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Paciente de 35 anos, de sexo femenino, acudio a la clinica oftalmologica por conjuntivitis recurrente unilateral de aproximadamente dos meses de evolucion, previamente tratada por dos oftalmologos con antibioticos topicos y lubricantes oculares, con alivio transitorio sintomatico. Al realizar el examen clinico-oftalmologico se encontro un cuerpo extrano biologico. Se decidio extraerlo e iniciar tratamiento antibiotico, tras lo cual la paciente evoluciono favorablemente y se resolvio el cuadro.

Fructose consumption in humans and animals has been linked to enhanced de novo lipogenesis, dyslipidemia, and insulin resistance. Hereditary deficiency of ketohexokinase (KHK), the first enzymatic step in fructose metabolism, leads to essential fructosuria in humans, characterized by elevated levels of blood and urinary fructose following fructose ingestion but is otherwise clinically benign. To address whether KHK deficiency is associated with altered glucose and lipid metabolism, a Khk knockout (KO) mouse line was generated and characterized. NMR spectroscopic analysis of plasma following ingestion of [6-13C] fructose revealed striking differences in biomarkers of fructose metabolism. Significantly elevated urine and plasma 13C-fructose levels were observed in Khk KO vs. wild-type (WT) control mice, as was reduced conversion of 13C-fructose into plasma 13C-glucose and 13C-lactate. In addition, the observation of significant levels of fructose-6-phosphate in skeletal muscle tissue of Khk KO, but not WT, mice suggests a potential mechanism, whereby fructose is metabolized via muscle hexokinase in the absence of KHK. Khk KO mice on a standard chow diet displayed no metabolic abnormalities with respect to ambient glucose, glucose tolerance, body weight, food intake, and circulating trigylcerides, β-hydroxybutyrate, and lactate. When placed on a high-fat and high-fructose (HF/HFruc) diet, Khk KO mice had markedly reduced liver weight, triglyceride levels, and insulin levels. Together, these results suggest that Khk KO mice may serve as a good model for essential fructosuria in humans and that inhibition of KHK offers the potential to protect from diet-induced hepatic steatosis and insulin resistance.

5'-Adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is a key regulator of mammalian energy homeostasis and has been implicated in mediating many of the beneficial effects of exercise and weight loss including lipid and glucose trafficking. As such, the enzyme has long been of interest as a target for the treatment of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. We describe the optimization of β1-selective, liver-targeted AMPK activators and their evolution into systemic pan-activators capable of acutely lowering glucose in mouse models. Identifying surrogates for the key acid moiety in early generation compounds proved essential in improving β2-activation and in balancing improvements in plasma unbound fraction while avoiding liver sequestration.

Introduction: Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) unresponsive non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) patients are in great need of effective immunotherapies. STING (Stimulator of Interferon Genes) plays a central role in mounting innate and adaptive immune responses to tumor cells. Activation of the STING pathway leads to the induction of inflammatory cytokines (IFN-α/β, TNF-α, IL-6 and CXCL10), maturation and activation of dendritic cells (DC), and induction of anti-tumor T cells. Our group has developed a novel STING agonist, VB-85247. Here we use a murine NMIBC model to report the potent antitumor effect of VB-85247 compared to standard of care BCG and anti-PD1 checkpoint inhibitor therapy currently used in the management of NMIBC. Methods: We developed a mouse model of Non-Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer (NMIBC) utilizing orthotopically implanted MB49-Luc cells, permitting BLI (Bioluminescence) measurement of tumor growth by In Vivo Imaging Systems (IVIS). Results: VB-85247 was found to bind to mouse STING and all major variants of human STING protein. VB-85247 induced high levels of IFN-β and other cytokines across cells from different species, including primary human bladder epithelial cells. VB-85247 treatment by intravesical instillation in the mouse model of NMIBC resulted in dose dependent tumor regression starting after the first treatment, achieving up to a 100% complete response rate at the 40 µg dose level after 5 weekly treatments. The treatment was well tolerated, eliciting strong and durable anti-tumor immune responses without any mortality. All cured mice rejected a re-challenge with MB49-Luc cells with no further treatment, demonstrating long-lasting anti-tumor immunity. By contrast, BCG treatment in the same model was not efficacious. Combination with anti-PD1 treatment reduced the dose of VB-85247 needed to achieve 100% complete responses to 20 µg, whereas anti-PD1 treatment alone resulted in only 25% complete responses. In addition, a single dose of 40 µg VB-85247 by bladder instillation in the NMIBC model induced systemic immune responses including serum cytokines demonstrating Type I IFN responses plus DC mobilization and activation in the blood, draining lymph nodes, and spleen within 24 hours. Conclusions: The STING agonist VB-85247 was well tolerated and displayed robust efficacy by bladder instillation in a mouse orthotopic tumor model of NMIBC, achieving up to 100% complete responses. All cured mice rejected fresh inoculations of tumor cells with no further treatment, demonstrating induction of immunologic memory. Treatment with BCG was not efficacious in the model. These results suggest the potential utility of the VB-85247 STING agonist in the treatment of BCG unresponsive NMIBC patients. Based on these data, VB-85247 is being advanced to clinical development. Citation Format: Miglena Prabagar, Venu Bommireddy, Rachael Siegel, Haihua Zheng, Lee Pellegrino, Stanley Nawoschik, Albert Uveges, Steven Paget, Ku Lu, Krista Saufler, Axel Metzger, David Diller, Jason Trama, Grant Gallagher, Chia-Yu Huang, Brian McGuinness, James R. Beasley, Michael McQueney, Martin Adelson, Gary L. Schieven, Eli Mordechai, Rukiye-Nazan Eraslan. The novel STING agonist VB-85247 induces robust durable antitumor immune responses by intravesical administration in a non-muscle invasive bladder cancer model [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2021; 2021 Apr 10-15 and May 17-21. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2021;81(13_Suppl):Abstract nr 524.

Cement is currently the most versatile and widely used material in construction. However, the high carbon emissions and energy consumption associated with the manufacture of cement remains a serious concern. bagasse ash (BA) is a secondary waste product of bagasse-fired power generation. This study investigated the use of BA as a replacement for cement as a means of reducing the environmental impact of concrete-based construction. At 28 days, we measured the water absorption of cement mortar specimens as well as the compressive strength at room-temperature and after heating. Experiments were conducted involving the replacement of various proportions of cement using BA and fly ash (FA), followed by a comparison of the physical properties. Our test results demonstrate the applicability of BA in the production of cement mortar mixtures with high water-binder ratios. It was found that the water-binder ratio determines the optimal proportion of BA when used as a replacement for cement, wherein a higher water-binder ratio means that more of the cement can be replaced with BA. In compressive strength respect, the optimal cement replacement with BA was 15 % to 25 %, whereas the optimal cement replacement with FA was 20 %. BA was shown to have a more pronounced effect in reducing water absorption in cement mortar specimens with high water-binder ratios (0.55 to 0.65). The compactness of specimens with lower water absorption enables them to retain more of their initial compressive strength following exposure to high temperatures.

Physical activity promotes metabolic and cardiovascular health benefits that derive in part from the transcriptional responses to exercise that occur within skeletal muscle and other organs. There is interest in discovering a pharmacologic exercise mimetic that could imbue wellness and alleviate disease burden. However, the molecular physiology by which exercise signals the transcriptional response is highly complex, making it challenging to identify a single target for pharmacological mimicry. The current studies evaluated the transcriptome responses in skeletal muscle, heart, liver, and white and brown adipose to novel small molecule activators of AMPK (pan-activators for all AMPK isoforms) compared to that of exercise. A striking level of congruence between exercise and pharmacological AMPK activation was observed across the induced transcriptome of these five tissues. However, differences in acute metabolic response between exercise and pharmacologic AMPK activation were observed, notably for acute glycogen balances and related to the energy expenditure induced by exercise but not pharmacologic AMPK activation. Nevertheless, intervention with repeated daily administration of short-acting activation of AMPK was found to mitigate hyperglycemia and hyperinsulinemia in four rodent models of metabolic disease and without the cardiac glycogen accretion noted with sustained pharmacologic AMPK activation. These findings affirm that activation of AMPK is a key node governing exercise mediated transcription and is an attractive target as an exercise mimetic.

The waste tire can be added to concrete to form a composite material, known as “Rubcrete”. However, addition of crumb rubber leads to degradation of physical properties of the concrete. In this study, by treating the crumb rubber with Polyacrylamide (PAM), we have improved properties of the rubberized mortar. Specifically, the compressive and flexural strengths of the specimen at 56 days were improved up to 19% and 27%, respectively. Dramatically, the anti-corrosion property of this new rubberized mortar is much superior to that of the original mortar. The addition of rubber also turned crack from fragility crack to ductility crack. To show the impacts of PAM modification, the specimens of rubberized mortar with and without PAM modification, were observed with SEM images. Experimental results showed that PAM treatment of crumb rubber is an effective means to improve the mechanical properties of the rubberized mortar; lends itself to possible commercial applications.

Recent advancements in architecture and construction have caused a steady increase in cement consumption. To reduce the dependency on cement resources and minimize waste, various countries have been searching for ways to convert industrial and agricultural wastes into cement substitutes, which could also enhance environmental protection and waste disposal. Bagasse ash is a type of secondary waste from bagasse combustion for power generation. In this study, various amounts of bagasse ash were added to replace a portion of cement materials in making cement mortar. Subsequently, a flowability test was conducted to investigate the flowability of cement mortar at various cement–water ratios and monitoring changes in workability. Under identical conditions, bagasse ash, fly ash, and slag were compared in terms of changes in their workability and setting time. To investigate the effect of the particle structure on the cement mortar flowability, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was employed to observe the particle structure. Results show that bagasse ash produced from thoroughly washed bagasse did not require any further grinding because the ash particles were smaller than commercial cement or slag powder particles. Thus, the cost of grinding or screening bagasse ash can be minimized by cleaning or ensuring the bagasse is clean before using it to generate power through combustion. Moreover, an uneven surface of bagasse ash was observed in the study, which may be associated with the water retention effect during the blending process. In addition, the particle size of bagasse ash was generally smaller than that of cement. Thus, the bagasse ash reduced the workability of the cement mortar and substantially decreased the initial and final setting time. Therefore, when substituting bagasse ash for a portion of cement, it is recommended to adopt a higher water–colloid ratio (W/B >0.60).

International audience; Mutations of the AMP-activated kinase gamma 2 subunit (AMPKγ2), N488I (AMPKγ2NI) and R531G (AMPKγ2RG), are associated with Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome, a cardiac disorder characterized by ventricular pre-excitation in humans. Cardiac-specific transgenic overexpression of human AMPKγ2NI or AMPKγ2RG leads to constitutive AMPK activation and the WPW phenotype in mice. However, overexpression of these mutant proteins also caused profound, non-physiological increase in cardiac glycogen, which might abnormally alter the true phenotype. To investigate whether physiological levels of AMPKγ2NI or AMPKγ2RG mutation cause WPW syndrome and metabolic changes in other organs, we generated two knock-in mouse lines on the C57BL/6N background harboring mutations of human AMPKγ2NI and AMPKγ2RG, respectively. Similar to the reported phenotypes of mice overexpressing AMPKγ2NI or AMPKγ2RG in the heart, both lines developed WPW syndrome and cardiac hypertrophy; however, these effects were independent of cardiac glycogen accumulation. Compared with AMPKγ2WT mice, AMPKγ2NI and AMPKγ2RG mice exhibited reduced body weight, fat mass, and liver steatosis when fed with a high fat diet (HFD). Surprisingly, AMPKγ2RG but not AMPKγ2NI mice fed with an HFD exhibited severe kidney injury characterized by glycogen accumulation, inflammation, apoptosis, cyst formation, and impaired renal function. These results demonstrate that expression of AMPKγ2NI and AMPKγ2RG mutations at physiological levels can induce beneficial metabolic effects but that this is accompanied by WPW syndrome. Our data also reveal an unexpected effect of AMPKγ2RG in the kidney, linking lifelong constitutive activation of AMPK to a potential risk for kidney dysfunction in the context of an HFD.

This paper presents a double multi-bit decided folded resistor string digital-to-analog converter that notably reduces the number of output voltage nodes compared with the conventional resistor string digital-to-analog converter. A theoretical nonlinearity analysis of the newly proposed topology based on random, zero-mean, and normally distributed resistor mismatches is also presented. The derived equations enable circuit designers to quickly select the most suitable design for their applications by calculating the required resistor mismatch. Monte-Carlo simulation results show strong agreement with theoretical equations and confirm their accuracy.

Hitting a dozen enzymes with one drug The adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) controls cellular energy status. AMPK is activated when energy levels fall. This stimulates adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-generating pathways that promote glucose uptake and inhibits ATP-consuming pathways associated with glucose synthesis. In principle, these effects would be beneficial in metabolic diseases, including diabetes. Pharmacological activation of AMPK has been challenging, however, because in mammals, the enzyme exists as 12 distinct complexes. Myers et al. describe an orally available compound (MK-8722) that activates all 12 complexes (see the Perspective by Hardie). In animal models, MK-8722 ameliorated diabetes, but it also caused enlargement of the heart. MK-8722 may be a useful tool compound for laboratory research on AMPK function. Science , this issue p. 507 ; see also p. 455

Erosion soil loss is an important problem to be solved. Polyacrylamide (PAM), a biodegradable polymer, has been used in irrigating ditch to reduce soil loss for a long time. It can also be used as an aggregate agent to keep the balance of soil water. The performance of PAM as a soil aggregate agent of silty clay loams was conducted by the wet-sieving method in this study. The effects of PAM on the germination and growth of Bermuda and Bahia were observed. The experiments were conducted in a controlled box with constant temperature and humility. An out-door experiment was also conducted to understand the germination rate of seeds and the development of roots of grasses in ambient condition. Experimental results showed that the addition of PAM would delay the germinations of seeds. However it could enhance the growth of the Bermuda and Bahia grasses.

A theoretical nonlinearity analysis of folded multi-LSB decided resistor string DAC is presented. By the derived theoretical equations, circuit designers can calculate the required resistor mismatch very quickly, thus reducing the design time. The Monte-Carlo simulation results agree well with the theoretical equations and confirm their accuracy.

Grafting method was used to modify polypropylene (PP) fiber to enhance the fiber reinforced concrete in this study. Polyacrylamide (PAM) was grafted onto PP surface by UV radiation using benzophenone (BP) as a photoinitiator. The microstructure of PP, and the interaction force between PP and the polar probe were observed with an atomic force microscopy (AFM). Experimental results showed that the roughness of PAM-grafted PP surface decreased significantly in comparison with that of the untreated PP surface. In addition, instead of smooth force curve as that of the untreated PP, the interaction between the probe and PAM-grafted PP surface appeared an oscillation. The above results gave the evidences that PAM had been successfully grafted onto the PP surface as discussed . The high hydrophilic property of PAM modifies the surface property of PP fiber and strengthens PP fiber reinforced concrete.

This paper presents a linear-in-dB variable gain amplifier (VGA) with programmable gain range and gain step, and low gain error. A 4-bit digitally controlled look-up-table and a “pre-calibration” method yield a maximum gain range of 47 dB with 10 programmable gain step options, while most gain errors are kept below ± 0.3 dB . The proposed VGA occupies an active area of 0.011 mm 2 in a standard 0.18 μ m CMOS process and consumes 1.42 mW from a 1.8-V supply.

In this study, the use of crumb tyres as additives to concrete was investigated. For some time, researchers have been studying the physical properties of concrete to determine why the inclusion of rubber particles causes the concrete to degrade. Several methods have been developed to improve the bonding between rubber particles and cement hydration products (C—S—H) with the hope of creating a product with an improvement in mechanical strength. In this study, the crumb tyres were treated with waste organic sulfur compounds from a petroleum refining factory in order to modify their surface properties. Organic sulfur compounds with amphiphilic properties can enhance the hydrophilic properties of the rubber and increase the intermolecular interaction forces between rubber and C—S—H. In the present study, a colloid probe of C—S—H was prepared to measure these intermolecular interaction forces by utilizing an atomic force microscope. Experimental results showed that rubber particles treated with waste organic sulfur compounds became more hydrophilic. In addition, the intermolecular interaction forces increased with the adsorption of waste organic sulfur compounds on the surface of the rubber particles. The compressive, tensile and flexural strengths of concrete samples that included rubber particles treated with organic sulfur compound also increased significantly.

Glucagon and insulin have opposing action in governing glucose homeostasis. In type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), plasma glucagon is characteristically elevated, contributing to increased gluconeogenesis and hyperglycemia. Therefore, glucagon receptor (GCGR) antagonism has been proposed as a pharmacologic approach to treat T2DM. In support of this concept, a potent small-molecule GCGR antagonist (GRA), MK-0893, demonstrated dose-dependent efficacy to reduce hyperglycemia, with an HbA1c reduction of 1.5% at the 80 mg dose for 12 weeks in T2DM. However, GRA treatment was associated with dose-dependent elevation of plasma LDL-cholesterol (LDL-c). The current studies investigated the cause for increased LDL-c. We report findings that link MK-0893 with increased glucagon-like peptide 2 and cholesterol absorption. There was not, however, a GRA-related modulation of cholesterol synthesis. These findings were replicated using structurally diverse GRAs. To examine potential pharmacologic mitigation, coadministration of ezetimibe (a potent inhibitor of cholesterol absorption) in mice abrogated the GRA-associated increase of LDL-c. Although the molecular mechanism is unknown, our results provide a novel finding by which glucagon and, hence, GCGR antagonism govern cholesterol metabolism.

Summary Cryptococcus neoformans is a heterothallic basidiomycetous yeast that primarily infects immunocompromised individuals. Dikaryotic hyphae resulting from the fusion of the MATa and MATα mating type strains represent the filamentous stage in the sexual life cycle of C. neoformans. In this study we demonstrate that the production of dikaryotic filaments is inhibited by blue light. To study blue light photoresponse in C. neoformans, we have identified and characterized two genes, CWC1 and CWC2, which are homologous to Neurospora crassa wc-1 and wc-2 genes. Conserved domain analyses indicate that the functions of Cwc1 and Cwc2 proteins may be evolutionally conserved. To dissect their roles in the light response, the CWC1 gene deletion mutants are created in both mating type strains. Mating filamentation in the bilateral cross of cwc1 MATa and MATα strains is not sensitive to light. The results indicate that Cwc1 may be an essential regulator of light responses in C. neoformans. Furthermore, overexpression of the CWC1 or CWC2 gene requires light activation to inhibit sexual filamentation, suggesting both genes may function together in the early step of blue light signalling. Taken together, our findings illustrate blue light negatively regulates the sexual filamentation via the Cwc1 and Cwc2 proteins in C. neoformans.

Bcl-2 has been described as a factor that can protect from apoptosis. The protective effect of Bcl-2 may be lost if the protein is phosphorylated. Bcl-2 phosphorylation can be induced by agents that affect microtubule depolymerization or prevent microtubule assembly. In 13 human tumor cell lines there was a high degree of heterogeneity in Bcl-2 protein expression. Human H460 non-small-cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) cells expressed high levels of Bcl-2 and were selected for study. Western blot analysis for Bcl-2 phosphorylation was carried out after 4 h and 24 h of exposure to cryptophycin 52, cryptophycin 55, paclitaxel or vinblastine. Cryptophycin 52 and cryptophycin 55 were very potent inducers of Bcl-2 phosphorylation. After 4 h of exposure, Bcl-2 phosphorylation was evident with 0.05 nM cryptophycin 52, 0.25 nM cryptophycin 55, 5 nM vinblastine and 50 nM paclitaxel. The hyperphosphorylated form of Bcl-2 was evident after 24 h exposure of H460 cells to 0.25 nM cryptophycin 52 or cryptophycin 55 and 50 nM vinblastine or paclitaxel. The effects of the compounds on the cell cycle paralleled those on Bcl-2 phosphorylation. In H460 cells 90% cell killing was obtained with 0.13 nM cryptophycin 52, 0.2 nM cryptophycin 55, 20 nM paclitaxel and > 100 nM vinblastine after 24 h of exposure as determined by colony formation. In Bcl-2-negative Calu-6 NSCLC cells, 90% cell killing was obtained with 0.03 nM cryptophycin 52, 0.1 nM cryptophycin 55, 11 nM paclitaxel and 0.5 nM vinblastine using the same experimental design. Thus, cryptophycins are potent inducers of Bcl-2 phosphorylation. The cryptophycins were more potent cytotoxic agents in Bcl-2-negative Calu-6 cells than in Bcl-2-positive H460 cells indicating that pathways triggered by Bcl-2 phosphorylation are involved in cryptophycin-induced lethality.

Purpose: Cell cycle regulatory components are interesting targets for cancer therapy. Expression of pRb, cyclin D1, cdk4, cyclin E, cdk2, E2F1 and DP-1 was determined in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-468 breast carcinoma cells, H460 and Calu-6 non-small cell lung carcinoma cells, H82 and SW2 small cell lung carcinoma cells, HCT116 and HT29 colon carcinoma cells and LNCaP and DU-145 prostate carcinoma cells. Methods: For Western blotting, the ratio with actin expression was used to normalize the data; all lines were run on the same gels. Results: In cell culture, pRb was not detected in MB-468 and H82 was low in SW2 and DU-145 and highest in HCT116; in tumors, pRb was not detected in MB-468, H82, SW2, and DU-145 and was highest in LNCaP and Calu-6. Cyclin D1 was not detected in SW2 cells in culture, was low in MB-468 and H82, and was highest in LNCaP and H460; in tumors, cyclin D1 was low in MB-468, H460, SW2 and DU145, and was highest in LNCaP. In cell culture, cdk4 was lowest in Calu-6, HCT116, HT29 and DU-145 and highest in H82 and SW2; in tumors, cdk4 was low in MCF-7, MB-468, H460, Calu-6 and HCT116 and was very high in the SW2. Expression of cyclin E was very low in MCF-7 and HT29 and high in H460 in culture and was very low in MCF-7, H460, Calu-6, H82, HT29 and DU-145 in tumors and high in HCT116 and LNCaP. In cell culture, E2F1 was lowest in MB-468, Calu-6, HT29 and DU-145 cells and highest in LNCaP cells; in tumors, E2F1 was lowest in MCF-7, MB-468 and Calu-6 and highest in LNCaP. In cell culture, DP-1 was lowest in MB-468, HCT116 and HT29 and highest in SW2. The MCF-7 and MB-468 lines were most resistant to flavopiridol and olmoucine and the H460 and Calu-6 lines were most resistant to genistein. The SW2 tumor was most responsive to flavopiridol and olomoucine. Conclusions: There is a high degree of variability in the expression of cell cycle components in human tumor cell lines, resulting in complexity in predicting response to cell cycle directed agents.

We have designed and implemented an external pager facility on the ConvexOS for Convex supercomputers to enhance memory management capability within the kernel. A group of generic interfaces that can be used to construct a memory manager at user level is proposed. Furthermore, a highly modularized subsystem that provides dynamic configuration and portability is presented.

High performance first and third-generation current conveyor suitable for low voltage applications are presented in this paper. The presented third-generation current conveyor (CCIII) is designed based on the proposed first-generation current conveyor (CCI) which consists of a ldquohalfrdquo class-AB input stage and wide-swing current mirror. Post-simulation results using TSMC 0.18 mum CMOS process model show that the proposed CCI and CCIII performs good accuracy and frequency response at 1.8 V supply voltage.

For resource reutilization, scrap tyres have long been investigated as an additive to concrete to form ‘Rubcrete’ for various applications and have shown promising results. However, the addition of rubber particles leads to the degradation of physical properties, particularly, the compressive strength of the concrete. In this study, a theoretical model was proposed to shed light on the mechanisms of decrease in compressive strength due to the addition of rubber particles as well as improvement in compressive strength through modification of particle surfaces. The literature suggests that the compressive strength can be improved by soaking the rubber particles in alkaline solution first to increase the inter-phase bonding between the rubber particles and cement. Instead, we discovered that the loss in compressive strength was due to local imperfections in the hydration of cement, induced by the addition of heterogeneous and hydrophobic rubber particles. Microscopic studies showed that the rubber particles disturbed the water transfer to create channels, which were prone to cracking and led to a loss in the compressive strength. Unexpectedly, no cracking was found along the surfaces of the rubber particles, indicating that the bonding strength between the rubber particles and cement phases was not the critical factor in determining the compressive strength. Therefore, a theoretical model was proposed to describe the water transfer in the Rubcrete specimens to explain the experimental data. In the model, the local water available for hydration ( Q) is: Q=- Aslv/6πν, where Q, Aslv, and ν are mass flow rate (kg s-1), Hamaker constant (J), and dynamic viscosity (m2 s-1), respectively. By maximizing the quantity Q and, in turn, the Hamaker constant Aslv, the compressive strength could be improved. The Hamaker constant Aslv for water film on rubber particle surfaces was smaller than that for the hydrated cement particles; the water transfer rate was lower in the presence of rubber particles because the Hamaker constant Aslv for water film on rubber particle surfaces was smaller than that on the hydrated cement particles. Thus, the compressive strength of Rubcrete could be improved by increasing the Hamaker constant of the system. This was achieved by increasing the refractive indices of the solids ( ns). The refractive indices of materials increase with increases in functional groups, such as OH and SH on the surface. The model provided a possible mechanism for the efficacy of treating rubber particles with NaOH in improving the compressive strength. By using NaOH solution treatment, an oxygen-containing OH group was formed on the rubber surface to increase the Hamaker constant of the system, leading to higher compressive strength. Based on this mechanism, a novel method for modification of the rubber particles was also proposed. In this process, the rubber particles were partially oxidized with hot air/steam in a fluidized bed reactor to produce the hydrophilic groups on the surface of the particles. Preliminary results obtained so far are promising in accordance with the theory.

A 10-bit folded multi-LSB decided resistor string DAC is presented. The proposed circuits that using the LSBs of the input digital words to decide the output voltage can significantly reduce the number of unit resistors up to 75% compared with the traditional resistor string DAC. The measured results show that the INL is less than 0.73 LSB and the maximum DNL is 0.26 LSB. The active chip area is less than 0.25 mm2.

In this paper, a low-noise amplifier (LNA) is designed for ultra-wideband (UWB) system. The design consists of two shunt-peaked cascode amplifiers and it is fabricated in 0.18/spl mu/m standard RF CMOS process. The LNA gives 18.03dB gain and 1.9GHz 3dB bandwidth (3.1-5.0GHz) while consuming 25.92mW through a 1.8V supply. Over the 3.1-5.0GHz frequency band, a minimum noise figure of 2.74dB and input return loss lower than -9.6dB have been achieved.

A low-noise amplifier (LNA) with time-constant compensation to extend the bandwidth is designed for ultra-wideband (UWB) system. The design consists of two LC-tank cascode amplifier and one output buffer and is fabricated in 0.18 /spl mu/m RF CMOS process. The LNA gives 13.9 dB gain and 6.8 GHz 3 dB bandwidth (3.8-10.6 GHz) while consuming 33.6 mW through a 1.8 V supply. Over the 4-10 GHz frequency band, a minimum noise figure of 5.6 dB and input return loss lower than -9.6dB have been achieved.

Liver cancer and gastric cancer are the most common solid tumors worldwide. Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) production and lack of response to TGF-beta growth inhibitory effects have been associated with tumor progression and therapeutic resistance. HepG2, Hep3B, and SK-HEP-1 human liver cancer lines produce 3, 5.7, and 2.5 ng TGF-beta1; 1.4, 2, and 4 ng TGF-beta2 and 0.15, 0.2 and 0.22 ng TGF-beta3 per 107 cells (24 h). Expression of the TGF-beta type I receptor is 20x, 1x, and 0.6x the level in mink lung MvLu1 cells in the HepG2, Hep3B, and SK-HEP-1 cells, respectively. HepG2 and Hep3B cells do not express the TGF-beta type II receptor while SK-HEP-1 cells express 7x the level found in mink lung MvLu1 cells. Hs 746T, KATO III, RF-1, and RF-48 human gastric cancer cell lines produce 12. 5, 0.35, 0.4, and 0.4 ng TGF-beta1; 2.6, 0.95, 0.5, and 0.52 ng TGF-beta2 and 0.42, 0.17, 0.12, and 0.14 ng TGF-beta3 per 107 cells (24 h). Expression of TGF-beta type I receptor is 0.7x, 0.7x, 0.8x, 0.6x the level in mink lung MvLu1 cells in the Hs 746T, KATO III, RF-1 and RF-48 cells, respectively. KATO III cells are lacking in the TGF-beta type II receptor while Hs 746T, RF-1 and RF-48 cells express 10x, 0.8x, and 1x the levels in mink lung MvLu1 cells. The IC50 for TGF-beta1 is >>10 ng/ml in all of these lines except RF-48 where TGF-beta1 is mitogenic. The response of the cell lines to radiation, doxorubicin, mitomycin C, cisplatin, 5-fluorouracil, methotrexate, and gemcitabine showed that SK-HEP-1 was the most drug resistant liver cancer cell line and KATO III was the most drug resistant gastric cancer cell line. Overall, there was no correlation between TGF-beta secretion in cell culture and sensitivity of the cells to anticancer agents. Increased TGF-beta1 levels were detectable in the plasma of nude mice bearing Hep3B and Hs 746T xenografts. Those tumors which secreted greater amounts of TGF-beta were more therapeutically resistant in vivo.

A novel Gamma Voltage Control (GVC) technique that can increase the color depth of TFT LCD has been developed. With this method, we can use n bit data driver to provide more than n bit performance on the display. Experimental results successfully demonstrate the feasibility of this method.