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The polarization-induced quantum confined Stark effect has been recognized as a significant factor contributing to the Internal Quantum Efficiency (IQE) droop in light-emitting diodes (LEDs). This study focuses on the design of LEDs by investigating the InAlN/AlGaN interface. By incorporating InAlN quantum wells, a polarization-matched (PM) multi-quantum well (MQW) LED architecture was developed. While the flat conduction and valence bands on PM MQWs indicate an improved recombination rate, it is crucial to examine the impact on IQE, considering carrier confinement and injection efficiency influenced by the band offsets. This paper presents a numerical analysis comparing two LEDs emitting at 245 and 275 nm, respectively. The results demonstrate that the PM LED operating at 275 nm exhibits enhanced performance, benefiting from high probability density overlap. Conversely, the PM LED emitting at 245 nm demonstrates poor confinement, resulting in an overall low performance, regardless of polarization matching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the option of upgrading an ore-thermal furnace to produce technical silicon by installing strain gage sensors with signal converters and a rangefinder in the electrode lifting system. This upgrade will enable the reception of real-time data on changes in mass (carbon monoxide) or electrode breakage and the position of the working end of the electrode. The latter parameter is associated with the position of the reaction zone in the furnace, which directly affects the specific amount of electricity consumption, the temperature and volume of silicon leaving the furnace, and heat losses and dust removal with exhaust gases. The upgrade will increase the observability of the control object, which will improve the quality of control of the technological process of carbothermic silicon reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Different track failures are proven to have different influences on train-track interactions, but their influence on pantograph-catenary interactions has not been investigated thus far. In this work, the influences of typical track failures on pantograph-catenary interaction dynamics are first investigated. A reduced train-track-pantograph-catenary interaction model is developed to study these effects. In this model, the long catenary is reduced to a small moving area around the moving pantograph, and this area is considered and modelled as the reduced catenary model based on the arbitrary Lagrangian–Eulerian method. The reduced catenary model and moving pantograph are formulated as the reduced pantograph-catenary interaction model, and it is further unidirectionally connected with the existing reduced train-track interaction model to formulate the reduced train-track-pantograph-catenary interaction model. The present reduced pantograph-catenary model is first validated by the EN50318-2018 standard, and the influences of track irregularity, track buckling, fastening failure, and track settlement on pantograph-catenary interaction dynamics are studied. The investigation results first show that the track settlement with a long wavelength has a significant influence on the pantograph-catenary interaction dynamics and can even cause contact loss with a good train-track interaction behaviour. Thus, it should be further mentioned in the maintenance of the track structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In situ particle observations provide useful information for determining the significance of nonlinearity in wave‐particle interactions. Here, we examine an electromagnetic Landau resonance event observed by the Magnetospheric Multiscale mission near the dayside magnetopause along this line of thought. During this event, protons with energy ∼ ${\sim} $748 eV and pitch angle ∼25° ${\sim} 25{}^{\circ}$ are observed to resonate with electromagnetic‐ion‐cyclotron waves. Detailed data analysis reveals the existence of a second harmonic signal in proton modulation. Using an observation‐based test particle simulation, this signal is explained as a low‐resolution manifestation of phase space rolled‐up structures, which themselves are not observable due to limited instrument resolution. The presence of these rolled‐up structures suggests that the waves induce significant displacement of the protons in phase space, consequently confirming the nonlinear nature of the observed interaction. Based on the observations, we further discuss the possibility of the nonlinear electromagnetic Landau resonance generating second harmonic waves. Plain Language Summary: The nonlinearity of wave‐particle interactions becomes nonnegligible when wave‐induced phase space displacement of particles is comparable with that caused by the background fields. Nonlinear interactions differ from their linear counterparts in several aspects, including the area of phase space involved in resonance, particle energization efficiency, and the interactions' asymptotic state. This study investigates the nonlinear nature of an electromagnetic Landau resonance event between electromagnetic‐ion‐cyclotron waves and protons observed by the Magnetospheric Multiscale mission. Data analysis reveals protons with energy ∼ ${\sim} $748 eV and pitch angle ∼25° ${\sim} 25{}^{\circ}$ resonate with the waves. Further investigation shows the existence of a second harmonic signal in proton modulation. Based on a test particle simulation set according to the observations, this second harmonic signal is explained as a low‐resolution manifestation of phase space rolled‐up structures induced by the waves. The presence of these rolled‐up structures, which indicates significant phase space displacement of protons induced by the waves, suggests that the observed interaction is nonlinear. Drawing from the observations, we further discuss the possibility of this nonlinear interaction generating second harmonic waves. Key Points: Second ‐harmonic modulation is observed in an electromagnetic Landau resonance event between electromagnetic ion cyclotron waves and protonsAn observation‐based test particle simulation attributes this signal to fine rolled‐up structures in phase spaceThe presence of rolled‐up structures confirms the nonlinear nature of the observed electromagnetic Landau resonance [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Total neoadjuvant therapy (TNT) has been recommended by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network for treating locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC), but extremely rare studies have focused on establishing nomograms to predict the prognosis in these patients after TNT. We aimed to develop a nomogram to predict overall survival (OS) in rectal cancer patients who underwent TNT. Methods: In retrospective cohort study, we extract the data of the rectal cancer patients from the SEER database between 2010 and 2015, including demographic information and tumor characteristics. The cohort was divided into training set and validation set based on a ratio of 7:3. Univariate logistic regression analysis was utilized for the comparison of variables in training set. Candidate variables with P < 0.1 in training set was entered into the best subset selection, LASSO regression and Boruta feature selection. Finally, the selected variables significantly associated with the 3-year, 5-year, and 8-year OS were used to build a nomogram, followed by validation using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, area under the curve (AUC), and calibration curve. Results: A total of 3265 rectal cancer patients (training set: 2285; test set: 980) were included in the present study. A nomogram was developed to predict the 3-year, 5-year, and 8-year OS based on age, household income, total number of in situ/malignant tumors, CEA, T stage, N stage and perineural invasion. The nomogram showed good efficiency in predicting the 3-year, 5-year and 8-year OS with good AUC for the training set and test set, respectively. Conclusion: We established a nomogram for predicting the 3-year, 5-year, and 8-year OS of the rectal cancer patients, which showed good prediction efficiency for the OS after TNT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Besides the cusp, polar cap, and auroral oval, the nightside subauroral zone has also recently been reported as a source region of the ionospheric oxygen outflows. However, the detailed mass and energy sources of these ions remain open questions. Here, we address this issue from the perspective of the response of conjugate hemispheres. Investigation of Van Allen Probes data demonstrates a notable preference of oxygen outflows from the nightside subauroral zone from the sunlit hemisphere. This characteristic eliminates the possibility of nightside auroral precipitation playing a significant role, as it is more prominent in darkness. Instead, it highlights sunlight‐induced ionization as the mass source and enhanced plasma waves from the magnetotail as the energy source. The results presented here further support the nightside subauroral zone as an independent source of magnetospheric oxygen ions. Plain Language Summary: Single‐charged oxygen ions, believed to ultimately originate from the ionosphere, are the main carriers of the ring current during severe space weather, including super geomagnetic storms and substorms. Therefore, comprehending where and how they come from is crucial for understanding the magnetosphere and space weather. Recent studies have reported the nightside subauroral zone as a source region, besides the usually cited cusp, polar cap, and auroral oval. However, the detailed mechanisms for the subauroral oxygen outflows remain open questions. In this study, we address this issue by studying how opposite hemispheres react simultaneously in subauroral oxygen outflow events observed by the Van Allen Probes. Data analysis reveals that these outflows tend to occur in the local summer hemisphere, where the nightside subauroral ionosphere receives more sunlight compared to the opposite hemisphere. This feature rules out nightside auroral precipitation playing a significant role, as it is more noticeable in the dark. Instead, it points to sunlight‐induced ionization as the source of mass and enhanced plasma waves from the magnetotail as the source of energy. Our findings reinforce the idea that the nightside subauroral zone is an important source of ionospheric oxygen outflows. Key Points: The Van Allen Probes have observed oxygen outflows from the nightside subauroral ionosphere in a single hemisphereStatistics reveal a preference for the outflows in sunlit hemisphere, distinguishing them from auroral outflows more prominent in darknessThis preference highlights sunlight‐induced ionization and waves from the magnetotail as the source of mass and energy [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ultrasmall TiO2 nanoparticles were synthesized through pulsed laser ablation of a metal titanium target in liquid followed by thermal annealing treatment. The impact of post-annealing treatment on the structural, morphological, optical properties, and the photocatalytic activity of the synthesized TiO2 nanoparticles have been investigated through a variety of analytical techniques, including X-Ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, ultraviolet-visible diffusion reflectance spectra, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The results reveal that annealing temperature significantly improved the crystallinity of laser ablated TiO2 nanoparticles and modified the chemical states of surface elements. Defects introduced by laser ablation, which serve as electron traps, combined with enhanced crystallinity resulting from thermal annealing, have improved the photocatalytic degradation performance of TiO2 nanoparticles. Specifically, TiO2 nanoparticles annealed at 300 °C exhibited optimal photocatalytic performance in decomposition of model dye under the irradiation from xenon lamp, demonstrating the critical role of annealing in improving photocatalytic properties. This study not only broadens the comprehension of the impact of post-treatment on the characteristics of laser-ablated TiO2 nanoparticles nanoparticles but also highlights their potential for effective wastewater remediation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To realize precise directional spectral emissivity determination of solid materials under the atmosphere, an apparatus what covers the temperature region from 50 °C to 1000 °C and a spectral range of 3 μm–14 μm was developed. The measurement angle can be adjusted from 0° to 60° utilizing a stepper rotary stage. The reliability of the apparatus's reliability was confirmed by measuring the spectral emissivity of a SiC sample at high temperatures. Furthermore, the normal spectral emissivity of SiC was investigated from 50 °C to 1000 °C, and the directional spectral emissivity at 600 °C and 800 °C was shown. The influence of temperature and measurement angle on the spectral emissivity of SiC was analyzed in detail. Additionally, the cause of the silicon dioxide film on the surface of SiC after high temperature heating and its influence on spectral emissivity were explored. Finally, a detailed analysis of the uncertainty components of the emissivity measurement under varying temperatures and wavelengths was performed, and the results showed that the uncertainty of the apparatus was better than 0.05 in its measurement range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have developed a hybrid code GMEC: Gyro-kinetic Magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) Energetic-particle Code that can numerically simulate energetic particle-driven Alfvén eigenmodes and energetic particle transport in tokamak plasmas. In order to resolve the Alfvén eigenmodes with high toroidal numbers effectively, the field-aligned coordinates and meshes are adopted. The extended MHD equations are solved with the five-point finite difference method and the fourth-order Runge–Kutta method. The gyrokinetic equations are solved by particle-in-cell method for the perturbed energetic particle pressures that are coupled into the MHD equations. Up to now, a simplified version of the hybrid code has been completed with several successful verifications, including linear simulations of toroidal Alfvén eigenmodes and reversed shear Alfvén eigenmodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) code based on initial value approach, GMEC_I, has been developed for simulating various MHD physics in tokamak plasmas, as the MHD foundation of the gyrokinetic-MHD energetic particle simulation code (GMEC) family. GMEC_I solves multi-level reduced-MHD models that form a hierarchy of physics complexity, which provide conveniences for the cross-code verification and the identification of key physics effect in tokamak geometry. The field-aligned coordinates are used to represent mode structure efficiently. High-order finite difference methods are used for spatial discretization. The shifted metric methods are used for numerical stability. The discrete expansion forms of physics equations in the code are generated symbolically using the compile-time symbolic solver, which is specifically developed to reduce the complexity of the high-order finite difference form of the MHD equations. Advanced computational techniques have been implemented for optimizing memory access and code parallelization that show a good efficiency using both thread building block and message passing interface. Benchmarks between GMEC_I and the eigenvalue code MAS are presented for ballooning modes without and with diamagnetic drift effects, and tearing modes, which show excellent agreements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flowering time plays an important role in crop regional adaptation, yield and reproductive success. ABRE BINDING FACTORs (ABFs) are bZIP transcription factors that participate in various plant biological processes. However, only a few ABFs have been reported to function in controlling flowering time. Here, we identified and characterized the function of the Brachypodium bZIP transcription factor BdABF in controlling flowering time. The results showed that Bdabf mutation in the promoter region promoted early flowering time in Bdabf T-DNA mutants compared with wild-type (WT) plants. Transcriptomic analysis showed that, compared with WT plants, 447 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) (266 upregulated and 181 downregulated) were identified in circadian rhythm, ABA signaling, IAA signaling, and flavonoid biosynthesis pathways in Bdabf mutants. Quantitative reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction (qRT–PCR) results showed that the expression profiles of these genes in various pathways were consistent with the RNA-seq-based transcriptome dataset. The TF binding element analysis of these genes involved in different pathways in the promoter region showed that bHLH, bZIP, NF-Y, TIFY, and WRKY transcription factors were enriched. Taken together, our results showed that BdABF was involved in controlling flowering time by activating various metabolic pathways and provided new insights into ABFs controlling flowering time in Brachypodium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) has complex dependence on the plasma electron temperature via the Landau damping, particle trapping, and consequent nonlinear frequency shift. It is found from our numerical simulation that the SBS reflectivity in its saturation stage tends to increase with the plasma electron temperature within a certain range, although the linear growth rate of SBS normally reduces with the increasing electron temperature. This is because the phase velocity of an ion acoustic wave (IAW) increases with the electron temperature, which tends to reduce the Landau damping of the IAWs and hence reduce ion trapping. In the nonlinear saturation stage, ion trapping will modify the ion distribution function and induce a negative frequency shift in the IAW. This nonlinear frequency shift will break the three-wave coupling, thereby causing saturation of the SBS. With further increase in the electron temperature, however, electron trapping will dominate over ion trapping, which induces a positive frequency shift in the IAW and can lead to the SBS saturation as well. As a result, the SBS reflectivity first increases and then decreases with increase in the electron temperature. At around the peak of the SBS reflectivity, the positive frequency shift of IAW induced by electron trapping roughly offsets the negative frequency shift induced by ion trapping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the classical works of Clifford inducing partial order from semigroups, recently, Gupta and Jayaram explored the order ⊑F from an associative operation F through local left identity (LLI). Inspired by their works, we further present an order ⊑∗ F obtained from non-commutative operation F which has the local right identity (LRI) since the non-commutativity of F implies that the local left and right identity may be different for each element, which means that both orders may not coincide in the same domain. Firstly, we determine an equivalent characterization for two orders induced by non-commutative operation F. Secondly, we investigate both orders induced by semi-t-operators and deeply study their properties. Finally, we characterize both orders obtained from semi-uninorm (resp. semi-nullnorm) under the condition that semi-uninorm (resp. semi-nullnorm) is locally continuous. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanocrystalline Cu2Cu1−xFexSnS4 (CCFTS) was prepared by a simple liquid-phase method. Physiochemical properties of the CCFTS powder as well as the CEs fabricated thereby were investigated using XRD, Raman spectroscopy, SEM, UV–Vis absorption, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), etc. Conduction band shifts as well as the bandgap increases in the as-prepared CCFTS as a function of the Fe content were observed. For the dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) with CCFTS counter electrodes (CEs), charge transfer impedance (Rct1) and short-circuit current (Jsc) were reduced by 64.54% and improved by 14.64%, respectively, compared with that with Fe-free Cu3SnS4 (CTS) CE. The enhancement of electron transfer through the CE/electrolyte interfaces stems from the optimal energy level alignment and the surface morphology tuned by the Fe alloying and hence improve the electrocatalytic activity of the CEs for the reduction from I3− to I−. As a consequence, photovoltaic conversion efficiency (PCE) of 6.95% was obtained which is 1.25 times that of the cell with Fe-free CTS CE. This work confirmed that element alloying into nanocrystalline transition metal compounds is effective for catalytic activity improvement. Material preparation reported herein is feasible, has high efficiency and low cost, and believed beneficial to high DSSCs development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Theoretical analysis has revealed a specific resonance that shares the same condition as Landau resonance, but instead involves wave electromagnetic fields rather than traditionally electrostatic fields. While this resonance, referred to as electromagnetic Landau resonance due to its properties, is considered significant for magnetospheric dynamics, rare reports or evaluations based on observations have been made thus far. Here, we present an event detected by the Magnetospheric Multiscale mission near the dayside magnetopause. During this event, ∼748‐eV protons are observed to be in resonance with a wave. Detailed data analysis demonstrates the resonant velocity closely matches the wave's parallel phase speed, which, combined with the significant work done by wave perpendicular electric field, confirms this interaction as electromagnetic Landau resonance. Further investigation indicates these protons are being secularly accelerated within this resonance. Consequently, our observations provide the first empirical evidence supporting the previously suggested theoretical importance of the electromagnetic Landau resonance. Plain Language Summary: The electromagnetic Landau resonance shares the same resonance condition as the normal Landau resonance, but differs in that it involves the electromagnetic components of wave fields instead of the electrostatic components found in the case of the latter. Although it has been examined in theories and confirmed to occur in space plasmas experimentally, this resonance, especially the accompanying evolution of particle velocity distributions, has yet to be evaluated quantitatively through spacecraft observations. In this paper, we report the first observation of this resonance obtained by the Magnetospheric Multiscale mission near the dayside magnetosphere. In the reported case, protons of ∼400–1,000 eV are found to be in resonance with a wave. A more detailed examination of the observed fields and protons shows the corresponding resonant velocity is nearly identical to the wave's parallel phase speed. This observation, combined with the significant work done by wave perpendicular electric field, conclusively confirms the observed interaction as the electromagnetic Landau resonance. Further investigation indicates the protons are secularly accelerated by the wave via this resonance. Hence, our observations provide empirical evidence supporting the previously suggested theoretical significance of the electromagnetic Landau resonance. Key Points: MMS observations of electromagnetic Landau resonance near the dayside magnetopause are presentedThis resonance follows the same condition as the Landau resonance, but modulates particles via the electromagnetic components of wave fieldsAnalysis of the observed fields and protons provide conclusive evidence for this resonance accelerating protons [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper discusses specifics of the process of carbothermic reduction of metallurgical silicon in ore-smelting furnaces. The reaction zone represents a heating area for the charge materials, formed around the electrodes in all electric furnaces, and facilitates the release of thermal energy by passing electric current through a resistance and/or by creating an electric arc, change in the aggregate state of the loaded materials (e.g., quartzite, bituminous coal, needle coke), and a complex of chemical reactions that occur within such materials. When properly controlled, the operating conditions of the ore-smelting furnace provide optimal specific performance relative to specific power consumption. However, in case of deviations, such as high or low placement of the electrodes, excess or lack of reducing agent in the charge material, furnace throat level being too high or too low relative to technical guidelines, electrode voltage imbalance, etc., the furnace performance can be significantly reduced due to a non-conformant granulometric composition. If the furnace is operated with such deviations for extended periods of time, an emergency shutdown may occur. If the power generated at the electrode is insufficient, the reaction zone becomes significantly narrower, this leads to a change in the rate of chemical reactions. The excessive power levels, on the other hand, may cause intensive entrainment of microsilica along with the formation of blowholes capable of disabling water-cooled panels or shutting down the furnace transformer due to an overload. The location of the reaction zone in the furnace space plays a key role in ensuring effective operation of the ore-smelting furnace. Shifting of the reaction zone upward or downward may result in the grade drop of metallurgical silicon and reduced performance of the furnace, which will subsequently increase the product cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To determine the effect of second-generation motion correction (MC2) on image quality and measurement reproducibility of cardiac CT images in patients with a myocardial bridge and mural coronary artery (MB-MCA) compared to standard (STD) images without motion correction and with first-generation motion correction (MC1). A total of 66 patients with MB-MCA in the left anterior descending branch who underwent 256-detector CT with single-heartbeat acquisition were included. Images were reconstructed at 45% and 75% R-R intervals using STD, MC1, and MC2 algorithms. Image quality for MB-MCA was assessed by two observers on a four-point scale (1 = poor and 4 = excellent) and compared among STD, MC1, and MC2. Depth and length of MB, lumen area, and minimal diameter of MCA were measured and compared. At 45% R-R interval, image quality scores were 1.59 ± 0.78, 2.21 ± 0.97, and 3.21 ± 0.62 for MCA, and 2.48 ± 0.79, 2.76 ± 0.75, and 3.58 ± 0.58 for MB with STD, MC1 and MC2, respectively. At 75% R-R interval, these values were 2.26 ± 0.60, 3.03 ± 0.89, and 3.59 ± 0.55 for MCA and 3.00 ± 0.93, 3.17 ± 0.83, and 3.80 ± 0.44 for MB. Although MC1 was superior to STD in displaying MCA, there was no statistical difference between the two algorithms for MB (p >0.05). Compared with STD and MC1, MC2 statistically improved image quality and interpretability for both MCA and MB and had narrower limits in interobserver agreement for measurements at both 45% and 75% R-R intervals. MC2 improves CT image quality and measurement reproducibility in patients with MB-MCA compared to STD and MC1. • MC2 can further improve the image quality of MCA than MC1. • MC2 can not only correct for the motion of MCA, but also MB. • MC2 can further improve measurement reproducibility for MB-MCA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we have investigated the magnetocaloric effect and the magnetization plateaus of TbB 4 in a frustrated Ising model. The results exhibit that the transition point shifts towards a higher magnetic field as the third nearest-neighbor couplings J 3 increases, and the transition between 1/3 plateau and 1/2 plateau of the system can be achieved by regulating J 3 . Another interesting finding is that as the magnetic field increases, there are three local maxima in both magnetic entropy change Δ S and adiabatic temperature change Δ T , and when the system undergoes the transition between ferrimagnetic state and ferromagnetic state, the maximum values appear near the transition point. The results are explained qualitatively by the energy competitions. These findings may be helpful in the design of magnetic refrigeration experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The South Atlantic Anomaly (SAA) refers to a region where the strength of the magnetic field is notably weaker compared to a dipole field. While previous studies have primarily focused on its effects on the inner radiation belt, this study investigates its impact on the aurora system. By analyzing 2 years' worth of data obtained by the Fengyun‐3E/ACMag instrument, we discover that magnetic fluctuations within the auroral oval are significantly weaker in the longitude sector corresponding to the SAA, as compared to those outside this area. This characteristic remains permanent and independent of seasons and geomagnetic activities. Additional investigation using Defense Meteorological Satellite Program/Special Sensor Ultraviolet Spectrographic Imager (DMSP/SSUSI) observations reveals a similar phenomenon in the auroral intensity. Therefore, our results demonstrate that the SAA substantially weakens the aurora system, shedding new light on the effects of magnetic anomalies on planetary auroras and magnetosphere‐ionosphere‐thermosphere coupling. Plain Language Summary: The South Atlantic Anomaly (SAA) is a unique location on Earth where the magnetic field is weaker than normal. This region has drawn a lot of attention because its weakened magnetic field brings the inner Van Allen radiation belt unusually close to the Earth's surface, which poses a threat to satellites passing through it. Here, we uncovered another interesting aspect of the SAA: its impact on the aurora system. To investigate this, we first examined 2 years' worth of data from the ACMag instruments on the Fengyun‐3E satellite, which orbits the Earth at an altitude of 836 km in a dawn‐dusk, Sun‐synchronous orbit. Our findings reveal that the magnetic fluctuations within the southern auroral oval are significantly weaker in the region that aligns with the SAA. This weakening effect is consistently present, regardless of the season or the level of geomagnetic activity. To reinforce our results, we also analyzed auroral intensity from the Special Sensor Ultraviolet Spectrographic Imager (SSUSI) instrument on the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) satellite, and it corroborated the same weakening trend in this data set. In conclusion, our observations demonstrate that the SAA has a substantial impact on weakening the aurora system. This discovery deepens our understanding of how magnetic anomalies can influence planetary auroras. Key Points: The effects of the South Atlantic Anomaly (SAA) on the terrestrial aurora system are examined using multiple instrumentsObservations reveal a substantial weakening of auroral magnetic fluctuations and auroral intensity in the SAA longitude sectorThe results indicate considering magnetic anomalies like the SAA is essential for comprehensively understanding planetary aurora systems [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The single-step genomic model has become the golden standard for routine evaluation in livestock species, such as Holstein dairy cattle. The single-step genomic model with direct estimation of marker effects has been proven to be efficient in accurately accounting for millions of genotype records. For diverse applications including frequent genomic evaluation updates on a weekly basis, estimates of the marker effects from the single-step evaluations play a central role in genomic prediction. In this study we focused on exploring the marker effect estimates from the single-step evaluation. Phenotypic, genotypic, and pedigree data were taken from the official evaluation for German dairy breeds in April 2021. A multilactation random regression test-day model was applied to more than 242 million test-day records separately for 4 traits: milk, fat, and protein yields, and somatic cell scores (SCS). Approximately one million genotyped Holstein animals were considered in the single-step genomic evaluations including ∼21 million animals in pedigree. Deregressed multiple across-country breeding values of Holstein bulls having daughters outside Germany were integrated into the national test-day data to increase the reliability of genomic breeding values. To assess the stability and bias of the marker effects of the single-step model, test-day records of the last 4 yr were deleted, and the integrated bulls born in the last 4 yr were truncated from the complete phenotypic dataset. Estimates of the marker effects were shown to be highly correlated, with correlations ∼0.9, between the full and truncated evaluations. Regression slope values of the marker-effect estimates from the full on the truncated evaluations were all close to their expected value, being ∼1.03. Calculated using random regression coefficients of the marker effect estimates, drastically different shapes of the genetic lactation curve were seen for 2 markers on chromosome 14 for the 4 test-day traits. The contribution of individual chromosomes to the total additive genetic variances seemed to follow the polygenic inheritance mode for protein yield and SCS. However, chromosome 14 was found to make an exceptionally large contribution to the total additive genetic variance for milk and fat yields because of markers near the major gene DGAT1. For the first lactation test-day traits, we obtained ∼0 correlations of chromosomal direct genomic values between any pair of the chromosomes; no spurious correlations were found in our analysis, thanks to the large reference population. For trait milk yield, chromosomal direct genomic values appeared to have a large variation in the between-lactation correlations among the chromosomes, especially between first and second or third lactations. The optimal features of the random regression test-day model and the single-step marker model allowed us to track the differences in the shapes of genetic lactation curves down to the individual markers. Furthermore, the single-step random regression test-day model enabled us to better understand the inheritance mode of the yield traits and SCS (e.g., variable chromosomal contributions to the total additive genetic variance and to the genetic correlations between lactations). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the value of multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based radiomics nomograms for predicting the hormone receptor (HR) status of HER2-positive breast cancer. Patients with HER2-positive invasive breast cancer were divided randomly into training (68 patients) and validation (30 patients) sets. All were classified as either HR-positive (HR+) or negative (HR-) at histopathology. Two radiologists outlined the three-dimensional (3D) volumetric regions of interest (VOI) on the MRI images. Features (n= 1,096) were extracted from the T2-weighted imaging (WI), apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), and dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) images separately. Dimensionality was reduced using feature screening. Binary radiomics prediction models were established using a logistic regression classifier and were validated in the validation set. To construct a nomogram, independent predictors were identified using multivariate logistic regression analysis. The predictive efficacy of the model was assessed using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). Ten radiomics features were obtained after feature dimensionality reduction based on the merged T2WI, ADC, and DCE images. The diagnostic efficacy of the radiomics signature using the three sequences was better than that of any single sequence (training set AUC: 0.797; validation set AUC: 0.75). Using multivariate logistic regression analysis, the independent predictors for identifying HR status were combined radiomics signature and peritumoural oedema. Nomograms constructed by combining the radiomics signature and peritumoural oedema showed good discrimination in both the training and validation sets (AUC: 0.815 and 0. 805, respectively). A multiparametric MRI-based nomogram incorporating the radiomics signature and peritumoural oedema can assess the HR status of HER2-positive breast cancer. The resulting model can improve diagnostic accuracy, improving patient outcomes. • Radiomics has great potential in breast cancer molecular subtypes. • The nomogram is constructed by MRI-based radiomics signature and peritumoral edema. • The nomogram could effectively assess HR status of HER2-positive breast cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Yanshan cashmere goats are an excellent local breed in China. They produce one kid per litter, however, a few female goats produce twins. To gain more insight into this phenomenon, (Method) we analyzed the ovarian tissues of does with single birth (SB) and 3 twin births (TB). To understand the genes responsible for singleton and twin production, ovarian tissues from SB and TB Yanshan cashmere goats were obtained during the estrous period and subjected to histological and transcriptomics analyses. (Results) We identified 306 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the TB and SB groups. KEGG analysis revealed pathways revealed that the identified DEGs were involved in 11 reproductive signaling pathways. Finally, gene ontology and protein-protein interaction analysis revealed nine DGEs associated with reproductive performance. ADAMTS16 expression was significantly higher in the ovary and uterus than in other organs. Moreover, ADAMTS16 expression was significantly higher in the TB group than in the SB group, suggesting its association with the twin trait in Yanshan cashmere goats. (Conclusion) Our findings enrich our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of high fecundity. They offer insights into increasing the number of kids per litter, and thereby, the development of the cashmere industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scattered light can make the distribution of light in plant canopies more uniform. In this study, Vitis vinifera L. 'Wuhe Cuibao' fresh grapes was used as the test material, and open field cultivation was used as a control. The diurnal variation of light intensity under different materials of rain shelter film was studied to compare the effects of rain shelter film on photosynthetic characteristics, disease resistance, and fruit quality of grape leaves. The results showed that the light intensity under DL (diffuse light) film on the west side at noon was significantly higher than that under outdoor cultivation and EVA (ethylene vinyl acetate) film coverage. The daily average net photosynthetic rate of grape leaves covered with DL film on the east side is higher than that of open cultivation and EVA film covering. The incidence rate of leaf Downy mildew could be reduced by different materials of rain covering film, but the difference was not significant. Covering DL film can significantly increase the increase rate of soluble sugar and accelerate the decrease of titratable acid content in the west side. The content of VC (vitamin C)) in the eastern fruit under DL film was significantly higher than that of the control, and the total phenolic content in the fruit under DL film was significantly higher than that under EVA film. The DL film shelter can improve the light intensity, improve the photosynthetic capacity of grape leaves, and significantly improve fruit quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The instrumental variable method is widely used in the health and social sciences for identification and estimation of causal effects in the presence of potential unmeasured confounding. To improve efficiency, multiple instruments are routinely used, raising concerns about bias due to possible violation of the instrumental variable assumptions. To address such concerns, we introduce a new class of G-estimators that are guaranteed to remain consistent and asymptotically normal for the causal effect of interest provided that a set of at least |$\gamma$| out of |$K$| candidate instruments are valid, for |$\gamma \leqslant K$| set by the analyst ex ante without necessarily knowing the identities of the valid and invalid instruments. We provide formal semiparametric efficiency theory supporting our results. Simulation studies and applications to UK Biobank data demonstrate the superior empirical performance of the proposed estimators compared with competing methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pituitary specific transcription factor-1 (Pit-1) gene is responsible for pituitary development and growth hormone expression, which is considered a pivotal candidate gene for growth in pig. This study aims to detect novel single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in porcine Pit-1 gene, investigate its effect on growth traits in the Duroc, Landrace and Yorkshire pigs. Two novel polymorphisms were detected, one located in the intron 2 (g. 13700 A>G) and another located in exon 4 (g.25783 C>T) which caused an amino acid change from threonine to methionine (Thr36Met). At g.13700 A>G site, the frequency of A allele was higher than G allele in Duroc, Landrace and Yorkshire. At the g.25783 C>T site, it was remarkable differences in allelic frequencies and genotypic frequencies among the three pig breeds. This study demonstrated the significant genotype effect of Pit-1 on body weights at 70 d, age when reached 30kg, 50kg, 100kg and average daily gain from 30kg to 100kg. According to our results, the novel Pit-1 polymorphisms may be useful in pig selection as molecular markers and required in future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Let { (R k , D k) } k = 1 ∞ be a sequence of pairs, where D k = { 0 , 1 , ... , q k - 1 } (1 , 1) T is an integer vector set and R k is an integer diagonal matrix or upper triangular matrix, i.e., R k = s k 0 0 t k or R k = u k 1 0 v k . Associated with the sequence { (R k , D k) } k = 1 ∞ , Moran measure μ { R k } , { D k } is defined by μ { R k } , { D k } = δ R 1 - 1 D 1 * δ R 1 - 1 R 2 - 1 D 2 * ⋯ * δ R 1 - 1 R 2 - 1 ⋯ R k - 1 D k * ⋯. In this paper, we consider the spectrality of μ { R k } , { D k } . We prove that μ { R k } , { D k } is a spectral measure under certain conditions in terms of (R k , D k) , i.e., there exists a Fourier basis for L 2 (μ { R k } , { D k } ) . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pressure crashes observed in shot No. 71326 in the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak are numerically investigated with the three-dimensional, toroidal, and full resistive-magnetohydrodynamics code (CLT). Based on the experimental observations, the pressure crash is caused by the nonlinear evolution of the m/n = 2/1 double tearing mode (DTM), where n and m are the toroidal and poloidal mode numbers, respectively. However, we find that the m/n = 2/1 DTM is stable based on the safety factor (q) profile from the equilibrium code EFIT, which indicates that the original q profile is somewhat inconsistent with the actual profile due to q measurement uncertainty. Since there is no motional Stark effect diagnostic for this shot, the local information of the magnetic field is missing, which leads to the largest contribution to the discrepancy. If other information is perfectly known and the q profile is the only uncertainty, then we could provide some information for the EFIT reconstruction by comparing our simulation results with electron cyclotron emission signals to constrain the uncertainty of the q profile to a much smaller region. The influence of plasma rotation and the two-fluids effect is also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Radiotherapy efficacy relies not only on the direct tumor cells induced by irradiation but also on the anti-tumor immunity. It's well recognized that high glycolytic states of tumor cells could contribute to tumor progression, metastasis, invasion and therapy resistance, which is mainly attributed to extensive consumption of glucose and amino acids and production of the metabolite lactate in the tumor microenvironments. SLC16A3, which mediates lactate efflux, plays an important role in immunotherapy resistance. Thus, in our study, we aimed to explore whether inhibition of SLC16A3 could reverse glycolysis and overcome radiotherapy resistance. Public databases and retrospective analysis of clinical data were executed to determine the association between expression of SLC16A3 and serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) level and radiotherapy prognosis. Glycolysis state of tumor cells after radiotherapy in the presence or absence of SLC16A3/Slc16a3 inhibitor VB124 was analyzed using O2k-FluoRespirometer, real-time qPCR, western blotting and lactate assay. And Slc16a3 knockout cell lines were established in MC38, B16F10 and E0771 cells using CRISPR-Cas9 technology. Subcutaneous murine tumor models established with Slc16a3 knockout tumor cells or wildtype tumor cells were subjected to radiotherapy with or without SLC16A3 inhibitor lonidamine to validate whether inhibiting Slc16a3 can enhance the anti-tumor effects of radiotherapy. Tumor immune microenvironments were analyzed subsequently using flow cytometry. Analysis of TCGA database showed that expression of SLC16A3 was negatively correlated with the prognosis of NSCLC patients subjected to radiotherapy. Further retrospective analysis of SCLC patients from our hospital demonstrated negative correlation between serum LDH levels and prognosis after radiotherapy. Using in vitro system, it's found that radiotherapy could boost glycolysis in both murine and human tumor cells, demonstrated as increased expression of glycolysis pathway related genes and proteins, enhanced efflux of lactate in culture supernatants, and elevated extracellular acidification rate, which could be partly reversed by inhibition of Slc16a3, as validated by both Slc16a3 knockout cell lines and VB124. Using Slc16a3-deficient MC38 and B16F10 tumor mouse models, it's illustrated that the absence of tumor cell intrinsic Slc16a3 could enhance the anti-tumor effects of radiotherapy. And lonidamine also showed synergistical anti-tumor effects in combination with radiotherapy in E0771 tumors. And further analysis of tumor immune microenvironments showed increased infiltration of CD8+ T cells, CD4+ T cells and M1-TAMs in the absence of tumor cell intrinsic Slc16a3 after radiotherapy. Inhibition of tumor cell intrinsic SLC16A3 can enhance radiotherapy efficacy via improving the tumor immune microenvironment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report the discovery of helicity-dependent ultrafast photocurrent generation in organic-inorganic perovskite by measuring terahertz (THz) electric field emissions in the time-domain. We find signatures of the circular photogalvanic effect (CPGE) where right circularly polarized light and left circularly polarized light lead to different photocurrent generation. The direction of photocurrent is also resolved by measuring the polarization of the emitted THz pulses. Furthermore, we observe distinct wavelength-dependent, coherent phonon dynamics using THz pump-induced differential reflectivity, indicative of multiple exciton resonances. Both the CPGE and exciton fine structure, together with theoretical simulations, provide compelling and complementary evidence for the existence of Rashba-type bands in perovskite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anaemia during pregnancy is a significant public health problem that adversely impacts both the mother and foetus. However, the factors influencing maternal anaemia in deprived areas of Northwestern China have not yet been thoroughly investigated. This study aimed to describe the prevalence and potential influencing factors of anaemia among expectant mothers in rural areas of Northwestern China. This was a cross-sectional survey. A cross-sectional survey of 586 expectant mothers was conducted to investigate the prevalence of anaemia, prenatal healthcare coverage, dietary diversity and nutrient supplementation intake. The study population was selected from the sample areas using a random sampling method. Data were collected through a questionnaire, and haemoglobin concentrations were measured by a capillary blood test. The results show that 34.8% of the study population were anaemic, with 13% having moderate-to-severe anaemia. The results of the regression analysis showed that diet was not significantly associated with haemoglobin concentrations or the prevalence of anaemia. However, regular prenatal healthcare attendance was found to be an important influencing factor for both haemoglobin concentration (β = 3.67, P = 0.002) and the prevalence of anaemia (odds ratio = 0.59, P = 0.011). Pregnant women receiving regular prenatal care were less likely to be anaemic; thus, it is essential to implement strategies to improve attendance at maternal public health services to reduce the prevalence of maternal anaemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An extended car-following model is presented in this paper, which considers both gradient and estimated headway. The study analyzes the impact of these factors on traffic flow stability using linear stability theory and the nonlinear reductive perturbation method. Numerical simulation reveals that the kink-antikink solution of the modified Korteweg-de Vries equation can describe the propagating behavior of traffic density waves near critical points. Furthermore, considering estimated headway information enhances traffic flow stability on both slope roads and flat roads, indicating its crucial role in alleviating congestion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gd2O3:Er3+@Gd2O3:Yb3+ core-shell nanofibers with cubic phase were successfully fabricated by electrospinning method. The structural, morphological properties were investigated by X-Ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy. Under 980 nm excitation, the upconversion photoluminescence in visible light exhibits strong red emitting band with obvious splitting peaks resulted from stark splitting of energy level. The visible emissions are sensitive to temperature in the range of 303-543 K. The red emission displays quenching with elevation of temperature. The activation energy for thermal quenching is equal to 0.1408 eV. The temperature dependent multi-peaks of red emission were systematically investigated. Based on valley and peak ratio of I680.31nm/I683.03nm in upconversion emission spectra, temperature sensing with constant absolute sensitivity was achieved. These results suggest Gd2O3:Er3+@Gd2O3:Yb3+ nanofibers are promising candidates for luminescence thermometry, which may provide their application values in both scientific research and industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of platelet function indices—platelet count (PLT), mean platelet volume (MPV), platelet distribution width (PDW), plateletcrit (PCT), immature platelet fraction (IPF), and platelet mass index (PMI)—in psoriasis is uncertain. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the association of these platelet biomarkers with both presence and severity of psoriasis. We searched MEDLINE (Ovid), Embase (Ovid), and the Cochrane Library from inception to November 2021. To evaluate the association of platelet function indices and psoriasis, we recorded mean differences (MD) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) as well as correlation coefficients (r) for each included study, and generated summary estimates using random-effects inverse-variance modelling. We screened 1,079 unique studies, and included 33 studies with 6724 patients in the quantitative analyses. Compared with controls, patients with psoriasis had higher PLT (MD 12.86 × 109/L, 95% CI 6.34–19.39, p < 0.001), MPV (MD 0.61fL, 95% CI 0.31–0.92, p < 0.001), and PCT (MD 0.05%, 95% CI 0.01–0.09, p = 0.010), but similar PDW (MD 0.16%, 95% CI -0.46–0.79, p = 0.610). Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) was weakly correlated with PLT (r 0.17, 95% CI 0.06–0.28, p = 0.003), MPV (r 0.36, 95% CI 0.22–0.49, p < 0.001), and PDW (r 0.17, 95% CI 0.08–0.26, p < 0.001). Study numbers were insufficient to judge the relationship of IPF and PMI with psoriasis presence, or PCT, IPF, and PMI with psoriasis severity. In summary, PLT, MPV, and PCT are significantly elevated in patients with psoriasis, and PLT, MPV, and PDW are weakly correlated with PASI. Future studies are needed to evaluate the independent diagnostic and prognostic potentials of these biomarkers in patients with psoriasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on Biot's theory of two-phase media, the screening effectiveness of a multi-row pile barrier system on incident Rayleigh waves in a fluid-saturated poroelastic half-space is investigated using a high-precision three-dimensional indirect boundary element method for multi-domain scattering. A companion paper has described the theoretical derivation of the model. In this paper, numerical results indicate that the scattering of waves by piles in fluid-saturated poroelastic media is different from that in single-phase elastic media. The group piles effectively reduce the vibration amplitude in the poroelastic half-space, and the dynamic response strongly depends on the incident frequency, porosity, pile length and spacing, number of pile rows, and row spacing of multi-row piles. Higher values of the frequency and porosity (i.e., softer soil) produce a better vibration isolation effect by the group piles. Special attention should be paid to piles embedded in poroelastic media, as the existence of fluid produces a negative effect on the vibration isolation compared with the case of a single-phase medium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on Biot's theory of two-phase media, the screening effectiveness of a multi-row pile barrier system on incident Rayleigh waves in a fluid-saturated poroelastic half-space is investigated using a high-precision threedimensional indirect boundary element method for multi-domain scattering. According to the single-layer potential theory, the scattered wavefield in a poroelastic half-space can be constructed using the distributed loads in three orthogonal directions and the fluid source, which are virtually applied on the surface of all the scatterers. This paper describes the theoretical derivation of the model. A companion paper presents the numerical results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reconstructing the history of polar temperature from ice core water isotope (δ18O) calibration has remained a challenge in paleoclimate research, because of our incomplete understanding of various temperature--δ18O relationships. This paper resolves this classical problem in a new framework called the unified slope equations (USE), which illustrates the general relations among spatial and temporal δ18O--surface temperature slopes. The USE is applied to the Antarctica temperature change during the last deglaciation in model simulations and observations. It is shown that the comparable Antarcticamean spatial slope with deglacial temporal slope in δ18O--surface temperature reconstruction is caused, accidentally, by the compensation responses between the δ18O--inversion layer temperature relation and the inversion layer temperature itself. Furthermore, in light of the USE, we propose that the present seasonal slope of δ18O--inversion layer temperature is an optimal paleothermometer that is more accurate and robust than the spatial slope. This optimal slope suggests the possibility of reconstructing past Antarctic temperature changes using present and future instrumental observations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A highly sensitive and flexible, multichannel thermometer prepared by exploiting the emission behaviors of Er3+ in Y7O6F9:Er/Yb crystal-embedded polyacrylonitrile fibers is reported. This sensor could be operated at 303–433 K, and the maximum relative sensitivity based thermal-coupling level was 1.285% K−1 at 303 K. More interesting is that the self-calibration could be achieved from the single Er3+ emission avoiding the intervention of other calibration tools. Repeatability experiments also confirmed the accuracy and durability of this fabricated material. Further details have been provided to reveal the multi-channel sensing mechanism, in which the green–green emission and red–red emission based thermal-coupling level, and the blue-green emission based non-thermal coupling level are discussed. All the above results showed that the Y7O6F9:Er/Yb crystal-embedded polyacrylonitrile fibers have extraordinary potential in intelligent wearable devices, industrial safety protection, and anti-counterfeiting mark fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ROSAT -selected tidal disruption event (TDE) candidate RX J133157.6−324319.7 (J1331) was detected in 1993 as a bright [0.2–2 keV flux of (1.0 ± 0.1) × 10−12 erg s−1 cm−2], ultra-soft (kT  = 0.11 ± 0.03 keV) X-ray flare from a quiescent galaxy (z  = 0.051 89). During its fifth all-sky survey (eRASS5) in 2022, Spectrum-Roentgen-Gamma (SRG)/ eROSITA detected the repeated flaring of J1331, where it had rebrightened to an observed 0.2–2 keV flux of (6.0 ± 0.7) × 10−13 erg s−1 cm−2, with spectral properties (kT  = 0.115 ± 0.007 keV) consistent with the ROSAT -observed flare ∼30 yr earlier. In this work, we report on X-ray, ultraviolet, optical, and radio observations of this system. During a pointed XMM observation ∼17 d after the eRASS5 detection, J1331 was not detected in the 0.2–2 keV band, constraining the 0.2–2 keV flux to have decayed by a factor of ≳40 over this period. Given the extremely low probability (∼5 × 10−6) of observing two independent full TDEs from the same galaxy over a 30 yr period, we consider the variability seen in J1331 to be likely caused by two partial TDEs involving a star on an elliptical orbit around a black hole. J1331-like flares show faster rise and decay time-scales [ |$\mathcal {O}(\mathrm{d})$| ] compared to standard TDE candidates, with negligible ongoing accretion at late times post-disruption between outbursts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atanassov's intuitionistic fuzzy sets have succussed in the application of decision making, data mining, artificial intelligence, image processing, and so on. In these applications, intuitionistic fuzzy reasoning plays a crucial role. To improve the quality of intuitionistic fuzzy reasoning, this paper presents a quintuple intuitionistic fuzzy implication principle (QIIP) to resolve intuitionistic fuzzy modus ponens (IFMP) and intuitionistic fuzzy modus tollens (IFMT) problems. The QIIP algorithms of IFMP and IFMT problems for intuitionistic R-implication, S-implication, and several fuzzy implications are represented. Moreover, we investigate the recovery property and continuity of QIIP algorithms for IFMP and IFMT. Finally, an application example for medical diagnosis is implemented to illustrate our proposed approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crack initiation and propagation in rocks exposed to injected fluids must be understood better for sustainable sequestration and geo-energy applications. One specific challenge is the characterization of the fluid-induced changes in the stress state and mechanical properties when multiple cracks grow and interact with each other. We conduct crack propagation tests on brine-exposed and supercritical CO2\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}\usepackage{amsmath}\usepackage{wasysym}\usepackage{amsfonts}\usepackage{amssymb}\usepackage{amsbsy}\usepackage{mathrsfs}\usepackage{upgreek}\setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt}\begin{document}$$\hbox {CO}_2$$\end{document}-exposed Indiana limestone samples under uniaxial compression conditions. By analyzing the displacement and strain fields using Digital Image Correlation and the first arrival time and amplitude of the transmitted shear waves, we characterize the effect of crack propagation and interaction events on stress and toughness. We build 3-D simulation models of crack propagation under uniaxial compression using the extended finite element method to analyze the 3-D stress and deformation fields in high resolution. We quantify the evolution of crack-tip’s J-integral value with the crack length for wing cracks and shear cracks in samples exposed to mixtures of brine and supercritical CO2\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}\usepackage{amsmath}\usepackage{wasysym}\usepackage{amsfonts}\usepackage{amssymb}\usepackage{amsbsy}\usepackage{mathrsfs}\usepackage{upgreek}\setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt}\begin{document}$$\hbox {CO}_2$$\end{document} at subsurface conditions. Experimental and simulation results are synthesized to gain insights into crack propagation, shear-to-tensile failure transition, and interaction of cracks in fluid-exposed rocks. Crack length and J-integral analysis quantifies the impact of fluid exposure on the fracture toughness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To answer the question of whether fine-tuned large language models (LLM) perform better than vanilla LLMs on radiation oncology clinical tasks and to compare LLMs' performance on three clinically important specific tasks: Task (1) treatment regimen generation, Task (2) treatment modality selection (proton, photon, brachy, or electron), and Task (3) ICD-10 code prediction. 115,724 patient cases that were extracted from the database of the Department of Radiation Oncology. Cases where each patient had a single diagnostic record and a clearly identifiable primary treatment plan were selected to ensure high-quality data. Processing and manual labeling of the patient diagnosis, treatment plan, treatment modality, and ICD-10 code were conducted, resulting in 7,903 pairs of diagnosis–treatment regimen, 7,903 pairs of diagnosis–treatment modality, and 7,177 pairs of diagnosis–ICD-10 code data for the fine-tuning for these three tasks. Each data pair was used to construct a sample consisting of a prompt and an answer for fine-tuning. Open-source LLaMA2-7B and Mistral-7B models were utilized for the supervised fine-tuning with Low-Rank Approximations method (LoRA) for three clinically important tasks on Nvidia A100 80GB GPUs. ROUGE-1 score which measures the overlap of unigrams was used for the evaluation of Task (1), while accuracy values were used for Task (2) and Task (3). Temperature of LLMs was scanned from 0.1 to 1 with a step size of 0.1 and one-sided Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were used across all the statistical analyses in the results. Fine-tuned LLMs outperformed vanilla LLMs across all tasks: LLaMA2-7B – Task (1) ROUGE-1 0.531 vs. 0.075 (p value = 0.001), Task (2) accuracy 0.705 vs. 0.499 (p value = 0.001), Task (3) accuracy 0.642 vs. 0.180 (p value = 0.001), and Mistral-7B – Task (1) ROUGE-1 0.545 vs. 0.058 (p value = 0.001), Task (2) accuracy 0.722 vs. 0.367 (p value = 0.001), Task (3) accuracy 0.737 vs. 0.082 (p value = 0.001). Fine-tuned Mistral-7B outperformed fine-tuned LLaMA2-7B in all tasks overall (p value << 0.001), while vanilla LLaMA2-7B outperformed vanilla Mistral-7B in all tasks overall (p value << 0.001). LLMs, fine-tuned with radiation oncology domain data, led to statistically significant improvements in the performance of three clinically important tasks, compared with the vanilla LLMs. Our study demonstrated the great potential of fine-tuned LLMs in radiation oncology and contributed useful results and references for LLM development, fine-tuning, and applications in the clinical tasks of the radiation oncology and healthcare domain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The inefficacy of PD-1/PD-L1 monotherapy in glioblastoma (GBM) underscores the necessity for enhanced therapeutic strategies. This study hypothesizes that precise, real-time monitoring of PD-L1 expression using a novel peptide-based immuno-PET/CT tracer, [18F]AlF-PCP2, could optimize the timing and effectiveness of radioimmunotherapy. [18F]AlF-PCP2 was synthesized and characterized for its binding affinity to PD-L1 using surface plasmon resonance (SPR). Its specificity and uptake were evaluated in vitro and in vivo in various GBM cell lines and orthotopic xenograft models. The tracer's effectiveness in detecting PD-L1 expression changes post-radiotherapy (RT) treatment was assessed, along with its potential in identifying candidates for combination immunotherapy. In vitro and in vivo, [18F]AlF-PCP2 exhibited specific, high-affinity binding to PD-L1, with a binding constant (K D) of 0.24 nM. PET/CT imaging in the orthotopic U251MG model revealed a significant accumulation of [18F]AlF-PCP2 in tumors (9.51 ± 0.4%ID/cc), correlating with blood-brain barrier disruption as observed in Gd-DTPA-enhanced MRI. However, there was a 5.56 ± 0.03% decrease in uptake compared to subcutaneous tumors. Remarkably, after 15 Gy of RT, [18F]AlF-PCP2 uptake in tumors increased to 12.04 ± 1.43%ID/cc from 9.51 ± 0.73%ID/cc in controls, indicating enhanced PD-L1 expression consistent with immunohistochemistry findings. Fractionated RT (5 Gy × 3 fractions) further amplified PD-L1 upregulation (13.9 ± 1.54 %ID/cc) compared to a single dose (11.48 ± 1.05 %ID/cc). Identifying mice with significant PD-L1 upregulation after RT (IFN-γ intervention) and then recruiting them to receive combination anti-PD-L1 therapy improved survival (P = 0.0279). [18F]AlF-PCP2 immuno-PET/CT enables precise, non-invasive monitoring of PD-L1 expression dynamics in glioblastoma post-radiation, offering a strategic advantage in optimizing radioimmunotherapy. This study's findings suggest that patients with early PD-L1 upregulation during radiotherapy could benefit significantly from subsequent anti-PD-L1 therapy, underlining the importance of tailored treatment strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This prospective observational study investigates mechanisms behind neurocognitive function (NCF) decline after partial-brain irradiation in malignant glioma patients. We aim to use resting-state functional MRI (RS-fMRI) to identify the dominant network-level disturbances post-radiation therapy (RT) that correlate with NCF changes. Adult patients with IDH-wildtype or IDH-mutant gliomas underwent NCF test using the NIH Toolbox Cognitive Function Battery at baseline and 6 months post RT. The battery includes fluid cognition tests: dimension change card sort test (executive function), flanker test (attention), picture sequence test (episodic memory), list sorting test (working memory), and pattern comparison test (processing speed). The five test scores were then combined into an age-normalized composite score, from which the percent change of composite (PCC) was calculated relative to the baseline. To determine a potential correlation between NCF and changes in brain functional connectivity (FC), we used seed-based FC analysis from a 12-minute RS-fMRI scan. A split-sample approach was used for analysis, with a 26-patient training set and a 6-patient validation set, iterated 200 times. Within each run, connectivity-regression analysis within the training set was first used to identify which intra- or inter-network FC change was most significantly associated with PCC, and a linear regression was used to predict FC change of the selected networks using the validation set. Permutation test was used to evaluate the significance of network selection, and R2 value was used to evaluate the predictive performance. From September 2020 to December 2023, there were 43 patients who had baseline data, while 32 patients completed 6-month follow-ups and were evaluable. The mean NCF composite changed from 88.8 (±16.2) at baseline to 91.1 (±19.4) at 6 months. The mean PCC was 2.9 (±13.7), including 12 patients with negative PCC (Decline cohort) and 20 patients with positive PCC (Non-decline cohort). The clinical, treatment, and dosimetric characteristics between two cohorts were not significantly different among 24 variables examined. The mean R2 was 0.36 (±0.27). The most significant correlations with PCC were consistently observed in the inter-network FC changes between Default Mode Network to Medial Temporal Lobe (DMN-MTL, P = 0.005) and Parietal Memory Network to MTL (PMN-MTL, P = 0.02). Sensitivity analyses using only FC maps from the contra-lateral side of the tumor confirmed the same finding. RS-fMRI changes post RT correlated with NCF decline, suggesting its potential as an imaging biomarker. Specifically, disruption of inter-network FC between DMN-MTL and PMN-MTL may be key mechanism underlying RT-induced NCF decline, warranting further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Cu-VC-Al 2 O 3 -graphite composites were prepared with copper-coated graphite and V 2 AlC. • A VC interface transition layer was formed between the copper matrix and graphite. • The microstructure of the composites was analyzed by XRD, SEM and EDS. Cu-graphite composites play an important role as friction materials used in many fields. However, weak bonding of copper with graphite and low strength of copper are significant limitations. In this study, our focus on fabricating high-density Cu-VC-Al 2 O 3 -graphite composites by using V 2 AlC as a modifier for the Cu-graphite systems. The microstructure and interface properties of the composites were thoroughly examined by SEM, EDS, and XRD techniques. The results indicate the in-situ synthesis of VC and Al 2 O 3 , which exhibit good compatibility with the copper matrix in the composites. Furthermore, the formation of a VC layer facilitates enhanced interfacial bonding between the copper matrix and graphite. In addition, the resulting composite materials show desirable density and hardness, boasting a relative density of 94.5 % and a hardness of 80.6 HV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the bond behavior of ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) and steel bar, central pull-out tests of 48 cube bond specimens were conducted, the ultimate tension, mean bonding stress, the average slip were evaluated. The influence of embedded length and diameter of reinforcing bar on bonding property of reinforced concrete in UHPC was discussed. The results show that the average ultimate bonding stress increases with the increase of bonding length. When the embedded length is 3d and 4d, the reinforcing bar is pulled out, and when the embedded length is 5d, the reinforcing bar is broken. When the diameter of reinforcing bar increased from 14 to 20 mm, the average ultimate bonding stress increased with increase of the ultimate tensile force. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]