Search

Alzheimer's disease (AD) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) are two common diseases that affect the elderly population worldwide. The identification of common genes associated with AD and T2DM holds promise for potential biomarkers and intriguing pathogenesis of these two complicated diseases. This study utilized a comprehensive approach by integrating transcriptome data from multiple cohorts, encompassing both AD and T2DM. The analysis incorporated various data types, including blood and tissue samples as well as single-cell datasets, allowing for a detailed assessment of gene expression patterns. From the brain region-specific single-cell analysis, PIP4K2A, which encodes phosphatidylinositol-5-phosphate 4-kinase type 2 alpha, was found to be expressed mainly in oligodendrocytes compared to other cell types. Elevated levels of PIP4K2A in AD and T2DM patients' blood were found to be associated with key cellular processes such as vesicle-mediated transport, negative regulation of autophagosome assembly, and cytosolic transport. The identification of PIP4K2A's potential roles in the cellular processes of AD and T2DM offers valuable insights into the development of biomarkers for diagnosis and therapy, especially in the complication of these two diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel coupling technique for circularly polarized square-ring patch antenna is developed and discussed. The circular polarization (CP) radiation of the square-ring patch antenna is achieved by a simple microstrip feed line through the coupling of a square patch on the same plane of the antenna. Proper positioning of the coupling square patch excites two orthogonal resonant modes with 90[degrees] phase difference, and a pure circular polarization is obtained. The dielectric material is a square block of ceramic with a permittivity of 58 and that reduces the size of the antenna. The prototype has been designed, fabricated and found to have an impedance bandwidth of 1.1% and a 3-dB axial-ratio bandwidth of about 0.03 % at GPS frequency of 1573 MHz. The characteristics of the proposed antenna have been studied by simulation software HFSS and experiments. The measured and simulated results are in good agreement. Index Terms--Ceramic dielectric material, circular polarization (CP), global position system (GPS), square-ring patch antenna.

A novel coupling technique for circularly polarized annular-ring patch antenna is developed and discussed. The circular polarization (CP) radiation of the annular-ring patch antenna is achieved by a simple microstrip feed line through the coupling of a fan-shaped patch on the same plane of the antenna. Proper positioning of the coupling fan-shaped patch excites two orthogonal resonant modes with 90[degrees] phase difference, and a pure circular polarization is obtained. The dielectric material is a cylindrical block of ceramic with a permittivity of 25 and that reduces the size of the antenna. The prototype has been designed and fabricated and found to have an impedance bandwidth of 2.3% and a 3 dB axial-ratio bandwidth of about 0.6% at the center frequency of 2700 MHz. The characteristics of the proposed antenna have been by simulation software HFSS and experiment. The measured and simulated results are in good agreement. Index Terms--Annular-ring patch antenna, ceramic dielectric material, circular polarization (CP), patch coupling.

Aim: This study aimed to explore the association between socioeconomic status and urinary incontinence (UI). Methods: We used data from the three waves of the Taiwan Longitudinal Study on Aging. This study included 2458 women and 2866 men aged ≥50 years. We used logistic random effects models to examine the associations of interest, adjusting for demographics, health‐related behaviors, disability, number of health conditions and prostate problems for men and numbers of children for women. Results: In adjusted analysis, women with secondary education least frequently reported UI compared with women with no formal education (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 0.41, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 0.22–0.79). Those with severe economic hardships (vs those with no economic hardships) had an increased risk of UI among men and women (AOR 2.71, 95% CI 1.72–4.25 and AOR 1.94, 95% CI 1.31–2.88, respectively). Compared with men doing mentally demanding jobs, service workers/salesperson and retired men were more prone to UI (AOR 2.67, 95% CI 1.14–6.36 and AOR 2.41, 95% CI 1.19–4.87, respectively). Further analysis showed that the associations of economic hardship with UI were attenuated when adjusting for access to healthcare. Conclusion: No formal education in women and severe economic hardship in both the sexes were associated with an increased risk of UI among middle‐aged and older persons. The disparities should be taken into account in interventions for prevention, treatment and management of UI. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2021; 21: 245–253. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]