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This paper researches the free vibrations and corresponding material parameters of a functional gradient graphene platelets-reinforced composite (FG-GPLRC) cantilever torsional plates with both pore and graphene variations in the transverse direction. Utilizing the feature of closed-cell cellular solids, the mixture rule, and the modified Halpin–Tsai model, the material parameters of the composite are determined for different volume fractions of component materials. Then, using the classical plate theory (CLPT), the Rayleigh–Ritz technique and polynomials, the dynamic equation that can be used to obtain the free vibration mode shapes and frequencies of the rotating cantilever torsional plate is given. Comparison studies with the previous calculation results from available literature and the finite element (FE) models of cantilever plates are conducted, and the correctness of the present theoretical formulation and numerical calculation is verified. Finally, the effects of graphene platelet (GPL) distribution, porosity distribution (PD), GPL content, rotational speed, and average geometric size of GPL on free vibrations of the system are studied in depth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Xenopus embryos are covered with a complex epithelium containing numerous multiciliated cells (MCCs). During late-stage development, there is a dramatic remodeling of the epithelium that involves the complete loss of MCCs. Cell extrusion is awell-characterized process for driving cell loss while maintaining epithelial barrier function. Normal cell extrusion is typically unidirectional, whereas bidirectional extrusion is often associated with disease (e.g. cancer). We describe two distinct mechanisms for MCC extrusion, a basal extrusion driven by Notch signaling and an apical extrusion driven by Piezo1. Early in the process there is a strong bias towards basal extrusion, but as development continues there is a shift towards apical extrusion. Importantly, response to the Notch signal is age dependent and governed by the maintenance of the MCC transcriptional program such that extension of this program is protective against cell loss. In contrast, later apical extrusion is regulated by Piezo1, such that premature activation of Piezo1 leads to early extrusion while blocking Piezo1 leads to MCC maintenance. Distinct mechanisms for MCC loss underlie the importance of their removal during epithelial remodeling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the development of microfluidic technology, new materials and fabrication methods have been constantly invented in the field of microfluidics. Bonding is one of the key steps for the fabrication of enclosed-channel microfluidic chips, which have been extensively explored by researchers globally. The main purpose of bonding is to seal/enclose fabricated microchannels for subsequent fluid manipulations. Conventional bonding methods are usually irreversible, and the forced detachment of the substrate and cover plate may lead to structural damage to the chip. Some of the current microfluidic applications require reversible bonding to reuse the chip or retrieve the contents inside the chip. Therefore, it is essential to develop reversible bonding methods to meet the requirements of various applications. This review introduces the most recent developments in reversible bonding methods in microfluidics and their corresponding applications. Finally, the perspective and outlook of reversible bonding technology were discussed in this review. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most forest research focuses either on the silvicultural aspects of forest management or the economic optimisation of an objective function to answer a specific policy question. This paper investigated optimum rotation ages for harvest, under both economic and biological theories, to discover the conditions that maximise both profit and sustainability. Both the optimum biological rotation for maximising sustainable yields (MSY), and economic rotation based on the Faustmann model were calculated through observation data from Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata) plantations in Fenyi, Jiangxi Province, China. It was found that the economic rotations of Chinese fir were longer than the biological rotations by almost 2 years when the discount rate equaled 0.05. If the discount rate increased as high as the inverse of the biological rotation time plus the incremental growth rate of the stumpage price, the rotations under both Faustmann and MSY rules coincided. Under these conditions, the ratio of regeneration costs to the value of timber in a stand should be low to keep forest management profitable. These findings are of practical importance for forest managers in relation to forest investment, planting decisions and harvesting for bussiness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The trend surface analysis is one of the important methods for processing radioactive element concentration data of airborne gamma-ray spectrum. At present, the fitting of trend surface is mainly based on the polynomial least-squares method. Due to the degree of limitation of polynomial functions, the polynomial least-squares method is imprecise in describing the trend surface. Therefore, as an alternative approach, we considered the 2D asymmetric least squares (2D-AsLS) developed under 2D tensor product of a P-spline. 2D-AsLS can make full use of the spatial characteristics of radioactive element concentration data to fit trend surfaces. 2D-AsLS can adjust the fitting effect of the trend surface by modifying smoothness, and can evaluate the fitting effect through the parameters (i.e. fitting coefficient, error variance, coefficient of variation, and degree of deviation). Gamma-ray spectrum data acquired by an unmanned aerial vehicle was used in the experiment. The results showed that 2D-AsLS can completely distinguish regional trend and residual values. Moreover, the trend surface fitted by 2D-AsLS can describe the regional radioactive background in detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For far-field wireless power transfer (WPT) in a complex propagation environment, a time-reversal (TR) based WPT that can overcome the drawbacks of conventional beamforming (BF) by taking advantage of multipath has been recently proposed. However, due to the WPT performance of BF and TR depending on the complexity of the propagation environment, the performance prediction between BF versus TR would be required. We present a detailed and generalized analysis of the recently proposed performance metric referred to as the peak received power ratio (PRPR) for linear array-based WPT. Here, the effectiveness of PRPR is verified via measurement for free space and indoor scenarios. The results demonstrate that PRPR is directly related to the complexity of the propagation environment and the corresponding power transmission capability of BF and TR. That is, the higher the complexity, the greater the value of PRPR and TR outperforms BF with higher peak power given the same average transmit power and vice versa. The mode decision between BF and TR based on PRPR potentially promises efficient far-field WPT even in a dynamic propagation environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The problem of event-triggered neural adaptive fault-tolerant finite-time control is investigated for a class of nonstrict feedback nonlinear systems in the presence of nonaffine nonlinear faults. The event-triggered signal is designed by using a relative-threshold to reduce communication burden. The dynamic surface control method is used to relax the assumption of the reference signal and deal with the computational complexity issue. Based on the finite-time stability, a new neural adaptive backstepping design method is developed. The event-triggered neural adaptive fault-tolerant control law is developed for the closed-loop system so that not only the semi-global practical finite-time stability is ensured, but also the tracking performance with a small residual set is guaranteed. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed control law is verified via simulation results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Learning point for cliniciansData have shown myocarditis may occur following mRNA Covid-19 vaccination as regarding to prothrombogenic syndrome following adenoviral vector vaccine injection. Prothrombogenic syndrome was observed following adenoviral vector-based vaccination1 and myocarditis or pericarditis after mRNA vaccines has been reported.2 We are presenting a case of a young Asian male developing myopericarditis with pleuritis postadenoviral vector vaccination. [Extracted from the article]

Multi-gap Resistive Plate Chambers (MRPC) are used in the Solenoidal Large Intensity Device (SoLID) at Jefferson Lab (JLab) to identify kaons. SoLID requires 20 ps for the total time resolution. In this paper, a sealed MRPC (sMRPC) prototype with 4 stacks and 7 uniform gas gaps is designed to reach a good time resolution. At the same time, sMRPC can lower the airflow through the chamber to reduce the greenhouse pollution. Both analog signal discrimination & TDC electronic system and waveform sampling electronic system are used for the readout of the signal. In cosmic tests, we compared the time resolution of these electronic readout methods and measured the efficiency of the sealed MRPC. The preliminary result shows that the MRPC prototype has an efficiency higher than 95%. The sealed MRPC prototype using waveform sampling system, has a time resolution of 40 ps, while a 54 ps time resolution is obtained using analog signal discrimination & TDC electronic system. • Two sealed Multigap Resistive Plate Chambers prototypes have been produced. • The MRPC prototype has 4 stacks and 7 uniform gas gaps, which have a thickness of 128 μ m. • MRPC prototype has a time resolution of 40 ps and has an efficiency higher than 95%. • Prototype using waveform sampling system has a better time resolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

The structural evolution in the undercooled liquid plays an essential role in comprehending the crystallization mechanism, which is of benefit to understand the glass-forming ability (GFA), the thermal stability, and the development of glassy alloy (GA) with excellent properties. In this work, Zr 61 Ti 2 Cu 25 Al 12 GAs with different undercooled states were obtained by means of electromagnetic levitation. The Zr 61 Ti 2 Cu 25 Al 12 GA can achieve an undercooling degree of 226 K, which is larger than previously reported GAs. Calorimetric analysis indicates a more relaxed state occurs in the GA cooled from the larger undercooling. Hardness tests show that deep undercooling can lead to a significant increase in hardness compared to a low undercooling level. It might be attributed to a liquid-liquid transition, bringing out an obvious change in the atomic volume of the glassy phase. In addition, a pronounced ordered structure apparently exists when the system reaches the larger undercooling degree. Our findings provide a new perspective for the study of the undercooled liquid, and the solidification kinetics of GAs. • Structure of Zr 61 Ti 2 Cu 25 Al 12 GA is modulated by vitrification at different undercoolings via electromagnetic levitation. • The Zr 61 Ti 2 Cu 25 Al 12 GA achieves a 226 K undercooling degree, which is larger than previously reported GAs. • Our work provides a new perspective for the study of undercooled liquid and the solidification kinetics of GAs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The most common strategy to enhance the plasticity of metallic glasses (MGs) is to synthesize MG composites with crystalline phases. Here, the evolution of crystallization and the correlation between void-like defects and crystallization for the as-spun and cryogenically-treated (CT) MGs are investigated under a rigorous annealing process conducted in-situ. The as-spun specimen maintains its amorphous structure with a relatively large size of nanoscale defects. However, crystallization is observed for the CT MG with a high concentration of nanoscale defects that decreases during the crystallization process. The crystallization develops readily in the CT MG due to the greater size of the ordered clusters, the higher concentration of seeding sites, and its greater nucleation rate. Our findings demonstrated cryogenic treatment could tune atomic rearrangements, which has guiding significance on designing MG composite with controlled length scales and distribution of crystalline inclusions. [Display omitted] • During in-situ annealing process, the as-spun MG maintains its amorphous structure, but crystallization is observed for the cryogenic-treated MG. The evolution of crystallization and the correlation between defects and crystallization at the nanoscale is accordingly investigated. • Our work provides a new perspective for understanding the structural information featured in disordered materials, and contributes toward a more complete understanding of the primary crystallization mechanisms in MGs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-strength alloys are in urgent demand for engineering applications. Inducing multiple strengthening phases in a ductile matrix by microalloying is an effective alloy-strengthening strategy, especially the simultaneous formation of geometrically close-packed (GCP) phases and topologically close-packed (TCP) precipitation in high entropy alloys (HEAs). In this study, the microstructural evolution and mechanical properties of a series of (FeNi) 67 Cr 15 Mn 10-x Al 4 Ti 4 Mo x HEAs with x values of 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 were analyzed in detail, with the substitution of Mn by Mo. This substitution does not change the L1 2 phase forming elements (Ni, Al and Ti) in the alloy, and enhance the σ phase precipitation, which meantime does not modify the oxidation resistance in thermal mechanical treatment. After aging at a temperature of 1023 K for 5 h, the matrix of the HEAs still maintains a face-cubic-centered structure. However, as Mn is replaced by Mo, hard σ precipitates are introduced into the matrix and the grains are significantly refined when x < 5. Therefore, the yield strength monotonically increases with increasing x. However, the formation of the hard σ precipitates also hinders the sustainability of the work hardening process, and thereby decreases the plasticity of the HEAs. Hence, the elongation at break monotonically decreases with increasing x. However, the high density of σ phase precipitates obtained at x = 5 prematurely terminates the work hardening process. Therefore, the highest ultimate tensile stress is obtained at x = 4, rather than x = 5. This also changes the fracture morphology from a coarse grain morphology for x < 5 to a typical brittle fracture at x = 5. Accordingly, (FeNi) 67 Cr 15 Mn 6 Al 4 Ti 4 Mo 4 obtains the optimal mechanical properties overall. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

NRG-CC001, a trial evaluating the neuroprotective effect of HA-WBRT versus standard WBRT in patients with brain metastases (BM), demonstrated a significantly lower risk of NCF decline. Given the heterogeneous BM patient population, we sought to systematically identify subgroups of patients through secondary analysis of trial data that could derive differential benefit from HA. We performed a post hoc analysis of NRG-CC001, a phase III clinical trial in which 518 patients with BM were randomly assigned to WBRT plus memantine or HA-WBRT plus memantine. In this secondary analysis, cumulative incidence function (CIF) estimated NCF failure between arms and subgroups was tested using Gray's test. Covariate and subgroup association with differential treatment response was calculated using Cox proportional hazards modeling; these factors were then tested for interaction with treatment arm. Age (>61), education (=4 months, there was a significant benefit favoring HA-WBRT (p=0.03). We found evidence of heterogeneity of treatment effect based on primary tumor histology (interaction test p=0.01): primary lung histology patients (HR 0.58, 95% CI: 0.43-0.77, p=0.0007) compared to those with non-lung histology primary tumors (HR 1.15, 95% CI: 0.78-1.71, p=0.48). Baseline MD Anderson Symptom Inventory for brain tumor (MDASI-BT) cognitive factor scores were also found to be highly associated with treatment response with significance on test for interaction (p=0.03); those with MDASI-BT baseline scores in quartiles 1-3 had significantly greater differential treatment response (HR=0.64, 95% CI: 0.48-0.85, p=0.002) compared to those with the highest MDASI-BT baseline scores (HR=1.24, 95% CI: 0.76-2.04, p=0.39). There was no significant heterogeneity of treatment effect based on age, education level, and baseline KPS. This post-hoc subgroup analysis of NRG-CC001 evaluating heterogeneity of treatment effect confirmed that the neurocognitive protective benefit of HA-WBRT was most substantial for patients living > 4 months; for those surviving <4 months, statistically significant benefit was not identified, possibly because cognitive decline post-WBRT requires a window of time to manifest. We also found that treatment response was significantly associated with several patient and tumor characteristics. Patients with lung histology as well as those with lower baseline MDASI-BT cognitive factor scores, denoting less severe cognitive impairment at enrollment, had significantly greater benefit from HA-WBRT. These data may better help clinicians decide which subgroups of patients benefit most from HA-WBRT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Orchidaceae are one of the two largest families of flowering plants, new orchid genera are being described at a rate of about 13 per year. Bletilla sinensis is one of five species in the Bletilla. It has high medicinal value and can promote blood circulation and anti-inflammation. However, its phylogenetic status is controversial. In this study, the chloroplast genes of B. sinensis were sequenced and assembled, and download 73 complete chloroplast genes of orchid plants from NCBI to construct a molecular evolutionary tree, which provided new clues for the classification of B. sinensis. The results showed that the length of chloroplast genes was 156,941 bp, the GC content was 37.12%, and it contained 139 genes. The results of the molecular evolutionary tree show that the genus Bletilla is a single branch and has an independent evolutionary status. However, our sample is not in the same branch as the Bletilla, indicating that this sample may have an independent and effective taxonomic status. Based on the chloroplast genome structure and composition of this species, it also supports its independent taxonomic status from the Bletilla. Judging from the genetic distance between genera of Orchidaceae, the genetic distance between this sample and any other genera is greater than 0.02, which is greater than the genetic distance between the other two identified genera. In addition, the integration of morphological data from the Flora of China found that there are certain differences in morphology from other species of the genus Bletilla. Therefore, the above results suggest that this group should be a new genus of Orchidaceae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Medium entropy alloys (MEAs) strengthened by L1 2 ordered intermetallics have attracted extensive attention because of their unique mechanical properties that critically depend on the constituent elements. In this work, we design a CoCrNiAl 3 Ti 3 Cu 6 Nb 0.8 MEA possessing bimodal L1 2 nano-precipitates to achieve improved synergy of strength and ductility. The as-prepared MEA exhibit a yield strength of 1.16 GPa, a tensile strength of 1.55 GPa, and a uniform elongation of 28%. The improved mechanical responses are attributed to the simultaneously operated strong- and weak-pair coupling effects and the hetero-deformation induced strengthening that derived from the bimodal distributed L1 2 nano-precipitates. The results presented herein demonstrate that bimodal distributed nano-precipitates might be a new strategy toward synergy of strength and ductility in MEAs. [Display omitted] • A new non-equiamotic CoCrNiAl 3 Ti 3 Cu 6 Nb 0.8 medium entropy alloy (MEA) was designed. • The MEA exhibit strength-ductility synergy exceeded those reported on CoCrNi and derivatives. • The improved synergy derived from bimodal size distributed nanoscale coherent γ'. • Two pair coupling and hetero-deformation induced strengthening play key roles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food waste management through composting and anaerobic digestion are sustainable waste management processes that can promote sustainable agricultural practices by recycling nutrients, reducing reliance on synthetic fertilisers, and conditioning soils. However, compost and digestate (anaerobic digestate effluent) are low nutrient value fertilisers, limiting their use within agriculture due to the large volumes required for land application. Alternatively, food waste-derived fertilisers could be used alongside chemical fertilisers to improve crop growth further and reduce demand on synthetic fertilisers. Therefore, this study evaluated the impact of food waste-derived fertilisers (compost, liquid digestate (LD), and solid digestate (SD)) on plant growth (Ryegrass) when applied at a rate of 50 kg N·ha−1 in combination with synthetic fertiliser (Urea Ammonium Nitrate (UAN)) at a rate of 0 or 50 kg N·ha−1. Ryegrass growth, soil chemistry, and rhizosphere microbial communities were investigated. SD in combination with UAN yielded the largest shoot biomass, while sole UAN at any application rate was not significantly different from the control. Beneficial plant growth phyla were in higher abundance in all treatments amended with food waste-derived fertilisers, and putative genes encoded for N fixing were found in higher abundances in all soil amendments compared to control. This highlights the value of food waste-derived fertilisers within agriculture. However, while drying would logically reduce costs associated with digestate transport, ammonia volatilisation led to significant N losses, reducing the fertiliser value of SD. Future studies should explore methods to mitigate ammonia valorisation to enhance the final fertiliser value of SD. [Display omitted] • Food waste management options produce organic amendments that recover nutrients. • Food waste fertilisers reduce and optimize synthetic N fertiliser use. • Evaporation of LD to SD reduces storage and handling problems at digestion plants. • Shoot biomass of SD + UAN 50 was 310 % higher than unamended soil with 0.36 % total N. • Greater beneficial microbial phyla community in food waste amended soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to rapidly quenching, metallic glasses (MGs) usually are metastable, which indicates that the microstructure of MGs can be easily manipulated by external energies. In the present study, a flash-annealing technique is used to influence the structure behavior of a Zr-based MG, which causes a structurally relaxation and/or rejuvenation via temperature changing. The structures at different length scales as well as the mechanical properties are examined. An auto-correlation function analysis based on transmission electron microscopy images, and a high energy synchrotron X-ray diffraction technique are used to characterize the structural evolution of flash-annealed MGs on the nano-scale and on the atomic-scale. The results demonstrate that crystal-like-ordering (CLO) regions play a key role to dominate the relaxation and the rejuvenation processes. The rejuvenation leads to short-range orders that are loosely-packing connections within a medium-range order, which reduces structural order and causes a high configurational energy state. An opposite behavior occurs in the relaxed MG. The rejuvenation induces an obviously low density, elastic modulus and shear modulus in the macroscopic performances of the MG. The findings highlight the fact that the quantitative manipulation of the amount of CLO regions can be achieved via flash-annealing, which can modify the mechanical behavior of the MG. [Display omitted] • Relaxation and rejuvenation of MG are modified by flash-annealing. • Different MGs are associated with nano-scale crystal-like-ordering regions. • Loosely-nearest neighbors are loosely-packing connections in MRO of MG. • Reduced structural order in MG has a high configurational energy state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Different sheep breeds have evolved after initial domestication, generating various tail phenotypic patterns. The phenotypic diversity of sheep tail patterns offers ideal materials for comparative analysis of its genetic basis. Evolutionary biologists, animal geneticists, breeders, and producers have been curious to clearly understand the underlying genetics behind phenotypic differences in sheep tails. Understanding the causal gene(s) and mutation(s) underlying these differences will help probe an evolutionary riddle, improve animal production performance, promote animal welfare, and provide lessons that help comprehend human diseases related to fat deposition (i.e., obesity). Historically, fat tails have served as an adaptive response to aridification and climate change. However, the fat tail is currently associated with compromised mating and animal locomotion, fat distribution in the animal body, increased raising costs, reduced consumer preference, and other animal welfare issues such as tail docking. The developing genomic approaches provide unprecedented opportunities to determine causal variants underlying phenotypic differences among populations. In the last decade, researchers have performed several genomic investigations to assess the genomic causality underlying phenotypic variations in sheep tails. Various genes have been suggested with the prominence of several potentially significant causatives, including the BMP2 and PDGFD genes associated with the fat tail phenotype and the TBXT gene linked with the caudal vertebrae number and tail length. Although the potential genes related to sheep tail characteristics have been revealed, the causal variant(s) and mutation(s) of these high‐ranking candidate genes are still elusive and need further investigation. The review discusses the potential genes, sheds light on a knowledge gap, and provides possible investigative approaches that could help determine the specific genomic causatives of sheep tail patterns. Besides, characterizing and revealing the genetic determinism of sheep tails will help solve issues compromising sheep breeding and welfare in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Ammonium was retained after being acidified and evaporated. • Acidified digestate products were the most nutrient dense products. • NH 4 H 2 PO 4 -SD had 5.5 higher shoot biomass than control and UAN. • Beneficial bacteria were found in digestate amendments. • Agronomic value of acidified digestate products compared to its counterparts were assessed. The study synthesised the raw liquid fraction of digestate into a nutrient rich solid digestate through acidification whilst preventing nitrogen loss through ammonium volatilisation during evaporation. To stabilise ammonium in the digestate, it was acidified with sulphuric, nitric, and phosphoric acid to produce solid digestate with ammonium sulphate, ammonium nitrate and ammonium phosphate, respectively. These treatments were compared against urea ammonium nitrate, raw digestate, and unacidified solid digestate. To evaluate the effect of these transformed digestate products in soil, a plant growth experiment (Kikuyu; Cenchrus clandestinus) was conducted, and characterised, plant growth, soil chemistry, and rhizosphere bacterial communities. Plant growth was enhanced by all digestate treatments compared to control and urea ammonium nitrate. Ammonium phosphate solid digestate plant growth was significantly higher than all other acidified treatments due to the high P content. Moreover, digestate-amended soil had elevated Proteobacteria and putative denitrification genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to analyze tire wear particulate matter (TWP) from tread rubber with different formulations and to compare the concentration of TWP with different wear devices. The TWP generated during the abrasion of truck and bus radial (TBR) tires were examined, and the effect of using different types of rubber and carbon black (CB) were investigated. When natural rubber (NR) was solely used as the tire tread rubber material, there was a higher concentration of 5–10 µm TWP. However, when the tread formulation consisted of NR mixed with butadiene rubber, the TWP concentration decreased. Changing the type of CB also reduced the amount of TWP in the 2.5 µm size range. The TWP concentration in the specimens increased with increasing speed and vertical load. The TWP generated during the abrasion tests using wear testers and tire simulators exhibited similar trends. These findings suggest that modifying tire tread formulations can effectively control the distribution and amount of TWP generation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the emergence of novel targeted treatments for atopic dermatitis (AD), there is a lack of guidelines on standardizing analysis of clinical trial data. To define and estimate meaningful treatment comparisons, several factors, including intercurrent events, must be taken into account. Intercurrent events are defined as events occurring after treatment initiation that affect either the interpretation or existence of the measurements associated with clinical questions of interest. Due to the relapsing, unpredictable nature of AD, intercurrent events frequently occur in AD trials, such as use of rescue therapy for intense itch and sleep deprivation. Despite the impact of intercurrent events in AD, they are often handled in an inconsistent manner across trials, which limits results interpretation. The estimand framework is increasingly used to estimate treatment effects while accounting for intercurrent events. This review explores how guidance from the International Council for Harmonization of Technical Requirements for Pharmaceuticals for Human Use (ICH) on the use of estimands can be applied to support AD clinical trial design and analysis. We propose that estimands are used in AD trials and defined early during trial design. The use of estimands can provide clinicians with interventional trial results that are more reflective of clinical practice, help facilitate comparisons across clinical trials, and are more informative to enable improved treatment selection for patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Re-irradiation (re-RT) for recurrent head and neck cancer (rHNC) after prior HNC RT is clinically challenging given prior radiation of nearby organs at risk (OARs). We describe clinical outcomes and toxicity of pencil beam scanning proton therapy (PBS-PT) for recurrent HNC, and report genomic alterations associated with patterns of failure to improve clinical decision making. We performed a retrospective analysis of rHNC patients treated at a single institution with PBS-PT. Baseline demographic, disease and treatment characteristics were recorded. Clinical outcomes were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Univariable (UVA) and multivariable analyses (MVA) were performed to assess patient, disease, and treatment related factors. Acute and late grade 3+ toxicities were assessed per CTCAE v5.0. Next generation sequencing (NGS) and genomic analyses were performed on available samples. Eighty-nine patients treated with PBS-PT for rHNC between 2016 and 2022 with a median follow-up of 12 months (range 0-71) were included. The 1- and 2-year local control rates were 80.8% (95% CI: 70.8-90.8) and 66.2% (95% CI: 50.7-81.7) and 1- and 2-year distant metastasis free survival (DMFS) were 41.0% (95% CI: 30.0-52.0) and 26.3% (95% CI: 15.7-36.9). Median overall survival (OS) was 13 months (95% CI: 9.3-16.7). On UVA and MVA, smaller gross tumor volume was associated with improved OS (HR 1.002, p=.004), DMFS (HR 1.002, p=0.004) and progression free survival (PFS) (HR 1.002, p=0.014). There were 35 late grade 3 or higher toxicity events (30.3%), including one patient that suffered late grade 5 osteoradionecrosis resulting in sepsis. Patients with higher candidate gene specific mutation burden (genes with odds-ratio >2, p<0.05) had inferior PFS. In addition, TP53, NOTCH4 and ARID1B mutations were associated with inferior DMFS (OR>2, p<0.05). Of the top 28 highly mutated genes (mutated in ≥ 3 samples in either group, odd ratio>2), TP53 was the most frequently mutated gene in DMFS alive group with Met(78%), followed by NOTCH4(52%), ARID1B (33%). please see table table1b. Pencil beam scanning proton therapy re-irradiation is effective at achieving local control for recurrent head and neck cancer and is associated with a favorable toxicity profile. Distant metastases comprise the major failure pattern for this patient population and are associated with TP53, NOTCH4 , and ARID1B somatic mutations. Validation of these findings may provide rationale for the inclusion of genomic alterations in the clinical decision process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A magnetic shielding system combining three-axis active magnetic shielding and a high-Tc superconducting ring (TASR) was developed. The active shield mainly responds to DC field while the ring operates for shielding AC fields below 1 kHz. In this study, the system's shielding effects were evaluated experimentally, and the results suggest that this system can effectively shield the interference of static and low-frequency magnetic fields to ensure the operation of high-precision magnetic sensors. The shielding factor reached 99.9% for geomagnetic field (DC, 38 500 nT), which exceeded 98% for about 10 000 nT AC magnetic field at 30–1000 Hz. Then, magnetic non-destructive testing of the circuit was performed in this TASR shielding system. The images clearly showed the magnetic field distribution in different kinds of circuits that could be inverted to current density information, indicating that the shielding system can detect circuit defects and has great application potential in integrated circuit diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work describes two achievements to a key data set. First, we present version 2 of the Total and Spectral Solar Irradiance Sensor‐1 Hybrid Solar Reference Spectrum (TSIS‐1 HSRS), which has recently been recognized as a new solar irradiance reference standard (https://calvalportal.ceos.org/). Second, we present a new "full spectrum extension" of the TSIS‐1 HSRS. The TSIS‐1 HSRS observational composite solar irradiance reference spectrum spans 0.202–2.730 μm and encompasses more than 97% of the energy in the total solar irradiance (TSI). Version 2 is an incremental update that corrects the radiometric baseline between 0.202 and 0.210 μm and updates the solar lines at wavelengths longward of 0.743 μm to those listed in the most recent database. The full spectrum extension builds off version 2 of the TSIS‐1 HSRS and supports applications that require a solar spectrum encompassing nearly 100% of the energy in the TSI. It spans 0.115–200 μm and was developed by incorporating additional observations and theoretical knowledge where no direct observations currently exist. Plain Language Summary: The Sun's irradiance spectrum is used in many applications such as constraining the solar forcing in climate models. Recently, the TSIS‐1 Hybrid Solar Reference Spectrum (HSRS), a spectrum developed by adjusting high spectral resolution solar line data to the irradiance scale of the more accurate, but lower spectral resolution, Total and Spectral Solar Irradiance Sensor‐1 (TSIS‐1) Spectral Irradiance Monitor (SIM) and Compact SIM observations, was formally recognized as a new standard. In this work, we provide an incremental update to that reference spectrum. Furthermore, we extend it to the "full spectrum," beyond the wavelength range of direct observations of the Sun's irradiance spectrum. The HSRS Extension differs by less than 0.1% in its integral quantity to observations of the total solar irradiance. Above the range of the SIM observations, the solar line data are normalized to the irradiance scale of a theoretical spectrum and then adjusted in magnitude to match the SIM observations at their long wavelength cut‐off. Below the range of the SIM observations, Solar Stellar Irradiance Comparison Experiment observations from the Solar Radiation and Climate Experiment mission are incorporated. Key Points: Version 2 of the Total and Spectral Solar Irradiance Sensor‐1 (TSIS‐1) Hybrid Solar Reference Spectrum (HSRS) is an incremental update from the original release in 2021The HSRS Extension builds upon the TSIS‐1 HSRS with independent observations and theoretical knowledge where no observations existThe HSRS Extension has at least 0.1 nm spectral resolution, spans 0.115–200 μm, and integrates to the total solar irradiance [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lycium barbarum Thunb. and Lycium ruthenicum Murray (wolfberries) have been utilized as traditional medicinal and nutritional plants in China for centuries. Much research has been focused on their high quality, yet the molecular mechanisms underlying morphological differences remain unclear. In this study, a comparative analysis of morphological and cytological characteristics indicated that significant differences existed. Meanwhile, transcriptomic analyses of the flower and fruit were performed at different developmental stages, and a total of 54 795 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were screened. Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analyses showed that these DEGs were significantly enriched in substance metabolism, catalytic activity, single organism process, starch and sucrose metabolism, carotenoid biosynthesis, amino sugar and nucleotide sugar metabolism, phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, and other pathways. Based on these significantly enriched pathways, the ratio between nonsynonymous and synonymous substitution rates (Ka/Ks), and numerous studies related to flower and fruit development, we preliminarily screened eight transcription factor families related to flower and fruit development and counted the number of potential transcription factor genes. These candidate genes could provide a basis for future functional verification, helping to further research on the molecular mechanism of morphological differences in the two Lycium species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seedling greening upon irradiance is essential for the survival of plant after germination. Here, we studied the role of nitric oxide (NO) in regulating the accumulation of chlorophyll during greening of Arabidopsis seedlings, and we also investigated the changes of ATP in the chloroplast and cytoplasm during greening by using a fluorescent protein sensor (Ateam 1.03-nD/nA) based on fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) and the effects of NO on the changes of ATP content. The results showed that the content of NO, chlorophyll, and ATP in the chloroplast and cytoplasm increased with the increase of greening time. L-NAME, an inhibitor of NO, not only decreased the accumulation of chlorophyll content but also reduced the ATP content in the chloroplast and cytoplasm during the greening of Arabidopsis seedlings. Therefore, these experiments indicate that the accumulation of chlorophyll and changes of ATP during greening of etiolated Arabidopsis seedlings are mediated by nitric oxide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For unresectable intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC), we previously showed that pre-therapy CT volumetric enhancement (VE) associates with biological (e.g., degree of stromal infiltration and necrosis, genetic mutations, and infiltrating lymphocytes) and clinical outcomes. Further, we showed that a change in VE following radiotherapy (RT) is prognostic. Here, we integrated these baseline and post-treatment imaging features to appraise their joint prognostic value. We retrospectively identified 112 patients (54% female, median age 63 years) who received definitive RT (78% photon, 22% proton; median biologically effective [BED 10 ] dose 86 Gy, interquartile range [IQR] 75-98 Gy) with triple phase CT imaging at diagnosis, prior to RT, and following RT. A technology company's multimodality tumor tracking software was used to quantify tumor VE ≥1 standard deviation of that of healthy parenchyma on each scan. Based on prior work, each patient was stratified into (1) low/high VE at baseline (cutpoint: 32% VE) and (2) VE-based response/non-response to RT (cutpoint: 26% decrease in VE). Overall survival (OS) and local failure-free survival (LFFS) following RT were assessed using the Kaplan-Meier method. Cox analyses were performed to include the 2 radiomic markers and traditional covariates of survival. Concordance indices (C-index) were used to evaluate model performance. At a median follow up of 74 months, 46% failed locally and 85% died. The 2-year OS and LFFS were 40% (95% confidence interval [CI], 30-49%) and 26% (CI, 18-34%), respectively. At baseline, median VE was 25% (IQR 14-45%); VE was categorized as low in 43% and high in 57%. Following RT, median change in VE was +3% (IQR -7% to +176%); change was categorized as non-response for 56% and response in 44%. On multivariable analysis for OS, Stage IV disease (hazard ratio [HR] 2.11, CI 1.35-3.31; P =0.001) was associated with poorer survival. High VE (HR 0.38, CI 0.24-0.59; P <0.001) and VE-based response to RT (HR 0.19, CI 0.12-0.32; P <0.001) were each independently associated with longer survival (C-index 0.77). For LFFS, Stage IV disease (HR 1.61, CI 1.03-2.52; P =0.036) was associated with shorter latency to local failure/death, while high VE (0.40, 95% CI 0.26-0.62; P <0.001) and VE-based response to RT (HR 0.29, CI 0.18-0.46; P <0.001) were associated with longer latency (C-index 0.74). Median OS stratified by cohort is shown in Table 1. For ICC patients treated with definitive RT, VE measured on pre-therapy imaging and pre/post-RT imaging each independently had greater predictive value than conventional patient and disease factors. These metrics, with their biological and clinical associations, may help personalize therapeutic approaches for ICC. External model validation is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Estimating relative tidal volume is an important factor when monitoring breathing status. The relationship between temperature and respiration volume has rarely been studied. In this paper, a formula was derived for calculating thermodiluted respiration volume from temperature changes in the nasal cavity. To evaluate the proposed formula, the study compared the relative tidal volume estimated by the proposed formula with that recorded by a respiration volume monitor (Exspiron1Xi, RVM). Thermal data were obtained for 8 cases at a rate of 10 measurements per second. Simultaneous recordings by the RVM are regarded as the reference.Results: The mean of ICC coefficient is 0.948 ± 0.030, RMSE is 0.1026 ± 0.0284, R-squared value is 0.8962 ± 0.065 and linear regression coefficient [Formula: see text] is 0.966 ± 0.104, [Formula: see text] is 0.042 ± 0.057. Bland-Altman plot showed 96.01% of samples that the difference between the measured and estimated values exists within 2 standard deviations.Conclusions: In this paper, a model that can thermodynamically calculate the relationship between thermal energy and respiration volume is proposed. The thermodiluted model is a feasible method for estimating relative respiration tidal volumes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nonlinear radars can be utilized to detect electronic devices, which are difficult to detect with conventional radars due to their small radar cross sections (RCS). Since the receiver in a nonlinear radar is designed to only receive harmonic or intermodulated echoes from electronic devices, it is able to separate electronic devices from non-electronic scatters (clutter) by rejecting their echoes at fundamental frequencies. This paper presents a harmonic-based nonlinear radar scheme utilizing frequency-modulated continuous-wave (FMCW) signals for the detection of various electronic devices at short range. Using a laboratory experiment setup for FMCW radar at S-band for Tx (C-band for Rx), measurements are carried out to detect electronic devices of various sizes. The results show that the detection of small electronic devices is possible with nonlinear FMCW radar when appropriate system parameters are selected. Furthermore, we also discuss the maximum detectable range estimation for electronic targets using the radar range equation for FMCW nonlinear radar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A broadband metasurface flat lens is proposed as a polarization-independent wideband superstrate for wave focusing and gain enhancement at Ka-band. The proposed metasurface structure consists of four metal layers and is designed with diagonally symmetric unit cells to accommodate both the vertical and horizontal polarizations. The focusing ability of the proposed metasurface flat lens is validated via simulation and measurement, where normally incident plane waves are shown to be enhanced by up to 11 dB as a result of wave focusing. Also, the radiation gain enhancement due to the proposed metasurface flat lens is demonstrated via simulation and measurement, where a gain enhancement of up to 10.5 dB is achieved. The results show that the proposed structure maintains the wave focusing and gain enhancement characteristics over a bandwidth of 28–32 GHz. Furthermore, to demonstrate the utility of the proposed metasurface for circular polarization (CP), the gain enhancement of a CP patch antenna as a result of implementing the proposed metasurface as a superstrate is demonstrated via simulation and measurement. It is shown that the proposed metasurface superstrate provides a CP gain enhancement of nearly 10 dB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• High temperature water combined with irradiation induces in oxidation of grain boundaries that weaken the boundaries. • Applied tensile stress enhances the rate of grain boundary oxidation. • Deformation induced dislocation channels create local stresses sufficient to crack a grain boundaryweakened by oxidation. • Fracture of the oxidized grain boundary allows for oxidation of the boundary beneath the crack tip. • Oxidation of silicon at the grain boundary forms highly soluble amorphous silica that aids crack extension via dissolution. Irradiation assisted stress corrosion cracking (IASCC) is a form of intergranular stress corrosion cracking that occurs in irradiated austenitic alloys. It requires an irradiated microstructure along with high temperature water and stress. The process is ubiquitous in that it occurs in a wide range of austenitic alloys and water chemistries, but only when the alloy is irradiated. Despite evidence of this degradation mode that dates back to the 1960s, the mechanism by which it occurs has remained elusive. Here, using high resolution electron backscattering detection to analyze local stress-strain states, high resolution transmission electron microscopy to identify grain boundary phases at crack tips, and decoupling the roles of stress and grain boundary oxidation, we are able to unfold the complexities of the phenomenon to reveal the mechanism by which IASCC occurs. The significance of the findings impacts the mechanical integrity of core components of both current and advanced nuclear reactor designs worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Re-irradiation (re-RT) for recurrent head and neck cancer (HNC) after prior HNC radiation therapy (RT) is clinically challenging given prior radiation of nearby organs at risk (OARs). We describe clinical outcomes and toxicity of pencil beam scanning proton therapy (PBS-PT) for recurrent HNC. We performed a retrospective analysis of recurrent HNC patients treated at a single institution with PBS-PT. Baseline demographic, disease and treatment characteristics were recorded. Local control (LC), locoregional control (LRC), progression free survival (PFS), distant metastasis free survival (DMFS), and overall survival (OS) were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. UVA was completed using logistic regression, and MVA was performed using a backward elimination model. We also report acute and late grade 3+ toxicity outcomes, graded per CTCAE v5.0. A total of 89 patients treated with PBS-PT for recurrent HNC between 2016 and 2022 were included. Primary sites included oropharynx (30.0%), oral cavity (22.5%), sinonasal cavity (15.7%), larynx (12.4%) and nasopharynx (6.7%). The most common tumor histology was SCC (73.0%). Median time to re-RT was 47 months. Median dose of PBS-PT was 60 Gy (range: 40-72) with 50.6% receiving BID treatment. Median GTV volume was 30cc (range 4.8-1083cc). 24% of patients received concurrent systemic therapy (46% cytotoxic, 4.5% immunotherapy). Median follow-up after PBS-PT was 8 months (range: 0-71), and median OS was 13 months (95% CI: 9.3-16.7). The median PFS and DMFS were 7 months (95% CI 5.0-9.0) and 9 months (95% CI 5.3-12.7) respectively. The 1- and 2-year LC rates were 80.8% (95% CI: 70.8-90.8) and 66.2% (95% CI: 50.7-81.7). The 1- and 2-year DMFS were 41.0% (95% CI: 30.0-52.0) and 26.3% (95% CI: 15.7-36.9). On UVA and MVA, smaller GTV volume was associated with improved OS (HR 1.002, p =.004), DMFS (HR 1.002, p = 0.004) and PFS (HR 1.002, p = 0.014). In addition, shorter time to re-RT was associated with worse LRC (HR 1.003, p = 0.002), and higher KPS was associated with improved PFS (HR 0.57, p = 0.04). There were 31 acute grade 3 toxicity events (21 patients), the most common being odynophagia (9.0%) followed mucositis (5.6%), dehydration and dermatitis (both 4.5%). One patient had grade 4 toxicity, laryngeal edema requiring intubation 40 days after completion of re-RT. One patient had acute grade 5 toxicity, an oropharyngeal bleed 74 days after completion of re-RT. There were 35 late toxicity events (n = 27), the most common being dysphagia (n = 7, 7.9%). One patient suffered late grade 5 osteoradionecrosis, which resulted in sepsis. PBS-PT for recurrent HNC results in effective disease control and favorable toxicity. Patients with smaller GTV volume appear to have improved OS, PFS and DMFS, and may be better candidates. Those with shorter time to re-RT also have worse LRC. However, distant failure (DF) comprises a major failure pattern, and biomarkers to identify patients at risk for DF may improve clinical decision making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Raw liquid anaerobic digestate was synthesised into nutrient-dense solid digestates via acidification and evaporation. Acidification retained ammonium in the digestate whilst also donating the anion to free ammonium to form an ammonium salt. Digestate was treated with the addition of sulphuric, nitric, and phosphoric acid resulting in the formation of ammonium sulphate, ammonium nitrate and ammonium phosphate, respectively then evaporated into a solid fertiliser product. FTIR, XRD and SEM-EDS collectively confirm that the addition of acids completely converted the free ammonium in the raw digestate into their respective ammonium salt counterparts. Compounds of potassium chloride, silicon dioxide, calcium carbonate, magnesium ammonium phosphate, sodium nitrate, and sodium chloride were identified in all solid digestate samples. Plant growth and grain yield was higher in urea ammonium nitrate, raw liquid digestate and acidified digestate products compared to control and unacidified solid digestate. Urea ammonium nitrate and ammonium nitrate solid digestate had the highest dry shoot, likely due to the high available nitrogen found in both fertilisers. Overall, acidification and evaporation of liquid digestate can efficiently transform it into a valuable solid fertiliser with a high nutrient density. This process not only has the potential to mitigate handling and storage constraints of low nutrient density digestate in anaerobic digestion facilities but also offers a sustainable alternative to conventional fertilisers. [Display omitted] • Ammonium salts were confirmed in acidified digestates via FTIR, XRD and SEM-EDS. • Retaining ammonium in digestate using acids increased nutrient density. • Digestate products and urea ammonium nitrate were compared in a field trial. • Urea ammonium nitrate, raw digestate and acidified digestate had the highest yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS) and collagen-related hypermobility disorders are well known to cause frequent joint dislocations, easy bruising, and poor wound healing. Marfan syndrome is caused by a mutation in the protein fibrillin, a key component of collagen and elastin connective tissue, whose dysfunction causes the marfanoid phenotype. Currently, little is known regarding the impact of connective tissue disorders on men's sexual health. As a first step in exploring this association, we investigated two physical phenomena that may be impacted by collagen disorders, penile fractures and Peyronie's disease. Objective: This study aims to investigate rates of penile fracture and Peyronie's disease in EDS and Marfan syndrome patients. Methods: A multi-center, international, electronic health record network (TriNetX) was queried to identify adult male patients with or without EDS between 1993 and 2023 using ICD-10 codes Q79.6, Q79.60, and Q79.62 specific for EDS and EDS related hypermobility syndrome. TriNetX was separately queried for Marfan syndrome using ICD-10 code Q87.4. Incidence and prevalence of penile fractures and Peyronie's disease were compared between patients with and without the diseases of interest. Penile fractures were identified using ICD-10 codes S39.840, S39.84A, S39.84S, S39.84D. Peyronie's disease was defined using ICD-10 code N48.6. Odds ratios were generated with 95% confidence intervals. All statistical analyses were conducted within the TriNetX platform. Results: Data was queried from 82 healthcare organizations to yield 11,937 EDS patients, and from 101 healthcare organizations to yield 13,705 Marfan syndrome patients. 109 healthcare organizations contributed data to yield a control group of 63,790,628 men. Men with EDS had a 25 times higher rate of penile fractures (0.09%) compared to men without EDS (OR 25; 95% CI [13.8-47.8]). Men with Marfan's syndrome had a 23 times higher rate of penile fractures (0.08%) compared to men without Marfan's syndrome (OR 23; 95% CI [12.4-43.1]). Men with Marfan's syndrome also had a significantly higher incidence of Peyronie's disease compared to men without Marfan's syndrome (OR 1.9; 95% CI [1.2-3]). The difference in rates of Peyronie's disease was not significantly higher for men with EDS (OR 1.4; 95% CI [0.8 – 2.5]). Conclusions: Patients with EDS and Marfan syndrome are at an over 20 times higher risk for penile fracture. These increased risks may be due to EDS's and Marfan syndrome's effects on collagen and fibrillin/elastic fibers, respectively, which are significant structural components of the corpora cavernosa. Patients with these syndromes should be aware of this increased risk and further research is needed to establish how to council these patients about taking appropriate precautions. Disclosure: No. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: A cadmium (Cd)‐tolerant Bacillus megaterium strain A14 was used to investigate the effects and mechanisms of bacterial inoculation on peanut growth, Cd accumulation in grains and Cd fixation in Cd‐contaminated soil. Methods and Results: Spectroscopic analysis showed that A14 has many functional groups (‐OH, ‐NH2 and ‐COO et al.) distributed on its surface. The pot experiment indicated that compared to the Cd‐contaminated soil alone treatment, inoculation with strain A14 increased shoot and root biomass by 59·93 and 58·31% respectively. The accumulation of Cd in grains decreased by 48·14%, while the proportion of exchangeable Cd in soil decreased from 40 to 26% in A14 inoculated soil. Conclusions: Inoculation with B. megaterium A14 improved peanut plant growth via (i) adsorbing Cd2+ through functional groups on cell surface, (ii) immobilization of Cd in soil through extracellular secretions, (iii) scavenging the reactive oxygen species through production of antioxidant enzymes, and (iv) by reducing the phytoavailable Cd through regulation of Cd transport gene expression. Significance and Impact of the Study: This study provided a new sight on microbial approach for the chemical composition transformation of soil Cd and associated food safety production, which pointed out an efficient way to improve peanut cultivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a new solar irradiance reference spectrum representative of solar minimum conditions between solar cycles 24 and 25. The Total and Spectral Solar Irradiance Sensor‐1 (TSIS‐1) Hybrid Solar Reference Spectrum (HSRS) is developed by applying a modified spectral ratio method to normalize very high spectral resolution solar line data to the absolute irradiance scale of the TSIS‐1 Spectral Irradiance Monitor (SIM) and the CubeSat Compact SIM (CSIM). The high spectral resolution solar line data are the Air Force Geophysical Laboratory ultraviolet solar irradiance balloon observations, the ground‐based Quality Assurance of Spectral Ultraviolet Measurements In Europe Fourier transform spectrometer solar irradiance observations, the Kitt Peak National Observatory solar transmittance atlas, and the semi‐empirical Solar Pseudo‐Transmittance Spectrum atlas. The TSIS‐1 HSRS spans 202–2730 nm at 0.01 to ∼0.001 nm spectral resolution with uncertainties of 0.3% between 460 and 2365 nm and 1.3% at wavelengths outside that range. Plain Language Summary: The Sun's irradiance spectrum is used in many applications, such as constraining the solar forcing in climate models and converting measured satellite radiance to reflectance. A growing body of literature has provided evidence that the currently available solar reference spectra differ by more than their reported uncertainties. Such differences lead to biased results when different reference spectra are adopted in the aforementioned applications. This motivates our work to provide a new high‐resolution solar reference spectrum at higher accuracy than any previously reported. Our ability to produce such a data set is due to the state‐of‐the‐art measurements of the Sun's irradiance spectrum made since March 2018 by the next‐generation Spectral Irradiance Monitor (SIM) instrument on the Total and Spectral Solar Irradiance Sensor‐1 (TSIS‐1) satellite mission and the Compact SIM (CSIM) technology demonstration mission. The TSIS‐1 SIM and CSIM have order‐of‐magnitude reduction in uncertainty relative to predecessor instruments primarily because of a first‐of‐its‐kind spectral radiometric calibration facility capable of characterizing the instruments to higher fidelity. We develop this new, high‐resolution, solar irradiance reference spectrum by adjusting high spectral resolution solar line data to the irradiance scale of the more accurate, but lower spectral resolution, TSIS‐1 SIM and CSIM observations. Key Points: The TSIS‐1 Spectral Irradiance Monitor and Compact SIM instruments observe the Sun's irradiance spectrum at high accuracyThe TSIS‐1 Hybrid Solar Reference Spectrum consists of high resolution solar line data normalized to the TSIS‐1 SIM irradiance spectrumThe TSIS‐1 Hybrid Solar Reference Spectrum has at least 0.01 nm spectral resolution, spans 202–2730 nm, and is accurate to 0.3%–1.3% [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metasurfaces allow the rapid development of compact and flat electromagnetic devices owing to their capability in manipulating the wavefront of electromagnetic waves. Particularly, with respect to the metasurface lenses, wide operational bandwidth and wide incident angle behavior are critically required for practical applications. Herein, a single-layer phase gradient metasurface lens is presented to achieve millimeter-wave focusing at a focal point of 13 mm regardless of the incident angle. The proposed metasurface lens is fabricated by constructing subwavelength-thick (< λ/10) phase elements composed of two metallic layers separated by a single dielectric substrate that exhibits low-Q resonance properties and a wide phase modulation range with satisfactory transmissivity. By controlling the spatial phase distribution, the proposed metasurface lens successfully realises effective wavefront manipulation properties and high-performance electromagnetic-wave-focusing characteristics over a wide operating frequency range from 35 to 40 GHz with incident angle independency up to 30°. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose/objective(s): Although proton beam therapy (PBT) results in decreased dose to non-target tissue compared to modern photon therapy, there are concerns of rare CNS injury occurring following PBT due in part to RBE/LET uncertainties. Such uncertainties can be further exacerbated when delivering PBT using pencil beam scanning (PBS) technology. The primary objective of this study was to report the incidence of CNS toxicities in a large cohort of adult brain tumor patients treated with PBS at a single academic proton center. We hypothesized that PBS can be safely delivered for treatment of CNS tumors.Materials/methods: A single-institution retrospective IRB-approved analysis was conducted of all patients with CNS tumors treated with PBT at our institution between February 2016 and April 2020. Patients were excluded if follow up was less than one month. Kaplan-Meier estimates of treatment toxicities were calculated, accounting for death and local recurrence as competing risks. Multivariate analysis (MVA) was performed using the Cox proportional hazard model to determine risk factors associated with symptomatic toxicity.Results: A total of 283 consecutive patients with CNS toxicities (116 [41%] males, 167 [59%] females) completed a course of definitive-intent PBT; 116 patients had meningiomas/pituitary adenomas, 92 patients had gliomas/GBM, and 75 patients had other histologies (chordoma, paraganglioma, ependymoma, medulloblastoma, pineal tumor). Median age was 52 years old (range 18-91). Median dose of PBT was 51.3 Gy (RBE = 1.1, [range 20.4 - 78.8 Gy RBE]). Median dose per fraction was 1.8 Gy/fx (range 1.1-3.8 Gy/fx). Sixty patients [21%] had received some form of prior intracranial RT. Concurrent systemic therapy was delivered in 49 patients [17%]. Median follow-up time was 20 months. The 2-year incidence of symptomatic-treatment toxicity was 8.7%. Symptomatic radiation necrosis occurred in 13 patients including optic neuritis [N = 2], seizure [N = 3], neurologic deficit [N = 9], stroke [N = 1] and brainstem necrosis [N = 2]. Two patients had symptoms with no radiation-related imaging changes including stroke [N = 1] and seizure [N = 1]. MVA identified prior intracranial irradiation (HR 3.901, 95% CI 1.42, 10.73, P = 0.008) and increasing EQD2 of proton radiation (HR 1.077 per Gray, 95% CI 1.00, 1.15, P = 0.036) as predictive factors for increased incidence of adverse events including symptomatic toxicity and asymptomatic radiation necrosis. No PBT treatment planning parameters were found to correlate with toxicity risk.Conclusion: This is the largest series to date reporting outcomes for patients with CNS tumors treated with pencil beam scanning PBT. Our analysis indicates that pencil beam scanning PBT in this setting is well-tolerated with a toxicity profile similar to modern photon therapy. Future studies correlating toxicity-risk with LET are warranted.Author Disclosure: B. Savla: None. G.S. Alexander: None. K. Sun: None. S.M. Bentzen: Travel Expenses; University of Copenhagen. S. Mossahebi: None. Y. Kwok: None. W.F. Regine: None. M.V. Mishra: Employee; Orthofix. Research Grant; ASTRO, Keep Punching. Advisory Board; Patient Centers Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI. Travel Expenses; Patient Centers Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patients with localized prostate cancer (PCA) treated with RT alone have excellent outcomes, making quality of life and minimization of toxicities of great concern. The risk of developing toxicity may evolve with time from treatment which is of interest to patients seen in follow up. The primary objective of this study is to determine the conditional risk of grade 2+ GI or GU toxicity for patients treated with RT. A secondary objective is to determine risk factors associated with the development of late toxicities. We performed a post-hoc analysis of RTOG 0126, which enrolled patients with intermediate risk PCa who were randomized to receive standard dose RT of 70.2 Gy in 39 fractions vs dose escalated dose RT (DE-RT) of 79.2 Gy in 44 fractions. Cumulative incidence was used to calculate risk of grade 2+ GU and grade 2+ GI toxicity at initial time points, as well as for patients who survived 2 years and 5 years without respective grade 2+ toxicity. Risk factors of age, race, urinary incontinence, baseline urinary frequency, acute GU toxicity, treatment arm, RT method (3DCRT vs IMRT), and OAR contouring protocol violation were analyzed using univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards modeling for late GU toxicity. Risk factors of age, race, RT method, acute GI toxicity, DE-RT, RT method, and OAR contouring protocol violation were analyzed for late GI toxicity. One thousand four hundred ninety-nine patients with a median follow up of 8.4 years (range 0.02-13 years) were included for analysis. The conditional cumulative 5-year risk of late grade 2+ GI toxicity at enrollment, 2-, and 5-years of grade 2+GI toxicity free survivorship was 14.7%, 6.2%, and 1.8% respectively. The cumulative 5-year risk of late grade 2+ GU toxicity at enrollment, 2-, and 5-years of late grade 2+ GU toxicity free survivorship was 7.9%, 4.7%, and 2.7% respectively. Initially DE-RT (HR 1.401, 95% CI 1.099-1.787; p = 0.0066), acute GI toxicity (HR 1.962, 95% CI 1.271-2.616; P<0.0001), and black race (HR 0.630, 95% CI 0.4-0.993; p<0.0463) were predictive of late GI toxicity. After two years of 2+ GI toxicity free survivorship, only acute GI toxicity (HR 2.015, 95% CI 1.238-3.279, p<0.0048) remained predictive of late GI toxicity on MVA. DE-RT (HR 1.616, 95% CI 1.187-2.2, p<0.0023), IMRT (HR 0.559, 95% CI 0.389-0.804, p = 0.0017), and urinary frequency at baseline (HR 1.377, 95% CI 1-1.895 p<0.0498) were predictive of late GU toxicity at enrollment. This data suggests that as patients proceed further from completion of EBRT, the conditional risk of late toxicity decreases. The majority of grade 2+ GI and GU toxicities occur in the first two years of treatment and patients who have not had a grade 2+ GU or GI toxicity within the first five years are likely to remain toxicity free. Factors such as presence of baseline urinary dysfunction, presence of acute toxicities, DE-RT, and radiation modality predict for late toxicity. These findings are of relevance for clinicians and patients in the post treatment setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prognostic role of race on outcomes for patients with gliomas is debated. Historically, trials reporting on race have enrolled low percentages (<3%) of black patients. The primary objective of this study is to characterize racial factors in relation to treatment and clinicopathologic variables for adult glioma patients treated within a multi-center academic network with a large cohort of black patients. We hypothesize that racial factors may impact tumor biology and treatments rendered, and play a prognostic role in patients with gliomas. A retrospective IRB-approved analysis of 241 patients with gliomas treated with curative intent across 4 radiation oncology centers associated with a single academic institution between August 2004 and March 2021 was done. Chi-square tests were done to compare variables stratified by race. Kaplan-Meier (KM) and cox proportional hazard models were used to analyze overall survival (OS), progression free survival (PFS) and freedom from radiation necrosis/treatment effect (RN) for black (B) vs nonblack (NB) patients. Logistic regression was done to analyze association of race with treatment and clinicopathologic variables. Of the patients included, 140 (58.1%) were male, 101 (41.9%) were female, 33 (13.6%) were black and 208 (86.3%) were nonblack. Black patients were younger (median age 57.5 vs 62.8 yrs; p=0.026) and less likely to receive concurrent temozolomide (TMZ) (71.9% vs 89.9%; p=0.004). Median EQD2 delivered between B vs NB patients was significantly different (50.8 vs 55.4 Gy; p=0.026). There was no significant difference in performance status (p=0.469), MGMT-methylation (p=0.296), IDH-mutation (p=0.447), hypofractionation (p=0.584), adherence to NCCN guidelines (p=0.690), enrollment in clinical trials (p=0.329) or treatment at tertiary sites (p=0.247) for B vs NB patients. On MVA, black race was associated with improved OS (HR 0.555, p=0.027). MGMT methylation was also associated improved OS (HR 0.660, p=0.020). Higher EQD2 was associated with improved OS (HR 0.954, p=0.004) and increased risk of RN (HR1.068, p=0.003). There was no significant difference in median follow up (47.4 vs 36.6 m; p=0.92) or treatment effect (50% survival not reached; p=0.49) between the two groups. Black race improved median PFS (12.7 vs 8.9m, p=0.04) and OS (15.9 vs 10.8m; p=0.063). In this multi-center analysis examining impact of race in patients with gliomas, black patients were found to have improved OS and PFS, despite being more likely to receive a lower EQD2 dose and less likely to receive concurrent TMZ. Prospective studies to further investigate association of race as a prognostic factor for patients with gliomas are warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patients with low- and intermediate-risk prostate cancer (PCa) treated with radiation (RT) alone have excellent outcomes with anticipated long overall survival (OS). Although biochemical failure (BF) and OS rates are commonly reported from time of diagnosis, the relevance of such data diminishes over time for survivors. Conditional survival analyses can provide more relevant survival estimates for long-term survivors and help patients understand changing recurrence risks. The primary objective of this study was to report conditional OS and BF in patients with low- and intermediate-risk PCa treated with RT. A secondary objective was to determine if prognostic factors at initial treatment remain relevant later in survival. We performed a pooled analysis of patients with low- or intermediate- risk PCa enrolled in RTOG 0126 or 0415 treated with RT alone. OS was calculated (Kaplan–Meier) at various survivorship timepoints. Cumulative incidence (Phoenix definition) was used to calculate BF rates. Risk factors (Gleason score [GS], T stage, prostate-specific antigen (PSA), and EQD2 of prescribed dose) were analyzed at different timepoints using multivariable Cox proportional hazards modeling (MVA). A total of 2,591 patients were included (median age, 69 y; median PSA, 6.4 ng/mL; 48.5% with GS 7; 34.2% with stage T2 disease). Median follow-up was 6.9 y. The 3-, 5-, and 8-y OS from time of treatment were 96.2%, 89.2%, and 41.0%, respectively. Patients with 1-, 3-, and 5y of survival, had an additional 5 y survival rate of 73.3%, 42.6%, and 20.8%, respectively. On MVA at diagnosis, GS 7 (HR 1.352, P = 0.003), increasing age (HR 1.054, P < 0.001), and increasing PSA (HR 1.054, P = 0.01), were associated with all-cause mortality. For patients who survived 5 y, only age (HR 1.071, P < 0.001) was predictive of mortality. The 3-, 5-, and 8-y rates of BF from time of treatment were 7.1%, 12.5%, and 22.3%, respectively. For patients surviving 1, 3, and 5 y without BF, the rates of BF in the next 5 y were 14.2%, 17.2%, and 18.8%, respectively. On MVA, GS 7 (HR 1.907, P < 0.001), T2 disease (HR 1.375, P < 0.001), and increasing PSA (HR 1.114, P < 0.001) were significantly associated with increased risk of BF, whereas increasing EQD2 was associated with decreased BF rates (HR 0.922, P < 0.001). For patients who survived 5 y without BF, all initial prognostic factors remained statistically significant: GS 7 (HR 2.401, P < 0.001), stage T2 (HR 1.344, P = 0.0396), PSA (HR 1.109, P < 0.001), and EQD2 (HR 0.887, P < 0.001). Conditional risk of BF increases over time for patients with PCa initially treated with RT. Initial biologic and treatment variables remain prognostic at long-term follow-up, with dose-escalated RT continuing to be associated with decreased BF. This data can be used to counsel patients for their risk of BF in follow-up and to help decide on the frequency of PSA monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The efficacy and safety of Percutaneous Transluminal Pulmonary Angioplasty (PTPA) for TA-PH is unclear. Thus, the aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of PTPA for TA-PH. PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials Library were searched from inception to Aug 18, 2022, for articles investigating the efficacy and safety of PTPA for TA-PH. Study quality was assessed using the MINORS tool. The primary effectiveness outcomes were changes from baseline to re-evaluation in pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) and 6-minute walking distance (6MWD). The safety outcomes were procedure-related complications. Effect size was calculated based on odds ratio for binary variable or weighted mean difference (WMD) for continuous variable. This study was performed using Stata SE 16. Five articles were included, comprising 104 patients with TA-PH undergone PTPA treatment. The quality received high scores ranging from 13 to 15 points. The pooled treatment effects of PVR (weighted mean difference [WMD]: -4.772 WU; 95% confidence interval [CI]: -6.019 to -3.525 WU; I2 = 0.0%), 6-minute walking distance ([6MWD] WMD: 101.934 m; 95% CI: 60.262 to 143.607 m; I2 = 70.4%), mean pulmonary artery pressure (WMD: -12.482 mmHg; 95% CI: -15.179 to -9.785 mmHg; I2 = 0.0%), blood oxygen saturation (WMD: 4.128%; 95% CI: 3.199% to 5.057%; I2 = 19.5%), and WHO functional class (odds ratio: 0.109; 95% CI: 0.047 to 0.250; I2 = 34.2%) were significantly improved, respectively. Sensitivity, subgroup, and meta-regression analyses revealed that study design and sample size maybe contribute to heterogeneity of 6MWD. The procedure-related complications occurred in 32.00% of study patients, predominantly consisting of pulmonary artery injury and pulmonary injury. Periprocedural death was observed in one patient (1.00%, 1/100). The funnel plots, the Egger, and Begg test (p > 0.05) confirmed no publication bias. Patients with TA-PH significantly benefited from PTPA regarding hemodynamics and exercise tolerance, suggesting PTPA is effective and safe for current reported patients with TA-PH. Patients with TA-PH significantly benefited from PTPA. These findings need to be confirmed by more studies, particularly randomized controlled trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patients with low- (LR) and intermediate-risk (IR) prostate cancer (PC) have excellent control rates following definitive radiation therapy (RT), but may experience treatment morbidity that impacts quality-of-life. To decrease normal tissue toxicity, modern techniques such as intensity modulated (IM) RT have largely replaced 3D-Conformal (3D-C) RT for PC. The objective of our study was to describe the comparative benefit of IMRT over 3D-CRT for patients undergoing prostate RT across different RT dosing and fractionation schemes. We performed a post-hoc analysis of patients enrolled on RTOG 0126 and RTOG 0415. RTOG 0126 randomized to dose escalated (DE), conventionally fractionated (CF) RT (79.2 Gy/44 Fx) or standard dose (SD) CF RT (70.2 Gy/39 Fx). RTOG 0415 randomized to hypofractionated (HF) RT (70 Gy/28 Fx) or SD CF RT (73.8 Gy/41 Fx). Treatment with 3D-CRT and IMRT was at the discretion of the treating physician; target OAR dose constraints were the same irrespective of RT modality. We performed a logistic regression analysis of RT modality and acute and late grade 2+ gastrointestinal (GI) or genitourinary (GU) toxicity as per CTCAE criteria across the different dose regimens. A total of 2,590 patients treated in both studies were included in our analysis. The median patient age was 69 and median follow up was 6.9 years. On RTOG 0126, 66.3% and 33.7% were treated with 3DCRT and IMRT respectively, while 20.6% and 78.2% were treated with 3DCRT and IMRT on RTOG 0415, respectively. On both studies combined, the overall rate of acute grade 2+ GI and GU toxicity was 7.7% and 20.9%, respectively; the rate of late grade 2+ GI and GU toxicity was 18.2% and 17.5%, respectively. There was no significant difference in acute grade 2+ GI or GU toxicity between those treated with either RT modality across the different dosing regimens. For patients receiving DE CF RT, IMRT resulted in improved late grade 2+ GI toxicity compared to 3D-CRT (16.8% vs. 23.4%, OR=0.65, 95% CI 0.44-0.96, p=0.03). There was also a significant improvement in late grade 2+ GU toxicity with the use of IMRT compared to 3D-CRT (9.4% vs. 16.1%, OR=0.53, 95% CI 0.32-0.86, p=0.01). However, there was no significant difference in toxicity rates between IMRT and 3D-CRT for late GI or GU toxicity when using SD CF RT or HF RT. Patients undergoing CF dose-escalated RT benefit from IMRT, while patients receiving CF SD (70.2Gy or 73.8 Gy) RT or HF RT did not show a difference in toxicity based on RT modality. These data provide a framework to compare the relative benefit of modern RT techniques (e.g., proton, SBRT, MR-guided RT) to IMRT in future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salvage radiation therapy (SRT) and androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT) are routinely used in patients with elevated prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels after radical prostatectomy (RP). Although overall survival (OS) and biochemical-failure (BF) following SRT are useful when counseling patients at the time of treatment, the utility of survival data from time of diagnosis diminishes over time. Conditional survival (CS) can provide more relevant estimates, especially given long-term PCa survivorship. The primary aim of this study was to analyze CS estimates for recurrent PCa patients undergoing SRT ± ADT. The secondary objective was to determine if factors prognostic of OS and BF at diagnosis remain relevant in survivorship. We analyzed data from 760 post-RP patients enrolled in NRG/RTOG 9601 (1998–2003). Eligible patients included men who had undergone prior RP and had pT2/T3 disease without nodal involvement and detectable PSA levels of 0.2–4.0 ng/mL. Patients were randomly assigned to undergo SRT and receive either 24 mo of ADT or placebo. OS was calculated (Kaplan–Meier), cumulative incidence was used to estimate BF rates, and prognostic factors associated with OS and BF were analyzed by multivariable Cox proportional hazards modeling (MVA). Patients were followed for a median of 13 y. The 5- and 10-y OS estimates from diagnosis were 93% and 80%, respectively. At 1- (n = 755), 3- (n = 727), 5- (n = 680), 8- (n = 602), and 10-y (n = 543) survivorship, chances of surviving an additional 5 y were 92%, 89%, 86%, 80%, and 72%, respectively. On MVA at diagnosis, omission of ADT (HR 1.308, P = 0.0403), increasing age (HR 2.761, P < 0.0001), and Gleason score (GS) 8−10 (HR 1.054, P =0.01), were associated with all-cause mortality. For those who achieved survivorship at 5 y, only age (HR 2.973, P < 0.0001) and GS 8–10 (HR 1.801, P = 0.0063) were prognostic of mortality on MVA. The 5- and 10-y rates of BF from diagnosis were 36% and 52%, respectively. For patients who survived 1 (n = 725), 3 (n = 560), 5 (n = 435), 8 (n = 320), and 10 (n = 268) y without BF, chances of BF at an additional 5 y were 39%, 33%, 26%, 20%, and 20%, respectively. On MVA at time of SRT, omission of ADT (HR 2.139, P < 0.0001), GS 7 (HR 1.376, P = 0.0062), GS 8–10 (HR 1.717, P = 0.0005), and higher pretreatment PSA (HR 1.442, P = 0.0215), were associated with BF. For those who survived 5 y after treatment without failure, only omission of ADT (HR 1.407, P < 0.0384) was prognostic of BF. Conditional risk of BF for patients treated with SRT remains elevated at levels similar to those at initial treatment for up to 3 y after SRT, after which BF rates decrease. ADT continues to confer a reduced risk for BF for long-term survivors. This data can be used to inform survivorship care planning and highlights the need for continued PSA surveillance after completion of treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a growing demand for the ability to manufacture large-scale aluminum-steel (Al-Fe) bimetallic components for realizing the enormous advantages of advanced multi-material structures which offers effective lightweighting and increasingly smart functionalities. The formation of brittle intermetallic compounds (IMCs) at the bonding interface has been the major barrier to safety-critical applications with existing manufacturing processes, including additive manufacturing techniques. This study showed that a combination of a novel modified friction stir additive manufacturing (M-FSAM) and pre-processing surface polishing of the stainless steel enables the formation of a relative homogenously distributed nanoscale amorphous layer along the bonding interface between the 6061 Al and the 304 stainless steel. As a result, the high interfacial bonding strength of 280 MPa was achieved. Compared to the existing friction stir welding/AM processes, M-FSAM enables a significant increase in tool traverse speed and a remarkable reduction in tool cost for Al-Fe bimetallic component manufacturing. The nanoscale amorphous layer consisted of a continuous O and Mg rich layer 10–20 nm in thickness and a discontinuous Al-Fe-Si layer 50–100 nm in thickness. The O and Mg rich layer consisted of an amorphous matrix with nanocrystalline precipitates while the Al-Fe-Si layer consisted of a q-glass with some degree of crystallinity. The formation mechanism of the unique Al-Fe interfacial microstructure was analyzed in detail in this study. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]