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A study of the threshold photoelectron and photoelectron-photoion coincidence spectrum of SF5CF3, a new anthropogenic greenhouse gas, is measured using tunable vacuum-UV radiation from a synchrotron in the range 12-26 eV is presented. The results show that the high value of SF5-CF3 bond dissociation energy suggest that it is unlikely to be broken down by UV photo dissociation in the stratosphere.

Simple Summary: Whole-body magnetic resonance imaging (WB-MRI) is increasingly being used to evaluate a wider range of patients with different types of cancer and for cancer screening. To standardize acquisition, interpretation, and reporting, three WB-MRI reporting and data systems (RADSs) have been recently introduced: METastasis Reporting and Data System for Prostate Cancer (MET-RADS-P), Myeloma Response Assessment and Diagnosis System (MY-RADS), and Oncologically Relevant Findings Reporting and Data System (ONCO-RADS). The aim of this review is to provide a summary of the scientific evidence that has emerged so far regarding the clinical utility of WB-MRI RADSs. Although preliminary studies have demonstrated promising and consistent results regarding the prognostic value and reliability of WB-MRI RADSs, additional research is necessary, particularly for ONCO-RADS and inter-reader agreement for MY-RADS. Larger, prospective, multi-center studies are required to confirm and extend these encouraging initial findings. Whole-body magnetic resonance imaging (WB-MRI) is being employed with increasing frequency to evaluate a broader spectrum of patients with diverse types of cancer and for cancer screening purposes. While clinical guidelines support its use, a standardized radiological approach is still lacking. To improve consistency in the acquisition, interpretation, and reporting of WB-MRI examinations, three reporting and data systems (RADSs) have been recently suggested: METastasis Reporting and Data System for Prostate Cancer (MET-RADS-P), Myeloma Response Assessment and Diagnosis System (MY-RADS), and Oncologically Relevant Findings Reporting and Data System (ONCO-RADS). MET-RADS-P was developed to stage and monitor men with advanced prostate cancer using WB-MRI. It has emerged as a reliable imaging biomarker for predicting metastatic disease progression and assessing treatment response. MY-RADS was developed to stage and monitor patients with multiple myeloma using WB-MRI, emerging as a prognostic imaging biomarker. However, the evidence regarding inter-reader agreement for MY-RADS is currently limited. ONCO-RADS was developed to standardize the use of WB-MRI for cancer screening in individuals with cancer predisposition syndromes and in the general population. While initial findings are promising, the evidence supporting its use remains limited. To further validate and expand upon these promising preliminary findings, additional large-scale, prospective, multicenter studies are necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: The insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism in ACE, the gene encoding the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), has been suggested as a genetic variation that can influence exercise performance and risk of injury in elite athletes. The I allele has been associated with enhanced endurance performance and with reduced inflammation, while the D allele has been associated with improved performance in strength and power activities. However, the role of this genetic variant in the incidence of non-contact injury is underexplored. This study investigated the possible association of ACE I/D genotypes with the risk of non-contact injury in elite Moroccan athletes. Materials and Methods: Forty-three elite male athletes (19 cyclists and 24 field hockey players) from the Moroccan national team participated voluntarily. Non-contact injuries were recorded for all athletes and classified according to the IOC consensus statement by the medical staff of the teams. ACE I/D polymorphism genotyping was performed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using genomic DNA from blood samples. Results: There were four cyclists (21.05%) and eight field hockey players (33.33%) with a non-contact injury during the season. The distribution of the ACE I/D genotypes was similar in the athletes with vs. without non-contact injury for cyclists (DD/ID/II 25.00/50.00/25.00% vs. 46.67/40.00/13.33% non-injured, respectively; X2 = 0.69, p = 0.70), field hockey players (DD/ID/II 50.00/50.00/0.00% vs. 50.00/43.75/6.25%; X2 = 0.54, p = 0.76) and for the whole group of athletes (DD/ID/II 41.67/50.00/8.33% vs. 48.39/41.94/9.68%; X2 = 0.22, p = 0.89). In the whole group of athletes, neither the dominant (DD + ID vs. II = OR: 1.17, 95% CI: 0.15–16.56, p = 0.89) nor the recessive (DD vs. ID + II = OR: 1.31, 95% CI: 1.31–4.89, p = 0.69) models showed an increased risk of non-contact injury. Conclusions: The distribution of the ACE I/D genotypes was similar in elite cycling and field hockey athletes with or without non-contact injury during the season. These results indicate that there is no significant association between the ACE I/D polymorphism and the susceptibility to non-contact injury in these athletes. Further research is warranted to validate these findings and to investigate their broader implications for advancing knowledge in sports injury prevention and optimizing athlete management strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) is a versatile method that non-invasively provides detailed insights into the atomic and molecular information of samples containing non-zero spin nuclei, facilitating observations of their structure, dynamics, and interactions. By miniaturizing NMR systems, micro-NMR (µ-NMR) devices overcome the limitations of traditional bulky NMR instruments, making them more portable, cost-effective, and suitable for a wide range of applications. As such, this review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the recent advancements and potential applications of µ-NMR in the field of biomedicine. Beginning with an overview of the principles underlying NMR, this paper explains the fundamental concepts essential for understanding µ-NMR technology. It then delves into miniaturization techniques, detailing advancements in microcoils and probes and the development and integration with microfluidics, which have enhanced the sensitivity, portability, and versatility of µ-NMR devices. Ultimately, this review discusses the current biomedical applications of µ-NMR, including molecular imaging, metabolomics, biomarker detection, and point-of-care diagnosis, and highlights the potential of this technology to revolutionize precision medicine and healthcare. Despite the promising applications, challenges such as sensitivity, spectral resolution, and integration with other technologies are discussed, along with recent advances and innovations aimed at addressing these limitations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The small dimensions of microfluidic channels allow for fast diffusive or passive mixing, which is beneficial for time-sensitive applications such as chemical reactions, biological assays, and the transport of to-be-detected species to sensors. In microfluidics, the need for fast mixing within milliseconds arises primarily because these devices are often used in fields where rapid and efficient mixing significantly impacts the performance and outcome of the processes. Active mixing with acoustics in microfluidic devices involves using acoustic waves to enhance the mixing of fluids within microchannels. Using sharp corners and wall patterns in acoustofluidic devices significantly enhances the mixing by acoustic streaming around these features. The streaming patterns around the sharp edges are particularly effective for the mixing because they can produce strong lateral flows that rapidly homogenize liquids. This work presents extensive characterizations of the effect of sharp-edged structures on acoustic mixing in bulk acoustic wave (BAW) mode in a silicon microdevice. The effect of side wall patterns in different angles and shapes, their positions, the type of piezoelectric transducer, and its amplitude and frequency have been studied. Following the patterning of the channel walls, a mixing time of 25 times faster was reached, compared to channels with smooth side walls exhibiting conventional BAW behavior. The average locally determined acoustic streaming velocity inside the channel becomes 14 times faster if sharp corners of 10° are added to the wall. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The PAK (p21-activated kinases) family is a class of intracellular signal transduction protein kinases that regulate various cellular functions, mainly through their interactions with small GTP enzymes. PAK1 and PAK2 in the PAK kinase family are key signal transduction molecules that play important roles in various biological processes, including morphological changes, migration, proliferation, and apoptosis, and are involved in the progression of many diseases. Abnormal expression or dysregulation of PAK1 and PAK2 may be associated with several diseases, including cancer, neurological diseases, etc. The current research mainly focuses on studying the role of PAK and PAK inhibitors in the regulation of cancer progression, but relatively few reports are available that explore their potential role in cardiovascular diseases. Vascular injury and repair are complex processes involved in many cardiovascular conditions, including atherosclerosis, restenosis, and hypertension. Emerging research suggests that PAK1 and PAK2 have pivotal roles in vascular endothelial cell functions, including migration, proliferation, and angiogenesis. These kinases also modulate vascular smooth muscle relaxation, vascular permeability, and structural alterations, which are critical in the development of atherosclerosis and vascular inflammation. By targeting these activities, PAK proteins are essential for both normal vascular physiology and the pathogenesis of vascular diseases, highlighting their potential as therapeutic targets for vascular health. This review focuses on recent studies that offer experimental insights into the mechanisms by which PAK1 and PAK2 regulate the biological processes of vascular injury and repair and the therapeutic potential of the current existing PAK inhibitors in vascular-related diseases. The limitations of treatment with some PAK inhibitors and the ways that future development can overcome these challenges are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the feasibility of using low-intensity focused ultrasound (LIFU) to induce rotational sensations in the human semicircular canal (SCC) through the acoustic streaming effect. Existing vestibular stimulation methods, such as galvanic vestibular stimulation (GVS), caloric vestibular stimulation (CVS), and magnetic vestibular stimulation (MVS), face limitations in spatial and temporal resolution, with unclear mechanisms. This study investigates whether LIFU can overcome these limitations by modulating endolymph motion within SCC. A 3D finite element model was constructed to simulate the effects of LIFU-induced acoustic streaming on SCC (particularly the endolymph), with thermal effects evaluated to ensure safety. Fluid–structure interaction (FSI) was used to analyze the relationship between endolymph flow and cupula deformation. By adjusting the focal point of the ultrasound transducer, we were able to alter fluid flow pattern, which resulted in variations in cupula displacement. The results demonstrated that LIFU successfully induces fluid motion in SCC without exceeding thermal safety limits (<1 °C), suggesting its potential for controlling rotational sensations, with cupula displacement exceeding 1 μm. This novel approach enhances the understanding of LIFU's thermal and neuromodulatory effects on the vestibular system, and thereby offers promising implications for future therapeutic applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cellular mechanical properties are critical for tissue and organ homeostasis, which are associated with many diseases and are very promising non-labeled biomarkers. Over the past two decades, many research tools based on microfluidic methods have been developed to measure the biophysical properties of single cells; however, it has still not been possible to develop a technique that allows for high-throughput, easy-to-operate and precise measurements of single-cell biophysical properties. In this paper, we review the emerging technologies implemented based on microfluidic approaches for characterizing the mechanical properties of single cells and discuss the methodological principles, advantages, limitations, and applications of various technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This narrative review explores the relationship between genetics and elite endurance athletes, summarizes the current literature, highlights some novel findings, and provides a physiological basis for understanding the mechanistic effects of genetics in sport. Key genetic markers include ACTN3 R577X (muscle fiber composition), ACE I/D (cardiovascular efficiency), and polymorphisms in PPARA, VEGFA, and ADRB2, influencing energy metabolism, angiogenesis, and cardiovascular function. This review underscores the benefits of a multi-omics approach to better understand the complex interactions between genetic polymorphisms and physiological traits. It also addresses long-standing issues such as small sample sizes in studies and the heterogeneity in heritability estimates influenced by factors like sex. Understanding the mechanistic relationship between genetics and endurance performance can lead to personalized training strategies, injury prevention, and improved health outcomes. Future studies should focus on standardized classification of sports, replication studies involving diverse populations, and establishing solid physiological associations between polymorphisms and endurance traits to advance the field of sports genetics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effectively identifying and preventing anomalies in the melt process significantly enhances production efficiency and product quality in industrial manufacturing. Consequently, this paper proposes a study on a melt anomaly identification system for pelletizers using autoencoder technology. It discusses the challenges of detecting anomalies in the melt extrusion process of polyester pelletizers, focusing on the limitations of manual monitoring and traditional image detection methods. This paper proposes a system based on autoencoders that demonstrates effectiveness in detecting and differentiating various melt anomaly states through deep learning. By randomly altering the brightness and rotation angle of images in each training round, the training samples are augmented, thereby enhancing the system's robustness against changes in environmental light intensity. Experimental results indicate that the system proposed has good melt anomaly detection efficiency and generalization performance and has effectively differentiated degrees of melt anomalies. This study emphasizes the potential of autoencoders in industrial applications and suggests directions for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The spine is the most common site of osseous metastatic involvement. Advances in diagnosing and treating spinal metastasis have improved patient survival and quality of life. There is now a strong focus on customized imaging to enhance treatment planning for tumor ablation and reduce treatment-related complications. This review discusses imaging protocols and findings in the pre- and post-SBRT setting and the imaging features differentiating expected post-SBRT treatment changes from LF. Spine metastases (SMs) are common, arising in 70% of the cases of the most prevalent malignancies in males (prostate cancer) and females (breast cancer). Stereotactic body radiotherapy, or SBRT, has been incorporated into clinical treatment algorithms over the past decade. SBRT has shown promising rates of local control for oligometastatic spinal lesions with low radiation dose to adjacent critical tissues, particularly the spinal cord. Imaging is critically important in SBRT planning, guidance, and response monitoring. This paper reviews the roles of imaging in spine SBRT, including conventional and advanced imaging approaches for SM detection, treatment planning, and post-SBRT follow-up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper estimates the incidence of total Australian taxation in 1966-67, the incidence of taxation at the Federal, State and local government levels and of some individual direct and indirect taxes. It constitutes the first of a series of studies concerned with the problems of estimating the incidence of taxes and of government expenditures. The aim of the present paper is to provide estimates of Australian tax incidence together with a brief discussion of the nature and reasonableness of the incidence assumptions necessarily adopted in a study of this nature. Consideration of the more fundamental theoretical incidence problems and the formulation of a tax model for tax incidence will be presented in a later paper. There are five sections. The first deals with the data sources and their limitations. The second outlines the methodology decisions made. This is followed by a discussion of the incidence assumptions adopted and a description of the techniques by which each type of tax was allocated to household income classes. In the fourth section the results are presented, and the final section consists of a brief discussion of some policy implications arising from the study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acoustic trap, using ultrasound interference to ensnare bioparticles, has emerged as a versatile tool for life sciences due to its non-invasive nature. Bolstered by magnetic resonance imaging's advances in sensing acoustic interference and tracking drug carriers (e.g., microbubble), acoustic trap holds promise for increasing MRI-guided microbubbles (MBs) accumulation in target microvessels, improving drug carrier concentration. However, accurate trap generation remains challenging due to complex ultrasound propagation in tissues. Moreover, the MBs' short lifetime demands high computation efficiency for trap position adjustments based on real-time MRI-guided carrier monitoring. To this end, we propose a machine learning-based model to modulate the transducer array. Our model delivers accurate prediction of both time-of-flight (ToF) and pressure amplitude, achieving low average prediction errors for ToF (−0.45 µs to 0.67 µs, with only a few isolated outliers) and amplitude (−0.34% to 1.75%). Compared with the existing methods, our model enables rapid prediction (<10 ms), achieving a four-order of magnitude improvement in computational efficiency. Validation results based on different transducer sizes and penetration depths support the model's adaptability and potential for future ultrasound treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Medical imaging instrumentation design and construction is based on radiation sources and radiation detectors/sensors. This review focuses on the detectors and sensors of medical imaging systems. These systems are subdivided into various categories depending on their structure, the type of radiation they capture, how the radiation is measured, how the images are formed, and the medical goals they serve. Related to medical goals, detectors fall into two major areas: (i) anatomical imaging, which mainly concerns the techniques of diagnostic radiology, and (ii) functional-molecular imaging, which mainly concerns nuclear medicine. An important parameter in the evaluation of the detectors is the combination of the quality of the diagnostic result they offer and the burden of the patient with radiation dose. The latter has to be minimized; thus, the input signal (radiation photon flux) must be kept at low levels. For this reason, the detective quantum efficiency (DQE), expressing signal-to-noise ratio transfer through an imaging system, is of primary importance. In diagnostic radiology, image quality is better than in nuclear medicine; however, in most cases, the dose is higher. On the other hand, nuclear medicine focuses on the detection of functional findings and not on the accurate spatial determination of anatomical data. Detectors are integrated into projection or tomographic imaging systems and are based on the use of scintillators with optical sensors, photoconductors, or semiconductors. Analysis and modeling of such systems can be performed employing theoretical models developed in the framework of cascaded linear systems analysis (LCSA), as well as within the signal detection theory (SDT) and information theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]