Search

Abstract Charge density waves (CDWs) are pervasive orders in solids that usually enhance the effective mass (m*) and reduce the Fermi velocity ( $${v}_{{{{\rm{F}}}}}$$ v F ) of carriers. Here, we report on the inverse — a reduced m* and an enhanced $${v}_{{{{\rm{F}}}}}$$ v F correlated with the growth of the CDW order in CuTe with gapped, practically linearly dispersing bands — reminiscent of emergent CDW-gapped topological semimetals. Using momentum-dependent electron energy-loss spectroscopy (q-EELS), we simultaneously capture m* and $${v}_{{{{\rm{F}}}}}$$ v F of the CDW-related, practically linearly dispersing electrons by plasmon dispersions across the transition (335 K, TCDW), with m* of 0.28 m0 (m0, the electron rest mass) and $${v}_{{{{\rm{F}}}}}$$ v F of ~ 0.005c (c, the speed of light) at 300 K. With the growth of the CDW order-parameter strength toward 100 K, the electrons become lighter and move faster by ~ 20%. Thorough inspection below TCDW unveils the essential role of the increasing opening of the CDW gap. CuTe is a rich platform for the exploration of CDW/correlation physics with q-EELS established as a useful probe for this type of physics.

The influence of biostimulant treatments on Passiflora species was assessed by observing changes in the growth and leaf functional compounds of plants exposed to humic acids (HAs) and seaweed extracts (SEs) to determine their optimal application doses. Four different concentrations of HA irrigation (0, 144, 192, and 285 mg·L−1 per pot assigned as HI-1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively), HA spraying (0, 96, 128, and 192 mg·L−1 as HS-1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively), SE irrigation (SI-1∼4 at 0, 1, 1.33, and 2 g·L−1 per pot, respectively), and SE spraying (SS-1∼4 at 0, 0.5, 0.67, and 1 g·L−1, respectively) treatments were applied to ‘Tainung No. 1’ and Passiflora suberosa cultivars every week to study their responses in plant growth traits and metabolites. Results show that leaf dry weight (DW) and root DW of ‘Tainung No. 1’ plants under SS-3 and HI-4 treatments, respectively, were significantly increased compared with controls. Both HI-3 and HS-3 treatments remarkably increased vine length, fresh weight (FW), and DW of leaves and shoots in P. suberosa plants compared with controls. Furthermore, ‘Tainung No. 1’ and P. suberosa plants respectively subjected to HI-2 and SS-4 treatments contributed to developing biostimulant applications for obtaining higher total phenol and flavonoid content per plant. Both Passiflora species are recommended for treatment with SS-4 and SE to maximize orientin and isovitexin content, and for all their beneficial applications and sustainable use in agriculture.

Background: Quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) is a post-processing technique that creates brain susceptibility maps reflecting metal burden through tissue magnetic susceptibility. We assessed topographic differences in magnetic susceptibility between participants with and without Wilson's disease (WD), correlating these findings with clinical severity, brain volume, and biofluid copper and iron indices. Methods: A total of 43 patients with WD and 20 unaffected controls, were recruited. QSM images were derived from a 3T MRI scanner. Clinical severity was defined using the minimal Unified Wilson's Disease Rating Scale (M-UWDRS) and Montreal Cognitive Assessment scoring. Differences in magnetic susceptibilities between groups were evaluated using general linear regression models, adjusting for age and sex. Correlations between the susceptibilities and clinical scores were analyzed using Spearman's method. Results: In age- and sex-adjusted analyses, magnetic susceptibility values were increased in WD patients compared with controls, including caudate nucleus, putamen, globus pallidus, and substantia nigra (all p < 0.01). Putaminal susceptibility was greater with an initial neuropsychiatric presentation (n = 25) than with initial hepatic dysfunction (n = 18; p = 0.04). Susceptibility changes correlated negatively with regional brain volume in almost all topographic regions. Serum ferritin, but not serum copper or ceruloplasmin, correlated positively with magnetic susceptibility level in the caudate nucleus (p = 0.04), putamen (p = 0.04) and the hippocampus (p = 0.03). The dominance of magnetic susceptibility in cortical over subcortical regions correlated with M-UWDRS scores (p < 0.01). Conclusion: The magnetic susceptibility changes could serve as a surrogate marker for patients with WD.

Changes in energy and environmental policies along with changes in the energy markets of New York State over the past two decades, have spurred interest in evaluating their impacts on emissions from various energy generation sectors. This study focused on quantifying these effects on VOC (volatile organic compounds) emissions and their subsequent impacts on air quality within the New York City (NYC) metropolitan area. NYC is an EPA nonattainment region for ozone (O3) and likely is a VOC limited region. NYC has a complex coastal topography and meteorology with low-level jets and sea/bay/land breeze circulation associated with heat waves, leading to summertime O3 exceedances and formation of secondary organic aerosol (SOA). To date, no comprehensive source apportionment studies have been done to understand the contributions of local and long-range sources of VOCs in this area. This study applied an improved Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) methodology designed to incorporate atmospheric dispersion and photochemical reaction losses of VOCs to provide improved apportionment results. Hourly measurements of VOCs were obtained from a Photochemical Assessment Monitoring Station located at an urban site in the Bronx from 2000 to 2021. The study further explores the role of VOC sources in O3 and SOA formation and leverages advanced machine learning tools, XGBoost and SHAP algorithms, to identify synergistic interactions between sources and provided VOC source impacts on ambient O3 concentrations. Isoprene demonstrated a substantial influence in the source contribution of the biogenic factor, emphasizing its role in O3 formation. Notable contributions from anthropogenic emissions, such as fuel evaporation and various industrial processes, along with significant traffic-related sources that likely contribute to SOA formation, underscore the combined impact of natural and human-made sources on O3 pollution. Findings of this study can assist regulatory agencies in developing appropriate policy and management initiatives to control O3 pollution in NYC.

A small-size on-metal four-antenna (OM4A) module having an ultra-wide band (UWB) covering 3.3-8.4 GHz (fractional bandwidth 87.2%) for Internet-of-Things (IoT) mobile device MIMO antennas is presented. The UWB OM4A module is the first ground-backed four-antenna module that can cover the fifth-generation (5G) mid-band (3.3-5.0 GHz), future potential six-generation (6G) upper mid-band (6.425-8.4 GHz), and WiFi-6E 5/6 GHz band (5.15-7.125 GHz) for MIMO applications. The OM4A module uses a small circular patch antenna of diameter 47.5 mm (patch size $0.21\lambda ^{2}$ with respect to the wavelength at 3.3 GHz) and thickness 3 mm (about $0.033\lambda $ ) to provide four uncorrelated UWB antennas covering 3.3-8.4 GHz. To obtain four UWB antennas, the circular patch is separated into four quadrants; each quadrant is bounded by two orthogonal shorting-pin rows which function like metal walls. In addition, two orthogonal linear slots are added along the centerlines of the four quadrants. In this case, each antenna can effectively generate four resonant modes including a quarter-circle TM $_{\mathrm {1/2,1/2}}$ -like mode, a semi-circle TM21 mode, a semi-circle TM31 mode, and a semi-circle TM41 mode to form the target UWB. By applying two OM4A modules, eight uncorrelated antennas can be provided for 5G/6G/WiFi-6E IoT mobile device MIMO applications. A field test study of using two OM4A modules as eight receive antennas in the MIMO system with four spatial streams ( $8\times 4$ MIMO) is conducted in the campus public outdoor scenario. Testing results of 4.8-4.9 GHz, 6.1-6.2 GHz, and 7.025-7.125 GHz respectively in the 5G mid-band, WiFi-6E 5/6 GHz band, and 6G upper mid-band are analyzed. Details of the UWB OM4A module and MIMO field test are presented.

Fighter jets are a critical national asset. Because of the high cost of their manufacture and that of their related equipment, both pilots and maintenance personnel must complete intensive training before coming into contact with a jet. Due to gradual military downsizing, one-on-one training is often impracticable, and the level of familiarization with procedures among personnel is difficult to measure. The US military introduced a chatbot as part of its digital training material to enhance training effectiveness and avoid equipment damage. In this study, the contribution of an artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot in training is explored. To evaluate the necessity of an AI chatbot, research samples were divided into two groups, namely an experimental and a control group, with 20 people in each group. A paired t test was employed for differentiation analysis of pretest and posttest average scores, revealing that the two groups exhibited a statistically significant improvement in their learning performance. In addition, the blend of analysis of variance results indicated significant differences between the two groups. The chatbot training was more effective than traditional instructor teaching in terms of trainee performance improvement.

Abstract Heart rhythm complexity (HRC), a subtype of heart rate variability (HRV), is an important tool to investigate cardiovascular disease. In this study, we aimed to analyze serial changes in HRV and HRC metrics in patients with inferior ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) within 1 year postinfarct and explore the association between HRC and postinfarct left ventricular (LV) systolic impairment. We prospectively enrolled 33 inferior STEMI patients and 74 control subjects and analyzed traditional linear HRV and HRC metrics in both groups, including detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA) and multiscale entropy (MSE). We also analyzed follow-up postinfarct echocardiography for 1 year. The STEMI group had significantly lower standard deviation of RR interval (SDNN), and DFAα2 within 7 days postinfarct (acute stage) comparing to control subjects. LF power was consistently higher in STEMI group during follow up. The MSE scale 5 was higher at acute stage comparing to control subjects and had a trend of decrease during 1-year postinfarct. The MSE area under scale 1–5 showed persistently lower than control subjects and progressively decreased during 1-year postinfarct. To predict long-term postinfarct LV systolic impairment, the slope between MSE scale 1 to 5 (slope 1–5) had the best predictive value. MSE slope 1–5 also increased the predictive ability of the linear HRV metrics in both the net reclassification index and integrated discrimination index models. In conclusion, HRC and LV contractility decreased 1 year postinfarct in inferior STEMI patients, and MSE slope 1–5 was a good predictor of postinfarct LV systolic impairment.

Selective laser melting (SLM) is a rapidly evolving technology that requires extensive knowledge and management for broader industrial adoption due to the complexity of phenomena involved. The selection of parameters and numerical analysis for the SLM process are both costly and time-consuming. In this paper, a three-dimensional radial basis function-finite difference (RBF-FD) meshless model is introduced to accurately and efficiently simulate the molten pool size and temperature distribution during the SLM process for austenitic stainless steel (AISI 316L). Two different volumetric moving heat source models were presented, namely the ray-tracing method heat source model and the double-ellipsoidal shape heat source model. The temperature-dependent material properties and phase change process were also considered, based on experiments and effective models. Results of the model for the molten pool size were validated with those of the literature. The proposed approach can be used to predict the effect of different laser power and scan speed on the molten pool size and temperature gradient along the depth direction. The result reveals that the depth of the molten pool is more sensitive to laser power than scan speed. Under the same scan speed, a 22% change in laser power (45 ± 10 W) affects the maximum temperature proportionally by about 9%. The developed algorithm is computationally efficient and suitable for industrial applications.

This study presents and compares two methods for identifying the types of extracellular vesicles (EVs) from different cell lines. Through SDS-PAGE analysis, we discovered that the ratio of CD63 to CD81 in different EVs is consistent and distinct, making it a reliable characteristic for recognizing EVs secreted by cancer cells. However, the electrophoresis and imaging processes may introduce errors in the concentration values, especially at lower concentrations, rendering this method potentially less effective. An alternative approach involves the use of quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) and electroanalytical interdigitated electrode (IDT) biosensors for EV type identification and quantification. The QCM frequency shift caused by EVs is directly proportional to their concentration, while electroanalysis relies on measuring the curvature of the I−V curve as a distinguishing feature, which is also proportional to EV concentration. Linear regression lines for the QCM frequency shift and the electroanalysis curvature of various EV types are plotted separately, enabling the estimation of the corresponding concentration for an unknown EV type on the graphs. By intersecting the results from both biosensors, the unknown EV type can be identified. The biosensor analysis method proves to be an effective means of analyzing both the type and concentration of EVs from different cell lines.

In recent years, the innovative applications of integrated augmented reality (AR) into educational settings had increased rapidly in Taiwan. AR provides the scene of the real world while interacting with the virtual and physical objects and increases students' learning motivation. This paper presents an empirical study that investigated the middle-school students learning health education courses related to human body structure knowledge integrating AR technology with different learning style preferences. A two-way t-test was applied to examine the experimental (AR-based) or control (traditional lecture) group in health education courses for four consecutive weeks, comparing with pre-test and post-test scores. The findings revealed that students in the AR experimental group apparently had a higher learning achievement than the students in the control group. Moreover, students with different learning styles had the significant differences in learning achievement. The research outcomes provided the practical implications for educators in incorporating AR applications for enhancing learning motivation and to study the differences in students' learning style.

Recently, the applications of mobile technology integration into innovative pedagogical approaches have resulted in new opportunities and challenges. The rapid development of mobile technology encourages student participation, knowledge sharing, collaboration, and the social interaction necessary to form authentic learning communities around student-generated content anytime and anywhere. Most health education interventions remain focused on traditional lecture methods and neglect the importance of student-centered learning approaches, few studies have examined the effectiveness of mobile technology on health promotion. Therefore, this paper designed a mobile learning system for learning correct medication use and investigated students' continuance usage intention. The findings revealed that students' satisfaction with mobile learning was the major factor predicting continuance intention.

Abstract Background Transthyretin cardiac cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM) is a rare but life-threatening disease. Tafamidis is an effective treatment for patients with ATTR-CM, however its long-term effects on cardiac remodeling and cardiac amyloid deposition are unknown. This study aimed to used cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) to investigate the effects of tafamidis on patients with hereditary A97S ATTR-CM. Methods We retrospectively analyzed a prospective cohort of ATTR-CM patients, including 14 with hereditary A97S ATTR-CM and 17 healthy controls with baseline CMR data. All ATTR-CM patients received tafamidis treatment and received CMR with extracellular volume (ECV) at baseline and after 1 year of follow-up. Results Baseline N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide, left ventricular (LV) mass, LV ejection fraction, global radial, circumferential and longitudinal strain, T1 mapping and ECV were significantly worse in the patients with ATTR-CM compared with the healthy controls. After 1 year of tafamidis treatment, ECV decreased from 51.5 ± 8.9% to 49.0 ± 9.4% (P = 0.041), however there were no significant changes in LV mass, LV ejection fraction, global radial strain, global circumferential strain, global longitudinal strain and T1 mapping. Conclusions After a one-year treatment period, tafamidis exhibited subtle but statistically significant reductions in ECV, potentially indicating a decrease in amyloid deposition among patients diagnosed with hereditary A97S ATTR-CM.

Confirmatory tests for diagnosis of primary aldosteronism (PA) play an important role in sparing patients with a false-positive aldosterone-to-renin ratio (ARR) screening test from undergoing invasive subtyping procedures. We recommend that patients with a positive ARR test should undergo at least one confirmatory test to confirm or exclude the diagnosis of PA before directly proceeding to subtype studies, except for patients with significant PA phenotypes, including spontaneous hypokalemia, plasma aldosterone concentration >20 ng/dL plus plasma renin activity below a detectable level. Although a gold standard confirmatory test has not been identified, we recommend that saline infusion test and captopril challenge test, which were widely used in Taiwan.Patients with PA have been reported to have a higher prevalence of concurrent autonomous cortisol secretion (ACS). ACS is a biochemical condition of mild cortisol overproduction from adrenal lesions, but without the typical clinical features of overt Cushing's syndrome. Concurrent ACS may result in incorrect interpretation of adrenal venous sampling (AVS) and may lead to adrenal insufficiency after adrenalectomy. We recommend screening for ACS in patients with PA scheduled for AVS examinations as well as for adrenalectomy. We recommend the 1-mg overnight dexamethasone suppression test as screening method to detect ACS.

Nature modulates the non-covalent interaction of biomolecules to strengthen their structural integrity against various extreme environments. Water, as the key component in living systems, can provide the H-bonded connectivity to readily stabilize the thermophilic proteins toward thermal adaption. However, this brilliant strategy has seldom been utilized in molecular design since the role of water is less explored in synthetic systems. In this study, we design the lipid-like dendron (LD) to form the hydrated hexagonal columnar (Colh) phase in water-induced self-assembly (WISA). Our findings suggest that the amount of embedded water molecules affects the phase stability of the hydrated Colh phase. The characterization further reveals that remarkable enhancement of phase stability is attributed to the extensive water-containing H-bonded network of the bulk-like core water and interfacial water within the Colh phase. The water-containing H-bonded network prevents artificial water channels (AWCs) in the Colh phase from the destruction of thermal perturbation at temperature higher than the boiling point of water. Moreover, the weakened H-bonded network at high temperatures further accelerates water flow through the AWC of the LD and resulted in the water permeability of an individual AWC (PAWC) of 1.33 × 107 H2O·channel−1·s−1 at 80 °C. This transporting feature in the weak H-bonded network of the bulk AWCs of the LD is similar to the water transport in the hydrophobic channels such as Aquaporin and other single-molecule AWCs. The study suggests that just like how it does to the thermophilic proteins, water can also use its H-bonded network to enhance the thermal stability of synthetic matter and allow them to perform better functions at higher temperatures.

Background Hereditary transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy (hATTR‐CM) is a progressive and fatal disease. Recent evidence indicates that bone scintigraphy may serve as a tool to monitor the effectiveness of hATTR‐CM treatment. The objective of this study was to examine how eplontersen therapy influences the semiquantitative uptake of technetium‐99m‐pyrophosphate in individuals diagnosed with hATTR‐CM. Methods and Results We retrospectively analyzed a prospective cohort from the NEURO‐TTRansform trial, including patients with hATTR‐CM receiving eplontersen (45 mg/4 weeks). A control group comprised patients with hATTR‐CM who had not received eplontersen, inotersen, tafamidis, or patisiran. Technetium‐99m‐pyrophosphate single‐photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography was conducted at baseline and during follow‐up. Thirteen patients with hATTR‐CM were enrolled, with 6 receiving eplontersen and 7 serving as the control group. The median follow‐up time was 544 days. The eplontersen group exhibited a significant decrease in volumetric heart and lung ratio (3.774 to 2.979, P=0.028), whereas the control group showed no significant change (4.079 to 3.915, P=0.237). Patients receiving eplontersen demonstrated a significantly greater reduction in volumetric heart and lung ratio compared with the control group (−20.7% versus −3.4%, P=0.007). Conclusions The volumetric heart and lung ratio used to quantify technetium‐99m‐pyrophosphate uptake showed a significant reduction subsequent to eplontersen treatment in individuals diagnosed with hATTR‐CM. These findings suggest the potential efficacy of eplontersen in treating hATTR‐CM and highlight the value of technetium‐99m‐pyrophosphate single‐photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography as a tool for monitoring therapeutic effectiveness.

Background: Transthyretin cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM) is a debilitating disease that has received much attention since the emergence of novel treatments. The Transthyretin Cardiomyopathy Clinical Trial showed that tafamidis, a transthyretin tetramer stabilizer, effectively reduced the declines in functional capacity and quality of life. However, Ala97Ser (A97S) hereditary ATTR-CM is underrepresented in major ATTR-CM tafamidis trials. Objectives: We aim to investigate the change in global longitudinal strain (GLS) of A97S ATTR-CM patients after 12 months of tafamidis treatment. Methods: We retrospectively analysed a prospective cohort of patients with A97S ATTR-CM who received tafamidis meglumine (61 mg/day) at the National Taiwan University Hospital. Echocardiography with speckle tracking strain analysis was performed at baseline and 12 months after treatment. Results: In all, 20 patients were included in the cohort. The baseline left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and interventricular septum (IVS) thickness were 59.20 ± 13.23% and 15.10 ± 3.43 mm, respectively. After 12 months of tafamidis treatment, the LVEF and IVS were 61.83 ± 15.60% ( p = 0.244) and 14.59 ± 3.03 mm ( p = 0.623), respectively. GLS significantly improved from −12.70 ± 3.31% to −13.72 ± 3.17% ( p = 0.048), and longitudinal strain (LS) in apical and middle segments significantly improved from −16.05 ± 4.82% to −17.95 ± 3.48% ( p = 0.039) and −11.89 ± 4.38% to −13.58 ± 3.12% ( p = 0.039), respectively. Subgroup analysis showed that patients with LVEF