Abstract: An antenna includes, from top to bottom and bonded together, an upper substrate, a bonding film, a ground plane and a lower substrate. A parasitic patch arrangement and two pairs of radiator arms associated therewith are arranged on an upper surface of the upper substrate. One radiator arm pair are responsive to a differential signal received through respective vias, which extend through the upper substrate, and respective feed lines, which are arranged on a lower surface of the upper substrate, to emit a first radio frequency signal. The other radiator arm pair are responsive to another differential signal received through respective vias, which extend through the substrates, and respective feed lines, which are arranged on a lower surface of the lower substrate, to emit a second radio frequency signal orthogonal to the first radio frequency signal. A gap between one radiator arm pair intersects that between the other pair.

Abstract: A method of preventing or treating a subject suffering from a flavivirus infection by administering an effective amount of berbamine or its analogue to the subject, berbamine has a structure of Formula (I), wherein the flavivirus infection is caused by Japanese encephalitis virus, Zika virus or Dengue virus. A method of inhibiting the entry of a flavivirus, an enterovirus and/or a lentivirus into host cells includes contacting the host cells with an effective amount of berbamine of its analogue, berbamine has a structure of Formula (I), wherein the flavivirus is Japanese encephalitis virus, Zika virus or Dengue virus.

Abstract: A method of providing an image to image translation using a style based generator architecture for generative adversarial networks. The method includes the step of applying a feature alignment loss function defined by: LossFA=?i=mnwi·L1(?(GSM)i,?(GTM)i) wherein GSM and GTM are respective generators of a source model and a target model, ?(·)i is the extraction of the ith layer of features and wi represents the weight of L1 loss at the ith layer, the L1 loss weight wi being reduced as layers decrease such that L1 loss at higher layers has a higher weight than the L1 loss at lower layers.

Abstract: A substrate-integrated dielectric resonator contains a substrate layer with a first dielectric constant, a plurality of dielectric vias, and a plurality of second vias. Each dielectric via includes a first via-hole extending through the substrate layer, and a dielectric material with a second dielectric constant contained within the first via-hole. Each second via has a second via-hole extending through the substrate layer and filled with gas. A dielectric resonator antenna containing a substrate-integrated dielectric resonator and a method of fabricating the same is also disclosed. By skillfully arranging second vias inside the DRA, the resonant frequencies of different modes can be controlled, and a wide impedance band-width with stable radiation performance can be achieved.

Abstract: A self-cleaning fabric having a photocatalyst responsive to UV, visible and IR irradiations for inactivating harmful microorganisms via photocatalysis.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for planning a shortest possible three-dimensional path for autonomous flying robots to traverse from one location to the other in a geographical region, including translating a three-dimensional (3D) environment, discretizing the 3D environment into a graph of many grid cells or nodes, employing a modified any-angle path planning algorithm to calculate non-uniform traversal cost of each grid cell and by averaging the total traversal costs along the path to shorten the corresponding computation time, whilst incorporating operational costs other than the traversal cost specific to the autonomous flying robots to be traversed. The shortest possible path found by the present method does not only consider the path length, but also takes different costs of traversing and operating the flying robots into account, which increases its feasibility and flexibility to be applied in a wide variety of situations and technological areas.

Abstract: Provided herein is a method of preparing a ceramic material, the method including: providing a ceramic gel including a plurality of metal salts and compressing the ceramic gel thereby inducing stress-induced mineralization of the ceramic gel and formation of the ceramic material, wherein the ceramic gel exists in isolated form.

Abstract: A cryo formulation-based microneedle device for transdermal delivery of bioactive therapeutic agents. The microneedle device includes: one or more microneedle patches each including an array of miniaturized needles, wherein each miniaturized needle defining a base end and a tip; and a substrate to which the base end of the array of miniaturized needles is attached or integrated thereto; wherein the microneedle patch is in a cryo status; wherein each of the one or more microneedle patch is adapted to be applied on a skin surface, in which the miniaturized needles penetrates into skin; wherein the miniaturized needles is further arranged to melt so as to release one or more bioactive therapeutic agents into the skin to achieve a targeted therapeutic effect; and wherein the bioactive therapeutic agents includes protein and/or antigens.

Abstract: The present invention provides a reconfigurable single-inductor multiport converters comprising a single inductor, a primary input port, a primary output port and a plurality of reconfigurable cells, each including a bidirectional port which is reconfigurable to be an auxiliary input port configured to share the inductor and work with the inductor to form an input cell or an auxiliary output port configured to work with a corresponding capacitor to form an output cell; and a plurality of switches arranged for facilitating the bidirectional port to act as auxiliary input port or auxiliary output port; and regulating bidirectional power flowing through the bidirectional port. The present invention provides a simple and low-cost solution for integrating multiple sources and loads simultaneously. The adoption of single-inductor design minimizes the use of magnetic components and the independent output cells configuration avoids cross-regulation problem among output ports, which simplifies the control design.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel lens antenna with a 3D near-field focus-steering capability that operates at gigahertz and terahertz frequencies. The novel antenna includes a pair of discrete dielectric lenses fed by a stationary horn source. In-plane synchronous counter-rotation and co-rotation of the lens pair steers its near-field focus radially and azimuthally, respectively, while linear translation of the upper lens moves the focal point longitudinally. The steering focus beam enables fast imaging. In imaging applications, the radiated beam from the novel lens antenna focused in the target area can reduce undesired interference from neighboring structures and increase the system dynamic range and signal-to-noise ratio.

Abstract: A self-filtering, space-time coding, waveguide-driven metasurface antenna includes at least first and second metal layers, and first dielectric layer between the first and second metal layers. A series of vias is formed in the first dielectric layer. A substrate integrated waveguide (SIW) is formed from the first and second metal layers and from the metal vias in the first dielectric layer. A series of meta-atoms is formed in the first metal layer, each meta-atom including a slot cooperating with two switching elements for switching the meta-atom between an on and off state. Each meta-atom behaves as a magnetic dipole antenna element that radiates electromagnetic waves into free space. In this manner, the propagating guided waves inside the substrate integrated waveguide are converted and molded into arbitrary selected out-of-plane free-space waves in both a frequency domain and a momentum domain.

Abstract: There is provided a method for fabricating an optical printed circuit board. The method includes preparing a first printed circuit board portion with an array of optical fibers attached thereon, assembling an optical fiber connector with the first printed circuit board portion such that the optical fiber connector is arranged at ends of the array of optical fibers, and attaching one or more second printed circuit board portions to the first printed circuit board portion to form an optical printed circuit board with the optical fiber connector embedded therein. The optical fiber connector includes an engagement mechanism arranged for engagement with an external optical device.

Abstract: An omnidirectional biconical antenna, which includes a first funnel-shaped plate having a wide end and a narrow end; a second funnel-shaped plate having a wide end and a narrow end; and an annular metal lens delimited by the second funnel-shaped plate and the first funnel-shaped plate. The second funnel-shaped plate is inversely positioned relative to the first funnel-shaped plate, such that the narrow ends of the second funnel-shaped plate and the first funnel-shaped plate point to each other.

Abstract: Disclosed are a polymer composite material and a preparation method thereof. The polymer composite material includes a polymer base layer and a metal thin film layer provided on a surface of the polymer base layer. The metal thin film layer is made of amorphous alloy. The surface of the polymer base layer is provided with a metal thin film with an amorphous structure. In this way, the arrangement of the metal thin film with amorphous structure can not only improve the mechanical properties, wear resistance and corrosion resistance of the polymer substrate material, but also can greatly improve the toughness of the polymer substrate material, to simultaneously improve the strength and toughness of the polymer material.

Abstract: The present invention provides a personalized, three-dimensional printed, human auricle-specific multiple auricular points' bio-signal acquisition, health status monitoring, and bio-stimulation device, including an artificial ear model made of at least one bio-compatible, flexible polymer, a plurality of sensing and stimulating electrodes with at least one sensing end and a signal acquisition/processing end penetrating through a body of the ear mold conformably with a human auricle so that a surface of the ear mold where sensing end of the electrodes is disposed creates an electrode-human skin interface for bio-signal detection and bio-stimulation responsive thereto. Methods of fabricating the device based on 3-D printing, 3D scanning and modelling techniques and using thereof for bio-signal acquisition, analysis, health status monitoring and bio-stimulation are also provided.

Abstract: An ultraflat and ultralow-friction metallic glass thin film is fabricated. The metallic glass thin film is a binary alloy, wherein a content of one metal element of the binary alloy is between 45 atomic % and 64 atomic %. The metallic glass thin film has an atomically smooth surface with a surface roughness Ra less than 0.1 nm and a total height of profile Rt less than 0.15 nm; the friction coefficient is below 1×10?2. Due to the metallic glass thin film being treated by ion bombardment, the metallic glass thin film is thermally ultrastable.

Abstract: A method for preparing a high entropy alloy (HEA) structure includes the steps of: preparing an alloy by arc melting raw materials comprising five or more elements; drop casting the melted alloy into a cooled mold to form a bulk alloy; applying an external force against the bulk alloy to reshape the bulk alloy; and heat-treating the reshaped bulk alloy, wherein the bulk alloy is reshaped and/or heat-treated for manipulating the distribution of the microstructure therein. The present invention also relates to a high entropy alloy structure prepared by the method.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of in situ 4D printing of high-temperature materials including 3D printing a structure of an ink including a precursor. The structure is treated with controlled high energy flow to create a portion which has a different coefficient of thermal expansion/thermal shrinkage ratio. The structure is heated and the difference in the coefficient of thermal expansion creates an interface stress to cause a selected level of deformation. Alternatively, two structures with different coefficients of expansion/thermal shrinkage ratio may be printed. Thermal treatment of the two structures creates an interface stress to cause a selected level of deformation.

Abstract: This invention relates to a zinc powder electrode formed on a MXene framework. The zinc powder anode formed on an MXene framework, referred to as an MXene@Zn electrode can act as an anode and/or cathode for an electrochemical cell or battery. As such, the present invention further relates to an electrode comprising MXene@Zn and a battery comprising such an electrode.

Abstract: An on-chip antenna comprising an electrically insulating substrate having first and second faces; a metal layer arranged on the second face; and, a dipole antenna structure arranged on the first face, the dipole antenna structure comprising a dipole antenna and a feed structure connected to the dipole antenna; the on-chip antenna being configured such that when the feed structure is fed with an electrical signal it operates simultaneously in (i) at least one dielectric resonator mode to function as a dielectric resonance antenna, and (ii) at least one dipole mode to function as a cavity backed dipole antenna.