A Nd:YLF laser at cryogenic temperature is demonstrated for the first time with orthogonally polarized simultaneous emission at 1047 nm and 1053 nm. By exploring the temperature dependence of the fluorescence and the absorption spectra from the Nd:YLF crystal, the feasibility of simultaneous emission at low temperature is achieved. Due to the local heating from the pump absorption, the optimal temperature with respect to the pump power for balancing output powers of simultaneous emission is thoroughly explored. At the optimal temperature of 138 K, the total output power of the simultaneous emission can reach 3.1 W at an incident pump power of 7.9 W, corresponding to the optical to optical slope efficiency up to 43%.

Background/Aim: Nosocomial infection is a substantial clinical, societal and economic burden, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Patients with cancer are required to change into patient gowns before receiving radiotherapy. To improve efficiency and infection control, we designed novel intelligent devices for both gown distribution and recycling. We conducted a pilot study to provide evidence for the device in healthcare quality improvement. Materials and Methods: We designed and set up intelligent machines with an infrared sensor for patient gown distribution and recycling. The performance of these machines was assessed by questionnaire survey of patients' perceptions and handling by laundry personnel. Results: We composed a questionnaire to measure patient/personnel satisfaction upon gown handling based on the existing data of our hospital. Two generations of patient gown distribution machines were introduced. One was the novel automated device for both gown distribution and recycling. The other one was the conventional wooden cabinets and/or hamper stands with foot pedals. Survey results showed that approximately 90% satisfaction was achieved with the automated machines. Overall satisfaction with the new soiled gown recycling machines was significantly higher than that with the conventional receptacles (p<0. 01). Conclusion: The automated patient gown distribution machines safely and efficiently provide patients with suitable gowns. The automated patient gown recycling machine reduces contamination of the gown recycling area. Using these machines improves infection control in the hospital environment and effectively reduces the risk of nosocomial infection.The COVID-19 pandemic had infected more than 4.3 billion people and caused 6.9 million confirmed deaths as of May 31, 2022 (1). It has triggered large-scale governmental interventions and severe economic and social disruption around the world. Good patient safety culture is a critical core concept for medical institutions. The Institute of Medicine in Taiwan reported that medical behavior is highly uncertain and complex. Redesigning the working environment, eliminating nonessential operations, adjusting the work system, and improving the process is crucial for patient safety and quality improvement (2). The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need to develop a safer and cleaner medical environment (3).Advances in cancer treatment have greatly increased the number of patients receiving radiotherapy. Radiotherapy is typically administered 5 days a week for several weeks. Patients are required to change from their original clothes into patient gowns to enable the smooth administration of treatment. The conventional gown handling system in our radiology oncology department stacks the patient gowns in 3213

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Humidity sensing and water molecule monitoring have become hot research topics attributed to their potential applications in monitoring breathing/physiological conditions of humans, air conditioning in greenhouses, and soil moisture in agriculture. However, there is a huge challenge for highly sensitive and precision humidity detection with wireless and fast responsive capabilities. In this work, a hybrid/synergistic strategy was proposed using a LiNbO3/SiO2/SiC heterostructure to generate shear-horizontal (SH) surface acoustic waves (SAWs) and using a nanocomposite of polyethylenimine-silicon dioxide nanoparticles (PEI-SiO2 NPs) to form a sensitive layer, thus achieving an ultrahigh sensitivity of SAW humidity sensors. Ultrahigh frequencies (1∼15 GHz) of SAW devices were obtained on a high-velocity heterostructure of LiNbO3/SiO2/SiC. Among the multimodal wave modes, we selected SH waves for humidity sensing and achieved a high mass-sensitivity of 5383 MHz · mm2 · μg–1. With the PEI-SiO2 NP composite as the sensitive layer, an ultrahigh sensitivity of 2.02 MHz/% RH was obtained, which is two orders of magnitude higher than those of the conventional SAW humidity sensors (∼202.5 MHz frequency) within a humidity range of 20–80% RH.

Evaluate Lport1 from Im(Zport1)/(2πf) by grounding port2. Evaluate Qport1 from Im(Zport1)/ Re(Zport1). Evaluate Lport2 and Qport2 similarly by grounding port1. Extract Ls from the first local Min. of Im(Z1port)/(2πf).