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Hypothesis: The competitive interaction of oxyanions and humic nanoparticles (HNPs) with metal (hydr)oxide surfaces can be used to trace the ligand and charge distribution of adsorbed HNPs in relation to heterogeneity, fractionation, and conformational change. Experiments: Batch adsorption experiments of HNPs on goethite were performed in the absence and presence of phosphate. The size of HNPs was measured with size exclusion chromatography. The Ligand and Charge Distribution (LCD) model framework was further developed to describe the simultaneous interaction of HNPs and phosphate with goethite. Findings: Preferential adsorption decreases the mean molar mass of adsorbed HNPs, independent of the phosphate presence, showing a linear dependency on the adsorbed HNPs fraction. Phosphate ion can be used as a probe to trace the distribution of functional groups and the variation in affinity of HNPs. The spatial distribution of adsorbed HNPs is driven by the potential gradients in the electrical double layer, which changes the conformation of the adsorbed HNPs. At the particle level, the adsorption of heterogeneous HNPs has an affinity distribution, which can be explained by the variation in molar mass (kDa) and density of the functional groups (mol kg−1) of the HNPs. The presented model can simultaneously describe the competitive adsorption of HNPs and phosphate in a consistent manner.

The TMEM63 family proteins (A, B, and C), calcium-permeable channels in animals that are preferentially activated by hypo-osmolality, have been implicated in various physiological functions. Deficiency of these channels would cause many diseases including hearing loss. However, their structures and physiological roles are not yet well understood. In this study, we determine the cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structure of the mouse TMEM63C at 3.56 angstrom, and revealed structural differences compared to TMEM63A, TMEM63B, and the plant orthologues OSCAs. Further structural guided mutagenesis and calcium imaging demonstrated the important roles of the coupling of TM0 and TM6 in channel activity. Additionally, we confirm that TMEM63C exists primarily as a monomer under physiological conditions, in contrast, TMEM63B is a mix of monomer and dimer in cells, suggesting that oligomerization is a regulatory mechanism for TMEM63 proteins. TMEM63s are mechanosensitive ion channels activated by hypo-osmolality. Here, the authors determine the cryo-EM structure of mouse TMEM63C confirming its predominant monomeric state and the significance of TM0-TM6 coupling in channel activity.

Yun Xu, Zhen-Zhen Dong, Li-Jiao Jiang, Cen-Xi Zhang, Guo-Ying Dong Department of Cardiology, Suzhou Wuzhong People’s Hospital, Suzhou, 215128, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Cen-Xi Zhang, Department of Cardiology, Suzhou Wuzhong People’s Hospital, No. 61 of Dongwu North Road, Wuzhong District, Suzhou, 215128, People’s Republic of China, Tel +8618645767447, Email zhangcenxizzj@126.comObjective: This study examined the factors associated with positive micro-embolic signals (MES) on transcranial Doppler monitoring in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), as well as the predictive value of MES for the risk of embolism in AF.Methods: Sixty-six patients who had micro emboli with AF were included in the positive group, and 75 patients who did not have micro emboli with AF served as the control group. The clinical data, congestive heart failure, hypertension, age ≥ 75 (doubled), diabetes mellitus, prior stroke or transient ischemic attack (doubled), vascular disease, age 65– 74, female (CHA2DS2-VASc) score, D-dimer (D-d) level, echocardiography results, and brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings were compared between the two groups. Logistic regression models were used to analyze the relationship between positive micro emboli with CHA2DS2-VASc score, D-d, left atrial anteroposterior diameter (LAD), and silent cerebral ischemia (SCI) occurrence.Results: The CHA2DS2-VASc score, D-d level, and LAD were significantly higher in the positive group than in the control group (P < 0.05) and were accompanied by a higher detection rate of SCI by brain MRI (P < 0.01). Elevated D-d levels, increased LAD, and the detection rate of SCI were all highly positively correlated with positive micro emboli. Also, CHA2DS2-VASc score ≥ 2 showed a significant positive correlation with positive micro emboli, and the higher CHA2DS2-VASc score was associated with a stronger correlation. The multivariate regression analysis demonstrated that positive micro-embo

Xinyi Hong,1,&ast; Shanhu Qiu,2,&ast; Xia Wu,3 Sizhen Chen,4 Xiaoxiang Chen,5 Bei Zhang,6 Aiqin He,3 Yun Xu,7 Jianqing Wang,8 Yingchun Gao,9 Xizhong Xu,10 Li Sun,11 Yang Zhang,12 Libing Xiang,13 Jundong Zhou,14 Qun Guan,15 Yanling Zhu,16 Haiyan Liu,17 Hao Xu,18 Ying Zhou,19 Bingwei Chen,4 Yang Shen1 1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Zhongda Hospital, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210009, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of General Practice, Zhongda Hospital, Institute of Diabetes, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Gynecological Oncology, Tumor Hospital Affiliated to Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China; 5Department of Gynecological Oncology, Jiangsu Cancer Hospital, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China; 6Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Xuzhou Central Hospital, Xuzhou, People’s Republic of China; 7Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First People’s Hospital of Changzhou, Changzhou, People’s Republic of China; 8Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Yancheng Clinical College of Xuzhou Medical University, The First People’s Hospital of Yancheng, Yancheng, People’s Republic of China; 9Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Huai’an First People’s Hospital, The Affiliated Huaian No.1 People’s Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Huai’an, People’s Republic of China; 10Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, People’s Republic of China; 11Department of Gynecological Oncology, Qingdao Central Hospital, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Medical College of Qingdao University, Qingdao, People’s Republic of China; 12Gynecology Department

Yun-E Xu,1,&ast; Di-Shu Ao,1,&ast; Xin Sun,1 Wei Chen,2 Xue Luo,1 Can Zhao,1 Sheng-Yu Wang,1 Hong Song1 1Department of Microbiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, 563000, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Third Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University (The First People’s Hospital of Zunyi), Zunyi, 563000, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Hong Song, Department of Microbiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, 563000, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86-18985259977 ; +86-0851-28643582, Email hongsong@zmu.edu.cnPurpose: Hydrogels containing the nano-self-assembling peptide RADA16-I (Nanogels) were utilized as scaffolds to establish airway organoids and an adenovirus-infected model. The results support in vitro adenovirus studies, including isolation and culture, pathogenesis research, and antiviral drug screening.Methods: HSAEC1-KT, HuLEC-5a and HELF cells were cocultured in RADA16-I hydrogel scaffolds to construct an airway organoid model. Adenovirus was used to infect this model for adenovirus-related studies. The morphological characteristics and the proliferation and activity of airway organoids before and after adenovirus infection were evaluated. The expression of the airway organoid marker proteins CC10, KRT8, AQP5, SPC, VIM and CD31 was detected. TEM and qPCR were used to detect adenovirus proliferation in airway organoids.Results: HSAEC1-KT, HuLEC-5a and HELF cells cocultured at 10:7:2 self-assembled into airway organoids and maintained long-term proliferation in a RADA16-I hydrogel 3D culture system. The organoids stably expressed the lumen-forming protein KRT8 and the terminal airway markers AQP5 and SPC. Adenoviruses maintained long-term proliferation in this model.Conclusion: An airway-organoid model of adenovirus infection was constructed in vitro from three human lung

Jun-Peng Zhang,1,&ast; Jun Shen,2,3,&ast; Yun-Ting Xiang,1,&ast; Xiang-Xin Xing,4 Bing-Xin Kang,5 Chi Zhao,2 Jia-Jia Wu,4 Mou-Xiong Zheng,4,6 Xu-Yun Hua,4,6 Lian-Bo Xiao,2,3 Jian-Guang Xu1,4,7 1School of Rehabilitation Science, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Orthopedic, Guanghua Hospital of Integrative Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 3Arthritis Institute of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 5The First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, People’s Republic of China; 6Department of Traumatology and Orthopedics, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 7Engineering Research Center of Traditional Chinese Medicine Intelligent Rehabilitation, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Jian-Guang Xu, School of Rehabilitation Science, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1200 Cailun Road, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China, Email xjg@shutcm.edu.cn Lian-Bo Xiao, Department of Orthopedic, Guanghua Hospital of Integrative Chinese and Western Medicine, 540 Xinhua Road, Changning District, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China, Email xiao_lianbo@163.comIntroduction: Osteoarthritis is a chronic, ongoing disease that affects patients, and pain is considered a key factor affecting patients, but the brain changes during the development of osteoarthritis

Song-Xing Wang,&ast; Li-Yan Sun,&ast; Qiong Yu, Tong Li, Ran Li, Yun-Ping Xu, Jin-Feng Zeng Shenzhen Blood Center, Shenzhen, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Yun-Ping Xu; Jin-Feng Zeng, Email yunpingxu1982@qq.com; zzengjf@163.comBackground: New HIV (Human immune deficiency virus) infections are continuously increasing in China and it remains a huge challenge to blood donation. As access to health services has affected by COVID-19 (Corona virus disease 2019) pandemic, a drop in new diagnoses (especially HIV) was observed worldwide.Methods: During 2013– 2021, 735,247 specimens from unpaid blood donors collected by Shenzhen Blood Center underwent ELISA (Enzyme -linked immunosorbent assay) and NAT (Nucleic acid test). Samples with reactivity results were sent to the Shenzhen Center for Disease Control and Prevention for WB (Western blot). All data were statistically analyzed by the Chi-Square test.Results: From 2013 to 2021, the prevalence of HIV among male blood donors was higher than in females (P < 0.01). During the COVID-19 pandemic, the prevalence of HIV among repeat blood donors decreased significantly compared to 2019 (P < 0.05), and the characteristics of blood donors changed in 2020 compared to 2019 and 2021.Conclusion: The high proportion of female blood donors would help prevent HIV from getting into the blood supply. The COVID-19 pandemic affected the demographics of blood donors as well as the prevalence of HIV among repeat blood donors. An increased number of repeat blood donors can help decrease the risk of HIV transfusion transmission during the epidemic.Keywords: COVID-19, Shenzhen, blood donors, HIV

Zhijun Pu,1– 5 Xinyu Bao,1– 5 Shengnan Xia,1– 5 Pengfei Shao,1– 5 Yun Xu1– 5 1Department of Neurology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Medical School and the State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210008, People’s Republic of China; 2Institute of Brain Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210093, People’s Republic of China; 3Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Molecular Medicine, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210008, People’s Republic of China; 4Jiangsu Province Stroke Center for Diagnosis and Therapy, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210008, People’s Republic of China; 5Nanjing Neurology Clinic Medical Center, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210008, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Yun Xu, Email xuyun20042001@aliyun.comIntroduction: Peripheral neutrophil infiltration can exacerbate ischemia–reperfusion injury. We focused on the relationship between various peripheral immune cells and cerebral ischemia–reperfusion (I/R) injury.Methods: In this study, we investigated the effects of dauricine on neuronal injury induced by ischemia–reperfusion and peripheral immune cells after ischemic stroke in mouse model, and we explored the undefined mechanisms of regulating peripheral immune cells through RNA sequencing and various biochemical verification in vitro and in vivo.Results: We found that dauricine improved the neurological deficits of I/R injury, reduced the infarct volume, and improved the neurological scores. Furthermore, dauricine reduced the infiltration of neutrophils into the brain after MCAO-R and increased peripheral neutrophils but unchanged the permeability of the endotheliocyte Transwell system in an in vitro blood-brain barrier (BBB) model. RNA sequencing showed that chemotaxis factors, such as CXCL3, CXCL11, CCL20, CCL22, IL12a, IL23a, and serpine1, might play a crucial role. Overexpression of serpine1 reversed LPS-induced migration of neutrophils. Dauricine can directly bi

Adsorption of natural organic matter (NOM) to mineral surfaces is an important process determining the environmental fate and biogeochemical cycling of many elements. Natural organic matter consists of a heterogeneous mixture of soft and flexible organic molecules. Upon adsorption, size fractionation may occur, as well as changes in molecular conformation. Although very important, these phenomena have been omitted in existing adsorption models. Filling this gap, a novel framework for NOM adsorption to metal (hydr)oxides is presented. Humic acid (HA) was used as an analog for studying experimentally the NOM adsorption to goethite and its size fractionation as a function of pH, ionic strength, and surface loading. Size fractionation was evaluated for adsorption isotherms collected at pH 4 and 6, showing HA molecules of low molar mass were preferentially adsorbed. This phenomenon was incorporated into the new model. Consistent description of the HA adsorption data over the entire range of pH (3–11), ionic strength (2–100 mM), and surface loading (0.1–3 mg m−2) indicated that the spatial distribution of HA molecules adsorbed in the interface is a trade-off between maximizing the interaction of the HA ligands with the oxide surface and minimizing the electrostatic repulsion between HA particles as a result of interfacial crowding. Our advanced consistent framework is able to quantify changes in molar mass and molecular conformation, thereby significantly contributing to an improved understanding of the competitive power of HA for interacting on oxides with other adsorbed small organic acids as well as environmentally important oxyanions, such as phosphate, arsenate, and others.

Introduction: The diagnosis of COVID-19 is normally based on the qualitative detection of viral nucleic acid sequences. Properties of the host response are not measured but are key in determining outcome. Although metabolic profiles are well suited to capture host state, most metabolomics studies are either underpowered, measure only a restricted subset of metabolites, compare infected individuals against uninfected control cohorts that are not suitably matched, or do not provide a compact predictive model. Objectives: Here we provide a well-powered, untargeted metabolomics assessment of 120 COVID-19 patient samples acquired at hospital admission. The study aims to predict the patient’s infection severity (i.e., mild or severe) and potential outcome (i.e., discharged or deceased). Methods: High resolution untargeted UHPLC-MS/MS analysis was performed on patient serum using both positive and negative ionization modes. A subset of 20 intermediary metabolites predictive of severity or outcome were selected based on univariate statistical significance and a multiple predictor Bayesian logistic regression model was created. Results: The predictors were selected for their relevant biological function and include deoxycytidine and ureidopropionate (indirectly reflecting viral load), kynurenine (reflecting host inflammatory response), and multiple short chain acylcarnitines (energy metabolism) among others. Currently, this approach predicts outcome and severity with a Monte Carlo cross validated area under the ROC curve of 0.792 (SD 0.09) and 0.793 (SD 0.08), respectively. A blind validation study on an additional 90 patients predicted outcome and severity at ROC AUC of 0.83 (CI 0.74–0.91) and 0.76 (CI 0.67–0.86). Conclusion: Prognostic tests based on the markers discussed in this paper could allow improvement in the planning of COVID-19 patient treatment.

The simulation of snow water equivalent (SWE) remains difficult for regional climate models. Accurate SWE simulation depends on complex interacting climate processes such as the intensity and distribution of precipitation, rain-snow partitioning, and radiative fluxes. To identify the driving forces behind SWE difference between model and reanalysis datasets, and guide model improvement, we design a framework to quantitatively decompose the SWE difference contributed from precipitation distribution and magnitude, ablation, temperature and topography biases in regional climate models. We apply this framework within the California Sierra Nevada to four regional climate models from the North American Coordinated Regional Downscaling Experiment (NA-CORDEX) run at three spatial resolutions. Models generally predict less SWE compared to Landsat-Era Sierra Nevada Snow Reanalysis (SNSR) dataset. Unresolved topography associated with model resolution contribute to dry and warm biases in models. Refining resolution from 0.44° to 0.11° improves SWE simulation by 35%. To varying degrees across models, additional difference arises from spatial and elevational distribution of precipitation, cold biases revealed by topographic correction, uncertainties in the rain-snow partitioning threshold, and high ablation biases. This work reveals both positive and negative contributions to snow bias in climate models and provides guidance for future model development to enhance SWE simulation.

El objeto del proyecto es la rehabilitación energética de la nave de crianza de la bodega Moradas de San Martin con una extensión de 218,45 m2, mediante el diseño y cálculo de una instalación geotérmica y de un nuevo sistema de iluminación, junto con el estudio de alternativas energéticas para la refrigeración de una nave de crianza y el estudio de su rentabilidad. Este proyecto se centrará principalmente en el estudio comparativo de dos energías: la energía geotérmica y en la refrigeración por aire acondicionado mediante energía eléctrica. El objetivo principal es tratar de conseguir una correcta climatización y estabilidad durante el proceso de crianza del vino con el máximo ahorro energético y económico, así como la reducción de su impacto ambiental.

Software clone detection identifies similar code snippets. It has been an active research topic that attracts extensive attention over the last two decades. In recent years, machine learning (ML) based detectors, especially deep learning-based ones, have demonstrated impressive capability on clone detection. It seems that this longstanding problem has already been tamed owing to the advances in ML techniques. In this work, we would like to challenge the robustness of the recent ML-based clone detectors through code semantic-preserving transformations. We first utilize fifteen simple code transformation operators combined with commonly-used heuristics (i.e., Random Search, Genetic Algorithm, and Markov Chain Monte Carlo) to perform equivalent program transformation. Furthermore, we propose a deep reinforcement learning-based sequence generation (DRLSG) strategy to effectively guide the search process of generating clones that could escape from the detection. We then evaluate the ML-based detectors with the pairs of original and generated clones. We realize our method in a framework named CloneGen. CloneGen In evaluation, we challenge the two state-of-the-art ML-based detectors and four traditional detectors with the code clones after semantic-preserving transformations via the aid of CloneGen. Surprisingly, our experiments show that, despite the notable successes achieved by existing clone detectors, the ML models inside these detectors still cannot distinguish numerous clones produced by the code transformations in CloneGen. In addition, adversarial training of ML-based clone detectors using clones generated by CloneGen can improve their robustness and accuracy. CloneGen Meanwhile, compared with the commonly-used heuristics, the DRLSG strategy has shown the best effectiveness in generating code clones to decrease the detection accuracy of the ML-based detectors.

We propose a family of mixed finite elements that are robust for the nearly incompressible strain gradient model, which is a fourth-order singular perturbed elliptic system. The element is similar to [C. Taylor and P. Hood, Comput. & Fluids, 1(1973), 73-100] in the Stokes flow. Using a uniform discrete B-B inequality for the mixed finite element pairs, we show the optimal rate of convergence that is robust in the incompressible limit. By a new regularity result that is uniform in both the materials parameter and the incompressibility, we prove the method converges with $1/2$ order to the solution with strong boundary layer effects. Moreover, we estimate the convergence rate of the numerical solution to the unperturbed second-order elliptic system. Numerical results for both smooth solutions and the solutions with sharp layers confirm the theoretical prediction., Comment: 27 pages, 1 figures, 4 tables

Xiang-Xin Xing,1,2,* Xu-Yun Hua,3,4,* Mou-Xiong Zheng,3,* Jia-Jia Wu,2 Bei-Bei Huo,1,2 Jie Ma,1,2 Zhen-Zhen Ma,1,2 Si-Si Li,1,2 Jian-Guang Xu1 1School of Rehabilitation Science, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Yueyang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Traumatology and Orthopedics, Yueyang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 4Yangzhi Rehabilitation Hospital, Tongji University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Jian-Guang XuSchool of Rehabilitation Science, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 1200 Cailun Road, Shanghai, People’s Republic of ChinaTel +86-21-51322091Fax +86-21-51322042Email xjg@shutcm.edu.cnIntroduction: Numerous resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) researches have indicated that large-scale functional and structural remodeling occurs in the whole brain despite an intact sensorimotor network after carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). Investigators aimed to explore alterations of the global and nodal properties that occur in the whole brain network of patients with CTS based on topographic theory.Methods: Standard-compliant fMRI data were collected from 27 patients with CTS in bilateral hands and 19 healthy control subjects in this cross-sectional study. The statistics based on brain networks were calculated the differences between the patients and the healthy. Several topological properties were computed, such as the small-worldness, nodal clustering coefficient, characteristic path length, and degree centrality.Results: Compared to those of the healthy controls, the global properties of the CTS group exhibited a decreased characteristic path length. Changes in th

Silicon (Si) is a commonly studied candidate material for next-generation anodes in Li-ion batteries. A native oxide SiO2 on Si is often inevitable. However, it is not clear if this layer has a positive or negative effect on the battery performance. This understanding is complicated by the lack of knowledge about the physical properties of the SiO2 lithiation products and by the convolution of chemical and electrochemical effects during the anode lithiation process. In this study, Li xSiO y thin films as model materials for lithiated SiO2 were deposited by magnetron sputtering at ambient temperature, with the goal of (1) decoupling chemical reactivity from electrochemical reactivity and (2) evaluating the physical and electrochemical properties of Li xSiO y. X-ray photoemission spectroscopy analysis of the deposited thin films demonstrate that a composition close to previous experimental reports of lithiated native SiO2 can be achieved through sputtering. Our density functional theory calculations also confirm that the possible phases formed by lithiating SiO2 are very close to the measured film compositions. Scanning probe microscopy measurements show that the mechanical properties of the film are strongly dependent on lithium concentration, with a ductile behavior at a higher Li content and a brittle behavior at a lower Li content. The chemical reactivity of the thin films was investigated by measuring the AC impedance evolution, suggesting that Li xSiO y continuously reacts with the electrolyte, in part because of the high electronic conductivity of the film determined from solid-state impedance measurements. The electrochemical cycling data of the sputter-deposited Li xSiO y/Si films also suggest that Li xSiO y is not beneficial in stabilizing the Si anode surface during battery operation, despite its favorable mechanical properties.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate the current status of clinical target volume (CTV) delineation for primary site of nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC) among five large tertiary cancer centers in China. Materials and Methods: The simulation CT and MR images of a patient with T3N2M0 NPC were sent to the centers participating. Fourteen experienced physicians contoured the targets independently, and the outlined structures were compared. The consistency and differences among these 14 CTVs are discussed. Results: Two different CTV designs were used in the centers. “One-CTV” design defines one CTV with a dose of 60 Gy, whereas “two-CTV” design has a high-risk CTV with dose of 60 Gy and a medium risk CTV with dose of 54 Gy. We found that the coverage of prophylactic area is very consistent between these two designs. The variances on the coverage of some sites were also significant among physicians, including covering cavernous sinus at un-involved side, posterior space of styloid process, and caudal border on posterior pharyngeal wall. Conclusions: Standardization is the main requirement for personalization of care; our study shows that among the 14 physicians in the five centers the coverage of prophylactic areas is in excellent agreement. Two distinct strategies on CTV design are currently being used, and multiple controversies were found, suggesting further optimization of CTV for primary site of NPC is needed.

Una de las principales funciones de una empresa bancaria es poder ofrecer a sus clientes un ventanal de funciones tal que se sientan c omodos y no tengan problemas a la hora de gestionar cualquier problema a trav es de la aplicaci on web. En estos tiempos, con la r apida evoluci on que de las tecnolog as, es muy importante estar a a la vanguardia de estas. Con el desarrollo conseguimos poder mejorar tanto la parte funcional de la aplicaci on como la parte de la implementaci on. Adem as nos podremos centrar en lo que signi ca la experiencia del usuario, algo importante en lo que respecta a la parte web de un desarrollo. Por otra parte, aprenderemos a trabajar en equipo, ya que cada c elula tiene asignada una parte del proyecto en general y como al n y al cabo dependeremos de otras operaciones tendremos que tratar este tema. Por ultimo, en este proyecto se consigue aprender a como mejorar la implementaci on que hay detr as para poder ofrecer un buen servicio debido que programar todo pueden hacerlo, pero programar bien no. 1

SUJPAR : hexacyclo[21.2.2.23,6.28,11.213,16.218,21]pentatriaconta-1(25),3,5,8,10,13,15,18,20,23,26,28,30,32,34-pentadecaene-4,9,14,19,24-pentol toluene solvate monohydrate, Related Article: Weiwei Yang, Kushal Samanta, Xintong Wan, Tushar Ulhas Thikekar, Yang Chao, Shunshun Li, Ke Du, Jun Xu, Yan Gao, Han Zuilhof, Andrew C.-H. Sue|2020|Angew.Chem.,Int.Ed.|59|3994|doi:10.1002/anie.201913055

In the present paper a new streamline model for wake development based on a streamline topology is applied and compared with different approaches for modeling the wind turbine wakes. The contribution of the present work is the comparison of the streamline-and straight-wake models as well as the different wake models, e.g., Jensen and Gaussian. The models have been applied to two wind farm cases. The results from the first case are compared against SCADA measurements and computational fluid dynamics simulations (CFD). The CFD simulations are performed using Reynolds-Averaged Navier Stokes (RANS) together with the actuator disc (AD) approach. The mean percent difference in power using the different wake models ranged between 19-20%. Mean percent difference in power for the AD-RANS was approximately 20%. For the second wind farm case only wake models are compared and approximately ±1% difference exists between them. The present work shows that the streamline topology of the wind turbine wake flow as well as the wake models have an effect on the performance prediction of wind farms.

Tiara[5]arenes (T[5]s), a new class of five‐fold symmetric oligophenolic macrocycles, which are not accessible from the addition of formaldehyde to phenol, were synthesized for the first time. These pillar[5]arene‐derived structures display both unique conformational freedom, differing from that of pillararenes, with a rich blend of solid‐state conformations, and excellent host‐guest interactions in solution. Finally we show how this novel macrocyclic scaffold can be functionalized in a variety of ways and used as functional crystalline materials to distinguish uniquely between benzene and cyclohexane.

Min Zhao,1– 3,* Shuguang Li,2,* Yun Xu,2 Xiaoxia Su,1,2 Hong Jiang2 1School of Nursing, Fudan University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Nursing, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Nursing, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Hong JiangDepartment of Nursing, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, 12 Middle Urumqi Road, Jing’an District, Shanghai 200040, People’s Republic of ChinaTel +86-182177161812Email hlbjiang0@163.comPurpose: Injurious falls seriously threaten the safety of elderly patients. Identifying risk factors for predicting the probability of injurious falls is an important issue that still needs to be solved urgently. We aimed to identify predictors and develop a nomogram for distinguishing populations at high risk of injurious falls from older adults in acute settings.Patients and Methods: A retrospective case–control study was conducted at three hospitals in Shanghai, China. Elderly patients with injurious falls from January 2014 to December 2018 were taken as cases, and control patients who did not have falls were randomly matched based on the admission date and the department. The data were collected through a medical record review and adverse events system. The original data set was randomly divided into a training set and a validation set at a 7:3 ratio. A nomogram was established based on the results of the univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression analysis, and its discrimination and calibration were verified to confirm the accuracy of the prediction. The cut-off value of risk stratification was determined to help medical staff identify the high-risk groups.Results: A total of 115 elderly patients with injurious falls and 230 controls were identified. History of fractures

Bei-Bei Huo,1,* Mou-Xiong Zheng,2,* Xu-Yun Hua,2,* Jun Shen,3 Jia-Jia Wu,4 Jian-Guang Xu1 1School of Rehabilitation Science, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Traumatology and Orthopedics, Yueyang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Orthopedic, Guanghua Hospital of Integrative Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Yueyang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Jian-Guang XuSchool of Rehabilitation Science, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 1200 Cailun Road, Shanghai 201203, People’s Republic of ChinaTel +86 21-51322091Fax +86 21-51322042Email xjg@shutcm.edu.cnPurpose: Brain organisation is involved in the mechanism of neuropathic pain. Acupuncture is a common clinical practise in traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of chronic pain. This study explored electroacupuncture’s effects on brain metabolism following brachial plexus avulsion injury (BPAI)-induced pain.Methods: A total of 32 female rats were randomised into a normal group, model group, sham electroacupuncture group, and electroacupuncture group. A pain model was included via right BPAI. The electroacupuncture intervention at cervical “Jiaji” points (C5-7) was performed for 11 weeks. The mechanical withdrawal threshold of the non-injured (left) forepaw was measured at the baseline and on days 3, 7, 14, 21, 28, 56, 84, and 112 subsequent to BPAI. Positron emission tomography (PET) was applied to explore metabolic changes on days 28, 84, and 112.Results: After electroacupuncture, the mechanical withdrawal thr

To meet ongoing demands for mineral resource, the market is continuously evolving to address the challenges of hard rock mining. The concept of actuated disc cutting is one of the latest developments for hard rock mechanical excavation. While the literature on actuated disc cutting has enabled some fundamental understandings, there is still substantial uncertainty in evaluating actuated disc cutting induced fragmentations under different operational conditions.To fulfil these knowledge gaps, actuated disc cutting tests were conducted at various operational conditions in two rock types. Fragments were collected after each cutting test and further examined by two sets of laser scanning machine. Analysis of the force signal yielded three performance parameters known as mean force drop, chipping to crushing ratio and specific energy. Analysis of fragment size yielded four performance parameters known as the fractal dimension, coarseness index, total projected area, and specific projected area. Parametric studies evaluated the weighted contribution of key variables actuated disc cutting to the variations of these performance parameters. The result indicated that the geometry factor and actuation factor of actuated disc cutting contribute more than the penetration rate.Statistical modelling was conducted to simulate the accumulation of force drop and fragment size. Results indicated both force drop events and fragment size follow the Generalized Extreme Value (GEV) distribution. It was further concluded that actuated disc cutting induced fragmentation is dominated by brittle failure from a statistical perspective since GEV is often associated stress distribution for brittle failure. Further multivariate correlation further identified the correlations between performance parameters from the cutter/mechanical response and fragments. The result indicated that chipping produces coarse material, leading to a less complicated fragmentation, and less complicated fragmentation re

To detect large-variance code clones (i.e. clones with relatively more differences) in large-scale code repositories is difficult because most current tools can only detect almost identical or very similar clones. It will make promotion and changes to some software applications such as bug detection, code completion, software analysis, etc. Recently, CCAligner made an attempt to detect clones with relatively concentrated modifications called large-gap clones. Our contribution is to develop a novel and effective detection approach of large-variance clones to more general cases for not only the concentrated code modifications but also the scattered code modifications. A detector named LVMapper is proposed, borrowing and changing the approach of sequencing alignment in bioinformatics which can find two similar sequences with more differences. The ability of LVMapper was tested on both self-synthetic datasets and real cases, and the results show substantial improvement in detecting large-variance clones compared with other state-of-the-art tools including CCAligner. Furthermore, our new tool also presents good recall and precision for general Type-1, Type-2 and Type-3 clones on the widely used benchmarking dataset, BigCloneBench.

The capacity of multiuser networks has been a long-standing problem in information theory. Recently, Avestimehr et al. have proposed a deterministic network model to approximate multiuser wireless networks. This model, known as the ADT network model, takes into account the broadcast nature as well as the multiuser interference inherent in the wireless medium. For the types of connections we consider, we show that the results of Avestimehr et al. under the ADT model can be reinterpreted within the algebraic network coding framework introduced by Koetter and Médard. Using this framework, we propose an efficient distributed linear code construction for the deterministic wireless multicast relay network model. Unlike several previous coding schemes, we do not attempt to find flows in the network. Instead, for a layered network, we maintain an invariant where it is required that at each stage of the code construction, certain sets of codewords are linearly independent.

薄膜压力传感器因其厚度小、柔软、测压单元面积小等特点,可准确测量土体应力及土颗粒间作用力,因而在土工试验中有着广阔的应用前景。初步探究了薄膜压力传感器在静力和动力土工试验中的适用性。首先,提供了结合3D打印技术,将薄膜压力传感器安装于土体内部设定位置上测量相应土体应力及颗粒间作用力的方法。其次,提出了测量静力时直接建立初始DO值与施加压强值间函数关系的标定方法,并建议选用拟合优度判定系数（R2）判定测压单元表现的优劣。最后,结合模型桩试验,验证了在动力试验中通过薄膜压力传感器、利用初始DO值可大体了解土体应力在动力荷载下的变化趋势。 Due to their small thickness, high flexibility and tiny sensing element, the tactile pressure sensors can be used to measure the soil stresses and contact forces between soil particles. Hence, the tactile pressure sensors have a vast application prospect in laboratory geotechnical tests. This study aims to examine the feasibility of applying the tactile pressure sensors in static and dynamic tests. First, an installation approach for the tactile pressure sensors, which relies on 3D printed sensor holders, is proposed to place the sensors in the designed locations. Second, a modified calibration method is proposed for the static tests. In this calibration method, the "equilibration" step is abandoned. A relationship between the original digital output and the applied pressure is used in the calibration. In addition, it is suggested that only the measurements from the sensors with higher values of R2 are used in the analysis. Finally, for the dynamic tests, the results of the model pile tests validate the feasibility of tactile pressure sensors and suggest that the change in the digital output might imply the trend of the soils stresses. © 2017, Editorial Office of Chinese Journal of Geotechnical Engineering. All right reserved.

BackgroundAnterior and posterior circulation atherosclerosis differ in vascular risk factors and stroke mechanisms. However, few studies have compared the pathological features between these lesions. Using a series of intracranial artery specimens, we characterized the intracranial atherosclerotic lesions and compared pathological features among different arteries of the intracranial vasculature.MethodsIntracranial large arteries of 32 consecutively recruited autopsy cases of Chinese adults aged 45 years or older were examined pathologically using routine histology and immunostaining, to characterize the pathological features of the atherosclerotic lesions. We analyzed middle cerebral arteries (MCAs) (both left and right), vertebral arteries (VAs) (side more affected), and basilar arteries (BAs).ResultsProgressive atherosclerotic lesions were present in 91(71%) of the 128 arteries examined. Features of complicated plaques were infrequently detected: plaque hemorrhage was encountered in 12%, neovasculature in 12%, lumen thrombi in 13%, macrophage infiltration in 20%, and calcification in 25% of arteries. Luminal narrowing of MCA was the most severe, followed by VA; the BA least stenotic (37 ± 25 vs. 30 ± 24 vs. 20 ± 20%, all p < 0.05). MCA had more eccentric (vs. concentric) plaques than VA (69 vs. 25%, p = 0.003) and BA (69 vs. 38%; p = 0.03). Lumen thrombi were more frequent in BA, and calcification most commonly occurred in VA atherosclerotic lesions.ConclusionIntracranial atherosclerotic plaques were commonly present in this sample, but the lesions generally lacked features of complicated plaques. MCA lesions had demonstrable differences compared with VA and BA lesions. Further studies are needed to determine whether these characteristics indicate a distinctive atherosclerotic phenotype for the intracranial vasculature.

Earthquake early warning (EEW) has been implemented in several regions around the world. However, because of natural randomness and uncertainty, false alarm and missed alarm can be expected in EEW. The key scope of this study is to evaluate the reliability of an on-site EEW in Taiwan, by testing the system's algorithm with 17,836 earthquake data from 1999 to 2013. The analysis shows that the on-site EEW system, empirically speaking, should have a false-alarm probability of 2.5%, and a missed-alarm probability of 14.1%. Considering missed alarm should be more critical to EEW, a new algorithm that could reduce the system's missed-alarm occurrences to 6% is also discussed in this paper.

The Bayesian approach has been proved useful to geotechnical engineering especially when project-specific data/measurements are very limited. In this paper, we introduced a new Bayesian algorithm to estimate soil properties at each location of a study area, with very limited project-specific data. In addition to the proposed methodology and algorithms, we also conducted a model application to estimate soil permeability for each of the 64 locations within a 4-by-4 m2 area, based on very limited project-specific data, that is, one measurement from each location.

Many earthquake empirical models were developed based on the statistics in the past. However, it is commonly seen that a non-local model was applied to a local study without any adjustment. In this paper, a new algorithm using maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) to adjust a non-local model for local applications was presented, including a case study assessing the probability of major earthquake occurrences in Taipei. Specifically, considering the fault length of 36 km and slip rate of 2 mm/yr, it suggests the Sanchiao (or Shanchiao) fault could induce a major earthquake with magnitude Mw 7.14±0.17, based on a non-local model integrated with limited local data using the MLE algorithms. © 2017 Elsevier Ltd

Motivation: As a fundamental task in bioinformatics, searching for massive short patterns over a long text is widely accelerated by various compressed full-text indexes. These indexes are able to provide similar searching functionalities to classical indexes, e.g., suffix trees and suffix arrays, while requiring less space. For genomic data, a well-known family of compressed full-text index, called FM-indexes, presents unmatched performance in practice. One major drawback of FM-indexes is that their locating operations, which report all occurrence positions of patterns in a given text, are particularly slow, especially for the patterns with many occurrences. Results: In this paper, we introduce a novel locating algorithm, FMtree, to fast retrieve all occurrence positions of any pattern via FM-indexes. When searching for a pattern over a given text, FMtree organizes the search space of the locating operation into a conceptual quadtree. As a result, multiple occurrence positions of this pattern can be retrieved simultaneously by traversing the quadtree. Compared with the existing locating algorithms, our tree-based algorithm reduces large numbers of redundant operations and presents better data locality. Experimental results show that FMtree is usually one order of magnitude faster than the state-of-the-art algorithms, and still memory-efficient.

Xin-Hua Yang,1 Su-Qi Song,2 Yun Xu3 1Department of Pharmacy, Hefei Eighth People’s Hospital, Hefei, 2Department of Psychiatry, Chaohu Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 3Faculty of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China Abstract: Classic antidepressant drugs are modestly effective across the population and most are associated with intolerable side effects. Recently, numerous lines of evidence suggest that resveratrol (RES), a natural polyphenol, possesses beneficial therapeutic activity for depression. The aim of the present study was to explore whether RES exhibits an antidepressant-like effect in a depression model and to explore the possible mechanism. A depression model was established via chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS), after which the model rats in the RES and fluoxetine groups received a daily injection of RES or fluoxetine, respectively. The sucrose preference test, open field test, and forced swimming test were used to explore the antidepressant-like effects of RES. The activity of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis was evaluated by detecting the plasma corticosterone concentration and hypothalamic mRNA expression of corticotrophin-releasing hormone. The plasma interleukin-6 (IL-6), C-reactive protein (CRP), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) concentrations were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Hippocampal protein expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and the Wnt/β-catenin pathway were analyzed by western blot. The results showed that RES relieved depression-like behavior of CUMS rats, as indicated by the increased sucrose preference and the decreased immobile time. Rats that received RES treatment exhibited reduced plasma corticosterone levels and corticotrophin-releasing hormone mRNA expression in the hypothalamus, suggesting that the hyperactivity of the HPA axis in CUMS rats was reversed by RES. Moreover, after RES treatmen

Isothermal holding following intercritical annealing is usually used in microstructure control, e.g., fractions and stabilities of retained-austenite (RA). Fe-0.22C-2.5Mn-0.47Si-0.41Cr-0.02Nb (mass%) steel is subjected to intercritical annealing and isothermal treatment at 250, 300, 350, and 400 degrees C to elucidate the impact on microstructures and mechanical properties by means of electron microscopy and uniaxial tensile test, respectively. The results show that the isothermal holding temperature is vital for the formed phases, including the morphology, volume fraction, and carbon content of RA in the processed steels. The tensile test results indicate that the mechanical properties including Ultra-tensile strength (UTS), Yield strength (YS), as well as Total Elongation (TEL) are attributed to the synthetic action of all constituents of phase morphology and corresponding fractions, e.g., hard-to-soft phase ratio, morphology and fraction of RA, dispersed precipitates. An excellent combination of strength-ductility of the present multiphase steel has been explained in terms of their specific microstructure., QC 20161213

It is believed that the Sanchiao fault in Taipei, the most important city in Taiwan, has caused several major earthquakes. In the literature, one study suggested return periods of the Sanchiao earthquake of 543, 568, and 746 years, with another concluding that the active fault should have induced three major earthquakes in a period of 2,600 years in the Holocene. Therefore, like many Bayesian applications, this study aims to develop a novel Bayesian algorithm for integrating the different sources of data to develop a new Bayesian estimate for the target problem. From the analysis, a Bayesian inference suggests a return period of the Sanchiao earthquake in Taipei of 634 years, which, for example, leads to a best-estimate probability of 7.6% for the recurrence of the Sanchiao earthquake in the next 50 years in the most important city in Taiwan. © 2015 American Society of Civil Engineers.

This study aims to develop a joint probability function of peak ground acceleration (PGA) and cumulative absolute velocity (CAV) for the strong ground motion data from Taiwan. First, a total of 40,385 earthquake time histories are collected from the Taiwan Strong Motion Instrumentation Program. Then, the copula approach is introduced and applied to model the joint probability distribution of PGA and CAV. Finally, the correlation results using the PGA-CAV empirical data and the normalized residuals are compared. The results indicate that there exists a strong positive correlation between PGA and CAV. For both the PGA and CAV empirical data and the normalized residuals, the multivariate lognormal distribution composed of two lognormal marginal distributions and the Gaussian copula provides adequate characterization of the PGA-CAV joint distribution observed in Taiwan. This finding demonstrates the validity of the conventional two-step approach for developing empirical ground motion prediction equations (GMPEs) of multiple ground motion parameters from the copula viewpoint. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Like natural enzymatic systems, our study has demonstrated that the activity of the polymeric organocatalysts can be modulated by ion-specific effects via the combination of anion-specific salting-in/out effects and anion-specific polarization of hydrogen bonding induced stabilization of the transition state.

Màster universitari en Estudis Avançats en Arquitectura: Contemporary Project, During long period of interacting with natural environment, the unique spatial forms, lifestyles and cultural dispositions had formed in the traditional cities with river networks in the area of the south of the lower reaches of the Changjiang River. This thesis tries to do some reserch on Suzhou City, the author’s hometown, as a typical case, which is the first and most thoughtfully plannned and preserved city with water system as grid. Based on the theoretical review and case studies of successful waterfront renovation projects around the world, this thesis traces the historic evolution and morphological study of Suzhou city from different aspects, and then to find out the existing problems in Suzhou riverfronts today. Finally, through a design project in a typical site, it comes to the conclusion on the design strategies of riverfront blocks by public space. It aims to interpret the features of constitution, expounds and propagates their modem value, and then probes the ways from the view of architecture, to guide people protecting and renovating the tradicional river networks rationally, and thus keep the particular charm and everlasting vigor of the local culture of the city.

It is believed that the Sanchiao fault in Taipei, the most important city in Taiwan, has caused several major earthquakes. In the literature, one study suggested return periods of the Sanchiao earthquake of 543, 568, and 746 years, with another concluding that the active fault should have induced three major earthquakes in a period of 2,600 years in the Holocene. Therefore, like many Bayesian applications, this study aims to develop a novel Bayesian algorithm for integrating the different sources of data to develop a new Bayesian estimate for the target problem. From the analysis, a Bayesian inference suggests a return period of the Sanchiao earthquake in Taipei of 634 years, which, for example, leads to a best-estimate probability of 7.6% for the recurrence of the Sanchiao earthquake in the next 50 years in the most important city in Taiwan.

We present a natural and low-complexity technique for achieving the capacity of the Gaussian relay network in the high SNR regime. Specifically, we propose the use of end-to-end structured lattice codes with the amplify-and-forward strategy, where the source uses a nested lattice code to encode the messages and the destination decodes the messages by lattice decoding. All intermediate relays simply amplify and forward the received signals over the network to the destination. We show that the end-to-end lattice-coded amplify-and-forward scheme approaches the capacity of the layered Gaussian relay network in the high SNR regime. Next, we extend our scheme to non-layered Gaussian relay networks under the amplify-and-forward scheme, which can be viewed as a Gaussian intersymbol interference (ISI) channel. Compared with other schemes, our approach is significantly simpler and requires only the end-to-end design of the lattice precoding and decoding. It requires little knowledge of the network topology or the individual channel gains.

Objective To report on the use of Delirium Care Pathways to screen for and recognise delirium by Aged Care Services in Emergency Teams (ASETs) at five metropolitan hospitals in New South Wales, Australia. Knowledge of delirium and the use of Delirium Care Pathways are vital to ensure that older people presenting with delirium receive best practice care. Methods An audit of 205 randomly selected medical records of clients over 65 years presenting to an ASET was conducted. Results Delirium was recorded in the medical records notes of four clients (2%). However, the auditors identified another 27 clients with symptoms of delirium. Conclusions Delirium is still frequently undiagnosed and misdiagnosed in older people presenting to emergency departments. This indicates a need for further education and professional development for and by health-care practitioners. Only with greater awareness of delirium will the care and health outcomes of older adults presenting with delirium in acute care settings improve.

Yun Xu,1,2 Qiaojuan Guo,1,2 Jin Lin,1,2 Bijuan Chen,1,2 Jiangmei Wen,1,2 Tianzhu Lu,1,2 Yuanji Xu,1,2 Mingwei Zhang,1,2 Jianji Pan,1,2 Shaojun Lin1,2 1Department of Radiation Oncology, Fujian Provincial Cancer Hospital, 2Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Translational Cancer Medicine, Fuzhou, Fujian, People’s Republic of China Background and aim: To evaluate the impact of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tube on nutritional status, treatment-related toxicity, and treatment tolerance in patients with locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) who underwent chemoradiotherapy. Patients and methods: We enrolled 133 consecutive non-metastatic NPC (III/IV stage) patients, who were treated with prophylactic PEG feeding before the initiation of concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) between June 1, 2010 and June 30, 2014. Meanwhile, another 133 non-PEG patients, who were matched for age, gender, and tumor, node, metastases stage, were selected as historical control cohort. Weight and nutritional status changes from pre-radiotherapy to the end of radiotherapy were evaluated, and treatment tolerance and related acute toxicities were analyzed as well. Results: We found that significantly more patients (91.73%) in the PEG group could finish two cycles of CCRT, when compared with those in the non-PEG group (57.89%) (P<0.001). We also indicated that more patients (50.38%) in the non-PEG group experienced weight loss of ≥5%, while the phenomenon was only found in 36.09% patients in the PEG group (P=0.019). In addition, the percentage of patients who lost ≥10% of their weight was similar in these two groups. Changes in albumin and prealbumin levels during radiotherapy in the non-PEG group were higher than those obtained for the PEG group with significant differences (P-values of 0.023 and <0.001, respectively). Furthermore, patients in the PEG group had significantly lower incidence of grade III acute mucositis than those in the no

Marine-terminating glaciers control most of Greenland's ice discharge into the ocean, but little is known about the geometry of their frontal regions. Here we use side-looking, multibeam echo sounding observations to reveal that their frontal ice cliffs are grounded deeper below sea level than previously measured and their ice faces are neither vertical nor smooth but often undercut by the ocean and rough. Deep glacier grounding enables contact with subsurface, warm, salty Atlantic waters (AW) which melts ice at rates of meters per day. We detect cavities undercutting the base of the calving faces at the sites of subglacial water (SGW) discharge predicted by a hydrological model. The observed pattern of undercutting is consistent with numerical simulations of ice melt in which buoyant plumes of SGW transport warm AW to the ice faces. Glacier undercutting likely enhances iceberg calving, impacting ice front stability and, in turn, the glacier mass balance.

Catastrophic earthquakes may result in hundreds and thousands of casualties. For example, the 1999 Chi-Chi earthquake in Taiwan caused 2,415 deaths and 11,305 injuries. With no direct stress/strain measurements on the rock beneath the ground surface, statistical analysis of historical earthquake data becomes one of the possible alternatives to help estimate the future earthquakes potentials, such as developing empirical relationships. Most previous studies evaluated earthquake potentials from fault rupture parameters using simple linear regression models. However, multiple regression analysis associated with more parameters is proved capable of reducing model error of empirical relationships, in otherwords, improving the accuracy of predictions. As a result, this study re-visited historical earthquake data in literature and proposed a new empirical model with multiple regression analysis. © 2015 Taylor & Francis Group, London.

Characterizing the standard deviation of soil properties is important to a geotechnical probabilistic analysis, and the task is usually achieved with sufficient samples. However, sometimes soil samples or soil tests in a project could be limited (e. g., only one sample), making classical statistics approaches less applicable to the estimating. In this technical note, we introduce a new Bayesian algorithm to estimate the standard deviation of soil properties, using limited project-specific samples along with relevant prior information from the literature. In addition to the methodology, a few demonstrations are also given in the paper, to re-evaluate the standard deviation of soil properties with the new algorithm. Like many Bayesian algorithms, the new application could be useful for site characterizations when samples are limited.

It is understood that sample size could be an issue in earthquake statistical studies, causing the best estimate being too deterministic or less representative derived from limited statistics from observation. Like many Bayesian analyses and estimates, this study shows another novel application of the Bayesian approach to earthquake engineering, using prior data to help compensate the limited observation for the target problem to estimate the magnitude of the recurring Meishan earthquake in central Taiwan. With the Bayesian algorithms developed, the Bayesian analysis suggests that the next major event induced by the Meishan fault in central Taiwan should be in M-w 6.44 +/- 033, based on one magnitude observation of M-w 6.4 from the last event, along with the prior data including fault length of 14 km, rupture width of 15 km, rupture area of 216 1cm2, average displacement of 0.7 m, slip rate of 6 mm/yr, and five earthquake empirical models. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.