Antenna Array Design for LOS-MIMO and Gigabit Ethernet Switch-Based Gbps Radio System

The high spectrum efficiency of multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) transmission traditionally depends on the high multiplexing gain in rich scattering environments, which will not always hold in the line-of-sight (LOS) environments, especially at higher microwave frequency band. In this paper, a novel antenna array design rule is proposed to guarantee full multiplexing gain for LOS-MIMO systems with one- or two-dimensional antenna arrays in LOS scenarios, and the strict perpendicular constraint is released in the two-dimensional case. The minimum antenna array area and the performance sensitivity to the area error are also obtained to guide the practical system design. Then, a demo MIMO-OFDM system with the designed square antenna array at 15 GHz carrier is implemented on a novel Gigabit Ethernet (GE) switch-based software defined radio (SDR) platform, which combines the hardware accelerating units (HAUs) with the general-purpose processors (GPPs). The field evaluation results show that the system throughput and spectrum efficiency are greater than 1 Gbps and 15 bps/Hz, respectively. To the best of our knowledge, it is the first time to demonstrate the Gbps LOS-MIMO-OFDM system at such microwave bands in the world, which can be a successful design example for the next generation wireless backhaul or fixed wireless access

Novas tecnologias aplicadas à formação: estudo de caso na agência para a modernização administrativa

Este estudo centra-se na abordagem das novas tecnologias aplicadas à formação em contexto organizacional. Como objetivos pretende-se analisar a importância e a eficácia da formação b-learning, enquanto instrumento de desenvolvimento dos trabalhadores nas Lojas do Cidadão, e perceber de que forma as novas tecnologias de informação e comunicação podem ser uma ferramenta preponderante na formação contínua dos trabalhadores. Utilizou-se a metodologia do estudo de caso – Agência para a Modernização Administrativa – que pretendeu verificar o impacto registado na organização e nos indivíduos, dos processos de formação e das aprendizagens realizadas no período de 2008 a 2012. Para a recolha de informação recorreu-se à entrevista semiestruturada (responsável da formação, formador, formandos). Os resultados sugerem que a implementação da metodologia de formação b-learning, teve um impacto positivo no processo de aprendizagem e de melhoria do desempenho dos que integraram os grupos de formação, tendo permitido à organização fundamentar a criação de um departamento de formação para responder eficazmente às necessidades da mesma.This study focuses on the approach of the new technologies applied to training in the organizational context . As objectives we intend to analyze the importance and effectiveness of b-learning training as a tool for workers’ development in the Citizen Shops, and realize how the new information and communication technologies can be a dominant tool in the continuous training of workers. The method used was the case study – Agency for Administrative Modernisation – in order to verify the impact, between 2008 and 2012, of the training and learning process on the organization and on the individuals. For the collection of information appealed to the semi-structured interview (head of training , trainer, trainees). The results suggest that the implementation of the b-learning training methodology had a positive impact on the learning process and on the performance of the training groups, allowing the organization to support the creation of a training department to respond effectively to its needs.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Retention in Treated Wastewater Affects Survival and Deposition of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli in Sand Columns

The fate and transport of pathogenic bacteria from wastewater treatment facilities in the Earth's subsurface have attracted extensive concern over recent decades, while the impact of treated-wastewater chemistry on bacterial viability and transport behavior remains unclear. The influence of retention time in effluent from a full-scale municipal wastewater treatment plant on the survival and deposition of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli strains in sand columns was investigated in this paper. In comparison to the bacteria cultivated in nutrient-rich growth media, retention in treated wastewater significantly reduced the viability of all strains. Bacterial surface properties, e.g., zeta potential, hydrophobicity, and surface charges, varied dramatically in treated wastewater, though no universal trend was found for different strains. Retention in treated wastewater effluent resulted in changes in bacterial deposition in sand columns. Longer retention periods in treated wastewater decreased bacterial deposition rates for the strains evaluated and elevated the transport potential in sand columns. We suggest that the wastewater quality should be taken into account in estimating the fate of pathogenic bacteria discharged from wastewater treatment facilities and the risks they pose in the aquatic environment

Trends in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma on the lip incidence and mortality in the United States, 2000–2019

ObjectiveThis study provided a systematic analysis of the trend in incidence and incidence-based mortality for cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) on the lips in the USA using demographic characteristics from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database.MethodsPatients diagnosed with cSCC on the lips between 2000 and 2019 from the 17 registries of the USA were identified. Incidence and incidence-based mortality rates were analyzed using SEER*Stat 8.4.0.1 software. This paper calculated incidence rates and incidence-based mortality rates by 100,000 person-years for sex, age, race, SEER registries, median household income ($/year), rural-urban distribution, and primary site. The annual percent changes (APC) in incidence and incidence-based mortality rates were then calculated using joinpoint regression software.ResultsAmong 8,625 patients diagnosed with cSCC on the lips from 2000 to 2019, men (74.67%), white (95.21%), and 60–79 years old were the most common population, and 3,869 deaths from cSCC on the lips occurred. The overall incidence of cSCC on the lips was 0.516 per 100,000 person-years. cSCC on the lip incidence rates were highest among men, white, and patients aged 60–79 years old. cSCC on the lip incidence rates decreased by 3.210%/year over the study period. The incidence of cSCC on the lips has been decreasing in all sexes, ages, high- or low-income households, and urban or rural patients. The overall incidence-based mortality rate of cSCC on the lips during 2000–2019 was 0.235 per 100,000 person-years. cSCC on the lip incidence-based mortality rates were highest among men, whites, and people older than 80 years old. cSCC on the lip incidence-based mortality increased by 4.975%/year over the study period. cSCC on the lip incidence-based mortality rates increased for all sexes, races, ages, primary sites, high- or low-income households, and urban or rural patients during the study period.ConclusionAmong patients in the USA diagnosed with cSCC on the lips from 2000 to 2019, the overall incidence decreased by 3.210% annually, and incidence-based mortality increased by 4.975%/year. These findings update and supplement the epidemiological information of cSCC on the lips in the USA

Regulatory Mechanisms of the Wnt/β-Catenin Pathway in Diabetic Cutaneous Ulcers

Skin ulcers are a serious complication of diabetes. Diabetic patients suffer from vascular lesions and complications such as peripheral neuritis, peripheral vascular lesions, and collagen abnormalities, which result in skin wounds that are refractory and often develop into chronic ulcers. The healing of skin ulcers requires an inflammatory reaction, wound proliferation, remodeling regulation, and control of stem cells. Studies investigating diabetic cutaneous ulcers have focused on cellular and molecular levels. Diabetes can cause nerve and blood vessel damage, and persistent high blood sugar levels can cause systemic multisite nerve damage based on peripheral neuropathy. The long-term hyperglycemia state enables the polyol glucose metabolism pathway to be activated, increasing the accumulation of toxic substances in the vascular injured nerve tissue cells. Sustained hyperglycemia leads to dysfunction of epithelial cells, leading to a decrease in pro-angiogenic signaling and nitric oxide production. In addition, due to impaired leukocyte function in hyperglycemia, immune function is impaired and the immune response at relevant sites is insufficient, making diabetic foot more difficult to heal. The Wnt/β-catenin pathway is a highly conserved signal transduction pathway involved in a variety of biological processes, such as cell proliferation, apoptosis, and differentiation. It is considered an important pathway involved in the healing of skin wounds. This article summarizes the mechanism of action of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway involved in the inflammatory responses to diabetic ulcers, wound proliferation, wound remodeling, and stem cells. The interactions between the Wnt signal pathway and other metabolic pathways are also discussed

Analysis on contamination of Bacillus cereus in foodstuff in Jilin Province from 2011 to 2019

Objective To understand the contamination of Bacillus cereus in foodstuff of Jilin Province from 2011 to 2019, and to provide theoretical basis for food safety monitoring and prevention of foodborne diseases. Methods Totally 3 173 samples were collected from the catering service and circulation of nine prefecture (city) levels in Jilin Province from 2011 to 2019. Bacillus cereus in food was detected according to the method of GB 4789.14-2014 national food safety standard microbiological examination of food. The detection rate was analyzed by rate, composition ratio and χ2 test. Results Among 3 173 food samples from 2011 to 2019 in Jilin Province, the total detection rate of Bacillus cereus was 23.6% (750/3 173), the highest was in 2015 (38.5%, 62/161), and the lowest was in 2017 (11.8%, 20/170). Baishan City had the highest detection rate (35.8%, 139/388), followed by Yanbian Prefecture (31.4%, 97/309), and Siping City had the lowest detection rate (15.3%, 76/496). The detection rate of egg and egg products was the highest (60.0%, 3/5), followed by milk and dairy products (39.3%, 114/290) and infant food (31.1%, 185/595). Contamination of Bacillus cereus was the highest in department stores (32.4%, 22/68), followed by snack bars and beverage stores (30.9%, 43/139), and fast food stores (29.1%, 25/86). The median (interquartile interval) of the detection result of Bacillus cereus by colony forming units method was 5.8 (2.9, 8.7) CFU/g (mL), and the median (interquartile interval) of that by most probable number method was 6.4 (3.2, 9.6) MPN/g (mL). Conclusion There were different degrees of Bacillus cereus contamination in foodstuff in Jilin Province. Among the different cities, foodstuff samples collected from Baishan City was much more serious. Eggs and egg products, milk and dairy products were the main contaminated food. Safety monitoring and management of the snack bar, beverage shop and places in department store should be strengthen

Inferring gene regulatory networks from gene expression data by path consistency algorithm based on conditional mutual information

Motivation: Reconstruction of gene regulatory networks (GRNs), which explicitly represent the causality of developmental or regulatory process, is of utmost interest and has become a challenging computational problem for understanding the complex regulatory mechanisms in cellular systems. However, all existing methods of inferring GRNs from gene expression profiles have their strengths and weaknesses. In particular, many properties of GRNs, such as topology sparseness and non-linear dependence, are generally in regulation mechanism but seldom are taken into account simultaneously in one computational method.Results: In this work, we present a novel method for inferring GRNs from gene expression data considering the non-linear dependence and topological structure of GRNs by employing path consistency algorithm (PCA) based on conditional mutual information (CMI). In this algorithm, the conditional dependence between a pair of genes is represented by the CMI between them. With the general hypothesis of Gaussian distribution underlying gene expression data, CMI between a pair of genes is computed by a concise formula involving the covariance matrices of the related gene expression profiles. The method is validated on the benchmark GRNs from the DREAM challenge and the widely used SOS DNA repair network in Escherichia coli. The cross-validation results confirmed the effectiveness of our method (PCA-CMI), which outperforms significantly other previous methods. Besides its high accuracy, our method is able to distinguish direct (or causal) interactions from indirect associations