Design and Synthesis of Quasi Dual-mode, Elliptic Coaxial Filter

This article introduces the design of a novel quasi dual-mode, elliptic coaxial filter. The transfer function is mapped to a generalized Chebyshev prototype with symmetrically located transmission zeros (TZs) where the coupling values are extracted. Furthermore, the miniaturization is achieved by incorporating stepped-impedance coaxial line with inductive element shunted at the center to exhibit a quasi dual-mode property. Theoretical analysis together with experimental prototype is presented. The center frequency of the filter is 2.7 GHz. The simulated and measured insertion loss/return loss are 1.2 dB/ 15 dB and 2.5 dB/11.5 dB respectively. Both theoretical and measured results show a very good agreement

Design and Comparison of Reconfigurable Perfectly- Matched Bandstop Filters

Abstract- This paper discusses two new designs of reconfigurable perfectly-matched bandstop filter which is based on L-shape and ring resonator. The perfectly-matched bandstop filters can be reconfigured between allpass and bandstop response using PIN diodes as switching elements. The operating center frequency of these filters is at 1 GHz. The discussions of the conceptual perfectly-matched bandstop filters are included in this paper. The filters have been simulated for analysis where the effect of microstrip line and FR4 substrate has been taken into account. It is then further fabricated and measured for verification. The filters will then be compared in terms of s-parameter and size. Result shows good agreement between simulation and measurement

Switchable Absorptive Bandstop to Bandpass Filter using Stepped-Impedance Dual Mode Resonator

In this paper, a new switchable absorptive bandstop to bandpass filter using stepped-impedance dual mode resonator is proposed. This switchable filter provides two modes of operation which is absorptive bandstop and bandpass response. The first part of this paper presents a theoretical analysis of the absorptive bandstop filter using steppedimpedance dual mode resonator. The absorptive bandstop response can be achieved by connecting λ/4 length with the stepped-impedance dual mode resonator with correct diameter and position of via hole as an inductive element. The second part of this paper presents an investigation and design of the switchable absorptive bandstop to bandpass filter. PIN diodes are used as the switching element. The selectivity of the bandpass response can be improved by using extended via hole. The parametric studies together with the EM simulation of the new switchable absorptive bandstop to the dual mode bandpass filter is presented in this paper

Risk factors of developmental defects of enamel - A prospective cohort study

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Current studies on the aetiology of developmental defects of enamel (DDE) are subject to recall bias because of the retrospective collection of information. Our objective was to investigate potential risk factors associated with the occurrence of DDE through a prospective cohort study. METHODS: Using a random community sample of Hong Kong children born in 1997, we performed a cohort study in which the subjects' background information, medical and dental records were prospectively collected. A clinical examination to identify DDE was conducted in 2010 when the subjects were 12 years old. The central incisor, lateral incisor and first molar in each quadrant were chosen as the index teeth and were examined 'wet' by two trained and calibrated examiners using the modified FDI (DDE) Index. RESULTS: With a response rate of 74.9%, the 514 examined subjects had matched data for background information. Diffuse opacites were the most common type of DDE. Of the various possible aetiological factors considered, only experience of severe diseases during the period 0-3 years was associated with the occurrence of 'any defect' (p = 0.017) and diffuse opacities (p = 0.044). The children with experience of severe diseases before 3 years of age were 7.89 times more likely to be affected by 'any defect' compared with those who did not have the experience (OR 7.89; 95% CI 1.07, 58.14; p = 0.043). However, after adjusting for confounding factors, the association no longer existed. CONCLUSION: No variables could be identified as risk factors of DDE in this Hong Kong birth cohort.published_or_final_versio

Evaluation of different mucosal microbiota leads to gut microbiota-based prediction of type 1 diabetes in NOD mice

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is a progressive autoimmune disease in which the insulin-producing beta cells are destroyed by auto-reactive T cells. Recent studies suggest that microbiota are closely associated with disease development. We studied gut, oral and vaginal microbiota longitudinally in non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice. We showed that the composition of microbiota is very different at the different mucosal sites and between young and adult mice. Gut microbiota are more diverse than oral or vaginal microbiota and the changes were more evident in the mice before and after onset of diabetes. Using alpha-diversity, Gram-positive/Gram-negative ratio as well as the relative abundance of Bacteroidetes and Erysipelotrichaceae in the gut microbiota, at 8 weeks of age, we formulated a predictive algorithm for T1D development in a cohort of 63 female NOD mice. Using this algorithm, we obtained 80% accuracy of prediction of diabetes onset, in two independent experiments, totaling 29 mice, with Area Under the Curve of 0.776 by ROC analysis. Interestingly, we did not find differences in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of the mice at 8 weeks of age, regardless of later diabetes development. Our results suggest that the algorithm could potentially be used in early prediction of future T1D development

Effect of a Discrete PIN Diode on Defected Ground Structure

Abstract—This paper investigates the effect of a discrete PIN diode on Defected Ground Structure (DGS) where the different resonant frequency between ON and OFF state of the PIN diode is observed. Analytical modeling is determined and analyzed based on equivalent circuit of PIN diode and DGS. Then, a circuit simulation is performed using simulation software with different value of inductance and capacitance of DGS during ON and OFF state of the PIN diode. As a result, the resonant frequency of the PIN diode on the DGS shifted to higher frequency during ON state and shifted to lower frequency during OFF state. Besides, a larger value of inductance with a smaller value of capacitance of DGS will produce a larger range of resonant frequency between ON and OFF state and vice versa

Different immunological responses to early-life antibiotic exposure affecting autoimmune diabetes development in NOD mice

Environmental factors clearly influence the pathogenesis of Type 1 diabetes, an autoimmune disease. We have studied gut microbiota as important environmental agents that could affect the initiation or progression of type 1 diabetes especially in the prenatal period. We used neomycin, targeting mainly Gram negative or vancomycin, targeting mainly Gram positive bacteria, to treat pregnant NOD mothers and to study autoimmune diabetes development in their offspring. Neomycin-treated offspring were protected from diabetes, while vancomycin-treated offspring had accelerated diabetes development, and both antibiotics caused distinctly different shifts in gut microbiota composition compared with the offspring from untreated control mice. Our study demonstrated that neomycin treatment of pregnant mothers leads to generation of immune-tolerogenic antigen-presenting cells (APCs) in the offspring and these APCs had reduced specific autoantigen-presenting function both in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, the protection from diabetes mediated by tolerogenic APCs was vertically transmissible to the second generation. In contrast, more diabetogenic inflammatory T cells were found in the lymphoid organs of the offspring from the vancomycin-treated pregnant mothers. This change however was not transmitted to the second generation. Our results suggested that prenatal exposure to antibiotic influenced gut bacterial composition at the earliest time point in life and is critical for consequent education of the immune system. As different bacteria can induce different immune responses, understanding these differences and how to generate self-tolerogenic APCs could be important for developing new therapy for type 1 diabetes

Switchable Radial Stub Resonator for Isolation Improvement of SPDT Switch

This paper proposes switchable radial stub resonator for isolation improvement of Single Pole Double Throw (SPDT) discrete switch for Time Division Duplex (TDD) switching of wireless communications. A commercialized discrete PIN diode is used to switch the radial stub resonator between bandstop to allpass response where an analytical modeling of the switchable resonator is presented and analyzed. In this analysis, correlation between inner radial and angle radial stub with the characteristic impedance and attenuation pole is determined. Isolation improvement is analyzed with two-port network of single shunt PIN diode with switchable radial stub resonator where it is found that an additional isolation can be obtained with the switchable radial stub resonator. In measurement result, the SPDT switch with switchable radial stub resonator has shown more than 30 dB of transmit-receive (Tx-Rx) isolation at centre frequency of 3.5 GHz giving better isolation compared to conventional SPDT switch design. The potential application of this SPDT switch is TDD switching for WiMAX and LTE communication system

TLR5-deficiency controls dendritic cell subset development in an autoimmune diabetes-susceptible model

Introduction: The incidence of the autoimmune disease, type 1 diabetes (T1D), has been increasing worldwide and recent studies have shown that the gut microbiota are associated with modulating susceptibility to T1D. Toll-like receptor 5 (TLR5) recognizes bacterial flagellin and is widely expressed on many cells, including dendritic cells (DCs), which are potent antigen-presenting cells (APCs). TLR5 modulates susceptibility to obesity and alters metabolism through gut microbiota; however, little is known about the role TLR5 plays in autoimmunity, especially in T1D. Methods: To fill this knowledge gap, we generated a TLR5-deficient non-obese diabetic (NOD) mouse, an animal model of human T1D, for study. Results: We found that TLR5-deficiency led to a reduction in CD11c+ DC development in utero, prior to microbial colonization, which was maintained into adulthood. This was associated with a bias in the DC populations expressing CD103, with or without CD8α co-expression, and hyper-secretion of different cytokines, both in vitro (after stimulation) and directly ex vivo. We also found that TLR5-deficient DCs were able to promote polyclonal and islet antigen-specific CD4+ T cell proliferation and proinflammatory cytokine secretion. Interestingly, only older TLR5-deficient NOD mice had a greater risk of developing spontaneous T1D compared to wild-type mice. Discussion: In summary, our data show that TLR5 modulates DC development and enhances cytokine secretion and diabetogenic CD4+ T cell responses. Further investigation into the role of TLR5 in DC development and autoimmune diabetes may give additional insights into the pathogenesis of Type 1 diabetes