. Subki of the Division of Nuclear Power and M. Kim of the Division of Nuclear Installation Safety

A diverse view of science to catalyse change:Valuing diversity leads to scientific excellence, the progress of science and, most importantly, it is simply the right thing to do. we must value diversity not only in words, but also in actions

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