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This paper presents a broadband gallium-arsenide pseudomorphic high-electron-mobilitytransistor (GaAs pHEMT) power amplifier integrated circuit (PAIC) based on a dual-frequency selective impedance matching technique for warfare applications. For a broadband PA design, lower and upper-frequency corners where serious performance degradation is likely to occur should be carefully considered. Feedback and resistive biasing circuits were adopted for driver and main stages to making their frequency responses as flat as possible. Optimum impedances of not only extended lower and upper-frequency corners but also center frequency, were then extracted. Such dual-frequency selective impedance matching technique was applied for extended lower and upper-frequency corners while checking the mismatch level for the center frequency. The proposed broadband PAIC for frequency band from 6 to 18 GHz was designed using a 0.15 μm GaAs enhanced-mode pHEMT (E-pHEMT) process. The implemented broadband PAIC with a simple two-stage structure had a very small chip size of 1.19×0.82 mm2. It exhibited a power gain of more than 16.4 dB and output power of 19.2 dBm. Very flat characteristics in power gain and an output power within ±1.0 dB through the whole band were achieved.

This paper presents a two-stage stacked power amplifier integrated circuit (PAIC) for broadband and high efficiency using a 2-μm InGap/GaAs HBT process with a second-harmonic control circuit and a bias-switching circuit for an average power tracking (APT) application. For APT operation, active bias circuits with a bias switching circuit for the stacked stage were proposed. A simple L-section matching network with a second-harmonic termination circuit was adopted for broad bandwidth and high efficiency. The frequency-independent power and efficiency contours for fundamental and second-harmonic frequency band were extracted at the current-source plane of the transistor. The implemented two-stage PAIC was evaluated using a long-term evolution signal with a peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR) of 7.5 dB and a signal bandwidth of 10 MHz. From 1.55 to 1.95 GHz, the power amplifier exhibited average output power ranging from 27.4 to 28.5 dBm, a power gain of more than 28.6 dB, and a power-added efficiency (PAE) of 36.5 to 41.2% at an ACLR of -30 dBc. At an average output power back-off of 5 dB, the PAE improved to 29.5% with APT using an external buck-boost dc-dc converter, while it was 18.7% without APT.

Abstract Background Polyglycerol is an attractive hydrophilic building block of amphiphilic copolymers for biomedical and pharmaceutical applications due to its biocompatibility, facile chemical modification, and anti-fouling activity. Herein we introduce theranostic nanoemulsions incorporating anti-cancer therapeutic and contrast agents using linear polyglycerol-poly(ε-caprolactone) diblock copolymers (PG-b-PCL). Lipiodol is used as a core oil that dissolves paclitaxel and serves as a contrast agent for computer tomography (CT). Methods PG-b-PCL is synthesized by three-step processes: polymerization of ethoxyethyl glycerol ether; ring-opening polymerization of ε-caprolactone; and deprotection of the PEEGE block. In vitro cytotoxicity of the polyglycerolated lipiodol nanoemulsions is demonstrated using HeLa ovarian cancer cells. The applicability of the prepared nanoemulsions as a contrast agent for CT imaging is also evaluated using micro-CT. Results Three compositions of PG-b-PCL with different block lengths are synthesized to prepare nanoemulsions. The polyglycerolated lipiodol nanoemulsions exhibit excellent anti-cancer activities, while placebo nanoemulsions have no significant cytotoxicity under the same condition. Micro-CT imaging of the nanoemulsions confirms the ability of nanoemulsions as a contrast agent. Conclusions This study suggests that PG-b-PCL is a promising polymeric emulsifier for effective stabilization and surface functionalization of drug delivery nanocarriers for therapeutic and imaging agents.

Objectives This study aims to investigate the effects of heat shock and 2-bromoethanesulfonate (2-BES) injection on hydrogen production and methanogens inhibition in anaerobic acid fermenter sludge and methane fermenter sludge using mixed swine wastewater and food waste leachate as substrates. Additionally, the analysis of biogas, fermentation products such as volatile fatty acids (VFAs) and alcohols, and microbial community changes were conducted to derive efficient pretreatment conditions for anaerobic hydrogen generation. Methods Sludge samples were collected from two-phase anaerobic digesters treating swine wastewater and food waste leachate. Heat shock (90°C, 15 min) and 2-BES injection (1, 5, 10, 50, and 100 mmol/L) pretreatments were applied to the each sludge, along with control reactor without pretreatment before anaerobic digestion. Batch experiments were conducted at 30°C to assess biogas, organic compounds (COD, VS, VFAs, and alcohols), and microbial community composition. Results and Discussion In methanogenic sludge, hydrogen gas was not produced under all conditions, but heat shock method inhibited methane production more effectively than 2-BES injection method. As the concentration of 2-BES increased, methane production decreased. Conversely, hydrogen was produced from the all acid fermentation sludges, mainly attributed to the butyric acid production by dominant Clostridium spp., but the pattern of biogas production varied over time. In the experimental group injected with 2-BES, even at a low concentration of 1 mmol/L, methane gas did not produce due to the inhibition of methanogens. However, in the control group, produced hydrogen was entirely converted to methane by hydrogenotrophic methanogens such as Methanobrevibacter and Methanosphaera. The heat shock group showed delayed hydrogen production due to prolonged lag phase of hydrogen-producing bacteria, with hydrogenotrophic methanogen metabolism starting after 12 days. Heat shock and 2-BES injection reduced bacterial diversity in the acid fermentation process compared to the initial stage. Conclusion For efficient anaerobic hydrogen production from swine wastewater and food waste leachate, 2-BES injection into the acid fermentation sludge was found to be a preferable method over heat shock, considering hydrogen production efficiency and sustained methanogen inhibition. Further research is needed to find more economical and efficient pretreatment methods and operational strategies considering subsequent methane production processes for practical application in the field.

This is a fairy tale taking place in Chessland, located in the Bermuda triangle. The chess pieces survey their land and trap enemy pieces. Behind the story, there is fascinating mathematics on how to optimize surveying and trapping. The tale is written by the students in the PRIMES STEP junior group, who were in grades 6 through 9. The paper has a conclusion, written by the group's mentor, Tanya Khovanova, explaining the students' results in terms of graph theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This study aimed to investigate the effects of crown seating speed, crown seating force, quantity of cement used, and type of implant cement on the amount of remnant cement in the subgingival region (RCS) after cementation. Cement-retained implant crowns were cemented to titanium abutments using the following methods: four types of implant cement (TBN: TEMP BOND NE, NR: NEXUS RMGI, ME: MAXCEM ELITE, and U200: RELYX U200), three quantities of cement (0.02 ml, 0.04 ml, and 0.06 ml), three crown seating speeds (5 mm/s, 10 mm/s, and 15 mm/s), and two crown seating forces (25 N, 50 N). The surface area and length of the RCS were measured using a 3D intraoral scanner. The total RCS weight was measured using an analytical balance. The RCS increased significantly as the seating speed increased, the seating force increased, and the quantity of cement increased (p