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Introduction Screening for cryptococcal antigen (CrAg) is recommended for people living with HIV (PLWH) who present with low CD4 lymphocyte counts. Real-world experience is important to identify gaps between the guidelines and clinical practice. We investigated the trends of CrAg testing and prevalence of cryptococcal antigenemia among PLWH at the time of HIV diagnosis and the related mortality in Taiwan from 2009 to 2018. Methods Medical records of newly diagnosed PLWH seeking care at six medical centers around Taiwan between 2009 and 2018 were reviewed. The annual trends of PLWH who had CrAg testing and cryptococcal antigenemia were examined by Cochran-Armitage test. Among PLWH with CD4

Transition-metal dichalcogenide (TMDC) homo- and heterostacks hold tantalizing prospects for being integrated as active components in future van der Waals (vdW) electronics and optoelectronics. How...

Two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenide nanoribbons are touted as the future extreme device downscaling for advanced logic and memory devices but remain a formidable synthetic challenge. Here, we demonstrate a ledge-directed epitaxy (LDE) of dense arrays of continuous, self-aligned, monolayer and single-crystalline MoS2 nanoribbons on β-gallium (iii) oxide (β-Ga2O3) (100) substrates. LDE MoS2 nanoribbons have spatial uniformity over a long range and transport characteristics on par with those seen in exfoliated benchmarks. Prototype MoS2-nanoribbon-based field-effect transistors exhibit high on/off ratios of 108 and an averaged room temperature electron mobility of 65 cm2 V−1 s−1. The MoS2 nanoribbons can be readily transferred to arbitrary substrates while the underlying β-Ga2O3 can be reused after mechanical exfoliation. We further demonstrate LDE as a versatile epitaxy platform for the growth of p-type WSe2 nanoribbons and lateral heterostructures made of p-WSe2 and n-MoS2 nanoribbons for futuristic electronics applications. Aligned arrays of single-crystalline monolayer TMD nanoribbons with high aspect ratios, as well as their lateral heterostructures, are realized, with the growth directed by the ledges on the β-Ga2O3 substrate. This approach provides an epitaxy platform for advanced electronics applications of TMD nanoribbons.

This study evaluates the variation of the bending moment strength of the single symmetrical and double symmetrical I-beam design. This study compares the use of a double-symmetric I-section with a large, small flange, a single-symmetric I-section with a large compression and large tension flange. The study shows that the four sections have the largest wing strength with double-symmetric I-section, and the inelastic and elastic strengths are similar to those of the single-symmetric I-section, especially the elastic region is almost the same. In the plastic phase, the double symmetrical flanges have a high cross-sectional strength. In the inelastic phase, the intensity of two individual symmetrical sections of the same area is close to a double symmetrical section. The use of a single symmetrical I-beam can be preferred over a double-symmetric I-beam. This study provides a single-symmetric I-beam strength difference analysis, providing users with a variety of options for comparing cross-sections.

Usually the angle steel is attached to the bracket to withstand tensile or compressive forces. The single-angle steel section is an asymmetrical section, and the nature of the section involves a complex analysis. The load is transmitted to the single-angle steel through the steel plate, thus causing eccentric load behaviour. The eccentric load will cause the single angle steel to bear the action of the axial pressure and the bending moment. The process of design and analysis is difficult based on the asymmetry of single angle steel. The behaviour of axial force and bending moment involves warping and torsion, and the analysis and design process is complicated. The eccentric load behaviour of single angle steel is based on complex formula analysis, and the 2010 AISC specification [1] also provides a table lookup function. This study collated the analytical formula of a single angle steel with complex eccentric loads. According to the theory of beam-column interaction, different lengths and positions are considered. The article provides a reference for the correct analysis of the user and improves the correctness of the analysis of the single angle steel.

Background: Lifelong antiretroviral therapy (ART) is recommended for HIV-1 infected patients but may lead to intolerance or poor adherence. Structured treatment interruption (STI) is a strategy for drug holiday or to boost HIV-specific immunity. But the long-term outcome of STI was never reported in literature. Methods: This is a single-center observational study. We followed the HIV-infected patients who already had a stable viral suppression and voluntarily started temporary STI with a fixed 12-week interval after counseling, evaluation and education. HIV-1-specific T cell response was also measured in some patients. Results: Totally 34 HIV-infected patients received temporary STI since July, 2006. 18 patients completed 10-year follow-up. All patients received protease inhibitors (PI)-based ART before and during temporary STI. The patients received temporary STI with a period of 36–85 weeks. All of them reached viral suppression after 12 weeks of restarting continuous ART. No viral rebound or opportunistic disease was recorded during follow-up. No adverse event or comorbidity was attributed to STI. The plasma viral load (PVL) at the end of STI was significantly lower than baseline PVL in patients with a longer duration of STI (≤36 weeks vs. >36 weeks, P = 0.005). The T cell response study revealed that cyclically increased HIV-1-specific T cell response after starting STI in patients with baseline CD4+ count >350/μL. Conclusion: Temporary STI may not lead to worse long-term outcome among highly selected patients. The policy may partially control viral replication through reminding the HIV-1 specific T cell immunity. Keywords: HIV-1, Antiretroviral treatment (ART), Structured treatment interruption (STI)

This paper reassesses the detrimental effect on fatigue performance due to thicker sections based on extensive fatigue strength test database, taken from research program worldwide over the past half of a century in offshore oil & gas and renewable industry. The data entries in the database have been evaluated to ensure its data integrity. Statistical analyses on these S-N data are performed with or without the thickness correction at different exposure level to corrosive environment, in order to re-evaluate the suitability of current standards in regard to the thickness effect. The study has concentrated on T-joint, transverse butt welded joint and tubular joint as these are the most commonly used joint types in the offshore wind industry. The analysis indicates general agreement of fatigue strength with the thickness effects in current standard for in air conditions but great conservatism for corrosive environment.

Many mini-implantable devices have been developed and fabricated for diagnostic and treatment purposes. Wireless implantable biomicrosystems provide a desirable approach for long-term physiological signal monitoring. In this study, we implemented a wireless implantable biomicrosystem for bladder-cavity pressure measurements in a freely moving rabbit. To manage the power more effectively, a magnetic reed switch was applied to turn on/off the implantable module using a neodymium&ndash, iron&ndash, boron (NdFeB) magnet. The measured bladder pressure signal was wirelessly transmitted from the implantable module to a host unit. Our results indicated that the implantable biomicrosystem exhibited satisfactory performance and safety, as evidenced by an error percentage of less than &plusmn, 1% for pressure measurements and less than 2 &deg, C of a temperature rise under normal operation. The wireless biomicrosystem was implanted into the bladder cavity of a rabbit. Bladder pressure was simultaneously measured by both the biomicrosystem and conventional cystometry in the animal. The two signals were similar during the voiding phase, with a correlation coefficient of 0.885. Additionally, the biomicrosystem coated with polydimethylsiloxane in this study showed no cytotoxicity, which confirmed its biocompatibility. In conclusion, we demonstrated a good biocompatible wireless biomicrosystem which showed good reproducibility with respect to pressure monitoring by conventional cystometry. Further studies are needed to confirm the results of this preliminary feasibility study for actual clinical applications.

The Amazon Picking Challenge and the Amazon Robotics Challenge have shown significant progress in object picking from a cluttered scene, yet object placement remains challenging. It is useful to have pose-aware placement based on human and machine readable pieces on an object. For example, the brandname of an object placed on a shelf should be facing the human customers. The robotic vision challenges in the object placement task: a) the semantics and geometry of the object to be placed need to be analysed jointly; b) and the occlusions among objects in a cluttered scene could make it hard for proper understanding and manipulation. To overcome these challenges, we develop a pose-aware placement approach by spotting the semantic labels (e.g., brandnames) of objects in a cluttered tote and then carrying out a sequence of actions to place the objects on a shelf or on a conveyor with desired poses. Our major contributions include 1) providing an open benchmark dataset of objects and brandnames with multi-view segmentation for training and evaluations; 2) carrying out comprehensive evaluations for our brandname-based fully convolutional network (FCN) that can predict the affordance and grasp to achieve pose-aware placement, whose success rates decrease along with clutters; 3) showing that active manipulation with two cooperative manipulators and grippers can effectively handle the occlusion of brandnames. We analyzed the success rates and discussed the failure cases to provide insights for future applications. All data and benchmarks are available at https://text-pick-n-place.github.io/TextPNP/

Steel bolt groups are often used for joining steel structures. The design strength of the steel bolt group is related to the geometric distribution, the eccentric load distance, the material strength and the load angle, thus making the analysis complicated and not easy for the user. The existing analysis methods are two kinds of elasticity and ultimate analysis. Both methods consider the stress distribution of each steel bolt and find the steel bolt at the critical position is obtained, the design load analysis is deduced. This study will consider the geometric distribution of steel bolting group affected, for a row, two rows, three rows and four rows of bolt group, considering different eccentric distance and angle of influence. Using a simple elastic analysis method to Studied the strength analysis results produced when a corner bolt is damaged due to a defect. The results show that the greater the eccentric load distance, the lower the design strength, and the load change on the vertical is more obvious than the horizontal. When the corner of the steel bolt group is removed, its design strength is likely to decrease, but at low eccentricity distance and large angles, the strength of the complete bolt is higher. This study organizes the design method of steel bolts and reviews the geometric rules of the bolt group analysis. It founded that the regular geometry needs to be reviewed in the case of large eccentric loads with small eccentricities. This study for the bolt connections strength of a certain understanding and awareness, expect the future for the safety of steel structure contribute.

Piezoelectric materials have been widely used for sensors, actuators, electronics, and energy conversion. Two-dimensional (2D) ultrathin semiconductors, such as monolayer h-BN and MoS2 with their atom-level geometry, are currently emerging as new and attractive members of the piezoelectric family. However, their piezoelectric polarization is commonly limited to the in-plane direction of odd-number ultrathin layers, largely restricting their application in integrated nanoelectromechanical systems. Recently, theoretical calculations have predicted the existence of out-of-plane and in-plane piezoelectricity in monolayer α-In2Se3. Here, we experimentally report the coexistence of out-of-plane and in-plane piezoelectricity in monolayer to bulk α-In2Se3, attributed to their noncentrosymmetry originating from the hexagonal stacking. Specifically, the corresponding d33 piezoelectric coefficient of α-In2Se3 increases from 0.34 pm/V (monolayer) to 5.6 pm/V (bulk) without any odd–even effect. In addition, we also de...

Connectome-based predictive modeling (CPM; Finn et al., 2015; Shen et al., 2017) was recently developed to predict individual differences in traits and behaviors, including fluid intelligence (Finn et al., 2015) and sustained attention (Rosenberg et al., 2016a), from functional brain connectivity (FC) measured with fMRI. Here, using the CPM framework, we compared the predictive power of three different measures of FC (Pearson's correlation, accordance, and discordance) and two different prediction algorithms (linear and partial least square [PLS] regression) for attention function. Accordance and discordance are recently proposed FC measures that respectively track in-phase synchronization and out-of-phase anti-correlation (Meskaldji et al., 2015). We defined connectome-based models using task-based or resting-state FC data, and tested the effects of (1) functional connectivity measure and (2) feature-selection/prediction algorithm on individualized attention predictions. Models were internally validated in a training dataset using leave-one-subject-out cross-validation, and externally validated with three independent datasets. The training dataset included fMRI data collected while participants performed a sustained attention task and rested (N = 25; Rosenberg et al., 2016a). The validation datasets included: 1) data collected during performance of a stop-signal task and at rest (N = 83, including 19 participants who were administered methylphenidate prior to scanning; Farr et al., 2014a; Rosenberg et al., 2016b), 2) data collected during Attention Network Task performance and rest (N = 41, Rosenberg et al., in press), and 3) resting-state data and ADHD symptom severity from the ADHD-200 Consortium (N = 113; Rosenberg et al., 2016a). Models defined using all combinations of functional connectivity measure (Pearson's correlation, accordance, and discordance) and prediction algorithm (linear and PLS regression) predicted attentional abilities, with correlations between predicted and observed measures of attention as high as 0.9 for internal validation, and 0.6 for external validation (all p's

The American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC) provides conservative elastic and more realistic instantaneous center of rotation (IC) methods to analyze eccentrically loaded weld groups in plane. The current AISC design manual provides tables for coefficient C, which are used to obtain the design strength of weld group patterns, at only six inclined angles (θ = 0°, 15°, 30°, 45°, 60°, and 75°). For other angles, either a direct analysis must be performed or using the values for the next lower angle increment in the tables is recommended in the manual except for straight-line interpolation. This work develops an iterative algorithm to implement a direct analysis, and proposes a rational interpolation method between C values for loads at various angles not tabulated in manual tables without the tediousness of the IC method. The proposed method is easy to implement but reasonably accurate instead of using the C values for the next lower angle increment in the tables or direct analysis. This work...

Many floating offshore wind turbine (FOWT) concepts are light displacement platforms moored in shallow water and exposed to significant storms with high winds. Shock loads (also called snap loads) on the mooring lines can occur when an FOWT experiences large wave- and wind-induced motions. A typical snap event is characterized by a temporary slackness in the line followed by a sharp spike in tension whose magnitude can considerably exceed typical values of local tension maxima. In this study, we investigate seven experimental tests of a moored FOWT under survival storm conditions (i.e., a 100-year storm). For all these cases, the significant wave height and peak wave period are held constant at 10.5 m and 14.3 s respectively, while the wind speed is varied from 0 to 30.5 m/s. The wind conditions range from a steady wind to turbulent wind characterized by a chosen spectrum. Several snap events are found to result in the windward mooring line. The duration of these events range from 7.5 to 10.5 s, and the maximum tension values recorded are 37–68% higher than the corresponding cyclic non-snap tension maxima. The dynamic tension in the measured time histories are separated into snap-induced events and those that are not associated with a snap event based on criteria specified in marine operation practices; probability distributions of these separate events are analyzed. The exceedance probability curve of the dynamic tension in the higher ranges contributed to by snap-induced tension shows different characteristics compared to the lower tension range values that are related to the cyclic dynamic tension. There appears to be a clear demarcation point for this change in the probability curve characteristics. We propose a composite Weibull probability distribution for the mooring line dynamic tension that incorporates the effects of snap events. The model is composed of two Weibull distributions with different characteristics on either side of a transition tension value, and whose parameters are estimated from test data. The transition tension is related to the maximum cyclic dynamic tension in an extreme storm event, as specified by recommended practices. The proposed distribution model provides a good fit to the measured tension data, particularly in the extreme range. A design extreme value is developed for systems where snap loads are generally non-existent or are associated with very low probabilities of occurrence. When the shock load incidence probability is higher, the developed composite Weibull distribution model could offer a good starting point for the prediction of extreme dynamic tensions of a FOWT mooring system.

Background Intranasal influenza vaccines may provide protective efficacy by inducing both systemic antibodies and local secretory IgA. Live attenuated intranasal vaccines are not feasible for high-risk groups. A previously constructed inactivated vaccine with adjuvant revealed an association with neurological events in some studies. In this phase II trial, we aimed to evaluate the safety and immunogenicity of an intranasal influenza vaccine with a novel adjuvant, heat-labile enterotoxin (LT)-derived from E. coli (LTh(αK)). Methods This study is a multicenter, randomized controlled, double-blind, phase II trial of an intranasal influenza vaccine containing 22.5 μg of the hemagglutinin (HA) antigen of three influenza strains in combination with 2 different LTh(αK) adjuvant doses (group 1: 30 μg; group 2: 45 μg) in subjects 20–70 years old. The control vaccine was 22.5 μg of influenza HA antigen alone (group 3). The vaccine was intranasally administered on days 1 and 8. Serum anti-HA antibody and nasal secretory IgA were measured, and adverse events (AEs) were recorded prevaccination and 29 (±2) days postvaccination. Results Of 354 participants randomized in the study, 340 received two vaccine doses. AEs were mostly mild, and there was no discontinuation related to the vaccine. Only a higher frequency of diarrhea after the first dose was noted among group 2 (11.5%) than among group 3 (2.8%), and there was no significant difference after the second dose. The three groups had comparable serum anti-HA antibody immunogenicity. However, the adjuvanted vaccines induced greater mucosal IgA antibody production than the control vaccine. In a subgroup analysis, group 1 participants achieved adequate immunogenicity among both 20- to 60- and 61- to 70-year-old participants. Conclusion The intranasal influenza vaccine adjuvanted with LTh(αK) is generally safe and could provide systemic and local antibody responses. Adjuvanted vaccines were significantly more immunogenic than the nonadjuvanted control vaccine in mucosal immunity. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03784885.

Sudden snap events on mooring lines and hanging cables can cause spikes in tension, resulting in reduced safety factors during extreme events. For example, the mooring system of a floating offshore wind turbine (FOWT) can be exposed to wave-induced motions making the former vulnerable to snap type impact. Suitable criteria to define snap events are still largely unclear, making current design practices overly conservative. To understand the underlying physics of snap loads on a mooring line system, this paper presents a theoretical development and an experimental parametric study of snap events. The effects of the nonlinearity of bilinear line stiffness and hydrodynamic drag force, as well as the weight of payload on snap events are investigated using the vertical hanging cable model. This cable model includes two springs in series and a payload. The bilinear spring model is designed to create nonlinear dynamic tension. A total of 108 tests were conducted in the wave tank of Tainan Hydraulic Laboratory. The excitation amplitude ranges from 0.01 to 0.04m; excitation time period ranges from 0.5 to 2s; the weight of payload ranges from 6.13 to 18.95N. The tests carried out in water are compared to those conducted in air. It is seen that the hydrodynamic drag force together with the small pretension could result in larger normalized tension ranges.

As the offshore wind industry matures and projects begin to expand to deeper water regions, various floating systems are being considered to support wind turbines. This paper explores the feasibility of a Tension Leg Platform (TLP) support system anchored with synthetic rope tendons attached to a gravity base template to provide a platform for a wide range of water depths with acceptable operating nacelle accelerations. In this paper, the NREL 5MW wind turbine is selected in order to provide a comparison to previous studies of steel tendon TLPs. A fully-coupled numerical modeling tool is used to assess the effects of extreme irregular sea loads on the TLP. A series of numerical simulations are carried out to compare the response of a Single Column (SC) TLP for three different water depths and three different environments. The responses are compared with the steel tendon model. The use of synthetic rope tendons potentially offers more efficient installation options and enlarges the range of acceptable water depths. The use of a gravity base/suction pile foundation may improve the installation cost and schedule. The fully coupled nonlinear, time domain analysis tool used provides a unique look into the fully operating wind turbine under stable motion characteristics of the TLP.

This study aimed to investigate the relationships of nutrition and exercise behaviors on metabolic risk factors (MRF) when body mass index (BMI) was considered. Health-associated nutrition and exercise behaviors were assessed by a questionnaire, anthropometric values, blood pressure and biochemical determinations that were obtained from 4017 workers. The nutrition score was negatively associated with triglycerides in the overweight subgroup and with systolic blood pressure (SBP) in the obese subgroup. The exercise score was negatively associated with triglycerides and waist circumference (WC) and positively associated with SBP and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) in the ideal weight subgroup as well as being negatively associated with WC and positively associated with HDL-C in the overweight subgroup. Similarly, the exercise score was negatively associated with WC and positively associated with SBP in the obese subgroup. However, no significant association was found between nutrition or exercise behavior and MRF in the underweight subgroup. In conclusion, the relationships of exercise and nutrition behaviors on MRF varied for different levels of BMI. Exercise showed a significant association with lower WC. Moreover, its effect showed a gradient trend in accordance with the levels of BMI. For ameliorating MRF, exercise seemed to have better effects than nutrition behavior, especially in the ideal weight subgroup.

Background/purpose Early initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) reduces the risks for serious infections and mortality. We aimed to assess the outcomes of initiating ART among HIV-positive Taiwanese according to the CD4 cut-off values by the WHO recommendations. Methods We reviewed medical records of patients with newly diagnosed HIV infection between 2004 and 2015 and 3 groups of patients were defined according to the timing of ART initiation based on CD4 count recommended by WHO: Group 1 between 2004 and 2009; Group 2 between 2010 and 2012; and Group 3 between 2013 and 2015. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality. All patients were followed until 2 years after the last patient was included in each group. Results Of 2022 patients included, the mortality rate was 18.28, 14.01, and 9.10 deaths per 1000 person-years of follow-up (PYFU) in Groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively. In multivariable Cox regression analysis, factors associated with mortality were age (per 1-year increase, adjusted hazard ratio [AHR], 1.06; 95% CI, 1.05–1.08), presence of AIDS-defining disease at HIV diagnosis (AHR, 4.81; 95% CI, 2.99–7.74), solid-organ malignancy (AHR, 3.10; 95% CI, 1.86–5.18), and initiation of ART (AHR, 0.09; 95% CI, 0.05–0.16). By competing risk regression model for non-AIDS-related death, the AHR for Group 3 versus Group 1 was 0.27 (95% CI, 0.09–0.80). Conclusions While continued efforts are needed to improve early diagnosis and linkage to care, initiation of cART improved survival among HIV-positive patients in Taiwan according to the increasing CD4 cut-off values that were recommended by the WHO.

Background Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) is active against both HBV and HIV. Whether the introduction of TDF-containing combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) has improved the outcome of HIV/HBV-coinfected patients remains unclear in areas of higher HBV endemicity. Methods We retrospectively reviewed medical records of newly diagnosed antiretroviral-naive HIV-infected patients between 2007 and 2015. Four groups of patients were defined, according to the HBV status and availability of TDF for HIV treatment in Taiwan in 2011. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality. Results During the 9-year study period, 1,723 HIV-infected patients were included, with a median age of 31 years and baseline CD4 count of 273 cells per μL. The HBV seroprevalence had declined from 18.1% (125/692) in the pre-TDF era to 10.1% (104/1031) in the post-TDF era. The respective mortality rate for HIV/HBV-coinfected and HIV-monoinfected patients in the pre-TDF era was 23.2 (95% CI, 12.5-43.1) and 9.6 (95% CI, 6.1-15.0) deaths per 1000 person-years of follow-up [PYFU], and the respective mortality rate in the post-TDF era was 15.7 (95% CI, 7.0-34.8) and 8.0 (95% CI, 5.5-11.6) deaths per 1000 PYFU. The adjusted hazard ratio for mortality in multivariate Cox proportional-hazards regression analysis among HIV/HBV-coinfected patients compared to HIV-monoinfected patients was 2.79 (95% CI, 1.25-6.22) in pre-TDF era and 1.11 (95% CI, 0.45-2.72) in post-TDF era. Conclusions In this country of high HBV endemicity, the adverse impact of chronic HBV infection on the survival observed in the pre-TDF era has significantly diminished among HIV/HBV-coinfected patients compared to HIV-monoinfected patients in the era of TDF-containing cART.

This study examines whether the investment behavior of securities dealers is consistent with the predictions of the house money and break-even effects. Using the stock portfolios, dealers hold in Taiwan from 1996 to 2013 as a sample, we test the relationship between trading gains/losses and subsequent changes in portfolio risk. The results show that only gains with low risks, not all gaining situations, cause subsequent risk preferences, and regardless of the size of the trading loss, there is not a significant change in subsequent risk. Controlling dealers’ characteristics, industry competition, and the stock market condition, the evidence shows that the house money effect on dealer behavior exists after earning low-risk profits and does not support the break-even effect. These results are qualitatively unchanged after robustness checks that primarily exclude dealer overconfidence effect and ensure that the risk-taking behavior under low risks results in a decrease in gains and thus not a rational behavior.

Recent outbreaks of enterically transmitted infections, including acute hepatitis A and shigellosis, have raised the concerns of increasing Entamoeba histolytica infection (EHI) among people living with HIV (PLWH) in Taiwan. This study investigated the prevalence of EHI, its temporal trends, and associated factors among newly diagnosed PLWH in Taiwan. Medical records of newly diagnosed PLWH at six medical centers in Taiwan between 2009 and 2018 were reviewed. The annual prevalence of invasive amoebiasis and seroprevalence of E. histolytica were determined and examined by the Cochran-Armitage test. The clinical characteristics associated with invasive amoebiasis and seropositivity for E. histolytica were analyzed in multivariable regression models. Among 5362 patients seeking HIV care at six medical centers in Taiwan during the 10-year study period, 119 (2.2%) had invasive amoebiasis at the time or within six months of their HIV diagnosis. Among 3499 who had indirect hemagglutination antibody (IHA) determined, 284 (8.1%) had positive IHA (≥1:32) and 205 (5.9%) had high-titre IHA (≥1:128). The prevalence of invasive amoebiasis increased from 1.3% in 2012 to 3.3% in 2018 (p = 0.024). Invasive amoebiasis was independently associated with a greater age, men who have sex with men, rapid plasma reagin titre ≥1:4, and concurrent shigellosis and giardiasis. Increasing prevalence of invasive amoebiasis among newly diagnosed PLWH in Taiwan calls for strategies to prevent ongoing transmission in this population. Routine screening of EHI for early diagnosis and treatment is recommended, especially among men who have sex with men and those who present with other sexually or enterically transmitted infections., Author summary Outbreaks of enterically transmitted infection, including acute hepatitis A and shigellosis, among men who have sex with men and people living with HIV have been reported in Taiwan and in many developed countries in recent years. This study reveals that the prevalence of invasive amoebiasis among newly diagnosed people living with HIV increased in Taiwan since 2012, accompanied by increasing seroprevalence of syphilis and hepatitis A virus infection. This study also shows that concurrent infections with shigellosis and giardiasis and history of syphilis were independently associated with invasive amoebiasis, which indicates that transmission of Entamoeba histolytica might have occurred through sexual behaviours that increased faecal-oral contact in this population. In the era of improved access to HIV prevention and treatment, emerging and re-emerging enterically transmitted infections, including amoebiasis, pose an ongoing health threat to at-risk individuals and the public as a whole.

Industry 4.0 has become an inexorable trend. To increase the efficiency of testing screen on smartphone, we design a system which includes a 5 degrees-of-freedom robotic arm to smartphone automatic test. The coordinate conversion is important for the operation between robot and camera. We use an algorithm named improved back propagation (BP) neural network on the robot arm to solve the coordinate conversion problem. First, the neural network is used to fix the error of coordinate difference between robot and camera. Then the improved BP algorithm will train the network through the error. For the machine vision, we use a video camera to catch the patterns on the screen of tested smartphone. The control scheme calculates angle of motor through image processing and fuzzy control. When robot arm cannot press buttons correctly, fuzzy system will fix the error. Experimental results show that the proposed control scheme is capable of drive the robotic arm by DH model to press the desired positions on the tested smartphone.

Monolayer transition metal dichalcogenides, such as MoS2 and WSe2, have been known as direct gap semiconductors and emerged as new optically active materials for novel device applications. Here we reexamine their direct gap properties by investigating the strain effects on the photoluminescence of monolayer MoS2 and WSe2. Instead of applying stress, we investigate the strain effects by imaging the direct exciton populations in monolayer WSe2–MoS2 and MoSe2–WSe2 lateral heterojunctions with inherent strain inhomogeneity. We find that unstrained monolayer WSe2 is actually an indirect gap material, as manifested in the observed photoluminescence intensity–energy correlation, from which the difference between the direct and indirect optical gaps can be extracted by analyzing the exciton thermal populations. Our findings combined with the estimated exciton binding energy further indicate that monolayer WSe2 exhibits an indirect quasiparticle gap, which has to be reconsidered in further studies for its fundamental properties and device applications., Monolayer transition metal dichalcogenides have so far been thought to be direct bandgap semiconductors. Here, the authors revisit this assumption and find that unstrained monolayer WSe2 is an indirect-gap material, as evidenced by the observed photoluminescence intensity-energy correlation.

This research is concentrated on the structural strength and behavior of cold-formed steel wall frame sheathed with calcium silicate board under shear load. Test specimens with two different thicknesses of sheathing were assembled, 9 mm and 12 mm, with one-side or two-side of attachment. Monotonic shear and cyclic loading tests are conducted on wall specimens utilizing two C sections connected back-to-back to be as chord studs and calcium silicate board sheathing on the exterior. Based on the test results, detailed discussions on the strength, stiffness, energy absorption, ductility ratio, and failure mode of cold-formed steel wall specimens are given. It is noted that the failure mostly occurred at the bottom track of wall specimens due to the large deformation or tearing failure of track. The wall strength is not affected by the change of sheathing's thickness significantly, but wall frames attached with two-side calcium silicate board sheathing provide higher resisting strength and stiffness than those attached with one-side sheathing. In this study, test results are also used to compare with the previous study that single chord stud was used in the assembly of wall frame. In addition, the suggested response modification factor of the wall sheathed with calcium silicate board is proposed for design purpose.

Acquired sensory hearing loss (SHL) is suggested to be associated with depression. However, some studies have reported conflicting results. Our study investigated the relationship between the prevalence of SHL and the incidence of depression over 12 years of follow-up by using data from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD). We sought to determine the association between SHL and subsequent development of depression and discuss the pathophysiological mechanism underlying the association. Patients with SHL were identified from the NHIRD (SHL cohort). A non-SHL cohort, comprising patients without SHL frequency-matched with the SHL patients according to age group, sex, and the year of diagnosis of SHL at the ratio of 1:4, was constructed, and the incidence of depression was evaluated in both cohorts. A multivariable model was adjusted for age, sex, and comorbidity. The SHL cohort and non-SHL cohort comprised 5043 patients with SHL and 20,172 patients without SHL, respectively. The incidences density rates were 9.50 and 4.78 per 1000 person-years in the SHL cohort and non-SHL cohort, respectively. After adjustment for age, sex, and comorbidities, the risk of depression was higher in the SHL cohort than in the non-SHL cohort (hazard ratio = 1.73, 95% confidence interval = 1.49–2.00). Acquired SHL may increase the risk of subsequent depression. The results demonstrated that SHL was an independent risk factor regardless of sex, age, and comorbidities. Moreover, a strong association between hearing loss and subsequent depression among Taiwanese adults of all ages, particularly those aged ≤49 and >65 years and without using steroids for the treatment of SHL was observed. Prospective clinical and biomedical studies on the relationship between hearing loss and depression are warranted for determining the etiopathology.

The design strength of concrete-filled tubes (CFT) is being calculated based on two approaches including the AISC and ACI methods. The AISC applies the steel column formulas with the use of coefficients for transforming the concrete into steel to determine the CFT design strength. The design strength of AISC is being evaluated through the use of two approaches including the plastic stress distribution and strain compatibility methods. This study used both the plastic stress distribution and strain compatibility methods to calculate the design strength of CFT, and compare the design strengths using these two methods. This study presents a more accurate numerical approach to evaluate the CFT columns including rectangular and square sections. The illustrated example is presented to demonstrate the step-by-step procedure to obtain the CFT design strength based on the AISC Specification. The provided design procedure for the strength evaluation of CFT columns enables those who need a better estimation on the CFT axial strengths based on the AISC Specification.

Two general approaches for the analysis of eccentrically loaded connections are described in the current AISC Specifications. The first method is the conservative elastic analysis. The second method is the instantaneous center of rotation method which gives more realistic values but is extremely tedious to apply. The 1989 AISC-ASD manual contains design tables intended for vertical loading only. The 2010 AISC manual considers eccentric loading with six specific inclination angles (θ) varying from 0 and to 75 degrees. However, actual loading condition may very likely differ from what has been assumed in the AISC design manual. This study proposes a more generalized solution (75° θ 360°) to overcome the design limitations as inherently made in the design manual. For uncovered cases, AISC Specifications do not offer a guideline on how to handle them. In such situation, engineers have the tendency to use the unjustified elastic method.

Age-related hearing loss (ARHL) is postulated to affect dementia. Our study aims to investigate the relationship between ARHL and the prevalence, and 10-year incidence of dementia in the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD). We selected patients diagnosed with ARHL from the NHIRD. A comparison cohort comprising of patients without ARHL was frequency-matched by age, sex, and co-morbidities, and the occurrence of dementia was evaluated in both cohorts. The ARHL cohort consisted of 4108 patients with ARHL and the control cohort consisted of 4013 frequency-matched patients without ARHL. The incidence of dementia [hazard ratio (HR), 1.30; 95% confidence interval (CI 1.14-1.49); P = 0.002] was higher among ARHL patients. Cox models showed that being female (HR, 1.34; 95% CI 1.07-1.68), as well as having co-morbidities, including chronic liver disease and cirrhosis, rheumatoid arthritis, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, stroke, head injury, chronic kidney disease, coronary artery disease, alcohol abuse/dependence, and tobacco abuse/dependence (HR, 1.27; 95% CI 1.11-1.45), were independent risk factors for dementia in ARHL patients. We found ARHL may be one of the early characteristics of dementia, and patients with hearing loss were at a higher risk of subsequent dementia. Clinicians should be more sensitive to dementia symptoms within the first 2 years following ARHL diagnosis. Further clinical studies of the relationship between dementia and ARHL may be necessary.

Background: Total pharyngolaryngectomy is potentially ablative surgery, resulting in compromise of some most basic functions of life, including speech and swallowing. Tracheoesophageal puncture is the gold standard for voice restoration. But it still has prosthesis-related problems. Objectives/Hypothesis: We designed a uniquely customized radial forearm free flap (RFFF), which also incorporated a region for phonation tube (PT) creation, for the dual purpose of circumferential laryngopharyngeal defect reconstruction and voice production. Methods: From August 2005 to September 2010, there were 18 male patients with late-stage hypopharyngeal cancer (HPC) or laryngeal cancer (LC) who received one-stage reconstruction with the fabricated RFFF-accompanying PT after total pharyngolaryngectomy. We recorded the phonation outcome of phonation efficacy (PE) and maximal phonation time (MPT) postoperatively within 1 month and at least 1 year after surgery. Results: Nine patients suffered from HPC and the others suffered from LC. Twelve patients received concurrent chemoradiotherapy after surgery. The follow-up time was 12 to 56 months (mean 28.7 months). There was no significant variance in the PE (79.72%, SD=21.93% vs. 62.50%, SD=39.60%, respectively; p = 0.115) and MPT (2.58 seconds, SD=1.80 vs. 2.97 seconds, SD=3.96, respectively; p = 0.878) between the first and last follow-up points, even when the patients were grouped by radiotherapy status after surgery or by disease group. Conclusions: The phonation outcome in our experience was satisfactory and it tolerated postoperative radiotherapy during at least the 12-month follow-up period.

In recent years, several automated scale-down bioreactor systems have been developed to increase efficiency in cell culture process development. ambr™ is an automated workstation that provides individual monitoring and control of culture dissolved oxygen and pH in single-use, stirred-tank bioreactors at a working volume of 10-15 mL. To evaluate the ambr™ system, we compared the performance of four recombinant Chinese hamster ovary cell lines in a fed-batch process in parallel ambr™, 2-L bench-top bioreactors, and shake flasks. Cultures in ambr™ matched 2-L bioreactors in controlling the environment (temperature, dissolved oxygen, and pH) and in culture performance (growth, viability, glucose, lactate, Na(+), osmolality, titer, and product quality). However, cultures in shake flasks did not show comparable performance to the ambr™ and 2-L bioreactors.

Sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) is a rare initial complaint of multiple sclerosis (MS) in adolescent. We present the case of a 14-year-old girl presented with right SSNHL as an initial symptom in MS and recovery of hearing with time compatible to the MRI finding. It clearly identified that the pathogenesis of unilateral SSNHL in the patient with MS favors CNS demyelination, which may be accompanied with cytogenic edema, involving the intraaxial portion of the cochlear nerve and nerve fibers near cochlear nucleus. Besides, in adolescent with sudden hearing loss, multiple sclerosis should be included in the differential diagnosis.

Summary Retropharyngeal abscess is occasionally seen in children, but is less common in adults where it usually occurs secondary to iatrogenic oropharynx trauma or a perforated foreign body in the oropharynx. Spinal epidural abscess in combination with a retropharyngeal abscess, which may cause rapid and irreversible neurological deterioration, is not often found, as indicated by the very few reports in the literature. Here we report a 52-year-old male with a clinical history of seizure and mental retardation since childhood who presented at our emergency room with severe sore throat of 1 day’s duration. A chicken bone was removed successfully. However, he complained of progressive dysphagia, sore throat and posterior neck pain during the following 5 days. Flexible fiber-laryngoscopy showed bulging of the retropharyngeal wall and a small ulcer at the right posterior pharyngeal wall. A neck computed tomography (CT) scan showed a retropharyngeal abscess at the oropharynx and hypopharynx level. His symptoms showed partial improvement after the administration of intravenous antibiotics. However, 2 weeks later he developed high fever, posterior neck pain and flaccid tetra-paresia. Emergent neck CT scan revealed a mild retropharyngeal abscess and epidural abscess formation between the second and third cervical vertebrae. The patient’s family refused drainage of the pre-vertebral and epidural pus. After receiving 2 months of antibiotics, the patient regained the mobility of his limbs

Girders with singly symmetric sections are more efficient and economical then the double symmetric sections. However, the theoretical moment calculations for singly symmetric sections are not an easy task. The difficulty comes from some of the evaluation of torsion properties. Current AISC specifications [1, 2] are not provided the theoretical formulas for the critical moment curves of singly symmetric girders. In AISC specification [1], which revisions the residual stress design to influence the limiting buckling moment strength. This study introduces the singly symmetric girders design methods with theoretical and design manual, and compared the limiting buckling moment with the specification of AISC [1, 2]. It will enable practicing engineers to perform more in-depth evaluation in their routine deigns.

Effects of thermal annealing on the emission properties of type-II InAs quantum dots (QDs) covered by a thin GaAs 1− x Sb x layer are investigated by photoluminescence (PL) and time-resolved PL measurements. Apart from large blueshifts and a pronounced narrowing of the QD emission peak, the annealing induced alloy intermixing also leads to enhanced radiative recombination rates and reduced localized states in the GaAs 1− x Sb x layer. We find that the type-II QD structure can sustain thermal annealing up to 850 °C. In particular, we find that it is possible to manipulate between type-I and type-II recombinations in annealed QDs by using different excitation powers. We demonstrate that postgrowth thermal annealing can be used to tailor the band alignment, the wave function overlaps, and hence the recombination dynamics in the InAs/GaAs 1− x Sb x type-II QDs.

Floating offshore wind turbines (FOWTs) contribute to an emerging green energy technology, by exploiting higher and consistent wind speeds above the ocean. There are several challenges facing the design of mooring system of FOWTs, including installation costs, stability of light-weight minimalistic platforms, and shallow depths (50–300m). The extreme tension in mooring lines of a light displacement platform in shallow-water is dominated by snap loads. This is because light pre-tension requirements in the line may be insufficient to prevent the mooring lines from being exposed to wave motion induced slack and shock events. In this paper, we present a comparative analysis of a semi-submersible based FOWT exposed to a 100-year storm condition, based on model test data and numerical simulations of well-known industry standard software. The data was obtained from a 1/50th-scale FOWT with the wind turbine modeled after the NREL 5MW wind turbine. The software, OrcaFlex, was used for numerical simulations of the mooring system. NREL’s FAST software was coupled to OrcaFlex to obtain aerodynamic loads along with hydrodynamic load for FOWT analyses. The numerical simulation of the moored FOWT in a 3-hour storm was executed in both the frequency-domain and the time-domain to determine the dynamic behavior of the platform and mooring system, respectively. Snap–type impact events were observed in both test data and numerical simulation. Tension maxima were fitted into extreme value distributions and comparisons are made between simulated and measured data. It is seen that snap events follow a different exceedance probability distribution compared to the cycle-to-cycle tension maxima.

Two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides have emerged as a new class of semiconductor materials with novel electronic and optical properties of interest to future nanoelectronics technology. Single-layer molybdenum disulphide, which represents a prototype two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenide, has an electronic bandgap that increases with decreasing layer thickness. Using high-resolution scanning tunnelling microscopy and spectroscopy, we measure the apparent quasiparticle energy gap to be 2.40 ± 0.05 eV for single-layer, 2.10 ± 0.05 eV for bilayer and 1.75 ± 0.05 eV for trilayer molybdenum disulphide, which were directly grown on a graphite substrate by chemical vapour deposition method. More interestingly, we report an unexpected bandgap tunability (as large as 0.85 ± 0.05 eV) with distance from the grain boundary in single-layer molybdenum disulphide, which also depends on the grain misorientation angle. This work opens up new possibilities for flexible electronic and optoelectronic devices with tunable bandgaps that utilize both the control of two-dimensional layer thickness and the grain boundary engineering.

The objective of this study was to assess the ability of using different multivariate signal processing algorithm on structural system identification of a time-varying system through vibration-based response measurement. First, the automatic modal analysis in cooperated with covariance-driven stochastic subspace identification (automatic SSI-COV) is used. This algorithm proposed 4 stages of analysis (criteria to remove spurious modes, clustering of the identified poles, grouping of similar modes, estimate modal parameters with considering uncertainty estimation) to enhance the automatic ability to identify the modal properties and remove the spurious modes of the monitoring structure. Second, the blind source separation (BSS) technique called second-order blind identification (SOBI) is also considered to identify the modal response and mixing matrix. Finally, the multivariate AR model (MV-AR) is also used to identify the time-varying model parameters. Through the response data collected from a bridge scouring test in the laboratory, discussion of these three identification methods on modal parameter estimation and damage detection of the bridge structure is made. The advances and disadvantages on model parameter estimation of these three methods are discussed. doi: 10.12783/SHM2015/174

Model tests were conducted on three generic floating wind turbine systems in 2011 and reported in a series of papers at the 31st Ocean, Offshore, and Arctic Engineering Conference in 2012. These tests were conducted at the MARIN facility in The Netherlands, by a consortium of universities, government research organizations, and industry. As part of the testing program, decay tests in platform pitch were conducted with and without wind forcing. It was found that for spar and semisubmersible type structures, resonant pitch motion was damped due to wind in storm sea conditions. The nonlinear decay motion of a floating wind turbine platform is modeled using a one degree-of-freedom nonlinear oscillation equation about a mean offset angle. Attention is paid to the turbine thrust coefficient and its variability with respect to oncoming flow speed, which in turn is affected by the structure pitch motion. The equation of motion reveals that the mean offset position has an important role in the stiffness, damping, and consequently the natural period of pitch motion. Several important dimensionless parameters are introduced. The paper discusses a simple thrust model for an offshore wind turbine (OWT) based on rudiments of blade element theory. Using the simplified thrust coefficient formulation, the increase in platform pitch damping due to wind is formulated. Experimental data reported from prior tests described above show good agreement with the theoretical model.

Monolayer molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) has become a promising building block in optoelectronics for its high photosensitivity. However, sulfur vacancies and other defects significantly affect the electrical and optoelectronic properties of monolayer MoS2 devices. Here, highly crystalline molybdenum diselenide (MoSe2) monolayers have been successfully synthesized by the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method. Low-temperature photoluminescence comparison for MoS2 and MoSe2 monolayers reveals that the MoSe2 monolayer shows a much weaker bound exciton peak; hence, the phototransistor based on MoSe2 presents a much faster response time (25 ms) than the corresponding 30 s for the CVD MoS2 monolayer at room temperature in ambient conditions. The images obtained from transmission electron microscopy indicate that the MoSe exhibits fewer defects than MoS2. This work provides the fundamental understanding for the differences in optoelectronic behaviors between MoSe2 and MoS2 and is useful for guiding future designs in 2D material-based optoelectronic devices.

The optical properties of single InGaN/GaN heterostructure nanowires (NWs) with a mean diameter down to 18 nm are investigated. Sharp emission lines originating from the recombination of localized excitons in the InGaN disk layer can be resolved. Excitation-dependent energy shifts, together with spectral diffusions of these emission lines, indicate the presence of a weak quantum confined Stark effect (QCSE) caused by nearby charge fluctuations, rather than the screening of piezoelectric polarizations at the InGaN/GaN interface. The absence of a piezoelectric polarization field is further confirmed by time-resolved photoluminescence measurements. Numerical simulations reveal that the elastic strain relaxation via the NW geometry is marginal and occurs only near the NW sidewalls. Carrier localization preferentially near the periphery of the InGaN disk and alloy intermixing are suggested as possible reasons for the absence of a polarization-induced QCSE in thin InGaN/GaN heterostructure NWs.

Model tests were conducted on three generic floating wind turbine systems in 2011, and reported in a series of papers at OMAE 2012. These tests were conducted at the MARIN facility in the Netherlands, by a consortium of universities, government research organizations and industry. As part of the testing program, decay tests in platform pitch were conducted with and without wind. It was found that for spar and semi-submersible type structures, resonant pitch motion was damped due to wind in storm sea conditions. The nonlinear decay motion of a floating wind turbine platform is modeled using a one degree-of-freedom nonlinear oscillation equation about a mean offset angle. Attention is paid to the turbine thrust coefficient and its variability with respect to oncoming flow speed, which in turn is affected by the structure pitch motion. The equation of motion reveals that the mean offset position has an important role in the stiffness, damping and consequently the natural period of pitch motion. Several important dimensionless parameters are introduced. The paper discusses a simple thrust model for an offshore wind turbine based on rudiments of blade element theory. Using the simplified thrust coefficient formulation, the increase in platform pitch damping due to wind is formulated. Experimental data reported from prior tests described above show good agreement with the theoretical model.

It is critically important to characterize the band alignment in semiconductor heterojunctions (HJs) because it controls the electronic and optical properties. However, the well-known Anderson's model usually fails to predict the band alignment in bulk HJ systems due to the presence of charge transfer at the interfacial bonding. Atomically thin 2D transition metal dichalcogenide materials have attracted much attention recently since the ultrathin HJs and devices can be easily built and they are promising for future electronics. The vertical HJs based on 2D materials can be constructed via van der Waals stacking regardless of the lattice mismatch between two materials. Despite the defect-free characteristics of the junction interface, experimental evidence is still lacking on whether the simple Anderson rule can predict the band alignment of HJs. Here, the validity of Anderson's model is verified for the 2D heterojunction systems and the success of Anderson's model is attributed to the absence of dangling bonds (i.e., interface dipoles) at the van der Waal interface. The results from the work set a foundation allowing the use of powerful Anderson's rule to determine the band alignments of 2D HJs, which is beneficial to future electronic, photonic, and optoelectronic devices.

The continuous development of three-dimensional chip/wafer stacking technology has created the metrology requirements for in-line 3D manufacturing processes. This paper summarizes the developing metrology that has been used during via-middle & via-last TSV process development at ITRI (Industrial Technology Research Institute). An IR metrology tool including broadband infrared microscopic imaging module and a specific infrared laser confocal module is developed for the thinned wafers thickness measurement with spatial resolution of 0.5 μm. An existing spectral reflectometer is used and enhanced by implementing novel theoretical model and measurement algorithm for HDTSV inspection. It is capable of measuring via depth/bottom roughness/bottom profile in one shot measurement. A metrology module based on two sets of dual-channel capacitive sensors for metallization film thickness measurement is applied to make critical process control in the fab. We will share real metrology results and discuss possible solutions for 3D interconnect processing.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of Chan-meditation on electrocardiogram (ECG) regulated by various respiratory rhythms. METHODS: ECG complexes were firstly transformed into continuous wavelet transform (CWT) coefficient map. Three schemes were employed in the interpretation of CWT map: the moment-invariants analysis, the correlation-coefficient analysis of eigenvector derived by singular value decomposition (SVD), and the analysis of variance (ANOVA). This study involved 17 subjects: 8 experimental subjects with Chan-meditation experience and 9 without any Chan-mediation experience as the control subjects in the same age range. RESULTS: The results of all 3 different schemes for interpreting the CWT map coincidently demonstrated the extraordinary state of cardiorespiratory interaction behavior for the experimental subjects breathing at higher respiratory rate. According to the ANOVA analysis, the control group exhibited statistically significant difference in CWT map of ECG complex at low respiratory rates, while experimental group did not. CONCLUSION: This might preliminarily suggest that, with slow respiration, Chan-meditation practitioners had their cardiac operation more stable than normal people.

We investigate the optical properties of InAs quantum dots (QDs) capped with a thin AlxGa1−xAsSb layer. As evidenced from power-dependent and time-resolved photoluminescence (PL) measurements, the GaAsSb-capped QDs with type-II band alignment can be changed to type-I by adding Al into the GaAsSb capping layer. The evolution of band alignment with the Al content in the AlGaAsSb capping layer has also been confirmed by theoretical calculations based on 8-band k⋅p model. The PL thermal stability and the room temperature PL efficiency are also improved by AlGaAsSb capping. We demonstrate that using the quaternary AlGaAsSb can take the advantages of GaAsSb capping layer on the InAs QDs while retaining a type-I band alignment for applications in long-wavelength light emitters.

This paper reports a new method utilizing varied-amplitude and swept-frequency longitudinal acoustic waves to achieve nonspecific biomolecular binding removal and regeneration of specific biomolecular binding sites. The method is demonstrated by constructing an acoustic wave operation system to generate a longitudinal acoustic wave (LAW) and exert acoustic energy through liquid medium onto the molecules bound to a sample chip. The sample chip was made of a diced glass slide chip (GSC) modified with gold nanoparticles (GNPs), possessing particle plasmon resonance (PPR) properties. Biotin was immobilized on the GNP-GSC as a probe. Several adsorbates, including bovine serum albumin, anti-biotin, anti-fibrinogen, and streptavidin, were chosen to examine the regeneration capability and removal efficiency under the activation of the LAW. The acoustic wave is produced by a piezoelectric transducer driven with an amplitude of 0–50 Vrms and a sweeping frequency from 100 kHz to 1 MHz. The absorbance spectra of the PPR band were used for quantitative analysis of the regeneration capability and removal efficiency by this method. Results show that nonspecific binding removal and specific binding regeneration can be effectively achieved by this LAW operation system. Moreover, the GNP-GSC can be used at least five times by this regeneration method.

The optical properties of GaAsSb-capped InAs quantum dots (QDs) with different capping layer thickness are investigated. Both the emission energy and the recombination lifetime are found to be correlated with the capping layer thicknesses. Theoretical calculations indicate that the quantum confinement and the wave function distribution of hole states are sensitive to the GaAsSb capping layer thickness. The Sb induced change in QD size also plays a role in the optical properties of GaAsSb-capped QDs. Controlling the GaAsSb capping layer thickness is a feasible way to tailor the InAs QDs for long-wavelength applications. V C 2011 American Institute of Physics.

We report the effects of thermal annealing on the emission properties of type-II InAs quantum dots (QDs) covered by a thin GaAs1−xSbx layer. Apart from large blueshifts and a pronounced narrowing of the QD emission peak, the annealing induced alloy intermixing also leads to enhanced radiative recombination rates and reduced localized states in the GaAsSb layer. Evidences of the evolution from type-II to type-I band alignments are obtained from time-resolved and power-dependent photoluminescence measurements. We demonstrate that postgrowth thermal annealing can be used to tailor the band alignment, the wave function overlaps, and hence the recombination dynamics in the InAs/GaAsSb type-II QDs.