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In this numerical study, we propose dual-modulated topological pillared phononic crystal (PnC) plates and demonstrate their application in achieving frequency-selective waveguiding of Lamb-wave valley-edge states. We show that both the radius and the height of the pillars in the honeycomb unit cell can be varied, allowing a generalized parameter space to obtain the complete topological bandgaps and two groups of distinct valley Hall phases for designing topological waveguides operating in different frequency ranges. Accordingly, we construct different types of phase domain walls to support valley-edge states using the dual-modulated PnC plates with a lattice constant of 2000 μm and with topological bandgaps opened around the Dirac cone frequency of 426 kHz. The numerical results show that the valley-edge states emerge to cover different frequency ranges and exhibit robust backscattering immunity when propagating along zigzag paths with sharp corners. Furthermore, the transport path of the valley-edge states can be designed to be highly dependent on the operating frequency in different domain walls. Consequently, we design a straight waveguide and three multichannel waveguides to demonstrate frequency-dependent switchable transmission and selective channeling of valley-edge states, respectively. The results of this study pave the way for the development and optimization of topological acoustic circuits using the generalized parameter space approaches and are expected to find promising applications in frequency-controlled and signal-division devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tetrahedral liquids exhibit intriguing thermodynamic and transport properties because of the various ways tetrahedra can be packed and connected. Recently, an unusual temperature dependence of the stretching exponent β in a model tetrahedral liquid ZnCl2 from Tm + 85 K to Tm + 35 K has been reported using neutron-spin echo spectroscopy. This discovery stands in sharp contrast to other glass-forming liquids. In this study, we conducted neural network force field driven molecular dynamic simulations of ZnCl2. We found a non-monotonic temperature dependence of β from liquid to supercooled liquid temperatures. Further structural decomposition and dynamic analysis suggest that this unusual dynamic behavior is a result of the competition between the decrease in the diversity of tetrahedra motifs (structural heterogeneity) and the increase in glassy dynamic heterogeneity. This result may contribute to new understandings of the structural relaxation of other network liquids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a first-principles study of the structural, electronic, and magnetic properties of TM(PAH)0/+ (TM = Fe, Co, Ni; PAH = C10H8, C16H10, C24H12, C32H14) complexes and explore the laser-induced spin dynamics as well as their stability with respect to various laser parameters. For each complex, the most stable configuration shows that the TM atom prefers to adsorb at the hollow site of the carbon ring with a slight deviation from the center. The electronic structure and spin localization of the complexes are found to be largely affected by the TM type. Driven by various laser pulses, spin-crossover scenarios are achieved in all structures, while spin-transfer between TM and PAH is achieved in Ni(C10H8), Ni(C16H10), and Ni(C24H12). The influence of the laser energy and chirp on the dynamics is also investigated, providing important information regarding the stability and sensitivity of the dynamical process. All results are believed to reveal the physics nature of the TM–PAH systems, to guide the experimental realization of their ultrafast spin dynamics and thus to promote their applications in future spintronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water confined within nanochannels with specific functionalities serves as the foundation for a variety of emerging nanofluidic applications. However, the structure and dynamics of the confined liquid are susceptibly influenced by practically hard-to-avoid defects, yet knowledge of this fact remains largely unexplored. Here, using extensive molecular dynamics simulations, we elucidate the significant influence of geometric and charge defects on one-dimensional confined water. We show that the two types of defects can both reshape the water density distribution by constraining the translocation of water molecules along the circumferential direction. In addition to structural alterations, collective translocation and rotation of water slabs arise during transportation under external pressure. Below the temperature threshold marking the initiation of liquid-solid transition, the geometric defect retards water diffusion through a pinning effect, while the charge defect induces an anti-freezing effect. The latter is attributed to the electrostatic interaction between the charge defect and water molecules that hinders the formation of a stable hydrogen bond network by disrupting molecular dipole orientation. Consequently, this behavior results in a reduction in the number and lifetime of hydrogen bonds within the phase transition interval. The distinct roles of the two types of defects could be utilized to control the structure and dynamics of confined liquids that may result in distinct functionalities for nanofluidic applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ferroelectric properties of hafnium-based thin films have gained significant interest, yet the fundamental mechanisms responsible for the emergence of the ferroelectric phase continue to be inadequately investigated. In contrast with polycrystalline films fabricated by atomic layer deposition or sputter methods, which possess uncertainty in polarization orientation, epitaxial ferroelectric HfO2-based materials are less investigated, especially for factors such as electric field and oxygen vacancy, which are proposed and examined for their potential impacts on phase stability. In this study, Y-doped hafnium oxide (HYO) ferroelectric epitaxial films were fabricated using pulsed laser deposition, with variations in oxygen pressure during the deposition process. Structural and electrical analyses of HYO epitaxial ferroelectric films prepared under differing oxygen pressures revealed a correlation between the ferroelectric properties of the films and the oxygen content. An optimal selection of oxygen pressure was found to be conducive to the formation of HYO epitaxial ferroelectric films, presenting a promising avenue for future ferroelectric memory applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing complexity of industrial systems demands more effective and intelligent maintenance approaches to address manufacturing defects arising from faults in multiple asset modules. Traditional digital twin (DT) systems, however, face limitations in interoperability, knowledge sharing, and causal inference. As such, cognitive digital twins (CDTs) can add value by managing a collaborative web of interconnected systems, facilitating advanced cross-domain analysis and dynamic context considerations. This paper introduces a CDT system that leverages industrial knowledge graphs (iKGs) to support maintenance planning and operations. By employing a design structure matrix (DSM) to model dependencies and relationships, a semantic translation approach maps the knowledge into a graph-based representation for reasoning and analysis. An automatic solution generation mechanism, utilising graph sequencing with Louvain and PageRank algorithms, derives feasible solutions, which can be validated via simulation to minimise production disruption impacts. The CDT system can also identify potential disruptions in new product designs, thus enabling preventive actions to be taken. A case study featuring a print production manufacturing line illustrates the CDT system's capabilities in causal inference and solution explainability. The study concludes with a discussion of limitations and future directions, providing valuable guidelines for manufacturers aiming to enhance reactive and predictive maintenance strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acoustic droplet ejection (ADE) has been proven to move liquids in droplet form from a container to mid-air. However, the droplet sizes produced using the traditional ADE setups are proportional to their heights if the physical framework is unchanged. This limitation obstructs further employment of ADE technology since having the exact sizes of droplets at a specific location or different sizes at different locations is required for many applications. To overcome this limitation and enable more possible applications of ADE, this study proposed an innovative ADE configuration that could manipulate the size and height of the ADE droplets with only electrical signals. To achieve this, a low-voltage driving period and a pinhole structure were added to create a water mound before ejection. First, simulations were conducted to validate the proposed method and find the parameters of the novel ADE setup. After that, a driving circuit featuring a high-voltage pulser and a field-programmable gate array was built. However, a 3D spherical resin model was printed to focus the acoustic wave on the water surface, and a cover with a pinhole was added to create water mound. To observe the behavior of the droplets, a recording system and detection algorithm were developed to capture and identify the dimension/height of the droplets, respectively. Finally, the proposed ADE configuration successfully manipulated the droplet size at the same ejecting height under three driving voltages (65, 70, and 75 V) and pinhole diameters (3.7, 4, and 4.4 mm). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of the GaAsP strain-compensating layer on type-II GaAs1−xSbx/InyGa1−yAs was investigated. GaAsSb/InGaAs multiple quantum wells (MQWs) without and with GaAsP strain-compensating layers were grown by molecular beam epitaxy. Increasing Sb or In compositions can extend photoluminescence (PL) emission at longer wavelength along with the highly induced compressive strain in the QWs. The power-dependent PL measured at low temperature reveals the type-II band characteristics of the GaAs1−xSbx/InyGa1−yAs system. A detailed analysis of the experimental data reveals that the GaAsP layers compensate the compressive strain of GaAsSb/InGaAs. The type-II QWs with GaAsP layers, (8 nm) GaAs0.84Sb0.16/(2.5 nm) In0.3Ga0.7As/(10 nm) GaAs0.85P0.15, emits PL at ∼1.1 μm, up to 210 K, while the PL of those strained sample without GaAsP vanishes at lower temperature. In view of the described sample, x-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis along with the simulation shows the validity of the procedure, resulting in nearly matched parameters of QW thicknesses and material compositions—(8.9 nm) GaAs0.835Sb0.165/(2.3 nm) In0.3Ga0.7As/(10.3 nm) GaAs0.85P0.15, with those of the designed QW. The thicknesses of QW from the TEM image, (8.6 nm) GaAsSb/(3.1 nm) InGaAs/(10.1 nm) GaAsP, agree well with the XRD results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study proposed multiple revised variable neighborhood search (VNS) approaches applying the greedy concept to solve a nurse scheduling problem (NSP). In this paper, we developed three greedy-neighbourhood-swapping mechanisms (greedy-2-exchange, greedy-3-exchange, and greedy-4-exchange) to conduct local searches based on one-, two-, or three-neighbourhood structures that accounted for constraints imposed by government and hospital regulations. The greedy-neighbourhood-swapping mechanisms were used to identify medical staff members with the highest soft-constraint (e.g. nurses' preferences) violation weights on a given day who then swapped their shifts with others. To validate the proposed VNS approaches, we also conducted a case study. Based on the testing instances, all of the proposed VNS approaches generated optimal or near-optimal solutions, and the differences between them were small. The optimal number of the neighbourhood structures was determined to be two, confirming that a larger number of neighbourhoods in a neighbourhood structure would not necessarily be associated with more easily escaping local optima. Furthermore, the resulting outcomes supported the conclusion that the proposed modified VNS approaches generated better schedules for the medical staff members of hospitals than the compared meta-heuristic algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy and high-angle annular dark-field in a Cs-corrected scanning transmission electron microscope are employed to characterize the atomic-scale strain distribution in the active region of the InAs-based interband cascade laser. For the first time, energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy is utilized for the quantitative calculation of the zero-strain region, by which the geometric phase analysis of high-angle annular dark-field imaging has been carried out. The strain distribution of the active region with high accuracy has been obtained. The analysis of the out-of-plane strain shows that the active region in the InAs-based interband cascade laser is strain-compensated, while a certain degree of elemental intermixing still exists in the active region. This detailed strain distribution can provide valuable insights into the optimization of the growth conditions for the active region such as growth temperature, V/III flux ratio, and growth process to minimize the elemental intermixing and obtain a better performance interface while maintaining the strain-compensated state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Contemporary Accounting Research is the property of Canadian Academic Accounting Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Dimensionality reduction often serves as the first step toward a minimalist understanding of physical systems as well as the accelerated simulations of them. In particular, neural network-based nonlinear dimensionality reduction methods, such as autoencoders, have shown promising outcomes in uncovering collective variables (CVs). However, the physical meaning of these CVs remains largely elusive. In this work, we constructed a framework that (1) determines the optimal number of CVs needed to capture the essential molecular motions using an ensemble of hierarchical autoencoders and (2) provides topology-based interpretations to the autoencoder-learned CVs with Morse–Smale complex and sublevelset persistent homology. This approach was exemplified using a series of n-alkanes and can be regarded as a general, explainable nonlinear dimensionality reduction method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electronic energies of molecules have been successfully evaluated on quantum computers. However, more attention is paid to the dynamics simulation of molecules in practical applications. Based on the variational quantum eigensolver (VQE) algorithm, Fedorov et al. proposed a correlated sampling (CS) method and demonstrated the vibrational dynamics of H2 molecules [J. Chem. Phys. 154, 164103 (2021)]. In this study, we have developed a quantum approach by extending the CS method based on the VQE algorithm (labeled eCS-VQE) for simulating chemical reaction dynamics. First, the CS method is extended to the three-dimensional cases for calculation of first-order energy gradients, and then, it is further generalized to calculate the second-order gradients of energies. By calculating atomic forces and vibrational frequencies for H2, LiH, H+ + H2, and Cl− + CH3Cl systems, we have seen that the approach has achieved the CCSD level of accuracy. Thus, we have simulated dynamics processes for two typical chemical reactions, hydrogen exchange and chlorine substitution, and obtained high-precision reaction dynamics trajectories consistent with the classical methods. Our eCS-VQE approach, as measurement expectations and ground-state wave functions can be reused, is less demanding in quantum computing resources and is, therefore, a feasible means for the dynamics simulation of chemical reactions on the current noisy intermediate-scale quantum-era quantum devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unsaturated lipids with C=C groups in their alkyl chains are widely present in the cell membrane and food. The C=C groups alter the lipid packing density, membrane stability, and persistence against lipid oxidation. Yet, molecular-level insights into the structure of the unsaturated lipids remain scarce. Here, we probe the molecular structure and organization of monolayers of unsaturated lipids on the water surface using heterodyne-detected sum-frequency generation (HD-SFG) spectroscopy. We vary the location of the C=C in the alkyl chain and find that at high lipid density, the location of the C=C group affects neither the interfacial water organization nor the tail of the alkyl chain. Based on this observation, we use the C=C stretch HD-SFG response to depth-profile the alkyl chain conformation of the unsaturated lipid. We find that the first 1/3 of carbon atoms from the headgroup are relatively rigid, oriented perpendicular to the surface. In contrast, the remaining carbon atoms can be approximated as free rotators, introducing the disordering of the alkyl chains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presented here is the optimization of a planar two-terminal perovskite/silicon tandem solar cell with a texture structure. The developed simulation model is fitted to published experimental results, and the importance of current matching in the two-terminal structure is discussed. With the texture structure optimized and considering current matching, the optimal texture structure improves J s c from 17.9 to 20.87 mA/cm 2 compared to the planar structure, as well as improving the power conversion efficiency from 25.8% to 35.9%. Furthermore, if the quality of the perovskite thin film and tunneling junction efficiency with a smaller voltage penalty can be improved, then the efficiency can be further improved to 38.13%. This indicates that this tandem solar cell still has much room for improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rare-earth titanate oxides are believed to be prospective functional materials for photocatalytic and photoluminescent applications because of their excellent optical properties and thermal stability of their physical properties. However, the relationships between optical properties and photoelectron trapping mechanisms are unclear. Herein, the structure, electronic, and optical properties of pyrochlore-structure Re2Ti2O7 (Re = Sm and Eu) were investigated using the first-principles approach with the Hubbard parameter U (GGA + U). The calculated bandgap is 2.5 eV for Sm2Ti2O7 and 2.4 eV for Eu2Ti2O7, which is in good agreement with the experimental observation. The results indicate that the strongly localized f states at the top of valence band are charge-trapping sites for photoexcitation of Re2Ti2O7, where electrons can absorb photon energy and transfer from the valence band to the conduction band, resulting in the photocatalytic and/or fluorescent effects in the visible and early UV regions. The important optical parameters, dielectric function ε (ω) , refractive index n (ω) , extinction coefficient k (ω) , reflectivity R (ω) , absorption coefficient I (ω) , optical conductivity σ (ω) , and electron energy-loss L (ω) were studied in detail, indicating that these optical parameters of Sm2Ti2O7 and Eu2Ti2O7 are insensitive to the ultra-violet (UV) radiation, but both Sm2Ti2O7 and Eu2Ti2O7 exhibit excellent optical properties in the visible and early UV regions. This work provides a clear understanding on the photoelectron trapping mechanism of pyrochlore-structure Re2Ti2O7, which will help to improve the photocatalytic and photoluminescent performance of Re2Ti2O7 and broaden their applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Contemporary Accounting Research is the property of Canadian Academic Accounting Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

A joint maintenance decision-making framework is proposed to optimise the long-term maintenance plan and lower the maintenance cost for offshore wind farms. The historical wind speed data are screened by using the method of k-means clustering, and Markov chains are established for the wind speed in different seasons. On this basis, the approach of Markov chain Monte Carlo is applied to simulate the distribution of repair vessel's waiting time for maintenance, where the impact of wind speed on maintenance availability is considered. Moreover, the components in wind turbines are divided into four states according to their effective ages, i.e. young, mature, old and failed, respectively. A maintenance decision model is established, with the objective to minimise maintenance cost. Besides, three types of opportunistic maintenance are considered, i.e. failure-based opportunistic maintenance (FBOM), event-based opportunistic maintenance (EBOM) and age-based opportunistic maintenance (ABOM), respectively. The enhanced elitist genetic algorithm (SEGA) is adopted to solve the optimisation problem. The results indicate that among the three types of opportunistic maintenance, ABOM can reduce maintenance cost more effectively, and it is more suitable for long-term maintenance plans of offshore wind farm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electromagnetic metasurfaces can achieve effective control of electromagnetic waves and achieve effects such as blocking, enhancing, reflecting, transmitting, or deflecting electromagnetic waves, possessing electromagnetic properties that go beyond traditional materials. Existing research indicates that the dielectric substrate of metasurfaces has a significant impact on their electromagnetic properties. Increasing the substrate thickness will be beneficial for expanding the impedance bandwidth of the metasurface, and changes in dielectric constant will also have some impact on the operating frequency and bandwidth of the metasurface. A metasurface based on an air substrate was proposed through the research of dielectric materials. In addition, an ultrawideband, miniaturized, and high-gain metasurface antenna based on an air substrate is designed. The overall size of the designed antenna is 0.5λL × 0.5λL (where λL represents the wavelength at the lowest working frequency in free space). The measured results indicate that the proposed antenna exhibits a −10 dB impedance bandwidth of 74.3% (2.53–5.52 GHz) and a peak boresight gain of 10.1 dBi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In modern large-scale industrial processes, data are often high dimensional time-dependent due to the frequent sampling, dynamic nature and large number of variables. Appropriate monitoring of such processes allows for efficient decision-making that can improve the baseline of manufacturing companies either through decreasing production costs or enhancing production efficiency. Various latent variable-based control charts have been proposed for addressing high dimensional data; however, many of these methods assume that the data are independent and normally distributed. The violation of these assumptions results in an increased false alarm rate, in addition to the deterioration in the performance of such methods. In this study, we propose a Variational Autoencoder-Long Short Term Memory (VAE-LSTM) deep learning based $ {T^2} $ T 2 chart that integrates the unique features of both VAE and LSTM for intelligent fault detection of time-dependent high dimensional processes. The effectiveness and applicability of the proposed model are demonstrated through extensive simulations, an open-source online dataset, and a real case study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The acidic (pKa ≈ 1.5 – 2.5) and hygroscopic nature of poly(3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate, used as a common hole-injection layer in optoelectronic devices, has a detrimental effect on device stability and is associated with well established device failure mechanisms. In this work, a process with a high green index hole-injection layer material (V 2 O 5) and low surface roughness (RMS roughness ≈ 1.3 nm) was developed for demonstrating a hybrid polymer–inorganic perovskite light-emitting diode. Test devices with the new hole-injection layer demonstrate nearly identical maximum current efficiencies (4.23 vs 4.19 cd/A), and luminous efficacies (2.99 vs 2.32 lm/W) when compared to a control device fabricated with the conventional hole-injection layer. Furthermore, the peak brightness was achieved at a current density one-third of the value for the control device. To examine the transport of holes in the above hole-injection layer, we carried out device simulations based on a physical charge control model, including defect-assisted tunneling for hole injection. Close agreement for current–voltage characteristics is observed. Experimentally measured mobility in the device and measured radiative lifetimes were found to be sufficient to achieve this agreement without resorting to the introduction of a sheet charge at the injection interface. Despite the use of a bulk-heterojunction device architecture, the model predicts high radiative recombination rates [ ≈ 5.6 × 10 22 /(cm 3 s)] in the emissive layer, consistent with the measured photophysical properties for the active film, suggesting effective passivation of non-radiative surface states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research scrutinizes the instrumental contributions of public libraries in augmenting community resilience. The study deploys a methodological framework predicated on comprehensive literature examination and empirical investigation by focusing on the National Taiwan Library and the New Taipei City Library as paradigmatic instances. Employing a multi-layered approach of case studies and in-depth interviews with various library staff, the study aims to (1) formulate a nascent conceptual architecture of community resilience, (2) identify the multifaceted strategies public libraries employ to bolster resilience, and (3) articulate specific functional roles libraries execute in this resilience ecosystem. Empirical data coalesce into six salient categories: (1) Knowledge Curation, Skill Development, and Lifelong Learning; (2) Community Network Dynamics; (3) Human-Place Connections; (4) Infrastructure and Foundational Resources; (5) Innovation and Diversification; and (6) Public-Governmental Interface. Libraries surface as agile orchestrators in intricate socio-environmental nexuses, utilizing adaptive service models that leverage emergent community networks, enhancing intrinsic and extrinsic resilience. The roles libraries fulfill in community systems are manifold: they act as (1) Adaptive Sustainers in volatile conditions, (2) Socio-Organizational Mediators in community networking, (3) Stewards of Cultural Integrity, (4) Facilitators of Inclusive Information Access, and (5) Navigators in Collaboration with governmental and social entities. The findings contribute rich scholarly and practical perspectives on how public institutions fortify socio-ecological resilience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most semiconductors exhibit a saturation of free carriers when heavily doped with extrinsic dopants. This carrier saturation or "doping limit" is known to be related to the formation of native compensating defects, which, in turn, depends on the energy positions of their conduction band minimum and valence band maximum. Here, we carried out a systematic study on the n-type doping limit of GaAs via ion implantation and showed that this doping limitation can be alleviated by the transient process of pulsed laser melting (PLM). For n-type doping, both group VI (S) and amphoteric group IV (Si and Ge) dopants were implanted in GaAs. For comparison, p-type doping was also studied using Zn as the acceptor. Implanted dopants were activated by the PLM method, and the results are compared to rapid thermal annealing (RTA). Our results reveal that for all n-type dopants, while implantation followed by the RTA results in a similar saturation electron concentration of 2–3 × 1018 cm−3, the transient PLM process is capable of trapping high concentration of dopants in the substitutional site, giving rise to a carrier concentration of >1019 cm−3, exceeding the doping limit of GaAs. However, due to scatterings from point defects generated during PLM, the mobility of n-type GaAs after PLM is low (∼80–260 cm2/V s). Subsequent RTA after PLM (PLM + RTA) is able to remove these point defects and recover the mobility to ∼1000–2000 cm2/V s. The carrier concentrations of these PLM + RTA samples are reduced but are still a factor of 3 higher than RTA only GaAs. This can be understood as the dopants are already incorporated in the substitutional site after PLM; they are less likely to be "deactivated" by subsequent RTA. This work is significant to the understanding of doping mechanisms in semiconductors and provides a means for device applications, which require materials with ultra-high doping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highly degenerate n-type CdO with high electron mobility is a promising transparent conducting oxide (TCO) for optoelectronic devices utilizing a spectrum in the Vis-NIR range. In particular, it has been shown that doped CdO thin films can show much superior transparency of >80% in the NIR region compared to conventional transparent conducting oxide (e.g., Sn-doped In2O3) thin films with a similar sheet resistance. However, CdO thin films typically experience rapid degradation in their electron mobilities when exposed to environmental conditions with H2O moisture. Here, we studied the effects of thermal annealing on the environmental stability of In-doped CdO (CdO:In) using a combination of different analytical techniques. CdO:In thin films with different In concentration (0%–8.3%) synthesized by magnetron sputtering were subjected to different post-thermal annealing (PTA) and then aged in different environmental conditions with varying relative humidity (RH) in the range of 0%–85%. Our results reveal that the degradation of CdO:In thin films can be primarily attributed to the oxygen vacancy-related defects at the grain boundaries, which can readily react with the OH− in the moisture. The moisture induced degradation can be mitigated by appropriate PTA at high temperatures (>400 °C) where grain boundary defects, primarily associated with Cd vacancies, can be passivated through hydrogen (H), thus enhancing their environmental stability. The present study provides a comprehensive understanding of the instability mechanisms and defect passivation in transparent conducting CdO:In thin films, which can also be relevant for other wide gap oxides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The slow Arrhenius process (SAP) is a dielectric mode connected to thermally activated equilibration mechanisms, allowing for a fast reduction in free energy in liquids and glasses. The SAP, however, is still poorly understood, and so far, this process has mainly been investigated at temperatures above the glass transition. By employing a combination of methods to analyze dielectric measurements under both isochronal and isothermal conditions, we were able to quantitatively reproduce the dielectric response of the SAP of different polymers and to expand the experimental regime over which this process can be observed down to lower temperatures, up to 70 K below the glass transition. Employing thin films of thicknesses varying between 10 and 800 nm, we further verified that the peak shape and activation energy of the SAP of poly(4-bromostyrene) are not sensitive to temperature, nor do they vary upon confinement at the nanoscale level. These observations confirm the preliminary trends reported for other polymers. We find that one single set of parameters—meaning the activation barrier and the pre-exponential factor, respectively, linked to the enthalpic and entropic components of the process—can describe the dynamics of the SAP in both the supercooled liquid and glassy states, in bulk and thin films. These results are discussed in terms of possible molecular origins of the slow Arrhenius process in polymers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bottom-up methods for coarse-grained (CG) molecular modeling are critically needed to establish rigorous links between atomistic reference data and reduced molecular representations. For a target molecule, the ideal reduced CG representation is a function of both the conformational ensemble of the system and the target physical observable(s) to be reproduced at the CG resolution. However, there is an absence of algorithms for selecting CG representations of molecules from which complex properties, including molecular electronic structure, can be accurately modeled. We introduce continuously gated message passing (CGMP), a graph neural network (GNN) method for atomically decomposing molecular electronic structure sampled over conformational ensembles. CGMP integrates 3D-invariant GNNs and a novel gated message passing system to continuously reduce the atomic degrees of freedom accessible for electronic predictions, resulting in a one-shot importance ranking of atoms contributing to a target molecular property. Moreover, CGMP provides the first approach by which to quantify the degeneracy of "good" CG representations conditioned on specific prediction targets, facilitating the development of more transferable CG representations. We further show how CGMP can be used to highlight multiatom correlations, illuminating a path to developing CG electronic Hamiltonians in terms of interpretable collective variables for arbitrarily complex molecules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although tumor cells undergoing epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) typically exhibit spindle morphology in experimental models, such histomorphological evidence of EMT has predominantly been observed in rare primary spindle carcinomas. The characteristics and transcriptional regulators of spontaneous EMT in genetically unperturbed non-spindled carcinomas remain underexplored. Methods: We used primary culture combined with RNA sequencing (RNA-seq), single-cell RNA-seq (scRNA-seq), and in situ RNA-seq to explore the characteristics and transcription factors (TFs) associated with potential spontaneous EMT in non-spindled breast carcinoma. Results: Our primary culture revealed carcinoma cells expressing diverse epithelial–mesenchymal traits, consistent with epithelial–mesenchymal plasticity. Importantly, carcinoma cells undergoing spontaneous EMT did not necessarily exhibit spindle morphology, even when undergoing complete EMT. EMT was a favored process, whereas mesenchymal–epithelial transition appeared to be crucial for secondary tumor growth. Through scRNA-seq, we identified TFs that were sequentially and significantly upregulated as carcinoma cells progressed through the EMT process, which correlated with increasing VIM expression. Once upregulated, the TFs remained active throughout the EMT process. ZEB1 was a key initiator and sustainer of EMT, as indicated by its earliest significant upregulation in the EMT process, its exact correlation with VIM expression, and the reversal of EMT and downregulation of EMT-upregulated TFs upon ZEB1 knockdown. The correlation between ZEB1 and vimentin expression in triple-negative breast cancer and metaplastic breast carcinoma tumor cohorts further highlighted its role. The immediate upregulation of ZEB2 following that of ZEB1, along with the observation that the knockdown of ZEB1 or ZEB2 downregulates both ZEB1 and ZEB2 concomitant with the reversal of EMT, suggests their functional cooperation in EMT. This finding, together with that of a lack of correlation of SNAI1, SNAI2, and TWIST1 expression with the mesenchymal phenotype, indicated EMT-TFs have a context-dependent role in EMT. Upregulation of EMT-related gene signatures during EMT correlated with poor patient outcomes, highlighting the biological importance of the model. Elevated EMT gene signatures and increased ZEB1 and ZEB2 expression in vimentin-positive compared to vimentin-negative carcinoma cells within the corresponding primary tumor tissue confirmed ZEB1 and ZEB2 as intrinsic, instead of microenvironmentally-induced, EMT regulators, and vimentin as an in vivo indicator of EMT. Conclusions: Our findings provide insights into the characteristics and transcriptional regulators of spontaneous EMT in primary non-spindled carcinoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The IL6-GP130-STAT3 pathway facilitates lung cancer progression and resistance to tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Although glycosylation alters the stability of GP130, its effect on the ligand IL6 remains unclear. We herein find that N-glycosylated IL6, especially at Asn73, primarily stimulates JAK-STAT3 signaling and prolongs STAT3 phosphorylation, whereas N-glycosylation-defective IL6 (deNG-IL6) induces shortened STAT3 activation and alters the downstream signaling preference for the SRC-YAP-SOX2 axis. This signaling shift induces epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and migration in vitro and metastasis in vivo, which are suppressed by targeted inhibitors and shRNAs against SRC, YAP, and SOX2. Osimertinib-resistant lung cancer cells secrete a large amount of deNG-IL6 through reduced N-glycosyltransferase gene expression, leading to clear SRC-YAP activation. deNG-IL6 contributes to drug resistance, as confirmed by in silico analysis of cellular and clinical transcriptomes and signal expression in patient specimens. Therefore, the N-glycosylation status of IL6 not only affects cell behaviors but also shows promise in monitoring the dynamics of lung cancer evolution. Post-translational modifications regulate tumorigenesis and cancer therapy sensitivity. Here, the authors show that N-glycosylation defective Interleukin-6 (deNG-IL6) switches downstream signalling pathway from JAK-STAT3 to SRC-YAP axis and lung cancer cells secrete deNG-IL6 to promote metastasis and tyrosine kinase inhibitor resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to discuss the identification of the C1 nerve root as an effective surgical approach to successfully locate the shunting point of craniocervical junction spinal dural arteriovenous fistula (CCJ-SDAVF) intraoperatively. This study included all patients with CCJ-SDAVF who underwent surgical treatment using the far-lateral transcondylar approach at a single institution from January 2017 to June 2023. Data on patient demographics, clinical and angiographic characteristics of CCJ-SDAVF, surgical details, and treatment outcomes were collected. Follow-up assessments were conducted for all patients until December 31, 2023. The study included a total of 7 patients, comprising 5 men(71.4%) and 2 women (28.6%), with an average age of 57.6 years. Among them, 4 patients (57.1%) developed diffuse subarachnoid hemorrhage(SAH), while 2 patients (28.6%) experienced progressive cervical myelopathy. The shunting points of all CCJ-SDAVFs, which exhibited engorged veins, were identified next to the C1 root. Complete obliteration of CCJ-SDAVFs was successfully achieved in all patients, as confirmed by postoperative angiography one month later. No recurrent CCJ-SDAVFs were observed two years after the operation. Among the patients, 5 (71.4%) experienced good functional recovery, as indicated by an mRS score ranging from 0 to 1, while the remaining 2 patients (28.6%) showed incomplete functional recovery. The surgical interruption of CCJ-SDAVFs is the preferred treatment option, given its high obliteration rate and favorable functional recovery outcomes. We advocate the identification of C1 spinal nerve root as a crucial surgical step to identify the shunting points of CCJ- SDAVFs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Urothelial carcinoma (UC) and prostatic carcinoma (PC) are common lower urinary tract cancers in dogs. The detection of the BRAF V595E gene mutation in urine samples could provide a non-invasive method for diagnosing these cancers. However, the established method requires a specialized machine, which is not available at every diagnostic center. In this research, we established a simple, low-cost, conventional PCR method to the detect gene mutation indicative of UC and PC. The results showed that this conventional PCR method could provide a reliable, non-invasive diagnostic tool, aiding in the clinical diagnosis of UC and PC in dogs, especially in settings without advanced PCR equipment. Canine urothelial carcinoma (UC) and prostatic carcinoma (PC) often present diagnostic challenges due to their anatomical locations. The BRAF V595E mutation, analogous to the human BRAF V600E mutation, has been identified in UC and PC. Digital PCR of urine is a non-invasive diagnostic method of mutation detection, but the availability of the necessary equipment is limited. This study aimed to develop a conventional PCR to detect the BRAF V595E mutation in urine and prostatic wash specimens from dogs with UC or PC. Specific primers for detecting wild-type and mutant BRAF V595E genes were validated in 34 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissues, 116 urine samples, and 9 prostatic wash specimens. The results showed that the BRAF V595E mutation detection rate for UC and PC in the tissues was 51.6%. The detection rate in liquid specimens from dogs with lower urinary tract or prostate masses was 53.2%. Of the 41 cases with follow-up, 16 were further diagnosed with UC or PC, with 75% of liquid specimens from these dogs showing the BRAF V595E mutation. This conventional PCR method provides a reliable and non-invasive screening tool for UC and PC in dogs, especially in settings without advanced equipment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Prostate mpMRI is currently the most widely used image diagnosis approach to detect prostate cancer, while the PI-RADS system was developed to standardize and improve the accuracy of suspicious lesion identification on MRI. However, there still remain several limitations including inter-individual inconsistencies and naked-eye insufficiency. This study aims to apply AI technology to image interpretation to enhance diagnostic efficiency and explore the use of T2-weighted image-based stimulated biopsy in predicting prostate cancer (PCa). Using 820 lesions from The Cancer Imaging Archive database and 83 lesions from Hong Kong Queen Mary Hospital, we constructed 18 machine-learning models based on three algorithms and conducted both internal and external validation. We found that the logistic regression-based model provides additional diagnostic value to the PI-RADS in predicting PCa. Background: Currently, prostate cancer (PCa) prebiopsy medical image diagnosis mainly relies on mpMRI and PI-RADS scores. However, PI-RADS has its limitations, such as inter- and intra-radiologist variability and the potential for imperceptible features. The primary objective of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of a machine learning model based on radiomics analysis of MRI T2-weighted (T2w) images for predicting PCa in prebiopsy cases. Method: A retrospective analysis was conducted using 820 lesions (363 cases, 457 controls) from The Cancer Imaging Archive (TCIA) Database for model development and validation. An additional 83 lesions (30 cases, 53 controls) from Hong Kong Queen Mary Hospital were used for independent external validation. The MRI T2w images were preprocessed, and radiomic features were extracted. Feature selection was performed using Cross Validation Least Angle Regression (CV-LARS). Using three different machine learning algorithms, a total of 18 prediction models and 3 shape control models were developed. The performance of the models, including the area under the curve (AUC) and diagnostic values such as sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV), were compared to the PI-RADS scoring system for both internal and external validation. Results: All the models showed significant differences compared to the shape control model (all p < 0.001, except SVM model PI-RADS+2 Features p = 0.004, SVM model PI-RADS+3 Features p = 0.002). In internal validation, the best model, based on the LR algorithm, incorporated 3 radiomic features (AUC = 0.838, sensitivity = 76.85%, specificity = 77.36%). In external validation, the LR (3 features) model outperformed PI-RADS in predictive value with AUC 0.870 vs. 0.658, sensitivity 56.67% vs. 46.67%, specificity 92.45% vs. 84.91%, PPV 80.95% vs. 63.64%, and NPV 79.03% vs. 73.77%. Conclusions: The machine learning model based on radiomics analysis of MRI T2w images, along with simulated biopsy, provides additional diagnostic value to the PI-RADS scoring system in predicting PCa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Few studies have examined the preoperative risks and healthcare costs related to free flap revision in hypopharyngeal cancer (HPC) patients. Methods: A 20-year retrospective case–control study was conducted using the Chang Gung Research Database, focusing on HPC patients who underwent tumor excision and free flap reconstruction from January 1, 2001, to December 31, 2019. The impacts of clinical variables on the need for re-exploration due to free flap complications were assessed using logistic regression. The direct and indirect effects of these complications on medical costs were evaluated by causal mediation analysis. Results: Among 348 patients studied, 43 (12.4%) developed complications requiring re-exploration. Lower preoperative albumin levels significantly increased the risk of complications (OR 2.45, 95% CI 1.12–5.35), especially in older and previously irradiated patients. Causal mediation analysis revealed that these complications explained 11.4% of the effect on increased hospitalization costs, after controlling for confounders. Conclusions: Lower preoperative albumin levels in HPC patients are associated with a higher risk of microvascular free flap complications and elevated healthcare costs, underscoring the need for enhanced nutritional support before surgery in this population. Level of evidence: 3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aim: The overexpression of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP9) has been observed in asthmatic patients, yet the role of MMP9 genotype in determining asthma susceptibility remains unresolved. This study aimed to elucidate the contribution of MMP9 promoter rs3918242 genotype to asthma risk in Taiwan. Materials and Methods: A cohort comprising 453 non-asthmatic healthy controls and 198 asthmatic cases was assembled, and the MMP9 rs3918242 genotypes were determined using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism methodology. Results: Our findings indicated that people carrying the variant CT or TT genotype of MMP9 rs3918242 did not demonstrate an elevated risk of asthma compared to wild-type CC carriers (odds ratio=1.28 and 1.72, 95% confidence interval=0.87-1.87 and 0.72-4.13; p=0.2417 and 0.3201, respectively). Furthermore, individuals carrying the T allele at MMP9 rs3918242 did not exhibit a higher risk of asthma than those carrying the C allele (odds ratio=1.31, 95% confidence interval=0.96-1.79, p=0.0869). Interestingly, a positive association was observed between MMP9 rs3918242 CT or TT genotypes and the severity of asthma symptoms among asthmatic patients (p=0.0035). Conclusion: Although the T allele at MMP9 rs3918242 was not associated with asthma risk, it may serve as a predictor for asthma symptom severity. These findings warrant validation in larger and more diverse populations to further elucidate the significance of MMP9 in asthma etiology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Tinnitus and uveitis have shared commonality in pathophysiology in terms of autoimmunity. However, no studies that have linked any association between the conditions of tinnitus and uveitis. Methods: This is a retrospective study conducted from the Taiwan National Health Insurance database in order to investigate whether tinnitus patients are at increased risk of uveitis. Patients newly diagnosed with tinnitus between 2001 and 2014 were recruited and followed up until 2018. The endpoint of interest was a diagnosis of uveitis. Results: A total of 31,034 tinnitus patients and 124,136 matched comparisons were analyzed. Tinnitus patients were found to have a significantly higher cumulative incidence for uveitis than those without the diagnosis of tinnitus with incidence rate of 1.68 (95% CI 1.55–1.82) per 10 000 person-months for tinnitus group and 1.48 (95% CI 1.42–1.54) per 10 000 person-months for non-tinnitus group. Conclusion: Tinnitus patients were found to have increased risk of developing uveitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growing number of older people has become a critical social and economic challenge globally. In Taiwan, the proportion of people aged 65 and over had exceed 14% since 2018 and the Taiwan government plans to develop housing communities for the growing population of older adults, but the public's preferences for senior housing are diversified and require further consideration. This study constructed a conceptual framework based on the choice experiment approach from social, physical and management dimensions. Five assessing attributes and one price attribute regarding senior housing were included and recombined to generate various choice alternatives. These choice alternatives were then incorporated into questionnaires to further examine respondents' preferences and willingness to pay toward senior housing construction using random parameter logit (RPL) and latent class model (LCM). We found that respondents preferred professional care service the most, followed by the inclusion of family rooms, accessible housing, and various security measures by RPL model. Using LCM analysis, this study further identified that respondents who were younger, highly educated, had older family members, and had previous experience with senior housing had stronger preferences for attributes such as professional care, convenient transportation, security, family rooms, accessible facilities and intergenerational housing. Our findings reinforce the significance of including professional care, security option, and family room for senior housing. These results can be references for authorities when planning the senior housing sector and developing senior housing welfare policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Stapokibart/CM310, a humanized monoclonal antibody targeting the interleukin-4 receptor α chain, has shown promising treatment benefits in patients with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis in previous phase II clinical trials. Objective: We aimed to evaluate the long-term efficacy and safety of stapokibart in adults with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis. Methods: Enrolled patients who previously completed parent trials of stapokibart received a subcutaneous stapokibart 600-mg loading dose, then 300 mg every 2 weeks up to 52 weeks. Efficacy outcomes included the proportions of patients with ≥ 50%/75%/90% improvements from baseline of parent trials in the Eczema Area and Severity Index, Investigator's Global Assessment, and weekly average of the daily Peak Pruritus Numerical Rating Scale. Results: In total, 127 patients were enrolled, and 110 (86.6%) completed the study. At week 52, the Eczema Area and Severity Index-50/75/90 response rates were 96.3%, 87.9%, and 71.0%, respectively. An Investigator's Global Assessment 0/1 with a ≥ 2-point reduction was achieved in 39.3% of patients at week 16, increasing to 58.9% at week 52. The proportions of patients with ≥ 3-point and ≥ 4-point reductions in the weekly average of daily Peak Pruritus Numerical Rating Scale scores were 80.2% and 62.2%, respectively, at week 52. Improvement in patients' quality of life was sustained over a 52-week treatment period. Treatment-emergent adverse events occurred in 88.2% of patients, with an exposure-adjusted event rate of 299.2 events/100 patient-years. Coronavirus disease 2019, upper respiratory tract infection, and conjunctivitis were the most common treatment-emergent adverse events. Conclusions: Long-term treatment with stapokibart for 52 weeks showed high efficacy and good safety profiles, supporting its use as a continuous long-term treatment option for atopic dermatitis. Clinical Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT04893707 (15 May, 2021). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tumor immunotherapies targeting PD-(L)1 exhibit anti-tumor efficacy in only 10–30% of patients with various cancers. Literature has demonstrated that a "hot tumor" which contains high T lymphocytes in the tumor microenvironment exhibits a better response to immunotherapies than a "cold tumor." This study aimed to investigate whether tumor-intrinsic IFNα and CXCL10 determine the recruitment and activation of CD8+ T cells to become "hot tumor." In this study, we found that CXCL10 overexpressed in a variety of tumors including lung, colon, and liver tumors with a correlation with PD-L1. High PD-L1 and CXCL10 are associated with better survival rates in tumor patients receiving immunotherapies. IFNs-downstream transcriptional factor IRF-1 and STAT1 were correlated with PD-L1 and CXCL10 expression. We demonstrated that IRF-1 and STAT1 were both bound with the promoters of PD-L1 and CXCL10, sharing the same signaling pathway and determining IFNs-mediated PD-L1 and CXCL10 expression. In addition, IFNα significantly increased activation marker IFNγ in PBMCs, promoting M1 type monocyte differentiation, CD4+ T, and CD8+ T cell activation. Particularly, we found that CD8+ T lymphocytes abundantly expressed CXCR3, a receptor of CXCL10, by flow cytometry, indicating that tumor-intrinsic CXCL10 potentially recruited CD8+ T in tumor microenvironment. To demonstrate the hypothesis, immunotherapy-sensitive CT26 and immunotherapy-resistant LL/2 were used and we found that CT26 cells exhibited higher IFNα, IFNγ, CXCL10, and PD-L1 levels compared to LL/2, leading to higher IFNγ expression in mouse splenocytes. Moreover, we found that CD8+ T cells were recruited by CXCL10 in vitro, whereas SCH546738, an inhibitor of CXCR3, inhibited T cell migration and splenocytes-mediated anti-tumor effect. We then confirmed that CT26-derived tumor was sensitive to αPD-L1 immunotherapy and LL/2-tumor was resistant, whereas αPD-L1 significantly increased T lymphocyte activation marker CD107a in CT26-derived BALB/c mice. In conclusion, this study revealed that CXCL10 expression is correlated with PD-L1 in tumors, sharing the same signaling pathway and associating with better immunotherapeutic efficacy. Further evidence in the syngeneic tumor models demonstrated that immunotherapy-sensitive CT26 intrinsically exhibited higher IFNα and CXCL10 compared to immunotherapy-resistant LL/2 to recruit and activate CD8+ T cells in the tumor microenvironment, exhibiting "hot tumor" characteristic of sensitizing αPD-L1 immunotherapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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During neuronal pruning, phagocytes engulf shed cellular debris to avoid inflammation and maintain tissue homeostasis. How phagocytic receptors recognize degenerating neurites had been unclear. Here, we identify two glucosyltransferases Alg8 and Alg10 of the N-glycosylation pathway required for dendrite fragmentation and clearance through genetic screen. The scavenger receptor Draper (Drpr) is N-glycosylated with complex- or hybrid-type N-glycans that interact specifically with galectins. We also identify the galectins Crouching tiger (Ctg) and Hidden dragon (Hdg) that interact with N-glycosylated Drpr and function in dendrite pruning via the Drpr pathway. Ctg and Hdg are required in hemocytes for expression and function, and are induced during dendrite injury to localize to injured dendrites through specific interaction with exposed phosphatidylserine (PS) on the surface membrane of injured dendrites. Thus, the galectins Ctg and Hdg bridge the interaction between PS and N-glycosylated Drpr, leading to the activation of phagocytosis.How Draper activates phagocytosis is not well understood. Here, the authors show that two Drosophila galectins, Hdg and Ctg, are secreted from hemocytes after dendrite injury and bridge phosphatidylserine and Draper to active phagocytosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite recent findings indicating a paradoxical association between high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality, the impact of HDL-C on subsequent outcomes after ischemic stroke remains unclear. The study aims to investigate the relationships between HDL-C levels and post-stroke functional outcomes while examining the potential modifying influence of HDL-C-related single nucleotide polymorphisms identified through genome-wide association studies. This cohort study included 1,310 patients diagnosed with acute ischemic stroke (AIS), all of whom had their admission serum lipid profile and genotyping information. Participants were categorized into four groups based on gender and HDL-C level. Prognostic outcomes were assessed using a modified Rankin Scale (mRS) at 1, 3, and 12 months post-admission. Multivariate logistic regression and restricted cubic spline regression analysis were used to assess the associations between HDL-C levels and outcomes. The mean age of patients was 61.17 ± 12.08 years, and 69.31% were men. After adjusting confounders, patients with the highest HDL-C level group had a significantly higher risk of poor functional outcomes at 1, 3, and 12 months following stroke compared to the reference group. Restricted cubic splines depicted a nonlinear association between HDL-C levels and poor prognosis in both men and women. The ABCA1 gene rs2575876 AA genotype combined with abnormal HDL-C levels exhibited a significantly heightened risk of post-stroke adverse outcomes at 1 and 3 months compared to patients with normal HDL-C levels and GG + GA genotype. These findings suggest that the combined effects of ABCA1 genetic variants with either low or high HDL-C levels could further heighten this risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The use of stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) over conventional fractionated radiotherapy (CFRT) for early‐stage non‐small‐cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has been advocated, but is also debated in the literature. Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, we adopted a target trial emulation framework to identify eligible patients diagnosed between 2011 and 2021 using the Taiwan Cancer Registry. In the primary analysis, the overall survival (OS) was the primary endpoint, whereas incidences of lung cancer mortality and radiation pulmonary toxicity were the secondary endpoints. Extensive supplementary analyses were also conducted. Results: We included 351 patients in the primary analysis and found that the OS was not significantly different between the SABR (n = 290) and CFRT (n = 61) groups. The propensity score weighting adjusted hazard ratio of death was 0.75 (95% confidence interval 0.53–1.07, p = 0.118). The secondary endpoints and supplementary analyses showed no significant differences. Conclusions: The OS of patients with early‐stage NSCLC treated with SABR was not significantly different from that of patients treated with CFRT alone. The results of the relevant ongoing clinical trials are eagerly awaited. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: S. pneumoniae (SPN) is the most common cause of pneumonia. The disease can be effectively prevented through immunisation. Since December 2020, the Malaysian Government has included the 10-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV10) for all infants born on or after 1 January 2020 as part of the National Immunisation Programme (NIP). However, the epidemiology of pneumonia remains poorly understood. To fill the knowledge gap, we established a multicentre surveillance study to understand the burden of pneumococcal pneumonia among young children in Peninsular Malaysia. Methods: MY-Pneumo is a multicentre prospective case–control study conducted in three sentinel sites located in three different states of Peninsular Malaysia – Kuala Lumpur, Pahang, and Kelantan. A cohort of at least 500 incident cases and 500 controls is enrolled beginning in October 2021 and matched for age. Cases are hospitalised children < 5 years with radiologically confirmed pneumonia, and the controls are children without any features suggestive of pneumonia. Clinical samples, including nasopharyngeal swabs (NPS) and urine, are collected according to the study protocol. Biological fluids such as blood, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and pleural fluid are obtained from invasive pneumonia disease (IPD) patients, if available. All children are tested for SPN using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and pneumococcal urine antigen test (PUAT) using BinaxNow. Discussion: Surveillance data, including carriage rate, serotype variations and the phylogeny data structure of SPN among young children in Malaysia during PCV implementation, will be generated from this study. Trends and patterns of pneumococcal serotypes by different regions are important for targeted public health strategies. Our data will provide baseline information for estimating the impact of PCV10 implementation and will influence policymakers' decisions regarding the upgrade from PCV10 to a higher-valency conjugate vaccine in Malaysia. Trial registration: This project was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04923035) on 2021, June 11. The study protocol was approved by the International Medical University Joint-Committee on Research & Ethics (4.15/JCM-216/2021) and the Institutional Review Board at sentinel sites (USM/JEPeM/21020190, IREC 2021–114, MREC ID No: 2021128–9769) and University of Southampton's Ethics and Research Governance (ERGo II 64844). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soft-matter-based photonic crystals like blue-phase liquid crystals (BPLC) have potential applications in wide-ranging photonic and bio-chemical systems. To date, however, there are limitations in the fabrication of large monocrystalline BPLCs. Traditional crystal-growth process involves the transition from a high-temperature disordered phase to an ordered (blue) phase and is generally slow (takes hours) with limited achievable lattice structures, and efforts to improve molecular alignment through post-crystallization field application typically prove ineffective. Here we report a systematic study on the molecular self-assembly dynamics of BPLC starting from a highly ordered phase in which all molecules are unidirectionally aligned by a strong electric field. We have discovered that, near the high-temperature end of the blue phase, if the applied field strength is then switched to an intermediate level or simply turned off, large-area monocrystalline BPLCs of various symmetries (tetragonal, orthorhombic, cubic) can be formed in minutes. Subsequent temperature tuning of the single crystal at a fixed applied field allows access to different lattice parameters and the formation of never-before-seen monoclinic structures. The formed crystals remain stable upon field removal. The diversity of stable monocrystalline BPLCs with widely tunable crystalline symmetries, band structures, and optical dispersions will significantly improve and expand their application potentials. Soft-matter-based photonic crystals like blue-phase liquid crystals (BPLC) have potential applications but face fabrication limitations for large monocrystalline structures. The authors report a method to rapidly form large-area monocrystalline BPLCs with various symmetries and tunable properties through an application of electric fields and temperature control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Capacitation confers competency to spermatozoa to fertilize the oocyte, yet its regulatory mechanisms are not fully understood. Thus, we aimed to investigate the comparative proteomic profiling in ram spermatozoa under non-capacitating (NC) and capacitating (CAP) conditions in vitro using a liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LCMS/MS) combined with tandem mass tag (TMT) labeling strategy. Functional enrichment analysis indicated that the differentially abundant proteins Prune Exopolyphosphatase 1, Galactose-1-Phosphate Uridylyltransferase, and ATP Citrate Lyase were strictly related to energy production and conversion, and Phosphoglycolate phosphatase, Glucosamine-6-Phosphate Deaminase 1 and 2 were related to metabolism, RNA processing, and vesicular transport pathways. Furthermore, the networks of protein–protein interaction indicated a strong interaction among these differential proteins in annotated pathways such as ubiquitin and transport metabolism. Together, our results provided the database for studying the differentially expressed proteins during ram sperm capacitation. Ram sperm undergo a sequence of physiological and biochemical changes collectively termed as capacitation to perform oocyte fertilization. However, the protein changes induced by capacitation remain in need of further exploration. Thus, the present study investigated the comparative proteomic profiling in ram spermatozoa under non-capacitating (NC) and capacitating (CAP) conditions in vitro using a liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry combined with tandem mass tag labeling strategy. As a results, 2050 proteins were identified and quantified; 348 of them were differentially abundant, with 280 of the proteins upregulated and 68 of the proteins downregulated between the CAP and NC spermatozoa, respectively. Functional enrichment analysis indicated that the differentially abundant proteins Prune Exopolyphosphatase 1, Galactose-1-Phosphate Uridylyltransferase, and ATP Citrate Lyase were strictly related to energy production and conversion, and Phosphoglycolate phosphatase, Glucosamine-6-Phosphate Deaminase 1 and 2 were related to metabolism, RNA processing, and vesicular transport pathways. Furthermore, the networks of protein–protein interaction indicated a strong interaction among these differential proteins in annotated pathways such as ubiquitin and transport metabolism. Our findings indicate that capacitation progress might be regulated through different pathways, providing insights into mechanisms involved in ram sperm capacitation and fertility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deploying distributed fiber-optic sensor (DFOS) technology to gather environmental parameters over expansive areas is an essential monitoring strategy in the context of comprehensive searches for anomalous places. This study utilizes a single temperature measurement channel within a commercial Raman-based distributed temperature sensing (RDTS) interrogator and divides it into two separate, uncorrelated paths to enable spatial duplex temperature measurements. The distinction between temperature events corresponding to each path in the dual separate path (DSP) in RDTS can be achieved when temperature events are concurrently occurring in the DSP. Additionally, the RDTS–DSP solution may integrate free space optics (FSO) into its fiber path, which serves to enhance the user-friendliness, scalability, and cost-effectiveness of DFOS technology. An RDTS measurement channel can effectively function as a DSP, thus doubling the RDTS measurement pathway, and can be combined with FSO to significantly improve RDTS performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Incomplete occlusion of cerebral dural arteriovenous fistula (DAVF) may lead to fistula recurrence and rebleeding, which may necessitate several embolizations and lead to worse clinical outcomes. Herein, we describe a grouting technique for endovascular embolization and its outcomes in a series of patients with complex intracranial DAVF. Methods: A total of 20 patients with aggressive type or symptomatic intracranial non-cavernous DAVF underwent endovascular transvenous embolization combining detachable coils and Onyx. Two microcatheters were positioned either in the distal segment of the involved sinus or near the draining veins. To achieve tight occlusion of the involved sinus, coils were carefully delivered through the first microcatheter, starting from the distal segment and then to the proximal segment. Next, Onyx was injected through the second microcatheter to reinforce and fill (grout) the interspace of coil mass and gradually refluxed to the mural channels and para-sinus cortical veins until the fistula was completely occluded. Results: Successful embolization was achieved in all 20 patients. The initial angiographic results revealed the achievement of complete occlusion in 19 patients (95%). At the postembolization follow-up, complete obliteration of the fistula was achieved in all patients (100%). No symptom or angiographic recurrence was observed at the 2- to 5-year follow-ups. No patient required additional embolization or stereotactic radiosurgery. Conclusion: The proposed grouting technique combining detachable coils and Onyx appears to be promising for the elimination of complex intracranial noncavernous DAVFs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Generalized pustular psoriasis (GPP) is a rare and severe psoriasis subtype characterized by the rapid onset of coalescing sterile pustules over broad body areas and systemic inflammation. Data on its clinical course and outcomes in Taiwan are limited. We evaluated the clinical profile and outcomes of patients with GPP flares in Taiwan. Methods: This retrospective analysis included adult patients with moderate-to-severe GPP flares occurring in January 2008–December 2021. Data were extracted from medical charts and electronic health records in the Chang Gung Research Database. Statistical analyses were performed using SAS for Windows (version 9.4). Multivariate Poisson regression models were built to investigate different predictors of GPP flare rate. Results: Thirty-four patients with 81 moderate-to-severe GPP flares were identified. Of the 14 patients undergoing genetic analysis, 10 (71.4%) had an IL36RN mutation. Patients' mean age at the index GPP flare was 47.1 ± 16.5 years; 58.0% of the flares were severe, while 42.0% were moderate. Overall, 96.3% of GPP flares were treated with at least one systemic therapy, acitretin being the most prescribed (85.2%), followed by cyclosporine (45.7%) and methotrexate (18.5%). After treatment, the proportion of flares responding positively increased from 0% on day 2 to 6.2% by week 12. Patients were newly diagnosed with psoriasis (23.5%), hypertension (20.6%), diabetes mellitus (14.7%), psoriatic arthritis (2.9%), malignant tumor (8.8%), and depression/anxiety (2.9%) after enrollment. Complications occurring within 12 weeks of GPP flares included arthritis (25.9% of the flares), skin infection (8.6%), and other infections (2.5%). No fatalities were reported. In the multivariate model, former smokers, patients with hepatic disease, and patients with psoriatic arthritis had an increased GPP rate ratio (RR) of 13.33 (95% confidence interval, CI, 2.87–61.78), 14.08 (95% CI 3.04–65.29), and 34.84 (95% CI 4.77- 254.42), respectively. Contrarily, obese and rheumatoid arthritis patients had a lower GPP rate ratio of 0.21 (95% CI 0.08–0.54) and 0.07 (95% CI 0.006–0.78), respectively. Conclusions: Our findings highlight the complexity of GPP flare presentations and the need for individualized, patient-centered management approaches and continued research to improve affected individuals' care and outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]