In intracavitary radiotherapy (ICRT) for cancer cervix, applicator geometry has the potential to impact the doses to organs at risk (OARs) and the coverage of the target volume. At our centre two Varian made Fletcher-...In intracavitary radiotherapy (ICRT) for cancer cervix, applicator geometry has the potential to impact the doses to organs at risk (OARs) and the coverage of the target volume. At our centre two Varian made Fletcher-style applicator sets, namely defined (fixed) geometry and flexible geometry, are used for ICRT. In the present work, the two types of applicators were compared dosimetrically as per the recommendations of the International Commission on Radiation Units and Measurements (ICRU-38) while delivering high dose rate brachytherapy. Twenty four patients who underwent ICRT were considered for this study. Radiographic method was used for treatment planning on Abacus planning system. ICRU-38 recommended parameters were estimated and compared. Flexible geometry applicator showed 8.8% and 16% higher bladder and rectum point doses as compared to the fixed geometry one but the difference was statistically not significant. The thickness of the pear-shaped isodose volume was larger for the flexible geometry implant also indicating towards higher doses to OARs. The higher bladder and rectum point doses in the case of flexible applicator will need to be validated by a larger data set.展开更多
Multi-channel cylindrical applicators for high dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy are utilized mainly for special gynecology cases often involving image-guidance high dose-rate (IG-HDR or IGBT) brachytherapy. In these case...Multi-channel cylindrical applicators for high dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy are utilized mainly for special gynecology cases often involving image-guidance high dose-rate (IG-HDR or IGBT) brachytherapy. In these cases, doses are prescribed to partial vaginal wall/depth where the disease is indicated by an MRI study scanned on the same day. These novel IG-HDR procedures are logistical challenges comparing to typical HDR out-patient treatments due to the complexity of planning for asymmetrical prescriptions as well as the extension of the whole procedure. Indeed the main advantages of HDR over LDR brachytherapy would be significantly weaken unless the IG-HDR procedures become more efficient in time, thus timely treatment planning becomes crucial. Based on our clinical experience, we propose the pseudo central-catheter method to reduce errors, to minimize uncertainty and to ensure efficiency. In this method, the central hollow path of the multi-channel cylindrical applicator is digitized into a pseudo catheter similar to other active catheters, and the asymmetrical prescription points could be generated corresponding to the pseudo dwelling points in the pseudo central-catheter. The pseudo dwelling points are later deleted after generating the prescription point arrays. This method is robust with minimal chance of errors or uncertainties, and demonstrates high efficiency with much less chance of uncertainty, which is significant for IG-HDR brachytherapy procedures utilizing multi-channel applicators.展开更多
OBJECTIVE To evaluate the results and complications associated with nasopharyngeal carcinoma （NPC） treated with combined external-beam radiotherapy （EBR） and intracavitary brachytherapy （IB） using a new-type app...OBJECTIVE To evaluate the results and complications associated with nasopharyngeal carcinoma （NPC） treated with combined external-beam radiotherapy （EBR） and intracavitary brachytherapy （IB） using a new-type applicator. METHODS Eighty patients with untreated NPC were divided into two groups based on therapy methods. An experimental group was treated with EBR plus IB and a control group was treated only with EBR. IB was given to the patients of the experimental group when the external radiotherapy dose amounted to more than 60～65 Gy. The total dose of IB was 6～20 Gy and the total dose of EBR of the control group was 70～75 Gy. RESULTS Follow-up was conducted for 97.5% of the patients with re- suits as follows： the overall response rates （ORR） for the experimental and the control groups were 92.5% and 75.3% respectively （P〈0.05）; the 3 and 5-year survival rates for the experimental group were 87.5% and 74.2% and for the control group, 65.0% and 55.6% （P〈0.05）; for the experimental group, the 3 and 5-year disease-free survival rates were 72.5% and 64.5% and for the control group, 60.0% and 52.8% （P〉0.05）.Some complications following radiotherapy showed a significant difference. CONCLUSION External irradiation plus intracavitary brachytherapy using a new-type applicator may improve the ORR and survival rates, reduce radiation complications and increase the quality of life. 展开更多
Whiteflies cause problems in vegetable production on a global scale. The primary worldwide whitefly pest is Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius). Insecticides are commonly used to mitigate the whitefly problem in vegetable crop...Whiteflies cause problems in vegetable production on a global scale. The primary worldwide whitefly pest is Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius). Insecticides are commonly used to mitigate the whitefly problem in vegetable crops. In limited-resource crop production, operator-carried spray applicators are commonly used for pesticide treatments. Three single-nozzle operator-carried spray applicators were assessed for their efficacies for whitefly (B. tabaci) control on summer squash (Cucurbita pepo L.) in Egypt. Each knapsack spray equipment was evaluated with five biorational and conventional insecticides. Counts of whitefly nymphs (first, second, third and fourth instars) on leaf samples were taken on 3, 9, 15 and 21 days after treatments with the insecticides. Nymphal mortality varied about 10% among the three spray equipment treatments. The Economy Micro Ulva sprayer resulted in significantly more nymphal mortality as compared with the Arimitsu sprayer and the CZP-3 sprayer, respectively. All insecticides greatly suppressed the whitefly populations;mean mortality ranged from 73% to 95% for all nymphs combined by day for a given treatment. These results provide pest management practitioners with performance assessment of the three operator-carried pesticide applicators for whitefly management with selected foliar insecticides.展开更多
The paper presents the construction of an automatic applicator of active substance that removes causes of the disturbances in the fluid flow in a system that is under the control. In a particular case, it can be appli...The paper presents the construction of an automatic applicator of active substance that removes causes of the disturbances in the fluid flow in a system that is under the control. In a particular case, it can be applied to the removal of disturbances in the blood flow in vessels caused by a thrombus formation (e.g. post-operative or due to dialysis treatment). The presented applicator automatically releases the active substance into the system while detecting in real time the abnormal fluid flow. It allows mixing the active substance (e.g. anticoagulant drug) with the controlled medium outside the substance container (e.g. serum) while offering the possibility of the repeated usage.展开更多
A prilled urea applicator was designed and developed to increase fertilizer use efficiency. The developed applicator’s aims to place Urea continuously at the subsurface of soil between two rows of plants. A line-to-l...A prilled urea applicator was designed and developed to increase fertilizer use efficiency. The developed applicator’s aims to place Urea continuously at the subsurface of soil between two rows of plants. A line-to-line distance of 20 cm, depth of prilled urea placement of 5 - 7 cm, and field operating condition at 1 - 1.5 cm standing water (for softening the field) was the designed hypothesis. At the laboratory and farm level, test the developed applicator. The applicator consists of a rectangular frame, two skids and furrow opener, two cylindrical hoppers, and a drive wheel connected with a metering device. The designed applicator was fabricated using PVC, except the push handled (mild steel). The metering device consists of twelve spikes and is made of a metallic plate to apply the Urea uniformly. The applicator has a furrow opener and closer options. The effective field capacity was 0.13 ha/h with a speed of 1.22 km/h and field efficiency of 98%. Due to the continuous falling mechanism, there is no missing option but found the over-falling urea for both hoppers was found 5.35%. The average depth of urea placement was 6.38 cm. The machine was user-friendly to push, and the mean pushing force was 63.89 N. The weight of the applicator was 9 kg. So, it is natural to carry from one field to another field. The applicator is also convenient to handle, operate and manage.展开更多
BACKGROUND Primary vaginal cancer is rare and most vaginal tumors are metastatic,often arising from adjacent gynecologic structures.Primary vaginal cancers are also more common among postmenopausal women and most of t...BACKGROUND Primary vaginal cancer is rare and most vaginal tumors are metastatic,often arising from adjacent gynecologic structures.Primary vaginal cancers are also more common among postmenopausal women and most of these are squamous cell carcinomas,with adenocarcinomas being relatively rare.Vaginal bleeding is the most common clinical manifestation of vaginal adenocarcinoma.About 70%of vaginal adenocarcinomas are stage I lesions at the time of diagnosis,for which radical surgery is recommended.However,more advanced vaginal cancers are not amenable to radical surgical treatment and have poor clinical outcomes.Optimal treatments modes are still being explored.Here,we report a rare case of stage IIb primary vaginal adenocarcinoma for which an individually designed vaginal applicator for after-loading radiotherapy was used to achieve good tumor control.CASE SUMMARY A 62-year-old woman presented to our clinic after 3 months of abnormal postmenopausal vaginal bleeding.Gynecological examination,computed tomography(CT),and positron emission tomography-CT showed a large mass(about 5 cm)on the anterior vaginal wall.Colposcopy biopsy confirmed adenocarcinoma of vaginal origin.After three cycles of carboplatin plus paclitaxel chemotherapy,the lesion partially shrunk.The patient then received external irradiation of 45 gray(gy)in 25 fractions,which further reduced the vaginal lesion,followed by after-loading radiotherapy of 30 gy in 5 fractions with an individually designed vaginal applicator.Three months later,magnetic resonance imaging showed a slight thickening CONCLUSION Primary vaginal adenocarcinoma is rare,and prognosis is poor in most vaginal cancers of locally advanced stages,which cannot be treated with radical surgery.Better tumor control can be achieved with an individualized vaginal applicator that allows administration of a higher radical dose to the tumor area while protecting normal tissues.展开更多
The paper introduces a microstrip applicator for treatment or prostatitisand kypertrophy or prostate via rectum. The principle or the applicator, the theoreticalcalculation or near field distribution of the applicator...The paper introduces a microstrip applicator for treatment or prostatitisand kypertrophy or prostate via rectum. The principle or the applicator, the theoreticalcalculation or near field distribution of the applicator covered with a lossy dielectric, theperformance or the impedance matching and the heating pattern or the applicator andthe clinical results are reported.展开更多
This Paper introduces a microstrip applicator for treatment of cervical erosion and cervical condyloma acuminatum with microwave tissue coagulationmethod. The principle of the applicator,the theoretical calculation of...This Paper introduces a microstrip applicator for treatment of cervical erosion and cervical condyloma acuminatum with microwave tissue coagulationmethod. The principle of the applicator,the theoretical calculation of near field distribution of the applicator covered with a lossy dielectric, the experimental resultsfor its performance of the impedance matching and for microwave leakage energyare reported. Finally,the therapeutic method and effects are presented.展开更多
The instability of the motion layer of fertilizer particle influences the precision and the accuracy of the amount of fertilizer application in the working process of fluted-roller fertilizer applicator.The characteri...The instability of the motion layer of fertilizer particle influences the precision and the accuracy of the amount of fertilizer application in the working process of fluted-roller fertilizer applicator.The characteristics of the motion layer were investigated,and a systematic scheme was proposed for designing the structures of fertilizer-filling cavity,fertilizer-filling surface and fertilizer-delivery cavity.The key parameters of the structure were studied by discrete element method.It was figured out that to ensure the smooth operation of fertilizer applicator,the fertilizer-filling angle was 105°,fertilizer-contact angle should be large than 100°,and the fertilizer-resistance angle should be smaller than 35°.Moreover,the stability of fertilizer motion morphology was investigated to verify the design.The results showed that when the roll rotational speed was larger than 120 deg/s,compared with the conventional design the CV of the amount of fertilizer application was reduced from 1.5%-3.5%to 0.5%-1.0%,and the accuracy of the fertilizer discharge was improved with the square of the correlation coefficient between the amount of fertilizer application and the roll rotational speed was larger than 0.999.It was deduced from the results that the precision and accuracy of the amount of fertilizer application are improved via eliminating the driving layer and enhancing the stable filling and conveying of the forced layer.展开更多
Environmental impact and economic concerns have driven a variable rate technology(VRT).Spinner spreaders were mainly used for granular fertilizer application since they are simple in design,inexpensive,and can cover l...Environmental impact and economic concerns have driven a variable rate technology(VRT).Spinner spreaders were mainly used for granular fertilizer application since they are simple in design,inexpensive,and can cover large areas.However,the spreader was not adequate for VRT because uniformity changes drastically while varying application rates.Thus,the purpose of this study was to develop a variable rate applicator with uniform spreading patterns.A commercial spreader was modified with a controller and electric actuators for controlling fertilizer discharge directions and amounts.Database was established to determine the optimum discharge direction according to the fertilizer application amount.The uniformity of spreading patterns in accordance with the spread amount per set unit area was evaluated by the statistical coefficient of variation(CV)lower than 15%is assumed to prevent damage to the crop.Test results showed that CVs were 8%,9%,and 8%,respectively,for a tractor in race track mode(adjacent passes in same direction of travel)at 200 kg/hm^(2),300 kg/hm^(2),and 400 kg/hm^(2).This indicates that the fertilizer was spread uniformly,while the coefficient of variation was 12%at 200 kg/hm^(2) in back and forth mode(adjacent passes in the opposite direction of travel).Overall,the results suggest that the race track mode is suitable for operation of a tractor to ensure uniform spreading of fertilizer when applying at variable rates.The future goal is to establish a system for automatic variable rate application according to location in connection with soil analysis and geographic information systems.展开更多
A remnant fertilizer monitoring system utilizing three-dimensional(3D)reconstruction was proposed to detect the amount of remaining fertilizer in the applicator’s tank.Bench tests were carried out to compare the perf...A remnant fertilizer monitoring system utilizing three-dimensional(3D)reconstruction was proposed to detect the amount of remaining fertilizer in the applicator’s tank.Bench tests were carried out to compare the performance of four algorithms to estimate the remnant fertilizer amount:fertilizer remnant monitoring biharmonic spline algorithm(V4),natural nearest-neighbor algorithm(Natural),linear algorithm(Linear),cubic algorithm(Cubic).The average relative error for remnant fertilizer monitoring is 7.33%for the Linear algorithm,7.30%for the Natural algorithm,5.18%for the Cubic algorithm,and 4.30%for the V4 algorithm.Field tests are conducted at three fertilization rates to compare the performances of the V4 and Cubic algorithms.The average relative error for discharged fertilizer monitoring is 8.64%for the Cubic algorithm,which is 1.91%lower than that of the V4 algorithm.The results show that the Cubic algorithm has the best performance for remnant fertilizer monitoring.The average relative error of remnant fertilizer monitoring is 2.42%for the Cubic algorithm,which is 0.43%lower than that of the V4 algorithm.The response time of the remnant fertilizer monitoring system is 0.26 s.The results demonstrate that the proposed remnant fertilizer monitoring system is highly accurate and suitable for real-time applications.展开更多
Background: There are only very few reports on clinical outcomes using multi-channel applicators (MCA) for patients with endometrial cancer (EC) in China. We aimed to evaluate the clinical experience of treating inter...Background: There are only very few reports on clinical outcomes using multi-channel applicators (MCA) for patients with endometrial cancer (EC) in China. We aimed to evaluate the clinical experience of treating intermediate-risk (IR) to high-risk (HR) stage I EC using in-house made multi-channel applicators (IH-MCA) in a single institution. Methods: Three hundred and ninety patients with stage I IR to HR EC were treated with hysterectomy and adjuvant radiotherapy from 2003 to 2015. All patients received post-operative vaginal cuff brachytherapy (VBT) alone or as a boost after external beam radiotherapy (EBRT). The prescriptions were 500 cGy per fraction for a total of 5 to 6 fractions with brachytherapy alone or 400 to 600 cGy per fraction for 2 to 3 fractions if it was combined with EBRT. Two types of applicators including a traditional rigid IH-MCA and a recent model custom-made with 3 dimension printing technology were used for treatment. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate survival rate. Results: Follow-up rate was 92.8% and the median follow-up time was 48 months (range 4–172 months). The 5-year overall survival (OS), progression-free survival, local recurrence, and distant metastasis rates for all patients were 96.3%, 92.1%, 2.9%, and 4.8% respectively. Two patients had isolated relapse in vagina outside the irradiated volume. The univariate and multivariate analysis showed that age and grade were the prognostic factors correlated with OS (hazard ratio: 0.368, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.131–1.035, P = 0.048;hazard ratio: 0.576, 95% CI: 0.347–0.958, P = 0.026,). Conclusions: For patients with IR to HR stage I EC, adjuvant VBT alone or in combination with EBRT using IH-MCA led to excellent survival and recurrence rates. Age and grade were the prognostic factors correlated with OS.展开更多
To improve the uniformity and accuracy of fertilizing amount for fertilizer applicators with spiral fluted roller,this paper experimentally studied the influence of major structural parameters on the fertilizing perfo...To improve the uniformity and accuracy of fertilizing amount for fertilizer applicators with spiral fluted roller,this paper experimentally studied the influence of major structural parameters on the fertilizing performance.Through two sets of orthogonal tests,it is found that the helix angle and installation angle of spiral fluted rollers are the main factors,which affect the uniformity of fertilizer discharge and the linear relationship between fertilizing amount and opening,respectively.Based on these findings,the experiment and analysis were carried out to determine the optimal helix angle and installation angle for the spiral fluted roller The experimental results of fertilizing performance show that:when the helix angle is 45°,it able to achieve satisfactory uniformity of fertilizer discharge and linear relationship between fertilizing amount and rotational speed;when the installation angle is 40°,it enhances the accuracy of fertilizer discharge with good linear relationship between fertilizing amount and opening.Compared with the fertilizing performance of traditional fertilizer applicators with horizontally installed straight fluted roller,in the aspect of uniformity,the optimized fertilizer applicators reduce the variation coefficient of fertilizing amount within 0.2 s at low speed(10-30 r/min)from 5.1%-52.5%to 4.2%-14.7%;in the aspect of accuracy;and increase the correlation coefficient square R2 between fertilizing amount and opening from 0.93-0.97 to no less than 0.996,and the regression intercept in the fitting equation is reduced from larger than 10.0 to less than 1.0.展开更多
[Objectives]To investigate the effects of different planting densities and nitrogen application rates on the yield and quality of the tobacco cultivar Chuxue 80.[Methods]A field experiment was conducted in Hubei Provi...[Objectives]To investigate the effects of different planting densities and nitrogen application rates on the yield and quality of the tobacco cultivar Chuxue 80.[Methods]A field experiment was conducted in Hubei Province,evaluating various combinations of planting density and nitrogen rate for Chuxue 80.[Results]At the maturity stage,the TN1 treatment(5 kg N per 667 m^(2) with a density of 1900 plants per 667 m^(2))demonstrated the most favorable agronomic performance.The TN9 treatment(11 kg N per 667 m^(2) with a density of 1110 plants per 667 m^(2))achieved the highest wrapper tobacco yield and output value.Meanwhile,the TN5 treatment(8 kg N per 667 m^(2) with a density of 1515 plants per 667 m^(2))resulted in the best smoking quality.[Conclusions]The TN9 treatment,with a planting density of 1110 plants per 667 m^(2) and a nitrogen application rate of 11 kg per 667 m^(2),is recommended as the optimal cultivation practice for Chuxue 80 in Hubei Province.展开更多
Biomass is a resourcewhose organic carbon is formed from atmospheric carbon dioxide.It has numerous characteristics such as low carbon emissions,renewability,and environmental friendliness.The efficient utilization of...Biomass is a resourcewhose organic carbon is formed from atmospheric carbon dioxide.It has numerous characteristics such as low carbon emissions,renewability,and environmental friendliness.The efficient utilization of biomass plays a significant role in promoting the development of clean energy,alleviating environmental pressures,and achieving carbon neutrality goals.Among the numerous processing technologies of biomass,hydrothermal carbonization(HTC)is a promising thermochemical process that can decompose and convert biomass into hydrochar under relatively mild conditions of approximately 180℃–300℃,thereby enabling its efficient resource utilization.In addition,HTC can directly process feedstocks with high moisture content without the need for high-temperature drying,resulting in lower energy consumption.Based on a systematic analysis of the critical articles mainly published in 2011-2025 related to biomass,HTC,and hydrochar applications,in this review,the category of biomass was first classified and the chemical compositions were summarized.Then,the main chemical reaction pathways involved in biomass decomposition and transformation during the HTC process were introduced.Meanwhile,the roles of key process parameters,including reaction temperature,residence time,pH,feedstock type,pressure,mass ratio of biomass to water,and the use of catalysts on HTC,were carefully discussed.Finally,the applications of hydrochar in energy utilization,environmental remediation,soil improvement,adsorbent,microbial fermentation,and phosphorus recovery fields were highlighted.The future directions of the HTC process were also provided,which would respond to climate change by promoting the development of the sustainable carbon materials field.展开更多
Environmental DNA(eDNA)technology has revolutionized biodiversity monitoring with its non-invasive,sensitive,and cost-efficient approach.This paper systematically reviews eDNA advancements,examining its applications i...Environmental DNA(eDNA)technology has revolutionized biodiversity monitoring with its non-invasive,sensitive,and cost-efficient approach.This paper systematically reviews eDNA advancements,examining its applications in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems and assessing China’s standardization progress.It delineates four developmental phases from single-species detection to high-throughput sequencing,and highlights China’s contribution to the development of technical standards.While significant progress has been made,challenges persist in quantitative accuracy,methodological consistency,and large-scale implementation.Future efforts should prioritize enhanced standardization,improved quantification techniques,broader applications,and international collaboration to drive innovation in eDNA technology.展开更多
Liver transplantation(LT)remains the optimal life-saving intervention for patients with end-stage liver disease.Despite the recent advances in LT several barriers,including organ allocation,donor-recipient matching,an...Liver transplantation(LT)remains the optimal life-saving intervention for patients with end-stage liver disease.Despite the recent advances in LT several barriers,including organ allocation,donor-recipient matching,and patient education,persist.With the growing progress of artificial intelligence,particularly large language models(LLMs)like ChatGPT,new applications have emerged in the field of LT.Current studies demonstrating usage of ChatGPT in LT include various areas of application,from clinical settings to research and education.ChatGPT usage can benefit both healthcare professionals,by decreasing the time spent on non-clinical work,but also LT recipients by providing accurate information.Future potential applications include the expanding usage of ChatGPT and other LLMs in the field of LT pathology and radiology as well as the automated creation of discharge summaries or other related paperwork.Additionally,the next models of ChatGPT might have the potential to provide more accurate patient education material with increased readability.Although ChatGPT usage presents promising applications,there are certain ethical and practical limitations.Key concerns include patient data privacy,information accuracy,misinformation possibility and lack of legal framework.Healthcare providers and policymakers should collaborate for the establishment of a controlled framework for the safe use of ChatGPT.The aim of this minireview is to summarize current literature on ChatGPT in LT,highlighting both opportunities and limitations,while also providing future possible applications.展开更多
Radiative cooling systems(RCSs)possess the distinctive capability to dissipate heat energy via solar and thermal radiation,making them suitable for thermal regulation and energy conservation applications,essential for...Radiative cooling systems(RCSs)possess the distinctive capability to dissipate heat energy via solar and thermal radiation,making them suitable for thermal regulation and energy conservation applications,essential for mitigating the energy crisis.A comprehensive review connecting the advancements in engineered radiative cooling systems(ERCSs),encompassing material and structural design as well as thermal and energy-related applications,is currently absent.Herein,this review begins with a concise summary of the essential concepts of ERCSs,followed by an introduction to engineered materials and structures,containing nature-inspired designs,chromatic materials,meta-structural configurations,and multilayered constructions.It subsequently encapsulates the primary applications,including thermal-regulating textiles and energy-saving devices.Next,it highlights the challenges of ERCSs,including maximized thermoregulatory effects,environmental adaptability,scalability and sustainability,and interdisciplinary integration.It seeks to offer direction for forthcoming fundamental research and industrial advancement of radiative cooling systems in real-world applications.展开更多
This article reviews the research advances in traditional Chinese medicine rhubarb and its compound formulations in the treatment of sepsis,with particular emphasis on elucidating their mechanisms of action and clinic...This article reviews the research advances in traditional Chinese medicine rhubarb and its compound formulations in the treatment of sepsis,with particular emphasis on elucidating their mechanisms of action and clinical application value.Research has demonstrated that rhubarb and its compound formulations exert therapeutic effects via multiple targets and mechanisms,including anti-inflammatory actions,protection of the intestinal barrier,modulation of immune balance,inhibition of oxidative stress,and regulation of associated signaling pathways.Clinically,rhubarb has shown distinct advantages in enhancing gastrointestinal function,mitigating systemic inflammatory responses,and reducing mortality rates among patients with sepsis.These findings provide a foundational reference for the integrated prevention and treatment of sepsis through the combined use of traditional Chinese and Western medicine.展开更多
文摘In intracavitary radiotherapy (ICRT) for cancer cervix, applicator geometry has the potential to impact the doses to organs at risk (OARs) and the coverage of the target volume. At our centre two Varian made Fletcher-style applicator sets, namely defined (fixed) geometry and flexible geometry, are used for ICRT. In the present work, the two types of applicators were compared dosimetrically as per the recommendations of the International Commission on Radiation Units and Measurements (ICRU-38) while delivering high dose rate brachytherapy. Twenty four patients who underwent ICRT were considered for this study. Radiographic method was used for treatment planning on Abacus planning system. ICRU-38 recommended parameters were estimated and compared. Flexible geometry applicator showed 8.8% and 16% higher bladder and rectum point doses as compared to the fixed geometry one but the difference was statistically not significant. The thickness of the pear-shaped isodose volume was larger for the flexible geometry implant also indicating towards higher doses to OARs. The higher bladder and rectum point doses in the case of flexible applicator will need to be validated by a larger data set.
文摘Multi-channel cylindrical applicators for high dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy are utilized mainly for special gynecology cases often involving image-guidance high dose-rate (IG-HDR or IGBT) brachytherapy. In these cases, doses are prescribed to partial vaginal wall/depth where the disease is indicated by an MRI study scanned on the same day. These novel IG-HDR procedures are logistical challenges comparing to typical HDR out-patient treatments due to the complexity of planning for asymmetrical prescriptions as well as the extension of the whole procedure. Indeed the main advantages of HDR over LDR brachytherapy would be significantly weaken unless the IG-HDR procedures become more efficient in time, thus timely treatment planning becomes crucial. Based on our clinical experience, we propose the pseudo central-catheter method to reduce errors, to minimize uncertainty and to ensure efficiency. In this method, the central hollow path of the multi-channel cylindrical applicator is digitized into a pseudo catheter similar to other active catheters, and the asymmetrical prescription points could be generated corresponding to the pseudo dwelling points in the pseudo central-catheter. The pseudo dwelling points are later deleted after generating the prescription point arrays. This method is robust with minimal chance of errors or uncertainties, and demonstrates high efficiency with much less chance of uncertainty, which is significant for IG-HDR brachytherapy procedures utilizing multi-channel applicators.
文摘OBJECTIVE To evaluate the results and complications associated with nasopharyngeal carcinoma （NPC） treated with combined external-beam radiotherapy （EBR） and intracavitary brachytherapy （IB） using a new-type applicator. METHODS Eighty patients with untreated NPC were divided into two groups based on therapy methods. An experimental group was treated with EBR plus IB and a control group was treated only with EBR. IB was given to the patients of the experimental group when the external radiotherapy dose amounted to more than 60～65 Gy. The total dose of IB was 6～20 Gy and the total dose of EBR of the control group was 70～75 Gy. RESULTS Follow-up was conducted for 97.5% of the patients with re- suits as follows： the overall response rates （ORR） for the experimental and the control groups were 92.5% and 75.3% respectively （P〈0.05）; the 3 and 5-year survival rates for the experimental group were 87.5% and 74.2% and for the control group, 65.0% and 55.6% （P〈0.05）; for the experimental group, the 3 and 5-year disease-free survival rates were 72.5% and 64.5% and for the control group, 60.0% and 52.8% （P〉0.05）.Some complications following radiotherapy showed a significant difference. CONCLUSION External irradiation plus intracavitary brachytherapy using a new-type applicator may improve the ORR and survival rates, reduce radiation complications and increase the quality of life.
文摘Whiteflies cause problems in vegetable production on a global scale. The primary worldwide whitefly pest is Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius). Insecticides are commonly used to mitigate the whitefly problem in vegetable crops. In limited-resource crop production, operator-carried spray applicators are commonly used for pesticide treatments. Three single-nozzle operator-carried spray applicators were assessed for their efficacies for whitefly (B. tabaci) control on summer squash (Cucurbita pepo L.) in Egypt. Each knapsack spray equipment was evaluated with five biorational and conventional insecticides. Counts of whitefly nymphs (first, second, third and fourth instars) on leaf samples were taken on 3, 9, 15 and 21 days after treatments with the insecticides. Nymphal mortality varied about 10% among the three spray equipment treatments. The Economy Micro Ulva sprayer resulted in significantly more nymphal mortality as compared with the Arimitsu sprayer and the CZP-3 sprayer, respectively. All insecticides greatly suppressed the whitefly populations;mean mortality ranged from 73% to 95% for all nymphs combined by day for a given treatment. These results provide pest management practitioners with performance assessment of the three operator-carried pesticide applicators for whitefly management with selected foliar insecticides.
文摘The paper presents the construction of an automatic applicator of active substance that removes causes of the disturbances in the fluid flow in a system that is under the control. In a particular case, it can be applied to the removal of disturbances in the blood flow in vessels caused by a thrombus formation (e.g. post-operative or due to dialysis treatment). The presented applicator automatically releases the active substance into the system while detecting in real time the abnormal fluid flow. It allows mixing the active substance (e.g. anticoagulant drug) with the controlled medium outside the substance container (e.g. serum) while offering the possibility of the repeated usage.
文摘A prilled urea applicator was designed and developed to increase fertilizer use efficiency. The developed applicator’s aims to place Urea continuously at the subsurface of soil between two rows of plants. A line-to-line distance of 20 cm, depth of prilled urea placement of 5 - 7 cm, and field operating condition at 1 - 1.5 cm standing water (for softening the field) was the designed hypothesis. At the laboratory and farm level, test the developed applicator. The applicator consists of a rectangular frame, two skids and furrow opener, two cylindrical hoppers, and a drive wheel connected with a metering device. The designed applicator was fabricated using PVC, except the push handled (mild steel). The metering device consists of twelve spikes and is made of a metallic plate to apply the Urea uniformly. The applicator has a furrow opener and closer options. The effective field capacity was 0.13 ha/h with a speed of 1.22 km/h and field efficiency of 98%. Due to the continuous falling mechanism, there is no missing option but found the over-falling urea for both hoppers was found 5.35%. The average depth of urea placement was 6.38 cm. The machine was user-friendly to push, and the mean pushing force was 63.89 N. The weight of the applicator was 9 kg. So, it is natural to carry from one field to another field. The applicator is also convenient to handle, operate and manage.
文摘BACKGROUND Primary vaginal cancer is rare and most vaginal tumors are metastatic,often arising from adjacent gynecologic structures.Primary vaginal cancers are also more common among postmenopausal women and most of these are squamous cell carcinomas,with adenocarcinomas being relatively rare.Vaginal bleeding is the most common clinical manifestation of vaginal adenocarcinoma.About 70%of vaginal adenocarcinomas are stage I lesions at the time of diagnosis,for which radical surgery is recommended.However,more advanced vaginal cancers are not amenable to radical surgical treatment and have poor clinical outcomes.Optimal treatments modes are still being explored.Here,we report a rare case of stage IIb primary vaginal adenocarcinoma for which an individually designed vaginal applicator for after-loading radiotherapy was used to achieve good tumor control.CASE SUMMARY A 62-year-old woman presented to our clinic after 3 months of abnormal postmenopausal vaginal bleeding.Gynecological examination,computed tomography(CT),and positron emission tomography-CT showed a large mass(about 5 cm)on the anterior vaginal wall.Colposcopy biopsy confirmed adenocarcinoma of vaginal origin.After three cycles of carboplatin plus paclitaxel chemotherapy,the lesion partially shrunk.The patient then received external irradiation of 45 gray(gy)in 25 fractions,which further reduced the vaginal lesion,followed by after-loading radiotherapy of 30 gy in 5 fractions with an individually designed vaginal applicator.Three months later,magnetic resonance imaging showed a slight thickening CONCLUSION Primary vaginal adenocarcinoma is rare,and prognosis is poor in most vaginal cancers of locally advanced stages,which cannot be treated with radical surgery.Better tumor control can be achieved with an individualized vaginal applicator that allows administration of a higher radical dose to the tumor area while protecting normal tissues.
文摘The paper introduces a microstrip applicator for treatment or prostatitisand kypertrophy or prostate via rectum. The principle or the applicator, the theoreticalcalculation or near field distribution of the applicator covered with a lossy dielectric, theperformance or the impedance matching and the heating pattern or the applicator andthe clinical results are reported.
文摘This Paper introduces a microstrip applicator for treatment of cervical erosion and cervical condyloma acuminatum with microwave tissue coagulationmethod. The principle of the applicator,the theoretical calculation of near field distribution of the applicator covered with a lossy dielectric, the experimental resultsfor its performance of the impedance matching and for microwave leakage energyare reported. Finally,the therapeutic method and effects are presented.
基金We acknowledge that this research was financially supported by National Key Research Program Project(No.2016YFD0200600,2016YFD0200606,2018YFD0200700,2018YFD0200704,2017YFD0700500,2017YFD0700503).
文摘The instability of the motion layer of fertilizer particle influences the precision and the accuracy of the amount of fertilizer application in the working process of fluted-roller fertilizer applicator.The characteristics of the motion layer were investigated,and a systematic scheme was proposed for designing the structures of fertilizer-filling cavity,fertilizer-filling surface and fertilizer-delivery cavity.The key parameters of the structure were studied by discrete element method.It was figured out that to ensure the smooth operation of fertilizer applicator,the fertilizer-filling angle was 105°,fertilizer-contact angle should be large than 100°,and the fertilizer-resistance angle should be smaller than 35°.Moreover,the stability of fertilizer motion morphology was investigated to verify the design.The results showed that when the roll rotational speed was larger than 120 deg/s,compared with the conventional design the CV of the amount of fertilizer application was reduced from 1.5%-3.5%to 0.5%-1.0%,and the accuracy of the fertilizer discharge was improved with the square of the correlation coefficient between the amount of fertilizer application and the roll rotational speed was larger than 0.999.It was deduced from the results that the precision and accuracy of the amount of fertilizer application are improved via eliminating the driving layer and enhancing the stable filling and conveying of the forced layer.
基金This work was carried out with the support of the“Cooperative Research Program for Agriculture Science&Technology Development”(Project No.PJ01050303),Rural Development Administration,Republic of Korea.
文摘Environmental impact and economic concerns have driven a variable rate technology(VRT).Spinner spreaders were mainly used for granular fertilizer application since they are simple in design,inexpensive,and can cover large areas.However,the spreader was not adequate for VRT because uniformity changes drastically while varying application rates.Thus,the purpose of this study was to develop a variable rate applicator with uniform spreading patterns.A commercial spreader was modified with a controller and electric actuators for controlling fertilizer discharge directions and amounts.Database was established to determine the optimum discharge direction according to the fertilizer application amount.The uniformity of spreading patterns in accordance with the spread amount per set unit area was evaluated by the statistical coefficient of variation(CV)lower than 15%is assumed to prevent damage to the crop.Test results showed that CVs were 8%,9%,and 8%,respectively,for a tractor in race track mode(adjacent passes in same direction of travel)at 200 kg/hm^(2),300 kg/hm^(2),and 400 kg/hm^(2).This indicates that the fertilizer was spread uniformly,while the coefficient of variation was 12%at 200 kg/hm^(2) in back and forth mode(adjacent passes in the opposite direction of travel).Overall,the results suggest that the race track mode is suitable for operation of a tractor to ensure uniform spreading of fertilizer when applying at variable rates.The future goal is to establish a system for automatic variable rate application according to location in connection with soil analysis and geographic information systems.
基金supported in part by the National Key R&D Program of China(Grant No.2017YFD0700503)the Soil-Machine-Plant key laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture of China.
文摘A remnant fertilizer monitoring system utilizing three-dimensional(3D)reconstruction was proposed to detect the amount of remaining fertilizer in the applicator’s tank.Bench tests were carried out to compare the performance of four algorithms to estimate the remnant fertilizer amount:fertilizer remnant monitoring biharmonic spline algorithm(V4),natural nearest-neighbor algorithm(Natural),linear algorithm(Linear),cubic algorithm(Cubic).The average relative error for remnant fertilizer monitoring is 7.33%for the Linear algorithm,7.30%for the Natural algorithm,5.18%for the Cubic algorithm,and 4.30%for the V4 algorithm.Field tests are conducted at three fertilization rates to compare the performances of the V4 and Cubic algorithms.The average relative error for discharged fertilizer monitoring is 8.64%for the Cubic algorithm,which is 1.91%lower than that of the V4 algorithm.The results show that the Cubic algorithm has the best performance for remnant fertilizer monitoring.The average relative error of remnant fertilizer monitoring is 2.42%for the Cubic algorithm,which is 0.43%lower than that of the V4 algorithm.The response time of the remnant fertilizer monitoring system is 0.26 s.The results demonstrate that the proposed remnant fertilizer monitoring system is highly accurate and suitable for real-time applications.
基金This study was supported by the grant from the Ministry of Science and Technology of China(No.2016YFC0105207).
文摘Background: There are only very few reports on clinical outcomes using multi-channel applicators (MCA) for patients with endometrial cancer (EC) in China. We aimed to evaluate the clinical experience of treating intermediate-risk (IR) to high-risk (HR) stage I EC using in-house made multi-channel applicators (IH-MCA) in a single institution. Methods: Three hundred and ninety patients with stage I IR to HR EC were treated with hysterectomy and adjuvant radiotherapy from 2003 to 2015. All patients received post-operative vaginal cuff brachytherapy (VBT) alone or as a boost after external beam radiotherapy (EBRT). The prescriptions were 500 cGy per fraction for a total of 5 to 6 fractions with brachytherapy alone or 400 to 600 cGy per fraction for 2 to 3 fractions if it was combined with EBRT. Two types of applicators including a traditional rigid IH-MCA and a recent model custom-made with 3 dimension printing technology were used for treatment. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate survival rate. Results: Follow-up rate was 92.8% and the median follow-up time was 48 months (range 4–172 months). The 5-year overall survival (OS), progression-free survival, local recurrence, and distant metastasis rates for all patients were 96.3%, 92.1%, 2.9%, and 4.8% respectively. Two patients had isolated relapse in vagina outside the irradiated volume. The univariate and multivariate analysis showed that age and grade were the prognostic factors correlated with OS (hazard ratio: 0.368, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.131–1.035, P = 0.048;hazard ratio: 0.576, 95% CI: 0.347–0.958, P = 0.026,). Conclusions: For patients with IR to HR stage I EC, adjuvant VBT alone or in combination with EBRT using IH-MCA led to excellent survival and recurrence rates. Age and grade were the prognostic factors correlated with OS.
基金that this work was financially supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(Grant No.2021YFD2000403)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.32372002)Guangzhou Basic and Applied Basic Research Project(Grant No.202102020870).
文摘To improve the uniformity and accuracy of fertilizing amount for fertilizer applicators with spiral fluted roller,this paper experimentally studied the influence of major structural parameters on the fertilizing performance.Through two sets of orthogonal tests,it is found that the helix angle and installation angle of spiral fluted rollers are the main factors,which affect the uniformity of fertilizer discharge and the linear relationship between fertilizing amount and opening,respectively.Based on these findings,the experiment and analysis were carried out to determine the optimal helix angle and installation angle for the spiral fluted roller The experimental results of fertilizing performance show that:when the helix angle is 45°,it able to achieve satisfactory uniformity of fertilizer discharge and linear relationship between fertilizing amount and rotational speed;when the installation angle is 40°,it enhances the accuracy of fertilizer discharge with good linear relationship between fertilizing amount and opening.Compared with the fertilizing performance of traditional fertilizer applicators with horizontally installed straight fluted roller,in the aspect of uniformity,the optimized fertilizer applicators reduce the variation coefficient of fertilizing amount within 0.2 s at low speed(10-30 r/min)from 5.1%-52.5%to 4.2%-14.7%;in the aspect of accuracy;and increase the correlation coefficient square R2 between fertilizing amount and opening from 0.93-0.97 to no less than 0.996,and the regression intercept in the fitting equation is reduced from larger than 10.0 to less than 1.0.
基金Supported by Science and Technology Project of China Tobacco Zhejiang Industrial Co.,Ltd.(2023330000340093).
文摘[Objectives]To investigate the effects of different planting densities and nitrogen application rates on the yield and quality of the tobacco cultivar Chuxue 80.[Methods]A field experiment was conducted in Hubei Province,evaluating various combinations of planting density and nitrogen rate for Chuxue 80.[Results]At the maturity stage,the TN1 treatment(5 kg N per 667 m^(2) with a density of 1900 plants per 667 m^(2))demonstrated the most favorable agronomic performance.The TN9 treatment(11 kg N per 667 m^(2) with a density of 1110 plants per 667 m^(2))achieved the highest wrapper tobacco yield and output value.Meanwhile,the TN5 treatment(8 kg N per 667 m^(2) with a density of 1515 plants per 667 m^(2))resulted in the best smoking quality.[Conclusions]The TN9 treatment,with a planting density of 1110 plants per 667 m^(2) and a nitrogen application rate of 11 kg per 667 m^(2),is recommended as the optimal cultivation practice for Chuxue 80 in Hubei Province.
基金supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China(22578155,22478147)the Natural Science Foundation of Huaian City(HAB2024051).
文摘Biomass is a resourcewhose organic carbon is formed from atmospheric carbon dioxide.It has numerous characteristics such as low carbon emissions,renewability,and environmental friendliness.The efficient utilization of biomass plays a significant role in promoting the development of clean energy,alleviating environmental pressures,and achieving carbon neutrality goals.Among the numerous processing technologies of biomass,hydrothermal carbonization(HTC)is a promising thermochemical process that can decompose and convert biomass into hydrochar under relatively mild conditions of approximately 180℃–300℃,thereby enabling its efficient resource utilization.In addition,HTC can directly process feedstocks with high moisture content without the need for high-temperature drying,resulting in lower energy consumption.Based on a systematic analysis of the critical articles mainly published in 2011-2025 related to biomass,HTC,and hydrochar applications,in this review,the category of biomass was first classified and the chemical compositions were summarized.Then,the main chemical reaction pathways involved in biomass decomposition and transformation during the HTC process were introduced.Meanwhile,the roles of key process parameters,including reaction temperature,residence time,pH,feedstock type,pressure,mass ratio of biomass to water,and the use of catalysts on HTC,were carefully discussed.Finally,the applications of hydrochar in energy utilization,environmental remediation,soil improvement,adsorbent,microbial fermentation,and phosphorus recovery fields were highlighted.The future directions of the HTC process were also provided,which would respond to climate change by promoting the development of the sustainable carbon materials field.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.32160172)the Key Science-Technology Project of Inner Mongolia(2023KYPT0010)+1 种基金the Natural Science Foundation of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of China(Grant No.2025QN03006)the 2023 Inner Mongolia Public Institution High-Level Talent Introduction Scientific Research Support Project.
文摘Environmental DNA(eDNA)technology has revolutionized biodiversity monitoring with its non-invasive,sensitive,and cost-efficient approach.This paper systematically reviews eDNA advancements,examining its applications in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems and assessing China’s standardization progress.It delineates four developmental phases from single-species detection to high-throughput sequencing,and highlights China’s contribution to the development of technical standards.While significant progress has been made,challenges persist in quantitative accuracy,methodological consistency,and large-scale implementation.Future efforts should prioritize enhanced standardization,improved quantification techniques,broader applications,and international collaboration to drive innovation in eDNA technology.
文摘Liver transplantation(LT)remains the optimal life-saving intervention for patients with end-stage liver disease.Despite the recent advances in LT several barriers,including organ allocation,donor-recipient matching,and patient education,persist.With the growing progress of artificial intelligence,particularly large language models(LLMs)like ChatGPT,new applications have emerged in the field of LT.Current studies demonstrating usage of ChatGPT in LT include various areas of application,from clinical settings to research and education.ChatGPT usage can benefit both healthcare professionals,by decreasing the time spent on non-clinical work,but also LT recipients by providing accurate information.Future potential applications include the expanding usage of ChatGPT and other LLMs in the field of LT pathology and radiology as well as the automated creation of discharge summaries or other related paperwork.Additionally,the next models of ChatGPT might have the potential to provide more accurate patient education material with increased readability.Although ChatGPT usage presents promising applications,there are certain ethical and practical limitations.Key concerns include patient data privacy,information accuracy,misinformation possibility and lack of legal framework.Healthcare providers and policymakers should collaborate for the establishment of a controlled framework for the safe use of ChatGPT.The aim of this minireview is to summarize current literature on ChatGPT in LT,highlighting both opportunities and limitations,while also providing future possible applications.
基金support from the Contract Research(“Development of Breathable Fabrics with Nano-Electrospun Membrane”,CityU ref.:9231419“Research and application of antibacterial and healing-promoting smart nanofiber dressing for children’s burn wounds”,CityU ref:PJ9240111)+1 种基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(“Study of Multi-Responsive Shape Memory Polyurethane Nanocomposites Inspired by Natural Fibers”,Grant No.51673162)Startup Grant of CityU(“Laboratory of Wearable Materials for Healthcare”,Grant No.9380116).
文摘Radiative cooling systems(RCSs)possess the distinctive capability to dissipate heat energy via solar and thermal radiation,making them suitable for thermal regulation and energy conservation applications,essential for mitigating the energy crisis.A comprehensive review connecting the advancements in engineered radiative cooling systems(ERCSs),encompassing material and structural design as well as thermal and energy-related applications,is currently absent.Herein,this review begins with a concise summary of the essential concepts of ERCSs,followed by an introduction to engineered materials and structures,containing nature-inspired designs,chromatic materials,meta-structural configurations,and multilayered constructions.It subsequently encapsulates the primary applications,including thermal-regulating textiles and energy-saving devices.Next,it highlights the challenges of ERCSs,including maximized thermoregulatory effects,environmental adaptability,scalability and sustainability,and interdisciplinary integration.It seeks to offer direction for forthcoming fundamental research and industrial advancement of radiative cooling systems in real-world applications.
基金Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China(82374346)Double Hundred Outstanding Young and Middle-aged Medical and Health Talents of Wuxi City(BJ2023071)Scientific Research Project of Wuxi Municipal Health Commission(Q202358).
文摘This article reviews the research advances in traditional Chinese medicine rhubarb and its compound formulations in the treatment of sepsis,with particular emphasis on elucidating their mechanisms of action and clinical application value.Research has demonstrated that rhubarb and its compound formulations exert therapeutic effects via multiple targets and mechanisms,including anti-inflammatory actions,protection of the intestinal barrier,modulation of immune balance,inhibition of oxidative stress,and regulation of associated signaling pathways.Clinically,rhubarb has shown distinct advantages in enhancing gastrointestinal function,mitigating systemic inflammatory responses,and reducing mortality rates among patients with sepsis.These findings provide a foundational reference for the integrated prevention and treatment of sepsis through the combined use of traditional Chinese and Western medicine.
