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We derive a coupled-mode theory (CMT) formulation for the fast analysis of periodic multi-element metasurfaces in the presence of radiation losses. Full-wave simulations of periodic multi-element metasurfaces are very time- and memory-consuming, especially as the size and complexity of the metasurface increase. The CMT formulation provides a considerably faster and efficient alternative. It results in a small system of equations with size equal to the number of supported resonator modes in the frequency range of interest, allowing to calculate the resonator mode amplitudes and, consequently, the metasurface response. Subsequently, we systematically derive analytical closed-form expressions for the coupling coefficients between two weakly coupled resonators in the presence of radiation losses and incorporate them into the CMT model, which is found important for the accurate description of the metasurface, while also providing insight into the underlying physics of complex metasurfaces. We validate the proposed formulation on benchmark examples of both metal- and dielectric-based metasurface absorbers (MSAs) by comparing the CMT results to spectral FEM simulations of the composing supercell. To further demonstrate the potential of the proposed formulation, as a proof of concept, we use the CMT to synthesize a larger optimized periodic multi-element MSA. A comprehensive comparison to full-wave FEM simulations of the composing supercell is included in terms of time and computational requirements, which shows that our method provides a valuable and efficient alternative solver for synthesizing complex metasurfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cavity coupling of gas-phase molecules will enable studies of benchmark chemical processes under strong light–matter interactions with a high level of experimental control and no solvent effects. We recently demonstrated the formation of gas-phase molecular polaritons by strongly coupling bright ν3, J = 3 → 4 rovibrational transitions of methane (CH4) to a Fabry–Pérot optical cavity mode inside a cryogenic buffer gas cell. Here, we further explore the flexible capabilities of this infrastructure. We show that we can greatly increase the collective coupling strength of the molecular ensemble to the cavity by increasing the intracavity CH4 number density. In doing so, we can tune from the single-mode coupling regime to a multimode coupling regime in which many nested polaritonic states arise as the Rabi splitting approaches the cavity mode spacing. We explore polariton formation for cavity geometries of varying length, finesse, and mirror radius of curvature. We also report a proof-of-principle demonstration of rovibrational gas-phase polariton formation at room temperature. This experimental flexibility affords a great degree of control over the properties of molecular polaritons and opens up a wider range of simple molecular processes to future interrogation under strong cavity-coupling. We anticipate that ongoing work in gas-phase polaritonics will facilitate convergence between experimental results and theoretical models of cavity-altered chemistry and physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metasurface holography is a significant technology for the development of ultrathin optical devices. Multichannel holography has received close attention due to its applications in increasing information capacity and optical secret sharing. However, existing design methods for multichannel holography mainly focus on interleaved metasurface imaging in the vertical direction, which will inevitably suffer from the unexpected crosstalk affecting imaging quality. This work presents noninterleaved spin-selective metasurfaces by combining the geometric phase and the propagating phase. It can achieve independent phase control on two orthogonal circular polarizations and image at the desired angle. As a proof-of-concept, two broadband plasmonic metasurfaces are designed for multichannel holographic imaging in the near-infrared band (800–1200 nm). When two orthogonal circularly polarized waves are normally incident, the first plasmonic metasurface displays two different holograms in the vertical direction, thus achieving dual-channel imaging, and the second plasmonic metasurface can make two holograms deflected to the desired angle. It means that these two holograms can be displayed without overlapping for a linearly polarized wave, and the orientable three-channel holographic imaging is realized. Our work provides a general and compact scheme for multichannel orientable holographic imaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has been demonstrated previously that electrons interact differently with chiral molecules depending on their polarization. For enantiomeric pure monolayers of heptahelicene, opposite asymmetries in spin polarization were reported and attributed to the so-called chirality-induced spin selectivity effect. However, these promising proof-of-concept photoemission experiments lack the angular and energy resolution that could provide the necessary insights into the mechanism of this phenomenon. In order to fill in the missing gaps, we provide a detailed spin- and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy study of heptahelicene layers on a Cu(111) substrate. Throughout the large accessible energy and angle range, no chirality induced spin asymmetry in photoemission could be observed. Possible reasons for the absence of signatures of the spin-dependent electron transmission through the chiral molecular layer are briefly discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The basis-set correction method based on density-functional theory consists in correcting the energy calculated by a wave-function method with a given basis set by a density functional. This basis-set correction density functional incorporates the short-range electron correlation effects missing in the basis set. This results in accelerated basis convergences of ground-state energies to the complete-basis-set limit. In this work, we extend the basis-set correction method to a linear-response formalism for calculating excited-state energies. We give the general linear-response equations as well as the more specific equations for configuration-interaction wave functions. As a proof of concept, we apply this approach to the calculations of excited-state energies in a one-dimensional two-electron model system with harmonic potential and a Dirac-delta electron–electron interaction. The results obtained with full-configuration-interaction wave functions expanded in a basis of Hermite functions and a local-density-approximation basis-set correction functional show that the present approach does not help in accelerating the basis convergence of excitation energies. However, we show that it significantly accelerates basis convergences of excited-state total energies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a novel framework for spin-adapted coupled cluster theory. The approach exploits the entanglement of an open-shell molecule with electrons in a non-interacting bath. Together, the molecule and the bath form a closed-shell system, and electron correlation can be included using the standard spin-adapted closed-shell coupled cluster formalism. A projection operator, which enforces conditions on the electrons in the bath, is used to obtain the desired state of the molecule. This entanglement coupled cluster theory is outlined, and proof-of-concept calculations for doublet states are reported. The approach is further extendable to open-shell systems with other values of the total spin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

All-inorganic cesium lead-halide perovskite thin films show great promise for optoelectronic applications. This study introduces a novel synthesis strategy for CsPbBr 3 thin films, conducted on a preheated substrate. The synthesis process involves precise control and optimization of parameters under ambient conditions, eliminating the need for a glovebox. Therefore, a facile and low-cost way to fabricate CsPbBr 3 perovskite thin films for potential optoelectronic applications has been provided by this method. The effects of various parameters, such as precursor concentration, annealing temperature, and polyethylene oxide (PEO) addition, on the structure, morphology, and optical properties of the perovskite films were systematically studied. The optimal conditions for the highest photoluminance and maximum surface coverage were found to be 0.26 M precursor concentration, 100 °C annealing temperature, and 100:65 CsPbBr 3 :PEO weight ratio. Uniform and bright perovskite films with over 99% surface coverage, reduced grain size, and suppressed trap density were obtained as a result of these conditions. The PL intensity of the optimized composite thin film exhibited a minor decrease of 6% from its initial value over six months in an ambient environment. A proof-of-concept perovskite light-emitting electrochemical cell (PeLEC) was constructed utilizing the optimized single-layer perovskite thin film. Consequently, green electroluminescence at 523 nm, featuring a full width at half maximum (FWHM) of 20 nm and a chromaticity coordinate of (0.121, 0.800), was successfully generated from the PeLEC. This showcases the viability of the mentioned methodology for the future fabrication of light-emitting devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Supramolecular self-assembly is ubiquitous in living system and is usually controlled to proceed in time and space through sophisticated reaction–diffusion processes, underpinning various vital cellular functions. In this contribution, we demonstrate how spatiotemporal self-assembly of supramolecular hydrogels can be realized through a simple reaction–diffusion-mediated transient transduction of pH signal. In the reaction–diffusion system, a relatively faster diffusion of acid followed by delayed enzymatic production and diffusion of base from the opposite site enables a transient transduction of pH signal in the substrate. By coupling such reaction–diffusion system with pH-sensitive gelators, dynamic supramolecular hydrogels with tunable lifetimes are formed at defined locations. The hydrogel fibers show interesting dynamic growing behaviors under the regulation of transient pH signal, reminiscent of their biological counterpart. We further demonstrate a proof-of-concept application of the developed methodology for dynamic information encoding in a soft substrate. We envision that this work may provide a potent approach to enable transient transduction of various chemical signals for the construction of new colloidal materials with the capability to evolve their structures and functionalities in time and space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Developing surface structuring of Al current collectors for battery application. • Developing crack formation on the electrodes to enhance electrolyte diffusion. • Improving electrode adhesion using structured Al current collectors. • Crack formation enabling fast charging-rates and battery cycle life. Today's society and economy demand high-performance energy storage systems with large battery capacities and super-fast charging. However, a common problematic consequence is the delamination of the mass loading (including, active materials, binder and conductive carbon) from the current collector at high C-rates and also after certain cycle tests. In this work, surface structuring of aluminum (Al) foils (as a current collector) is developed to overcome the aforementioned delamination process for sulfur (S)/carbon composite cathodes of Li-S batteries (LSBs). The structuring process allows a mechanical interlocking of the loaded mass with the structured current collector, thus increasing its electrode adhesion and its general stability. Through directed crack formation within the mass loading, this also allows an enhanced electrolyte wetting in deeper layers, which in turn improves ion transport at increased areal loadings. Moreover, the interfacial resistance of this composite is reduced leading to an improved battery performance. In addition, surface structuring improves the wettability of water-based pastes, eliminating the need for additional primer coatings and simplifying the electrode fabrication process. Compared to the cells made with untreated current collectors, the cells made with structured current collectors significantly improved rate capability and cycling stability with a capacity of over 1000 mAh g−1. At the same time, the concept of mechanical interlocking offers the potential of transfer to other battery and supercapacitor electrodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emergence of millimeter-scale soft actuators has significantly expanded the potential applications in areas such as search and rescue, drug delivery, and human assistance, due to their high flexibility. Despite these advancements, achieving precise control over the intricate movements of soft crawlers poses a significant challenge. In this study, we have developed an all-optical approach that enables manipulation of propulsive forces by simultaneously modifying the magnitude and direction of friction forces, thereby enabling complex motions of soft actuators. Importantly, the approach is not constrained by specific actuator shapes, and theoretically, any elongated photothermal actuator can be employed. The actuator was designed with an isosceles trapezoid shape, featuring a top width of 2 mm, a bottom width of 4 mm, and a length of 8 mm. Through our manipulation approach, we showcase a proof-of-concept for complex soft robotic motions, including crawling (achieving speeds of up to 2.25 body lengths per minute), turning, avoiding obstacles, handling and transferring objects approximately twice its own weight, and navigating narrow spaces along programmed paths. Our results showcase this all-optical manipulation approach as a promising, yet unexplored tool for the precision and wireless control for the development of advanced soft actuators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, there has been a remarkable development of simulation-based inference (SBI) algorithms, and they have now been applied across a wide range of astrophysical and cosmological analyses. There are a number of key advantages to these methods, centred around the ability to perform scalable statistical inference without an explicit likelihood. In this work, we propose two technical building blocks to a specific sequential SBI algorithm, truncated marginal neural ratio estimation (TMNRE). In particular, first, we develop autoregressive ratio estimation with the aim to robustly estimate correlated high-dimensional posteriors. Secondly, we propose a slice-based nested sampling algorithm to efficiently draw both posterior samples and constrained prior samples from ratio estimators, the latter being instrumental for sequential inference. To validate our implementation, we carry out inference tasks on three concrete examples: a toy model of a multidimensional Gaussian, the analysis of a stellar stream mock observation, and finally, a proof-of-concept application to substructure searches in strong gravitational lensing. In addition, we publicly release the code for both the autoregressive ratio estimator and the slice sampler. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Static robust optimization has played an important role in radiotherapy, where the decisions aim to safeguard against all possible realizations of uncertainty. However, it may lead to overly conservative decisions or too expensive treatment plans, such as delivering significantly more dose than necessary. Motivated by the success of adjustable robust optimization in reducing highly conservative decision-making of static robust optimization in applications, in this paper, we present an affinely adjustable robust optimization (AARO) model for hypoxia-based radiation treatment planning in the face of evolving data uncertainty. We establish an exact semi-definite program reformulation of the model under a so-called affine decision rule and evaluate our model and approach on a liver cancer case as a proof-of-concept. Our AARO model incorporates uncertainties both in dose influence matrix and re-oxygenation data as well as inexactness of the revealed (re-oxygenation) data. Our numerical experiments demonstrate that the adjustable model successfully handles uncertainty in both re-oxygenation and the dose matrix. They also show that, by utilizing information halfway through the treatment plan, the adjustable solutions of the AARO model outperform a static method while maintaining a similar total dose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) incidence continues to increase globally with, as of yet, an unmet need for reliable prognostic biomarkers to identify patients at increased risk of metastasis. The aim of the present study was to test the prognostic potential of the combined immunohistochemical expression of the autophagy regulatory biomarkers, AMBRA1 and SQSTM1, to identify high‐risk patient subsets. Methods: A retrospective cohort of 68 formalin‐fixed paraffin‐embedded primary cSCCs with known 5‐year metastatic outcomes were subjected to automated immunohistochemical staining for AMBRA1 and SQSTM1. Digital images of stained slides were annotated to define four regions of interest: the normal and peritumoral epidermis, the tumor mass, and the tumor growth front. H‐score analysis was used to semi‐quantify AMBRA1 or SQSTM1 expression in each region of interest using Aperio ImageScope software, with receiver operator characteristics and Kaplan–Meier analysis used to assess prognostic potential. Results: The combined loss of expression of AMBRA1 in the tumor growth front and SQSTM1 in the peritumoral epidermis identified patients with poorly differentiated cSCCs at risk of metastasis (*p < 0.05). Conclusions: Collectively, these proof of concept data suggest loss of the combined expression of AMBRA1 in the cSCC growth front and SQSTM1 in the peritumoral epidermis as a putative prognostic biomarker for poorly differentiated cSCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The underpinning biologics of migraine chronification are not well understood. We aim to investigate the role of the cumulative burden of stress, namely the allostatic load, in migraine chronification. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study. The allostatic load was measured with a composite multi-system score (BALI: Bologna Allostatic Load Index), evaluating 20 biomarkers representing four physiological systems: immune, metabolic, cardiovascular, and neuroendocrinological systems. BALI score was subdivided into high score and low score based on the distribution in controls. Migraine patients were included and subclassified into low-frequency episodic migraine group (low-EM group), high-frequency episodic migraine group (high-EM group), and chronic migraine group (CM group). Results: The distribution of BALI high-score increased in parallel with headache attacks monthly frequency: 16% in low-EM group (n = 10), 24% in high-EM group (n = 12), and 40% in CM group (n = 21) (p = 0.017). In a multivariable analysis, the odds ratio of having a high-score BALI in CM patients (vs. low-EM patients) was 2.78 (95% CI 1.07–7.22; p = 0.036). Individual BALI biomarkers values which were significantly different among migraine subgroups included systolic blood pressure (p = 0.018), diastolic blood pressure (p < 0.001), and heart rate (p = 0.019). Conclusion: Our study substantiates this emerging concept of migraine chronification as an allostatic disorder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low-dose tranexamic acid (TXA) has been recently recommended for cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) to reduce associated complications. Although point-of-care laboratory tests for TXA concentrations are unavailable, a novel TPA-test on the ClotPro® system can measure TXA-induced inhibition of fibrinolysis. We evaluated the performance of the TPA-test in vitro and in patients undergoing surgery requiring CPB. Blood samples were obtained from six volunteers for in vitro evaluation of tissue plasminogen activator (tPA)-triggered fibrinolysis and the effects of TXA. This was followed by an observational study in 20 cardiac surgery patients to assess clinical effects of TXA on the TPA-test. Hyperfibrinolysis induced by tPA was inhibited by TXA ≥2 mg L−1 in a concentration-dependent manner, and was completely inhibited at TXA ≥10 mg L−1. In patients undergoing CPB, antifibrinolytic effect was detectable on TPA-test parameters after a 0.1 g bolus of TXA at the end of CPB, and complete inhibition of fibrinolysis was obtained with TXA ≥0.5 g. The antifibrinolytic effects of 1 g TXA on TPA-test parameters were gradually attenuated over 18 h after surgery. However, the fibrinolytic inhibition continued in four patients with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) ≤30 ml min−1 1.73 m−2. The eGFR had strong correlations with TPA-test parameters at 18 h after surgery (r=0.86–0.92; P <0.0001). The TPA-test is sensitive to low concentrations of TXA and serves as a practical monitoring tool for postoperative fibrinolytic activity in cardiac surgery patients. This test might be particularly useful in patients with severe renal impairment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing trend of PAS (placenta accreta spectrum disorders) incidence is a major health concern as PAS is associated with high maternal morbidity and mortality during cesarean section. Prenatal identification of PAS is crucial for delivery planning and patients management. This study aims to explore whether diffusion-derived vessel density (DDVD) computed from a simple diffusion MRI protocol differs in PAS from normal placenta. We enrolled 86 patients with PAS disorders and 40 pregnant women without PAS disorders. Each patient underwent intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) MRI sequence with 11 b -values. Placenta diffusion-derived vessel density (DDVD-b0b50) was the signal difference between b = 0 and b = 50 s/mm2 images. DDVD(b0b50) A/N was calculated as [accreta lesion DDVD(b0b50)]/ [normal placenta DDVD(b0b50)]. The correlation between DDVD and gestational age was explored using Spearman rank correlation. Differences of DDVD(b0b50) A/N in patients with normal placentas and with PAS, and in patients with different subtypes of PAS were explored. DDVD was negatively correlated with gestational age (p = 0.023, r = −0.359) in patients with normal placentas. DDVD(b0b50) A/N was significantly higher in patients with PAS (median:1.16, mean: 1.261) than normal placenta (median:1.02, mean: 1.032, p < 0.001) and especially higher in patients with placenta increta (median:1.14, mean: 1.278) and percreta (median: 1.20, mean: 1.396, p < 0.001). As a higher DDVD indicates higher physiological volume of micro-vessels in PAS, this study suggests DDVD can be a potential biomarker to evaluate the placenta perfusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In functional MRI (fMRI), effective connectivity analysis aims at inferring the causal influences that brain regions exert on one another. A common method for this type of analysis is structural equation modeling (SEM). We here propose a novel method to test the validity of a given model of structural equation. Given a structural model in the form of a directed graph, the method extracts the set of all constraints of conditional independence induced by the absence of links between pairs of regions in the model and tests for their validity in a Bayesian framework, either individually (constraint by constraint), jointly (e.g., by gathering all constraints associated with a given missing link), or globally (i.e., all constraints associated with the structural model). This approach has two main advantages. First, it only tests what is testable from observational data and does allow for false causal interpretation. Second, it makes it possible to test each constraint (or group of constraints) separately and, therefore, quantify in what measure each constraint (or, e..g., missing link) is respected in the data. We validate our approach using a simulation study and illustrate its potential benefits through the reanalysis of published data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oral endocrine therapies (OET) for breast cancer treatment need to be taken over a long period of time and are associated with considerable side effects. Therefore, adherence to OET is an important issue and of high clinical significance for breast cancer patients' caregivers. We hypothesized that a new bioanalytical strategy based on liquid chromatography and high-resolution mass spectrometry might be suitable for unbiased adherence monitoring (AM) of OET. Four different biomatrices (plasma, urine, finger prick blood by volumetric absorptive microsampling (VAMS), oral fluid (OF)) were evaluated regarding their suitability for AM of the OET abemaciclib, anastrozole, exemestane, letrozole, palbociclib, ribociclib, tamoxifen, and endoxifen. An analytical method was developed and validated according to international recommendations. The analytical procedures were successfully validated in all sample matrices for most analytes, even meeting requirements for therapeutic drug monitoring. Chromatographic separation of analytes was achieved in less than 10 min and limits of quantification ranged from 1 to 1000 ng/mL. The analysis of 25 matching patient samples showed that AM of OET is possible using all four matrices with the exception of, e.g., letrozole and exemestane in OF. We were able to show that unbiased bioanalytical AM of OET was possible using different biomatrices with distinct restrictions. Sample collection of VAMS was difficult in most cases due to circulatory restraints and peripheral neuropathy in fingers and OF sampling was hampered by dry mouth syndrome in some cases. Although parent compounds could be detected in most of the urine samples, metabolites should be included when analyzing urine or OF. Plasma is currently the most suitable matrix due to available reference concentrations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We integrate recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) with CRISPR/Cas9-initiated nicking rolling circle amplification (CRISPR/Cas9-nRCA) for detecting Staphylococcus aureus. This approach utilizes a unique dimeric G-triplex structure, demonstrating firstly enhanced ThT fluorescence for target detection. The proof-of-concept study introduces a new avenue for integrating isothermal amplifications with CRISPR/Cas9 in the fields of pathogen detection and disease diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investigating the neural mechanisms underlying both cooperative and competitive joint actions may have a wide impact in many social contexts of human daily life. An effective pipeline of analysis for hyperscanning data recorded in a naturalistic context with a cooperative and competitive motor task has been missing. We propose an analytical pipeline for this type of joint action data, which was validated on electroencephalographic (EEG) signals recorded in a proof-of-concept study on two dyads playing cooperative and competitive table tennis. Functional connectivity maps were reconstructed using the corrected imaginary part of the phase locking value (ciPLV), an algorithm suitable in case of EEG signals recorded during turn-based competitive joint actions. Hyperbrain, within-, and between-brain functional connectivity maps were calculated in three frequency bands (i.e., theta, alpha, and beta) relevant during complex motor task execution and were characterized with graph theoretical measures and a clustering approach. The results of the proof-of-concept study are in line with recent findings on the main features of the functional networks sustaining cooperation and competition, hence demonstrating that the proposed pipeline is promising tool for the analysis of joint action EEG data recorded during cooperation and competition using a turn-based motor task. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The licensing of new reactors implies the use of verified and validated neutronic codes. Numerical validation can rely on sensitivity and uncertainty studies, but they require repeated execution of time-consuming neutron flux and depletion calculations. The computational costs can be reduced by using perturbation theories. However, the uncoupled Depletion Perturbation Theory is restricted to single integral values such as nuclide density. Relying on reduced-basis approaches, which reconstruct all nuclide densities at once, is one way to get around this restriction. Furthermore, the adjoint-based reduced-order model uses the direct and adjoint equations for projection. For diffusion or transport calculations, the Exact-to-Precision Generalized Perturbation Theory was developed. Still, no models for depletion calculations are readily available. Therefore, this paper describes a novel adjoint-based reduced-order model for the Bateman Equation. It uses a range-finding algorithm to create the basis and the uncoupled Depletion Perturbation Theory for the reconstruction of the first order replaced by with a first order formulation. Our paper shows that for several perturbed cases, the depletion reduced-order model successfully reconstructs the nuclide densities. As a result, this serves as a proof of concept for our adjoint-based reduced-order model, which can perform sensitivity and uncertainty burn-up analysis in a shorter time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The integration of quantum processing units (QPUs) in a heterogeneous high-performance computing environment requires solutions that facilitate hybrid classical–quantum programming. Standards such as OpenCL facilitate the programming of heterogeneous environments, consisting of CPUs and hardware accelerators. This study presents an innovative method that incorporates QPU functionality into OpenCL, standardizing quantum processes within classical environments. By leveraging QPUs within OpenCL, hybrid quantum–classical computations can be sped up, impacting domains like cryptography, optimization problems, and quantum chemistry simulations. Using Portable Computing Language (Jääskeläinen et al. in Int J Parallel Program 43(5):752–785, 2014. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10766-014-0320-y) and the Qulacs library (Suzuki et al. in Quantum 5:559, 2021. https://doi.org/10.22331/q-2021-10-06-559), results demonstrate, for instance, the successful execution of Shor's algorithm (Nielsen and Chuang in Quantum computation and quantum information, 10th anniversary edn. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2010), serving as a proof of concept for extending the approach to larger qubit systems and other hybrid quantum–classical algorithms. This integration approach bridges the gap between quantum and classical computing paradigms, paving the way for further optimization and application to a wide range of computational problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Background: The current management of metabolic dysfunction‐associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) relies on lifestyle intervention. Prior studies have shown that nutritional wheat amylase trypsin inhibitors (ATI) activate toll‐like receptor 4 on intestinal myeloid cells to enhance intestinal and extra‐intestinal inflammation, including the promotion of murine MASLD, insulin resistance and liver fibrosis. Aims: We aimed to assess the impact of ATI (gluten)‐free diet in liver as well as metabolic parameters of biopsy‐proven MASLD patients. Methods: We performed a 6‐week, proof‐of‐concept 1:1 randomised controlled trial of an ATI‐free diet. The controls followed a balanced diet recommended by the German Nutrition Society. We assessed changes in controlled attenuation parameter (CAP), body mass index (BMI) and homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA‐IR). Patient‐reported outcomes were assessed by the CLDQ‐NASH questionnaire. Forty‐five patients were consecutively enrolled (21 in the intervention arm and 24 in the control arm). Results: Three patients from each arm discontinued the study. In the ATI‐free diet group, a significant decrease in BMI (p = 0.018), CAP (p = 0.018) and HOMA‐IR (p = 0.042) was observed at 6 weeks. The mean difference in CAP between the two arms at week 6 was 30.5 dB/m (p = 0.039), with a delta significantly higher in the ATI‐free diet group (p = 0.043). Only an ATI‐free diet could achieve a significant improvement in CLDQ‐NASH domains (p value for total scoring: 0.013). Conclusions: A short‐term ATI‐free diet leads to significant improvements in liver and metabolic parameters, as well as patient‐reported outcomes with good tolerability. A larger follow‐up study is justified to corroborate these findings. Clinical trial number: NCT04066400. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: We present the evolution of GHD in adolescent males with persistent growth failure, in whom the diagnosis was established after a second GH stimulation test (GST). Methods: We performed a retrospective chart review of children who presented for short stature (height less < 2SD for mean/mid-parental height) and/or growth failure (sustained growth velocity < 0 SD) to pediatric endocrinology at Mount Sinai Kravis Children's Hospital, New York and who had 2 GSTs. Data collected from electronic medical records were analyzed using SPSS v28.0 Results: Of 53 patients included, 42 were males. Average GH peak on initial GST was 15.48 ± 4.92 ng/ml, at 10.07 ± 2.65 years, mean height -1.68 ± 0.56SD(28% had <2SD), IGF-1 -1.00 ± 0.88SD. After 2.23 ± 1.22 years, at 12.04 ± 2.41years, height SDs decreased to -1.82 ± 0.63SD and IGF-1 was -1.08 ± 0.84SD. At repeat GST, average GH peak was 7.59 ± 2.12 ng/dL, with 36% ≤7 ng/dl and 32% in puberty. 12 males reached adult height of 0.08 ± 0.69 SD with a mean height gain of 1.83 ± 0.56SD(p<0.005), IGF-1 of -1.15 ± 0.81SD after 4.64 ± 1.4 years of GH. Conclusion: We offer evidence for Evolving Growth Hormone Deficiency (EGHD) through repeat GST in children with persistent growth slowdown, even with pubertal progression; emphasizing the need for careful longitudinal follow-up to make accurate diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The indication of information in materials is widely used in our daily life, and optical encoding materials are ideal for information loading due to their easily readable nature and adjustable optical properties. However, most of them could only indicate one type of information, either changing or unchanging due to the mutual interference. Inspired by firefly, we present a non-interfering bipolar information indication system capable of indicating both changing and unchanging information. A photochemical afterglow material is incorporated into the photonic crystal matrix through a high-throughput technique called shear-induced ordering technique, which can efficiently produce large-area photonic crystal films. The indication of changing and unchanging information is enabled by two different utilizations of white light by the afterglow material and photonic crystals, respectively, which overcome the limitations of mutual interference. As a proof of concept, this system is used to indicate the changing photodegradation level of mecobalamin (a photosensitive medicine) and unchanging intrinsic drug information with anti-counterfeiting functionality, which is a promising alternative to instantly ascertain the efficacy of medicine at home where conventional assays are impractical. Inspired by fireflies, a bimodal information indication system using a photochemical afterglow material within a photonic crystal matrix is developed to display both static and changing information, such as sample type and degree of degradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) is a common sleep disorder characterized by an urge to move the legs that is responsive to movement (particularly during rest), periodic leg movements during sleep, and hyperarousal. Recent evidence suggests that the involvement of the adenosine system may establish a connection between dopamine and glutamate dysfunction in RLS. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a non-invasive electrophysiological technique widely applied to explore brain electrophysiology and neurochemistry under different experimental conditions. In this pilot study protocol, we aim to investigate the effects of dipyridamole (a well-known enhancer of adenosinergic transmission) and caffeine (an adenosine receptor antagonist) on measures of cortical excitation and inhibition in response to TMS in patients with primary RLS. Initially, we will assess cortical excitability using both single- and paired-pulse TMS in patients with RLS. Then, based on the measures obtained, we will explore the effects of dipyridamole and caffeine, in comparison to placebo, on various TMS parameters related to cortical excitation and inhibition. Finally, we will evaluate the psycho-cognitive performance of RLS patients to screen them for cognitive impairment and/or mood-behavioral dysfunction, thus aiming to correlate psycho-cognitive findings with TMS data. Overall, this study protocol will be the first to shed lights on the neurophysiological mechanisms of RLS involving the modulation of the adenosine system, thus potentially providing a foundation for innovative "pharmaco-TMS"-based treatments. The distinctive TMS profile observed in RLS holds indeed the potential utility for both diagnosis and treatment, as well as for patient monitoring. As such, it can be considered a target for both novel pharmacological (i.e., drug) and non-pharmacological (e.g., neuromodulatory), "TMS-guided", interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) of anti-infectives such as linezolid is routinely performed in blood of intensive care unit (ICU) patients to optimize target attainment. However, the concentration at the site of infection is considered more important for a successful therapy. Until now, bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) is the gold standard to measure intrapulmonary concentrations of anti-infective agents. However, it is an invasive method and unsuitable for regular TDM. The aim of this proof-of-concept study was to investigate whether it is possible to reliably determine the intrapulmonary concentration of linezolid from endotracheal aspiration (ENTA). Methods: Intubated ICU patients receiving 600 mg intravenous linezolid twice daily were examined in steady state. First, preliminary experiments were performed in six patients to investigate which patients are suitable for linezolid measurement in ENTA. In a second step, trough and peak linezolid concentrations of plasma and ENTA were determined in nine suitable patients. Results: Linezolid can validly be detected in ENTA with viscous texture and > 0.5 mL volume. The mean (SD) linezolid trough concentration was 2.02 (1.27) mg/L in plasma and 1.60 (1.36) mg/L in ENTA, resulting in a median lung penetration rate of 104%. The mean (SD) peak concentration in plasma and ENTA was 10.77 (5.93) and 4.74 (2.66) mg/L. Conclusions: Linezolid can validly be determined in ENTA with an adequate texture and volume. The penetration rate is comparable to already published BAL concentrations. This method might offer a simple and non-invasive method for TDM at the site of infection "lung". Due to promising results of the feasibility study, comparison of ENTA and BAL in the same patient should be investigated in a further trial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Advanced manufacturing techniques offer tremendous potential in electronics, photonics, and biomedicine. Self‐assembly is a powerful strategy for creating three‐dimensional (3D) artificial structures, but existing thin film release techniques have limitations in the relatively complex processes. Herein, a localized laser scribing strategy is proposed to guide the self‐assembly of two‐dimensional thin films into 3D microstructures. It is revealed that laser‐induced heating and momentum can release thin films and roll them into various microstructures. Uniquely, this method allows accurate control of shapes, curvatures, orientations, and sizes for the fabricated rolls. This is a one‐step strategy with no pre‐patterning or post‐drying required. The proposed method represents a significant improvement over existing self‐assembly techniques and may enrich the thin film self‐assembly materials and applications. As proof of concept, the prepared gold micro‐rolls are demonstrated as implanted stents in porcine arteries with impressive flexibility. This study provides a new approach to creating 3D microstructures with simplicity and high repeatability and has significant implications for the future of advanced manufacturing, especially in emerging miniaturized applications, such as invasive robotics, minimized drug delivery, implanted batteries, and nanophotonics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: This study aimed to model below and above anaerobic threshold exercise-induced heart rate (HR) drift, so that the corrected HR could better represent V̇O2 kinetics during and after the exercise itself. Methods: Fifteen healthy subjects (age: 28 ± 5 years; V̇O2Max: 50 ± 8 mL/kg/min; 5 females) underwent a maximal and a 30-min submaximal (80% of the anaerobic threshold) running exercises. A five-stage computational (i.e., delay block, new training impulse-calculation block, Sigmoid correction block, increase block, and decrease block) model was built to account for instantaneous HR, fitness, and age and to onset, increase, and decrease according to the exercise intensity and duration. Results: The area under the curve (AUC) of the hysteresis function, which described the differences in the maximal and submaximal exercise-induced V̇O2 and HR kinetics, was significantly reduced for both maximal (26%) and submaximal (77%) exercises and consequent recoveries. Discussion: In conclusion, this model allowed HR drift instantaneous correction, which could be exploited in the future for more accurate V̇O2 estimations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate intraoperative differentiation of primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) remains pivotal in guiding neurosurgical decisions. However, distinguishing PCNSL from other lesions, notably glioma, through frozen sections challenges pathologists. Here we sought to develop and validate a deep learning model capable of precisely distinguishing PCNSL from non-PCNSL lesions, especially glioma, using hematoxylin and eosin (H&E)-stained frozen whole-slide images. Also, we compared its performance against pathologists of varying expertise. Additionally, a human-machine fusion approach integrated both model and pathologic diagnostics. In external cohorts, LGNet achieved AUROCs of 0.965 and 0.972 in distinguishing PCNSL from glioma and AUROCs of 0.981 and 0.993 in differentiating PCNSL from non-PCNSL lesions. Outperforming several pathologists, LGNet significantly improved diagnostic performance, further augmented to some extent by fusion approach. LGNet's proficiency in frozen section analysis and its synergy with pathologists indicate its valuable role in intraoperative diagnosis, particularly in discriminating PCNSL from glioma, alongside other lesions. Correct diagnosis of primary central nervous system lymphoma is key in determining treatment, however, this depends on pathology analysis. Here, the authors develop a deep learning method to diagnose primary nervous system lymphoma from stained whole-slide images. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interpreting a seemingly simple function word like "or," "behind," or "more" can require logical, numerical, and relational reasoning. How are such words learned by children? Prior acquisition theories have often relied on positing a foundation of innate knowledge. Yet recent neural‐network‐based visual question answering models apparently can learn to use function words as part of answering questions about complex visual scenes. In this paper, we study what these models learn about function words, in the hope of better understanding how the meanings of these words can be learned by both models and children. We show that recurrent models trained on visually grounded language learn gradient semantics for function words requiring spatial and numerical reasoning. Furthermore, we find that these models can learn the meanings of logical connectives and and or without any prior knowledge of logical reasoning as well as early evidence that they are sensitive to alternative expressions when interpreting language. Finally, we show that word learning difficulty is dependent on the frequency of models' input. Our findings offer proof‐of‐concept evidence that it is possible to learn the nuanced interpretations of function words in a visually grounded context by using non‐symbolic general statistical learning algorithms, without any prior knowledge of linguistic meaning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: An innovation to better manage cat‐allergic patients utilises anti‐Fel d 1 IgY antibodies to neutralise Fel d 1 after its production by the cat. However, there is no published study showing its clinical efficacy in humans in a home setting. A longitudinal, open‐label, proof‐of‐concept study was carried out to approach clinical efficacy of the cat food in cat‐allergic patients. Methods: After a baseline evaluation, the cats ate only the cat food for the following 4 months. Daily evaluation of efficacy was performed for 2 weeks at baseline and after 1, 2 and 3 months of intervention for periods of 2 weeks. The MASK‐air app was used daily to assess symptoms, work productivity and medications. Results: Of the 49 patients screened, 42 were followed up and 33 (78.5%) reported MASK‐air data at all 3 evaluation periods. The primary end point (visual analogue scale [VAS] for global allergy symptoms) was significantly improved (p < 0.0001). All symptoms (VAS nose, eye, and asthma), VAS work and the combined symptom‐medication score significantly improved after 1 month. The percentage of uncontrolled days (VAS>20/100) decreased from 64% at baseline to 35% at 1 month (p < 0.0001) and 14% at 3 months. A sensitivity analysis in patients with uncontrolled disease at baseline found similar results. Discussion: A cat diet containing anti‐Fel d 1 antibodies was able to (i) show decreased allergic symptoms and related outcomes, (ii) inform the design and feasibility of future studies with a control arm and (iii) estimate the sample size of the study. Study registration number: clinicaltrials.gov: NCT05656482. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a method for generating structures in three‐dimensional space that appear to be impossible when viewed from specific perspectives. Previous approaches focus on helping users to edit specific structures and require users to have knowledge of structural positioning causing the impossibility. On the contrary, our system is designed to aid users without prior knowledge to explore a wide range of potentially impossible structures. The essence of our method lies in features we call visual bridges that confuse viewers regarding the depth of the resulting structure. We use these features as starting points and employ procedural modeling to systematically generate the result. We propose scoring functions for enforcing desirable spatial arrangement of the result and use Sequential Monte Carlo to sample outputs that score well under these functions. We also present a proof‐of‐concept user interface and demonstrate various results generated using our system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Predictive models of psychotic symptoms could improve ecological momentary interventions by dynamically providing help when it is needed. Wearable sensors measuring autonomic arousal constitute a feasible base for predictive models since they passively collect physiological data linked to the onset of psychotic experiences. To explore this potential, we investigated whether changes in autonomic arousal predict the onset of hallucination spectrum experiences (HSE) and paranoia in individuals with an increased likelihood of experiencing psychotic symptoms. For 24 h of ambulatory assessment, 62 participants wore electrodermal activity and heart rate sensors and were provided with an Android smartphone to answer questions about their HSE-, and paranoia-levels every 20 min. We calculated random forests to detect the onset of HSEs and paranoia. The generalizability of our models was tested using leave-one-assessment-out and leave-one-person-out cross-validation. Leave-one-assessment-out models that relied on physiological data and participant ID yielded balanced accuracy scores of 80 % for HSE and 66 % for paranoia. Adding baseline information about lifetime experiences of psychotic symptoms increased balanced accuracy to 82 % (HSE) and 70 % (paranoia). Leave-one-person-out models yielded lower balanced accuracy scores (51 % to 58 %). Using passively collectible variables to predict the onset of psychotic experiences is possible and prediction models improve with additional information about lifetime experiences of psychotic symptoms. Generalizing to new individuals showed poor performance, so including personal data from a recipient may be necessary for symptom prediction. Completely individualized prediction models built solely with the data of the person to be predicted might increase accuracy further. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

5-Methyluridine (5-MU) is a prominent intermediate for industrial synthesis of several antiviral-drugs, however, its availability over the past decades has overwhelmingly relied on chemical and enzymatic strategies. Here, we have realized efficient production of 5-MU in E. coli, for the first time, via a designer artificial pathway consisting of a two-enzyme cascade (UMP 5-methylase and phosphatase). More importantly, we have engineered the E. coli cell factory to boost 5-MU production by systematic evaluation of multiple strategies, and as a proof of concept, we have further developed an antibiotic-free fermentation strategy to realize 5-MU production (10.71 g/L) in E. coli MB229 (a ΔthyA strain). Remarkably, we have also established a versatile and robust platform with exploitation of the engineered E. coli for efficient production of diversified UMP-derived chemicals. This study paves the way for future engineering of E. coli as a synthetic biology platform for acceleratively accessing UMP-derived chemical diversities. • A designer artificial pathway comprising a two-enzyme cascade has been constructed for 5-MU biosynthesis. • 5-MU production has reached to 9.94 g/L in engineered E. coli with employing multiple synthetic biology strategies. • An antibiotic-free strategy has been developed for robust production of 5-MU (10.71 g/L) in the strain E. coli MB229. • A versatile E. coli platform has been further established for efficient production of diverse UMP-derived chemicals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electromagnetic camouflage is crucial for concealing the physical identity of the object from external electromagnetic detection, whether in military operations or civilian contexts. However, addressing the pressing issue of seamlessly transitioning between camouflage and visualization capabilities is a significant challenge. By combining chiral meta‐atoms and irregular phase encoding method, a novel chiral meta‐coder is proposed for spin switchable electromagnetic camouflage and target authentication. Different from traditional conformal strategies, this meta‐coder achieves camouflage functionality by tightly arranging meta‐atoms around the target object and encoding suitable phase sequences to shape desired wavefront. Simultaneously, the target object can also be identified by modulating the helical state of the incident wave. As a proof of concept, a chiral meta‐coder operating in camouflaging "A" shaped target object is designed and experimentally demonstrated. When exposed to right circularly polarized waves, the meta‐atoms surrounding the object can adapt the wavefront to conceal target information. The camouflaged pattern exhibits diffuse scattering in the far field and three focal patterns around the near field. Conversely, these meta‐atoms transition into a wave‐absorbing configuration, facilitating the precise identification of target information. Such a strategy may find potential applications in data security, privacy, and communication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ring Rolling is a near-net manufacturing process with some measurable dimensional inaccuracies in its products. This fact is exaggerated even more under the scope of high-precision manufacturing, where these imprecisions render such products unfitting for the strict dimensional requirements of high-precision applications (e.g., bearings, casings for turbojets, etc.). In order to remedy some of the dimensional inaccuracies of Ring Rolling, the novel approach of Reverse Ring Rolling is proposed and investigated in the current analysis. The conducted research was based on a numerical simulation of a flat Ring Rolling process, previously presented by the authors. Since the final dimensions of the ring from the authors' previous work diverged from those initially expected, the simulation of a subsequent Reverse Ring Rolling process was performed to reach the target dimensions. The calculated deformational results revealed a great agreement in at least two of the three crucial dimensions. Additionally, the evaluation of the calculated stress, strain, temperature and load results revealed key aspects of the mechanisms that occur during the proposed process. Overall, it was concluded that Reverse Ring Rolling can effectively function as a corrective process, which can increase the dimensional accuracy of a seamless ring product with little additional post-processing and cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Tinnitus—the perception of sound despite the absence of an external source—can be a debilitating condition for which there are currently no pharmacological remedies. Our proof of concept study focused on the immediate effects of non-invasive electrical stimulation through the ear canal on loudness and tinnitus-induced distress. In addition, we aimed to identify variables that may affect the simulation outcomes. Methods: Sixty-six patients (29 women and 37 men, mean age 54.4 ± 10.4) with chronic tinnitus were recruited to the tertiary referral hospital between December 2019 and December 2021. They underwent 10 min of electrical stimulation through the ear canal for three consecutive days. Visual analog scales measured loudness and tinnitus-induced distress immediately before and after stimulation. Results: After three days of electrical stimulation, tinnitus loudness decreased in 47% of patients, 45.5% reported no change, and 7.6% reported worsening. Tinnitus severity decreased in 36.4% of cases, 59.1% of patients reported no change, and 4.5% reported worsening. Women responded positively to therapy earlier than men. In addition, tinnitus distress decreased in patients with compensated tinnitus but not in those with uncompensated tinnitus. Finally, patients with bilateral tinnitus improved earlier than those with unilateral tinnitus, and the age of the patients did not influence the stimulation results. Conclusions: Our proof of concept study confirms the potential of non-invasive electrical stimulation of the ear as a promising screening approach to identifying patients for more advanced electrostimulation treatment, such as an extracochlear anti-tinnitus implant. These findings have practical implications for tinnitus management, offering hope for improved patient care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(1) Background: Carboplatin (CBP) is a chemotherapeutic drug widely used in the treatment of a variety of cancers. Despite its efficiency, CBP is associated with side effects that greatly limit its clinical use. To mitigate these effects, CBP can be encapsulated in targeted delivery systems, such as liposomes. Ensuring the adequate loading and release of CBP from these carriers requires strict control in pharmaceutical formulation development, demanding modern, rapid, and robust analytical methods. The aim of this study was the development of a sensor for the fast and accurate quantification of CBP and its application on proof-of-concept CBP-loaded nanosomes. (2) Methods: Screen-printed electrodes were obtained in-lab and the electrochemical behavior of CBP was tested on the obtained electrodes. (3) Results: The in-lab screen-printed electrodes demonstrated superior properties compared to commercial ones. The novel sensors demonstrated accurate detection of CBP on a dynamic range from 5 to 500 μg/mL (13.5–1350 μM). The method was successfully applied on CBP loaded and released from nanosomes, with strong correlations with a spectrophotometric method used as control. (4) Conclusions: This study demonstrates the viability of electrochemical techniques as alternative options during the initial phases of pharmaceutical formulation development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a global health issue known to cause avoidable harm and death. Improvement in its prevention and management is therefore considered an important goal for the health-care sector. The work here aimed to develop a tool which could be used to robustly and reliably measure, monitor, and compare the effectiveness of health-care interventions related to AKI across the Welsh NHS, a mechanism which did not exist previously. Methods: Using serum creatinine (SCr) as a biomarker for AKI and a validated national data-set collected from the all Wales Laboratory Information Management System, work involved applying Donabedian's framework to develop indicators with which to measure outcomes related to AKI, and exploring the potential of statistical process control (SPC) techniques for analysing data on these indicators. Results: Rate of AKI incidence and 30-day AKI-associated mortality are proposed as valid, feasible indicators with which to measure the effectiveness of health-care interventions related to AKI. The control chart, funnel plot, and Pareto chart are proposed as appropriate, robust SPC techniques to analyse and visualise variation in AKI-related outcomes. Conclusions: This work demonstrates that routinely collected large SCr data offer a significant opportunity to monitor and therefore inform improvement in patient outcomes related to AKI. Moreover, while this work concerns utilisation of SCr data for improvement in AKI strategies, it is a proof of concept which could be replicated for other routinely collected clinical laboratory data, to improve the prevention and/or management of the conditions to which they relate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Today, with wars raging in Ukraine and the Middle East, the demand for blood is high. Despite this, few companies produce the necessary equipment to draw, store, and transfuse whole blood. This study evaluated the safety and performance of a 3D printed bottle cap in conjunction with a water bottle and some available consumables to draw and store fresh whole blood. Study Design and Methods: Bags of saline, and freshly donated whole blood, was transferred to the water bottle through a 3D printed bottle cap and stored for 72 h. An identical setup, transferring saline to a Terumo blood collection bag was used as control. Performance and safety were evaluated by calculating infusion rate and observing for backflow, respectively. The blood was also tested for hemolysis and bacterial growth at four sampling points. Results: The cap‐and‐bottle setup was faster than control in terms of flow rate when transferring saline (1.53 vs. 1.81 mL/s, p <.001), and non‐inferior to saline control when transfusing blood (1.53 vs. 1.49 mL/s, p =.641). We did not observe any risks of causing the donor iatrogenic harm, and there was no evidence of increased hemolysis. However, there were traces of bacterial contamination in three of six bottles. Conclusion: This study indicates that drawing blood is both feasible and safe, utilizing a 3D printed cap and bottle setup. Flow rate was faster than control, and mechanical properties of the blood were not affected. We were unable to determine the source of bacterial contamination in the blood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reconfiguration of electrical distribution systems has been addressed in numerous scientific studies. Thus, several techniques and models are considered, especially to reduce electrical losses and improve the voltage profile. However, it is clear that even with the increase in research, which has been accentuated since the last decade, the locational pricing and the transmission costs allocation is little explored. In this regard, the proposed method is a distribution system reconfiguration (DSR) optimization problem focused on minimizing the use of the transmission system. In order to validate the meta‐heuristic employed for the DSR, the IEEE 33 and 69 node test systems are used as a proof of concept. In addition, case studies with four substations, three different transmission cost allocation techniques, and transmission system capacity scenarios are analyzed. Numerical results showed an important transmission expansion deferral with consequent decrease in overall costs compared to the classic DSR. The transmission network use of system (TNUoS) charges can play a crucial role in reducing the total cost of the electrical system, promoting distributors to change their feeder patterns so that a larger share of loads access substations with lower charges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Low self-confidence in patients with psychosis is common. This can lead to higher symptom severity, withdrawal from activities, and low psychological well-being. There are effective psychological techniques to improve positive self-beliefs but these are seldom provided in psychosis services. With young people with lived experience of psychosis we developed a scalable automated VR therapy to enhance positive-self beliefs. Aims: The aim was to conduct a proof of concept clinical test of whether the new VR self-confidence therapy (Phoenix) may increase positive self-beliefs and psychological well-being. Method: Twelve young patients with non-affective psychosis and with low levels of positive self-beliefs participated. Over 6 weeks, patients were provided with a stand-alone VR headset so that they could use Phoenix at home and were offered weekly psychologist meetings. The outcome measures were the Oxford Positive Self Scale (OxPos), Brief Core Schema Scale, and Warwick-Edinburgh Well-being Scale (WEMWBS). Satisfaction, adverse events and side-effects were assessed. Results: Eleven patients provided outcome data. There were very large end-of-treatment improvements in positive self-beliefs (OxPos mean difference = 32.3; 95% CI: 17.3, 47.3; Cohen's d =3.0) and psychological well-being (WEMWBS mean difference = 11.2; 95% CI: 8.0, 14.3; Cohen's d =1.5). Patients rated the quality of the VR therapy as: excellent (n =9), good (n =2), fair (n =0), poor (n =0). An average of 5.3 (SD =1.4) appointments were attended. Conclusions: Uptake of the VR intervention was high, satisfaction was high, and side-effects extremely few. There were promising indications of large improvements in positive self-beliefs and psychological well-being. A randomized controlled clinical evaluation is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Personalized educational interventions have been shown to facilitate successful and inclusive statistics, mathematics, and data science (SMDS) in higher education through timely and targeted reduction of heterogeneous training disparities caused by years of cumulative, structural challenges in contemporary educational systems. However, the burden on the institutions and instructors to provide personalized training resources to large groups of students is also formidable, and often unsustainable. We present Individualized Pathways and Resources to Adaptive Control Theory-Inspired Scientific Education (iPRACTISE), a free, publicly available web app that serves as a tool to facilitate personalized trainings on SMDS and related topics through provision of personalized training recommendations as informed by computerized assessments and individuals' training preferences. We describe the resources available in iPRACTISE, and some proof-of-concept evaluation results from deploying iPRACTISE to supplement in-person and online classroom teaching in real-life settings. Strengths, practical difficulties, and potentials for future applications of iPRACTISE to crowdsource and sustain personalized SMDS education are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Titanium continues to be the gold standard in the field of osteosynthesis materials. This also applies to pediatric craniofacial surgery. Various resorbable materials have already been developed in order to avoid costly and risky second operations to remove metal in children. However, none of these resorbable materials have been able to completely replace the previous gold standard, titanium, in a satisfactory manner. This has led to the need for a new resorbable osteosynthesis material that fulfills the requirements for biocompatibility, stability, and uniform resorption. In our previous in vitro and in vivo work, we were able to show that molybdenum fulfills these requirements. To further confirm these results, we conducted a proof of concept in four domestic pigs, each of which was implanted with a resorbable molybdenum implant. The animals were then examined daily for local inflammatory parameters. After 54 days, the animals were euthanized with subsequent computer tomography imaging. We also removed the implants together with the surrounding tissue and parts of the spleen, liver, and kidney for histopathological evaluation. The molybdenum implants were also analyzed metallographically and using scanning electron microscopy. A blood sample was taken pre- and post-operatively. None of the animals showed clinical signs of inflammation over the entire test period. Histopathologically, good tissue compatibility was found. Early signs of degradation were observed after 54 days, which were not sufficient for major resorption. Resorption is expected with longer in situ residence times based on results of similar earlier investigations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is thought that ChatGPT, an advanced language model developed by OpenAI, may in the future serve as an AI-assisted decision support tool in medicine. To evaluate the accuracy of ChatGPT's recommendations on medical questions related to common cardiac symptoms or conditions. We tested ChatGPT's ability to address medical questions in two ways. First, we assessed its accuracy in correctly answering cardiovascular trivia questions (n = 50), based on quizzes for medical professionals. Second, we entered 20 clinical case vignettes on the ChatGPT platform and evaluated its accuracy compared to expert opinion and clinical course. Lastly, we compared the latest research version (v3.5; 27 September 2023) with a prior version (v3.5; 30 January 2023) to evaluate improvement over time. We found that ChatGPT latest version correctly answered 92% of the trivia questions, with slight variation in accuracy in the domains coronary artery disease (100%), pulmonary and venous thrombotic embolism (100%), atrial fibrillation (90%), heart failure (90%) and cardiovascular risk management (80%). In the 20 case vignettes, ChatGPT's response matched in 17 (85%) of the cases with the actual advice given. Straightforward patient-to-physician questions were all answered correctly (10/10). In more complex cases, where physicians (general practitioners) asked other physicians (cardiologists) for assistance or decision support, ChatGPT was correct in 70% of cases, and otherwise provided incomplete, inconclusive, or inappropriate recommendations when compared with expert consultation. ChatGPT showed significant improvement over time; as the January version correctly answered 74% (vs 92%) of trivia questions (p = 0.031), and correctly answered a mere 50% of complex cases. Our study suggests that ChatGPT has potential as an AI-assisted decision support tool in medicine, particularly for straightforward, low-complex medical questions, but further research is needed to fully evaluate its potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dynamic doping by electrochemical ion intercalation is a promising mechanism for modulating electronic conductivity, allowing for energy‐efficient, brain‐inspired computing hardware. While proton‐based devices have achieved success in terms of speed and efficiency, the volatility and environmental pervasiveness of hydrogen (H) might limit the robustness of devices during fabrication, as well as the long‐term retention of devices after programming. This motivates the search for alternative working ions. In this work, a proof‐of‐concept is demonstrated for electrochemical ionic synapses (EIS) based on intercalation of Mg2+ ions. The reported device has a symmetric design, with MgxWO3 used as both the gate and channel material. Increasing the Mg fraction, x, in WO3 increases the electronic conductance in a continuum over a large range (80 nS − 2 mS). Ex situ characterization of the channel confirms that modulation of channel conductance is due to Mg2+ intercalation. Unlike H‐EIS which rapidly loses programmed conductance states over a few seconds when exposed to air, Mg‐EIS can be operated and has good retention in air, with no sign of degradation after 1 h. Mg2+ as a working ion with WO3 as the channel is a promising material system for EIS with long‐term retention and low energy consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Researchers have typically studied the brain by monitoring characteristic signals, such as electrophysiology and neurotransmitters by implanted electronics. Here, real‐time monitoring of dynamic deformations of the brain tissue in vivo, is demonstrated, as a new characteristic parameter that is reflective of brain states. As a proof of concept, a thin capacitive deformation sensor is fabricated and implanted between the skull and cortex, and the sensor is shown to effectively monitor dynamic deformations of the cortical surface in the rat brain as induced by respiration and heartbeat under different degrees of anesthesia. This brain monitoring approach based on deformation signals opens up a new direction for understanding the brain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Complete lymph node dissection is the recommended treatment for clinically detectable lymph nodes in stage III melanoma. This surgery is associated with substantial morbidity. We hypothesize that combining percutaneous imaging-guided cryoablation of locoregional lymph nodes metastases with neoadjuvant in situ and systemic immunotherapy could allow disease control and evaluate the feasibility of this combination in this proof-of-concept study. Methods: We enrolled 15 patients with stage IIIB/IIIC melanoma. Patients were treated as follows: a single 240 mg flat dose infusion of nivolumab on day 1, cryoablation under local anesthesia using CT on day 2, and a single intralesional injection of 10–20 mg of ipilimumab into the lymphadenopathy treated by cryotherapy on day 3. Five–eight weeks after this procedure, complete lymph node dissection was performed according to routine care. The primary outcome measure of this study was feasibility, measured as the number of failures (i.e., inability to complete the entire procedure). Results: The procedure was carried out successfully in 15 out of 15 patients with an observed number of failures of 0. The Bayesian analysis showed an estimated failure rate of 4.2% [0.2–20.6]. Eight patients (53%) had adverse events secondary to either immunotherapy or cryotherapy. Grade 3/4 events occurred in three patients, but all resolved quickly and patients could proceed to surgery as scheduled. Eight patients (53%) had a pathological complete or near complete response. Conclusion: Combining percutaneous cryotherapy with in situ ipilimumab and systemic nivolumab for stage III resectable melanoma is feasible with tolerable toxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]