Technology Grant Research Articles

Etch Characteristics of Cobalt Thin Films in High Density Plasma of Cl2/O2/Ar Gas Mixture

Inductively coupled plasma reaction ion etching (ICP-RIE) of cobalt thin films patterned with SiO2 hard masks was performed using Cl2/O2/Ar gas mixture. The etch characteristics of cobalt films in Cl2/Ar gas were examined to determine the roles of Cl2 and O2, respectively. The etch rates and etch profiles of cobalt films were investigated by varying the O2 concentration in Cl2/O2/Ar gas mixture.In the optimized Cl2/Ar gas mixture, systematic etching of cobalt films was performed by changing the etch parameters including ICP RF power, DC-bias voltage, and process pressure. As the DC-bias voltage and process pressure was increased, the etch rate increased and the etch profile improved. Through the etching parameters variation experiment, the etching properties were investigated by adding O2 to Cl2/Ar under optimized conditions. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and optical emission spectroscopy were used to investigate the etch mechanism in the Cl2/O2/Ar gas mixture. In addition, scanning probe microscope was used to observe roughness on the etched cobalt surface. Finally, the etching of cobalt films patterned with nanometer-scale in the optimized Cl2/O2/Ar gas mixture was successfully achieved with good etch profile.AcknowledgmentThis research was supported by the Ministry of Trade, Industry & Energy (MOTIE) (20019504) and Korea Semiconductor Research Consortium (KSRC) support program for the development of future semiconductor devices. This work was supported by Korea Institute for Advancement of Technology (KIAT) grant funded by the Korea Government (MOTIE) (P0008458, HRD Program for Industrial Innovation).

Building Block-Centric Approach to DNA-Encoded Library Design.

DNA-encoded library technology grants access to nearly infinite opportunities to explore the chemical structure space for drug discovery. Successful navigation depends on the design and synthesis of libraries with appropriate physicochemical properties (PCPs) and structural diversity while aligning with practical considerations. To this end, we analyze combinatorial library design constraints including the number of chemistry cycles, bond construction strategies, and building block (BB) class selection in pursuit of ideal library designs. We compare two-cycle library designs (amino acid + carboxylic acid, primary amine + carboxylic acid) in the context of PCPs and chemical space coverage, given different BB selection strategies and constraints. We find that broad availability of amines and acids is essential for enabling the widest exploration of chemical space. Surprisingly, cost is not a driving factor, and virtually, the same chemical space can be explored with "budget" BBs.

Assessment of Economic Synergies of Agrivoltaics in the Distributed Generation Segment in Chile

Agrivoltaics (AV) combines photovoltaic (PV) electricity generation with agriculture on the same land. In Chile, despite high potential, AV is not yet commercialized due to high investment cost. To close the remaining cost gap to conventional PV, we shed light on a set of AV specific synergies in the market segment of Small Distributed Generation Facilities. Through a techno-economic model, this paper monetizes AV synergies to derive the economic performance of a sun tracked AV system over blueberries for the PV stakeholder. The study reveals that tracked AV systems can be operated with an Internal Rate of Return (IRR) of 5.2% at the threshold of profitability. This is enabled due to the exploitation of synergies within the market segment that improve IRR for the PV stakeholder by 2.5%. Still, sun-tracked AV requires compulsory technology grants between 5 – 10 USD/MWh to be economically implemented. The results indicate the necessity for regulative adaption. Legislation must open agricultural land for AV project development to enable the commercialization.

Excess tuberculosis risk during and following incarceration in Paraguay: a retrospective cohort study

The increased risk of tuberculosis (TB) among people deprived of liberty (PDL) is due to individual and institution-level factors. We followed a cohort of PDL from 5 prisons in Paraguay to describe the risk of TB during incarceration and after they were released. We linked a 2013 national census of prisons with TB records from the TB Program from 2010 to 2021 to identify TB notifications among incarcerated and formerly incarcerated individuals. We used multivariable Cox regression models to quantify the risk of TB during and following incarceration and to identify risk factors associated with TB. Among 2996 individuals incarcerated, 451 (15.1%) were diagnosed with TB. Of these, 262 (58.1%) cases occurred during incarceration and 189 (41.9%) occurred in the community after release. In prison, the hazard ratio of developing TB was 1.97 (95% CI: 1.52-2.61) after six months of incarceration and increased to 2.78 (95% CI: 1.82-4.24) after 36 months compared with the first six months. The overall TB notification rate was 2940 per 100,000 person-years. This rate increased with the duration of incarceration from 1335 per 100,000 person-years in the first year to 8455 per 100,000 person-years after 8 years. Among former prisoners, the rate of TB decreased from 1717 in the first year after release to 593 per 100000 person-years after 8 years of follow up. Our study shows the alarming risk of TB associated with prison environments in Paraguay, and how this risk persists for years following incarceration. Effective TB control measures to protect the health of people during and following incarceration are urgently needed. Paraguay National Commission of Science and Technology grant CONACYT PIN 15-705 (GS, GES, SA).

Surgical Management and Considerations for Patients with Localized High-Risk Prostate Cancer.

Localized high-risk (HR) prostate cancer (PCa) is a heterogenous disease state with a wide range of presentations and outcomes. Historically, non-surgical management with radiotherapy and androgen deprivation therapy was the treatment option of choice. However, surgical resection with radical prostatectomy (RP) and pelvic lymph node dissection (PLND) is increasingly utilized as a primary treatment modality for patients with HRPCa. Recent studies have demonstrated that surgery is an equivalent treatment option in select patients with the potential to avoid the side effects from androgen deprivation therapy and radiotherapy combined. Advances in imaging techniques and biomarkers have also improved staging and patient selection for surgical resection. Advances in robotic surgical technology grant surgeons various techniques to perform RP, even in patients with HR disease, which can reduce the morbidity of the procedure without sacrificing oncologic outcomes. Clinical trials are not only being performed to assess the safety and oncologic outcomes of these surgical techniques, but to also evaluate the role of surgical resection as a part of a multimodal treatment plan. Further research is needed to determine the ideal role of surgery to potentially provide a more personalized and tailored treatment plan for patients with localized HR PCa.

Biomechanical modeling and simulation of a human organ using an augmented reality technique during open surgery

Basically, augmented reality (AR) technology grants innovative ways so as to manipulate and visualize a three-dimensional (3D) model of an object through superimposing computer-generated images onto another object interactively. Being able to interact in real-time with digital and spatial information offers further chances in order to manipulate medical data efficiently and easily. In fact, surgeons encounter multiple challenges handling digital patient data during surgical interventions. Multiple techniques are invested in order to visualize the operative areas, as for example fluoroscopy and ultrasound methods. The latter display certain deficiencies. Therefore, the AR technique can stand for a good candidate in order to project a 3D model of a target organ into the surgeon’s perspective and view field so as to enhance the efficiency and accuracy of the medical intervention intraoperatively. The basic target of this paper is to simulate a generated biomechanical model of the liver organ and visualize its deformations through the use of an AR headset during the open surgery. The proposed approach is validated by the use of acquired CT scans of a human liver organ.

Automotive Vehicle Service Training For Competence Improvement At Muhammadiyah Karangkobar Vocational School

Vocational High School (SMK) is a High School that targets the formation of character and skills for its graduates. The learning system in Vocational School that includes practical material makes Vocational School graduates ready to use and able to work and even create jobs. So that Vocational School graduates are targeted to be able to contribute to the local economy. Very contradictory conditions were found at the Muhammadiyah Karangkobar Vocational School, that still overwhelmed by the problem of limited learning support practice equipment. This condition is of course not very good considering that the output of Vocational School students is skills that should be acquired through a structured and systematic practicum process. The solutions to these problems are, firstly, providing supporting equipment technology grants in practice, especially periodic maintenance of light automotive vehicles and providing training to teachers and students of the Muhammadiyah Karangkobar Vocational School on periodic maintenance and light vehicle tune-ups. The implementation of periodic service skills training and light vehicle tune-ups for teachers and students of Muhammadiyah Karangkobar Vocational School has a significant impact on students' knowledge and skills which in the short term can support them in facing the national vocational competency exam, and later it is hoped that it will be useful for graduates while living in middle of society

The Emergence of Multicultural Characteristics in Virtual Team

The advancement of information and communication technology grant access for businesses to reach global workforce. In a condition where companies hire their employee from cross-border market, the exposure of multicultural differences will be more in contact. Some of the problem faced by virtual multicultural team are cultural discrepancy, communication problem, long distance conflict, and lack of synergy. The objective of this study is to explore the multicultural characteristics emerged from virtual team activity to minimize the problem. This research adopts a case study to examine the comprehensive understanding of virtual multicultural team activity and get new insight from dwelling activity into the context directly. This study has two results: a virtual team and multicultural team characteristics in digital company and Hybrid company. This study can help practitioners identify what multicultural level of focus is well-suited to their current business model and give researcher an overview of future research on the alternatives in managing virtual multicultural team by building virtual multicultural team framework.
 Keywords — Multicultural; Virtual Team, Hybrid Company, Digital Company

LED Lighting to Produce High-Quality Ornamental Plants.

The flexibility of LED technology, in terms of energy efficiency, robustness, compactness, long lifetime, and low heat emission, as well as its applications as a sole source or supplemental lighting system, offers interesting potential, giving the ornamental industry an edge over traditional production practices. Light is a fundamental environmental factor that provides energy for plants through photosynthesis, but it also acts as a signal and coordinates multifaceted plant-growth and development processes. With manipulations of light quality affecting specific plant traits such as flowering, plant architecture, and pigmentation, the focus has been placed on the ability to precisely manage the light growing environment, proving to be an effective tool to produce tailored plants according to market request. Applying lighting technology grants growers several productive advantages, such as planned production (early flowering, continuous production, and predictable yield), improved plant habitus (rooting and height), regulated leaf and flower color, and overall improved quality attributes of commodities. Potential LED benefits to the floriculture industry are not limited to the aesthetic and economic value of the product obtained; LED technology also represents a solid, sustainable option for reducing agrochemical (plant-growth regulators and pesticides) and energy inputs (power energy).

The effect of weight loss following 18 months of lifestyle intervention on brain age assessed with resting-state functional connectivity.

Obesity negatively impacts multiple bodily systems, including the central nervous system. Retrospective studies that estimated chronological age from neuroimaging have found accelerated brain aging in obesity, but it is unclear how this estimation would be affected by weight loss following a lifestyle intervention. In a sub-study of 102 participants of the Dietary Intervention Randomized Controlled Trial Polyphenols Unprocessed Study (DIRECT-PLUS) trial, we tested the effect of weight loss following 18 months of lifestyle intervention on predicted brain age based on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-assessed resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC). We further examined how dynamics in multiple health factors, including anthropometric measurements, blood biomarkers, and fat deposition, can account for changes in brain age. To establish our method, we first demonstrated that our model could successfully predict chronological age from RSFC in three cohorts (n=291;358;102). We then found that among the DIRECT-PLUS participants, 1% of body weight loss resulted in an 8.9 months' attenuation of brain age. Attenuation of brain age was significantly associated with improved liver biomarkers, decreased liver fat, and visceral and deep subcutaneous adipose tissues after 18 months of intervention. Finally, we showed that lower consumption of processed food, sweets and beverages were associated with attenuated brain age. Successful weight loss following lifestyle intervention might have a beneficial effect on the trajectory of brain aging. The German Research Foundation (DFG), German Research Foundation - project number 209933838 - SFB 1052; B11, Israel Ministry of Health grant 87472511 (to I Shai); Israel Ministry of Science and Technology grant 3-13604 (to I Shai); and the California Walnuts Commission 09933838 SFB 105 (to I Shai).

Observable and unobservable causes of the gender gap in S&T funding for young researchers

Abstract The objective of this paper is to study the relationship between academic performance, gender, and science and technology grants. The empirical analysis is based on the Argentinean Fund for Scientific and Technological Research ‘Scientific and Technological Research Projects’ (FONCYT-PICT). The methodology is based on a multivariate decomposition for non-linear response models, an extension of the Oaxaca–Blinder decomposition. Results confirm the presence of a gender gap. Women have lower probabilities of being awarded with funds than men, even when academic trajectories are alike. Results show that even if the productivity gap is closed, men’s and women’s trajectories are differently valued against women, and this negatively impacts their probability of being awarded. Therefore, even if women manage to publish more and—somehow—be more cited, the gap will persist. Explicit public policy measures are required to close the current gap and stop reproducing it.

Commentary on: Is preheat necessary for the measurement of 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanosine and 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine in urine samples.

Chiung-Wen Hu and Mu-Rong Chao: conceptualization, experimental design, writing—original draft preparation, reviewing and editing. Marcus S. Cooke: writing—original draft preparation, reviewing and editing. and Yi-Jhen Wang: experimental performance. We would like to thank Ms. Sih-Yu Chen, Ms. Chiao-Jou Yu, and Mr. Jhih-Kai Wang of the Departments of Occupational Safety and Health and Public Health, Chung Shan Medical University for their help in taking the photographs presented in Figure 1. The work reported here was supported by the Taiwan Ministry of Science and Technology grant MOST 106-2314-B-040-015-MY3 to M-RC and in part by NIEHS grant R15ES027196 to MSC and C-WH. None declared. The original experimental data are available on request from the corresponding author.

External Debt and Economic Growth: Case of a Small Island Nation based on Solow Growth Model

This paper formulates an augmented Solow Growth Model using standardized indicators most applicable to the Pacific Island nation of Tonga. The article explored how external debt can affect Tonga's economic growth, centred on the crowding-out effect and debt overhang theory. A time series data based on 32 years ranging from 1985 to 2016 was used for the analysis. The results showed that Tonga's external debt significantly and positively impacted economic growth. Official development assistance harmed the economic growth of Tonga, which may be due to the mismanagement of external debt. The crowding effect in the form of debt servicing negatively affects Tonga's economy. However, loan repayments under the theory of a debt overhang had a positive relationship with economic development. Additional findings suggested that the distribution of technology grants to the island nation appeared to improve economic growth.

Associations between maternal urinary isoflavone concentrations and anogenital distance of offspring throughout infancy: a prospective cohort study.

Are maternal urinary isoflavone (ISO) concentrations during pregnancy associated with anogenital distance (AGD) in infants at birth, and at 6 and 12 months of age? Higher maternal urinary ISO concentrations during pregnancy were associated with longer AGD in infants of both sexes, and equol (EQU) and daidzein (DAD) were identified as the important ISO mixture components in the observed associations. Evidence of the association of prenatal exposure to ISO with offspring's AGD is mainly derived from animal studies, which used different study designs and had inconsistent results. Only one human study has been reported and it found null associations between maternal ISO exposure during pregnancy and AGD among boys at birth, with a small sample size and a wide range of exposure windows. No human study on girls was found. Prospective cohort study (Shanghai-Minhang Birth Cohort Study), with pregnant women recruited at 12-16 weeks of gestation in Shanghai, China between April and December 2012. One thousand two hundred and twenty-five live singletons were left in the cohort at delivery of which 480 mother-infant pairs had data on both maternal urinary ISO concentrations and at least one AGD measurement and were included in the present study. Anopenile distance (AGDAP) and anoscrotal distance (AGDAS) of boys and anoclitoral distance (AGDAC) and anofourchette distance (AGDAF) of girls were measured at birth and at 6 and 12 months of age. Multiple linear regression models were used to examine the associations between maternal ISO concentrations and AGD. Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) was implemented to examine both the overall effects of ISO mixture and the single effect of each ISO and identify important components of ISO mixture. A general profile of higher concentrations of maternal ISO associated with longer AGD in infants of both sexes was observed, when maternal education, parity, BMI before pregnancy (BMI, categorical variable), passive smoking during early pregnancy, age at delivery, gestational weeks and infant body size were adjusted for. Among boys, EQU was associated with increased AGDAS at birth and at 6 and 12 months, and DAD was associated with increased AGDAP at birth. Among girls, the associations of EQU and DAD with increased AGDAC and AGDAF at birth were found. When gestational weight gain and feeding patterns of infants in the first 6 months were additionally adjusted for, and maternal BMI was adjusted for as a continuous variable, more pronounced associations were observed, especially for associations of genistein (GEN), DAD and glycitein (GLY) with increased AGDAP and AGDAS at 6 months in boys. However, these associations were not always observed in the highest tertile group, and no consistent dose-response relationships were found. Similar results were observed in BKMR models, showing positive correlations of concentration of ISO mixture with increased AGDAS at both 6 and 12 months among boys, and increased AGDAC and AGDAF at birth among girls. Statistically significant increments of 4.96 mm (95% credible interval (CrI): 1.40, 8.52) and 1.07 mm (95% CrI: 0.02, 2.13) in AGDAS at 6 months among boys and AGDAC at birth among girls, respectively, were observed at the 75th percentile of ISO mixture, compared with 25th percentile. EQU and DAD were identified as the important components among ISO-AGD associations. First, due to the short half-lives of ISO, the accuracy of a single spot urine sample reflecting ISO exposure during pregnancy may be limited, and thus may cause non-differential misclassification. Second, despite the adjustments for several important covariates in the study, unmeasured and residual confounding factors may remain a concern. Third, false discovery due to multiple testing may remain. Finally, the reduced sample sizes attributed to the loss of follow-up and missing data of confounders may limit our ability to detect an association, if any existed. Prenatal ISO exposure may affect the reproductive development of offspring. As ISO can be widely detected in pregnant women, especially in Eastern countries, more studies are warranted to provide evidence of the effects of prenatal ISO exposure on long-term reproductive outcomes. This work was supported by grants from the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2021YFC2701003), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (22076123), the Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality (21ZR1454700 and 20ZR1448000), the Shanghai Municipal Health Commission (20194Y0160) and Innovation-oriented Science and Technology Grant from NHC Key Laboratory of Reproduction Regulation (CX2022-04). The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare. N/A.

Vertical Oxide Channel Thin Film Transistor for Ultra-High-Resolution Display

The significance of backplane devices for ultra-high-resolution (UHR) display has increased with the recent development of augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) devices. Since the human visual resolution can distinguish up to 60 pixels per degree (PPD), the AR/VR device panel needs at least 3000 pixels per inch (PPI) to exceed the human retina resolution limit for clear display without screen effect. As a results, the unit pixel pitch of thin film transistor (TFT) for UHR display should be not only smaller than a few micrometers (~3 μm), TFT channel length should also be sub-micrometers level. In active matrix organic light emitting diode (AMOLED) display type, self-aligned top gate (SATG) TFT has been widely used as a planar backplane device structure because of its low parasitic capacitance and tolerance of illumination degradation caused by the light from emitting layer [1-2]. However, SATG TFT has fundamental disadvantages for device miniaturization due to its essentially required area of metallization region for reducing contact resistance and scaling limit of channel induced by carrier diffusion shrinking effective channel length. For this reason, we suggested a size tunable oxide channel VTFT structure that can achieve a high pixel density on account of structural benefit on device footprint.In this work, we fabricated amorphous indium gallium zinc oxide (a-IGZO) based VTFT. The previously published VTFT structure, channel length is determined by the thickness of spacer between source and drain electrodes [3]. Owing to spacer etching process, uneven backchannel roughness and high off current has become well-known issues of VTFT. On the contrary, the proposed VTFT structure has a controllability of effective channel aspect ratio because source and drain electrodes are able to be patterned by photolithography process. Furthermore, the parasitic capacitance is also relatively less than the formerly reported VTFTs controlled by inevitable thickness limit structurally due to the electrodes.To sum up, we not only realized the oxide channel VTFT that meets high performance for AR/VR display, but opened new application possibility to UHR electronic devices platform. Figure 1. (a) Schematic of the proposed VTFT (b) Transfer characteristic of VTFT Acknowledgement This work was supported by the Korea Evaluation Institute of Industrial Technology(KEIT) grant funded by the Korea government (MOTIE) (No. 2021-11-1283) References Kang, Dong Han, et al. "Self-aligned coplanar a-IGZO TFTs and application to high-speed circuits." IEEE electron device letters 32.10 (2011): 1385-1387.Wang, Guoying, et al. "8.3: High Stability Against Light and Heat Based on the Top Gate Self‐Aligned a‐IGZO TFTs under OLED Dislplay." SID Symposium Digest of Technical Papers. Vol. 49. 2018.Petti, Luisa, et al. "Flexible quasi-vertical In-Ga-Zn-O thin-film transistor with 300-nm channel length." IEEE Electron Device Letters36.5 (2015): 475-477. Figure 1

Control of Hydrogen Concentration in Ingazno Thin Film Using Cryopumping System

Recently, amorphous metal-oxide semiconductors (AOSs) such as indium gallium zinc oxide (IGZO) have attracted great attention with their lower power consumption and higher mobility than amorphous silicon in the display field. However, the threshold voltage (Vth) shift of IGZO thin film transistor (TFT) caused by their poor reliability leads to the drop panel luminance. Therefore, improvement of IGZO TFT reliability is necessary, which is largely influenced by oxygen vacancy and hydrogen. In particular, hydrogen has shown different roles inside the IGZO active layer by hydrogen concentration. At lower concentration, the hydrogen passivation of oxygen deficiency region induces the improvement of initial electrical characteristics and reliability [2]. Meanwhile, Vth shift and degradation reliability are generated at higher concentration owing to the hydrogen related defect states [3]. Therefore, controlling excess hydrogen is necessary for reliability enhancement.In this work, IGZO thin film was fabricated by cryopumping system instead of a turbo molecular pump (TMP) for radio frequency sputtering to reduce hydrogen concentration. Cryopump is an adsorption type that enables excellent evacuation ability of hydrogen and moisture taking up most of the partial pressure in high vacuum. As a result, deposition of IGZO thin film with lower hydrogen impurity is available. The hydrogen concentration in the IGZO thin film using both cryopump and TMP was quantitatively analyzed by elastic recoil detection (ERD) analysis. Then, electrical characteristics of the self-aligned top-gate structure TFTs fabricated by both pumps were measured with bias stress conditions.To sum up, we showed the improved reliability of IGZO TFT by controlling excess hydrogen using cryopumping system. Fig.1. (a) Schematic of RF magnetron sputtering process with cryopump. (b) TOF-SIMS depth profiles of hydrogen concentration in IGZO film using TMP and cryopump Acknowledgment This work was supported by the Korea Evaluation Institute of Industrial Technology(KEIT) grant funded by the Korea government (MOTIE) (No. 2021-11-1283) References Chung, Ui-Jin, et al. "15‐1: Invited Paper: Manufacturing Technology of LTPO TFT." SID Symposium Digest of Technical Papers. Vol. 51. No. 1. 2020.Hanyu, Yuichiro, et al. "Hydrogen passivation of electron trap in amorphous In-Ga-Zn-O thin-film transistors." Applied Physics Letters 103.20 (2013): 202114.Mativenga, Mallory, et al. "Origin of light instability in amorphous IGZO thin-film transistors and its suppression." Scientific reports 11.1 (2021): 1-12 Figure 1

Differences in local immune cell landscape between Q fever and atherosclerotic abdominal aortic aneurysms identified by multiplex immunohistochemistry.

Chronic Q fever is a zoonosis caused by the bacterium Coxiella burnetii which can manifest as infection of an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). Antibiotic therapy often fails, resulting in severe morbidity and high mortality. Whereas previous studies have focused on inflammatory processes in blood, the aim of this study was to investigate local inflammation in aortic tissue. Multiplex immunohistochemistry was used to investigate local inflammation in Q fever AAAs compared to atherosclerotic AAAs in aorta tissue specimen. Two six-plex panels were used to study both the innate and adaptive immune systems. Q fever AAAs and atherosclerotic AAAs contained similar numbers of CD68+ macrophages and CD3+ T cells. However, in Q fever AAAs, the number of CD68+CD206+ M2 macrophages was increased, while expression of GM-CSF was decreased compared to atherosclerotic AAAs. Furthermore, Q fever AAAs showed an increase in both the number of CD8+ cytotoxic T cells and CD3+CD8-FoxP3+ regulatory T cells. Finally, Q fever AAAs did not contain any well-defined granulomas. These findings demonstrate that despite the presence of pro-inflammatory effector cells, persistent local infection with C. burnetii is associated with an immune-suppressed microenvironment. This work was supported by SCAN consortium: European Research Area - CardioVascualar Diseases (ERA-CVD) grant [JTC2017-044] and TTW-NWO open technology grant [STW-14716].

Corrigendum: Variation in Coral Thermotolerance Across a Pollution Gradient Erodes as Coral Symbionts Shift to More Heat-Tolerant Genera

Missing FundingIn the original article, we neglected to include the funder a California State University Council on Ocean Affairs, Science & Technology (COAST) grant to MN. The authors apologize for this error and state that this does not change the scientific conclusions of the article in any way. The original article has been updated.

Replacing Needle Injection by a Novel Waterjet Technology Grants Improved Muscle Cell Delivery in Target Tissues

Current regimen to treat patients suffering from stress urinary incontinence often seems not to yield satisfactory improvement or may come with severe side effects. To overcome these hurdles, preclinical studies and clinical feasibility studies explored the potential of cell therapies successfully and raised high hopes for better outcome. However, other studies were rather disappointing. We therefore developed a novel cell injection technology to deliver viable cells in the urethral sphincter complex by waterjet instead of using injection needles. We hypothesized that the risk of tissue injury and loss of cells could be reduced by a needle-free injection technology. Muscle-derived cells were obtained from young male piglets and characterized. Upon expansion and fluorescent labeling, cells were injected into cadaveric tissue samples by either waterjet or injection needle. In other experiments, labeled cells were injected by waterjet in the urethra of living pigs and incubated for up to 7 days of follow-up. The analyses documented that the cells injected by waterjet in vitro were viable and proliferated well. Upon injection in live animals, cells appeared undamaged, showed defined cellular somata with distinct nuclei, and contained intact chromosomal DNA. Most importantly, by in vivo waterjet injections, a significantly wider cell distribution was observed when compared with needle injections (P < .05, n ≥ 12 samples). The success rates of waterjet cell application in living animals were significantly higher (≥95%, n = 24) when compared with needle injections, and the injection depth of cells in the urethra could be adapted to the need by adjusting waterjet pressures. We conclude that the novel waterjet technology injects viable muscle cells in tissues at distinct and predetermined depth depending on the injection pressure employed. After waterjet injection, loss of cells by full penetration or injury of the tissue targeted was reduced significantly in comparison with our previous studies employing needle injections.

Effectiveness of Blended Learning Modules as Correlates of Self-Efficacy of ALS Students: Basis for an Action Plan

The study determined the effectiveness of blended learning modules as correlates to students' self-efficacy among students in the Alternative Learning Systems in Tagum, Davao del Norte during the second quarter of 2021. Findings will serve as bases for a proposed action plan. The researcher utilized quantitative, descriptive-correlational and predictive designs among 211 students in the Alternative Learning System in different centers in the Central Cluster in Tagum, Davao del Norte selected through random sampling. The researcher used adapted-and-modified questionnaires from the following: "Evaluating the Quality, Usability, and Potential Effectiveness of Online Learning Modules: A Case Study of Teaching with Technology Grant Recipients at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville" from Goode (2003) and “Self-Efficacy as an Engaged Learner” from Schunk and Mullen (2017). The researcher utilized mean and standard deviation, Pearson-r, and linear regression for data treatment. The effectiveness of blended learning module is high. Moreover, the student’s self-efficacy is also high. Both are manifested most of the time. There is a significant relationship between effectiveness of blended learning and student’s self-efficacy. Student’s self-efficacy is influenced on the following domains of effectiveness of blended learning modules: quality of content, usability, and potential tool for effective learning. The researcher recommends seminar and training for teachers particularly on creating and enhancing contents in the blended learning modality to improve the student’s self-efficacy.