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Functional data analysis is receiving increasing attention in several scientific disciplines. However, identifying and classifying clusters of data that are essentially curves that map into an infinite dimensional space poses a significant challenge for existing methods. Here, we introduce weighted functional spatial ranks (WFSRs) as part of a nonparametric clustering approach for functional data analysis. A two‐stage or filtering method is used to approximate the curves into some basis functions and reduce the dimension of the data using functional principle components analysis (FPCA). The curves are then ranked based on WFSRs to create a contour map. This allows the visualization of the cluster structure and the size and content of each cluster to be ascertained. The effectiveness of the methods in functional data analysis is evaluated using numerical examples from simulated and two real medical datasets. Compared with several other cluster methods, the WFSR algorithm records the lowest misclassification rates over the two real datasets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lecanemab (Leqembi®) was recently approved by health authorities in the United States, Japan, and China to treat early Alzheimer's disease (AD), including patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or mild dementia due to Alzheimer's disease upon confirmation of amyloid beta pathology. Extensively and sparsely sampled PK profiles from 1619 AD subjects and 21,929 serum lecanemab observations from two phase I, one phase II, and one phase III studies were well characterized using a two‐compartment model with first‐order elimination. The final PK model quantified covariate effects of body weight and sex on clearance and central volume of distribution, ADA‐positive status, and albumin on clearance, and of Japanese ethnicity on central and peripheral volumes of distribution. Exposure to lecanemab was comparable between two lecanemab‐manufacturing processes. However, none of the identified covariates in the model had a clinically relevant impact on model‐predicted lecanemab Cmax or AUC at steady state following 10 mg/kg bi‐weekly. Importantly, age, a well‐recognized risk factor for AD, was not found to significantly affect lecanemab PK. The incidence of ARIA‐E as a function of lecanemab exposure was modeled using a logit function with data pooled from 2641 subjects from the phase II and phase III studies, in which a total of 177 incidences of ARIA‐E were observed. The probability of ARIA‐E was significantly correlated with model‐predicted Cmax and predicted to be higher in subjects homozygous for APOE4. The incidence of isolated ARIA‐H was not associated with lecanemab exposure and was similar between placebo and lecanemab‐treated subjects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focuses on implementing 1-octanethiol gold nanoparticles (OT-AuNPs) as chemiresistive sensors and comparing fabrication by inkjet-printing with conventional drop-casting to detect volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and explosives including HMTD, PETN, KClO3, TATP, RDX, TNT, and UN. Inkjet-printing technology potentially offers more controlled deposition of OT-AuNPs and more uniform sensor properties compared to a drop-casting process. Using inkjet-printing, we found that a minimum of 600 OT-AuNPs printed layers with 2.4 pL drop volume, 9 drops per layer, and 60 μ m drop spacing was sufficient to reduce chemiresistor device baseline resistances to around 1 0 3 Ω and obtain more consistent responses. By contrast, 12 μ L OT-AuNPs drop-casting yielded device resistances spread over a range of 1 0 2 − 1 0 6 Ω due to uneven deposition. For inkjet-printed devices, higher response magnitudes with lower variability were achieved for explosive vapor detection whereas a larger spread was observed for drop casting. The improved uniformity of baseline resistances and sensor responses indicates inkjet-printed devices were more reproducible and repeatable than drop-casting. In addition, inkjet-printing consumes lower amounts of OT-AuNPs for material and cost savings. The results demonstrate that inkjet-printed devices are promising for use in sensor arrays to fabricate electronic noses for VOCs and explosives detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modern integrated circuits have active components on the order of nanometers. However, optical devices are often limited by diffraction effects with dimensions measured in wavelengths. Nanoscale photodetectors capable of converting light into electrical signals are necessary for the miniaturization of optoelectronic applications. Strong coupling of light and free electrons in plasmonic nanostructures overcomes these limitations by confining light into sub-wavelength volumes with intense local electric fields. Localized electric fields are intensified at nanorod ends and in nanogap regions between nanostructures. Hot carriers generated within these high-field regions from nonradiative decay of surface plasmons can be injected into the conduction band of adjacent semiconductors, enabling sub-bandgap photodetection. The optical properties of these plasmonic photodetectors can be tuned by modifying antenna materials and geometric parameters like size, thickness, and shape. Electrical interconnects provide connectivity to convert light into electrical signals. In this work, interconnected nanogap antennas fabricated with 35 nm gaps are encapsulated with ALD-deposited TiO 2 , enabling photodetection via Schottky barrier junctions. Photodetectors with high responsivity (12 μ A/mW) are presented for wavelengths below the bandgap of TiO 2 (3.2 eV). These plasmonic nanogap antennas are sub-wavelength, tunable photodetectors with sub-bandgap responsivity for a broad spectral range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies indicate a high burden of mental health disorders among female sex workers (FSWs) in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Despite available data on suicidal ideation and suicide attempts among FSWs, little is known about suicide deaths in this hard-to-reach population. This study aims to examine the extent to which suicide is a cause of maternal mortality among FSWs, the contexts in which suicides occur, and the methods used. From January to October 2019, the Community Knowledge Approach method for identifying causespecific deaths in communities was employed across eight LMICs (Angola, Brazil, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), India, Indonesia, Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa). A total of one thousand two hundred eighty FSWs provided detailed reports on two thousand one hundred twelve FSW deaths in the preceding 5 years, including 288 (13.6%) suicides, 178 (61.8%) of which were maternal. Of these maternal suicides, 57.9% occurred during pregnancy (antepartum), 20.2% within two months of delivery (puerperium), and 21.9% in the 2-12 months following delivery (postpartum). The highest proportion of suicides occurred in Nigeria, Kenya, and DRC in sub-Saharan Africa. A total of 504 children lost their mothers to suicide. Further research is needed to identify interventions for suicide risk among FSW mothers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a broadband infrared and optical study of the compositionally complex nickel-based superalloy Inconel-718, a common material used in additive manufacturing using the direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) technique. We find a broad, featureless spectral emissivity, which is consistent with dc transport measurements and contextualize the results against literature reports of disordered metals. We show that electronic structure calculations based on first-principles modeling can explain most of the spectral weight distribution and show that the peculiar infrared optical properties in this class of materials can present challenges in accurately reporting remote temperature sensing in DMLS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]