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In patients with head and neck cancer treated with radiation therapy, the choice of which neck levels require elective radiation can dramatically influence the risk of regional failure and may contribute to cancer mortality and overall survival. Retrospective evaluation of elective nodal coverage in previously treated patients with head and neck cancer is a time intensive and, in most cases, subjective process. In order to objectively assess the extent of lymph node irradiation in large cohorts of patients, automated objective methods to assess elective lymph node treatment are crucial. In this work, we demonstrate a novel approach using a convolutional neural network (CNN) to autosegment, retrospectively label, and classify the extent of elective neck irradiation in previously treated patients. Initially, 100 patients with head and neck cancer were contoured to identify all elective neck level targets as per standard guidelines1, including levels IA, IB, II, III, IV, V, VIIA on both left and right necks. These patients were used to train a CNN neck level model (NLM) which was validated on a further 10 patients clinically. After training, the resultant NLM was applied retrospectively to all patients in the RADCURE dataset2. Overlap between the autosegmented NLM model contours with existing elective neck CTV targets was assessed using the proportion of voxel overlap of the individual neck structures with the elective CTV which was clinically defined. Primary tumor laterality as assessed in the clinical database was used to normalize right and left neck targets to ipsilateral and contralateral relative to the primary tumor. Neck levels were assumed to be 'treated' if >70% of the auto-segmented volume was overlapped with the clinical elective CTV target in the respective neck. Summary statistics were calculated by disease site, tumor volume, staging information, and clinical variables to evaluate patterns of CTV coverage and associations with tumor or patient factors. A total of 1,748 patients within the RADCURE dataset were included in the analysis as they had the primary tumor laterality defined clinically. After NLM application, comprehensive neck irradiation (IA-VIIA) occurred in 33%, 55%, 31%, 16%, 14%, and 12% of patients with oropharynx, nasopharynx, hypopharynx, larynx, oral cavity, and paranasal/nasal primary disease sites, respectively. Within primary disease sites, the proportion of the entire elective neck (IA-VII) which was included in the elective target volume varied substantially within sites but also showed expected differences in elective neck treatment (Figure) with nasopharynx representing the most comprehensive approach and nasal and salivary glands the least comprehensive approaches. Important patterns of elective treatment were visible with variations in specific levels of treatment related to primary site evident in the objective classifications of levels IA, II, and the retropharyngeal (VIIA) nodes. (Table). Specifically, coverage of level IA was rare, but more common in patients with lip/oral cavity or paranasal/nasal primary site. In patients with oropharyngeal primary disease, contralateral level II overlap showed approximately 12% of oropharynx patients were treated with ipsilateral intent only consistent with our previous reports from our institution.3 Retropharyngeal lymph node coverage was highest in the patients with nasopharyngeal disease, but identified a critical variation in contouring whereby a subset of patients did not have a formal elective VIIA target and instead relied on the overlap of primary site CTVs to ensure coverage of these regions. [Display omitted] Automatic assessment of elective neck coverage using a neck level auto-segmentation model shows substantial (but anticipated) variation in elective neck coverage based on disease site. Objective methods to interrogate target volumes and the resultant plan information will allow more detailed analysis and understanding of patterns of failure following radiation therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a sensor system for inspection of far-side defects around rivets in a multilayer structure. The sensor system includes 64 InSb Hall sensors arrayed in 0.52-mm intervals, over a total length of 33.28 mm. The sensor system was tested on two flat specimens, which have two layers of an aluminum alloy, with and without far-side defects around rivets. The sensor system performance was estimated via both the receiver operating characteristic and the probability of detection (POD) curves. Furthermore, a quantitative evaluation of the surface area, depth, and volume of a defect having a POD greater than 90% was carried out. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Infectious respiratory diseases such as COVID-19 are serious and global concerns from the past to the present. To isolate the spread of infectious diseases even in the absence of a health system, a simple, inexpensive, reliable, sensitive, and selective molecular diagnosis platform for Point of Care Test (POCT) is required. Especially, the nucleic acid extraction step is difficult to perform out of laboratory. Here, we propose a paper-based lysis (PBL) strip for nucleic acid extraction, especially in low-resource settings (LRS). PBL strips are suitable for isolating RNA from viruses with biological interference and inhibitors. We optimized the buffer compositions and membranes of the strip. A simple preparation method using a PBL strip could obtain an eluent for downstream inspection within 20 min. Overall, 10 4 copies/swaps were detected for 20 min for amplification in combination with Reverse Transcription Loop-Mediated Amplification (RT-LAMP). [Display omitted] • A simple preparation method with a paper-based strip need only 3 steps. • The strip filters the proteins and concentrates the RNA. • Early SARS-CoV-2 patients were detectable through the RT-LAMP within 20 min. • The preparation with the strip is a low-cost process ($ 0.84/sample). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"These authors contributed equally: Yuyeon Jung, Taewan Kim, Seungchul Lee and Youn Jin Choi." now reads: "These authors contributed equally: Yuyeon Jung and Taewan Kim. These authors contributed equally: Yuyeon Jung and Taewan Kim. [Extracted from the article]

This paper proposes an empirical formula to estimate the shear strength of hydraulic expansion rockbolts. The field experimental results were obtained from eleven pullout tests to evaluate the results computed by the proposed formula. It was found that shear resistance of hydraulic expansion rockbolts significantly depends on the uniaxial compressive strength and elastic modulus of rock, with high correlation coefficients of 0.7651 and 0.8587, respectively. The developed formula enables estimation of the maximum pullout load in an analytical process without pullout tests in the field. Conversely, due to the poor interlocking at the initial pullout load, the measured displacements were higher than the estimated ones. To reduce the interlocking effects between bolt and rock, we recommend preloading of 29.4 kN. Preload allows reducing the distance between the measured and estimated displacement and making two load-displacement curves practically identical with marginal differences of 1.1 to 1.5 mm at the maximum pullout load. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research proposes an ultrasonic testing method for inspecting pitting corrosion cracks in a rivet of multilayer structures. The system is a combination of a magnetic sensor array and an ultrasonic sensor. The magnetic sensor array is used to automatically measure the presence of a rivet and its center position. Then, the ultrasonic sensor is guided to the rivet center in order to inspect pitting corrosion cracks in the rivet. The magnetic sensor uses a 64-Hall sensor elements array with a 0.52-mm interval that can measure the rivet center position at a standard deviation of 0.27 mm and 0.42 mm in the scan and sensor directions, respectively. The ultrasonic signal is analyzed in the frequency domain using the short-time Fourier transform that helps better observe the presence of cracks compared with the conventional signal analysis in A-scan present. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research proposes a nondestructive inspection system for inspecting and localizing corrosion and fatigue cracks around rivets in air-intake structures. The system uses 64 InSb Hall sensor elements arrayed at a high spatial interval of 0.52 mm. Rivet detection and damage detection algorithms will be proposed. Analysis of the receiver operating characteristic curve and Probability of detection (POD) will be carried out to evaluate the performance of the system and detection algorithms. Artificial corrosion around a rivet with a minimum volume of 11.02 mm could be detected with 90/95% POD and artificial fatigue crack with minimum length of 2.95 mm from rivet body. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a real-time quantitative immunoassay to detect fibrinogen in the blood plasma of Alzheimer's disease patients using multimode fiber optical sensors in which surface plasmon resonance (SPR) was employed. Nanometer-thick bimetals including silver and aluminum were coated onto the core surface of the clad-free part (5 cm long) of the fiber for SPR excitation at the He-Ne laser wavelength of 632.8 nm. The histidine-tagged peptide was then coated on the metal surface to immobilize the fibrinogen antibody for the selective capture of fibrinogen among the proteins in the patient blood plasma. The SPR fiber optical sensor enabled quantitative detection of concentrations of fibrinogen from the different human patient blood at a detection limit of ∼20 ng/ml. We also observed a correlation in the fibrinogen concentration measurement between enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and our SPR fiber-based sensors. This suggests that the presented SPR fiber-based sensors that do not rely on the use of labels such as fluorophores can be used for a real-time quantitative assay of a specific protein such as fibrinogen in a human blood that is known to contain many other kinds of proteins together. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel multi-condition multi-objective optimization method that can find Pareto front over a defined condition space is developed using deep reinforcement learning. Unlike the conventional methods which perform optimization at a single condition, the present method learns correlations between conditions and optimal solutions. The exclusive capability of the developed method is examined in solutions of a modified Kursawe benchmark problem and an airfoil shape optimization problem. The solutions include nonlinear characteristics which are difficult to be resolved using conventional optimization methods. Pareto front with high resolution over a condition space is successfully determined in both problems. Compared with multiple operations of a single-condition optimization method for multiple conditions, the present multi-condition optimization method shows a greatly accelerated search of Pareto front by reducing the required number of function evaluations. An analysis of aerodynamic performance of optimally designed airfoils confirms that multi-condition optimization is indispensable to avoid significant degradation of target performance for varying flow conditions. • A novel multi-condition multi-objective optimization method is developed. • The method efficiently finds Pareto front over a defined condition space. • The method can solve highly nonlinear and nonconvex optimization problems. • Multi-condition optimization is essential for problems with high nonlinearity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The characteristics of high-mode vortex-induced vibration (VIV) in stay cables were analyzed by applying a new modal decomposition procedure to long-term monitoring data. • The shedding frequencies and corresponding critical wind velocities that could induce maximum modal responses produced a constant Strouhal number relationship. • By using output-only data, the newly proposed modal damping identification procedure succeeded in identifying the high-mode damping ratios of stay cables. • The modal damping estimates of stay cables rapidly decreased toward high-order modes and exhibited an inverse relationship with the relevant VIV amplitudes. • The efficacy of Stockbridge dampers in mitigating cable VIVs was examined via field experimentation and comparison analysis. Herein is described a case study using long-term field monitoring data from a cable-stayed bridge to investigate the cause of high-mode vortex-induced vibration (VIV) observed in stay cables. Wind characteristics and dynamic responses of girders and stay cables were analyzed to investigate two possible vibration sources–interactions with girders and vortex shedding. To this end, a modal decomposition procedure that included automated peak picking and successive band-pass filtration was proposed. These novel steps revealed a relationship between the shedding frequencies of stay cables and corresponding critical wind velocities. The main cause of large-amplitude VIVs was diagnosed using a novel damping identification procedure that consisted of automated modal decomposition, temporal correlation, and optimization-based curve fitting techniques. The damping identification results demonstrated how the modal VIV amplitudes of stay cables have a strong dependency on damping capacity. The effectiveness of Stockbridge dampers in mitigating high-mode cable VIVs was subsequently examined through field application and comparison analysis during a typhoon. The unique interaction between stay cable vibrations and the buffeting response of bridge girders observed during this period was additionally discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluates the efficacy and safety of fractional CO2 lasers for treating genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM) in Korean women. The patients received three laser applications at an interval of 4 weeks each. The severity of GSM symptoms was assessed using a visual analog scale (VAS) at baseline and at every visit. The objective scale was measured using the vaginal health index score (VHIS) and Vaginal Maturation Index (VMI) after completion of the laser procedure. During each procedure, the patients' pain in the VAS score was recorded. In the last visit, patients evaluated their satisfaction with the laser therapy using a 5-point Likert scale. Thirty women completed all the study protocols. After two sessions of laser therapy, some GSM symptoms (vaginal dryness and urgency) and VHIS improved significantly. After completion of the treatment, all GSM symptoms improved (p < 0.05), and the VHIS further increased significantly (VHIS at baseline, 8.86 ± 3.2 vs. V3, 16.83 ± 3.15, p < 0.001). The average satisfaction was 4.3. This study shows that fractional CO2 laser treatment is effective and safe for Korean women with GSM. Further studies are needed to confirm these results and assess the long-term effects of laser therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A short-term wind speed prediction framework is proposed for bridge traffic control under strong winds. The framework mainly focuses on improving the prediction accuracy for the timeframe of traffic control during a typhoon. Two concepts are newly proposed to achieve the goal: 1) hybrid modeling of wind speed at the bridge; and, 2) the adoption of a time-shifted data correction (TSDC) method. First, the hybrid modeling considers two available data types, one from a structural health monitoring system of the bridge and the other from the regional specialized meteorological center (RSMC). The training features of a long short-term memory (LSTM) approach are chosen based on the maximum sustained winds of a typhoon. Second, the TSDC method accounts for a time-delay phenomenon between the maximum wind speed at the bridge deck and the maxima or minima of the selected features. The Mean Absolute Error (MAE)-based grid search method determines the preferable combinations of two parameters: input data length and the time-shifted length of the training data. As a numerical example, typhoons from 2020 are used as test data to demonstrate the improvement in prediction performance via the use of hybrid modeling and the TSDC method. • A short-term wind speed prediction framework is proposed for bridge traffic control during a typhoon. • Hybrid modeling employed two data types: structural health monitoring and satellite data. • The training features are chosen based on the maximum sustained winds of a typhoon. • A time-shifted data correction reflected a time-delay phenomenon between the maxima or minima of wind speed at the bridge deck and the selected features. • The framework was demonstrated to improve the prediction accuracy for the time frame of traffic control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endothelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition (EndMT) is a complex biological process of cellular transdifferentiation by which endothelial cells (ECs) lose their characteristics and acquire mesenchymal properties, leading to cardiovascular remodeling and complications in the adult cardiovascular diseases environment. Melatonin is involved in numerous physiological and pathological processes, including aging, and has anti‐inflammatory and antioxidant activities. This molecule is an effective therapeutic candidate for preventing oxidative stress, regulating endothelial function, and maintaining the EndMT balance to provide cardiovascular protection. Although recent studies have documented improved cardiac function by melatonin, the mechanism of action of melatonin on EndMT remains unclear. The present study investigated the effects of melatonin on induced EndMT by transforming growth factor‐β2/interleukin‐1β in both in vivo and in vitro models. The results revealed that melatonin reduced the migratory ability and reactive oxygen species levels of the cells and ameliorated mitochondrial dysfunction in vitro. Our findings indicate that melatonin prevents endothelial dysfunction and inhibits EndMT by activating related pathways, including nuclear factor kappa B and Smad. We also demonstrated that this molecule plays a crucial role in restoring cardiac function by regulating the EndMT process in the ischemic myocardial condition, both in vessel organoids and myocardial infarction (MI) animal models. In conclusion, melatonin is a promising agent that attenuates EC dysfunction and ameliorates cardiac damage compromising the EndMT process after MI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]