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Our main goal of this meta-analytical analysis was to evaluate the diagnostic effectiveness of prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) against multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) in the context of identifying biochemical recurrence in patients with prostate cancer (PCa). A thorough search covering articles published until March 2023 was carried out across major databases such as PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science. Studies examining the direct comparison of PSMA PET/CT and mpMRI in patients with PCa suffering biochemical recurrence were included in the inclusion criteria. Using the renowned Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Performance Studies-2 technique, each study's methodological rigor was assessed. We analyzed data from six eligible studies involving 290 patients in total. The combined data showed that for PSMA PET/CT and mpMRI, respectively, the pooled overall detection rates for recurrent PCa after definitive treatment were 0.69 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.45–0.89) and 0.70 (95% CI: 0.44–0.91). The detection rates for local recurrence were specifically 0.52 (95% CI: 0.39–0.65) and 0.62 (95% CI: 0.31–0.89), while they were 0.50 (95% CI: 0.26–0.74) and 0.32 (95% CI: 0.18–0.48) for lymph node metastasis. Notably, there was no discernible difference between the two imaging modalities in terms of the overall detection rate (P = 0.95). The detection rates for local recurrence and lymph node metastasis did not differ statistically significantly (P = 0.55, 0.23). The performance of PSMA PET/CT and mpMRI in identifying biochemical recurrence in PCa appears to be comparable. However, the meta-analysis' findings came from research with modest sample sizes. In this context, more extensive research should be conducted in the future. • Pooled detection rates for recurrent prostate cancer (PCa): 0.69 with prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT), 0.70 with multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI). • PSMA PET/CT and mpMRI perform equally in detecting PCa recurrence. • This article is a head-to-head comparative meta-analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High‐resolution image segmentation is essential in structural health monitoring (SHM), enabling accurate detection and quantification of structural components and damages. However, conventional convolutional neural network‐based segmentation methods face limitations in real‐world deployment, particularly when handling high‐resolution images producing low‐resolution outputs. This study introduces a novel framework named Refined‐Segment Anything Model (R‐SAM) to overcome such challenges. R‐SAM leverages the state‐of‐the‐art zero‐shot SAM to generate unlabeled segmentation masks, subsequently employing the DEtection Transformer model to label the instances. The key feature and contribution of the R‐SAM is its refinement module, which improves the accuracy of masks generated by SAM without the need for extensive data annotations and fine‐tuning. The effectiveness of the proposed framework was assessed through qualitative and quantitative analyses across diverse case studies, including multiclass segmentation, simultaneous segmentation and tracking, and 3D reconstruction. The results demonstrate that R‐SAM outperforms state‐of‐the‐art convolution neural network‐based segmentation models with a mean intersection‐over‐union of 97% and a mean boundary accuracy of 87%. In addition, achieving high coefficients of determination in target‐free tracking case studies highlights its versatility in addressing various challenges in SHM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to assess the associations between blood heavy metal concentrations and hearing loss. This was a systematic review and meta-analysis. A comprehensive literature search was performed using Embase, PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Chinese Biomedical Literature, Wanfang and Weipu databases. Ten studies were included, and a random or fixed-effects model was used for the meta-analysis. Review Manager 5.4 software was used for data synthesis, and Stata 15.1 software was used for the publication bias and sensitivity analyses. Blood lead concentrations were significantly and substantially associated with hearing loss (mean difference (MD) = 1.14; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.03, 2.26; P = 0.04; I 2 = 81%), and iron deficiency was significantly related to hearing loss (MD = −0.42; 95% CI = −0.66, −0.18; P = 0.12; I 2 = 60%). These results suggest an association between blood heavy metal concentrations and hearing loss. However, there were limitations: confounding factors, lack of description for the specific methods of blinding and independent verification of case definition, limited sample size, Chinese publications comprising half of the primary data and the lack of assessment of the relationship between different blood heavy metal concentrations and the severity of hearing loss. Therefore, larger and well-designed prospective cohort studies are required for further exploration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Our aim was to perform a propensity score-matched study to compare the long-term functional outcomes and quality of life following intersphincteric resection vs. low anterior resection (LAR) with very low anastomosis. Methods: Patients who underwent intersphincteric resection or low anterior resection with low anastomosis (≤ 4 cm from the anal verge) for rectal cancer between January 2017 and June 2020 were retrospectively included. A propensity score-matching process was performed. Functional outcomes and quality of life were assessed using the European Quality of Life 5 Dimensions 3 Level Version (EQ-5D-3L), EORC-QLQ C30, EORC-QLQ CR29, Low Anterior Resection Syndrome (LARS), Wexner, and International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) questionnaires. The primary outcome was the presence of LARS at least 12 months after surgery. The second outcome was the postoperative quality of life of included patients. Results: After propensity matching, 128 patients were included, including 58 males and 70 females with a median age of 59.5. Patients in the intersphincteric resection group showed a higher incidence of incontinence to flatus (32.8% versus 14.0%, p = 0.043) and stools (42.2% versus 21.9%, p = 0.046), pain/discomfort (25.0% versus 7.8%, p = 0.001), and bowel dysfunction, while the LARS scores (15.0 versus 13.2, p = 0.461) and major LARS rates (26.6% versus 14.1%, p = 0.078) were comparable in both groups. Conclusion: ISR leads to increased bowel incontinence rate and increased anal pain, without affecting the grade of low anterior resection syndrome, fecal urgency, and clustering. LAR might be the preferred sphincteric-preserving approach when negative resection margins and a safe anastomosis are guaranteed. Patients should be fully informed about potential functional impairment after sphincter-preservation procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel bibenzyl derivative, hydrangchin (1) and ten known compounds (2–11) were isolated from the stems of Hydrangea chinensis Maxim. (Saxifragaceae). The structure of the novel bibenzyl derivative was characterized on the basis of spectral analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(b) Parting of mucous membrane suggested defects of both hard and soft palate, as in CP. Despite the similarity in appearance on fetal ultrasound between isolated cleft palate (CP) and submucous cleft palate (SMCP), the approach to surgical correction differs markedly depending on the integrity of the mucous membrane. [Extracted from the article]

Ectopic ATP synthase complex (eATP synthase), located on cancer cell surface, has been reported to possess catalytic activity that facilitates the generation of ATP in the extracellular environment to establish a suitable microenvironment and to be a potential target for cancer therapy. However, the mechanism of intracellular ATP synthase complex transport remains unclear. Using a combination of spatial proteomics, interaction proteomics, and transcriptomics analyses, we find ATP synthase complex is first assembled in the mitochondria and subsequently delivered to the cell surface along the microtubule via the interplay of dynamin-related protein 1 (DRP1) and kinesin family member 5B (KIF5B). We further demonstrate that the mitochondrial membrane fuses to the plasma membrane in turn to anchor ATP syntheses on the cell surface using super-resolution imaging and real-time fusion assay in live cells. Our results provide a blueprint of eATP synthase trafficking and contribute to the understanding of the dynamics of tumor progression. The ectopic ATP synthase complex is assembled in mitochondria and transported to the cell surface via microtubules and dynamin-related protein 1 and kinesin KIF5B. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Plant–soil feedback (PSF) is an important mechanism controlling plant growth, vegetation dynamics, and longer-term and larger-scale patterns of plant community diversity. We know that feedback between plants and soil biota depends on several external factors, such as nutrient and water availability, and interactions with neighbouring plants. We argue that in the 'real world', PSF are not working in isolation but instead proceed within a complex context of multiple interacting factors. Fire is one of those complex external factors which could greatly alter PSF by re-setting or re-directing plant-soil biota interactions. Methods: We reviewed key literature on the effects of fire on soil biota and soil physicochemical properties with soil depth, to generate predictions on the complex effects of fire on PSF. Results: We highlight that fire has strong potential to directly and indirectly affect the strength of PSF. To what extent this influences longer-term plant community trajectories depends on the interactions between fire characteristics and ecosystem type. Here, we conceptualized these effects of fire on soil properties and biota, and then discuss the main pathways through which fire should alter PSF. Conclusions: We think that PSF processes should be nullified under and after fire. Average neutral PSF responses are expected to be more common in the short-term or within the timeframe required for major soil microbial players to regain their pre-fire abundances and diversity. We conclude by providing directions for future research and possible methods to study fire effects on PSF both in the field and under controlled conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a novel accurate and economical 3D computer vision‐based framework is proposed to quantify out‐of‐plane displacements of steel plate structures. First, a sequence of image frames of the steel plate structures of interest is collected. Second, using image association, structure‐from‐motion, and multi‐view stereo algorithms, a 3D point cloud of the steel plate structures and their surroundings is created. Third, an efficient 3D object detection method based on convolutional neural networks is developed and implemented to identify the steel plate structures in the 3D point cloud. Last, the out‐of‐plane displacements of the steel plate structures are quantified using point cloud postprocessing algorithms. The proposed framework has been implemented on a steel plate damper and a full‐scale steel corrugated plate wall panel, which are commonly used in structural and earthquake engineering applications. The results indicate the developed framework can successfully localize the steel plate components in the 3D scene and accurately quantify the out‐of‐plane structural displacements with an average accuracy of ∼1 mm. The implementation shows the proposed framework can accurately and efficiently quantify the out‐of‐plane displacements of steel plate structures in realistic engineering applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a combined experimental and theoretical work to obtain the energy loss function (ELF) or the excitation spectrum of samarium in the energy loss range between 3 and 200 eV. At low loss energies, the plasmon excitation is clearly identified and the surface and bulk contributions are distinguished. For the precise analysis the frequency-dependent energy loss function and the related optical constants (n and k) of samarium were extracted from the measured reflection electron energy loss spectroscopy (REELS) spectra by the reverse Monte Carlo method. The ps- and f-sum rules with final ELF fulfils the nominal values with 0.2% and 2.5% accuracy, respectively. It was found that a bulk mode locates at 14.2 eV with the peak width ~6 eV and the corresponding broaden surface plasmon mode locates at energies of 5-11 eV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Effective and reliable decoupling measurement of a coexistence of strain and temperature fields has been expected in various engineering practices; however, it remains a difficult challenge even for advanced measurement technologies. Objective: In this paper, a novel method to realize the decoupling and simultaneous measurement of nonuniform temperature and strain fields is proposed using a specific wiring configuration of a single distributed optical fiber. Methods: The Rayleigh-scattering-based distributed optical fiber is fixed on a deformable test object in a simple configuration of a fiber ring, which is a type of quasi-continuous sensor with attractive advantages including light weight, compact size, high sensitivity and flexibility, and high spatial resolution of sub-millimeters. A measurement principle based on the thermoelastic theory and fiber sensing principle of the Rayleigh-scattering-based distributed optical fiber is suggested to establish the relationship between the harmonic components of the Rayleigh backscattering spectra (RBS) of the fiber and the temperature and strain field profiles. Results: Accordingly, the decoupled temperature and strain can be directly obtained from the amplitude and phase of each harmonic signal of the RBS shifts, in which the equations for both fields, including the gradient components, are constructed. Experimental tests on a bending plate subjected to combinations of mechanical and thermal loads proved the accuracy and efficiency of the proposed method. Conclusion: Most significantly, the method is concise, with the use of only a single sensing fiber for both temperature and strain fields instead of additional field sensors for detecting individual fields. The measurement results illustrate the strong error correction and deviation correction, and thus robustness, of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to explore whether partial breast irradiation can replace hypofractionated whole breast irradiation and whether the former two are superior to conventional fractionated whole breast irradiation, we conducted a network meta-analysis based on the data from the latest randomized controlled trials to evaluate the efficacy of these radiotherapy modalities. Data from eligible studies were analyzed to determine the published events for ipsilateral breast tumor recurrence, distant metastasis, total deaths, and non-breast cancer-related deaths. In the case of low or high heterogeneity, the fixed-effect or random-effect model was used for statistical analysis respectively. NMA was performed by using the node-splitting model for two-category data among three radiotherapies based on a Bayesian method. A total of 23,418 patients were included in 16 studies. For ipsilateral breast tumor recurrence, both pairwise (OR=1.9; CI95%: 1.2 -2.8; p<0.05) and indirect (OR=1.7; CI95%: 1.2 -2.4; p<0.05) comparison of three radiotherapies by network meta-analysis showed that conventional fractionated whole breast irradiation was significantly better than partial breast irradiation. Indirect comparison of three radiotherapies by network meta-analysis showed that hypofractionated whole breast irradiation was significantly better than partial breast irradiation (OR=1.6; CI95%: 1.0 -2.5; p<0.05). Network and paired meta-analyses found no significant differences in other endpoints among the three radiotherapies. Overall, this network meta-analysis showed that partial breast irradiation was related to the increase of ipsilateral breast tumor recurrence compared with hypofractionated or conventional fractionated whole breast irradiation in patients with early-stage breast cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of aging conditions on the mechanical properties of epoxy resin (EP) with halloysite nanotube (HNT) were studied. The aging conditions include soaking in water at various temperatures, soaking in acid solution, soaking in alkali solution, thermal shock cycling (TSC), and soaking coupled with subsequent thermal shock cycling (i.e., composite aging conditions). Under aging conditions, the EP is degraded, plasticized, and swelled, resulting in different degrees of cracks and pores in EP. The tensile and bending properties of EP and HNT/EP nanocomposites decreased after aging, indicating that the durability of the EP decreased under aging conditions. The addition of HNT could improve the immersion aging resistance and delay the immersion aging behavior of EP. Under TSC conditions, the reduction in mechanical properties of HNT/EP nanocomposites with HNT is slightly more than that of the neat EP due to different thermal expansion coefficients between HNT and EP. The fracture morphology and chemical change were studied to reveal the aging degradation mechanisms in the presence of HNT addition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Structural bolts are critical components used in different structural elements, such as beam‐column connections and friction damping devices. The clamping force in structural bolts is highly influenced by the bolt rotation. Much of the existing vision‐based research about bolt rotation estimation relies on traditional computer vision algorithms such as Hough transform to assess static images of bolts. This requires careful image preprocessing, and it may not perform well in the situation of complicated bolt assemblies, or in the presence of surrounding objects and background noise, thus hindering their real‐world applications. In this study, an integrated real‐time detect‐track method, namely, RTDT‐bolt, is proposed to monitor the bolt rotation angle. First, a real‐time convolutional‐neural‐networks‐based object detector, named YOLOv3‐tiny, is established and trained to localize structural bolts. Then, the target‐free object tracking algorithm based on optical flow is implemented to continuously monitor and quantify the rotation of structural bolts. In order to enhance the tracking performance against background noise and potential illumination changes during tracking, the YOLOv3‐tiny is integrated with the optical flow tracking algorithm to re‐detect the bolts when the tracking gets lost. Extensive parameter studies were conducted to identify optimal tracking performance and examine the potential limitations. The results indicate that the RTDT‐bolt method can greatly enhance the tracking performance of bolt rotation, which can achieve over 90% accuracy using the recommended range for the parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Control–structure interaction (CSI) plays a significant role in active control systems. Popular methods incorporate actuator dynamics into an integrated control system to account for CSI, leading to a situation where existing structural control algorithms that ignore CSI cannot be applied directly. To address this issue, this study proposes a deep reinforcement learning (DRL) based active mass driver (AMD) decoupled control framework, in which a structural control algorithm is employed to generate the control force command without consideration of CSI, while a DRL agent is utilized to attenuate the CSI effects of AMD systems and achieve a desired control force. The DRL‐based AMD control framework is verified through a series of numerical experiments. Furthermore, the applicability of the control framework is confirmed in a wind‐excited 76‐story benchmark building. Comprehensive analysis indicates that the proposed control framework can effectively eliminate the CSI effects and apply accurate control force to the structure in various scenarios, which allows for an ideal structural response control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Railway alignment optimization in earthquake‐prone mountainous (EPM) regions should quantify and trade off construction investments and seismic risks. Unfortunately, slight attention has been previously devoted to this trade‐off. To this end, based on the FEMA‐P58 methodology, a net present value (NPV) model of risk avoidance is presented and solved. In the model, alignment alternatives are first segmented into structural groups with different probabilistic seismic fragility curves, which are then used to generate structural repair cost and repair time curves. Afterward, a probabilistic seismic hazard curve is introduced to estimate the expected annual repair cost and time for computing railway direct and indirect seismic losses. Hence, the railway total annual loss caused by seismic activity can be obtained. Next, a benefit–cost analysis is performed to combine construction cost and seismic loss as the risk‐cost NPV. To optimize this objective function, a particle swarm algorithm is used as the basic approach. For implementing the probabilistic seismic performance analysis, a Monte Carlo simulation (MCS) is employed as the risk assessment module. Furthermore, due to the computationally intensive nature of MCS, a CPU‐based parallelization is embedded into the algorithm to expedite the search. Finally, the proposed model and method are applied to a representative real‐world railway case in an EPM region. Their effectiveness is discussed and verified in five experiments, including algorithm convergence analysis, alignment solution comparison, seismic risk interpretation, computational efficiency test, and a specific sensitivity analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using historical traffic flow information to accurately and real-time predict future traffic flow information is particularly important for the management and control of traffic scenarios, and the guidance and planning of traffic travel. Short-term traffic flow prediction requires a large amount of forecast data and complex changes in traffic flow in space and time. However, the current prediction model cannot meet the requirements of real-time and accuracy of short-term traffic flow prediction. This paper proposes two traffic flow prediction models based on the changing trend and correlation of short-term traffic flow in time and space, combined with deep learning related theories. Firstly, this paper takes the traffic flow of the expressway as the research object, explores the basic parameters of traffic flow-flow, speed occupancy rate in time and space distribution law and change trend, and selects the speed as the research object, analyzes its temporal and spatial characteristics and correlation to provide data support for this study. Then, this paper introduces the related theories and frameworks of deep learning, mainly including neural network theory and hyperparameter optimization theory, as well as the deep learning model design framework. Pytorch and hyperparameter optimization framework Optuna, so as to provide theoretical foundation and technical support for this research. Finally, experiments of short-term traffic prediction based on single detection point and short-term traffic prediction based on multiple detection points are carried out on the PeMS dataset. Firstly, a multi-lane spatiotemporal convolutional network model (MSCTAN) based on traffic flow prediction at a single detection point is proposed to capture the spatiotemporal correlation of multi-lane traffic at a single detection point. Spatiotemporal Convolution and Spatiotemporal Attention Network Model (MSCSAN). For the two models proposed in this paper, comparative experiments were designed, and the mean absolute error (MAE), the root mean square error (RMSE) and the mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) were used as evaluation indicators to verify their performance at a single detection point and multiple detection points. The results show that, whether it is a single detection point experiment or a multi-detection point experiment, the two models achieve the best performance compared with the comparison model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thin films consisting of silicon nanocrystals fabricated by high silicon content in silicon rich oxide show unique properties of decreasing resistivity and increasing light absorption while maintaining quantum confinement effects. With that said, the effect of the annealing temperature and doping element on the microscopic structure of silicon nanocrystals (Si NCs) and the film are still under research. In this study, individual intrinsic, boron-, and phosphorus-doped films are annealed at various temperatures, and their structural properties are analyzed via atom probe tomography together with glancing incidence x-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy (Raman), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and energy filtered TEM. In addition, photoluminescence (PL) is performed and linked with their microstructural properties. The Si NC growth is confirmed at annealing temperatures of 1000 °C and 1100 °C. The microstructure of the Si NCs in the whole film is dramatically changed by increasing the annealing temperature from 1000 °C to 1100°C. In addition, doping changes the arrangement of the Si NCs by assisting their penetration across the SiO2 barrier layers. This study helps to understand the relationship between the microscopic and macroscopic properties of the Si NC film, showing that the size and distribution of the Si NCs are correlated with the obtained PL profiles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thin films consisting of silicon nanocrystals fabricated by high silicon content in silicon rich oxide show unique properties of decreasing resistivity and increasing light absorption while maintaining quantum confinement effects. With that said, the effect of the annealing temperature and doping element on the microscopic structure of silicon nanocrystals (Si NCs) and the film are still under research. In this study, individual intrinsic, boron-, and phosphorus-doped films are annealed at various temperatures, and their structural properties are analyzed via atom probe tomography together with glancing incidence x-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy (Raman), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and energy filtered TEM. In addition, photoluminescence (PL) is performed and linked with their microstructural properties. The Si NC growth is confirmed at annealing temperatures of 1000 °C and 1100 °C. The microstructure of the Si NCs in the whole film is dramatically changed by increasing the annealing temperature from 1000 °C to 1100 °C. In addition, doping changes the arrangement of the Si NCs by assisting their penetration across the SiO2 barrier layers. This study helps to understand the relationship between the microscopic and macroscopic properties of the Si NC film, showing that the size and distribution of the Si NCs are correlated with the obtained PL profiles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a lack of comprehensive analysis of recent gallbladder cancer (GBC) mortality trends in China. This study aims to analyse trends in GBC mortality in China, with a specific focus on urban and rural area differences, and to determine possible risk factors. This was a cross-sectional study. Data were accessed through the Chinese Health Statistics Annual Report for 31 provinces from 2013 to 2019. Age-standardised mortality rate (ASMR) stratified by regions, gender and the years of diagnoses were analysed by Joinpoint regression analysis. The GBC ASMR was higher in females than in males and higher in urban areas than in rural areas. Mortality was primarily observed in individuals aged ≥65 years (in both sexes). A non-significant downward trend of GBC mortality was identified in urban areas from 2013 to 2019 (average annual percent change [AAPC] −1.50%; 95% confidence interval [CI]: −3.49, 0.53). However, in rural areas, the ASMR significantly increased with an AAPC of 2.64% (95% CI: 1.15, 4.15) in males and 3.85% (95% CI: 2.17, 5.56) in females. The GBC mortality rate was positively related to red meat consumption. The burden of GBC mortality in rural China cannot be ignored, as results from this study show significantly increasing trends in both females and males from 2013 to 2019. In addition, red meat consumption may play a vital role in the increasing GBC mortality rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Intermetallic materials are bestowed by diverse ordered superlattice structures together with many unusual properties. In particular, the advent of chemically complex intermetallic alloys (CCIMAs) has received considerable attention in recent years and offers a new paradigm to develop novel metallic materials for advanced structural applications. These newly emerged CCIMAs exhibit synergistic modulations of structural and chemical features, such as self-assembled long-range close-packed ordering, complex sublattice occupancy, and interfacial disordered nanoscale layer, potentially allowing for superb physical and mechanical properties that are unmatched in conventional metallic materials. In this paper, we critically review the historical developments and recent advances in ordered intermetallic materials from the simple binary to chemically complex alloy systems. We are focused on the unique multicomponent superlattice microstructures, nanoscale grain-boundary segregation, and disordering, as well as the various extraordinary mechanical and functional properties of these newly developed CCIMAs. Finally, perspectives on the future research orientation, challenges, and opportunities of this new frontier are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clinicians should raise suspicion for secondary syphilis even in patients who are healthy and appear unlikely to be affected by STIs when clinical manifestation is atypical. Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by I Treponema pallidum i . Secondary syphilis resembling lymphoma-like nodules in a 59-year-old woman. [Extracted from the article]

Experimental study of laser proton acceleration was carried out using laser machined line targets and cross targets with tens of micrometers scale. We have found that both the shape and material of the microstructure targets have significant influences on the distribution of the proton beam. For the aluminum line target, the proton beam spot expands in a direction perpendicular to the boundary of the target; while for the plastic line target, it expands parallel to the boundary of the target. Detailed PIC simulations of the aluminum target have been carried out, which show that due to the lateral transport of hot electrons and the sheath fields accumulated at the edge of the microstructure target, the divergence angle of the accelerated proton beam is changed accordingly, thereby modulating the spatial distribution: the elliptical beam spot can be obtained from the line target, and the quasi-square beam spot can be obtained from the cross target. Simulations of the plastic target indicate that the difference in the electron transport properties for the two types of targets may be the reason for the completely different beam spot shapes. This work shows that the microstructure targets can be a potential method to manipulate the spatial distribution and uniformity of the proton beam. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metabolites in plasma of healthy nursery pigs were quantified using nuclear magnetic resonance. Heritabilities of metabolite concentration were estimated along with their phenotypic and genetic correlations with performance, resilience, and carcass traits in growing pigs exposed to a natural polymicrobial disease challenge. Variance components were estimated by GBLUP. Heritability estimates were low to moderate (0.11 ± 0.08 to 0.19 ± 0.08) for 14 metabolites, moderate to high (0.22 ± 0.09 to 0.39 ± 0.08) for 17 metabolites, and highest for l-glutamic acid (0.41 ± 0.09) and hypoxanthine (0.42 ± 0.08). Phenotypic correlation estimates of plasma metabolites with performance and carcass traits were generally very low. Significant genetic correlation estimates with performance and carcass traits were found for several measures of growth and feed intake. Interestingly the plasma concentration of oxoglutarate was genetically negatively correlated with treatments received across the challenge nursery and finisher (− 0.49 ± 0.28; P < 0.05) and creatinine was positively correlated with mortality in the challenge nursery (0.85 ± 0.76; P < 0.05). These results suggest that some plasma metabolite phenotypes collected from healthy nursery pigs are moderately heritable and genetic correlations with measures of performance and resilience after disease challenge suggest they may be potential genetic indicators of disease resilience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel bibenzyl derivative, hydrangchinenin (1), was isolated from the stems of Hydrangea chinensis Maxim. (Hydrangeaceae). Its structure was determined on the basis of spectral analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conventional concrete frames are designed to dissipate the earthquake energy through inelastic deformation of the structural elements. It leads to hefty repairment costs and prolonged down time after earthquakes. Self-centering concrete frames (SCCF) have been introduced to minimize the unrecoverable structural damages and post-earthquake repairment costs. SCCF exhibits predictable yield mechanism and self-centering capacity. This paper presents an energy-based seismic design (EBSD) procedure for SCCFs. Based on a proposed damage model, hysteretic energy demand, EH, is introduced as a key design parameter. The desired damage state and structural deformations can be considered in design process. EBSD allows designers to select various performance objectives at different seismic intensities. A prototype building is designed using the proposed EBSD procedure. The performance of SCCF designed using EBSD is compared with the same prototype structure designed using direct displacement-based design method (DDBD). The results show that SCCF has high performance with low residual drift. The performance of the EBSD designed SCCF exhibits more controlled damage compared with the DDBD designed SCCF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here, we report a STAT3-HIES child who obtained rapid and substantial improvement of his neonatal-onset eczema after treatment with dupilumab, a monoclonal antibody that blocks the shared subunit of IL4 and IL13 receptors. Hyper-immunoglobulin E syndromes (HIES) are a group of rare primary immunodeficiency disorders with different monogenic defects including I STAT3, DOCK8, PGM3, CARD11, i and I ZNF431 i .1 Since the defect of STAT3 distorts the coordination of immune responses of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-10, and IL-21, the STAT3-HIES patients manifest a triad of high serum IgE level, eczema, as well as recurrent skin and lung infections.1 Restoring appropriate immune responses in the STAT3-HIES patients is crucial for treating their condition. Additional studies are warranted to establish the best dosing regimen for paediatric STAT3-HIES patients with eczema. [Extracted from the article]

The AC susceptibilities of Fe1-xCoxSi (0.1≤x ≤0.7) alloys were measured and compared with that of MnSi. The range of skyrmion phase in the H-T phase space was enlarged and moved to higher temperatures when approximately 1/3 of the Fe was substituted with Co. Comparing with MnSi, the skyrmion phase of Fe0.7Co0.3Si was found thermodynamically more stable under a much lower and narrower critical field near 280 ± 50 Oe. The stability range in the H-T phase space and the free energy reduction ΔE (as a function of the applied magnetic field) for both the Fe0.7Co0.3Si and MnSi were compared. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Individual tree parameters, such as diameter at breast height (DBH) and tree height, are fundamental measurements in forest inventory, and often labour intensive and require significant financial expenditures. Applying digital imaging in forest inventory is an efficient way to decrease the workload. In this study, spherical images taken using a novel commercial 360° camera (Ricoh Theta S) and stereographic geometry were applied to obtain these parameters directly without stitching multiple images from common cameras. This technology was validated in both a sparse urban forest (pairwise comparison) and denser real forest (distributional comparison) in Atlantic Canada. The DBH (r2 > 0:76) and height (Dmax < 0:25, K-S test) showed high correspondence with field measures. The spherical camera represents a low-cost option to terrestrial laser scanning and has potential to produce more accurate forest-level estimates with quicker field and office processing time than current under-canopy remote sensing technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Polysomnographic (PSG) findings of persons with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI)/concussion show longer total sleep time than patients themselves report; the reason for this is not entirely clear. Objective: This study aimed to elucidate the socio-demographic, brain-injury-related, and clinical characteristics that underlie accuracy of sleep duration reporting in mTBI/concussion. Methods: Thirty-seven participants diagnosed with mTBI/concussion (57% male, 47.54 ± 11.3 years old) underwent clinical and neuroimaging examinations, full-night PSG, and estimated sleep duration following PSG. Results: Mean self-reported sleep duration was 342 ± 93.6 minutes and PSG-measured sleep duration was 382 ± 76.8 minutes. Measurements were moderately correlated (rho = 0.46, p =.004). Age associated with self- and PSG-measured sleep duration (rho = 0.34 and rho = 0.84, respectively, p <.05). Self-reported sleep duration was uniquely associated with insomnia severity (rho = −0.48, p =.002). In the fully adjusted multivariable regression analysis, several clinical characteristics of patients explained 30% of the discrepancy between self- and PSG-measured sleep duration. Conclusion: The observed results indicate that persons with mTBI do not accurately assess their sleep duration and, therefore, PSG is warranted in clinical situations where sleep duration is of concern. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The performance of press-pack insulated gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs) is greatly affected by the unbalanced pressure distribution. However, it is not feasible to apply engineering optimization methods to address the IGBT design problems because of the complexity of high-dimensional optimization involving the time-consuming simulation models. This paper proposes a practical structural design optimization (SDO) method, aiming to enhance the uniformity of the pressure distribution for the existing products of press-pack IGBTs. A concept of pressure balance factor (PBF) is first defined based on the stress distribution analysis of the IGBT, which establishes a direct link between the stress and structure of each sub-module. A PBF distribution function is formulated to reduce the dimension of the design problem. A parameterized SDO model is presented, which can be solved by classic algorithms by automatically calling the finite element model (FEM). This method is applied to a design problem of the actual press-pack IGBT with 44 sub-modules. Numerical results and an experiment show that it is with great practical potential because of the advantages of efficiency and operability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metastasis-directed therapy (MDT)-local therapy that is intended to eradicate specific metastatic lesions-has hitherto been used with varying degrees of clinical efficacy and acceptance as a meaningful therapy for metastatic disease. Over the past 25 years, however, the momentum for using MDT to manage patients with metastatic solid tumours has increased, driven by several factors. Among these factors is the recognition that patients with limited metastatic burden could potentially derive survival benefits from MDT. Furthermore, although current systemic therapies are increasingly effective, they are infrequently curative. In addition, technological advances have broadened the spectrum of metastatic lesions that can be treated with ablative intent. Here we aim to briefly review the status of evidence for the clinical benefit of MDT based on current data mainly from trials in patients with oligometastatic disease, discuss the myriad of clinical states that might fall under and beyond the definition of oligometastasis, review technological advances in MDT and their applications beyond oligometastasis, and discuss the need for the continued co-evolution of MDT and systemic therapy as we seek to understand which patients with metastatic cancer can achieve durable remission and how to optimally manage those who cannot. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of fibre laser surface treatment with different energy densities on the surface microstructure and bonding performance of a carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) composite was investigated. Results indicate that the effect of laser surface treatment on the CFRP with a defocusing amount of 4 mm is the optimal. With increasing energy density the resinremoval degree of the CFRP structure surface increases gradually, the surface free energy of CFRP greatly increases and the contact angle of CFRP decreases. At the same time, the high energy density will lead to the fibre being easily damaged. A combined mechanism of laser treatment on CFRP is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Earlier identification of bolt loosening is crucial to maintain structural integrity and prevent system‐level collapse. In this study, a novel drone‐based 3D vision methodology has been proposed for autonomous bolt loosening assessment. First, a low‐cost micro aerial vehicle with various types of sensors is designed. Second, a drone‐based autonomous image collection method is proposed. Third, a 3D point cloud of the bolted connection is generated using the acquired images. Fourth, 3D point cloud processing methods are proposed to localize and quantify bolt loosening. The proposed method has been implemented on structural beam–column connections. The results show that the proposed drone‐based data collection method can effectively acquire images for 3D reconstruction. The 3D point cloud processing methods can reliably localize and quantify bolt loosening at high accuracy. The proposed method provides a more robust and comprehensive evaluation of bolt loosening, compared to existing 2D vision methods, which process 2D images captured at a specific camera view. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Matched filter (MF) and conventional beamforming (CBF) are widely used in active sonar; the performance of the former (temporal resolution) is limited by the signal bandwidth, and that of the latter (angular resolution) is limited by the array aperture. Previous work has shown that angular resolution can be significantly improved by deconvolving the CBF outputs. In this paper, deconvolution is extended to the time domain by deconvolving the MF outputs, and a high-resolution two-dimensional deconvolution method is proposed to simultaneously improve the temporal and angular resolution. Numerical simulations and experimental tank data show that angular resolutions are improved 26 times, and temporal resolutions are improved 10 times compared with the conventional MF and CBF methods. Reverberations are much suppressed to allow target echoes to be detected from the received time series data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We fabricate perpendicular magnetic recording media comprising two antiferromagnetically coupled Co/Pt multilayers and investigate its magnetic properties by ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) measurement. In such media, the magnetizations of the two perpendicular magnets are designed to compensate each other in the remanent state in order to reduce the dipolar field, which is a limiting factor in high-density magnetic recording devices. We measure FMR absorption spectra of the media and estimate the magnetic anisotropy and interlayer exchange coupling. We also demonstrate that FMR measurement can be employed to read out the magnetization direction. The principles behind this readout method are different from those behind the conventional method of detecting the stray field from the media by means of a magnetoresistive sensor; therefore, the proposed readout method is applicable to magnetic recording media having zero remanent magnetization. We expand this readout scheme to three-dimensional magnetic recording with several vertically stacked recording layers. By providing each recording layer with a different FMR frequency, we experimentally confirm that layer selective readout is possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Excessive cathode dissolution due to high current densities is investigated. Such excessive dissolution is one of the key electromigration-induced degradation processes in micro systems, and exhibits a distinctive serrated morphology. In this study, Cu cathode and Cu anode connected with Sn is stressed at a 4.5 × 104 A/cm2 current density for time as long as 1500 h. Careful sequential micro polishing is able to establish for the first time that the serrated cathode interface in fact is the expression of rod-like indentations in three-dimensional morphology. This unique morphology supports the proposition that fast Cu diffusion through Cu6Sn5 grain boundaries is the root cause for this excessive dissolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The strength-ductility paradox is a long-sought challenge for all engineering materials. In this study, we escaped the strength-ductility trade-off by engineering nano-scale heterogeneities carefully in the advanced nanostructured Fe-based alloys through alloying with Cu and Mn additions. We demonstrated a triple ductility enhancement by 20% together with a strength improvement of 100MPa compared to the alloys with sole Cu additions, overturning a common understanding of the strength-ductility trade-off. The strength-ductility enhancement is attributed to the complex interplay between the transformation induced plasticity (TRIP) and the coherent nano-scale Cu precipitates as well as the resultant heterogeneous stress–strain partitioning and dislocation interactions. Image, graphical abstract [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phase space vortex merging in electron plasma waves is researched by applying a periodically changing electric field in plasma space with Maxwellian velocity distribution. The pump electric field excites the electron plasma wave with large amplitude and electron phase space vortices are formed. The electron plasma wave can be transited to longer wave modes through vortex merging processes. Excepting the fundamental mode of electron plasma waves, two or more modes appear and grow exponentially before vortex merging. After merging, another mode replaces the initial pumping wave as the strongest wave mode. It is verified that the growth of this new strong mode is related to trapping particle instability. Vortex merging is one of the saturation mechanisms of trapped particle instability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A recently proposed deconvolution method applied to conventional beamforming (CBF) shows a much higher array gain (AG) than CBF in theory, thereby providing the possibility for detecting a weak signal with a much lower signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). However, simulated data processing shows an effective AG that decreases with decreasing SNR. The reason for the performance loss is analyzed. A method based on deconvolution of the signal subspace of the CBF outputs is shown to recover most of the AG loss. It is used to trace a weak signal in bearing and time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alloys that have high strengths at high temperatures are crucial for a variety of important industries including aerospace. Alloys with ordered superlattice structures are attractive for this purpose but generally suffer from poor ductility and rapid grain coarsening. We discovered that nanoscale disordered interfaces can effectively overcome these problems. Interfacial disordering is driven by multielement cosegregation that creates a distinctive nanolayer between adjacent micrometer-scale superlattice grains. This nanolayer acts as a sustainable ductilizing source, which prevents brittle intergranular fractures by enhancing dislocation mobilities. Our superlattice materials have ultrahigh strengths of 1.6 gigapascals with tensile ductilities of 25% at ambient temperature. Simultaneously, we achieved negligible grain coarsening with exceptional softening resistance at elevated temperatures. Designing similar nanolayers may open a pathway for further optimization of alloy properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A vertical line array can be deployed in deep water below the critical depth, the depth where the sound speed equals the sound speed at the surface, to take advantage of the lower ambient noise level (compared with above the critical depth) for target detection. To differentiate a submerged source from a surface source, a Fourier transform based method [McCargar and Zurk, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 133, EL320–325 (2013)] was proposed for a narrowband signal that exploits the depth-related harmonic (oscillation) feature of the beam power time series associated with the target arrival. In this paper, incoherent matched beam processing is used to estimate the target depth. Where the replica (calculated) beam intensity or amplitude time series best matches that of the data is used to estimate the source depth. This method is shown, based on simulated data, to provide a better depth resolution in general and better ability to estimate the depth of a very shallow source (say at 10 m) and can be used to complement the Fourier transform based method. It can be extended to process (random) broadband signals and to environments where the Lloyd's mirror theory is not valid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and purpose: The patterns of head‐shaking nystagmus (HSN) aid in differentiation between central and peripheral vestibular disorders, and perverted HSN (pHSN) has been considered a central sign. The aim was to determine the characteristics of HSN in a large number of patients with either peripheral or central vestibular disorders in a dizziness clinic of a university hospital. Methods: The medical records of 7544 dizzy patients were reviewed during a year and 822 patients with a clinical diagnosis of vestibular disorders were recruited. The findings of spontaneous nystagmus (SN) and HSN in these patients were compared with those of healthy controls (n = 48). Results: A total of 217 of the 822 patients (26.4%) were classified as having a central vestibular disorder, whilst 397 (48.3%) had a peripheral vestibular disorder. In the peripheral vestibular disorder group, SN was observed in 14.1% and HSN in 40.8%, amongst whom 24.1% were the pHSN form. In the central group, SN was observed in 17.5% and HSN in 24.0% of whom 57.7% was pHSN. HSN was more frequently observed in the peripheral vestibular disorder group than in the central group (40.8% vs. 24.0%, P < 0.01). However, the proportion of pHSN was significantly increased in the central group compared to the peripheral vestibular patient group (57.7% vs. 24.1%, P < 0.01). Conclusions: Since pHSN is not specific for central vestibular disorders, other clinical features should be considered in pursuing a central lesion in patients with pHSN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dual-phase high-entropy alloys strengthened by multicomponent intermetallic nanoparticles represent a unique class of hetero-structured materials with potentially superior mechanical properties for structural applications. Due to the multicomponent chemistries of both nanoparticles and the matrix, as well as the coherent interfaces between them, these alloys can possess excellent strength-ductility combinations over a wide temperature range. This brief viewpoint article gives an overview of the major developments achieved recently. Advantages over other classes of metallic materials as well as limitations in this field are also carefully discussed. The results provide new insights into the development of high-performance structural materials via multicomponent-nanoparticle engineering. Image, graphical abstract [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We show that, using phase-field simulations, large voltage-driven perpendicular magnetic domain switching can be realized in magnetic-ferroelectric nanoislands with relieved substrate constraint, which is difficult in continuous multiferroic layered thin films due to significant substrate clamping. The as-grown magnetic and ferroelectric domain structures in the heterostructured nanoislands can be tailored by engineering their respective geometric sizes and/or the underlying substrate strain. Influences of the lateral size of the island on the dynamic voltage-driven magnetic domain switching are addressed, whereby an optimum lateral size is identified for illustration. Thus, such three-dimensional multiferroic nanoislands should provide great flexibilities for designing novel high-density spintronic/microelectronic devices with purely voltage-driven means. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]