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Hiding an isolated object in free space using a transmissive invisibility cloak has become a significant research area, propelled by advancements in metamaterials and transformation optics over the past decade. Despite the availability of various simplified methods for implementing transmissive cloaks, issues such as impedance mismatches and narrow working bandwidths often arise, posing challenges. Achieving a broadband transmissive cloak in free space has proven to be particularly arduous. This study presents a near‐perfect one‐directional broadband transmissive cloak constructed from multilayer metasurfaces of arbitrary shapes, showcasing superior performance across a broadband frequency range. The phase distribution of the metasurfaces and the efficacy of the transmissive cloak are assessed using the generalized Snell's law. An experimental near‐perfect broadband transmissive cloak is successfully demonstrated to operate within the frequency range of 8.5 to 11.2 GHz. This study contributes to reducing the density and mass of cloaks, thereby facilitating the expansion of cloaking capabilities in various directions and across different frequency bands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Establishing a reliable credit card fraud detection model has become a primary focus for academia and the financial industry. The existing anti-fraud methods face challenges related to low recall rates, inaccurate results, and insufficient causal modeling ability. This paper proposes a credit card fraud detection model based on counterfactual data enhancement of the triplet network. Firstly, we convert the problem of generating optimal counterfactual explanations (CFs) into a policy optimization of agents in the discrete–continuous mixed action space, thereby ensuring the stable generation of optimal CFs. The triplet network then utilizes the feature similarity and label difference of positive example samples and CFs to enhance the learning of the causal relationship between features and labels. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method improves the accuracy and robustness of the credit card fraud detection model, outperforming existing methods. The research outcomes are of significant value for both credit card anti-fraud research and practice while providing a novel approach to causal modeling issues across other fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Influenza A (H1N1) viruses are prone to antigenic mutations and are more variable than other influenza viruses. Therefore, they have caused continuous harm to human public health since the pandemic in 2009 and in recent times. Influenza A (H1N1) can be prevented and treated in various ways, such as direct inhibition of the virus and regulation of human immunity. Among antiviral drugs, the use of natural products in treating influenza has a long history, and natural medicine has been widely considered the focus of development programs for new, safe anti-influenza drugs. In this paper, we focus on influenza A (H1N1) and summarize the natural product-derived phytochemicals for influenza A virus (H1N1) prevention and treatment, including marine natural products, flavonoids, alkaloids, terpenoids and their derivatives, phenols and their derivatives, polysaccharides, and derivatives of natural products for prevention and treatment of influenza A (H1N1) virus. We further discuss the toxicity and antiviral mechanism against influenza A (H1N1) as well as the druggability of natural products. We hope that this review will facilitate the study of the role of natural products against influenza A (H1N1) activity and provide a promising alternative for further anti-influenza A drug development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Defect-driven properties of lead-free piezoelectric materials have become the focus of research as a result of in-depth investigations into such materials. Here, we pay special attention to the conductivity mechanism of 0.91K0.5Na0.5NbO3–0.05Ag1 − xNaxSbO3–0.04Bi0.5Na0.5ZrO3 ceramics. The charge carrier concentration induced by defects, which exerts an effect on conductivity, displays different mechanisms under different temperatures. By analyzing the energy band diagram, we identify the carriers to be oxygen vacancy and electron, which are related to the dielectric relaxation. In addition, by means of comparison between the Fermi level and the donor ionization level, we find that parts of oxygen vacancies are single-ionized in the low temperature region and this is attributed to the Fermi level approaching the first ionization energy of oxygen vacancies, while the ionized electrons emanate from approximately the first ionization and from a part of the second ionization in the high temperature region due to the Fermi level being far below the first ionization energy of oxygen vacancies and close to the second ionization energy. We hope that the analysis of the defect and origin of ionized electrons will help to further enhance the electrical properties in K0.5Na0.5NbO3-based ceramics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Underwater acoustic metasurfaces have broad application prospects for the stealth of underwater objects. However, problems such as a narrow operating frequency band, poor operating performance, and considerable thickness at low frequencies remain. In this study a reverse design method for ultra-thin underwater acoustic metasurfaces for low-frequency broadband is proposed using a tandem fully connected deep neural network. The tandem neural network consists of a pre-trained forward neural network and a reverse neural network, based on which a set of elements with flat phase variation and an almost equal phase shift interval in the range of 700–1150 Hz is designed. A diffuse underwater acoustic metasurface with 60 elements was designed, showing that the energy loss of the metasurface in the echo direction was greater than 10 dB. Our work opens a novel pathway for realising low-frequency wideband underwater acoustic devices, which will enable various applications in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study investigated the impacts of the number of positive lymph nodes (NPLN) and lymph node ratio (LN ratio) for patients with hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (HPSCC) based on SEER database, which were validated in the real-world data of China.A total of 520 patients from SEER database were analyzed. Then 195 patients with pathologically stage III or IV HPSCC in our center were retrospectively studied.In the SEER database, NPLN ≥ 3 was found in 36.9% of patients. Multivariate analysis revealed that LN ratio ≥ 0.138 was significant with poorer overall survival (OS) (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.525, p = 0.001) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) (HR = 1.697, p < 0.001), so was the NPLN ≥ 3 (HR = 1.388, p = 0.013; HR = 1.479, p = 0.008). Patients with NPLN ≥ 3 were found in 103 (52.8%) in our center. Multivariate analysis confirmed a significant association regarding OS (p = 0.005) or CSS (p = 0.003) between patients with LN ratio ≥ 0.138 or not. In addition, disease recurrence rate differed significantly between the patients with NPLN ≥ 3 (27.2%) and NPLN < 3 (14.1%, p = 0.026). Moreover, postoperative chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) was significantly associated with better prognosis in patients with NPLN ≥ 3.In the SEER database, NPLN ≥ 3 and LN ratio ≥ 0.138 were independent poor prognostic factors for patients with HPSCC. Whereas identifying worldwide cut-off values for LN ratio is difficult and surgeon-dependent. In our cohort, adjuvant CCRT was beneficial for OS in patients with NPLN ≥ 3.Methods: This study investigated the impacts of the number of positive lymph nodes (NPLN) and lymph node ratio (LN ratio) for patients with hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (HPSCC) based on SEER database, which were validated in the real-world data of China.A total of 520 patients from SEER database were analyzed. Then 195 patients with pathologically stage III or IV HPSCC in our center were retrospectively studied.In the SEER database, NPLN ≥ 3 was found in 36.9% of patients. Multivariate analysis revealed that LN ratio ≥ 0.138 was significant with poorer overall survival (OS) (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.525, p = 0.001) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) (HR = 1.697, p < 0.001), so was the NPLN ≥ 3 (HR = 1.388, p = 0.013; HR = 1.479, p = 0.008). Patients with NPLN ≥ 3 were found in 103 (52.8%) in our center. Multivariate analysis confirmed a significant association regarding OS (p = 0.005) or CSS (p = 0.003) between patients with LN ratio ≥ 0.138 or not. In addition, disease recurrence rate differed significantly between the patients with NPLN ≥ 3 (27.2%) and NPLN < 3 (14.1%, p = 0.026). Moreover, postoperative chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) was significantly associated with better prognosis in patients with NPLN ≥ 3.In the SEER database, NPLN ≥ 3 and LN ratio ≥ 0.138 were independent poor prognostic factors for patients with HPSCC. Whereas identifying worldwide cut-off values for LN ratio is difficult and surgeon-dependent. In our cohort, adjuvant CCRT was beneficial for OS in patients with NPLN ≥ 3.Results: This study investigated the impacts of the number of positive lymph nodes (NPLN) and lymph node ratio (LN ratio) for patients with hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (HPSCC) based on SEER database, which were validated in the real-world data of China.A total of 520 patients from SEER database were analyzed. Then 195 patients with pathologically stage III or IV HPSCC in our center were retrospectively studied.In the SEER database, NPLN ≥ 3 was found in 36.9% of patients. Multivariate analysis revealed that LN ratio ≥ 0.138 was significant with poorer overall survival (OS) (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.525, p = 0.001) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) (HR = 1.697, p < 0.001), so was the NPLN ≥ 3 (HR = 1.388, p = 0.013; HR = 1.479, p = 0.008). Patients with NPLN ≥ 3 were found in 103 (52.8%) in our center. Multivariate analysis confirmed a significant association regarding OS (p = 0.005) or CSS (p = 0.003) between patients with LN ratio ≥ 0.138 or not. In addition, disease recurrence rate differed significantly between the patients with NPLN ≥ 3 (27.2%) and NPLN < 3 (14.1%, p = 0.026). Moreover, postoperative chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) was significantly associated with better prognosis in patients with NPLN ≥ 3.In the SEER database, NPLN ≥ 3 and LN ratio ≥ 0.138 were independent poor prognostic factors for patients with HPSCC. Whereas identifying worldwide cut-off values for LN ratio is difficult and surgeon-dependent. In our cohort, adjuvant CCRT was beneficial for OS in patients with NPLN ≥ 3.Conclusion: This study investigated the impacts of the number of positive lymph nodes (NPLN) and lymph node ratio (LN ratio) for patients with hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (HPSCC) based on SEER database, which were validated in the real-world data of China.A total of 520 patients from SEER database were analyzed. Then 195 patients with pathologically stage III or IV HPSCC in our center were retrospectively studied.In the SEER database, NPLN ≥ 3 was found in 36.9% of patients. Multivariate analysis revealed that LN ratio ≥ 0.138 was significant with poorer overall survival (OS) (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.525, p = 0.001) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) (HR = 1.697, p < 0.001), so was the NPLN ≥ 3 (HR = 1.388, p = 0.013; HR = 1.479, p = 0.008). Patients with NPLN ≥ 3 were found in 103 (52.8%) in our center. Multivariate analysis confirmed a significant association regarding OS (p = 0.005) or CSS (p = 0.003) between patients with LN ratio ≥ 0.138 or not. In addition, disease recurrence rate differed significantly between the patients with NPLN ≥ 3 (27.2%) and NPLN < 3 (14.1%, p = 0.026). Moreover, postoperative chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) was significantly associated with better prognosis in patients with NPLN ≥ 3.In the SEER database, NPLN ≥ 3 and LN ratio ≥ 0.138 were independent poor prognostic factors for patients with HPSCC. Whereas identifying worldwide cut-off values for LN ratio is difficult and surgeon-dependent. In our cohort, adjuvant CCRT was beneficial for OS in patients with NPLN ≥ 3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The realization of a metasurface cloak for the simultaneous invisibility of multiple sources presents a long‐standing scientific challenge. Ideally, for the establishment of a simultaneous multisource invisibility cloak, the metasurface must provide a wide phase coverage and angular stability in a single architecture, especially for broadband, wide‐angle, and even omnidirectional scenarios. However, achieving this goal has proven to be elusive thus far. Current approaches for implementing metasurface‐based invisibility cloak involve both active and passive metasurface. These approaches often rely on phase‐compensation mechanisms, which inevitably encounter issues related to limited incidence angles or narrow working bands. Here, a novel paradigm of synchronization metasurface optimized through an evolution‐optimization strategy, enabling the realization of simultaneous multisource invisibility cloaking, is proposed. The underlying physics of the synchronization metasurface relies on an evolution‐optimization strategy (an evolutionary game algorithm), which is used to get rid of the entanglement between incident directions, frequencies, and metasurface phase gradients. Consequently, the synchronization metasurface is capable of manipulating simultaneous incoming waves at any angle over a wide range (cloak). In experimental validation, the synchronization metasurface demonstrates an impressive capability to cloak both single and simultaneous double sources in any direction, highly resembling background fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study was intended to review our management strategy for sinonasal squamous cell carcinomas (SNSCCs) with orbital invasion and to explore the role of radiotherapy in orbital preservation. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 93 SNSCC patients with orbital invasion who underwent radiotherapy with or without surgery over the past 15 years. The degree of orbital invasion was classified into 3 grades. Results: Eighty‐eight patients presented with T4 tumors and 36 had grade III orbital invasion. Seventy‐two patients received surgery plus radiation and 67 received platinum‐based chemotherapy. The median follow‐up for surviving patients was 60 months. Five‐year overall survival (OS) for the whole group was 57.4%. The patients treated with surgery plus radiation had a 5‐year survival rate of 62.2% and orbital preservation was feasible in 90.3% of cases. Twenty‐one patients with SNSCCs that extended into the extraocular muscles or eye globe also underwent orbital preservation. Five‐year locoregional relapse‐free survival (LRFS) was 69.5% for patients treated with orbital preservation and 57.1% for those treated with orbital exenteration, indicating no statistical difference. Five‐year survival, 5‐year progression‐free survival (PFS), and 5‐year distant metastasis‐free survival (DMFS) were similar between groups. Grade III orbital invasion was independently associated with shorter OS, LRFS, PFS, and DMFS. Conclusion: Orbital invasion in grade III was associated with the worst survival outcomes. Invasion of either the extraocular muscles or eye globe is not a contraindication for eye‐sparing surgery. Preoperative chemoradiation continues to offer hope to patients with a strong desire to preserve their eyes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Defect engineering plays an important role in property modification for piezoelectric materials. In this work, we pay much attention to the effect of Nb nonstoichiometry on structure and properties of typical 0.95(K0.45Na0.55)Nb1+xO3–0.05Bi0.5Na0.5HfO3 ceramics. Large piezoelectric constant (d33 ~ 425 pC/N and d33∗ ~482 pm/V) together with high Curie temperature (TC ~ 315°C) have been achieved in the ceramics with excess Nb content (x = 0.01). However, the ceramics with deficient Nb element have seriously suppressed cryogenic εr‐T curves and deteriorated electrical properties. Multi‐scale characterizations including phase structure, microstructure, defect structure and domain structure have been adopted to explain the corresponding phenomenon. Defect complex VNb″″′-VO·· caused by deficient Nb induces clamped domain wall motion, leading to blocked polarization vector and poor electrical properties. On the contrary, the enhanced properties for the ceramics with excess Nb are attributed to easier domain switching due to the suppressed vacancies. We believe that defect engineering, for example nonstoichiometry, cannot only modulate electrical properties but also help us to understand some fundamental and critical problems about KNN‐based ceramics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Definitive radiotherapy (RT) is recommended by NCCN guidelines for T4b tumors of sinonasal squamous cell carcinomas (SNSCC). However, no multi-institutional clinical studies have proved its advantage over surgery-based modalities. The aim of this study was to assess the survival of T4bN0M0 SNSCC patients who received surgery plus postoperative radiation (S + PORT) compared with those who received RT. Methods: This study extracted 220 patients from the SEER database from 2004 to 2015. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to eliminate the baseline variations. Results: In SEER database, 43.6% of patients received S + PORT, and subsequently followed by RT (36.4%). Five-year overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival rates (CSS) in S + PORT were 42.5% and 46.9%, respectively, significantly better than for RT (21.7% and 26.7%). Multivariate analysis showed that therapy of RT had higher cancer-specific mortality risk than S + PORT [hazard ratio (HR) 1.578, p = 0.032]. After PSM, 57 pairs of patients were selected. There was still a significant difference noted with regard to 5-year OS or 5-year CSS between patients receiving S + PORT and RT (43% vs 22.5%, p = 0.012; 45.8% vs 27.7%, p = 0.025). The univariate and multivariate analyses of factors predictive of CSS showed that therapy of RT (HR 1.877, p = 0.018) and primary subsite of maxillary sinus (HR 2.629, p = 0.001) were significantly correlated with adverse outcomes. Conclusion: Combination of surgery and postoperative radiotherapy may contribute to prolonged survival in T4bN0M0 SNSCC. Invasion of the sites of T4b tumors is not an absolute contraindication for surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extranodal natural killer/T‐cell lymphoma (ENKL), nasal‐type is a rare but highly aggressive disease with poor prognosis. Optimal treatment strategies for newly diagnosed localized ENKL have not been fully defined. Here we retrospectively analyzed 72 patients with newly diagnosed stage IE/IIE ENKL treated with gemcitabine, dexamethasone, and cisplatin (GDP) regimen chemotherapy with sandwiched radiotherapy in our department between May 2012 and September 2014. After 2 cycles of GDP induction chemotherapy, the complete response rate (CRR) and overall response rate (ORR) were 30.6% (22/72) and 91.7% (66/72). After whole treatment completion, the CRR and ORR were 81.9% (59/72) and 91.7% (66/72), respectively. With a median follow‐up of 57.8 months (Interquartile Range 54.0‐64.5 months), the 5‐year progression‐free survival rate was 70.9% (95% CI, 60.1% to 81.7%), and the 5‐year overall survival rate was 72.0% (95% CI, 61.6% to 82.4%), respectively. Patients with CRR after treatment had better prognosis than their counterparts. The major adverse events were myelosuppression, liver dysfunction, gemcitabine‐related skin rash, and digestive tract toxicities. Grade 3 to 4 neutropenia and thrombocytopenia were 18.0% (13/72) and 15.3% (11/72), respectively. No treatment related deaths were observed. It is concluded that the GDP regimen with sandwiched radiotherapy was an effective and well‐tolerated treatment for newly diagnosed stage IE/IIE ENKL, nasal‐type. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• HSFS-N/S-Co-MOFs have been constructed through a solvothermal approach. • The effect factors of the constructed N/S-MOFs have been investigated in detail. • HSFS-N/S-Co-MOFs exhibit favorable ORR and OER performance in alkaline medium. • The unique structural properties and N/S dual introduction ensure high performance. The development of cost-effective non-precious metal bifunctional catalysts has become a promising path to meet the commercialization needs of rechargeable zinc-air batteries. Herein, an effective bifunctional catalyst, hierarchical sheet-interconnected fan-shaped N/S-containing Co-based metal organic frameworks (HSFS-N/S-Co-MOFs), has been constructed using 1,2-bis(4-pyridyl)ethane and thiophene-2,5-dicarboxylic acid as dual ligands through a solvothermal approach. Additionally, several cations and anions may affect the microstructures, surface compositions, surface areas, oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) activities of the constructed N/S-MOFs. As a result, the hierarchical sheet-interconnected fan-shaped structure and N/S dual introduction make HSFS-N/S-Co-MOFs exhibit favorable ORR and OER performance in alkaline medium. The current research provides an option to rationally construct other MOFs-based electrocatalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

All‐optical diffractive neural networks (DNNs) based on passive structures have been shown to perform complicated functions by optical acceleration, thus reforming in situ applications requiring digital computing processing. Its stable, compact, and passive features make it suitable for many conventional applications in complex electromagnetic environments. Here, a DNN based on a multilayer passive metasurface array is presented to estimate the information of arrival (IOA) over a wide range of frequency bands and incident angles. Unlike traditional methods, multiple correlated or coherent electromagnetic signals interfere with each other, resulting in difficult separation which is a fundamental obstacle in multi‐source IOA detection. Here, the proposed diffraction system creates separate virtual channels to isolate and process different incoming waves. It recognizes and classifies the beams, focuses them on the output plane divided by the arrival angle and working frequency, and displays the IOA and number of sources in real time at the speed of light. Furthermore, the massive‐parallelism and data‐post‐processing‐free strategy allows for broader applications in harsh environments, such as seismic detection and underwater circumstances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The strategy of modulating polarization rotation of potassium sodium-niobate ((K 0.5 Na 0.5)NbO 3 , KNN) lead-free piezoelectric materials was reported to boost piezoelectric properties and resultant piezocatalytic activities. The effectiveness of modulating polarization rotation was proved by degrading Rhodamine B (RhB) using three KNN-based samples with different phase structures (i.e., orthorhombic (O) phase, orthorhombic-tetragonal (O-T) coexistence phase, and rhombohedral-orthorhombic-tetragonal (R-O-T) coexistence phase). Poled samples with the R-O-T coexistence phase show a reaction rate constant of 0.091 min−1 owing to the easiest polarization rotation, 2.12 times more than that of poled O-phase featured samples with the most difficult polarization rotation. Enhanced piezocatalytic activities primarily originate from the easier polarization rotation and improved carrier concentration, accompanied by the trace of the mechano-charge generation. Therefore, modulating polarization rotation effectively boosts piezocatalysis of KNN-based materials, promising for harnessing natural energy and disease treatment. [Display omitted] • lead-free (K, Na)NbO 3 materials are eco-friendly piezocatalyst. • Proposing a new strategy to enhance there piezocatalysis. • Obtaining a high k value of 0.091 min−1, much superior to those of other materials. • Unveiling the physical mechanisms of the superior piezocatalytic activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the composition-driven multi-phase coexistence strategy has been widely used to modify the piezoelectric properties of potassium sodium niobate ((K, Na)NbO 3 , KNN) based ceramics, the trade-off between long-range ferroelectric ordering and chemical additives-induced disorder hinders the further improvement of piezoelectricity and makes the electric field-induced strain temperature-dependent. Herein, to resolve two issues, we proposed a new concept, that is, manipulating defect dipoles and local stress of a pre-constructed multi-phase coexistence through controlling zirconium (Zr) content. We validated the new concept by designing 0.96(K 0.4 Na 0.6)Nb 0.955 Sb 0.045 O 3 -0.04(Bi 0.5 Na 0.5)Zr (1+ x) O 3 ceramics. In samples with Zr deficiency (i.e., x =-0.1), we obtained high retention of 91% in normalized unipolar strain (S uni) over the temperature range of 30-160 °C, even under low electric fields of 10-20 kV/cm, superior to those of other representative KNN-based ceramics. In samples with slight Zr excess (i.e., x =0.07), we achieved an increase in direct piezoelectric coefficient (d 33) and converse piezoelectric coefficient (d 33 *) by 12% and 25%, respectively, in comparison with that at x =0. The enhanced temperature stability stems from the released domain walls that are pinned by defect dipoles, and the increased d 33 (and d 33 *) originates from the synergetic contributions of the multi-phase coexistence, increased grain size, and stabilization of the ZrO 2 secondary phase. Therefore, our new concept would benefit the composition design and performance improvement of KNN-based ceramics in the future. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Different types of defect dipoles form, F e A.. − V A ′ for A-site and F e N b ″ − V O.. for B-site according to the dopant sites [Fig. 1(a)]. Both of the temperature stable miniatured domain [Fig. 1(b)] and active defect dipole F e N b ″ − V O.. [Fig. 1(c)] in the B-site 0.05 leads to the preferable temperature stability, that is, the remnant polarization (P r) and unipolar strain (S) vary less than 10% and 15% in the temperature range of 20-140 °C, which is superior to other systems [Fig. 1(d)]. We believe that the strategy of designed defect dipoles is helpful for improving electrical properties and further promoting the development of KNN-based ceramics. [Display omitted] The designed defect-engineering has been proved to be an effective way to promote properties in potassium sodium niobate (KNN)-based ceramics. Here, we focus on the introduction of Fe element into different sites of KNN-based ceramics to form defects and optimize properties. Two types of defect dipoles can be formed, F e A.. − V A ′ for A-site and F e N b ″ − V O.. for B-site. Compared with the defect dipoles of A-site, the defect dipoles of B-site are sensitive to both electric field and temperature. So that, the B-site defect dipoles switch easily under the thermo-electric treatment, and share the same behavior with spontaneous polarization after removing the electric field, which compensates the remnant polarization. In addition, the domain miniaturizes as the Fe ions doping. Both of the defect dipole behavior and nanodomain lead to the preferable temperature stability: remnant polarization (P r) and unipolar strain (S) of the B-site engineered ceramics vary less than 10% and 15% in the temperature range of 20-140 °C. We hope that the strategy of designed defect dipoles is helpful for improving electrical properties and further promoting the development of KNN-based ceramics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The study was intended to compare the outcomes for T1-T2N0M0 glottic squamous cell carcinoma with anterior commissure involvement who had undergone partial laryngectomy (PL) or radiotherapy (RT).Materials and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 256 patients who were treated by RT (n = 70) or PL (n = 186). Patients received prophylactic irradiation of the neck in RT group whereas PL was not associated with lymphadenectomy. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to eliminate the baseline variations.Results: The average age of the RT group (67 years) was significantly higher than that of the PL (59 years). Local recurrence was noted in 14 patients of the RT group and 22 of the PL. While regional recurrence was noted in only 1 patient of the RT group and 23 of the PL. After PSM, the 5-year overall survival (82.8% vs. 83.9%, p = 0.302), 5-year cancer-specific survival (88.3% vs. 89.7%, p = 0.793), 5-year local relapse-free survival (79.3% vs. 84.5%, p = 0.127) were not significantly different between two groups. However, 5-year regional relapse-free survival in the RT group was significantly better than that in the PL (100% vs. 87.1%, p = 0.014). In the PL group, infection, granuloma, laryngeal stenosis, chylous leakage, and pharyngeal fistula were reported in six, 11, 12, one, and two patients, respectively.Conclusions: RT resulted in comparable rates of survival, local control, and larynx preservation compared to PL. However, RT was associated with higher regional control rate. The complication rates were extremely low in RT group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ultrasonic energy harvesting has been developed as a promising power solution for implantable medical devices (IMDs) to perform tasks such as diagnosis, therapy, and monitoring. However, most current ultrasonic electronics use toxic lead-based piezoelectric materials (e.g., lead zirconate titanate) as core components and feature bulk or flat structures, representing common barriers to the development of future IMDs that should be eco-friendly and long-term fixation in the implanted position. Here, we present a KNN composite-based lead-free piezoelectric helix for ultrasonic transcutaneous energy harvesting. The device contains multilayer components (a matching layer, lead-free composites, a copper foil, and a Parylene-C film) to form a final self-supporting helix harvester, which can adapt to cylindrical objects (e.g., blood vessels) to maintain fixation. Nanodomain-induced high-performance (d33 ∼ 465 pC N−1) KNN ceramic was fabricated and further processed into 1–3 composites to enhance electromechanical coupling properties and mechanical flexibility. The developed prototype can be excited ultrasonically to generate adjustable power output up to ∼22.97 mW cm−2. The generated electricity was stored in capacitors and used to operate light-emitting diodes. Further ex vivo tests showed that the device is still sufficient to support wireless energy transfer through porcine tissues, demonstrating the great potential of the lead-free piezoelectric helix for IMDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An investigation into photocatalysts mainly focuses on inorganic powders, and their fixation, recycle, and repair in an open and flowing environment remains a problem. Herein, the photocatalytic property of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) is utilized to solve this problem. It can be facilely recycled and repaired because of the form of membrane, and porous structure ensures its sufficient contact with pollutants. In addition, its photocatalytic activity can be effectively modified by compositing TiO2 nanopowder, which performs better photocatalytic activity than equivalent content TiO2 powder, originated from the enhanced separation efficiency of electron and hole resulting from the extra driving force maybe generated by PVDF's ferroelectric spontaneous polarization and heterojunction structure, which reduces the recombination of charge carriers. In addition, the pore structure with large density and small size provides more reaction area for the composite structure, which also benefits for the enhancement of photocatalytic activities. Tight combination between PVDF and TiO2 guarantees the stable activity of the composites under flowing environment, and so PVDF/TiO2 composite can sustain its initial photocatalytic activity after at least 10 times cycles. More importantly, when the membrane is damaged, it can be easily repaired by the cost of a small quantity of solvent and can maintain its initial photocatalytic activity. This work would promote the understanding of physical mechanisms of enhanced photocatalytic activities, and recycle and repair properties in PVDF‐xTiO2 composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is a scarcity of data about the prognostic value of orbital invasion in esthesioneuroblastoma (ENB), as well as about its management strategies. Indications for the preservation of orbital contents remain controversial, and the evaluation of orbital invasion has been ill defined.Methods: This retrospective analysis contained 60 ENB patients with orbital invasion who underwent radiotherapy with or without surgery over the past 14 years. Orbital invasion was classified into three grades.Results: There were 52 patients at stage C and 8 at stage D, according to Foote classifications. Grade I, grade II and grade III orbital invasion was detected in 12, 23, and 25 patients, respectively. The median follow-up was 57 months (IQR 32-95 months). Fourteen patients received radical radiotherapy, with a 5-year overall survival (OS) of 63.5%; 46 received surgery plus radiation, with a 5-year OS of 70.7%; and the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.847). Orbital preservation was feasible in 100% of cases, including 18 cases that extended to extraocular muscles or the eye globe. Five-year locoregional relapse-free survival was 100% in patients with prophylactic elective neck irradiation (PENI) and 58.1% in patients without PENI (p = 0.004). Univariate analysis showed that grade II/III orbital invasion was associated with poorer OS and progression-free survival. Neck metastasis (with a Foote stage of D) was independently associated with shorter OS and distant metastasis-free survival in multivariate analysis.Conclusions: Our data suggested that primary radiotherapy achieved comparable survival to surgery plus radiotherapy in advanced ENB. Invasion of either the extraocular muscles or the eye globe is not a contraindication for eye-sparing surgery. Orbital invasion in grade II/III was significantly associated with adverse survival outcomes. Prophylactic radiotherapy to the neck with N0 significantly reduces the risk of regional recurrence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The exploration of economical and effective non-noble metal catalysts is essential for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in energy devices. Recently, heteroatom-doped metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have shown great potential in ORR due to their high efficiencies and low costs. Herein, three-dimensional (3D) urchin-like N/S co-doped Mn-based MOFs (U–N/S–Mn-MOFs) as an effective ORR catalyst have been successfully prepared by a facile one-step solvothermal methodology. The unique 3D urchin-like structure with a spherical interior and dendritic exterior may provide more catalytic sites and transport channels for ORR. Simultaneously, the doped N and S combined with Mn can promote oxygen adsorption and reduce the reaction energy barrier. These characteristics endow U–N/S–Mn-MOFs with high ORR performance. The present work provides a new opportunity for multiple heteroatom-doped MOFs to achieve high electrocatalytic performance. • U–N/S–Mn-MOFs have been prepared by a facile one-pot solvothermal methodology. • The impact factors of the prepared MOFs are investigated in detail. • U–N/S–Mn-MOFs exhibit high ORR performance in alkaline medium. • The unique 3D urchin-like structure and N/S codoping ensure high ORR performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a metal artifact reduction method of using MV-CBCT images to correct metal artifacts in kV-CT images, especially for the complex metal artifacts caused by multi-metal interaction of patients with head and neck tumors. The different tissue regions are segmented in the MV-CBCT images to obtain template images and the metal region is segmented in the kV-CT images. Forward projection is performed to get sinogram of the template images, kV-CT images and metal region images. Artifact images can be reconstructed through those sonograms. Corrected images is generated by subtracting the artifact images from the original kV-CT images. After the first correction, the template images are generated again and brought into the previous step for iteration to get better correction result. CT data set of 7 patients are used in this study, compared with linear interpolation metal artifact (LIMAR) and normalized metal artifact reduction method, mean relative error of CT value is reduced by 50.5% and 63.3%, noise is reduced by 56.2% and 58.9%. The Identifiability Score of the tooth, upper/lower jaw, tongue, lips, masseter muscle and cavity in the corrected images by the proposed method have significantly improved (P < 0.05) than original images. The artifacts correction method proposed in this paper can effectively remove the metal artifacts in the images and greatly improve the CT value accuracy, especially in the case of multi-metal and complex metal implantation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Robust and accurate prediction of PWR safety parameters is provided by TCNN. • Sparse connections greatly improve the global awareness of the mode. • Convolutional kernels effectively enhance local feature extraction ability. • Basic blocks consist of residual connections prevent the gradient loss. Accurate forecasts for pressurized water reactor safety parameters are essential to ensure the safe operation of nuclear reactors. Potential of artificial neural networks on this task is limited owing to the lack of extracting the core location information. Sparse connections have unique advantages in discovering correlation between neighboring components and convolution kernels are designed to deal with two-dimensional information. In this paper, topological information embedded convolutional neural network (TCNN) was firstly established and utilized. This model enhanced the ability of fusing location features and component attributes through sparse connections and convolution layers. Datasets of China's Qinshan Nuclear Power Plant Phase II PWR was used to evaluate the performance of TCNN. Comparative and ablation experiments demonstrated that TCNN has superiority in working as efficient predictor for pressurized water reactor safety parameters, indicating that the proposed model promoted the digitalization of nuclear power plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A machine learning strategy is proposed for predicting cardiac function based on peripheral pulse waves. • Two high-quality datasets are created for health- and cardiovascular disease-subject groups. • The model enables the prediction of three cardiac function parameters fast and accurately. • The model is validated through consistency analysis and comparison with clinical measurements. Pulse wave has been considered as a message carrier in the cardiovascular system (CVS), capable of inferring CVS conditions while diagnosing cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Clarification and prediction of cardiovascular function by means of powerful feature-abstraction capability of machine learning method based on pulse wave is of great clinical significance in health monitoring and CVDs diagnosis, which remains poorly studied. Here we propose a machine learning (ML)-based strategy aiming to achieve a fast and accurate prediction of three cardiovascular function parameters based on a 412-subject database of pulse waves. We proposed and optimized an ML-based model with multi-layered, fully connected network while building up two high-quality pulse wave datasets comprising a healthy-subject group and a CVD-subject group to predict arterial compliance (AC), total peripheral resistance (TPR), and stroke volume (SV), which are essential messengers in monitoring CVS conditions. Our ML model is validated through consistency analysis of the ML-predicted three cardiovascular function parameters with clinical measurements and is proven through error analysis to have capability of achieving a high-accurate prediction on TPR and SV for both healthy-subject group (accuracy: 85.3%, 86.9%) and CVD-subject group (accuracy: 88.3%, 89.2%). The independent sample t -test proved that our subject groups could represent the typical physiological characteristics of the corresponding population. While we have more subjects in our datasets rather than previous studies after strict data screening, the proposed ML-based strategy needs to be further improved to achieve a disease-specific prediction of heart failure and other CVDs through training with larger datasets and clinical measurements. Our study points to the feasibility and potential of the pulse wave-based prediction of physiological and pathological CVS conditions in clinical application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]